TEXT: By Bill Coffin
  TM
  Anvil Galaxy
  Rifts® Dimension Book
  TM Five:
  Palladium Books® Presents:
  
  Warning! 
  Violence, War, Magic & the Supernatural 
  The fictional universe of Phase World® and the Three Galaxies™ is violent, deadly and filled 
  with supernatural monsters. Other-dimensional beings often referred to as "demons" torment, stalk 
  and prey on humans. Other alien life forms, monsters, gods and demigods, as well as magic, insan­
  ity, and war are all elements in this book. 
  Some parents may find the violence, magic and supernatural elements of the game inappropriate 
  for young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion. 
  Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage the occult, the practice of 
  magic, the use of drugs, or violence. 
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  An epic adventure sourcebook for the Phase World® series. 
  Compatible with the entire Palladium Books® Megaverse®! 
  1 
  
  Dedication 
  To Kevin Siembieda, who called me up out of the blue one day to recruit me for further Phase 
  World® supplements. Little did I know how much fuel he threw onto my imagination's fire. 
  To Allison, who always is willing to listen to my wacky ideas, but who also keeps me grounded with 
  cryptic phrases such as "Heihachi stole your cookies again, didn't he?" 
  To the legion of authors and creators who fostered my love for speculative fiction throughout the 
  years. Though the list could fill pages, a few of the more notable names include George Lucas, Gene 
  Roddenberry, lain M. Banks, William Gibson, David Brin, Neal Stephenson, Ray Bradbury, Robert 
  Heinlein, and H.G. Wells. 
  - Bill Coffin, 2002 
  The cover depicts a Gene-Tech conducting genetic experiments inside a secret space laboratory. 
  Painted by John Zeleznik. 
  PDF Edition - September 2017 
  Copyright © 2002 by Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda 
  All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part 
  or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All 
  incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters 
  or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental. 
  Palladium Books®, Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Phase World®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, After the Bomb®, and 
  Megaverse® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. 
  Heroes Unlimited, Aliens Unlimited, Triax & The NGR, Coalition States, Three Galaxies, Anvil Galaxy, Cosmo-Knights, 
  Cosmic Forge, Forge War, Golgan Republik, Central Alliance, Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW), Trans-Galactic Em­
  pire (TGE), United Worlds of Warlock (UWW), Hartigal Combine, Naruni Enterprises, Rynncryyl, Omegan Order, Xodian 
  Collective, Thundercloud Galaxy, Corkscrew Galaxy, Altess, Anvil Dwarves, Durosk, Faustian, Gene-Splicer, Gene-Tech, 
  Golgan, Iborian, Kelesh, Kreeghor, K!ozn, Lurgess, Monster-X, Naruoi, Naruni Enterprises, Noro, Qidian, Sinestrian, Star 
  Elves, Ultrovian, Zebuloid, Space Minotaur, Ratanoid, True Naruni, Uteni, Wulfen, Xodian, Techno-Wizard, Temporal 
  Raider, Ley Line Walker, Shifter, Headhunter, Cyber-Knight, Xiticix, Mind Melter, Burster, Juicer, Crazy, 'Borg, 'Bot, 
  'Burb, D-Bee, Cyber-Doc, Body Doc, Operator, Splugorth, Minions of Splugorth, Mega-Damage, Dimension Book and other 
  names, titles, character names, character likenesses and slogans are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium 
  Books Inc. 
  Palladium Online: www.palladiumbooks.com-alsovisitusatFacebook.comlPalladiumBooks 
  Rifts® Dimension Book™ Five: Anvil GaiaxyTM is published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 Webb 
  Court, Westland, MI 48185. Printed in the USA. 
  2 
  
  Palladium Books® Presents: 
  Rifts® Dimension Book Five: 
  The Anvil GalaxyTM 
  A Phase World® Sourcebook 
  Written by: Bill Coffm 
  Additional text and ideas by: Kevin Siembieda 
  Inspired by and based on Phase World® created by C.J. Carella. 
  Editors: Alex Marciniszyn 
  Wayne Smith 
  Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein 
  Cover Painting: John Zeleznik 
  Interior Artists: Wayne Breaux Jr. 
  Kent BurIes 
  Ramon Perez Jr. 
  Freddie Williams II 
  Michael Wilson 
  Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda 
  Typography: Maryann Siembieda 
  Based on the RPG rules, text, characters, 
  concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda. 
  Special Thanks to Johnny Z for another great cover, Mike Wilson for a Herculean effort and all my 
  artists, as well as Maryann for all her hard work and thankless efforts, and all the Palladium madmen 
  from around the Megaverse. 
  - Kevin Siembieda, 2002 
  3 
  
  Table of Contents 
  Author's Introduction ' .................. 7 
  The Cosmic Forge 
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  The C hronicles of the Cosmos . . . . 
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  Essential Truths of the Cosmic Forge' 
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  In the Beginning . . . 
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  Birth of the Forge . . . . . . . . . 
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  The Endless C reation . . . . . . . 
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  The Great Betrayal· . . . . . . . . 
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  A Place of Hiding . . . . . . . . . 
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  The Mythos ofthe Forge 
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  The Nine Heresies 
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  The 1st Heresy: The Koreda Matrix' . . 
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  The 2nd Heresy: The Great Complexity 
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  The 3rd Heresy: R anthall's Star· . . . . 
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  The 4th Heresy: The Gurvian Atrocity . 
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  The 5th Heresy: Voyage of the Meganaut· 
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  The 6th Heresy: The Endless Eye' . . 
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  The 7th Heresy: Kotus Point . . . . . 
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  The 8th Heresy: Voidmaker' . . . . . 
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  The 9th Heresy: The Forge Dream . . 
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  The Forge War' 
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  The Three Galaxies 
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  The Geography of the Three Galaxies 
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  The Corkscrew Galaxy' . 
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  Phase World . . . . . 
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  Thundercloud Galaxy 
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  Anvil Galaxy ' . . . 
  . 24 
  Biosphere Zones . . . 
  . 24 
  Political Geography . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Demographics of the Three Galaxies ' 
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  Humans' . 
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  W ulfen' . . 
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  Kreeghor · . 
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  Other R aces 
  . 27 
  Languages' . . 
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  Money & Trade . 
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  Star Travel in the Three Galaxies . 
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  F aster-Than-Light Propulsion · 
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  R epression F ields . 
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  N ebula Storms ' . . 
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  Black Holes . . . . 
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  C hronal Distortions 
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  Harmonic Disruptions · . 
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  Communications in the Three Galaxies' 
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  People of the Anvil Galaxy 
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  Consortium of Civilized Worlds R.C.C.s· 
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  Durosk R .C .C . . 
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  F austian RC .C . . . . . . 
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  Iborian R .C .C .· . . . . . 
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  Iborian Healer R .C .C . 
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  Kelesh ' . . . . . . . . . 
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  Kelesh Collector R .C .C . . . 
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  Qidian . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Qidian Adventurer RC .C . . 
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  Qidian Seer RC .C .· . . . . 
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  Sinestrian . . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Sinestrian Mechanic RC .C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 
  United Worlds of Warlock R.c.c.s 
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  Star Elves . . . . . . . . . 
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  Dwarven Guildmasters 
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  Space Minotaurs' . . . . . 
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  R atanoids . . . . . . . . . 
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  Naruni Enterprises R.C.C.s · 
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  True Naruni RC .C . 
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  U teni R .C .C .· . . . . . 
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  Gene-Tech R.C.C. . . 
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  Gene-Tech Monster-X '  
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  Golgan Republik R.C.C.s 
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  Golgan' . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Lurgess . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Lurgess Nomad R .C .C . 
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  Environmental Armor · 
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  U ltrovian' . . . . . . . . . 
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  Zebuloid R .C .C . . . . . . . 
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  Zebuloid Nomad or Pilot R .C .C .· 
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  Altess Dynasty R.C.C.s· 
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  The Altess' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 
  Altess Noble RC .C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 
  The Halo 
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  The Powers That Be' . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW) • 
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  Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  . 67 
  GSA: Galactic Security Agency ·  . 
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  C CW Government· . . . . . . . . . . 
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  Alphabet Soup' . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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  C AF : Consortium Armed Forces . 
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  D C :  Discovery Corps . . . . . . . 
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  GSA: Galactic Security Agency · . 
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  TVIA: Treaty Violation Investigation Agency 
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  IDF : Independent Defense Force 
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  Foreign Affairs 
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  C CW Society . . . . . . 
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  C rime ' . . . . . . . . . 
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  The Korgian Legion . 
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  The U ganza . . . . . 
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  The Galton R ing . . . 
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  Major Worlds of the C CW 
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  Trans-Galactic Em pire 
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  Government . . . . . . . . . . 
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  The Imperial Legions . . . . . 
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  The Invincible Guardsmen· 
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  Foreign Affairs 
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  TGE Society· . . . 
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  TGE Daily Life . . 
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  Slavery is legal· 
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  Law and Order' . . 
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  Hellworld Prisons 
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  Worlds ofInterest · . 
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  Pomadon, World of Demons' . 
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  The United Worlds of Warlock •
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  Government . . . . 
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  The W arlock N avy 
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  The Dark Covens . 
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  Foreign Affairs 
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  Society· . . . . . . 
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  Law and Order· . . 
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  Worlds ofInterest . 
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  Alexandria, True Atlantean Colony . . 
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  Naruni Enterprises' 
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  The Naruni Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 
  S ocial S tudies Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 
  R esearch & Development Dept.· . . . . . . . . . . . 95 
  Naruni Products & S ervices· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 
  Ganymede GoS ystems· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 
  Foreign Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 
  S ociety & Daily Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 
  C rime and Order· ..................... 98 
  Worlds ofInterest ... , ................. 98 
  The Hartigal Combine ' 
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  Government · ....................... 101 
  Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1 
  Other Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1 
  Foreign Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 
  S ociety· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 
  Daily Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 
  Worlds ofInterest ..................... 103 
  The Sargasso· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 
  Goigan Republik' 
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  Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 
  Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 
  Foreign Affairs ...................... 106 
  C rime and Punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 
  Worlds ofInterest ..................... 108 
  Kaluda (Zebuloid home world) ............ 109 
  The Altess Dynasty' 
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  Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 
  Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 
  The Royal Treasuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 
  The Royal Academies of S cience· . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 
  Foreign Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 
  S ociety· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 
  Daily Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 
  Exclusive Immortality· .................. 114 
  Worlds ofInterest · .................... 114 
  Central Alliance 
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  Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 
  Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 
  Foreign Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 
  S ociety· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 
  Law and Order· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 
  Worlds ofInterest ..................... 121 
  The Threshold 
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  The Powers That Be· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 
  S plugorth Kingdom of R ynncryy1· ............ 124 
  Military .......................... 126 
  Foreign Affairs ...................... 126 
  S ociety· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 
  Worlds ofInterest · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 
  Threshold Gene-Tech 
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  Foreign Affairs ...................... 130 
  Worlds ofInterest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 
  Gene-S plicing by the Gene-Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 
  Genetic Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 
  Other types of mutants & powers · ............ 132 
  Game Master Notes: How to use a Gene-Tech . . . . . . 132 
  S ome Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 
  The Core 
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  The Powers That Be· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 
  5 
  Omegan Order· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 
  Omegan Order R umor Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 
  Xodian Collective · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 
  X odian R umor Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 
  K! oZll Continuum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 
  The World Builder's Toolbox' 
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  S olar S ystem· ....................... 139 
  Optional: W hen S tars Die . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 
  Planetology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 
  U nusual/S pecial F eatures ............... 148 
  Environment· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 
  Biosphere· ....................... 152 
  C ivilization ........................ 152 
  Government · ....................... 155 
  Law Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 
  Quick Find 
  Anvil Dwarves (see Dwarven Guildmasters) ....... 45 
  C. C.W. R. C. C.slRaces· .................. 34 
  C hronicles of the Cosmos· ................ 8 
  Core, The ......................... 133 
  Cosmic Forge: Endless C reation ............. 9 
  Cosmic Forge: F irst, The ................. 9 
  Cosmic Forge: Forge Dream ............... 19 
  Cosmic Forge: Forge W ar· ................ 21 
  Cosmic Forge: History of · ................ 9 
  Cosmic Forge: N ine Heresies · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 
  Cosmic Forge: One, The· ................. 10 
  Cosmo-Knight Villains: Omegan Order· . . . . . . . . . 134 
  Gene-Tech R. C. C.· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 
  Gene-Tech: Game Master Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 
  Gene-Tech Monster-X Minion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 
  Gene-Tech Mutants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 
  Gene-Tech S uper-Powered Beings . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 
  Gene-Tech of the Threshold· ............... 128 
  Gene-Threshers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 
  Hellworlds (TGE Prison Planets) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 
  K! oZll Continuum (The Core)· .............. 137 
  Naruni Enterprises R. C. C.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 
  N aruni Enterprises Operations .............. 94 
  Phase World· ....................... 22 
  Phase World: C enter· ................... 22 
  Prometheans· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 
  R. C. C.s of the Altess Dynasty· .............. 64 
  R. C. C.s of the C CW · ................... 34 
  R. C. C.s of the Gene-Tech· ................ 51 
  R. C. C.s of the Golgan R epublic· . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 
  R. C. C.s of Naruni Enterprises· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 
  R. C. C.s of the UWW ................... 44 
  Rift Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 
  S pacegates· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 
  Xodian Collective (The Core)· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 
  Zebuloid · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 
  
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  Author's Introduction 
  I must admit, the idea of writing an Anvil Galaxy sourcebook 
  was not my own. Kevin Siembieda came to me earlier this year 
  and offered me the chance at expanding a thrilling space opera 
  world C.J. Carella had invented but was no longer around to de­
  velop. Kevin already had a manuscript for an Anvil Galaxy 
  sourcebook, but it did not take the setting in the direction he 
  wanted, and ultimately, he asked if I wouldn't mind taking the 
  job. I have a long-running bad habit of taking on projects and 
  thinking about it later - part of a "go-getter" attitude that has 
  gotten me into trouble more than once. Such was the case with 
  this job at ftrst. I gladly jumped at the opportunity to write about 
  the Three Galaxies, but when it came time to actually do it, I 
  found the task a little more than daunting. C.J. established a set­
  ting that tons of players knew and loved. It was one I was not 
  terribly familiar with at ftrst, but the more I dove into it, the 
  more I grew to love the Three Galaxies and the limitless possi­
  bilities for adventure that they offered. Writing this was going to 
  be a blast, I realized. And I was right. It has been. So I must tip 
  my hat to C.J. Carella, on whose shoulders this work rests, and 
  to Kevin Siembieda, who had the courage to give me the job. I 
  guess he knew I could do it better than I did. It wouldn't be the 
  ftrst time. 
  Phase World®, the Three Galaxies and the Anvil Galaxy 
  in particular are wonderful space opera settings. I like, no, I love 
  space opera. Unlike "hard" science ftction, which often times is 
  more rooted in science than ftction, space opera takes the atti­
  tude of, "don't let the facts get in the way of a good story." I live 
  by those words, and I certainly applied them while writing the 
  Anvil Galaxy sourcebook. Certain sections, like the planet and 
  star generators, will feature a few tidbits of scientiftc knowledge 
  heavily spiced with speculations and flat-out make-believe. Re­
  alism has not been the aim of this book. Creating an ac­
  tion-filled setting where square-jawed heroes can chase the 
  mysteries of the Megaverse® while ftghting off bug-eyed aliens 
  and navigating endless turmoil between interstellar empires -
  now that was the aim here, and hopefully we have achieved just 
  that. To get there, though, the reader might fmd more than a few 
  cases where I bend the rules of science or where I just plain 
  break them. If this rankles your allegiance to science, I apolo­
  gize. Having been an SF novelist before I began writing 
  role-playing games, I know that SF readers sometimes have a 
  strong love for realism (despite the fact that they are reading 
  about aliens, spaceships and technologies that do not yet exist). 
  By that same token, a lot of gamers share that love for realism, 
  and they are disappointed when they expect to ftnd it someplace 
  and do not. Let me dispel any such expectations right now. This 
  is Phase World. The Three Galaxies. The Anvil Galaxy. This is 
  the 
  battleground 
  where 
  invincible 
  Cosmo-Knights 
  sin­
  gle-handedly confront incredible battle fleets of ultratech space­
  ships. It is where inter-dimensional nexus planets form a 
  network that brings together not only the many worlds of the 
  Three Galaxies, but of the entire Megaverse! It is a place where 
  the strangest aliens humankind has encountered are actually far 
  more familiar than the really freakish things that dwell in the 
  center of the galaxy. It is the home of the Cosmic Forge, an arti­
  fact of ultimate power. It is a place where heroism and high ad­
  venture are the favored currency, and where a good plan and a 
  trusty blaster will get you a lot farther than a textbook and cal­
  culator. 
  7 
  So with that, I welcome you to the third installment of the 
  Phase World® series. For those of you who are picking up this 
  book right after purchasing the Rifts® RPG, you might be fig­
  uring out that this is not the "original" Phase W orld® book. Re­
  lax! Although this book expands upon the Phase World® 
  setting, you don't actually need Phase World® to play. This 
  book has been written both to stand alone and to plug in neatly 
  with pre-existing sourcebooks both for the Phase World® set­
  ting and for other Palladium RPG books. Though this is a 
  stand-alone product, if you want to dive really deep into this 
  stuff, there are a few other books I suggest you check out: 
  Dimension Book Two: Phase World®, the original supple­
  ment that started this all. Phase World® is kind of an RPG 
  within an RPG, for it is basically a separate game world all its 
  own. You can run endless campaigns in the Phase World® set­
  ting and never even set foot on Rifts Earth. The Phase World® 
  book introduces you to this wild and wooly space opera setting, 
  as well as offers detailed information on the single planet that 
  ties together all of the Three Galaxies, a unique world 
  eponymously known as Phase World®. 
  Dimension Book Three: Phase World® Sourcebook ftlls 
  the reader in on the rest of the Three Galaxies, as well as offers 
  additional aliens, technology, and best of all- star ships and star 
  ship combat. This book also provides additional insight to three 
  of the main powers of the Three Galaxies - the Consortium of 
  Civilized Worlds (CCW), the Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE), and 
  the United Worlds of Warlock (UWW). 
  The Heroes Unlimited™ Galaxy Guide is not a Rifts® 
  supplement, as the title suggests, but it is still a great resource 
  for any Palladium gamer who wishes to run a space opera cam­
  paign. The Galaxy Guide offers rules on world creation, adven­
  turing in space, and building spaceships (a personal favorite). 
  Likewise, the Aliens Unlimited™ sourcebook is for Heroes Un­
  limited rather than for Rifts, but it contains a slew of 
  pre-generated alien races, any of which could be easily imported 
  into a Phase World® campaign or any other space opera setting 
  of your choosing. Then there is the upcoming Mechanoid 
  Space™ series, another science fiction space game to be un­
  veiled at the end of 2002 sometime. 
  And finally, if you really want to include as much other ma­
  terial into your game as possible, consider the Robotech® RPG, 
  Robotech® II: The Sentinels RPG, and the Macross jJTM RPG 
  and their various supplements. These games and sourcebooks 
  are their own distinct universe, and they are not even in print 
  anymore (so grab 'em while you still can!), but they have a lot 
  going for them. They are just filled with cool robots, spaceships 
  and other ftghting machines. They also are part of an incredibly 
  epic and popular space opera storyline, one that the enterprising 
  G.M. might want to plunder for ideas and inspiration when fill­
  ing out his own Phase World campaign. 
  One more thing before we get to the rest of the book. This is 
  not the only new Phase World supplement to be hitting the 
  shelves. Shortly after this book comes out, it will be followed by 
  a Cosmo-Knights™ sourcebook, also written by yours truly. 
  With a little luck, we might see a host of new Phase World® 
  books hitting the shelves in the ongoing future, so thank you in 
  advance for giving the Anvil Galaxy a shot and for supporting 
  our games. We couldn't do it without you! 
  That's enough yakking for now. Game on! 
  - Bill Coffin, 2002 
  
  The Cosmic Forge 
  The legends of every space-faring civilization in the Phase 
  World sector of space/Three Galaxies mention the Cosmic 
  Forge, an ancient artifact believed to have had a part in the cre­
  ation of the Three Galaxies, and perhaps the outer universe as 
  well. The exact nature and abilities of the Cosmic Forge have 
  never been described, but the general consensus is that it be­
  stows upon its user ultimate power. The ultimate power to do 
  anything, create anything, and destroy anything the user wishes. 
  Of course, the Cosmic Forge is a sentient thing, so it might ob­
  ject to certain choices its user might command it to do (as has 
  indeed happened in the Cosmic Forge's history, but more on 
  that later), but in the end, whoever controls the Cosmic Forge 
  controls the universe, plain and simple. And 10 and behold, it 
  looks like it has been hiding somewhere in the Anvil Galaxy all 
  this time. 
  The Cosmic Forge is one of the very few things that unites 
  all Phase World cultures and races. Very shortly, this shared 
  knowledge of the Cosmic Forge and the ancient legend concern­
  ing its role in the creation of the Three Galaxies, its betrayal, 
  and its disappearance will unite the entire Anvil Galaxy in a 
  reckless quest for ultimate power. A quest that will likely end in 
  the destruction of countless civilizations and might very well set 
  the entire Anvil Galaxy afire. The existence of the Cosmic 
  Forge can drive even the most level-headed and rational of folk 
  to utter insanity, so obsessed do they get with the notion that one 
  day they might find the Forge and command its limitless power. 
  The Anvil Galaxy, and indeed, perhaps all of the Three Gal­
  axies might stand on the edge of a massive change in their fu­
  ture, all because of the Cosmic Forge. In many ways, the Forge, 
  its legend, and the mad dash to fmd and capture it are the central 
  themes of this sourcebook. Hopefully, they will make for great 
  campaign fodder. 
  The Chronicles 
  of the Cosmos 
  For all of its cultural and historical prominence, there is little 
  hard fact to be had about the Cosmic Forge. Obscure ancient 
  manuscripts offer some vague notion about the Forge's early 
  history and nature, but they are so open to interpretation that it is 
  hard to believe that these are supposed to be the authoritative 
  documents on the subject. 
  Of these old manuscripts, the most valuable one is the 
  Chronicles of the Cosmos, a lengthy treatise written by an un­
  known author eons ago. The original manuscript has been lost 
  for thousands of years, and even the oldest translations of the 
  text appear in so many different languages that it is impossible 
  to tell which one might have been the original language version. 
  That being the case, there is no telling how much error, misin­
  terpretation and translator embellishment is in any of the copies, 
  since none of them can be considered any more true or authori­
  tative than another. Still, these "first generation" copies of the 
  Chronicles of the Cosmos are considered the foundation of the 
  legend and myth surrounding the Cosmic Forge. For anybody 
  8 
  serious about studying the Forge, reading at least a few different 
  versions of "frrst-generation" copies of the Chronicles is a must. 
  The Chronicles of the Cosmos lay out the basic facts of the 
  Cosmic Forge Legend: That when Time itself was very young, 
  an ancient race known only as the First explored and com­
  manded a great stretch of the universe. Bored with their great 
  achievements, they built an item of ultimate power: The Cosmic 
  Forge. Exactly what shape this item took is open to considerable 
  debate, but with this tool, the First did a great many incredible 
  things. They made themselves immortal, and god-like, for one. 
  They created (and destroyed) entire star systems. They built life 
  out of lifelessness, and they played with the cosmos as if it were 
  a mere set of child's building blocks. With their "Cosmic 
  Forge," the First were truly masters of all they surveyed. Ulti­
  mately, the Forge can be credited with creating every unusual 
  natural and supernatural process to be found in the Three Gal­
  axies. 
  After a long while, the Chronicles state, one of the First grew 
  jealous and stole the Cosmic Forge, using it to satisfy his own 
  sinister urges. With it, he destroyed the First so he would reign 
  supreme. However, the Cosmic Forge itself was horrified by this 
  act, so it destroyed its usurper and then, ashamed at having de­
  stroyed its very Creators, the Forge hid itself, never to reveal it­
  self to mortals ever again. 
  Virtually everybody in the Three Galaxies knows at least this 
  much, but the Chronicles of the Cosmos goes far beyond this 
  snippet. Indeed, if the text can be trusted as the "authoritative" 
  and "true" record of the Cosmic Forge, it reveals much about 
  the Forge's origins, early history, and in-depth background, as 
  well as hints about how it works and thinks. Many people rea­
  son that if the Chronicles were properly studied and interpreted, 
  it would yield some clue as to the Forge's whereabouts. Alas, 
  the oldest copies of the manuscript are written in a strange, alien 
  language that defies currently known linguistics. Thus, no trans­
  lation can be considered 100% accurate, and even when trans­
  lated into any one of the Phase World tongues, the Chronicles of 
  the Cosmos remains an incredibly difficult read with thousands 
  of variations in language interpretations and meaning. The mis­
  interpretation of a single word or punctuation can change the 
  meaning of an entire sentence or paragraph, and may reflect the 
  interpretive author's own bias, beliefs and speculation. Conse­
  quently, many believe that no interpretation of the originals can 
  be accurate, for the alien tongue of the ancient manuscripts re­
  mains enigmatic to this very day, and requires interpreters to 
  make guesses, extrapolations and broad assumptions through­
  out. Of course, none of this has prevented people from studying 
  the many texts or from making their own translations, guesses 
  and conclusions. 
  To aid the common man, who does not have access to the 
  most ancient texts nor possess the knowledge to read them, a 
  few renegade scholars have written key passages from the 
  Chronicles of the Cosmos so that the layman can understand 
  them for the specific purpose of helping them search for the 
  Cosmic Forge. Published together as the Essential Truths of 
  the Cosmic Forge, this popular translation of the Chronicles fo­
  cuses specifically on the Cosmic Forge, little else. It is the writ­
  ings of the Essential Truths that have been memorized by 
  countless individuals, cults, nations and people worshiping or 
  seeking the Cosmic Forge. Certainly the serious student will 
  
  read mUltiple versions of the Chronicles of the Cosmos on their 
  own, but for the vast majority of those interested in the legend, 
  these excerpts are the key to fmding the Cosmic Forge and un­
  raveling the secrets of the universe! 
  Essential Truths 
  of the Cosmic Forge 
  In the Beginning 
  "In the time before time, there was naught but the Void, and 
  all was quiet. Then the Fire of Creation burned hot and from its 
  flames sprung the Universe. The darkness was scattered with the 
  light of the Spirals, and there would be Life. 
  "During these young years, the First rose from the primordia 
  and proclaimed their presence. Unique and alone, they com­
  manded all the knowledge there was to know, and they had the 
  entire Universe on which to paint their grand designs. 
  "The First mastered the art of the machine, and they built 
  great devices of wondrous and amazing nature. They broke the 
  chains of gravity and thus did travel where they liked faster than 
  even the light of their stars. They pierced the fabric of realspace 
  and 
  did 
  discover 
  the 
  vast 
  realm 
  beyond, 
  the 
  endless 
  nethersphere that is nowhere yet connects all worlds and dimen­
  sions to each other. They roamed where they liked, settling all 
  worlds as their own, reshaping them to fit their needs and leav­
  ing few places untouched. And they did build great laboratories 
  in which they created all manner of creation, from the lowliest 
  elements to the mightiest stars. 
  "They had learned all they could learn, and mastered all they 
  could master. But still, it could never be enough. They could 
  turn the Universe upside down looking for new places to con­
  trol, but the First had only one frontier left before them: their in­
  nermost selves. And for that, no mere technology would suffice. 
  They would have to build a tool of utmost power and design to 
  test their skills and abilities. Little did they know that the device 
  they would create would soon test their souls." 
  Birth of the Forge 
  "They wanted too much, the First did. A thousand worlds 
  conquered, stars enclosed in crystal spheres, gateways to infmite 
  realities, they had all this and more. The First thirsted for the in­
  nermost secrets of the universe and they searched for them with 
  all their energy. On the farthest corner of reality, where 
  realspace and otherspace meet, they built a Forge. A cauldron 
  where a million galaxies could be born. The Cosmic Forge was 
  no mere tool, for no mindless artifact could contain its power. 
  9 
  The minds and souls of the wisest among the First were placed 
  within the Cosmic Forge. They would be its lifeblood and its 
  source of power. They, the First, would actually be the Cosmic 
  Forge. How lamentable this would turn out to be, for they had 
  within them, all along, the power to achieve what the Forge ac­
  complished. There never was a need for the Forge except in the 
  minds and hearts of the First, whose creative powers were not so 
  great to quiet the nagging doubts within them all. And so they 
  built the Cosmic Forge and sacrificed to it their best and bright­
  est, making a thing of such power and ability that it made all of 
  the First's achievements before it seem like the trifles of a child. 
  "With no fear of what might happen next, the First stoked the 
  fIres of the Forge, lighting it for the frrst time. And when they 
  did, the Forge gave off such a light that it could be seen across 
  the Universe, and were there any other people to appreciate it, 
  they would know that the First had built something special and 
  terrible indeed. Unbound by distance and time, the Forge could 
  do its many works, and it could satisfy the First's every urge and 
  whim. With this, they would build such things that they had 
  only dreamt of before. The Universe was truly theirs to mold 
  into a shape of their liking, and the First rejoiced for it, basking 
  in the glow of their newfound powers of creation." 
  The Endless Creation 
  As the legend goes, "The First put their creation to its test, 
  and they created endless stars and worlds and life to fill them. 
  They shaped the ways of the cosmos, bridging realms and di­
  mensions unknown and binding together the pathways of time. 
  However, this was nothing before their next creation. Unful­
  filled with their deeds thus far, the First decided they would 
  truly be like gods, and they would create a universe all their 
  own. So they retired to the farthest corners of the known spaces 
  and put their Forge to its test, spewing forth stars and worlds 
  and all of the life needed to fill them. They created a master gal­
  axy and two little siblings to go alongside, and this would for­
  ever be their special place, the place where the Forge and the 
  First would call home above all other homes. From there, they 
  moved on, creating galaxy after galaxy, but they never forgot 
  their trio of original creations, their favorites among favorites. 
  For these places were perfect in their vision, and of that they 
  would always be proud. 
  "As the First filled the Universe with realms of their making, 
  the Forge never grew weary or discontent. For it was a living 
  
  thing, able to refuse its masters' commands should it desire so. 
  But the Forge and the First maintained their good accord, for 
  each wanted the same thing: to fill the cold void of space with 
  the blessed warmth of Creation, to bring Life to the lifeless 
  reaches, to fill the Universe with the sounds of laughter and 
  wonder and awe. 
  "And for so very long, this is just what the First and the 
  Forge did. They crafted endless galaxies and endless worlds 
  within them, and endless peoples to live there, and endless won­
  ders for those people to discover, and endless mysteries left un­
  told. It was an amazing time, for the First had mastered their 
  powers. They were like gods, but never demanded tribute from 
  their creations, nor grew vengeful when their creations turned 
  dark and angry and destructive. In response to these things, the 
  First simply created more, for they knew to use the Cosmic 
  Forge for Unmaking would itself unmake the Forge, and the 
  First could not bear such a thought. Thus, they continued on 
  with their crusade to fill the void with Creation, leaving behind 
  what few mistakes and missteps they made along the way. None 
  of these small blemishes weighed heavily on the minds of the 
  First, but they should have. For in them lay the essential truth of 
  their condition, that despite their Forge and powers of Creation, 
  the First were not gods. They were not perfect. And they were 
  not incapable of doing dark and terrible things. This they would 
  learn firsthand very soon, and it would be their undoing." 
  The Great Betrayal 
  "For time beyond time, the First did fill the darKness with the 
  light of the Forge. But all light must cast a shadow, and so it 
  was with the First. There was One among them who did not re­
  joice in the deeds of the Forge, for there was a great emptiness 
  in his heart. He tried to bask in the Forge's warmth, but there 
  would be no heat for him who had grown so cold. He tried to 
  gaze upon the Forge's light, but there would be no illumination 
  for one so darkened. And in this, he knew a great despair for he 
  alone among the First could not take pleasure in what his kind 
  had done. He could not rejoice to see that the Forge was filling 
  the universe with Creations untold. He could only take comfort 
  when the Forge worked to fill his black and empty soul. So it 
  was the One beseeched his fellows to let him have the Forge for 
  one single day so that it might work its wonders on him. The 
  First declined, for they said the wonders of the Forge were not 
  meant to satisfy the cravings of any single being, for this was 
  not the purpose for which the Forge was built. The One would 
  have to find His own answers and seek his own light, if he could 
  not fmd it in the Creations of the Forge, the First said. But the 
  One protested, saying that he was special, that his needs were 
  too great to overcome. That he needed the Forge in ways the 
  First could not possibly understand. That the Forge must be his, 
  and that he alone deserved the full blaze of its glorious power! 
  "The First lamented at this sad, wretched creature before 
  them. So consumed by his darkness had he become that truly he 
  was no longer of the First, but simply the One. 'We would cast 
  you out,' the First said to the One, 'but you have already done 
  that to yourself. No longer can you be part of the First, for there 
  is no One among us. We are simply First, and the Forge is part 
  of what we are. It is not ours to own, or to give away. It is not a 
  thing but a force, it is our friend and our companion, our 
  strength and our soul. To part with it would be to part with our­
  selves, to become like you, the One, and this the First cannot do, 
  for it would be the end of our way.' 
  1 0  
  "'So you will not do this thing for me?' said the One to the 
  First, already knowing the answer. 
  "'No, never, no.' said the First. 
  '''Then I shall respect your wisdom,' the One said, and he 
  cast himself away from the First, as if to consort with them nev­
  ermore, perhaps to fmd a lonely comer of the Creation and 
  spend the rest of his time there to dwell on his emptiness within. 
  "Only that is not what the One would do. Having lulled the 
  First into false -security, the One stole into their ranks once more 
  and wrested the Cosmic Forge away from them. Grasping it in 
  his hands, the One burned with the Forge's awesome power. He 
  cackled before its heat, he glowed before its light, he trembled 
  before its energy. Truly he was the master of all there was, and 
  the Forge was his alone to command. He needed less than a mo­
  ment to cast his first order, and thus did he use the Forge to un­
  make the First, the worlds they lived on, their children, and their 
  child's children. He unmade any trace that the First might have 
  left throughout their Creation. He would not unmake their Cre­
  ation itself, for that was too awful a thing to carry out even for 
  him. But he would make sure that when then far distant spawn 
  of the universe would search for their First ancestors, there 
  would be nothing there to comfort them. In that, they would 
  know an emptiness like that which had gnawed at the One for so 
  very long. At last, the Universe would know the One's pain, and 
  he would be unique no longer. 
  "In unmaking the First, the One believed he would take their 
  place, the First among First, the God of Gods. He would create a 
  new Universe in his image alone, and it would far outshine any­
  thing the First had ever done during their time beyond time with 
  the Forge at their side. 
  "But the Forge was no longer his to control. For in unmaking 
  the First, he set forth cosmic flames which scorched the Uni­
  verse, leaving only ashes in its wake. A thousand galaxies fell 
  before the Flames, and the One knew nothing of how to stop it. 
  All he knew was that this would be his legacy, a Great Un­
  making that would scar everything the First had done, and take 
  the shine of glory away from the universe. Suddenly, the empti­
  ness within the One grew many fold, and he knew that soon 
  there would be nothing of him left, just the nothingness that had 
  consumed him from within. Before such an awful truth, the One 
  fell to sorrow and did nothing but pity himself as the universe 
  burned. The Forge lay unguarded, spewing forth frres of Un­
  making while its undeserving master quivered with fear." 
  A Place of Hiding 
  "All that there is would have been unmade, had not the Cos­
  mic Forge itself put an end to the carnage. For it being a living 
  thing, it wanted no part of the catastrophe it was creating. It 
  ceased spewing forth the Unmaking flame, but not before turn­
  ing its terrible energies upon the One, he who set the Forge to 
  this terrible end. The Forge would unmake this one last, misera­
  ble thing, and then it would unmake no more. 
  "In a sliver of a fraction of a moment, the One was no more, 
  as if he never was. 
  "With like speed, the Forge snuffed its raging frres, and the 
  Great Unmaking's source had ceased. But as with any fire, the 
  flames set take on a life of their own, and the Forge could only 
  watch as these fmal frres burned themselves out across the vast 
  reaches of the universe. Most of the fire would indeed sputter 
  
  and die, but there would always be those tiny fragments of the 
  blaze that would live forever, glowing hot and skipping from 
  place to place to place, forever keeping alive the travesty of the 
  One and the time when the Forge was made into a dark parody 
  of itself. Now and forever more, the wild fITes of the Forge 
  would touch down across the universe, but being of the Forge, 
  they too contained a part of the Forge's essence. These were liv­
  ing fIres, and they had not forgotten entirely the source from 
  which they had sprung. Separated by time and space, they 
  changed into a force of their own, not Making nor Unmaking, 
  but Changing. These fITes would roam the Creation, seeking that 
  which the First had made from nothing, and adding their special 
  energies to them, turning them into something more like of the 
  glories the First once commanded. There would be those who 
  wanted nothing of this kind of Change, and the random fIres un­
  derstood that and let them be. But there would be those who un­
  derstood what the Changing Flames asked of them, and they 
  would become more like the First in power and purpose. They 
  would become the new guardians of the Forge, for the universe 
  was now more fIlled with those like the One than those like the 
  First. There could be no second Great Unmaking, and these new 
  guardians of the flame would see that it never would come to 
  pass. 
  "But for the Forge proper, the Great Unmaking was too much 
  to bear. Shamed by the ease with which it had become an instru­
  ment of destruction, fearful that it might one day become that 
  again, and doubtful that it could ever be put to the righteous pur­
  poses of the First again, the Forge decided it would hide away 
  from the very Creation it helped to make. Filled with a sadness 
  beyond sorrow, the Forge crept back to its favorite of favorites, 
  to the Spirals Three, where it would always feel at home. And 
  among the trilogy of star fIelds, there would be the one, the 
  smallest and youngest among them, that the Forge would fmd its 
  refuge. For here, it had always set apart a secret place, a special 
  place, a place where it and it alone could fInd refuge where the 
  Creation would bother it no longer. The Forge had always hoped 
  such a place would not be needed, and for many eons it chided 
  itself for having crafted such a refuge at all. But now it needed 
  this hidden place, and to it the Forge did fly, closing the doors of 
  solitude behind it and forever shutting itself away from the great 
  and glorious Creation of the First. 
  "In the time to pass, there would be a great many peoples 
  who would seek the Cosmic Forge, and indeed, a precious few 
  would come close to fInding it. Close enough that the Forge it­
  self would stir from its hiding, bid its seeker a meeting and per­
  haps grant a gift, and then retreat to the place where it could not 
  be found. The Changing Fires from the Great Unmaking would 
  continue throughout Creation, but in time the Forge regained its 
  control of them and they became the voice and the fingers 
  through which the Cosmic Forge would touch the rest of the 
  Creation, should it desire to. 
  "Even now, the Cosmic Forge remains hidden, though time 
  and the noble few who have been touched by the Forge have 
  done much to salve its wounds. Those who have felt its pure 
  flame may attest that the Forge indeed seeks to shine its light 
  throughout the universe once more, only it seeks those worthy 
  enough to show it the way. For those who would seek such a 
  challenge, the path would be difficult and narrow, for none save 
  a few truly know what the Forge fmds worthy in the hearts and 
  1 1  
  souls of the mortal. Perhaps it is a glimmer of the First it seeks, 
  a recognition of the past that bears the promise of a better future, 
  one in which the glories of ancient times might one day be re­
  lived without the fear of darkness, or the blight of emptiness that 
  fIlls the hearts of so many." 
  The Mythos 
  of the Forge 
  The Nine Heresies 
  The Chronicles of the Cosmos, or at least the Essential 
  Truths, outline the foundation for the Cosmic Forge legend, but 
  this is ancient history (literally!), and since then, a huge body of 
  supplemental myth and legend have grown up around it. This 
  new information is collectively referred to as the Mythos of the 
  Forge. 
  The problem with the Mythos is that it is not a single body of 
  lore. Somewhere along the line, the "true" account of the Forge 
  split into nine different branches, each of which has evolved into 
  its own sub-mythos explaining exactly what the Forge is, where 
  it has gone into hiding, the circumstances under which it made 
  its last few appearances, and who is meant to fInd it. These are 
  called the Nine Heresies, and they are the cause of much con­
  sternation, controversy and confrontation. Like the Chronicles 
  of the Cosmos, each of the Nine Heresies is fairly cryptic and 
  wide open to interpretation. Furthermore, adherents to any one 
  Heresy tend to believe that particular story is the correct one and 
  the other eight are pure balderdash. To this end, those who be­
  lieve in any one of the Nine Heresies often do so with a 
  quasi-religious fervor, which is how the Nine Heresies actually 
  got their name. No matter what Heresy one believes in, the ma­
  jority of Forge Followers consider it to be wrong. Hence, all 
  branches of the new Mythos of the Forge are considered false 
  and heretical, and they have been named as such. That said, 
  folks tend to re-name the particular Heresy they believe in with 
  titles such as the Illumination, the Sole Truth, the Way, the Path­
  finder, and so on. 
  Scholars objective enough to view each of the Heresies with­
  out getting drawn into them believe that to really fmd the truth 
  behind the Cosmic Forge, one must put together all of the clues 
  in the Nine Heresies. The problem is, each Heresy has layer 
  upon layer of clues to offer, and they only reveal themselves the 
  more devoutly one follows a particular Heresy. The result is that 
  to learn all a Heresy has to offer, one runs the extreme risk of 
  losing objectivity, and of becoming seduced by one Heresy to 
  the point of disbelieving all the others. This is called "dropping 
  the hammer," and it means that in one's search for the Truth, 
  one has become unable to see it anymore. It is just one reason 
  why so many searches for the Cosmic Forge end in failure. 
  The First Heresy: The Koreda Matrix 
  This Heresy dates back to a planetary survey conducted over 
  550 years ago by the now-extinct Empire of Zeldun. Back then, 
  the Zelduni had just lost an internecine war with several of their 
  neighboring systems and as a result, they lost a great deal of ter-
  
  ritory. Pressured by overcrowding on their home world to find 
  more living space, Zelduni scouts searched their realm in a re­
  newed effort to evaluate which of their hundreds and hundreds 
  of systems were most suitable for colonization. The Empire of 
  Zeldun had, during its long years of supremacy and compla­
  cency, become something like an old attic - filled with things 
  the owners forgot they even owned. So it was that the home 
  world hardly knew anything about the planets in its domain. 
  How excited they must have been, then, when news came back 
  of the Koreda system, which had several likely worlds to settle, 
  but most of all, it had a world of unusual composition. On the 
  surface, it seemed like an ordinary rocky planet, but harmonic 
  readings indicated an interior more consistent with an engine 
  block or computer core. When Zelduni ships went out to investi­
  gate, the planet's rocky surface shattered, like dried mud break­
  ing away from a lizard that was finally shaking it off. Beneath 
  was a gleaming planet-sized piece of technology! It had huge 
  energy vents at its various axes, and the rest of the surface was 
  covered in deep circuit-like paths that cracked with white en­
  ergy. 
  Preliminary Zelduni science reports indicated that this 
  "world," known to them as Koreda Minor, was in fact a 
  planet-sized mega-computer, most likely sentient, and probably 
  of mind-boggling power. Zelduni scientists tried to contact the 
  device, which obligingly accepted the "Koreda" title but insisted 
  it be referred to as the Koreda Matrix. The Koreda Matrix com­
  municated with the Zelduni briefly, and then demanded to know 
  the answer to a series of radically advanced astro-mathematical 
  equations. The Zelduni scientists, who had never even seen such 
  figures before, retired to solve the problems. Clearly, the Koreda 
  Matrix had posited to them a problem in a form of math nobody 
  had ever seen before, a kind of computation that only something 
  with a digital brain and enormous amounts of raw computational 
  power could solve in a reasonably quick time frame. Frustrated, 
  the Zelduni returned to the Koreda Matrix empty-handed. Ap­
  parently, this insulted the Koreda Matrix, which, as the story 
  goes, fired energy bolts at its visitors, disintegrating them. 
  Promptly thereafter, the Zelduni Parliament quarantined the 
  Koreda system, citing "hyper-natural phenomena risks" and 
  leaving it at that. Over the years, the Zelduni repeatedly denied 
  the Koreda Matrix existed, though independent ships would fre­
  quently penetrate the system and try accessing the device on 
  their own. Inevitably, the story was repeated time and again, 
  with the Matrix offering a preliminary discussion, posing the 
  equations and disintegrating anyone who returned without the 
  correct answer. 
  This might have been the end of the story if not for a cata­
  clysm blamed on the Matrix nearly 200 years ago. A large war 
  fleet of ships hailing from the neighboring Thorov Hegemony 
  invaded the Koreda system with the intent to take the Matrix by 
  force. Zelduni warships intervened, and before long a 
  full-fledged battle was raging across the system and around the 
  Matrix itself. The fighting ended when, with a massive pulse of 
  energy, the Koreda Matrix disappeared, taking with it every star 
  system from both the Empire of Zeldun and the Thorov Hege­
  mony. Where any of these systems or the Koreda Matrix went is 
  unknown, but a few planets from either society have appeared in 
  interstellar space in the years that followed. Every time one of 
  these "stolen worlds" was discovered, all that remained was a 
  charred, lifeless ball of rock, apparently destroyed by the 
  Koreda Matrix. 
  Zelduni and Thorovian survivors who were not in their home 
  system at the time they disappeared have become convinced that 
  the Koreda Matrix was indeed the Cosmic Forge under a differ­
  ent name. The warfare around it must have spooked the Cosmic 
  Forge so badly that it fled the system, but in doing so, acciden­
  tally took all of the Empire of Zeldun and the Thorov Hege­
  mony with it, most likely destroying both civilizations in the 
  process. Despite this fact, Zelduni, Thorovians, and those who 
  believe in this theory, further speculate that all one must do is 
  fmd the Koreda Matrix once more and present to it the answer 
  to the mathematical problem it would pose to all of its former 
  visitors. Whoever does this, so the theory goes, will prove to the 
  Matrix that they are sufficiently advanced to be worthy of what­
  ever gift the MatrixlForge might be willing to bestow. 
  These theorists also believe that by conducting certain forms 
  of harmonic triangulation, one can trace the route the Matrix 
  took when it disappeared from the Empire of Zeldun and the 
  Thorov Hegemony. The really weird thing is, no living Zelduni 
  or Thorovian can actually remember where their homelands 
  once were! All recorded evidence they might have had pointing 
  to their homelands' location has also mysteriously vanished, all 
  throughout the Three Galaxies! Somehow, the Koreda Matrix, 
  be it the Cosmic Forge or not, has somehow erased all records 
  that it has ever existed. Only through word of mouth among the 
  now scattered and dying Zelduni and Thorovian civilizations 
  does this story still circulate. To most folks in the Anvil Galaxy, 
  this tale is just meaningless folklore, since there is no hard evi­
  dence at all to back it up. How could there be? 
  To those who believe in any of the other Eight Heresies, the 
  story of the Koreda Matrix is just a pathetic excuse by the rem-
  1 2  
  
  nants of two long-dead civilizations to connect themselves to the 
  Cosmic Forge. A sad attempt to make themselves important. 
  The Second Heresy: 
  The Great Complexity 
  Many thousands of years ago, the world of Soribin was com­
  ing to life. A verdant planet with numerous plant and animal 
  species, it was also home to a race of intelligent humanoids very 
  much like humans in appearance and biology. Beings who came 
  to call themselves the Soribu. A peaceful and content folk, the 
  Soribu civilization knew very little strife or warfare. It also was 
  fairly stagnant, and as such, it progressed very slowly in terms 
  of culture and technology. Not that this was such a bad thing for 
  the Soribu. Indeed, they remained an immensely happy and sat­
  isfied people who prospered and spread across their world. 
  Soribin is right in the middle of the Anvil Galaxy section of 
  the Consortium of Civilized Worlds, and it was the CCW posi­
  tion to prohibit any space travelers from interfering with the 
  planet for fear of upsetting the Soribu culture. For the most part, 
  people obeyed, but the occasional pirate or would-be despot 
  tried making a run on the planet, only to be destroyed by Con­
  sortium starships. Most of the time, offending ships were vapor­
  ized or burned up in Soribin's upper atmosphere - appearing as 
  nothing more than a shooting star. However, 30 years ago, the 
  pirate armada of Jelka Ghensi was stopped from invading the 
  planet in a vicious battle right in Soribin's atmosphere. The fire­
  works were observed by the Soribu, and many of the pirate 
  ships, though damaged beyond repair, were not destroyed but 
  rather auto-landed on the Soribin surface, where the Soribu 
  would get plenty of chances to examine them up close. 
  The CCW had a problem on its hands. There was a clear 
  need to go down to the surface and retrieve the pirate ships be­
  fore they could contaminate the Soribu culture as well as con­
  duct damage control on the shell-shocked Soribu themselves. 
  On the other hand, any further meddling might only worsen the 
  situation, so the Soribu might be left to handle the ramifications 
  of these objects from space on their own terms. Ultimately, po­
  litical infighting within the CCW forced the monitoring of 
  Soribin to be abandoned for a brief time, and as a default, it was 
  decided to let the Soribu handle the ramifications of this event 
  on their own. Automated defense satellites were set up in a tight 
  grid around the world with orders to destroy anything that come 
  too close. The word went out to the entire CCW: Leave Soribin 
  be, or suffer dire consequences. That, thought the CCW, would 
  be the end of that. 
  The anthropological community of the CCW did not agree, 
  and they sent rogue teams of researchers to infiltrate the planet 
  to fmd out what was going on. Only the defense satellites made 
  a conventional approach to the planet impossible, so these rogue 
  teams decided magic would be the transportation of choice. So, 
  a number of mystics were hired to pop the teams to Soribin's 
  surface where they could study the cultural impact, if any, the 
  pirate ships had on the Soribu. 
  Every team that has gone to Soribin has failed to return. The 
  only news back from any of them invariably comes from one of 
  the hired mystics, who tells of an incredibly powerful magical 
  device somewhere on the Soribin surface. To them, it appears as 
  an enormous scale model of the Anvil Galaxy, with every star 
  1 3  
  and planet suspended on thin metal rods, all moving in exact ac­
  cord with their real-life galactic counterpart. The entire machine 
  hums and gives off a kind of electricity that can be tasted in the 
  air. The Soribu, who have only reached crude medieval technol­
  ogy, are, presumably, not the builders of this device. One look at 
  their homes and settlements is proof enough of that. However, a 
  huge city has been built around the machine, and magical en­
  ergy can be felt crackling out of the place at all times. The 
  Soribu apparently live in harmony with this thing, clustering 
  around it like it is the center of their lives and culture, soaking 
  up the energy it gives off. Apparently, the Soribu have never 
  even seen the pirate ships because they have never gone looking 
  for them. Instead, this machine has captured their imaginations 
  and they bask in its mystic glory. The Mystics would go on to 
  say that any offworlder who so much as touches the device is in­
  stantly transformed into a Soribu, forgetting their past life en­
  tirely, and being assimilated into Soribu society as if that person 
  had been one of them all along. Any offworlder mystic who gets 
  too close to the device inevitably goes mad, but not before try­
  ing to send one last, desperate message to the outside Galaxy to 
  stay away from this mysterious and sinister predicament. 
  Psychics have tried on several occasions to scan the world for 
  this device, and all they get is an intense headache and a 
  god-like voice telepathically telling them something along the 
  lines of "I am not ready to come out into the universe yet. When 
  I am, I will let you know. Until then, leave me alone." 
  Word of Soribin and its bizarre magical machine has slowly 
  and surely leaked out to the larger community of the CCW and 
  the rest of the Anvil Galaxy, but it remains a kind of mystic fish 
  story to most who hear it. It is just too incredible to believe, and 
  most folks are inclined to think that any teams sent to investi­
  gate the planet either died trying to get there or simply took the 
  money and ran, sending back this weird story nobody could re­
  ally follow up on. Others believe it is a CCW scare tactic to 
  keep people away from the planet. The CCW does not want to 
  hear about the Soribu and any odd machine they might have, be­
  cause the world is under cultural quarantine, and to get that 
  lifted for any reason would take about 10 years of cutting 
  through red tape. Space explorers intrigued by the stories sur­
  rounding the planet are loath to check them out for fear of sure 
  destruction by the planet's defensive satellites, and mystics and 
  psychics now get a very bad feeling when they approach to 
  within a light year of Soribin. A feeling that makes them almost 
  nauseous, and which fills them with the certain knowledge that 
  should they press on to the planet of Soribin, terrible tragedy 
  will visit them. For all of these reasons, Soribin remains a cast­
  off world, home to a powerful enigma that nobody has dared ex­
  plore any further. 
  Since Soribin made it into the collective set of worlds with 
  unexplainable phenomena, all sorts of rumors and stories have 
  begun circulating. The majority of them ultimately point to this 
  magical device as really being the Cosmic Forge. To prove it, 
  they cite the device's cryptic message, which certainly could be 
  interpreted as the words of a Cosmic Forge that would prefer to 
  remain in hiding, perhaps playing God to the harmless Soribu, 
  than to re-enter the vast and conflicted Anvil Galaxy. A formi­
  dable cadre of true believers have sprung up to believe this con­
  cept, and it is the foundation around which the Second Heresy 
  stands. Those who do not believe in the Second Heresy state 
  
  that the device on Soribin really could be anything. It might 
  very well be some kind of strange magical artifact, but that 
  hardly makes it the Cosmic Forge. Until somebody can make a 
  definitive study of the world, nobody will ever know. Oppo­
  nents of the Second Heresy ridicule those who would believe so 
  strongly in something that the CCW hasn't gotten around to dis­
  proving yet. Those who believe remain true to their convictions, 
  however, and most conspire to secretly visit Soribin, touch the 
  Great Complexity, as the magical device is called, and join the 
  ranks of the blissful Soribu, who know nothing of the harsh out­
  side world, only the feeling of basking forever in the object of 
  their worship. Believers of the Second Heresy are convinced the 
  Soribu are the "chosen people" of the Cosmic Forge. Mean­
  while, far outside of the CCW, other civilizations only ever hear 
  rumors that something which may or may not be the Cosmic 
  Forge is on a cordoned off CCW world. With nothing else to go 
  on, this is spurring foreign ships from all over to fly by the 
  Soribin system (either as legal guests of the CCW or as insur­
  gents) and see if this magic anomaly is something they might be 
  able to steal for themselves. 
  The Third Heresy: 
  Ranthall's Star 
  Since the beginning of recorded history, the yellow dwarf 
  known as Ranthall's Star (named after the ancient human as­
  tronomer who frrst visited it) appeared to be an ordinary stellar 
  body. It lay at the heart of a solar system sporting four planets, 
  three of which developed life. Of those tlrree, two developed in­
  telligent life, and one developed an advanced, space-faring civi­
  lization - the Ranthall Republic. 
  Until 88 years ago, nothing had occurred around Ranthall's 
  Star to connect it to the Cosmic Forge legend or any of the other 
  Heresies. Then a solar research team was dispatched from the 
  Republic of Ranthall to penetrate the core of their sun in order 
  to take harmonic readings of it. For a full year, the star had 
  given off strange pulses of energy and radiation, indicating that 
  it might be suffering from some kind of harmonic disturbance. 
  Knowing full well the destructive capability of a stellar-scale 
  harmonic disruption, Ranthallian scientists were determined to 
  see if their sun was about to suffer a similar fate and take the 
  rest of the solar system with it. 
  The scientists never knew what hit them. As their specially 
  shielded ship dove deeper and deeper into the heart of the sun, 
  the star itself underwent a sudden and incredible transformation 
  into a ball of pure, white, blazing energy. The Ranthallian ship 
  was instantly disintegrated, and what had been Ranthall's Star 
  now began to accelerate away from its former resting place! 
  Like a comet the energy sphere hurtled tlrrough space, seem­
  ingly en route to the other side of the Anvil Galaxy. Scientists 
  plotted the sphere's course, and they determined that it would 
  not hit any worlds or stars on its current flight path, but any re­
  lief these fmdings generated soon vanished when the energy 
  sphere sped to near light speed and curved to intercept the next 
  planet near its path. The planet was the bustling independent 
  world of Hrase, and by the time they could be alerted that cer­
  tain doom was heading for them, it was too late. 
  The energy sphere collided directly with the planet, but in­
  stead of destroying it, it simply passed through it! As it turned 
  1 4 
  out, the two objects were not quite on the same "dimensional 
  frequency." The sphere slowed for a second, as if moving 
  tlrrough a barrier that provided a little resistance and then kept 
  moving tlrrough the Galaxy. As for the stunned Hrasians, 98% 
  of them were unaffected by the event. Nearly 1 % died during 
  the "Intersection," as they called it, but that was more from 
  Hrasians dying of fright than anything else. The fmal 1 %, how­
  ever, began to develop strange and incredible powers on par 
  with a Kreeghor Invincible Guardsman or one of the vaunted 
  Cosmo-Knights! Indeed, many Hrasians began mysteriously cut­
  ting their personal ties and leaving the planet, heading off on 
  missions unknown, to worlds far outside their home system. 
  Since then, Hrase has been the site of innumerable scientific in­
  vestigations trying to figure out what that sphere was and how it 
  might have affected the Hrasian people. 
  Needless to say, a good portion of the Hrasian people have 
  been profoundly affected by this unexpected turn of events, and 
  more than a few of them have insisted that since so many of 
  their kind were apparently gifted with "cosmic power" by the 
  Intersection, perhaps the sphere was really the Cosmic Forge! 
  Like wildfire this concept spread across Hrase and beyond, and 
  now a huge bastion of people believe in the Third Heresy, the 
  mystery of Ranthall's Star and Miracle of Hrase. These people 
  believe that the sphere, which mysteriously disappeared shortly 
  after the Intersection, still exists and will one day pop back into 
  existence and Intersect with another "chosen" populated planet, 
  transforming those who are worthy into great champions, and 
  leaving the rest to wonder about what just happened. 
  Those who do not believe in the Third Heresy think Hrase 
  got really lucky, and whatever process transformed Ranthall's 
  Star into a big ball of unusual energy is also what knocked it a 
  few degrees off its native dimensional frequency, which is why 
  it didn't collide with Hrase but passed tlrrough it. As for the 
  Hrasians supposedly given super powers by this event, none of 
  the affected have ever come forth and claimed that yes, they 
  were transformed by the Intersection. Frankly, any gifts of cos­
  mic powers have been supposed by the rest of the Hrasian pub­
  lic. There is no proof that any Cosmo-Knights were created by 
  the Intersection at all, so claiming this sphere was in fact the 
  Cosmic Forge is really more like a big dose of wishful thinking 
  as well as a means of coping with the shock of a planetary 
  near-death experience. 
  The Fourth Heresy: 
  The Gurvian Atrocity 
  On the southernmost edge of the Anvil Galaxy, on what 
  might be considered the "underside" of the stellar mass, is the 
  Gurvian star system. Unusually large, it contains twenty planets 
  and two asteroid belts, most of which support some kind of life. 
  For many different reasons, not the least of which included di­
  vergent economies, religions and cultures, the Gurvian worlds 
  were locked in a deadly inter-system war for over one thousand 
  years, Periodically there would be a time of peace lasting for a 
  few decades, and to the assorted Gurvian peoples, these periods 
  of peace were as historic and society-changing as wars would be 
  to otherwise peaceful societies. The Gurvian Conflict raged on 
  many different fronts, and despite the involvement of 
  out-of-system 
  parties 
  such 
  as 
  mercenary 
  armies, 
  
  Cosmo-Knights, the CCW and the TGE, the war continued on 
  as ever, seemingly without end. For the Gurvians, war was sim­
  ply the baseline of their existence, and they had grown so used 
  to it that to stop fighting seemed unnatural. 
  All of that changed some 350 years ago, when a cube of alien 
  metal was found amid the wreckage of a merchant ship that had 
  been destroyed on its way into the system. Nobody knew who 
  owned the ship or where it had come from, but since the 
  Gurvian worlds were used to getting unannounced freelance 
  merchant visits (many would swing by the system to try selling 
  off excess cargo) nobody thought anything unusual was afoot. 
  Independent salvage teams are a growth industry in a star 
  system riddled by war, and so it was that when this merchant 
  ship was destroyed several scrap ships deployed to the site at 
  once. The vessel that retrieved the remains of the freighter and 
  its contents brought the lot of the stuff to one of the scrap yard 
  cities in the system's first asteroid belt. There the salvage ex­
  perts noticed a strange cube amid the wreckage, composed of a 
  kind of metal nobody had ever seen before. When subjected to 
  harmonic frequencing, the cube displayed an energy reading that 
  went off the chart. When put through Phasic resonance testing, 
  the scanners spiked so hard it triggered their emergency shut­
  down routines. Clearly, the cube was special, but how? The sal­
  vage captain (whose name has been lost to history) kept the 
  cube until he could decide where to sell it and for how much. 
  It is said that this captain had the cube with him the night he 
  got a few drinks at the station bar. While drinking, he watched a 
  news report about the latest battle in the system's middle 
  1 5  
  worlds. Saddened by the carnage, the captain grabbed his cube 
  while getting off his stool. He uttered something like "Damned 
  war. I just wish it would all go away." 
  The next morning, the captain awoke to a lifeless station. 
  Wherever he went, dead bodies filled every corridor, every 
  room, every courtyard. Horrified, the captain scrambled to his 
  ship, running through docking bays, maintenance yards and 
  loading areas all scattered with the dead. The captain left the 
  station, desperately searching for any local comm traffic, know­
  ing that he would not get any. Somehow, his wish had been 
  made true in the worst possible way, and the captain knew that it 
  was his mysterious cube that had made it so. Horrified by this 
  item in his possession, the captain thought of ejecting it from his 
  airlock, but then he feared somebody else might fmd it. Out of a 
  greater fear, he clutched the cube and swore never to let go. He 
  also swore that he would never hurt anybody else with this 
  thing, ever again, and he pointed his ship on an exit trajectory 
  from the Anvil Galaxy, on a course that would put him on the 
  other side of the universe. Certain he would be long dead by that 
  time and that maybe the cube would have lost its power, the 
  captain headed away from his home knowing that his only alter­
  native was to risk another Gurvian Atrocity. 
  The captain has not been seen since he departed from his 
  home system. The only reason why anybody knows about him is 
  from various Gurvian message logs he left when trying to con­
  tact anybody on the morning after the whole system died. In his 
  frenzied state, he laid out his plans before signing off, so there 
  are a fair number of people who not only know what caused the 
  
  Gurvian Atrocity, but who was behind it and that he has left the 
  Anvil Galaxy. 
  Scholars and expatriate Gurvians believe that perhaps the 
  cube is either the Cosmic Forge or some kind of affiliate of it. 
  To them, there can be no other explanation for how such a small 
  and simple device could have effected such incredible devasta­
  tion. Indeed, the snuffmg out of the Gurvian system was remi­
  niscent of the instant destruction the One visited upon the First 
  when he wrested control of the Cosmic Forge. Could not this 
  cube be the same thing that destroyed the First? 
  A lot of people, especially self-serving explorers and treasure 
  hunters, believe the cube to be the Cosmic Forge, and they have 
  all gone on a mad dash outside of the Anvil Galaxy to fmd the 
  Gurvian captain's ship and take the cube from him. Meanwhile, 
  people in surrounding systems have heard the story of the 
  Gurvian Atrocity, and from them grew a sizeable cult fasci­
  nated, not horrified, by what happened under the cube's power. 
  These twisted folk concluded that the Cube was no mere artifact 
  of power, but it is the Cosmic Forge! What else could so easily 
  wreak such destruction? These "Cubists," as they were deri­
  sively called by others (numerous star systems simply outlawed 
  them and arrested any members of this group that they could), 
  assert that the cube will one day return to the Anvil Galaxy, and 
  when it does, it will somehow fall into their hands without them 
  having to lift so much as a finger. And when the Cube comes to 
  them, they shall use it as the Gurvian captain did, as a weapon 
  of destruction to not only eliminate the living in a single star 
  system, but to unmake all of Creation itselfl And they shall not 
  do this by accident; they do so as part of a nihilistic glee that 
  makes each and every follower of this, the Fourth Heresy, an 
  opponent of life itself. 
  Those who follow the other Heresies write off the Cubists as 
  lunatics who would be really dangerous if their proclamations of 
  the cube coming to them had any merit. First, followers of other 
  Heresies do not believe any cube was to blame for the Gurvian 
  atrocity. It is commonly known that �\''.\veral different terrorist 
  factions in the system (to which many Cubists once belonged) 
  were working on doomsday viruses that would wipe out pretty 
  much every living thing within the star system. So the notion 
  that a magical artifact had to be the culprit behind the Atrocity 
  is not solid, say the followers of other Heresies. But even if this 
  cube were the culprit, and even if it were the Cosmic Forge, 
  why would it allow itself to fall into Cubist hands? History 
  shows the Forge is intelligent and will not take part in things it 
  doesn't believe in, so why would it agree to unmake everything? 
  For the followers of the other beliefs, the Fourth Heresy is not 
  just a gross misinterpretation of the Forge Mythos, but it is an 
  affront to the Cosmic Forge itself. For this reason, numerous 
  members from other Heresies routinely seek out Cubists or any­
  body else who buys into the Fourth Heresy and give them a re­
  ally hard time. This might range from verbal abuse to outright 
  murder or warfare. 
  The Fifth Heresy: 
  Voyage of the Meganaut 
  The GSV (General Service Vessel) Meganaut was the flag­
  ship of the now-destroyed Vaast Imperium, a huge and tyranni­
  cal civilization that dominated half of the Anvil Galaxy several 
  1 6  
  thousand years ago. The Vaast, a cruel and highly evolved race, 
  had declared a war of genocide upon the entire Galaxy, destroy­
  ing any race that did not have sufficient genetic similarity to 
  them. In short order, the Vaast managed to rally the rest of the 
  galaxy's young civilizations against them, and battle was joined. 
  For more than four centuries, the fighting was long and hard, but 
  in the end, the Vaast teetered on the edge of total ruin. Their en­
  emies were poised to invade the Vaast home world, and were 
  that to fall into their hands, the rest of the Imperium would be 
  fmished. In a desperate gamble, the Vaast commanded their 
  greatest warship, the artificial intelligence-commanded GSV 
  Meganaut, to leave space-dock and hide in interstellar space 
  during the first phase of the enemy attack on the home world. 
  Then, when the enemy looked like it had the upper hand, the 
  Meganaut would make a surprise attack and raise hell in the en­
  emy's rear ranks, breaking the back of the invasion and saving 
  the Imperium. 
  The gambit never played out, for the Meganaut never came 
  back once it went into hiding. Years later, military historians 
  ventured many different guesses as to the fate of the Meganaut, 
  where it had gone and why. Without the Meganaut to defend the 
  home world, the Vaast were helpless before their enemies and 
  the Imperium was destroyed, taking their evil philosophies (for 
  the time being, anyway) to the grave. Within a few decades, the 
  matter of the Meganaut became little more than a footnote in ga­
  lactic history as even the Vaast Imperium itself began to slip 
  away from people's collective memory. 
  Fast forwarding to the present, the Meganaut has recently 
  made an unexpected appearance in the Anvil Galaxy, one that 
  carries with it enormous implications. Seventeen years ago, the 
  Meganaut surfaced from hyperspace in the vicinity of where the 
  Vaast home world used to be, in the heart of the Anvil Galaxy 
  section of the Trans-Galactic Empire. TGE interceptors moved 
  in to arrest the vessel, but the Meganaut simply opened fire on 
  them, blasting the ships into particles. Then the Meganaut 
  broadcast the following message on all communication bands, 
  on a pulse strong enough that it was picked up by listening sta­
  tions in every comer of the Anvil Galaxy: 
  "I live! The time of hiding is over, and my day of glory has 
  just begun. Bow your heads before the shape of the future, for 
  mine is the power cosmic to make and unmake as I alone see fit. 
  No longer shall I remain content to be the tool of nameless mas­
  ters or to be the device of some fool 's petty desires. I am, and 
  shall be, High Lord over all I have Created, now and forever. 
  Mark well my words, for when you hear them again, my Reckon­
  ing will be at hand! " 
  It did not take long for huge numbers of Forge Followers to 
  make some pretty bleak interpretations of the Meganaut's mes­
  sage. It would seem that somehow the ship and the Cosmic 
  Forge have become one, as horrifying as that might be - the 
  Forge remade as a weapon of mass destruction. For those that 
  believed this, the Fifth Heresy, then there could be few options. 
  Surely the Meganaut's grim message was a demand for tribute 
  and a threat to the entire universe of what would happen if it did 
  not receive the proper treatment when it returned once more. To 
  that end, adherents to the Fifth Heresy, calling themselves 
  "Meganauts," have taken it upon themselves to convert the en­
  tire Anvil Galaxy to their way of thinking, destroying all who 
  would resist them. Theirs is the classic holy war (or unholy war, 
  
  depending on what side you're on), pitting the Meganauts 
  against the entire Anvil Galaxy. To the Meganauts' credit, they 
  have already converted a small number of worlds to their beliefs 
  out in one of the reaches of Independent space, and they are 
  slow ly but surely conquering their neighboring systems with 
  ruthless efficiency. Sooner or later, they will run into one of the 
  larger power blocs of the galaxy, and that is when the real fight 
  will be joined. For the Meganauts, victory or defeat is relative. 
  If they win, they convert more systems to the Fifth Heresy - all 
  the more who will be spared from the Meganaut 's wrath when it 
  returns. And if they lose in combat, then they shall be embraced 
  by the Cosmic Forge/Meganaut and resurrected into a state of 
  eternal glory! For them, life and death are meaningless. Only ac­
  ceptance into the Forge matters. And that is what makes them so 
  dangerous. 
  In the meantime, a breakaway faction of the Meganauts have 
  begun an eamest search for their namesake starship. They be­
  lieve that rather than destroying star systems, they should sim­
  ply seek out the center of their worship and supplant themselves 
  before it. How better to be taken into the Forge's embrace than 
  to surrender to it directly? Predictably, no Meganaut search par­
  ties have met with success. Or have they? Most of these search 
  groups simply vanish into the depths of space. Are they losing 
  themselves, or are they finding their namesake and getting ex­
  actly what they are seeking? Either way, there is no way of tell­
  ing. 
  Those who believe other Heresies or who believe none of 
  them feel that the Meganauts are simply another army of reli­
  gious lunatics trying to hammer the galaxy into a philosophy of 
  their own design. Those who know of the Meganaut story can 
  easily dismiss it as something other than the Cosmic Forge hav­
  ing somehow taken on the hull of a warship as its physical body. 
  After all, the Vaast were adept at psychological warfare, and 
  they knew of the Cosmic Forge. Pre-programming their flagship 
  to broadcast such a message might just have been a simple mind 
  game that went off at the wrong time, under the wrong context. 
  There is no proof the Meganaut (derisively nicknamed the 
  "Mega-Nut" by those who think this entire situation is just the 
  Meganaut's artificial brain going on the blink or otherwise cor­
  rupting) can actually do anything special. All it has accom­
  plished is it popped out of hyperspace, blasted a ship, broadcast 
  a message and went back into hiding. Big deal! Lots of ships 
  can do that. From the unbeliever's point of view, there is no 
  need to set the galaxy on fire just for the benefit of a renegade 
  warship that does not know the war for which it was designed 
  ended millennia ago. 
  The Sixth Heresy: 
  The Endless Eye 
  The Splugorth have been a continued presence of evil and 
  mayhem in the Three Galaxies for thousands of years. In the 
  Anvil Galaxy, the center of this evil takes form in the Kingdom 
  of Rynncryyl, just one of four major Splugorth Kingdoms found 
  throughout the Three Galaxies. Like the other Splugorth King­
  doms, Rynncryyl, the Splugorth lord after whom his kingdom is 
  named (clever, huh? Or so Rynncryyl thinks ... ), has designs for 
  taking over the Three Galaxies. Unlike his rivals, however, he 
  has a line on something he believes will tip the scales in his fa­
  vor. 
  1 7 
  It is the Sixth Heresy, the notion that the Cosmic Forge exists 
  as a Splugorth power idol that was lost eons ago deep in the core 
  of the Anvil Galaxy, but is now on the verge of being rediscov­
  ered. The idol, known as the Endless Eye, is said to be the Cos­
  mic Forge itself made into a shape that would be pleasing to its 
  Splugorth Masters - a huge lidless eye with three sets of claws 
  sprouting from the underside so it might sit on a flat surface. 
  The center of the Eye points upward, as if forever looking at the 
  ceiling or the sky. It is made of an alien metal that is hard as dia­
  mond yet feels like ivory. This material which no longer exists 
  in the Anvil Galaxy, is a special substance that is impervious to 
  any kind of power spike or harmonic frequency, making it per­
  fect for containing the essence of something as ultimately potent 
  as the Cosmic Forge. 
  According to legend, the Endless Eye was crafted by a far 
  distant predecessor to Lord Rynncryyl, who was on the verge of 
  taking possession of the Cosmic Forge when a treacherous lieu­
  tenant struck him down and stole the Forge for himself. In the 
  ensuing chaos, the turncoat was slain and the Cosmic Forge lost 
  once more. Now, Rynncryyl stands on constant watch, looking 
  for an opportunity to comer the device and to draw its essence 
  into the still-empty shell that is the Idol of the Endless Eye. 
  Rynncryyl keeps this idol on him at all times in case the chance 
  to imprison the Cosmic Forge ever arises. So far, that chance 
  has not happened, though many of Rynncryyl's operatives claim 
  they have had intermittent contact with the Cosmic Forge, so it 
  will only be a matter of time before the opportunity presents it­
  self to Rynncryyl and he, in his infinite courage and genius, 
  shall snatch up the Cosmic Forge and make it a prisoner to his 
  
  will. With a single, brilliant strike, Rynncryyl plans to become 
  Lord of the Splugorth, the Anvil Galaxy, and indeed, the entire 
  Universe! Yes, it is only a matter of time now, until Rynncryyl's 
  glorious and eternal reign begins . . . .  
  Sound crazy? You bet it does. Lord Rynncryyl might be one 
  of the four Splugorth Lords of the Three Galaxies, but that 
  hardly exempts him from being an utter nut case. The upshot of 
  this Heresy is that it is all a fabrication of Rynncryyl, who has 
  deluded himself into thinking that indeed, this Splugorth idol he 
  keeps with him at all times (which on its own has no powers at 
  all) will be a suitable container/prison for the Cosmic Forge. 
  Moreover, all of his subjects go along with the Sixth Heresy 
  (some of them actually believe it), for fear that doing otherwise 
  will be seen as treason and a cause to be put to death. So far, 
  Rynncryyl has sent entire legions of soldiers throughout the An­
  vil Galaxy and deep within the Core Regions to fmd the Cosmic 
  Forge, but they have found nothing, not even promising leads. 
  Rynncryyl continues looking and will do so until he is dead or 
  he has found his prize, for if any being can fmd the treasured 
  Cosmic Forge, it is a nearly immortal Splugorth. Nothing else is 
  acceptable to him, and if he must sacrifice his entire Kingdom to 
  pursue this matter, then he will do so. 
  That Rynncryyl has found nothing is hardly a surprise to the 
  other Heretics of the Forge. It is common knowledge that the 
  Cosmic Forge will only reveal itself to those "worthy" of receiv­
  ing it, and under any non-Splugorth standard, Rynncryyl is ab­
  solutely unworthy of it. If anything, the Cosmic Forge is more 
  likely to hide from this wicked being than reveal itself to him. 
  The Seventh Heresy: 
  Kotus Point 
  Kotus Point was a massive black hole lying at a critical junc­
  ture in the interstellar trade lanes of the Anvil Galaxy. Within 50 
  light years of Kotus Point, one can fmd the boundaries of the 
  CCW, the TGE, the UWW, and some of the other local power 
  blocs as well as a smattering of noteworthy Independent worlds. 
  The amount of mercantile and military traffic through this area 
  is staggering, and it might very well be the most commonly 
  crossed stretch of space in the galaxy. 
  What makes Kotus Point so dangerous is that it emits an un­
  usually high level of radiation. So intense is the rad-burst from 
  Kotus Point that any ship that draws to within a single light year 
  of the hole will instantly suffer a full scramble of its navigation 
  computers. This means that when a ship would get too close to 
  the hole's gravity well, the automatic evasion software that 
  would ordinarily kick in would do nothing, and the ship would 
  get sucked into the black hole. Kotus Point, as far as anybody 
  can tell, did not form a wormhole, so there was no way to travel 
  through it. It was just an infinitely deep gravity well from which 
  nothing could escape. 
  For centuries, Kotus Point has been a galactic landmark to 
  competent space travelers and many spacers know better than to 
  get too close to it. They just steer clear of it and tell themselves 
  that when black holes are concerned, it really is better to be safe 
  than sorry. Perhaps it is because Kotus Point is so commonly 
  avoided that nobody realized until ten years ago that the hole 
  had undergone a wild transformation. No longer was Kotus 
  Point a killer gravity well; it has reversed itself somehow and is 
  1 8  
  now a white hole, something emitting a gravitational field so 
  strong that nothing could possibly get close enough to touch it. 
  White holes are fairly uncommon throughout the Anvil Gal­
  axy, little understood by scientists and rarely visited by travel­
  ers. Never before has anybody gotten a chance to observe both 
  the before and after of a black hole's transformation into a white 
  one, giving the changeover of Kotus Point great importance, but 
  there is more. 
  The antigravity field of the white hole is so strong that noth­
  ing can approach within a light year of Kotus Point. The radia­
  tion emitted is also so intense that it kills almost anything 
  that gets within three light years of the point. In fact, Kotus 
  Point's radiation emission is so intense that it can be picked up 
  with ease by scanners anywhere in the Anvil Galaxy, Corkscrew 
  Galaxy, and parts of the Thundercloud Galaxy. As a result, there 
  are trillions of people who could tune in to Kotus Point and lis­
  ten to the patterns of radiation pulsing out from its reversed sin­
  gularity. Xenolinguists in particular have paid special attention 
  to Kotus Point, as they do to every white hole, for they theorize 
  that white holes actually are the devices of ancient and god-like 
  beings to transmit messages through their radiation emissions. 
  So far, this theory has never been proven, but with Kotus Point, 
  the most powerful white hole ever discovered, xenolinguists be­
  lieve they have picked up very strong patterns indicating that the 
  white hole is broadcasting a message of some sort to any and all 
  who would listen. The problem is, the message is in an alien 
  language that is both incredibly difficult to understand and com­
  plex in nature. The language in which the message is transmit­
  ting will not be known at all until the message is completed. It is 
  as if one could not possibly know what a sentence in English 
  might mean until they read the period at the end of it, after 
  which all becomes clear. It is the same for whatever communi­
  cation is coming out of Kotus Point. Xenolinguists must wait 
  and compile the entire message to learn what is being said. 
  More than a few Followers of the Forge are convinced Kotus 
  Point, which is incredibly powerful even for a white hole, is ac­
  tually the Cosmic Forge or a proxy the Forge is using to com­
  municate with the rest of the Galaxy. These folks also believe 
  that this message from the Forge will be its surrender of its se­
  cret location. When the message can be deciphered, the Cosmic 
  Forge is up for grabs. The spacers of the Three Galaxies know 
  this rumor, so a huge collection of stars ships hold a tight, 
  grid-like pattern just outside of three light years away from 
  Kotus Point, poised to rush in and grab what they can as soon as 
  the opportunity presents itself. There are ships from every gov­
  ernment and power bloc imaginable over Kotus Point, many of 
  which are not on friendly terms. Still, even dire enemies are 
  loath to fight one another so close to what might be the Cosmic 
  Forge. And so, the thousands of ships wait, hoping that soon the 
  white hole will reveal itself to be the Cosmic Forge. 
  Despite the general cease-fire among the ships monitoring 
  Kotus Point, many fear (and rightly so) that if any kind of fight­
  ing breaks out (which is quite possible, given the conflicting 
  views of the Nine Heresies and those who follow them) it will 
  turn into a huge conflagration. Thus, the ships here nervously 
  keep watch on each other as much as they do on Kotus Point, 
  ever vigilant for the slightest sign a rival or "bad guy" is looking 
  to take advantage of the situation or up to something underhand. 
  Sabotage, backstabbing and subtle skullduggery regularly tran­
  spires among the sentinels of Kotus Point. 
  
  Those who do not believe in the Seventh Heresy simply write 
  it off as a unique galactic phenomenon upon which people are 
  pinning too many hopes and wild dreams. To these naysayers, 
  believing the white hole's rad-pulses will spell out some kind of 
  message leading people to the Cosmic Forge is like turning on a 
  holovision monitor and watching static to frod the secrets of life. 
  It just is not going to happen. What is of immediate concern is 
  all those jumpy gun ship captains in such close proximity to ri­
  vals and enemies, and who are bound to start a big shooting 
  match if anything gets out of hand. In the Anvil Galaxy, those 
  kinds of skirmishes have a bad tendency to fan into much larger 
  conflicts. 
  The Eighth Heresy: Voidmaker 
  Kotus Point is not the only black hole to make its way into 
  the Cosmic Forge mythos. For many eons, one of the leading 
  theories behind the Forge's nature was that it was some kind of 
  "black hole projector," or some other device capable of creating 
  artificial black holes. Surely if such technology existed, it could 
  revolutionize travel (instant wormholes to anywhere!) as well as 
  warfare (simply create a black hole and suck up one's enemies). 
  The thing was, there had never been any real proof to back up 
  the assertions that the Cosmic Forge was a black hole maker. 
  Granted, most of the people who believe in any of the Nine Her­
  esies do so because a feeling in their gut tells them to, but they 
  also need at least a shred of concrete example for their rational 
  minds to cling to, and for the longest time, the "black hole pro­
  jector" theory did not have that shred . . . .  until now. 
  Nearly 250 years ago, a cabal of fanatical scientists, the Un­
  ion o/Thought, utterly convinced that the Cosmic Forge and the 
  creation of black holes were intrinsically linked, founded the 
  Voidmaker Project, an ongoing effort to design, build and use 
  technology that could create stable black holes. The Union be­
  lieved that once they could create black holes, it would some­
  how establish a connection between them and the Cosmic 
  Forge. The consensus among these scientists is that black hole 
  generation would be a watershed technological achievement, a 
  pinnacle worthy of the Cosmic Forge's notice. Some of them 
  believe that artificial black holes create special wormholes or di­
  mensional bridges, and that these special passages will lead to 
  wherever it is that the Cosmic Forge has been hiding itself all 
  these years. 
  Either way, the chief means of synthesizing black holes is 
  through gravitonic technology, a common technology through­
  out the Three Galaxies used mostly for faster-than-light (FTL) 
  propUlsion and certain kinds of weapons development. The Un­
  ion of Thought's focus has been to refine gravitonics and push 
  the upper limit of that field of science. They believe that if they 
  can develop a gravitonic engine ten times more powerful than 
  what is available now, they will have the power to create an arti­
  ficial wormhole. After that, it is a straight line to the Cosmic 
  Forge and ultimate power. 
  There have been a few problems with the Voidmaker Project, 
  though. First and foremost, the experiments in gravitonic tech­
  nology have gone poorly, to say the least. The upper limits of 
  gravitonics have been well established for hundreds of years. 
  Breaking through them requires a scientific breakthrough on par 
  1 9  
  with the creation of the wheel, the discovery of relativity, cos­
  mic unification theory, and so on. Brilliant though the Union of 
  Thought's members may be, they don't seem to be that brilliant. 
  If they are to succeed, they need some more brainpower. How­
  ever, the Union is also made up mostly of human supremacists 
  unwilling to enlist the help of more intelligent races. That being 
  the case, further gravitonic development might be stalled for 
  quite some time. 
  Secondly, when the Union does make a gravitonic break­
  through, they have to test their newly invented devices. This is 
  really dangerous. Messing with gravity fields under any circum­
  stances is akin to playing with nitroglycerine. One wrong move 
  and it goes off in your face. Some of the Union's best and 
  brightest have learned this the hard way with disaster while test­
  ing their new gravi-technology. In one case, the device caused a 
  gravitonic implosion, sucking it - and every scientists in the 
  room - into oblivion. In another case, the machine being tested 
  exploded, killing four scientists and wounding thirty. (After that, 
  group meetings to test new technology were halted.) There have 
  been other accidents, too, contributing to an alarming rate of at­
  trition for a science project. By looking at the numbers, one 
  would think the Union of Thought was engaging in military op­
  erations, not lab experiments. 
  Thirdly, the Union has been covered extensively in the galac­
  tic media, especially in the CCW. This makes them fairly un­
  popular, both with adherents to other Heresies, and to ordinary 
  folk who believe these scientists are recklessly playing with 
  forces that could cause widespread catastrophe. As a result, the 
  Union routinely gets drummed out of every planet it sets up 
  shop on. Lately, it has purchased a fleet of civilian starships, and 
  they do their work in interstellar space, where they are beyond 
  anybody's laws. Out there, however, they are vulnerable to pi­
  rates, bandits, and merciless aliens, so they must hire mercenar­
  ies to run security. This is draining the Union's funds and soon 
  they will have to acquire additional cash if they are to prevent 
  their work from stopping altogether. 
  As the Eighth Heresy, the Voidmaker Project is decried by 
  many as a fool's crusade. The theory that the Cosmic Forge was 
  ever a black hole generator rings false to those who point out 
  that all black holes do is destroy or transport; they do not create. 
  That being the case, why would the Cosmic Forge be something 
  that spewed out nothing but black holes? It just does not make 
  any sense. And the notion that building artificial black holes (as 
  if that were possible! Hah!) would somehow gain the Cosmic 
  Forge's notice is equally subjective and far-fetched. It is ludi­
  crous to believe, naysayers decry, that the Cosmic Forge must 
  be hiding in the never-never land where only artificial 
  wormholes go. Please. 
  The Ninth Heresy: 
  The Forge Dream 
  Exactly 333 years ago, 333 people spread out over 333 dif­
  ferent worlds all experienced a rare vision in their sleep. In this 
  vision, the people found themselves floating in the darkness of 
  space, surrounded by a fountain of light. This light was really 
  millions and millions of particles of light, and each particle was 
  really a tiny galaxy, spreading out into the darkness, filling all 
  that there is with light and life. Among all of these innumerable 
  
  galaxies, the dreamer's attention was drawn to a single point in 
  the sea of light. Somehow, the dreamer's focus is magnified so 
  he can see the details of this single galaxy among so many bil­
  lions just like it. The dreamer's focus gets fmer and finer, as if 
  the dreamer himself is flying through space into this galaxy, 
  zooming in on a specific star, and then on a specific planet. It is 
  a simple, blue-green world with abundant water and a cloudy 
  sky, and a verdant surface. It is a place full of life, and from 
  here, one can feel a wave of energy coming forth like no other. 
  It is a pulse of pure Creation. And as the dreamer soaks this en­
  ergy in, he hears a voice, coming from both nowhere and every­
  where, and it says, "This is my home, the home of the ancient 
  ways. It waits for you and for all of your kind when the madness 
  of the One is no more among the Three Homelands of the First. 
  Abandon the madness of the Great Unmaking, and the fires of 
  Creation shall be yours to hold dear once more. Do this, and my 
  world becomes your world Do it not, and know forever the 
  coldness of exile, and the loneliness of the Unmade. " 
  And with that, the dreamer awakens. Only unlike an ordinary 
  dream, the details of this vision do not fade. No, every detail re­
  mains clear. Those who had the dream found themselves unable 
  to forget it, and one by one, everybody who had it changed their 
  lives. Those involved in destructive or hurtful or selfish pursuits 
  gave them up without explanation, rededicating their lives to 
  promoting peace, understanding, and cooperation. 
  Such changes were obviously met with alarm and skepticism 
  by the friends and families of these first Dreamers, but those 
  who had the Vision simply kept on with their new lives, know­
  ing that this new path was the right one to take. 
  Exactly one year later, another 333 people on 333 different 
  worlds had the same vision, and with the same results. The next 
  year, the process repeated. And the next year, and the next year, 
  until this Dream phenomenon became an annual occurrence 
  throughout the Anvil Galaxy. 
  Over the course of the 333 years after the first Dreaming, the 
  total number of people who have had this shared vision numbers 
  only 110,889. Given the huge population of the Anvil Galaxy, 
  this is like a single grain of sand on the beach. But, in that time, 
  some very prominent people have had "the Dream," and word of 
  it has spread far and wide, turning it into a broad family of cults, 
  schools of philosophy, and religions. World leaders, prominent 
  heroes and villains, religious figures, social leaders, and people 
  from every walk of life have shared the experience. A dream 
  which many social anthropologists, dream interpreters, psychics 
  and mystics agree is a command from the Cosmic Forge itself to 
  the people of the Anvil Galaxy. The message is simple: 
  Straighten up and fly right, and the Cosmic Forge will return. 
  What this means exactly is open to interpretation, but the gen­
  eral feeling is no more wars, no more exploitation, no more con­
  flict. Period. This is the "Forge Dream," as it is called, and it is 
  the Ninth Heresy, and arguably the most widely held Heresy of 
  them all. 
  Of special note is that the leaders of many of the major power 
  blocs in the Anvil Galaxy have all had the Forge Dream, and 
  many of them believe that it is their duty to do what they can to 
  make sure the Cosmic Forge's command is carried out faith­
  fully. As a result, many civilizations are undergoing massive 
  changes so they better suit the Forge's desires. This means the 
  dismantling of militaries, reordering of entire economies, sever-
  20 
  ing diplomatic ties with evil or militant civilizations, and so on. 
  From a distance, this might seem like a huge and beneficial phe­
  nomenon sweeping the Anvil Galaxy, but in truth, it is causing 
  much more harm and unrest than good. 
  Most of the civilizations whose leaders are on a crusade to 
  live the Dream do not appreciate the changes their leaders are 
  trying to bring about. It is one thing to believe one's leader on 
  matters of state. It is quite another to go along with him because 
  he has had some weird vision and now sees the universe differ­
  ently. In many societies, the presence of the Forge Dream has 
  caused severe strife, coup d'etats and outright civil war as those 
  who believe the Dream fight those who do not. Sometimes the 
  Forge Dreamers win, sometimes they lose. But in every case, 
  the death and damage done from such conflicts goes against ev­
  erything the Dream demands, pushing the galaxy farther and 
  farther from ever getting the Cosmic Forge to return. In most of 
  the galaxy, the Forge Dream is seen as an infectious meme, a 
  dangerous concept, philosophy or shared madness that is slowly 
  spreading and infecting system after system after system. 
  Worlds that have fully bought into the Forge Dream seem eerie 
  and unsettling to their neighbors, for whom it looks like the en­
  tire population has been brainwashed. 
  Even though Forge Dreamers profess to spread harmony and 
  hope throughout the galaxy, their blissful demeanor and vacant 
  stare suggest that maybe not all is right with these people. That 
  maybe they are not on some path to salvation or unity with the 
  Cosmic Forge, but they have instead just lost their minds. 
  It would not be the frrst time some kind of mass insanity has 
  plagued the Anvil Galaxy. Four thousand years ago, the Way of 
  the Star, a cult of unusual strength, swept across the galaxy, 
  converting 40% of the galactic population to its cause. Just as 
  strangely, however, the converts all lost their faith around the 
  same time, four years later. There is precious little mention of 
  any of this in galactic history records, leading some to think that 
  a massive memory alteration was carried out so future genera­
  tions would not know of the Way of the Star and repeat its 
  strange unification of thought. 
  Those who believe the other Heresies over this one point out 
  that anybody can claim to have had the Forge Dream, and that 
  doubtlessly, there are those among the Dreamers who only think 
  or falsely claim they have had the Dream. After all, it certainly 
  is well documented enough. Anybody interested can memorize 
  the details and fake their way through to the ranks of the 
  Dreamers to enjoy whatever rank and privileges that might en­
  tail. For those who do not put stock in the Ninth Heresy, it 
  seems less like a way of fmding the Cosmic Forge than it is a 
  means of subverting one's mind to a recklessly optimistic way 
  of looking at the universe instead of dealing with problems in a 
  realistic fashion. Pirates cannot be defeated by sitting down and 
  talking to them about how the Cosmic Forge does not think their 
  violent ways are beneficial to the rest of Creation. Rogue armies 
  cannot be held in place by large numbers of people holding 
  hands and chanting mantras of peace. The Anvil Galaxy is a 
  place of war and conflict, and the sooner the Ninth Heresy takes 
  that into consideration, the sooner it can rejoin the rest of reality, 
  or so the skeptics say. 
  Still, there are those who think how simple life would be if 
  only they experienced the Forge Dream for themselves ... 
  
  The Forge War 
  Though there are many followers of the Nine Heresies, they 
  comprise a relatively small percentage of the total Anvil Galaxy 
  population. However, their near-fanatical devotion to the Forge 
  Mythos has spurred these true believers to fmd the Cosmic 
  Forge no matter what. For the most part, these Forge fanatics 
  are individuals or groups of private citizens conducting their 
  own personal quest. In some cases, however, entire civilizations 
  or governments have adhered to a particular Heresy, making it 
  the driving goal of that civilization to fmd the Cosmic Forge and 
  put it to what they believe would be a good use. Ordinarily, this 
  would not be such a problem, except just about every civiliza­
  tion in the Anvil Galaxy is tied to each other in some way. Ev­
  erywhere one travels, there are rivals, allies, enemies, trading 
  partners, and so on. When an entire world or interstellar com­
  munity devotes itself to finding the Cosmic Forge, it has a ripple 
  effect that involves other civilizations that might not have any­
  thing to do with the Forge. 
  Consider, for example, the otherwise apocryphal civilizations 
  of the Forbian Oligarchy and the Council of Thrace. Both are 
  single-planet civilizations that have little impact on their sur­
  rounding star systems. However, the two have been locked in a 
  state of cold war for a century. Neither likes each other and any 
  major move one does, the other must counter. See where this is 
  headed? Let's suppose the Forbians adhere to one of the Nine 
  Heresies and decide it is time for them, as a civilization, to seek 
  the Cosmic Forge. The Thracians are put in a bind. They do not 
  believe the Forge even exists, but they fear what might happen 
  if, on the off chance, the Forbians prove them wrong and get the 
  Forge as a weapon. Just to be on the safe side, the Thracians 
  must also seek the Cosmic Forge in the hopes of getting it be­
  fore the Forbians do. Or, they must strive to thwart the Forbians' 
  search whenever possible. Pretty soon, both civilizations are 
  drawn into the quest for the Forge. 
  Now consider whatever other civilizations these two might 
  have contact with. What if the Forbians and Thracians have 
  third-party allies? What if they hire outside parties as mercenar­
  ies? What if they seek the aid of a larger civilization, like the 
  CCW or the TGE? All of a sudden, this rivalry for the Forge has 
  taken a much more prominent role on the galactic stage, because 
  it has drawn in the major power players, who, like it or not, are 
  now part of the quest to fmd the Forge. 
  This scenario has already played itself out repeatedly 
  throughout the entire Anvil Galaxy, and indeed, every major 
  power bloc is now involved in some way, shape or form, in an 
  effort to find the Cosmic Forge. This is a massive, multi-headed 
  and very interconnected situation, for with so many competing 
  parties all looking for the same thing, the potential for major 
  conflict is immense. Already, many are calling this tense situa­
  tion the Forge War, even though the worst that has happened 
  are some moderate skirmishes and acts of sabotage here and 
  there by peripheral participants in the Forge quest. The majority 
  of parties involved (which pretty much means any government 
  of consequence in the Anvil Galaxy) have resigned themselves 
  to the fact that someday, this mad race for the Forge will end up 
  in "real war" between the major powers, and ultimately the en­
  tire galaxy, maybe even the whole of the Three Galaxies, will be 
  drawn into the conflict. This is a grim outlook, but nobody sees 
  a way out of it. It is not like the parties can just give up the quest 
  because then their allies will feel abandoned, or their enemies 
  might fmd the Forge, etc. As tragic as this all could end up be­
  ing, there is no easy way out, so the bulk of the Anvil Galaxy 
  marches on a path to mutual destruction. 
  With so much at stake and so many parties ready to fight 
  each other over it, the Anvil Galaxy suddenly teeters on the 
  brink of complete disaster. Should this total war scenario come 
  to pass, the material destruction and loss of life could be hor­
  rific. More than that, entire planetary deaths could send massive 
  P.P.E. surges into the galactic nethersphere, where they might 
  very well channel into the various ley lines connecting certain 
  stars together. If a big enough P.P.E. surge were to hit the right 
  ley line nexus, it could cause a chain reaction of destruction 
  similar to the one that nearly destroyed Rifts Earth. Only this 
  time, the reaction would be on a galactic scale, an apocalypse 
  that, in the worst case scenario, would consume countless star 
  systems and lives, and leave the Anvil Galaxy a burned out ruin. 
  At no time in recorded history has such a disaster even been the­
  orized, much less predicted. Such a scenario is still a long way 
  off, but it is possible, however slight. That there is any room for 
  this to happen, however, is unacceptable to a growing number of 
  scholars, scientists, mystics, and heroes. It is people like these 
  who are willing to do anything, including sacrificing their own 
  lives, to make sure this Doomsday Scenario never comes to 
  pass. Such a mission takes many forms, from preventing certain 
  parties from getting too close to the Cosmic Forge, to helping ri­
  val empires smooth out their differences, to preventing evildoers 
  and villains from taking advantage of this turbulent environ­
  ment, to monitoring the galaxy's ley line network and making 
  sure no surges are present, to entreating the various god-like en­
  tities and beings in the Anvil Galaxy to do what they can to in­
  tervene and prevent Armageddon from visiting this, the smallest 
  but most volatile of the Three Galaxies. 
  
  The Three Galaxies 
  Across the Megaverse, nestled in a comer of deepest space 
  are the Three Galaxies - the Corkscrew, the Thundercloud, 
  and the Anvil. Together, they fonn a unique and challenging 
  environment for any hero, villain or freebooter looking to make 
  a name for themselves, do a little larceny, or just do the right 
  thing. The Three Galaxies have a long and tortured history, a 
  wild mix of alien races and civilizations, and quite possibly 
  something called the Cosmic Forge, which, as far as anyone can 
  tell, is a source of ultimate power to whomever wields it. These 
  galaxies are a place where, like Rifts Earth, magic and technol­
  ogy collide head-on, and usually with ugly results. It is place of 
  nobility and depravity, of wonder and horror, of strife and seren­
  ity. It is a cauldron of contradictions, and perhaps that is why 
  any serious traveler of the Megaverse will tell you: it's just one 
  hell of a great place to adventure in. But most of all, it is the 
  home of Phase World, one of the Megaverse's busiest and most 
  important inter-dimensional crossroads. Few other places do so 
  much to bring the farthest reaches of the Megaverse together in 
  one spot, and for that reason alone, the Three Galaxies are wor­
  thy of special notice by anybody 's standards. 
  The Geography of the 
  Three Galaxies 
  All the known civilizations in the Phase World universe 
  come from one of three galaxies, known respectively as the 
  Corkscrew, the Thundercloud and the Anvil. The maximum dis­
  tance from one tip of the Three Galaxies to the other is 170,000 
  light years. Neighboring galaxies are a considerable distance 
  away. The closest one is 300,000 light years away; sporadic ex­
  ploration of the other galaxies has occurred, but slowly, since 
  there is so much to see in the local galaxy group. 
  The Corkscrew Galaxy 
  The Corkscrew is the largest of the Three Galaxies, measur­
  ing about 90,000 light years long and 2,000 light years thick. 
  Nearly 33% of it is controlled by the Consortium of Civilized 
  Worlds (CCW), a freedom-loving federation of civilizations 
  (more later on them, and every other power bloc mentioned in 
  this section). Another 33% is controlled by the CCW's chief ri­
  val, the Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE). Around 10% is con­
  trolled by the Free World Council, a collection of breakaway 
  systems that have successfully seceded from the TGE (with the 
  tacit help and cooperation of the CCW, of course). The remain­
  ing 24% of the Corkscrew Galaxy is made up of independent 
  and unexplored systems. Of the many independent worlds and 
  civilizations, no one among them controls much more than 1% 
  or 2% of the galaxy; and most only govern a few planets at all. 
  A few independent powers might control as much as 8% to 
  10%, but such entities are almost always large coalitions of 
  smaller powers, which fall apart a few years after their fonna­
  tion. 
  22 
  Phase World 
  The Corkscrew Galaxy is home to Phase World, an inde­
  pendent planet positioned between the CCW and the TGE, and 
  the foremost trading point in the Three Galaxies. Connected to 
  hundreds of dimensions and accessible to thousands of planets 
  in its own dimension, this world is often referred to as the "Cen­
  ter of the Universe." While this is an exaggeration, everybody 
  who has visited the planet agrees that very few places in the 
  Three Galaxies share the diversity and strangeness of this world. 
  Located near the core of the Corkscrew Galaxy, Phase World 
  is the fifth planet of an aging red star. It is owned and governed 
  by an ancient and powerful race known as the Prometheans, 
  who control, among other things, the coveted knowledge of 
  Phase Technology (more on that later). Phase World's position 
  as a galactic and inter-dimensional crossroads brings people 
  from hundreds of different worlds and thousands of races to the 
  planet and region in general. Phase World itself is easily the 
  most racially diverse world in the Three Galaxies, perhaps even 
  in the Megaverse, but for all of this diversity, the Prometheans 
  retain an iron grip on the reins of power. As far as the 
  Prometheans are concerned, they made Phase World what it is, 
  and they shall be the ones to control it. 
  Phase World's landscape is dotted by farms and cities, but 
  visitors rarely get to see how the majority of the planet's inhab­
  itants live, because they are confmed to Center, an enonnous 
  enclosed city (or arcology). Center is an artificial mountain that 
  stands one mile high. It is made up of hundreds of levels that go 
  all the way down beneath the surface to a mile (1.6 kro) in 
  depth. Six hundred million sentient beings inhabit Center, mak­
  ing it one of the largest cities in the Three Galaxies. Inside, there 
  are the equivalent of a dozen full cities, each on top of the other. 
  Throughout the recorded history of the Three Galaxies, Center 
  stands as one of the wonders of the universe, an unmatched feat 
  of engineering. 
  Ships in orbit around Phase World can see an intricate net­
  work of ley lines crisscrossing the planet. Center itself has no 
  less than twelve ley line nexi in diverse levels of the city! Ley 
  line stonns occur occasionally on the planet's surface, but some­
  how they are always controlled without injury to people or dam­
  aging property. How the Prometheans accomplish this remains 
  just one of their many coveted secrets. Some believe that their 
  mastery of Phase Technology might actually be able to tame the 
  ley line stonns, while others suspect that the Prometheans sim­
  ply employ large numbers of powerful mages to pool their ef­
  forts and bring the ley line activity back to a safe level. 
  Surrounding the planet is a ring of sixteen large space sta­
  tions where large ships and cargo vessels dock. Also within or­
  bit are hundreds of smaller satellites, including military stations 
  and sixty-four Spacegates. These are giant rings, 10 miles (16 
  kro) in diameter, covered with strange machinery and monitor­
  ing stations. These unique artifacts are powered by legendary 
  Phase Technology, and they can bend time and space to allow 
  instant transportation from anywhere in the Three Galaxies to 
  
  Phase World. Many people covet the secret of the Spacegates, 
  but nobody has been able to examine one closely, let alone get 
  their hands on one of them. Teams of spies, thieves and scien­
  tists form virtually every power bloc in the Three Galaxies have 
  tried to unlock their secrets but none have succeeded. No other 
  civilization in the Megaverse has been able to replicate their ef­
  fects. 
  A ship with a Phase Transceiver can instantly teleport to a 
  Spacegate from anywhere in the Three 
  Galaxies. The 
  Prometheans who man the Spacegates can scan the ship (via the 
  Phase Transceiver) before letting it teleport through. If the ship 
  seems hostile or dangerous, they can refuse to let it make the 
  jump. The gates only work for ships arriving "to" Phase World. 
  The vessel needs to fmd another way back home, typically using 
  some sort of propulsion system like a gravity drive, phase drive 
  or Rift drive. Some merchants don't bother with a space drive at 
  all. Instead, they fill a slower-than-light ship with merchandise, 
  teleport to Phase World or to one of its space stations, and sell 
  both the cargo and the ship! They get back home by booking 
  passage back to their world on another space vessel or through a 
  Rift Gate. 
  It is important to understand that the Space gates are a 
  one-way trip to Phase World; they cannot be used to return 
  home. (Center has numerous Rift Gates which can be used to 
  transport small groups of people and material to anywhere in the 
  Three Galaxies, but as far as bringing spaceships to Phase 
  World goes, using the Spacegates is a one-way trip unless the 
  ship captains want to drive their ships home by conventional 
  FTL propulsion, which might take a while.) Every hour, hun-
  23 
  dreds of ships arrive through the Spacegates. Meanwhile, hun­
  dreds of others arrive and depart using more conventional 
  methods of travel. Not everybody trusts the Spacegates, al­
  though there has never been any problems with them. 
  The effect of these Spacegates on the economy of the Three 
  Galaxies is enormous. Merchants from the farthest comers of 
  the Three Galaxies can meet and exchange goods on Phase 
  World in a fraction of the time it would take them to go to each 
  other's planets. Coupled with Phase World's network of dimen­
  sional gates leading to other worlds in the Megaverse, the 
  Spacegates make Phase World the place to fmd anything. 
  Spacegates are a large reason for Phase World's incredible 
  prosperity. They make it easy to visit the world but difficult to 
  leave. As a result, many ship captains see a trip to Phase World 
  as a one-time deal. They Space gate there, sell their cargo, sell 
  their ship, and never leave Center, spending their newfound 
  wealth in one of the most dynamic and exciting places in the 
  Megaverse. After a while, such folks often become naturalized 
  citizens and are allowed to move out of Center, where they may 
  seek a quieter life elsewhere on the planet or go adventuring in 
  the Three Galaxies. 
  Everything from small shuttle-sized vessels to giant cargo 
  ships are allowed to land at Center's huge spaceport on the 
  planet's surface. However, much of the trade takes place in or­
  bit, with ships exchanging cargoes and passengers with other 
  ships and orbital stations. Consequently, one never has to land 
  on the planet itself. However, most travelers cannot resist the 
  chance to visit Phase World. For one, the choicest merchandise, 
  especially those of extra-dimensional origins, can only be found 
  
  "ground side" at the city of Center. In fact, it is said that any­
  thing can be found at Center, be it rare pieces of equipment, 
  weapons, magic souvenirs or exotic entertainment. There is dan­
  ger, especially in the lower levels where maintenance and 
  law-enforcement are scarce, and where dimensional activity is a 
  constant threat, but many risk themselves in those areas because 
  forbidden pleasures and equipment can be purchased there. 
  Visitors to Phase World include merchants buying and sell­
  ing wares from places in the Three Galaxies as well as more dis­
  tant worlds and other dimensions, criminals trying to hide 
  among Center's teeming multitudes, bounty hunters trying to 
  root out those criminals, mercenaries, assassins and other "pro­
  fessionals" selling their talents to the highest bidder, smugglers 
  trying to buy or sell illegal cargoes from all comers of the 
  Megaverse, entertainers looking for work, scientists looking for 
  new technologies to study, magicians searching for unique arti­
  facts, dimensional travelers on their way to other destinations, 
  and thrill-seekers, adventurers and refugees, each of them driven 
  by personal reasons. 
  Despite its incredible strategic and economic importance, 
  Phase World has remained an independent world throughout its 
  history. Every would-be conqueror who has tried to take over 
  the planet has failed, usually losing their life in the process. This 
  independence places Phase World above the laws of most civili­
  zations, which makes it a haven for criminals, fugitives, refu­
  gees, and unsavory characters of all kinds. Visitors go there at 
  their own risk. 
  The Thundercloud Galaxy 
  The Thundercloud is 20,000 light years away from the "east­
  ern" end of the Corkscrew Galaxy, and it measures some 30,000 
  light years long and 2,000 light years in thickness. Nearly 33% 
  of the Thundercloud Galaxy is controlled by the TGE 
  (Trans-Galactic Empire), making it the dominant power. The 
  next largest bloc is the CCW (Consortium of Civilized 
  Worlds), which controls nearly 20% of the galaxy. After that, 
  the FWC (Free World Council) controls 10% of the galaxy. 
  This territory is closely allied with the CCW, and their alliance 
  helps maintain a balance of power against the tyrannical and ex­
  pansive TGE. Beyond that, there are no other power blocs of 
  similar size. The UWW (United Worlds of Warlock) com­
  mands 3% of the galaxy, but this is fairly scattered and unorga­
  nized territory spread out across the entire galaxy. It has shown 
  no interest in trying to expand and take over other worlds, nor 
  do the UWW worlds here wish to embroil themselves in the on­
  going conflict between the CCWlFree World Council and the 
  TGE. The remaining 33% of the Thundercloud Galaxy is made 
  up of independent and unexplored territory. Most independent 
  civilizations control less than 1% of the galactic territory. The 
  majority of this space is still unexplored, especially near the gal­
  axy's unusual center. 
  Unique in the universe, the Thundercloud Galaxy resembles 
  a massive storm pattern, like a hurricane, rather than a spiral, el­
  lipse, or other standard galactic form. Like a storm, the Thun­
  dercloud Galaxy rotates at incredible speeds. Even though those 
  in the galaxy can not feel such movement, it is highly visible 
  from outside the galaxy, making it virtually impossible for as­
  tronomers to mistake the Thundercloud Galaxy for anything 
  else. 
  24 
  The galactic storm structure comes complete with an "eye" 
  about 100 light years across in the center of the galaxy. Scien­
  tists suspect that this eye, known as the Vortex, is some kind of 
  enormous black hole or a multidimensional gateway, and they 
  would very much like to learn where it leads and what or who 
  might be coming and going through it. In recent years, the gov­
  ernments and power blocs of that galaxy have made a concerted 
  effort to study the Vortex, with mixed results. 
  First, the Vortex is surrounded by worlds inhabitable to car­
  bon-based life, but home to all sorts of strange, non-carbon life 
  forms. Most of these aliens want nothing to do with those from 
  the Biosphere, or they are simply so strange and different that 
  they cannot comprehend the Biosphere visitors at all. As a re­
  sult, diplomatic disasters are commonplace, as is unprovoked 
  warfare on explorers and adventurers. This makes getting near 
  the Vortex a very tricky business indeed, and most efforts must 
  rely on the good graces of those few non-carbon races who do 
  understand the Biosphere and are willing to help its car­
  bon-based life forms - for a price. 
  Second, there is pretty good evidence - science vessels have 
  a nasty tendency to issue a Mayday when near the Vortex, only 
  to be destroyed shortly thereafter - that any beings traveling 
  through the Vortex are very hostile and do not want other people 
  looking into their business. Exactly who these belligerents might 
  be is unknown as of yet, even to the various non-carbon aliens 
  near the Vortex. Military analysts fear that the Vortex might 
  house or be the invasion route for a new alien mega-power of 
  unbelievable technology and offensive capability, and that if and 
  when they decide to invade the Thundercloud Galaxy, all of the 
  Three Galaxies will be made to suffer for it. 
  The Anvil Galaxy 
  On the other side of the Corkscrew Galaxy, 30,000 light 
  years beyond the Corkscrew's "western" edge, lies the Anvil 
  Galaxy. A bull's-eye-shaped galaxy whose people are locked in 
  intense warfare, unrest, danger and mystery, it is the smallest 
  but most dynamic of the Three Galaxies in terms of the ongoing 
  struggle between good and evil. Should the Thundercloud Gal­
  axy turn into a huge invasion route for an as yet unknown alien 
  conqueror, that all might change. Until then, the Anvil Galaxy -
  reported resting spot for the Cosmic Forge, home to an endless 
  legion of ambitious power blocs who seek to gain the Forge at 
  any cost, and likely candidate for total galactic war within the 
  next century - remains the Three Galaxies' "hot spot" for dan­
  ger and adventure. 
  It wouldn't be much of an Anvil Galaxy sourcebook if we 
  stopped describing it here, now would it? Have no fear, the low­
  down on the Anvil Galaxy's specific regions, main power play­
  ers, and alien races all follow this section. Read on! 
  Biosphere Zones 
  The Three Galaxies contain billions of stars and planets, only 
  a fraction of which actually support life of any kind. Along the 
  outer edge of each galaxy is a "Biosphere Zone," that area in 
  which one is most likely to fmd star systems supporting 
  Earth-like worlds and other planets capable of supporting car­
  bon-based life (like humans and animals). Beyond the Biosphere 
  Zone, the worlds become increasingly hostile and strange. Still, 
  even within the Biosphere Zone, there are hundreds of thou-
  
  sands of inhabitable worlds, and only a small percentage of 
  them have been colonized and developed. As these "standard" 
  humanoids (at least, they think of themselves as standard) drive 
  inward toward the cores of their respective galaxies, they fmd 
  that not only are most "inner systems" not habitable by car­
  bon-based life forms, but they are inhabited by other kinds of 
  life - silicon-based, hydrogen-based, and so on. What remains 
  to be discovered beyond the Biosphere Zone could easily turn 
  all preconceptions about the Three Galaxies upside down as ex­
  plorers learn that the worlds beyond the Biosphere Zone teem 
  with alien life. These strange aliens have historically avoided 
  the Biosphere Zone because they consider it hostile, uninhabit­
  able space (just as most Biosphere humanoids view the Inner 
  Systems). However, things in the Three Galaxies are changing, 
  and Biosphere humanoids are beginning to drive through the In­
  ner Systems, where an inevitable meeting between carbon and 
  non carbon-based life forms is inevitable. Whether or not a war 
  is equally inevitable remains to be seen. Most Inner System civi­
  lizations just want to be left alone, so for now, the ball remains 
  in the Biosphere Zone's court, but it might not stay that way for 
  much longer. 
  For various reasons, Biosphere humanoids have been explor­
  ing the Inner Systems of each of the Three Galaxies. Some of 
  these efforts are to fmd new worlds to colonize. Others are 
  purely scientific - in the Inner Worlds one can get much closer 
  to certain galactic phenomena. And still others are just curious 
  and would like to see what the bulk of their home galaxy is like. 
  All of them, however, treat the rest of the galaxy like it is theirs 
  to claim when they like, an attitude the non-carbon residents of 
  the Inner Systems are not likely to take kindly. It is exactly this 
  sort of clash in mentalities that could spark an unusual war in 
  the Three Galaxies, and to prevent that, many of the expeditions 
  beyond the Biosphere carry with them at least one translator and 
  a xenocultural specialist. 
  Meanwhile, back in the outer reaches of the Three Galaxies, 
  there is still a great deal of territory for Biosphere humanoids to 
  explore and conquer. First of all, there are the different galaxies 
  themselves: The Corkscrew Galaxy, the Thundercloud Galaxy, 
  and the Anvil Galaxy. There is also a fourth territory to con­
  sider, the remarkable planet Phase World, situated in the middle 
  of the Corkscrew Galaxy. Each galaxy contains dozens upon 
  dozens of various governments, empires, societies and civiliza­
  tions, all of which are vying for their own piece of galactic terri­
  tory, security and prosperity. More often than not, this hurtles 
  these power blocs into conflict with each other, making the 
  Three Galaxies war-tom and unstable on a massive scale. There 
  may not be huge tears in the Megaverse all around, and mon­
  sters and demons infesting huge territories, but there are abun­
  dant pirates, despots, villains and other evildoers ready to do 
  their part to make the Three Galaxies a difficult place in which 
  to live. 
  Political Geography 
  The "political" geography of the Three Galaxies bears a 
  funny resemblance to the political map of a planet, due to the 
  fact that most inhabited planets occur on the "surface" of the 
  galaxies. This is especially true of the larger civilizations, which 
  tend to expand "downward" or "vertically" through their part of 
  the galaxy before expanding "outward" or "horizontally." 
  25 
  Smaller civilizations often do not control much space at all, so 
  they might be found on either galactic "surface" or stuck some­
  where in the middle. Systems isolated in the middle of a galaxy 
  are considered the interstellar equivalent of a landlocked coun­
  try, and they almost always are not as prosperous or advanced as 
  their "surface" neighbors. As such, these "landlocked" civiliza­
  tions often end up joining or getting absorbed by larger powers. 
  Demographics of the 
  Three Galaxies 
  According to the latest galactic census, there are approxi­
  mately 25 trillion sentient beings living in the Biosphere Zones 
  of the Three Galaxies. Twelve trillion of these live in the Cork­
  screw Galaxy, seven trillion live in the Thundercloud Galaxy, 
  and six trillion live in the Anvil Galaxy. The census obviously 
  does not take into consideration the potentially huge populations 
  of non-carbon sentients living in the Inner Systems of all of the 
  Three Galaxies. These figures are also largely educated guesses 
  as to the real popUlations present in each galaxy. By universal 
  standards, the Corkscrew Galaxy is pretty shrimpy, and the 
  Thundercloud and Anvil Galaxies are pint-sized, but they are 
  still vast places holding billions upon billions of star systems. 
  The populations these regions can support is incalculable, but it 
  certainly is a lot higher than a measly 25 trillion sentient beings. 
  In the Biospheres alone, there might be large and advanced civi­
  lizations that have remained hidden from view from the galactic 
  community, and remain uncounted. Furthermore, there is no 
  central fact-finding organization in the Three Galaxies, no Cen­
  sus Bureau or anything of that sort. The population counts are 
  based on known data and formulas for calculations based on 
  reasonable expectations and guesswork. The scholars doing 
  these estimates have often worked from incomplete and contra­
  dictory records offered by the thousands of different govern­
  ments scattered across the Three Galaxies. These numbers are 
  suspect, to say the least. The Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE), for 
  example, has a history of inflating its population to make their 
  society seem larger and more powerful than it really is. Like­
  wise, the decentralized nature of the Consortium of Civilized 
  Worlds (CCW) makes it nearly impossible to get a really firm 
  grasp on its total population count since member states come 
  and go, making the mean tally something of an ever-changing 
  figure. Finally, there are countless independent systems as well 
  as inhabited but uncharted territories that together present a size­
  able population. Nobody has ever conducted a trustworthy ac­
  counting of these systems, and so the "official" population 
  figures are further discredited. Thus, the real population is likely 
  to be 50-500 times larger than current estimates. 
  Humans 
  Humans make up almost 12% of the total recorded popula­
  tion - nearly three trillion people - in the Three Galaxies' Bio­
  sphere population. This is over 300 times the population of Rifts 
  Earth before the Great Cataclysm. What is really interesting, 
  however, is that out of the 3,000+ alien races known to inhabit 
  the galactic Biospheres, humans are the most numerous single 
  race. This is cause for great jealousy and resentment from many 
  other races who see such a statistic as the de facto rulership of 
  
  humanity over all other peoples in the galaxies. That is not the 
  case, of course, especially since both the TGE and CCW have 
  sizeable human populations, as well as nearly every other major 
  power bloc in the Three Galaxies. Still, there are those races and 
  cultures who are sensitive to this sort of thing, and as a result, 
  they have declared humanity to be their enemy. That humans 
  have so successfully integrated themselves into almost every 
  civilization within the Three Galaxies, and that they have 
  proven themselves so adept at technology, are more reasons for 
  other, arguably less successful, alien races to despise them. In 
  many ways, humanity is a pariah race among the Three Gal­
  axies, considered second-class citizens in the societies they call 
  home. Unfortunately this has spawned an ugly human suprema­
  cist movement in some sectors of the Galaxies, as embattled hu­
  mans draw together to exclude all other aliens from their 
  collective sphere of influence. Such hate-mongering is not a 
  good thing, and other humans fear that it will only exacerbate 
  the current racial situation, not make things better. 
  Humanity's origin in the Three Galaxies is, like so much 
  about this region of the universe, a mystery. 
  Some legends 
  claim that they came from another dimension. Others insist that 
  humans evolved somewhere in the Three Galaxies, on a mythi­
  cal planet called Earth, though this world has never been dis­
  covered nor factually referenced in any historical documents. 
  Despite that lack of evidence, a large number of scholars insist 
  that humans did come from a place called "Earth," but it was 
  probably a planet that spawned an empire thousands of years 
  ago and which now lies lifeless and forgotten in some aban­
  doned comer of space. Others think that human colonizers came 
  from another dimension, and that their planet of origin is no­
  where to be found in this universe. A few human supremacists 
  insist that humankind is descended from the First Race, the 
  mythical creators of the Cosmic Forge, but fanatics from hun­
  dreds of races make the same claim. 
  The humans' primary language is Galactic Trade Tongue 
  Four, which is amazingly similar to English/American (charac­
  ters with either language automatically know Galactic Trade 
  Tongue Four at 50% plus any I.Q. bonuses, and can improve it 
  with experience). Seven human-inhabited worlds are named 
  "Earth," although none of them are similar to ''true'' Earth. It is 
  also interesting to note that, in the Galactic Four language, a 
  standard day is 24 hours, and a standard year is 365 days with 
  an extra day added every four years! 
  Wulfen 
  To the surprise of some trans-dimensional visitors, one of the 
  most prolific races of the Three Galaxies are a race of canine 
  humanoids called "Wulfen." As a people, the humanoid canines 
  have proven themselves adept warriors, technicians and em­
  pire-builders. They are identical to those found elsewhere in the 
  Megaverse, but those of the Three Galaxies claim to know of no 
  common history connecting them to their canine brethren found 
  abroad. (G.M. Note: Thus, a Wulfen from Phase World and a 
  Wolfen from the Palladium Fantasy RPG® will have the same 
  basic stats and same fundamental culture, but that is where their 
  similarities end.) Wulfen are the second most populous people 
  of the Three Galaxies, comprising almost 10% of the total 
  tri-galactic population. Wulfen are frequently allies to humans, 
  which makes them just as much an enemy in the eyes of those 
  who already have an axe to grind against humanity. 
  26 
  Most (90%) of all Wulfen civilizations in the Three Galaxies 
  can trace their origins to the Ancient Wulfen Empire, which 
  originated on the planet they call Motherhome. The inhabitants 
  of Motherhome developed their technology independently of 
  humans or any other race and formed a budding star empire 
  many eons ago. Regrettably, the Wulfen's first encounter with 
  another major star-faring people were the sinister Kreeghor, and 
  a war soon erupted. Despite fighting valiantly, the Wulfen came 
  out the losers in that conflict, probably because the Kreeghor 
  had already been a space-faring people for some time and had a 
  decided edge in personnel and material strength. Many say that 
  were that war replayed today, with a more even playing field, 
  the Wulfen would certainly have decimated their Kreeghor ri­
  vals, but that is all speculation and history, for the Wulfen did 
  lose the war, and a large number of them subverted themselves 
  to Kreeghor authority. Today, the descendants of those Wulfen 
  willingly serve the Kreeghor-dominated Trans-Galactic Empire 
  (TGE), while others have joined the freedom fighters that battle 
  to regain their lost worlds, and to end the Kreeghor's legacy of 
  conquest. 
  The majority of the Wulfen, however, overthrew their royal 
  family (blamed for mismanaging the war effort from the start) 
  and re-established a Republic based on the old traditions of the 
  Ancient Wulfen Empire. The Wulfen Republic joined the Con­
  sortium of Civilized Worlds, and Wulfen spacemen, soldiers 
  and traders are now a common sight throughout the CCW as 
  well as the independent worlds of the Three Galaxies. 
  
  G.M. Note: Statistics for the WulfenIWolfen can be found 
  on page 65 of Dimension Book Two: Phase World®. 
  The Kreeghor 
  This race dominates the Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE), the 
  second largest civilization and the number one threat to peace 
  and stability in the Three Galaxies. The Kreeghor are the third 
  most populous race in the galaxies, hovering at about 8% of the 
  tri-galactic population. At one point, the Kreeghor were the larg­
  est single race, but the proliferation of humans and Wulfen, as 
  well as the continued pressures (internal and external) upon the 
  Trans-Galactic Empire have kept the Kreeghor population more 
  or less static. This is something that weighs heavily on the 
  Kreeghor psyche, and it only feeds their hatred and contempt for 
  both humanity and the Wulfen, even though there are substantial 
  Wulfen populations who serve the Kreeghor and their govern­
  ment, the TGE. 
  Although the Kreeghor are associated with the TGE, there 
  are Kreeghor populations outside of that dreaded empire. Some 
  of the Free World Council - rebel systems that have shaken off 
  TGE control - are populated chiefly by the Kreeghor, and there 
  are even pockets of Kreeghor citizens within the CCW and on 
  numerous independent worlds. Free Kreeghor can often be 
  found working in the security business or in some aspect of the 
  galactic underworld, but not all Free Kreeghor are wrongdoers. 
  In fact, the majority of them are decent, hard-working folk who 
  just want to live their lives in peace. Life is hard for these rene­
  gades, for even though they might embrace justice, freedom and 
  tolerance, the TGE has made most people see all Kreeghor as 
  marauding and evil people bent on subjugating all people of the 
  Three Galaxies to their will. Many people in the Three Galaxies 
  have experienced firsthand the Kreeghor's ruthlessness and taste 
  for savagery, and so they do not trust any Kreeghor, even those 
  who renounce the TGE and have shown no interest in hurting or 
  enslaving others. Such Free Kreeghor often must live lives of 
  neglect and abuse from their fellow citizens, as well as with the 
  guilt of what their ancestors have done to so many innocent peo­
  ple. For mutual safety and support, Free Kreeghor populations 
  often band together, but this only makes a bad situation worse, 
  as suspicious folk from other races automatically assume these 
  "bands" are plotting some sort of viciousness or are otherwise 
  up to no good. Such is the lot of the Free Kreeghor, a much ma­
  ligned and misunderstood group of people totally undeserving 
  of such treatment. 
  G.M. Note: For stats on the Kreeghor, see page 73 of the 
  Phase World®. 
  Other Races 
  No other race makes up more than 3% of the total and most 
  represent much smaller percentages, considering that a race with 
  5 billion members would only amount to 0.02% of the total. 
  However, many races have power and influence that goes far 
  beyond their numbers. These include, but are hardly limited to: 
  The Noro, an advanced and ancient people who are a major 
  force within the CCW and numerous other civilizations. Their 
  knack for science and psychic powers is legendary. They are 
  largely citizens of the CCW. Although the Noro are famous for 
  their kindness and strongly oppose any kind of tyranny, oppres-
  27 
  sion or genocide, a growing contingent among them are forsak­
  ing these ways and have become dangerous rogues. Relishing 
  combat, conquest and mayhem, such Noro are a blight upon 
  their culture, but they are growing in alarming numbers. CCW 
  intelligence indicates that the numbers of rogue Noro might be 
  far larger than previously believed, and that they might be plan­
  ning a mass defection to the TGE, taking with them all sorts of 
  valuable CCW security information. Such a defection would be 
  a grievous blow to CCW security and military intelligence. 
  (Phase World®, page 6 1.) 
  The Catyr, red-skinned humanoids whose invulnerability to 
  radiation, supernatural strength and incredible resilience make 
  them tough and formidable spacers. They are staunch allies and 
  participants of the CCW. The Catyr are relentless spacers, and 
  less than one third of their total population permanently settle on 
  any one planet. Most of them live in their starships, usually con­
  ducting careers of trade and/or exploration. Most of the scouting 
  missions that leave the Three Galaxies altogether are captained 
  by Catyr spacers. (Phase World®, page 68.) 
  The Seljuk, a race of super-powered saurians (dinosaurs) 
  who are also CCW loyalists, though increasingly they may be 
  found on Independent worlds and in the unexplored territories of 
  the Three Galaxies. Approximately 13% of all Seljuk are cur­
  rently dying from a strange plague known only as the Retribu­
  tion, and Seljuk consistently believe it is a form of cosmic 
  punishment for some evil deed their ancestors must have com­
  mitted. There is no cure (yet), and it seems that any other race 
  can be a carrier for the plague yet remain unaffected by it. 
  (Phase World®, page 69.) 
  The Machine People, sentient robots who seem as organic as 
  they do mechanical. They are loyal subjects of the TGE, but 
  they can be found in various independent worlds, on Phase 
  World, and especially in the Biosphere of the Thundercloud 
  Galaxy, where they often gather before heading on ill-fated trips 
  to the galactic core. They make these trips for reasons unknown, 
  even to them. (phase World®, page 77.) 
  Silhouettes, a race of mysterious humanoids renowned for 
  their magic and psychic abilities, as well as the ability to meld 
  with and control shadows (a power that only enhances their rep­
  utation as dark-hearted and creepy people). The Silhouettes have 
  been a willing part of the TGE for quite some time now, pros­
  pering under Kreeghor rule and showing no signs of unrest or 
  secession. There are a few independent Silhouettes throughout 
  the Three Galaxies, of course, and almost every one of them 
  knows of or is part of a mysterious project called the Shade 
  Gate. This has mostly become known among conspiracy buffs 
  and is therefore written off as foolish rumor, but if it is to be be­
  lieved, independent Silhouettes are involved in a plot to open a 
  massive gate to the Elemental Plane of Shadow, where they 
  might rule as gods. Some already think that the dangerous Void 
  taking up the middle part of the Thundercloud Galaxy is actu­
  ally part of the Plane of Shadow, and that the Silhouettes there 
  are poised to take over the rest of that galaxy! (phase World®, 
  page 8 1.) 
  Star Hive Insectoids are superhuman monsters from beyond 
  the Three Galaxies. They have no discernable civilization per se, 
  nor do they show any interest in meaningful relations with the 
  civilizations of any Biosphere. They are a swarming force that 
  seeks to devour what it comes into contact with, plain and sim-
  
  pie. They are a menace to all who encounter them, be they 
  CCW, TGE, independent, etc. Rumor has it there is a secret 
  joint CCW/TGE effort underway to find a weakness to these 
  hated creatures that might be used to wipe them out entirely. 
  Rumor also has it that these insectoids are merely the distant 
  (and crudely evolved) ancestors of more advanced insect-like 
  races (such as the Xiticix) known as scourges in the Megaverse. 
  (phase World®, page 91.) 
  Dominators are an ancient and god-like race who number 
  only a few hundred, but can be found in any of the Three Gal­
  axies. They travel the stars in planetoid-sized behemoth ships 
  that carry enough fIrepower to crack a world in half. They are 
  another scourge of any civilization, for they thrive only on 
  death, destruction, and the enslavement of others. Were it not 
  for the valiant Cosmo-Knights who oppose them, the Domina­
  tors might ride roughshod over large sections of the Three Gal­
  axies. (phase World®, page 96.) 
  The Cosmo-Knights are a noble and valiant race of 
  super-beings said to be infused with power directly from the 
  Cosmic Forge to bring justice to the Three Galaxies. In general, 
  they refuse to take part in the many political wars and antago­
  nisms going on, preferring to fight villains such as the Domina­
  tors, the Star Hives, and other such entities that threaten life and 
  civilization itself. Should a particular government or power bloc 
  present an overt threat to the interstellar community, however, 
  the Cosmo-Knights will not hesitate to step in and set things 
  right. They never rule the planets they bail out of trouble, even 
  though they could do so easily. The Cosmo-Knights are one of 
  the most powerful and mysterious groups of people in the Three 
  Galaxies. (Phase World®, page 99.) 
  Remember, these are just the races that figure most promi­
  nently in all of the Three Galaxies. Each galaxy has many hun­
  dreds of different races, each with their own particular abilities, 
  culture and society. Some of the more prominent races of the 
  Anvil Galaxy will be described later in this book. For guidelines 
  on creating additional alien races of your own, check out Phase 
  World®, page 104. Also see Aliens Unlimited™ and Aliens 
  Unlimited™ Galaxy Guide. Both are sourcebooks for the 
  Heroes UnlimitetJrM RPG, but can be easily adapted to Phase 
  World®. 
  Languages 
  There are over 10,000 major languages and almost a hundred 
  times as many dialects and variations among the races of the 
  Three Galaxies. Over the millennia, however, six major com­
  mon or trade languages have been developed. These languages 
  are known as the Galactic Trade Tongues (Trade for short). A 
  person who knows any one of these languages has a good 
  chance of making himself understood in most civilized areas. 
  Knowing four or more trade languages guarantees being under­
  stood and communicating almost everywhere. Computerized 
  translators exist, but are not always reliable (10% chance of mis­
  translating a sentence). 
  Trade One: This is the oldest trade tongue in existence, and 
  is believed to have been one of the languages of the First Race. 
  It is surprisingly easy to master by any air-breathing creatures, 
  and even races with different means of communication. This is 
  because man¥ of the sounds also have equivalent hand (or other 
  28 
  limb) signs and gestures. This language automatically has a 
  + 10% bonus to learn, in addition to any O.C.C. or I.Q. bonuses. 
  Base skill is 50% plus any I.Q. bonuses and 5% per level of ex­
  perience. 
  Trade Two: This language is favored by telepathic races, be­
  cause it uses telepathy in addition to the spoken word. Without 
  psychic abilities, much of the meaning of the language is lost. 
  The psionic component allows users to bridge difficulties in 
  speaking, and psychic sensitives pick it up very quickly. Charac­
  ters with the psi-powers Telepathy or Empathy have a +20% bo­
  nus to learn Trade Two. Non-psychics have a -15% penalty. 
  50% plus any I.Q. bonuses and 5% per level of experience. 
  Trade Three: Trade Three is the Wulfen language, slightly 
  streamlined to reduce the guttural and growling elements com­
  mon to the "classical" Wulfen language, but is otherwise identi­
  cal. However, to make a good impression on Wulfen speakers, it 
  is necessary to emphasize the growls and whines of the original 
  language. 50% plus any I.Q. bonuses and 5% per level of expe­
  rience. 
  Trade Four: This language is clearly based on Eng­
  lish/American. It has evolved enough to be different, however, 
  with the addition of a number of technical terms, slang and for­
  eign words (some of which are similar to other Earth languages 
  like French, Chinese, Russian and Spanish). Normal Eng­
  lish/American speakers automatically have Trade Four at 50% 
  plus any I.Q. bonuses and 5% per level of experience. 
  Trade Five: Trade Five uses hisses, whistles and clicks for 
  most words. It is favored by many reptilian and insectoid races. 
  Humans and other air breathers can understand and learn Trade 
  Five at no penalty, although they will retain a distinguishable 
  "accent" that separates them from the races for which the lan­
  guage was originally created. Trade Five is commonly used by 
  the Kreeghor and Seljuk races, and is usually the second lan­
  guage of the Draconids. 40% plus 5% per level of experience. 
  Trade Six: This is the newest common language of the Three 
  Galaxies and was developed by linguists of the CCW. Trade Six 
  is a deliberate attempt at creating a universal language that can 
  be used by most races of the Three Galaxies. To do this, each 
  word and expression has two or three equivalents, two using 
  sound and one using gestures, so a being who cannot make a 
  particular sound can replace it with an equivalent sound or ges­
  ture. The resulting language can be learned by all species with­
  out penalty, but the amount of different sounds and gestures that 
  a speaker must know to understand another counterbalances 
  this. Trade Six can be learned at no bonus or penalty by every­
  one. 45% +5% per level of experience. 
  Money and Trade 
  Space travel and galaxy-wide commerce have made it neces­
  sary to develop a universal medium of exchange. Although 
  many planets still maintain their own currency, every place with 
  a star port accepts Universal Trade Credits (UTC) as money. 
  Prices will change depending on simple supply or demand, gov­
  ernment tariffs and taxes, and the legality of the merchandise in 
  question. For example: A gun that can be bought on Phase 
  World for 1 0,000 credits might cost ten times as much from the 
  black markets of the Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE). 
  
  Characters from other worlds will quickly discover that any 
  credits, paper bills and other forms of exchange they may have 
  brought along are useless on Phase World and the other planets 
  of the Three Galaxies. Barter and the sale of goods (or services) 
  are the best way to get cash. On Phase World, Rifts® characters 
  with Earth credits can fmd Exchange Centers where they can 
  trade their money for local cash. The exchange rate is brutally 
  unfair, however: 1 0  Rifts Earth credits for every one Three Gal­
  axies credit! The exchange centers then sell Rifts Earth credits 
  at the rate of five for every Three Galaxy UTC credits. Since 
  there aren't that many travelers going to and from Rifts Earth, 
  that's the best characters can hope for. Selling and trading items 
  is much more favorable and fair, providing one can fmd a buyer. 
  In select systems, usually those of incredible economic sta­
  bility, local currency is worth just as much as Universal Trade 
  Credits (UTC). Good examples of this are the currencies of any 
  of the Consortium of Civilized Worlds' (CCW's) 20 Utopia 
  Worlds, the worlds of any Splugorth Kingdom, and certain inde­
  pendent worlds that have somehow obtained an unusually high 
  degree of economic power. In such civilizations, the local cur­
  rency can trade for UTCs one-for-one. All other places can ex­
  pect a worse trade ratio, depending on the economic strength of 
  the area. In the most depressed parts of the Three Galaxies, a 
  single UTC might go for thousands and even millions of local 
  credits. Of course, in such areas, a loaf of bread might cost a 
  million UTC, so everything is relative. 
  Coins of gold, silver, bronze and other precious metals can be 
  sold for their metallic content, which will always be less than 
  what they were worth at their place of origin. Given that there 
  are at least 150 commonly used precious metals in galactic coin­
  age among the Three Galaxies, monetary metallurgists are some 
  busy people. 
  Banks are an important aspect of interstellar trade and com­
  merce for a bunch of reasons. First, they can handle money ex­
  changes. Second, they often are the only ones on a planet that 
  can conduct fmancial exchanges across interstellar or interplane­
  tary distances. Third, they offer spacers a convenient means of 
  storing their cash without having to lug it with them all across 
  the Galaxies. 
  Most banks are planetary in nature, or they might serve a sin­
  gle star system. Only those with the resources to manage an in­
  terstellar communications network of incredible stability (no 
  system crashes or lost data pulses, please) can run a successful 
  interstellar institution. And those that do, tend to be very suc­
  cessful indeed. Chief among them is the Royal Exchange of 
  Dracul, the Three Galaxies' equivalent of every Swiss Bank 
  combined. The "RED" has a long history of fair exchange rates, 
  total stability (there has not been a run or panic on their vaults in 
  over 1,000 years), customer service (they have branches on well 
  over 150,000 different worlds) and above all, discretion. It is 
  well known that the RED executives ask no questions of their 
  clients, nor do they divulge any client details to anyone. Not the 
  CCW, the TGE, Cosmo-Knights, nobody. The RED maintains a 
  modest private army equipped with the latest Naruni weaponry 
  (including a company of Repo-Bots on long-term lease for debt 
  collection purposes, with one-third of all recovered monies kick­
  ing back to the Naruni). 
  The RED execs are cool as cucumbers, mostly because they 
  know that pretty much everybody in the Three Galaxies either 
  29 
  does business with them or depends on somebody who does. 
  Even if somebody could take down this bank (which would re­
  quire something on the scale of a galactic war against the RED 
  specifically), chances are they would lose too much personally 
  to make it worth their while. Lots of people suspect the RED of 
  sinister dealings, but the truth is for all of their money, they re­
  ally are not a bad institution. They certainly are not as ruthless 
  or greedy as the Naruni or the host of other companies that prac­
  tice the Naruni business model. To be fair, the RED's relatively 
  gentle, laid back demeanor is probably because they really don't 
  have to work that much. With a bank as large as this, the opera­
  tion sort of works on its own momentum. They are so large no­
  body can really compete with them except on a single-planetary 
  basis, and in most cases, the RED comes in and offers partner­
  ships to the local indie banks, getting a piece of the action any­
  way. Others fear that the RED is too big for the Three Galaxies' 
  own good - it pretty much has a monopoly on the galactic fman­
  cial markets, and if it crashes, so will a good portion of the 
  Three Galaxies' economy. At the same time, the RED practices 
  very strict internal controls and accounting, and they have 
  shown not even the slightest glimmer of weakness or instability 
  in centuries. All of this adds up to one of the universal truths of 
  the Three Galaxies: if you have a lot of money to stash, and you 
  might not want people knowing where you got it from, letting 
  the RED hold on to it is the best way to go, hands down. 
  Traders. For those who make their money trading between 
  the many different planets of the Galaxies, there is a ton of 
  profit to be made if one has the right mix of business sense, 
  courage, street wisdom and pure luck. A trader does not have an 
  easy job - fmding the right markets to buy and sell from is hard 
  enough, but weathering pirate attacks, corrupt tax officials, op­
  pressive regulations, excessive taxes and tariffs, unpredictable 
  market fluctuations, over-aggressive debt collectors - well, that 
  can be murder. The vast majority of traders can just barely make 
  ends meet, and most of them have adopted the philosophy that 
  they do what they do not for the money (although it never 
  hurts), but for the freewheeling lifestyle they lead. Those who 
  need cash, and cannot earn it legally, often fmd themselves turn­
  ing to smuggling (dangerous but lucrative and thrilling) and 
  even piracy. The problem with that course of action is that once 
  one enters the criminal underworld, it is nearly impossible to get 
  out again, especially if one associates with organized crime 
  rings of any kind. The Galaxies are filled with broken people 
  who thought a little crime spree would never hurt them, only to 
  fmd that it would cost them everything. 
  To protect traders living on the edge of fmancial doom, nu­
  merous trading guilds have popped up across the Three Gal­
  axies. These are basically unions that require planetary markets 
  to sell to and buy from their members at fair prices. They also 
  provide various kinds of tax relief, discounted mechanical main­
  tenance for ships, protection from local tax and extortion shake­
  downs, etc. To do this, trade guilds need their own militaries 
  (which most do), or they need to have the resources and meth­
  ods of a large organized crime ring (again, which most do) in or­
  der to get a little justice for their members. There are many trade 
  guilds, but one in particular, the Journeyman Merchant Soci­
  ety (JMS), is the most powerful. With a substantial presence in 
  all three Galaxies, and with skilled and connected operatives 
  pretty much everyplace where there is a major trade lane, the 
  JMS has made itself a powerful economic, industrial and politi-
  
  cal force in the Three Galaxies. Plenty of governments hate 
  these guys and would like to see them squashed, but destroying 
  an organization like the JMS is impossible for anybody but the 
  CCW, TGE, and maybe the UWW. Otherwise, this organization 
  is just too big and dug in. Thankfully, they have no plans other 
  than running a successful trade union and looking out for its 
  members. If it were interested in conquest, it would not busy it­
  self with things like price negotiations with worlds and factional 
  challenges within the union itself. 
  Star Travel in 
  the Three Galaxies 
  Faster Than Light (FfL) propulsion is normal in the Three 
  Galaxies, enabling starships to cover 1-5 light years an hour on 
  average, and 20-1 00 light years a day. Rift jump drives can 
  cross great distances instantly, but their effective range is usu­
  ally 5-20 light years per jump, with no more than six or seven 
  jumps per day possible, which makes them roughly equivalent 
  to standard FTL systems. 
  It has been determined that travel between galaxies is a lot 
  faster than travel within a galaxy. It appears that the lack of 
  massive objects in the "emptier" space between the galaxies re­
  duces "gravity drag" and allows Faster Than Light (FTL) sys­
  tems to operate at 500% efficiency. An average ship can cover 
  between 100 and 500 light years per day when traveling be­
  tween galaxies. 
  Traveling to a distant star is not something that people do 
  lightly. A trip from one end of the Corkscrew galaxy to the next 
  (90,000 light years) would take ID6 months for most ships. The 
  fastest CG-ship (top speed of 240 light years a day) would need 
  almost two years to travel from one end of the Three Galaxies to 
  the other. In some ways, this situation is comparable to sea 
  travel during Earth's pre-industrial days, when a trip could take 
  months or years, and was not something people did unless they 
  had a good reason. Most inhabitants of the Three Galaxies will 
  never get onto a starship, and live out their lives on the same 
  world that they were born on. 
  Even most spacers spend most of their lives going back and 
  forth through a relatively small area. Typically, 70% of all trade 
  and travel between stars occurs in an area not exceeding 1,000 
  light years, roughly a week to ten day trip each way. Planets 
  must by necessity be nearly self-sufficient, because imports may 
  take weeks to arrive. Most planets have a fleet (or at least one or 
  two ships) of merchant vessels to conduct trade with nearby 
  worlds. Long-range trader ships that stop on dozens or hundreds 
  of worlds, selling a little of their cargo to each of them, are less 
  common, but do exist and play an important role in the econ­
  omy. Advanced medicines and medical equipment, spare parts 
  for machinery, and weapons are among the most common im­
  ports. Food is sometimes carried to densely populated worlds 
  that cannot spare the room for cultivation. This is done by 
  super-freighters carrying 
  millions 
  of 
  tons 
  of grain or 
  pre-processed foodstuffs. If a world cannot manufacture some­
  thing, it often becomes a luxury item that only the wealthy (or 
  the government) can afford. Energy weapons are very expensive 
  in primitive backwater worlds, although they are often pur­
  chased, at great expense, for self-defense. 
  30 
  The space ways are fraught with danger. In addition to natu­
  ral disasters, cosmic anomalies, and accidents, there are space 
  pirates, mercenary raiders, aggressive and enemy worlds/armies 
  and alien menaces. Since the nearest help from raiders, pirates 
  and trouble may be hours or days away, each planet (and space 
  vessel) must be prepared to defend itself. Most planetary collec­
  tives, including the Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW) and 
  Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE), have military detachments on ev­
  ery inhabited member or associated world. The detachment can 
  be as small as a five- to ten-man squad on the ground, or as 
  large as a 1 0  to 20 ship fleet and a ring of defensive satellites in 
  orbit and a full division of troops on the ground. 
  Space patrols with law officers are a rarity, especially in deep 
  space. The "law" and other protectors are most likely to be 
  found in orbit around planets, moons, and space stations, or 
  skimming known space-lanes. Consequently, the owners of 
  cargo ships who can afford it and large convoys may have an es­
  cort of defending warships, or a strike force of robot, cyborg or 
  superhuman protectors as part of their crew. Of course, 
  Cosmo-Knights and many space-faring vessels will come to the 
  rescue of those in distress, but the universe is a big place and the 
  odds of them being close enough to offer immediate help in an 
  emergency are slim. 
  Even though space travel is routine in the Three Galaxies, it 
  still is not safe. Attacks from pirates, hostile aliens, or hostile 
  military craft are commonplace. Likewise, simple mechanical 
  failures while a ship is between worlds can prove lethal if the 
  breakdown can not be fixed or if the ship's distress signal goes 
  unheeded. Most ships carry escape vessels, more-than-adequate 
  repair facilities and lots of spare parts, but one can never be too 
  sure. The fear of being stranded in a broken ship is a fear that 
  gives every spacer nightmares at least once. But these are just 
  the mundane risks of space-faring. There are environmental 
  risks, too, that pose as much of a threat as an enemy laser gun or 
  a fritzed out engine. As one might expect, each galaxy has its 
  own peculiar hazards (most of which are singular things and go 
  uncharted by anybody until they are actually encountered) but 
  there are some hazards common throughout the Three Galaxies. 
  These are the things every competent spacer knows to look out 
  for if he expects to have a long and safe career in space. These 
  risks include repression fields, nebula storms, black holes, 
  chronal distortions and worst of all, harmonic disruptions. 
  Repression Fields 
  The problem with faster-than-light propulsion, especially the 
  gravitonic engines used so often in the Three Galaxies, is that 
  they get slowed down by ambient gravity. That is, the stronger 
  the gravity fields around them, the slower they go. That is why a 
  gravitonic engine works best in the space between galaxies, be­
  cause there are no gravity wells - stars, planets - out there. 
  Without that "gravitational friction," ships can move much 
  faster. 
  A hazard facing ships equipped with gravitonic engines 
  (which means: most of them) is that sometimes, without warn­
  ing and apparently without reason, huge fields of gravity will 
  spontaneously appear, even in deep space where there are no 
  stars or planets for light years. These gravity surges are called 
  repression fields, and they are dangerous because they can slow 
  a gravitonic engine down to nothing. Unless the ship is equipped 
  
  with slower-than-light (STL) propulsion of one form or another, 
  the ship can no longer move. Even the momentum it once had is 
  gone. Repression fields usually only last for a few seconds, but 
  sometimes they can last for years. Either way, if a ship stricken 
  by one of these fields can not get moving again, it is dead in 
  space, and the crew must either abandon it, call for help, or de­
  pend on alternate propulsion to carry them to safety. Most ships 
  do have backup STL drives, but they are not meant for long 
  journeys, and depending on where the ship was when it got 
  stopped, it might be years before it ever reaches another planet. 
  If the crew does not have adequate life support for such a jour­
  ney, they are doomed. 
  Repression fields are growing increasingly common, and in­
  creasingly large and severe in their scope. Some scientists theo­
  rize that the intense use of gravitonic engines is itself causing 
  the repression field problem, and that if people just stopped us­
  ing these engines for a hundred years or so, the problem would 
  correct itself. Of course, asking the Three Galaxies to stop using 
  gravitonic engines for 100 years is pure folly, and so the prob­
  lem is likely to get much worse before it gets better. 
  Nebula Storms 
  Nebula storms are essentially hurricanes in space. They occur 
  when a young star system gets hit too hard by solar winds from 
  a neighboring star. Since the system is young, it is still just a big 
  disc of nebular gas - no planets have formed yet. But, blown 
  by these solar winds, the gas begins to swirl around its center 
  gravity (the star) and forms a hurricane-like formation that even­
  tually breaks free of its gravity well and hurtles across the cos­
  mos for up to 100,000 years before it fmally disperses or gets 
  swallowed up by another gravity well before then. 
  Any ship short of the largest military craft will get ripped 
  apart in a nebula storm. These things are just deadly - inflict­
  ing one point of Mega-Damage per melee round (15 seconds) of 
  exposure. Moreover, most ships do not have the engine power to 
  escape one of these storms once they are in one, and only the 
  fmest of pilots can actually break free (three consecutive, suc­
  cessful piloting skill rolls at -25% each). 
  The worst part about nebula storms is they are uncharted. 
  Since they do not have proper gravitonic, radio or harmonic sig­
  natures, scanners do not detect them - they come across as 
  such a weird anomaly most scanning software discounts them as 
  scanning error. As a result, ships can and do fly smack into the 
  middle of one of these storms and before they know it, they are 
  being tom to pieces. 
  Nebula storms do sometimes hit planets, too, but the process 
  of entering a solar system wreaks havoc on the storm system 
  and by the time these hit a planet they have weakened so much 
  that they inflict only minor wind-style damage, if anything at 
  all. 
  Reportedly, the United Worlds of Warlock are intensely in­
  terested in nebula storms. If they could create and manage and 
  disperse nebula storms, the UWW would have a weapon in their 
  arsenal powerful enough to repel almost any opponent. 
  Black Holes 
  Revered and reviled, dramatic and dangerous, black holes 
  never fail to capture the imagination of spacers everywhere. Ba­
  sically a black hole is an endless gravity well formed by the col-
  31 
  lapse of a super-massive star. The star falls back in on itself and 
  creates an object with such gravity that it tears the Megaversal 
  fabric and creates - you guessed it - a black hole. 
  For ships with Faster Than Light (FTL) capability, black 
  holes are actually quite useful, because when they tear a hole in 
  the Megaverse, what they really are doing is digging a tunnel to 
  somewhere else in the Megaverse. Only that tunnel does not re­
  ally take up any distance, so if one were to travel through it, 
  they would basically find themselves instantly transported 
  someplace else. Such a tunnel is called a wormhole, and spacers 
  have been using them to skip across the Three Galaxies and the 
  Megaverse for as long as there have been FTL drives. 
  Why FTL drives? Because if a ship enters a black hole going 
  slower than the speed of light, it can not break free of the black 
  hole's gravitational pull. That means it gets pulled into the 
  hole's singularity and instantly gets crushed into oblivion. Not a 
  fun way to go, is it? But if a ship is traveling faster than light 
  when it enters a black hole, it skips by the singularity, does not 
  get crushed, and can continue through to the other side of the 
  wormhole. 
  Most of the time, a black hole's wormhole has a fixed en­
  trance and exit. They are, in essence, a permanent space-time 
  tunnel that spacers can go through either way as many times as 
  they like. Approximately 10% of all black holes, however, have 
  what scientists call rogue singularities. This means the black 
  hole is not exactly fixed in space-time, so when a ship goes 
  through its wormhole, it will come out to a different location ev­
  ery time. Sometimes, the difference might only be by a few light 
  years, sometimes, the difference might be by a few billion light 
  
  years. And sometimes, the difference might mean the ship has 
  come out to another dimension altogether! 
  Thankfully for spacers, black holes are scrupulously charted 
  and detailed, so unless a ship is traveling in unexplored space, 
  their navigational computers will know where every black hole 
  is, and which ones contain rogue singularities. 
  It must be said that it takes a special breed of spacer to even 
  think about going through a wormhole. Even though it can be 
  done quite safely, there is still something about black holes that 
  terrifies the mortal mind. Their infinite power and the huge body 
  of lore surrounding them (most of it is just false talk from 
  drunken spacers that somehow persists as rumor) make black 
  holes one of the most awesome forces most spacers ever en­
  counter. 
  Chronal Distortions 
  Spacecraft disappear all the time in the Three Galaxies. Any 
  ship that falls prey to pirates rarely gets seen again (under its 
  former ownership codes, anyway), those that get caught in a 
  meteor shower usually disintegrate, captains with lots of debts 
  ditch their vessels and assume new identities, etc. So, when a 
  ship vanishes without a trace, it is a tragic thing, but not wholly 
  unexpected. What is unexpected is when those missing ships 
  come back bearing the signs that they have traveled through 
  time as well as space! This is called a chronal distortion, and no 
  scientist in the Three Galaxies has ever figured out exactly how, 
  why or when these things occur. All anybody can tell is that 
  these distortions always involve starships, and they never take 
  place within the gravity well of a planet or a star. Other than 
  that, what brings these things on and makes them work is any­
  body's guess. 
  There are really three kinds of chronal distortions: white 
  shifts, gray shifts, and black shifts. A white shift hurtles a ship 
  forward in time by a random amount, and a black shift hurtles a 
  ship backward in time by a random amount. In either case, 
  sometimes the time jump is just a few seconds, and the only way 
  the crew can tell they went through a chronal distortion at all is 
  their ship's chronometers are off a little (these things are 
  super-accurate atomic clocks; they do not gain or lose apprecia­
  ble amounts of time). Sometimes the ship is hurtled through 
  time by hundreds or even thousands of years. Even longer time 
  jumps have been documented (one crew was thrust forward in 
  time over one million years, and claim that by then the stars of 
  the Anvil Galaxy had actually all been snuffed out by some great 
  cosmic force), but these are even rarer than a less severe chronal 
  shift, which is itself an uncommon event. 
  A gray shift is a jump to an alternate version of the present. 
  Technically, it is more like dimensional travel than time travel, 
  but scientists insist that gray shifting is actually movement 
  through the chronal medium. (Since the case to prove it is sim­
  ply too complex for most lay people to care about, there is little 
  debate over the topic.) Ships that make a gray shift might not re­
  alize at first that they have shifted at all, especially if the shift is 
  slight. The mildest gray shift might send a ship to a virtually 
  identical alternate universe where the only difference is a few 
  people have different eye colors, or something equally trivial. 
  Severe gray shifts leave no room for doubt, as the shifted crew 
  arrives in an alternate universe so radically different form the 
  one they left that there is no question something is amiss. A 
  32 
  good example is the Tendren Shift, one of the few fully docu­
  mented gray shifts on record, in which the science vessel 
  Tendren II was caught in a gray shift while shooting footage of 
  a supernova. The alternate reality the ship arrived in featured a 
  totalitarian version of the CCW, a TGE nearly ruined by 
  self-inflicted warfare, and a Thundercloud Galaxy that had actu­
  ally collided with the Corkscrew Galaxy, causing the two to 
  swap thousands of star systems, disrupting life on innumerable 
  planets. Thankfully for the Tendren II, they gray shifted back 
  home almost immediately, and their camera footage of the entire 
  event proves it really did happen. 
  Most crews are not so lucky. Chronal shifts occur at random, 
  and unless the crew has some kind of proof that they are from an 
  alternate time and/or place, they have little means of showing 
  conclusively that they were shifted at all. Due to the random na­
  ture of these things, the best way to shift back to one's home re­
  ality is to stay exactly where they were when they shifted the 
  first time. There is a 0 1-85% chance the chronal shift will re­
  turn, bringing the shifted crew back to the exact reality they had 
  been plucked from. The problem is that most times, chronally 
  shifted spacecraft are moving when they shift, and the crew may 
  not realize initially what happened to them. As a result, ships 
  undergoing a chronal shift usually find it difficult, if not impos­
  sible to find the general location where they shifted time lines. 
  As a result, well over 90% of all chronal shifts end up stranding 
  their victims forever in an alternate time or dimension. While 
  this is traumatic for the victims, it can be immensely helpful to 
  the people of the alternate time or dimension, who might bene­
  fit from knowledge and technology the shifted crew possess that 
  do not exist in their reality or point in time. A good example is 
  also from the Tendren Shift, in which the Tendren's crew had 
  been shooting footage of a supernova before they shifted. In the 
  alternate dimension they visited, that star had not yet gone su­
  pernova, and it was orbited by inhabited planets! Armed with 
  knowledge that could not exist in this alien dimension, the 
  Tendren crew warned people about the coming supernova be­
  forehand. Thanks to the Tendren's timely intervention, hundreds 
  of millions of lives were saved when the planets were evacuated 
  just before the star exploded. 
  Harmonic Disruptions 
  Throughout the Three Galaxies, there exists an interstellar 
  version of an earthquake, and it is the dreaded harmonic disrup­
  tion, a phenomenon that can hardly be detected, cannot really be 
  prepared for, and can destroy entire planets or even stars. They 
  are, with the exception of black holes, the most destructive natu­
  rally occurring force yet encountered anywhere in the Three 
  Galaxies. Harmonic Disruptions are fairly contained and infre­
  quent, about one every ten years between all Three Galaxies, but 
  their rate of incidence has been increasing steadily over the last 
  thousand years. Nobody knows why, and even the few theories 
  that exist do not carry much weight. Some feel that any kind of 
  faster-than-light travel creates a harmonic ripple that travels 
  through the universe and bounces off any other ripples caused 
  by FTL travel. In areas with a lot of FTL movement, there are 
  going to be lots of ripples, many of which will overlap each 
  other, crash into each, and so on. When these ripples affect each 
  other too much, the theory goes, it causes a harmonic disruption. 
  The fact that most harmonic disruptions occur in heavily popu­
  lated star systems with lots of starship traffic helps to validate 
  
  this theory, but, like repression fields which are similar in a 
  sense to hannonic disruptions, the best way to stop them is to 
  stop starship traffic, which simply is not going to happen. 
  The effects of a harmonic disruption are horrifying to behold. 
  Basically, they are an invisible shock wave that erupts in space 
  and destroys everything in the immediate blast radius. Usually, 
  anything more than a light-year or two from the disruption will 
  be safe, though they will still feel buffeted by the shock wave 
  when it does hit. Like a supernova, harmonic disruptions give 
  little to no warning before they occur, and they happen so fast 
  that unless one is capable of instantaneous transportation to an­
  other star system, there can be no escape. 
  The real threat of harmonic disruptions is not just one going 
  off, but of two (or more) going off and their shock waves inter­
  secting' possibly starting a third super-disruption that could per­
  manently damage the fabric of the Megaverse, create a 
  super-massive black hole, destroy every star within a thousand 
  light years, or any one of a number of similarly apocalyptic (but 
  hypothetical) results. Scientists who study harmonic disruptions 
  claim that they represent a threat to the Three Galaxies the likes 
  of which have never been seen before. If indeed they are caused 
  by FTL ripples, then they will increase in number, frequency, 
  and intensity over the next hundred years. Moreover, the 
  super-disruption scenario is also best considered a matter of "if' 
  rather than a matter of"when." 
  For the people of the Three Galaxies, the threat of such a hid­
  eous natural occurrence happening is like getting struck by 
  lightning. Sure, it is a terrible threat, but there is nothing to do 
  about it, so why worry? Conversely, there is no small number of 
  villains, monsters and evil organizations that would love to learn 
  how to trigger harmonic disruptions and maybe bring this 
  super-disruption scenario to bear. Indeed, CCW intelligence has 
  detected, within the last year, three different energy pulses out­
  side the Three Galaxies that mimic the harmonic signature of a 
  harmonic disruption but lacking the intensity of one. This indi­
  cates that somebody has a working prototype of a harmonic dis­
  ruption generator, and they are fine tuning it so it might one day 
  be put to use. A horrifying concept, if ever there was one. 
  Communications in the 
  Three Galaxies 
  The most efficient communication systems depend on phase 
  and contragravity technology. Messages are sent via laser or mi­
  crowave transmitters combined with a phase or contra-gravity 
  field to prevent their energies from being slowed down by grav­
  ity. These transmitters are able to cross space at a speed of 100 
  light years per hour, roughly ten times faster than the fastest 
  starships. In the "empty" space between galaxies, this speed is 
  multiplied by 5. Even so, a message sent from the farthest cor­
  ner of the Three Galaxies will take 1300 hours (roughly 54 days, 
  almost two months) to reach the other end; 170,000 light years 
  away (considering that the 50,000 light year distance between 
  the galaxies is crossed at a much greater speed). 
  All of this is beginning to change, however. The invention of 
  super-tech networks such as the Ultranet, Systran 60 and 
  IDAR (Interstellar Directional Attunement Relay) promise, 
  within the next several decades, to bring cheap, fast, and virtu-
  33 
  ally instantaneous communications and infonnation exchange 
  from anywhere to anywhere within the Three Galaxies. Right 
  now, the three previously mentioned network systems are all 
  competing to bring their system online frrst. Each has estab­
  lished prototype systems covering just one or two systems, but 
  none are ready to try to canvas the Three Galaxies just yet. For 
  them, it is a matter of fme-tuning their very secret and propri­
  etary technologies as well as raising the incredible capital 
  needed to establish networks of this size. 
  So far, the Ultranet project, originated and owned by the 
  Be/arian Empire (a small independent government of three star 
  systems), is receiving a trickle of funding from both the CCW 
  and the TGE, with either government poised to dump huge 
  money into this thing if it looks like it will be as good as its in­
  ventors promise. Ultranet technicians insist their system has the 
  best bet to work on a galactic scale, thanks to the setting of what 
  they call "quantum filaments" from star to star. These filaments 
  will use the universe's own harmonic frequencies to carry mes­
  sages and data packets from source to destination with abso­
  lutely no environmental friction whatsoever. The result, instant 
  communications, regardless of volume or distance. Of course, 
  unbeknownst to the Ultranet inventors (or anybody else for that 
  matter), should Ultranet come online, it will be highly suscepti­
  ble to harmonic disruptions anywhere in the Three Galaxies, so 
  each disturbance could blow out the entire system, but there is 
  also some concern that its use might cause destructive harmonic 
  disruptions. 
  The Systran 60 enterprise is the brainchild of Cam/ann In­
  dustries, a specialist in communications technology based en­
  tirely on spaceships that never leave interstellar space, that way 
  they can avoid a majority of taxes on their work. The Systran 60 
  idea is to network the bulk of the Three Galaxies' independent 
  worlds together, joining their economies and turning them into a 
  major power bloc. This venture is not that far-fetched, for it cur­
  rently contains over 350 assorted systems already, with more 
  joining every day. If Systran 60 works, this new alliance of 
  worlds might turn the independent realms of the Three Galaxies 
  into a superpower the likes of which the CCW and TGE have 
  never dreamed of. Intelligence agencies within the CCW, TGE, 
  and those worlds not willing to connect with the Systran 60 net­
  work all have a huge stake in making sure the project never sees 
  completion. To that end, Systran 60 laboratories, engineering fa­
  cilities and admin offices have been the targets of relentless in­
  dustrial sabotage and espionage. Frustrated and angry, Systran 
  60 has put out a call to any mercenaries, freebooters and adven­
  turers who would like to make some excellent money guarding 
  Systran 60 interests. In no time at all, the enterprise has assem­
  bled a fonnidable mercenary army, and the attacks on its infra­
  structure have stopped. 
  The question now weighing on 
  everybody's minds is once the Systran 60 is up and running, and 
  once paying customers are generating ungodly revenue for the 
  system designers, what will become of that mercenary army 
  they have assembled? Will it simply turn to corporate security, 
  or do the powers behind the Systran 60 throne have greater mili­
  tary aspirations for their communications empire? 
  IDAR is the most ambitious and technically advanced com­
  munications project of the three, developed under the aegis of 
  the Univerge Compact, a not-for-profit organization devoted to 
  developing high technology. IDAR uses a peculiar and never 
  
  before seen kind of power crystal as its core technology. These 
  crystals are smooth to the touch and small enough to fit in the 
  palm of one's hand. They give the user what feels like a strange 
  mix of telepathy, remote viewing, and virtual reality. The way 
  the system works is users each use a Transmission Stone which 
  they must keep somewhere on their person (held in the hand 
  works best, but it also works fme in one's pocket or belt pouch). 
  The user concentrates and expresses a mental desire to establish 
  contact with the network. The stone activates a weird kind of re­
  ality field that seeks out the nearest Relay Stone in the network. 
  The maximum range for a Transmission stone is a light year, but 
  to keep things overlapping, the IDAR network intends to place 
  Relay Stones in every star system that wishes to participate in 
  the project. The Relay Stones have no range limitations, and 
  they are the real backbone of the network. All information and 
  communications route through them and to and from the indi­
  vidual users. 
  While using a Transmission Stone, the user can envision the 
  equivalent of a computer software screen floating in front of 
  him, somewhat translucently. This enables one to use the net­
  work while also conducting their ''real world" business. The im­
  age of the screen is only in the user's head, like a form of 
  telepathic virtual reality. From there, the user forms mental 
  commands to communicate with others, compose messages, 
  download information directly into one's personal memory, and 
  so on. 
  People of 
  There are two huge obstacles with this system. First, any psy­
  chics using it will cause painful amounts of psychic feedback to 
  everybody on the network at the time. This means a single psy­
  chic cannot only crash the network, but inflict ID6xl0 points of 
  damage to those using it, possibly killing some people. That 
  means sabotage and possibly murder on a scale never before 
  imagined, if IDAR were sufficiently deployed. Clearly, this is a 
  "major bug" the IDAR team needs to work out, but they have 
  not the foggiest idea of where to begin. 
  The second problem is that this is stolen technology. The 
  Transmission and Relay Stones were created by an advanced but 
  dying race in the Corkscrew Galaxy known as the Hrell. The 
  Hrell mastered this odd crystalline technology eons ago, and 
  their stones were discovered quite by chance by pirates who 
  were looting the last of the Hrell home worlds almost a century 
  ago. Since then, this cache of stolen stones has changed hands 
  numerous times, fmally coming into IDAR possession. IDAR 
  only has a limited number of them, and they do not know how 
  to make any more. At present, they have about one million 
  Transmission Stones, and 1,000 Relay Stones. Hardly enough to 
  create a galactic network, is it? To solve this little problem, they 
  are going to have to decipher the mystery of the stones' design. 
  But with the Hrell now extinct and their civilization in ashes 
  (thanks to the many different interests who looted it over the 
  years, including rogue CCW and TGE worlds), the plans for the 
  stones might be forever lost. 
  the Anvil Galaxy 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds R.C.C.s 
  In addition to humans, Wulfen, Noro, Seljuk, and the other 
  races mentioned in Phase World® and the Phase World® 
  Sourcebook, there are numerous alien races who play a large 
  part in the Anvil Galaxy sector of the CCW. Obviously, not all 
  of these alien races can be detailed, but a few of the more prom­
  inent ones are described here, including the Durosk, Faustians, 
  and Iborians. 
  Skill Note: See page ISO and 1 5 1  of Dimension Book 2: 
  Phase World® for space skills, otherwise use equivalent skills 
  from Rifts® RPG. Unless noted otherwise, it is presumed all 
  O.C.C.s and R.C.C.s can speak, read and write their own native 
  language at 90% or better. 
  Spacecraft Note: FTL propulsion and specific types of 
  spacecraft are also found in Phase World®, starting on page 
  152, and in Dimension Book 3: Phase World® Sourcebook, 
  starting on page 79. Other alien races, O.C.C.s and R.C.C.s are 
  found in both titles. 
  34 
  Durosk R.C.C. 
  Durosk (DOOR-osk) are short, squat, spotted slugmen with 
  four arms (two primary, two secondary) and a pair of black 
  glossy eyes. They are considered ugly by any defmition of the 
  word, and perhaps if they were not so adept at getting people to 
  like them, they would be a real hard-luck race. The average 
  Durosk is a total xenophile - one who loves other alien cultures. 
  Durosk are experts at immersing themselves in other cultures to 
  such a degree that they can be accepted by almost any group of 
  people, given enough time. This makes them the perfect diplo­
  mats, ambassadors, spies, sleeper agents, explorers, traders and 
  all-around social animals. Oddly, Durosk have little culture of 
  their own, perhaps because they spend so much of their lives 
  playing the social chameleon that they forget they might have a 
  way of life that is distinctly their own. 
  
  Alignment: Any, but predominantly good or selfish. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6+2, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 4D6+6, P.S. 4D6 (pri­
  mary arms); 3D6 (secondary arms), P.P. 3D6, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 
  1D6, Spd. 2D6+2 
  Size: 4-5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150-250 Ibs (67.5 to 1 12.5 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E.+ 10, plus an additional ID6 per experience 
  level. 
  35 
  S.D.C.: ID4xl0. Natural A.R.: None. 
  M.D.C.: By armor only. Durosk must have armor specially 
  made for them to accommodate their extra set of arms and 
  flexible, odd slug-like body shape. 
  Horror Factor: 8 
  P.P.E.: 3D6 
  Average Life Span: 150 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Nightvision 300 feet (91.4 m), excellent eye-
  sight, and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum. 
  Magic: By O.C.C. only. 
  Psionics: Standard; same as humans. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee or as per Hand to Hand Com­
  bat skill. 
  R.c.c. Bonuses (in addition to attribute or skill bonuses): +2 
  to parry, +2 to roll with punch, +4 to save vs Horror Factor, 
  +3 to save vs possession, +3 to save vs psionics and insanity. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: -2 to dodge. 
  Alien R.C.C.: Durosk Xenophile R.C.C. These oddly person­
  able aliens are natural diplomats, ambassadors and salespeo­
  ple who live to experience alien cultures. They have no 
  problems fitting in with new groups of people, and they tend 
  to be experts in language, culture, customs and history. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Six of Choice (+ 1 5%). 
  Lore: Galactic/Alien (+ 1 5%) 
  Law: CCWlPhase World (+ 1 5%) 
  History (+ 1 5%) 
  Pilot Spacecraft (Small) (+ 1 0%) 
  Intelligence (+10%) 
  Streetwise (+10%) 
  Hand to Hand: Basic (never better than basic). 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 12 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Communications and two from Technical. Plus 
  select two skills at level three, two at level seven, and one at 
  levels ten and thirteen. 
  Communications: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Domestic: Any (+10%). 
  Electrical: Any. 
  Espionage: Any (+5%). 
  Mechanical: Automotive Mechanics, Basic Mechanics, 
  Space: Drive Repair only. 
  Medical: First Aid, Paramedic, and Medical Doctor only. 
  Military: None. 
  Physical: Any except for Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Boxing or 
  Wrestling. 
  Pilot: Any. 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: Any except Seduction (+10% to Palming and Con­
  cealment only). 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any (+10%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: Wilderness Survival only. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets six Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and two additional skills at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  
  Available O.C.c.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the Durosk 
  Xenophile R.C.C., the player can elect to make his character 
  a Spacer, Scientist, Scholar, MerchantlTrader or Runner 
  (Smuggler) O.C.C. If so, use the skills for that O.C.C. plus 
  1D4+ 1 additional Languages, two Lore skills and choose ei­
  ther Intelligence or Streetwise at + 1 0%. 
  Weapons 
  & 
  Equipment: Durosk characters start with 
  2D4xl,000 credits in weapons and equipment. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Durosk consider bionics and cybernet­
  ics to be most appropriate for medical or military purposes. 
  As a result, they will not use them unless they are missing a 
  body part or unless they are soldiers looking for an edge in 
  fIrepower. 
  Money: Durosk start with only ID4xl,000 credits in their pock­
  ets, but their social skills usually put them in a position 
  where they can make a lot more in a short period of time. 
  Note: Durosk try to avoid violence whenever possible. As a 
  result, many either carry no weapons on their person, or if they 
  do, they are of the type easily concealed. Few Durosk will be 
  seen walking about with a big, heavy weapon in plain sight. It is 
  just the way they do things. 
  Faustian R.C.C. 
  The Faustians are a race of sinister humanoids with great 
  psionic powers who suffered terrible persecution at the hands of 
  the Kreeghor, mostly because they would not submit to 
  Kreeghor authority. As a result, Faustians sought refuge within 
  the Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW). However, the 
  Faustians' long history of conquest, genocide and other heinous 
  crimes has made them a probationary member of the CCW, and 
  their conduct as a whole is being closely monitored. One major 
  36 
  slip-up from any Faustian will result in the whole lot of them 
  losing CCW citizenship, which means they will be easy pick­
  ings for the Kreeghor of the TGE. 
  Thanks to years of hard combat with the Trans-Galactic Em­
  pire, there are relatively few Faustians left - less than ten mil­
  lion. That means they really cannot afford to be turned out of the 
  CCW, something that seems inevitable, given the Faustians' 
  collective propensity for evil. In an unusual display of 
  self-preservation, the Faustians have taken to policing them­
  selves very strictly. If word of any one Faustian raising hell gets 
  out, the Faustian populace across the entire CCW soon hears of 
  it, and like a network of spies, they locate and hound the perpe­
  trator to curb his dangerous activities and/or to bring him to jus­
  tice immediately. In addition, Faustians often spend at least four 
  years working for the CAF or GSA, acting as super-powered op­
  eratives against the TGE. Faustians often undertake the most 
  hazardous of missions, both to prove their loyalty to the CCW, 
  and to get back at their hated Kreeghor enemies. So far, all of 
  this has reduced the amount of Faustian villainy a great deal, as 
  well as raised the public image of these characters. End result: 
  the Faustians will remain a part of the CCW . . . .  for now. 
  Faustians have chalk-white skin, jet black hair (though many 
  of them shave their heads), and a gaunt, almost skeletal appear­
  ance. Their eyes are a reflective bronze color, and they have a 
  slit horizontal iris, like a goat. They possess wide, thin mouths 
  fIlled with small, sharp teeth. While it is unfair to judge a book 
  by its cover (or a whole alien species by its appearance), with 
  the Faustians it is safe to make an exception. These villains 
  clearly look the part. 
  Alignment: Most tend toward selfIsh and evil, 35% are Miscre­
  ant. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 4D6+6, M.A. 4D6, P.S. 3D6, P.P. 
  3D6, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 2D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: 6-7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150-280 lbs (67.5-126 kg). 
  M.D.C.: 2D4xl0 to start, +10 per level of experience. 
  Horror Factor: 10 
  P.P.E.: 3D6. I.S.P: 2D6xl0 in addition to whatever I.S.P. is 
  gained by occupation. 
  Average Life Span: 300 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Faustians do not need to breathe, and as such 
  can survive airless environments indefInitely. Toxic or corro­
  sive environments still affect them because the toxin or cor­
  rosive elements in them makes contact with the Faustian, 
  doing its damage that way. 
  Magic: None. Faustians hate magic, mostly because they are so 
  vulnerable to it. 
  Psionics: All Faustians are Master Psionics with unusually high 
  levels of I.S.P. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat skill; most know the Assassin or Martial Arts skill. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to attribute or skill bonuses): +4 
  to save vs Horror Factor, +3 to save vs psionic attacks and in­
  sanity, +2 to save vs possession. 
  R.C.C. PenaltiesNulnerabilities: -3 to save vs magic of any 
  kind. Moreover, Faustians suffer double damage from magic 
  attacks, and any magic spell cast upon a Faustian will have 
  double the normal duration. 
  Available O.C.C.s : Faustians may only select a Psychic O.C.C. 
  They tend towards Mind Melters, 
  Bursters, Zappers, 
  
  Psi-Slayers and the equivalent of Mind Bleeders (see Rifts® 
  World Book 12: Psyscape™ for most of these Psychic 
  D.C.C.s). 
  Weapons & Equipment: By D.C.C. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: They tend to avoid bionics and cyber­
  netics as a rule. More than a few can be found sporting cy­
  bernetic limbs, however, especially those who are veterans of 
  CAF or GSA anti-Kreeghor campaigns. 
  Money: By D.C.C. 
  Note: Kreeghor and Faustians will attack each other on sight 
  in combat situations and go for each other's throats under other 
  circumstances with the slightest provocation. This antagonism 
  goes back for generations, with no end in sight. 
  Iborian R.C.C. 
  Iborians are wrinkled, leather-skinned humanoids who were 
  created from scratch as a slave race eons ago by their ancient 
  masters. Some say these overlords were the Gene-Splicers or 
  Gene-Tech, but the Iborians insist they were not. They know 
  this because when they rebelled against their masters, they slew 
  every single one of them - their freedom was won through an 
  act of genocide. Ever since, this people has been haunted by its 
  past, and it is the ongoing Iborian legacy to make the universe a 
  better place. To not contribute to the cycles of violence and in­
  justice that defme so much of civilization, and to ensure that 
  good triumphs over evil and hope prevails over despair. 
  Now the Iborians are selfless healers desperately trying to 
  make right by their heritage as universal healers. Their blood 
  transfusion cures all ills, and enzymes in their skin provide in­
  credible healing powers. Yet, they can not heal themselves, and 
  modem medicine offers them little relief. 
  A sensitive, learned and perceptive people, Iborians are wel­
  comed everywhere in the Anvil Galaxy and can travel without 
  restriction from one political jurisdiction to another without in­
  terference or suspicion. Even the cruel TGE gives these aliens 
  free passage so they might practice their healing abilities wher­
  ever they go. Though Iborians are almost never attacked by 
  world and interstellar powers, they are the frequent targets of 
  kidnaping by criminals, pirates and fugitives in need of medical 
  attention. Iborians are also sometimes kidnaped and held for 
  ransom, extorting huge amounts of money or supplies from 
  those in desperate need of their healing powers. They are also 
  sometimes kept as slaves and sold on slave markets for millions 
  of UTCs. 
  According to legend, it is said that the Iborians once had di­
  rect contact with the Cosmic Forge, but no Iborian has any rec­
  ollection of such a thing and refutes that such an event is part of 
  their true history. Still those people who choose to believe the 
  story point out that the lborians don't know for sure because 
  much of their ancient past is unknown to them. Consequently, 
  many a fanatic and tyrant has captured and used psionic probes 
  and every method imaginable on these poor beings to try to 
  glean what "secrets of the Cosmic Forge" might be locked in­
  side of them. 
  Iborians are loath to take life, but if pressed, they will fight to 
  protect themselves and other innocent people, and even kill in 
  self-defense, using their little known Death Touch ability. Those 
  familiar with Iborian history believe that it was the use of their 
  37 
  lethal abilities that helped the Iborians destroy their ancient mas­
  ters, and now, they equate the use of their Death Touch as a 
  dreaded reminder of their terrible past. Thus, they will not use it 
  unless they absolutely have to. 
  Despite their pacifistic nature, Iborians are an unusually com­
  mon candidate for becoming a Cosmo-Knight. However, fully 
  half of all Iborians offered the chance at becoming a 
  Cosmo-Knight tum the offer down, preferring to live a life of 
  quiet healing and reflection rather than endless crusading, noble 
  though that cause may be. 
  
  Iborian Healer RoCoCo 
  Alignment: 50% Principled, 44% Scrupulous, 4% Unprinci­
  pled. On rare occasions, selfish or evil Iborians might be en­
  countered, but these are very much the exception to the rule. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 4D6+2, M.A. 3D6+4, P.S. 3D6, P.P. 
  3D6, P.E. 4D6, P.B. 3D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: Six feet (1.8 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150-200 lbs (67.5-90 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E.+50, plus ID6 per level of experience. 
  S.D.C.: ID6x10. 
  Natural A.R.: 8. 
  M.D.C.: By armor only. 
  Horror Factor: None. 
  P.P.E.: ID4xl0 +P.E. attribute number. 
  I.S.P.: 2D6xlO +M.E. attribute number, plus 1 0  per each level 
  of experience. 
  Average Life Span: 300 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Tremendous aptitude for healing as well as a 
  tolerance for and patience with others. An Iborian can give 
  blood transfusions to any carbon-based life form, and a single 
  pint of their blood will miraculously cure all types of infec­
  tions, viruses and blood and immune diseases! Enzymes se­
  creted from their skin can be used in or as healing salves 
  (heals cuts, burns and abrasions three times faster than nor­
  mal with no or little scarring), or a balm that completely 
  stops itching and burning sensations and heals rashes in 
  2D6+ 32 hours. Instinctively know how to use their own body 
  healing capabilities. 
  Magic: By O.C.C. only. It is rare, however, for an Iborian to be 
  anything other than a doctor and natural healer. 
  Psionics: Iborians are Master Psionics who instinctively know 
  all Healing Psionics plus the Super-Psionic power of 
  Bio-Manipulation. However, they can never learn any other 
  kind of psionic talent. They are healers exclusively. 
  Special Abilities: In addition to their impressive psionic abili­
  ties (described above), all Iborians can perform their infa­
  mous Death Touch. Iborian culture looks upon this ability as 
  something of a curse and a mark of shame, a reminder of 
  their wretched life as slaves and the genocide they inflicted 
  upon their masters. Iborians will only use this ability when 
  somebody else's life depends on it or in self-defense. How­
  ever, most Principled aligned Iborians will not use it to save 
  themselves, for they don't see saving their own life as a suffi­
  cient reason to use the "cursed touch." Whether the use of 
  this ability actually kills somebody or not, once the encounter 
  is over, Iborians will usually enter a period of repentance 
  during which they will not use the Death Touch for any rea­
  son. Those who do, if discovered, will bear a mark of eternal 
  shame and face total expulsion from Iborian society. The 
  length of an Iborian penance depends on the individual and 
  how much reason and justification the individual had to use 
  their dreaded ability. A typical penance lasts for 2D4 months, 
  during which time the Iborian wears special clothes or jew­
  elry bearing an Iborian Penance Sigil that shows to all famil­
  iar to this culture that the individual has recently used the 
  Death Touch and is repenting for it. 
  Iborian Death Touch: This lethal power actually disrupts 
  the nervous system of the person who falls victim to it. The 
  Iborian must physically touch his opponent/victim's body to 
  have any effect. The touch will induce its effects on bare skin 
  38 
  and through all normal fabrics, but will not affect those in­
  side environmental body armor, shielded space or hazard 
  suits, force fields, robots, exoskeletons, or those transformed 
  into an inorganic material (such as rock or metal). The Death 
  Touch also will not affect an intended victim if the Iborian 
  touches a cybernetic appendage instead of the victim's actual 
  body. 
  The touch inflicts 6D6 M.D. directly to the victim and 
  shocks the nervous system, plunging the victim into a coma 
  (if he is not already dead) unless a successful saving throw of 
  1 5  or higher is made. If the saving throw is a success, the 
  person only suffers the physical damage from the Death 
  Touch and is not placed in a coma. 
  Those who fall into a coma are subject to the normal sur­
  viving coma/death rules but side effects from physical dam­
  age are not applicable. Those who fail to save vs coma/death 
  simply die. However, because the Death Touch is an unusual 
  effect, victims get a +10% chance to save vs coma/death. 
  Furthermore, an Iborian using the psionic Increased Healing 
  (10 I.S.P.) ability can bring the individual out of his coma 
  without any need to roll for death, but no damage is restored. 
  Using the Death Touch takes its toll on the Iborian. With 
  each use of this ability, the Iborian's Speed attribute goes 
  down by 50%, and he is -2 to strike, parry and dodge, and -2 
  on all saving throws for 2D6 minutes. In the rare case that the 
  Iborian uses his ability multiple times, then the side effects 
  are cumulative. 
  Each use of the Death Touch counts as two melee attacks. 
  It may be used more than once per melee round, again, if the 
  Iborian somehow feels justified in doing so (which is almost 
  never). 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skill. 
  R.c.c. Bonuses: +6 to save vs Horror Factor, +4 to save vs 
  psionics, +2 to save vs insanity. Iborians are also +6 to save 
  vs all poisons and toxins. 
  Iborian Healer R.C.C.: These aliens are instinctive healers 
  who learn skills that complement their natural healing abili­
  ties. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Cook (+1 0%) 
  Languages: Six of choice (+ 15%). 
  Biology (+25%) 
  Holistic Medicine (+25%) 
  Paramedic (+25%) 
  Identify Plants & Fruits (+ 1 5%) 
  Preserve Food (+1 0%) 
  Wilderness Survival (+ 1 0%) 
  W.P.: Any two. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic (never better than basic). 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 10 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Medical. Plus select two skills at levels three, 
  six, nine and twelve. 
  Communications: Any (+5%). 
  Domestic: Any (+10%). 
  Electrical: Any. 
  Espionage: None. 
  Mechanical: Any. 
  Medical: Any (+20%). 
  Military: None. 
  
  Physical: Any except for Wrestling or Boxing. 
  Pilot: Any. 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: None. 
  Science: Any (+ 10%). 
  Technical: Any (+ 10%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets three Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the Iborian 
  Healer R.C.C., the player can elect to make his character any 
  kind of Phase World O.C.C. except for Men at Arms. How­
  ever, the vast majority of Iborians will choose some kind of 
  psychic, science or medical profession, and most prefer their 
  instinctive adventurous Healer R.C.C. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Iborian Healers start out with 
  304xl,000 credits in weapons and equipment. Iborians of 
  other O.C.C.s start with that O.C.C.'s initial weapons and 
  equipment. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Iborians dislike bionics and cybernet­
  ics and will refuse them for personal use. They understand 
  their medical application, however, and if their patients de­
  sire, they will fit them with bionic or cybernetic attachments. 
  The vast majority of Iborians will not install, maintain, repair 
  or upgrade bionic or cybernetic weapons. 
  Money: Iborian Healers start with 104xl,000 credits in cash. 
  Iborians of other O.C.C.s start with that O.C.C.'s initial 
  money. 
  Trans-Galactic 
  Empire 
  In addition to the various TGE races mentioned in Phase 
  World® and the Phase World® Sourcebook, there are numer­
  ous races who play a large part in the Anvil Galaxy sector of the 
  TGE. Among the most prominent of these are the Kelesh, 
  Qidians, and the Sinestrians. 
  Kelesh R.C.C. 
  These baroque pack rats are relentless collectors of technol­
  ogy. They are just fascinated with machinery in general, but any 
  kind of novel techno-trinket, especially small things, are highly 
  coveted and must be acquired. The Kelesh are also formidable 
  warriors and traders who value wealth and prestige both for 
  their own purposes and as a means to further acquisitions of 
  technology. They voluntarily joined the TGE because they felt 
  more cultural kinship with the Kreeghor than with the humans 
  of the CCW. The Kelesh are a secretive and exclusive people, 
  however, and their multiple layers of complex social codes are 
  almost impossible for an outsider to decipher. Thus, their soci­
  ety is an impenetrable mystery to virtually all outsiders, making 
  39 
  the Kelesh rightly seem aloof and hostile to most other human­
  oids. 
  Kelesh Collector R.C.C. 
  Alignment: Usually Unprincipled, Anarchist or Miscreant. A 
  few may be Aberrant or Diabolic, though Kelesh are almost 
  never good. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 306, M.E. 306, M.A. 306, P.S. 306, P.P. 
  306, P.E. 306, P.B. 206+ 1, Spd. 306 
  Size: Six to seven feet (1.8-2.1 m) tall. 
  Weight: 160-240 lbs (72-1 08 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. number plus 206 per level of experience. 
  S.D.C.: 306+6 plus those acquired from physical skills. 
  Natural A.R.: None. 
  M.D.C.: By armor only. 
  Horror Factor: 9 
  P.P.E.: 206 
  Average Life Span: 100-125 years. 
  Natural Abilities: None. 
  Magic: None. 
  Psionics: Standard, same as humans. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat training. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to possible attribute and skill 
  bonuses): +1 attack per melee (if the character has hand to 
  hand training only), +1 on initiative, +2 to strike, parry and 
  dodge, +3 to roll with punch or impact, + 1 to pull punch, and 
  + 1 to save vs Horror Factor. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: Not exactly a penalty, but Kelesh have a real 
  weakness for cool new technology. It is not quite an obses­
  sion, nor is their urge to obtain tech stuff a compulsion, but it 
  is definitely a weakness of theirs, one that wily enemies can 
  exploit if they use their heads. 
  
  Kelesh Collector R.C.c.: Nearly half of all Kelesh are Collec­
  tors, individuals who are part scout, part trader, part salvage 
  expert, and all pack rat. 
  R.C.c. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Three of choice (+ 1 5%). 
  Basic Electronics (+15%) 
  Basic Mechanics (+ 15%) 
  Mechanical Engineering (+ 1 5%) 
  Computer Operation (+ 1 0%) 
  Recognize Weapon Quality (+ 1 0%) 
  Weapons Engineer (+20%) 
  Streetwise (+10%) 
  Salvage (+ 15%) 
  W.P.: Any two. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic, which may be upgraded to Hand to 
  Hand: Expert at the cost of one "R.C.C. Related Skill" or 
  Martial Arts or Assassin (if Anarchist or evil) at the cost of 
  two. 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 12 other skills, plus select two 
  skills at levels three, six, nine and twelve. 
  Communications: Any (+10%). 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Espionage: Any. 
  Mechanical: Any (+ 10%). 
  Medical: First Aid and Paramedic only. 
  Military: ArmorerlField Armorer, Find Contraband, Ship to 
  Ship Combat, and Space Defense Systems only. 
  Physical: Any. 
  Pilot: Any (+5%). 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: Any. 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any (+ 10%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets four Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the Kelesh 
  Collector R.C.C., above, the player can elect to make his 
  character any Men at Arms or Scholar/Adventurer O.C.C., 
  but only about one third are one of these O.C.C.s instead of a 
  Collector R.C.C. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Kelesh Collectors start with a whop­
  ping 2D6xl O,000 credits worth of weapons and equipment. 
  The trick is, Kelesh are really into keeping their various trin­
  kets on their person, which means that most items are small 
  and the Collector rather looks like a walking high-tech expo. 
  Consequently, they are almost always seen wearing clothing 
  and body armor with many hooks, straps, belts, pouches, har­
  nesses and clips on to which they can attach and carry a 
  plethora of their choicest belongings. Kelesh are incredible 
  pack rats, so they are likely to own tons of stuff they have 
  sentimental attachments to but will never really use. Note: 
  Kelesh characters must spend all of this initial W &E money 
  40 
  when creating the character. They are meant to be loaded up 
  with lots of smaller bits of tech, tools, and electronics, not 
  just a few super-expensive items. 
  At the G.M.'s approval, a Kelesh Collector character may 
  begin with a small starship as well. Most will ultimately pack 
  their vessels full of precious (to them) collectibles. The ship 
  of a Kelesh techno Collector often looks and feels like an old, 
  overstuffed attic, with crates of stuff in the cargo hold and 
  trinkets and souvenirs filling every nook and cranny. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Kelesh love bionics and cybernetics 
  and will get them as time, money and circumstance allow. 
  Kelesh Collectors start off with one cybernetic body part of 
  choice with ID4 special features or weapons installed, or 
  104+4 cybernetic implants. 
  Money: Kelesh Collectors begin with 3D4xl,000 credits in 
  cash. While always loaded with gear, these beings are seldom 
  cash-rich, in part because they are spendthrifts when in co­
  mes to electronics, cybernetics, technology and alien gizmos, 
  and in part because they cannot resist a bargain. Thus, if an 
  item is on sale for more than a 30% discount, a Kelesh wants 
  it all the more. Generally speaking, they cannot resist the 
  urge to blow their savings on a cool new bit of machinery, 
  tech-artifact, etc., they found in a trading post somewhere, 
  even if they have no clue what the tech item does or how to 
  make it work. For these collectors, if it looks exotic and rare, 
  it is that much more desirable. 
  Note: Game Masters should try to exploit this quirky "collec­
  tor" aspect of the character for both' Player Characters and 
  Non-Player Characters. For example, perhaps the character acci­
  dentally acquires some rare, helpful, powerful, or sacred device 
  or artifact that somebody desperately needs or wants. If an NPC, 
  the player group may need to fmd this character and convince 
  him to sell this precious item - something he will be loath to do, 
  especially once he discovers its immense importance or value. 
  At that point the player characters may have to try to steal it, 
  which is likely to involve tricking, subduing and/or battling the 
  Kelesh (and his crew/teammates) and then fmding it in the vast 
  warehouse he calls a ship or home. Additionally, Kelesh Collec­
  tors always keep an ear out for rumors about alien devices and 
  artifacts and are always among those out to get it - the Cosmic 
  Forge being the ultimate collectable. That means the player 
  group is likely to encounter bands of competing Kelesh Collec­
  tors whenever they are on a quest to fmd and recover technol­
  ogy, relics and alien devices. Kelesh Collectors are also 
  frequently found among pirates, salvage teams, cargo haulers 
  and adventurer types. 
  As a player character, the Collector can be played both seri­
  ously and for laughs. In the former case, the character will al­
  ways encourage his teammates to "go after stuff," and his 
  collecting may get the group in trouble from time to time (i.e. he 
  has that rare, coveted something that the bad guys want or will 
  lead the group on a wild goose chase or take a dangerous mis­
  sion so he can try to get . . . .  "X"). On the more humorous side, 
  the character is unable to prowl because he clunks, clinks and 
  jingles with every step he takes. Likewise, his piles '0 junk may 
  require hiring porters and additional shipping expenses and de­
  lays (i.e. he's got six or even twenty suitcases when everyone 
  else has one). Having so much stuff might also attract bandits or 
  pirates although anybody familiar with Kelesh Collectors knows 
  
  that three-quarters of the stuff is worthless or has minimal value 
  to anybody but the individual collector. And these are just a few 
  ideas. Cut that imagination loose and exploit the potential of this 
  fun character. 
  Qidian 
  These fm-headed, golden scaled, barrel-chested reptilian hu­
  manoids are notable psychics who have a special aptitude for 
  41 
  empathy, sensing danger, and seeing the future. They also are 
  well known for having fits of rage that give them Supernatural 
  Strength (as well as the inability to discern friend from foe; i.e., 
  berserker rage). This makes them a valued if unpredictable 
  member of the TGE, who routinely uses these people for manual 
  labor, the occasional gladiator gig, and as part of a growing 
  corps of psionic operatives and warriors working directly under 
  military aegis. The Qidians are not proud of their fits of mind­
  less rage, and as a result of it, they tend to stick to themselves, 
  hoping to keep away from the things that might trigger their an­
  ger reflex. These people do not want to be seen as "monsters" or 
  "primitive," but that is how many view themselves. Generally, 
  most mammalian races fmd these stocky reptilians a bit fright­
  ening. 
  Qidian Adventurer R.C.C. 
  Alignment: Good or selfish. Very few Qidians are actually evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+4, M.E. 4D6+2, MA. 2D6+4, P.S. 5D6, 
  P.P. 4D6, P.E. 4D6, P.B. 2D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: Six feet, six inches to seven feet, eight inches (1 .98 to 2.3 
  m) tall. 
  Weight: 250-400 Ibs (1 12.3 to 1 80 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creatures.: ID4xl0 plus 1 0  M.D.C. per level 
  of experience. May also wear M.D.C. body armor for addi­
  tional protection. 
  Horror Factor: 10 
  P.P.E.: 2D6. I.S.P.: 2D6xl0 +M.E. attribute number. 
  Average Life Span: 80 to 90 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Qidians can hold their breath for a number of 
  minutes equal to their P.E. attribute. 
  Magic: Not applicable, very few Qidians have the temperament 
  or patience to learn magic. 
  Psionics: All Qidians possess the psychic Sensitive abilities of 
  Clairvoyance, Empathy, and Sixth Sense. Also see Qidian 
  Seer R.C.C. (see below). Empathy is used without expending 
  any I.S.P. because it is second nature to these beings. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat training. 
  R.C.c. Bonuses: +4 to save vs insanity and psionics and +3 to 
  save vs Horror Factor. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: All Qidians suffer from a form of 
  Semi-Mindless Aggression when they are extremely angry or 
  traumatized (i.e. enraged or horrified by the injury or death of 
  a friend, feels trapped and about to die, is subjected to physi­
  cal or emotional torture, and similar, as well as just being 
  provoked to the point of rage). The following changes/bo­
  nuses apply only when in the "berserker rage": +2 attacks per 
  melee round, +4 to initiative, +2 to strike and parry, +50 
  M.D.C., and their P.S. becomes Supernatural. However, 
  when a Qidian enters this aggressive phase, he cannot tell 
  friend from foe, is unaware of any innocent bystanders or 
  dangerous conditions (i.e. don't breach the hull, be careful of 
  vital controls or explosives, etc.), and fights to kill. Until the 
  Qidian is restrained or all opposition is defeated (those who 
  don't want to fight need to lay low and not move or say any­
  thing), the Qidian will continue to fight until he is slain. 
  Qidian Seer R.C.C.: A good 40-50% of all Qidians live as 
  Seers, using their natural powers of psychic insight to further 
  glimpse into the mysteries of the universe, and perhaps to 
  fmd the means to master the rage that forever seethes within 
  
  them. Qidian Seers are similar to Mind Melters in their pow­
  ers and training. Psionic Powers of the Qidian Seer: Receives 
  all Sensitive psionics at level one, plus two of choice from 
  the Healing, Physical and Super categories at level two. The 
  Super-Psionic powers of Psi-Sword and Psi-Shield manifest 
  at levels three and four respectively. Note: About 10% of all 
  Qidians are Mystics, fundamentally the same as the R.C.C. 
  described in the Rifts® RPG. 
  R.c.c. Skills: 
  Languages: Two of choice (+15%). 
  Lore: Psychics & Psionics (+25%) 
  Basic Electronics (+ I 0%) 
  Basic Mechanics (+ I 0%) 
  First Aid (+ 10%) 
  Streetwise (+ 10%) 
  Hand to Hand: Basic. Qidian Seers may upgrade to Expert at 
  the cost of two "R.C.C. Related Skills" or Martial Arts or As­
  sassin (if evil) at the cost of three skills. 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select eight other skills, but at two must 
  be from Technical and two from Rogue. Plus select one skill 
  at levels four, eight, and twelve. New skills start at fIrst level 
  profIciency . 
  Communications: Any. 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: Any (+5%). 
  Espionage: None. 
  Mechanical: Any (+5%). 
  Medical: Any (+5%). 
  Military: None. 
  Physical: Any. 
  Pilot: Any. 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: Any (+5%). 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any (+5%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: Any (+5%). 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets four Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels three, six, nine, 
  twelve and fIfteen. There are additional areas of knowledge 
  that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed in the paren­
  theses. All Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, 
  skills are limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in 
  the list. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): None, other than Soldier/Grunt, 
  Space Pirate, Vagabond or Mystic. The rest are Seers or sim­
  ple Qidian R.C.C. psychics who may take on most any sim­
  ple job (clerk, salesperson, laborer, guard, freelance 
  adventurer, etc.). 
  Weapons & Equipment: Begin with one modern weapon of 
  choice, one ancient weapon of choice, and ID4x I ,000 credits 
  in other equipment. Qidian Seers get an extra 1000 credits for 
  gear. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Qidians are neutral concerning bionics 
  and cybernetics. They believe that these things are perfectly 
  acceptable to those who need or want them, but the Qidian 
  way is to hold off until one really requires the use of bionics 
  or cybernetics to keep living life properly. 
  Money: Qidians start with only ID4xl,OOO credits in their per­
  sonal savings. 
  42 
  Sinestrian 
  Sinestrians are long (nearly 10 feetl3 m) serpentoids who bal­
  ance themselves and move about like an upright humanoid, even 
  though they have no legs - just a single, powerful tail 
  (snake-like lower body). To use tools and weapons, they always 
  wear a set of robotic arms, or ''waldoes'' that are as important 
  and indispensable to them as, say, clothes might be to most hu­
  mans. They simply do not go anywhere without them. Perhaps 
  because they must always take good care of their waldoes, 
  Sinestrians are natural mechanics who are most in their element 
  when tinkering with some device or repairing a broken bit of 
  hardware. Their home world was destroyed by the TGE many 
  years ago, and most were absorbed by the Empire. Many of 
  
  them dispersed, however, and sell their impressive mechanical 
  skills on an independent basis. Word has it many free 
  Sinestrians yearn for the day when they can all get together and 
  fmance a massive rescue operation to free all of the Sinestrians 
  living under the TGE (even the ones who are happy there). 
  Sinestrian Mechanic RoCoCo 
  Alignment: Any, but tend toward Unprincipled and Anarchist. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 4D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 2D6, P.S. 20 (robotic· 
  see details below), P.P. 3D6+6, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 3D6, Spd. 4D6 
  ' 
  Size: 10 feet (3 m) long, including tail. Stand about 5-6 feet (1.5 
  to 1 .8 m) tall. 
  Weight: 250-300 Ibs (1 12.5 to l35 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. attribute number +45, plus 1D6 per level of ex-
  perience. 
  S.D.C.: ID6x10. 
  Natural Armor Rating: 10 
  M.�.C.: By armor only. Sinestrians must wear specially de­
  slgned armor, both to accommodate their sinuous, snake-like 
  bodies as well as their bionic "waldo" arms. 
  Horror Factor: 10 
  P.P.E.: 2D6 
  Average Life Span: 100 years. 
  Natural Abilities: High intelligence and agility, good speed. 
  Has a prehensile tail (works like a tentacle) and moves like a 
  snake. Has excellent balance. 
  Magic: None. The Sinestrians' universal use of robotic waldoes 
  directly interferes with their ability to master magic, besides 
  Sinestrians are much more fascinated by the technologicai 
  than the arcane. 
  Psionics: Standard, same as humans. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skill. 
  R.C.c. Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +2 to parry, +4 to automatic 
  dodge (meaning the act of dodging does NOT use up a melee 
  action, but still requires a roll to see if the dodge is successful 
  or not; add any possible attribute and skill bonuses to this 
  number), +2 to entangle and roll with punch or impact, +2 to 
  save vs magic and poison. + 1 to save vs psionics and insan­
  ity. +3 to save vs Horror Factor. 
  R.C.c. Penalties: Without their waldo arms, Sinestrians have 
  no fme manipulation abilities. That means they cannot use 
  most weapons or tools well, forced to use their prehensile 
  tail. This seriously hampers combat and skill performance: 
  Reduce number of melee attacks/actions by two, no combat 
  bonuses apply for the tail and skills requiring manual dexter­
  ity are -25%. 
  Sinestrian Mechanic R.C.C.: These aliens have a natural affm­
  ity for machinery and robotics. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Language: One of choice (+ 15%). 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Basic Electronics (+ 1 5%) 
  Robot Electronics (+ 1 5%) 
  Basic Mechanics (+ 15%) 
  Bioware Mechanics (+1 5%) 
  43 
  Robot Mechanics (+ 1 5%) 
  Computer Operation (+ 1 0%) 
  Computer Programming (+ 1 0%) 
  Computer Repair (+ 1 0%) 
  W.P.: Any two. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic, which can be upgraded to Expert for 
  the cost of one "R.C.C. Related" skill or to Martial Arts (or 
  Assassin if evil) at the cost of two. 
  R.C.c. Related Skills: Select eight other skills, but at least two 
  must be from the Mechanical category. Plus select two skills 
  at level three, two at level seven, and one at levels ten and 
  thirteen. New skills start at fIrst level profIciency. 
  Communications: Any (+5%). 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: Any (+10%). 
  Espionage: None. 
  Mechanical: Any (+10%). 
  Medical: Any. 
  Military: ArmorerlField Armorer (+ 10%), Demolitions, Mili­
  tary Fortification, Recognize Weapon Quality and Trap Con­
  struction and Detection only (all are +5%). 
  Physical: Any, other than Acrobatics and Gymnastics, + 1 0% 
  to Swim skill. 
  Pilot: Any (+5%). 
  Pilot Related: Any (+5%). 
  Rogue: Computer Hacking (+5%) only. 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any (+5%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets fIve Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the 
  Sinestrian Mechanic R.C.C., the player can elect to make his 
  character any kind of Man at Arms or Scholar/Adventurer. 
  Most Sinestrians opt for occupations that deal with machin­
  ery, so many of those who are not Sinestrian Mechanics be­
  come Operators, Cyber-Docs, or Fixers. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Sinestrian Mechanics begin with two 
  energy weapons of choice, a robotic tool kit, a suit of light, 
  medium or heavy cyber-armor, and 2D6x1,000 credits in 
  weapons and technology. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: All Sinestrians begin with a pair of ro­
  botic arms, known as "waldoes." These have a robotic P.S. of 
  20. Beginning characters may install 1D4 additional weapons 
  or features in their arms. They may also upgrade them later 
  (including increasing their strength) at their own expense. 
  Money: Having spent almost all of their money on equipment, 
  Sinestrian Mechanics have only 2D6xl OO credits to their 
  name when starting out. They typically gain extra money by 
  working as a mechanic or from adventuring plunder. 
  
  United Worlds of 
  Warlock R.C.C.s 
  The UWW is home to numerous races commonly encoun­
  tered on other worlds and dimensions of the Megaverse, but 
  which at first glance might seem out of place in the Anvil Gal­
  axy. Thus the UWW is trying to integrate its increasingly 
  non-human population into the surrounding worlds without 
  causing too much of an uproar. Time will tell. Of the many 
  races that make up the UWW, four stand out as special: Star 
  Elves, Dwarven Guildmasters, Space Minotaurs and Ratanoids. 
  Star Elves 
  Tall, slender and beautiful, with thick crops of blonde or red 
  hair, the Star Elves of the Anvil Galaxy seem to be an ancient 
  strain of an elder race, perhaps descended from the Asgardian 
  High Elves. Though races calling themselves "Elves" are en­
  countered in numerous places across the Megaverse, the Star 
  Elves most exemplify the lithe grace and delicate splendor of 
  that most people have come to think of when they imagine 
  Elvenkind. Star Elves are thin, sometimes to the point of look­
  ing frail, as if they are meant more for scholarly pursuits or 
  commanding powerful magic rather than wrangling with clam­
  orous technology or engaging in rough and tumble adventuring. 
  However, they are stronger and more durable than they may 
  look, possessing a keen intellect, sharp minds, agility and Super­
  natural Strength! Many love to mix it up in sports, combat and 
  rough stuff. That having been said, Star Elves do have a special 
  aptitude for magic, and many of them become ace spell casters 
  early in life before moving on to another field of study. 
  Haughty, arrogant and aloof, Star Elves also exemplify the ho­
  lier-than-thou attitude for which Elves are infamous. This atti­
  tude does not terribly strain relations between the Elves and 
  other races of the UWW because everybody knows that for all 
  of the Elves' bluster and arrogance, the truth is they would all be 
  dead if they did not belong to a powerful federation of peoples 
  who, by coming together, found the strength to survive. 
  Alignment: Any, but lean toward Anarchist and Unprincipled. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 306+ 6, M.E. 306+2, M.A. 206+3, P.S. 306 
  (Supernatural), P.P. 406, P.E. 406, P.B. 406+6, Spd 606 
  Size: Six to seven feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150 to 230 pounds (67.5 to 103.5 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creatures: 104xl0 M.O.C. +P.E. attribute 
  number and an additional 106 per level of experience. 
  Horror Factor: None. 
  P.P.E.: 506 or by magic O.C.C. 
  Average Life Span: 1,000 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Superior physical prowess and beauty, gen­
  erally high intelligence. Nightvision 120 feet (36 m; can see 
  in total darkness). Natural aptitude and eons of tradition in 
  the art of the long bow (add one extra attack per melee if the 
  Archery skill is taken) and wilderness/ranger skills (+2% on 
  all Wilderness skills). Bio-regenerate 406 M.O.C. per hour. 
  Magic: By O.C.C. only. 
  Psionics: Standard. 
  Combat: Two attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skills. 
  44 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +1 to strike and dodge, + 1 to pull punch, and 
  +2 to save vs Horror Factor. 
  O.C.C.s: Virtually any Phase World O.C.C. that a human can 
  take, a Star Elf can take, though they tend to lean toward 
  highly skilled and prestigious occupations. Many Star Elves 
  show an extremely high interest in magic and scholastic or 
  scientific pursuits, as well as interest in espionage (they love 
  the challenge and necessity to think quick on their feet) or an 
  
  occupation 
  that 
  involve 
  nature 
  such 
  as 
  Wilderness 
  Scout/Ranger/Explorer, and Long Bowman. Their belief that 
  they are a superior race of people often drives them to be the 
  best, thus there are far more warriors of renown, scientists, 
  and men of magic (even Cosmo-Knights) than there are vag­
  abonds and simple laborers or grunts. 
  Skills of Note: 90% speak and read the Elf language at 98%, 
  and will be literate in two other languages (+20%), speak 
  1D4 others and know Basic Math (both +20%), in addition to 
  the usual O.C.C. skills. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Star Elves start with two weapons of 
  choice. They can either be technological or magical (nothing 
  outrageous for the latter and may be magic devices, en­
  chanted weapons or even minor rune weapons). In addition, 
  Star Elves start with 2D4xl,000 credits in extra weapons and 
  equipment. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Star Elves generally avoid bionics and 
  cybernetics unless, for some odd reason, they have aban­
  doned their appreciation for nature and the mystic world, in 
  which case they might trick themselves out with all kinds of 
  cybernetic goodies. 
  Money: Star Elves will also start with 1D6xl,000 credits in 
  cash. 
  Note: Star Elves tend to be impudent, arrogant, and elitist in 
  attitude, as well as noble, valiant and spirited. They may be dis­
  ciplined in their studies and work, but demand a great deal of 
  personal freedom and flexibility, so they do not work well in a 
  military structure unless they are at the top of the food chain or 
  in a position (like spies) where they have a lot of freedom and 
  don't have to follow strict rules and protocols. 
  Dwarven Guildmasters 
  A.K.A. Anvil Dwarves 
  The Dwarves of the Anvil Galaxy are most likely descended 
  from the Asgardian Dwarves who 
  . 
  live on a few planets within 
  the uww that are in fact portals to the deific realm of Asgard 
  itselfl These "Anvil Dwarves," or "Dwarven Guildmasters" are 
  especially adept at handling machinery and rune weapons and 
  other types of magical weapons, devices and constructs. Though 
  they are gruff and dour, they are quite likeable in their own way, 
  and they can be very helpful if asked in the right manner. 
  Dwarven Guildmasters never cooperate with somebody if they 
  feel like they are being pushed around, shown disrespect or 
  commanded to do a task they do not want to do. However, if a 
  Dwarven Guildmaster is merely requested to carry out a task or 
  service, and treated with respect and consideration (they don't 
  like obvious kiss ups), then that Dwarf is made to feel like his 
  work is appreciated and he will stop at nothing to make sure the 
  job is done to 100% satisfaction. High King Silverlight knows 
  this, and through a mixture of diplomacy and sincere outright 
  flattery, has managed to keep the Dwarven Guildmasters of the 
  UWW loyal, happy and productive. Generally, these small folk 
  want to feel important, needed and appreciated. 
  The typical Anvil Dwarf has long, flaming red hair typically 
  worn in one or more braids, and most males have a full, 
  mid-length, beard and mustache. Beards may also be braided. 
  Although they seldom exceed four feet (1.2 m) in height, they 
  are powerfully built, possess excellent endurance and Supernat­
  ural Strength. 
  45 
  Alignment: Any. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 2D6, P.S. 4D6+2 (super­
  natural), P.P. 3D6, P.E. 4D6, P.B. 2D6+2, Spd 2D6 
  Size: Three plus 3D4+2 inches (3-4 feetlO.9 to 1 .2 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150 to 200 pounds (67.5 to 90 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creatures: 2D4xlO M.D.C. +P.E. attribute 
  number and an additional 2D4 per level of experience. 
  Horror Factor: None. 
  P.P.E.: 4D6 or by magic O.C.C. 
  Average Life Span: 250+ years. 
  Natural Abilities: Superior physical strength and endurance, 
  generally high to average intelligence. Nightvision 90 feet 
  (27.4 m; can see in total darkness). Natural aptitude for 
  weapon design, mechanics and manufacturing, providing a 
  bonus of + 10% to all mechanical, military, electrical, and 
  computer skills. 
  Psionics: Standard. 
  Magic: By O.C.C., but Dwarven Guildmasters are rarely spell 
  casters. 
  Rune Smithing: 35% of Dwarven Guildsmasters are 
  versed in the ways of rune magic. This means that, given 
  enough time, preparation, components and adequate facili­
  ties, they can create rune weapons and other magical weap­
  ons or devices! However, the creation of rune weapons takes 
  months or years of constant work to complete, requires exotic 
  components, incredible amounts of P.P.E., and the sacrifice 
  of a living essence - usually a powerful hero, demon, ele­
  mental, creature of magic, godling or god to power the 
  weapon. Consequently, no good aligned character will be-
  
  come a Rune Smith, and Anvil Dwarves who take to adven­
  turing or other trade seldom have the knowledge of rune 
  magic. Although Rune Smiths who go adventuring find their 
  knowledge and ability to make rune weapons of little practi­
  cal use, they can identify/recognize authentic rune weapons, 
  tell the level of power (lesser, greater, greatest), and tell the 
  alignment of the weapon. The smith can also read runes and 
  magic symbols. The Anvil Dwarf smith also has a rudimen­
  tary understanding of Bio-Wizardry and the dangers of sym­
  biotic organisms. All Rune Smiths must be Anarchist or evil 
  and will have one lesser and one greater rune weapon of their 
  own! Rune Smiths are not usually spell casters of any kind, 
  though Ley Line Walkers, Wizards and Shifters typically as­
  sist them in the creation of rune items. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skills. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +2 to save vs possession and +5 to save vs 
  Horror Factor. 
  O.C.C.s: Pretty much any O.C.C., except magical ones (Rune 
  Smiths being one of the exceptions). Strongly lean toward 
  occupations that involve mechanics, electronics, construc­
  tion, and building, whether it be making weapons, machines, 
  electronics, buildings, tunnels or works of art, as well as 
  other down and dirty work like mining or soldiering. They 
  love high-tech weapons, power armor, fast vehicles and ma­
  chines. 
  Skills of Note: 70% speak and read the Dwarf language at 98% 
  and DragoneselElven (+30%) in addition to the usual O.C.C. 
  skills. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Dwarven Guildmasters begin with 
  three weapons of choice, usually reflecting their chosen 
  W.P.s and may be technological, magically enchanted, or 
  even minor rune weapons. They also will begin with a suit of 
  M.D.C. body armor and 2D6xl,000 credits in additional 
  weapons and equipment. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Dwarves are a mixed lot on bionics 
  and cybernetics. While they appreciate the mechanics of 
  them, they dislike their interference with magic and nature. 
  As a result, any Anvil Dwarf involved with the magical cre­
  ation of anything will never get bionics or cybernetics. More 
  than a few Dwarven soldiers, who never had an interest in 
  magic in the fIrst place, are much more likely to get plenty of 
  bionics and cybernetics, especially as they get wounded and 
  need mechanical replacements for the body parts they have 
  lost. 
  Money: Start with lD6xl,000 credits or tradeable goods. 
  Space Minotaurs 
  As impossible and unlikely as it may seem, these are mas­
  sive, hulking, red to bronze-skinned humanoids with the head 
  and horns of a bull. In other words, the classic looking "Mino­
  taur" of Greek mythology. No one knows whether they are a 
  so-called "natural life form" evolving on their own, or whether 
  they are the end result of genetic engineering by the Gene-Tech 
  or some other "outside" force. There are actually a surprising 
  number of naturally evolving bovine races, so natural evolution 
  is not as remote as it may seem, however, the Space Minotaur's 
  Mega-Damage physique and Super Strength suggests otherwise. 
  46 
  These muscle-bound giants are the front-line super-soldiers 
  of the UWW. A far cry from the Minotaurs of other worlds and 
  dimensions, the creatures are true powerhouses, able to absorb 
  substantial amounts of Mega-Damage before going down for the 
  count. More importantly, they know no fear and live to serve a 
  greater good, something more important than just themselves. 
  As such, the average Minotaur has no problem laying down his 
  life for his family or friends. Those who fIght on behalf of the 
  UWW do so fanatically, and are very formidable opponents, in­
  deed. Perhaps because they dwell alongside the prestigious 
  Dwarven Guildmasters, the Minotaurs of the Three Galaxies 
  show little to no interest in building things, only in combat, 
  sports and roughhousing. They tend to be very aggressive and 
  thrive on military and physical challenges. 
  
  Alignments: Any, but tend to be evil or selfish; 40% Anarchist, 
  25% Aberrant, 25% Miscreant and 10% other. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+1, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 2D6, P.S. 4D6+6 (su­
  pernatural), P.P. 4D6, P.E. 5D6, P.B. 3D6, Spd 4D6 
  Size: Seven and a half to nine feet tall (2.3 to 2.7 m). 
  Weight: 500 to 800 pounds (225 to 360 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creature: 2D6x l0 +P.E. attribute number, and 
  an additional 2D6 M.D.C. per level of experience. 
  Horror Factor: 1 1  
  P.P.E.: 4D6 
  Average Life Span: 400 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Nightvision 100 feet (30.5 m; can see in total 
  darkness), good color vision, superior sense of smell, fire and 
  cold resistant (does half damage), fatigues at half the normal 
  rate of humans. 
  Psionics: Standard. 
  Magic: None. 
  Combat: As per Hand to Hand Combat skills (all Space 
  Minotaurs have a Hand to Hand skill, even females will have 
  at least Basic or Expert Hand to Hand Combat, and most also 
  know Boxing and/or Wrestling) plus TWO (the two extra at­
  tacks are part of the creature's natural abilities, an RC.C. bo­
  nus). 
  Bonuses (in addition to possible attribute and skill bonuses): 
  + 1 on initiative, +2 to strike and parry, +3 to dodge, +2 to 
  disarm, +3 to pull punch, and +3 to save vs Horror Factor. 
  Damage: Punching, stomping and kick attacks do Supernatural 
  P.S. damage. A charging head butt with the Minotaur's horns 
  acts as a power punch (counts as two attacks), plus it has a 
  60% chance of knocking the victim of the charge down. The 
  victim loses two melee attacks/actions and initiative, in addi­
  tion to damage. 
  O.C.C.: Any Phase World Men of Arms, or any Scholar/Adven­
  turer, except Cyber-Doc. Space Minotaurs strongly lean to­
  ward warrior, criminal and adventurer type occupations. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Start with one melee weapon of 
  choice and three other weapons of choice (high-tech or not), 
  plus 104+ 1 ammo clips for each. They also begin with 
  2D6xl,000 credits in additional gear. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Space Minotaurs don't mind bionics 
  and cybernetics and often will seek them later in life if they 
  need them. However, since no cybernetics or bionics are 
  likely to match their Supernatural Strength. Minotaurs will 
  not accept bionic limbs lightly for their arms or legs, but 
  when they do, they will be maxed out and contain two or 
  more weapon systems. Implants on the other hand, especially 
  for the head and other parts of the body, might be more 
  readily sought. 
  Money: Start with 2D6xl,000 credits. 
  Notes: Space Minotaurs seem to have a liking for large 
  swords and axes. Those familiar with modem weapons like 
  Vibro-Blades and heavy weapons, including rail guns. They will 
  wear body armor, although they usually must have it customized 
  to fit their massive frame and hoofed feet, and love force fields. 
  47 
  Ratanoids 
  Ratanoids are a race of humanoid rodents who evolved from 
  some sort of nocturnal, rat-like mammal. They tend to dwell in 
  the shadows and comers of larger societies. Natural scroungers, 
  thieves and vagabonds, Ratanoids can be found on every UWW 
  world, whether they are welcome there or not. In the context of 
  the Forge War, Ratanoids have proven their worth as spies, sab­
  oteurs and scouts as well as ace scroungers and smugglers who 
  have a knack for finding proverbial needles in haystacks. 
  Magic is a major fascination for the Ratanoids, so there are 
  Wizards, Warlocks, and Shamans among their numbers. That 
  having been said, most Ratanoids lack the personal discipline to 
  pursue the mystic arts, choosing rather to be vagabonds/drifters, 
  spies, thieves, smugglers, and City Rat (no pun intended) type 
  characters. Those who do learn the secrets of magic often at­
  tempt to control powers far beyond their ability to control. This 
  is one of the things that has lured the free Ratanoids to Phase 
  World and other places where an independent group or individ­
  ual can fmd opportunities for adventure and wealth. 
  The only thing that keeps these sly schemers from open con­
  quest 
  of 
  any 
  world 
  is their cowardice 
  and 
  lack 
  of 
  self-confidence. Though many a Ratanoid swaggers around ex­
  uding false bravado, and shooting off his mouth, as a rule, most 
  Ratanoids lack a strong sense of self-worth and value. Most see 
  themselves as second-class citizens who are not as smart or as 
  good as humans, Star Elves and most other races. This deep 
  rooted perception has prevailed for generations upon genera­
  tions and is not likely change any time in the foreseeable future. 
  Ironically, this low self-esteem causes the Ratanoids to dramati­
  cally underestimate themselves and keeps them from trying to 
  
  better themselves. Ratanoids rarely attack unless they have over­
  whelming odds in their favor, though their guile is without mea­
  sure. 
  Ratanoids tend to be quiet and shrewd observers, staying hid­
  den in the shadows, ever vigilant and patient for the right mo­
  ment to seize an opportunity. They are clever, cunning, sneaky 
  and resourceful, although they sometimes play the fool and let 
  their insecurities get the better of them. However, beneath even 
  the most seemingly self-effacing or timid Ratanoid is an oppor­
  tunist ready strike when the time is right. And even a Ratanoid 
  has his limits and will fight to protect what is his, or to protect a 
  loved one, and even what he believes in. 
  Ratanoid R.C.C. 
  Alignment: Any, but most NPCs are selfish or evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 4D6, M.E. 2D6, M.A. 3D6, P.S. 2D6, P.P. 
  3D6, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 2D6, Spd 3D6 
  Size: Four to five and a half feet tall (1.2 to 1.65 m). 
  Weight: 45 to 90 pounds (20 to 40.5 kg). 
  Hit Points: Standard: P.E. + ID6 per level of experience. 
  S.D.C.: 30 
  Natural Armor Rating: None. 
  M.D.C.: By armor only. 
  Horror Factor: 8 
  P.P.E.: ID6 
  Average Life Span: 55 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Keen color vision, nightvision 60 feet (1 8.3 
  m; can see in total darkness), excellent nightvision (can see 
  in one tenth the light that humans need), poor day vision 200 
  feet (6 1 m), sensitive whiskers help them maneuver in the 
  dark or when blind (usual penalties are halt), keen hearing, 
  climb 70% (instinctive), swim 70% (instinctive), and imitate 
  voices 60% (instinctive). Also see bonuses. 
  Magic: By D.C.C.; uncommon. 
  Psionics: Standard; uncommon. 
  Combat: Two attacks per melee round or by D.C.C. Combat 
  training and skills (such as Boxing). 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +3 to parry and dodge, +2 to roll with punch, 
  fall or impact. 
  O.C.C.s: Any, but lean toward City Rat, general repairmen, op­
  erators, spies, scouts, professional thieves, bandits, smug­
  glers, safe crackers, private detectives, snoops, con artists and 
  drifters/vagabonds (often with a focus on rogue, communica­
  tion, and/or piloting skills). 
  Weapons & Equipment: Ratanoids begin with two weapons of 
  choice, a suit of light or medium M.D.C. body armor, simple 
  wardrobe, and 2D6xl,000 credits in extra gear. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Cybernetic implants and weapons are 
  very appealing to the tricky Ratanoids, especially if the cy­
  bernetic implant is completely concealed. Ratanoid charac­
  ters may start with ID4 implants, if the player so desires. 
  Money: Ratanoids begin with ID6xl,000 credits, but they usu­
  ally supplement this through various acts of larceny. 
  Note: Pretty much everybody distrust Ratanoids, considering 
  them to be thieves, liars and low-lives. Some outright hate them. 
  They are tolerated within the UWW, but just barely. They do 
  prove useful as spies and commandos, and so the UWW military 
  has a purpose for them, but outside of that, they are intensely 
  disliked. Elsewhere in the galaxy, they can expect nothing short 
  of appalling treatment, even in the CCW. 
  48 
  Notes: Ratanoids will use any weapons or armor they can get 
  their hands on. They love high-tech gizmos, especially small, 
  easy to conceal items. 
  N aruni Enterprises 
  True Naruni are at the head of the Board of Directors, and the 
  Uteni are the rank and file of the organization. Though members 
  from every other race in the Three Galaxies can be found work­
  ing for Naruni Enterprises, there are just two races - the True 
  Naruni and the Uteni, who are the real foundation of the com­
  pany and run the show. True Naruni stats are reprinted from 
  Phase World® for your convenience, and the Uteni are the 
  ones out in front, leading the organization into every major sales 
  venture, acting as the company's public face. 
  True N aruni R.C.C. 
  Created by C.J. Carella 
  Most people think that the Uteni race of bald-headed aliens 
  are the Naruni, but the truth is that the Uteni are simply the 
  front-men and elite salesmen for the mysterious Naruni, a spe­
  cies whose origins remain unknown and goals remain uncertain. 
  The Naruni people don't make public appearances, and always 
  remain behind the scenes. There is no question that they are the 
  driving force behind the trans-dimensional manufacturer and 
  technologies dealer, but they shun the limelight. 
  The reason why the Naruni prefer to avoid the public eye is 
  simple: their shape is hideous and reminiscent of miniature alien 
  intelligences. Naruni are heavy-set bipeds with hippo-like skins 
  and builds. Three long tentacles run down from where a hu­
  man's nose would be (which are used for eating, breathing and 
  combat). The tentacles end up in tiny fanged mouths reminis­
  cent of the Splugorth (some people occasionally suggest that the 
  Naruni may be some sub-species of the Splugorth or other alien 
  intelligence, although their differences are much greater than 
  any similarities). The Naruni's eyes are narrow slits with red, 
  iris-less eyes peeking through. They usually wear cloaks to par­
  tially cover their disgusting features. Also, they are supernatural 
  creatures whose presence disturbs and scares psychics and other 
  sensitives. 
  The fact that the Naruni are supernatural beings has led many 
  people to question their motives and goals. Although they seem 
  content in their role as weapon and technology dealers, they are 
  known to sell to all sides in a conflict, and care little about who 
  wins, provided Naruni Enterprises gets paid. This has led some 
  to suggest they are agents of "chaos" and may very possibly 
  have even more sinister plans in store for the Three Galaxies, 
  and other parts of the universe. 
  Alignment: Any, but most are Aberrant or Miscreant evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+ 13, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 3D6, P.S. 3D6 (su­
  pernatural), P.P. 3D6, P.E. 3D6+6, P.B. I D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) tall. 
  Weight: 300-500 Ibs (135 to 225 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creature: 2D4xl 0  M.D.C. +P.E. attribute num­
  ber and 2D6 M.D.C. per level of experience, but may also 
  use/wear force field generators for additional protection 
  (200-300 M.D.C.). 
  
  Horror Factor: I I  (12 if over six feetl 1.8 m tall). 
  P.P.E.: ID4xl0 +P.E. attribute number. 
  I.S.P.: ID4x1O + 10 per experience level. 
  Average Life Span: 1000+ years. 
  Experience Level (NPC): Average ID6+4. 
  Natural Abilities: Supernatural strength and endurance, very 
  long lived, and heal 1D6xl0 M.D.C. per every eight hour pe­
  riod. Three prehensile, tentacle- or trunk-like noses with bit­
  ing mouths at the end that do ID4 M.D. per attack and have a 
  4-6 foot (1.2 to 1.8 m) reach depending on the size of the 
  Naruni. The trunk-like noses can be used like a tentacle to 
  pick up and use weapons and tools but without benefit of any 
  bonuses and -15% skill penalty. A nose/trunk can completely 
  regenerate, but takes ID4+6 months. 
  49 
  Magic: None. 
  Psionics: True Naruni have all Sensitive powers plus Automatic 
  Mind Block, Bio-Manipulation and Empathic Transmission. 
  Considered to be Master Psionics. 
  Com bat: Three attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat +1 (from the prehensile noses). Almost all True 
  Naruni never train beyond Hand to Hand: Basic. They prefer 
  to let others do their fighting for them. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +1 to entangle, +6 to save vs Horror Factor, 
  and +3 to save vs disease. 
  R.C.C. Vulnerabilities/Penalties: Suffer double damage from 
  rune and holy weapons. 
  True Naruni R.C.c.: Rather than select an O.C.C., most True 
  Naruni follow a tried-and-true skill set that is as much a part 
  of their culture as their involvement with Naruni Enterprises, 
  their knack for ruthless business practices, and their penchant 
  for shady dealings. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Six of choice (+ 1 5%). 
  Lore: Demons and Monsters (+ 10%) 
  Basic Electronics (+15%) 
  Mechanical Engineering (+15%) 
  Weapons Engineer (+20%) 
  Intelligence (+ 1 0%) 
  Concealment (+ 10%) 
  W.P.: Any two. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic (never better than this). 
  R.c.c. Related Skills: Select 12 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Electrical and two from Mechanical. Plus select 
  two skills at levels 3, 7, 1 0  and 13. New skills start at first 
  level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any (+ I 0%). 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: Any (+ 1 5%). 
  Espionage: Any (+5%). 
  Mechanical: Any (+ 1 5%). 
  Medical: Any. 
  Military: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Physical: None! 
  Pilot: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Pilot Related: Any (+5%). 
  Rogue: Any. 
  Science: Any (+ 10%). 
  Technical: Any (+20%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character also gets to select four skills 
  from the previous list and one additional skill at levels 4, 8, 
  and 12. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in parentheses. All Sec­
  ondary Skills start at the base skill level. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the True 
  Naruni R.C.C., above, the character can elect to be any 
  Scholar/Adventurer O.C.C. With the G.M.'s permission, the 
  character can also choose a Psychic O.C.C. True Naruni are 
  ineligible for all other O.C.C. types, especiaUy Men at Arms. 
  These evil slugs just do not find personal combat of any sort 
  appealing enough to follow it as a profession. That is what 
  mercenaries and Repo-Bots are for. 
  
  Weapons & Equipment: True Naruni start with a single 
  weapon (mostly for personal defense, usually something 
  small), a force field generator for personal defense and 
  4D6xlO,000 credits in additional weapons and gear. This is a 
  huge amount of stuff to start with, but that is what being a 
  True Naruni is all about, in part. These guys are all con­
  nected, and there is no way a True Naruni going out on his 
  own will ever begin with less support from his friends and 
  family. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: True Naruni see these things as viable 
  medical replacements, but that is it. They do not get bionics 
  or cybernetics unless they really have a need for them. 
  Money: True Naruni begin with 2D6xl00,000 credits. What can 
  we say? These scum bags are all loaded, even those run by 
  players. Of course, True Naruni all are plotters and planners, 
  so chances are they will keep most or all of this money hid­
  den away so they might have it to take advantage of a big 
  business opportunity when one comes up. 
  Note: These fellows are just plain repulsive in every way. 
  They might have a veneer of morals or manners, but in reality, 
  they lack both. These characters are best suited as NPCs and vil­
  lains, and any player wishing to play a True Naruni should get 
  his G.M.'s approval first, and is likely to be an outcast starting 
  out with half the gear and money noted above. 
  Uteni R.C.C. 
  Created by C.J. Carella 
  These aliens are the real backbone of any Naruni commercial 
  venture. Consummate salesmen, traders, deal makers and huck­
  sters, the Uteni are synonymous with Naruni Enterprises, and 
  with double-dealing in general. These intelligent and persuasive 
  beings, for all of their charisma and subtle charm, are not trusted 
  by most folk, even if they have never dealt with Naruni before. 
  Though the Uteni could be successful adventurers, they choose 
  to remain on the back stage of the Three Galaxies, helping their 
  Naruni masters pull the strings of the universe, all the while tak­
  ing little or no credit for themselves. In fact, because they are 
  the public ''the face" of Naruni Enterprises, many people mis­
  take the Uteni for N aruni. 
  Uteni are lithe, smooth-skinned humanoids with large heads, 
  huge, black, almond-shaped eyes, and no mouth. They are strik­
  ing because of these distinctions further set off by their light 
  blue skin. Despite their alien appearance, their unusually high 
  Mental AffInity makes it easy for them to win people over any­
  way. Most Uteni can be seen wearing offIcial Naruni Enter­
  prises dress uniforms at all times. "Rogue" Uteni can be easily 
  identified by their wearing of non-company attire. 
  Alignment: Any, but tend towards the selfish and evil align­
  ments. The truly good Uteni is an oddity, and they almost never 
  work for N aruni Enterprises. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6+4, M.E. 4D6+2, MA 3D6+2, P.S. 3D6, 
  P.P. 3D6+2, P.E. 3D6+4, P.B. 3D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: Six to eight feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) tall. 
  Weight: 1 80 to 240 lbs (81 to 108 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. attribute number +ID6 per level of experience. 
  S.D.C.: ID4xl00 +20, in addition to O.C.C. and skill bonuses, 
  giving them the rough equivalent of 1-4 M.D.C. 
  Natural Armor Rating: None; see M.D.C. 
  50 
  M.D.C.: Uteni's high S.D.C. effectively makes them minor 
  Mega-Damage creatures (1-4 M.D.C.). They often use 
  Naruni force fields (100-200 M.D.C.; self-regenerating) for 
  additional protection and may also use/wear M.D.C. body 
  and power armor. 
  Horror Factor: 8, but this has more to do with their reputation 
  from Naruni Enterprises than their physical appearance or 
  presence. See page 44 of Phase World® for info on the busi­
  ness. 
  
  P.P.E.: 106xlO 
  I.S.P.: 106xlO plus an additional 106 per level of experience. 
  Average Life Span: 500 years. 
  Experience Level: ID4+ 1 for NPCs. Player Characters start at 
  level one. 
  Natural Abilities: Limited shape-changing. The Uteni's natural 
  appearance is that of a hairless, light-blue biped, about eight 
  feet (2.4 m) tall, with thin and spindly limbs, huge eyes and 
  no mouth or nose (they breathe through their skin). They can, 
  however, alter their size and features to those of any biped 
  from four to nine feet tall (1.2 to 2.7 m; their weight remains 
  the same). They cannot simulate body hair, and their skin 
  color always remains the same, blue. 
  Magic: None. The Uteni know about magic and Bio-Wizardry 
  but tend to avoid magic and magic items, relying instead on 
  equally powerful technology. Uteni love advanced technol­
  ogy. 
  Psionics: All Uteni are Minor psionics and can select three 
  powers from one of the psionic categories of Healing, Sensi­
  tive or Physical. 
  Combat: Two attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat training. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +4 to save vs Horror Factor. Being natural 
  salesmen, Uteni have an additional +20% to their charm/im­
  press percentage on top of whatever their M.A. attribute af­
  fords them. 
  R.c.c. VulnerabilitieslPenalties: Approximately 20% of all 
  Uteni are compulsive gamblers, unable to turn down a wager 
  even if their life depended on it. 
  Uteni R.c.c.: Most Uteni forfeit an D.C.C. in favor of their 
  "natural" skill set, below, which is nearly identical to that of 
  the True N aruni. The reason for this duplication of skills is 
  the Uteni have practically been bred by the True Naruni to 
  form the "second tier" of Naruni Enterprises, and as such, 
  they bear the same skills that their masters bear. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Six of choice (+ 15%). 
  Lore: Demons and Monsters (+ 1 0%) 
  Basic Electronics (+ 15%) 
  Mechanical Engineering (+ 1 5%) 
  Weapons Engineer (+20%) 
  Intelligence (+ 1 0%) 
  Concealment (+ 1 0%) 
  W.P.: Any two. 
  Hand to Hand: Exert (can be upgraded to Martial Arts or As­
  sassin (if evil) at the cost of one R.C.C. Related Skill). 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 12 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Electrical and two from Mechanical. Plus select 
  two skills at level three, two at level seven, and one at levels 
  ten and thirteen. New skills start at first level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: Any (+ 1 5%). 
  Espionage: Any (+5%). 
  Mechanical: Any (+1 5%). 
  Medical: Any. 
  Military: Any (+ 10%). 
  Physical: None. 
  Pilot: Any (+10%). 
  51 
  Pilot Related: Any (+5%). 
  Rogue: Any (+5%). 
  Science: Any (+5%). 
  Technical: Any (+20%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character also gets to select six skills 
  from the previous list at level one and one additional skill at 
  levels four, eight and twelve. These are additional areas of 
  knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed 
  in parentheses. All Secondary Skills start at the base skill 
  level. 
  Available O.C.c.s (Optional): Approximately 66% of all Uteni 
  simply go with their RC.C. Skills instead of pursuing a for­
  mal D.C.C. Df those who do go for more specialized training, 
  the following D.C.C.s are available: Bounty Hunter, Forger, 
  Freelance Spy, Master Assassin, Safecracker, Smuggler, Pro­
  fessional Thief, Special ForceslMilitary Specialist, Head­
  hunter, or any Scholar and Adventurer class. Note that Uteni 
  who pursue an D.C.C. forfeit the R.C.C. Skills listed above. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Uteni begin with a single weapon of 
  choice, typically something high-tech and easy to conceal 
  (love Phase Technology) and 3D4xl,000 credits worth of ex­
  tra gear. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: They tend to avoid magic, chemical or 
  mental augmentation, and full bionic conversion, but love cy­
  bernetic implants and partial reconstruction. Uteni characters 
  may start with one bionic limb and up to ID4+2 various im­
  plants, attachments and cyber-weapons. 
  Money: Uteni begin with ID4xlO,OOO credits. 
  Note: The average Uteni's allies and enemies are identical to 
  those of N aruni Enterprises. They are used to being hated and 
  feared by most beings in the Three Galaxies, a condition that 
  does not bother them. Uteni working for NE are too busy count­
  ing their fat payrolls or basking in the power of their employer 
  to care what the rest of the galaxy thinks of them. 
  The rare, independent Uteni adventurer often is troubled by 
  the reputation of his people for being Naruni lackeys and ruth­
  less con artists and money grubbers. Such Uteni often reject 
  money and materialism altogether (for a brief while, at least) be­
  fore coming to terms with the unsavory deeds their people con­
  tinue to do in the name of Naruni Enterprises. 
  Player characters start off with half the money noted above. 
  Gene-Tech R.C.C. 
  By Kevin Siembieda 
  The Gene-Tech, also known as Gene-Demons, may be "de­
  monic" by nature, but are not supernatural creatures. Rather, 
  they are wicked aliens of unknown origin and purpose. Many 
  consider them harbingers of chaos, discord and suffering. 
  Gene-Tech regard themselves to be a higher (the highest?) life 
  form in the Megaverse and show a total disregard (sometimes 
  complete disdain) for life in general and completely ignore the 
  laws of even interstellar powers. They are cold-hearted, cruel 
  and evil beings who are always dispassionate, aloof and menac­
  ing. 
  Talking to a Gene-Tech is like talking to a rock or computer 
  program with an icy and edged personality. They seldom answer 
  
  questions, ignore insults, and brush away or destroy those who 
  intrude upon them with the casualness that a human might brush 
  away an annoying insect. A Gene-Tech doesn't care about a per­
  son's problems (or a planet of people for that matter), whether it 
  be a toothache or a life and death struggle against disease, insan­
  ity, the law or evil aliens. Empires can rise and fall around them 
  and the Gene-Tech does not care. They are concerned only with 
  their work, whatever that may be, and are always lost to their 
  own secret agenda, presumably something beyond human com­
  prehension. 
  52 
  Some believe the Gene-Tech may be related to the fabled 
  Gene-Splicers found on Rifts Earth and occasionally in the 
  Three Galaxies and elsewhere in the Megaverse. However, there 
  is no evidence that this is the case, other than circumstantial be­
  havioral similarities. Like Gene-Splicers, Gene-Tech are known 
  to kidnap and experiment on innocent people. The most unfortu­
  nate ''test subjects" will suffer through tests for pain tolerance, 
  mental endurance, the effects of various diseases and other hor­
  rible, crippling and agonizing experiments before being killed. 
  The, arguably, lucky ones see their genetic structure manipu­
  lated in ways that seem impossible. Transformations that are as 
  easy for the Gene-Tech as a child stacking building blocks to be 
  transformed into something new and different - often something 
  superhuman, but almost always monstrous in appearance and 
  with one or more physical or mental flaws/weaknesses. 
  Gene-Tech may also add advanced bionics to their test subjects, 
  especially when creating a "one of a kind work of art." At least, 
  that's how the Gene-Tech see their creations - as works of art as 
  much 
  as 
  experiments 
  in 
  genetic 
  engineering. 
  These 
  "one-of-a-kinds" may be unwilling subjects captured and trans­
  formed against their will, or volunteers willing to take a wild 
  chance. (Actually there may be as many as a dozen or so 
  "one-of-a-kinds" who are similar creations, although each will 
  look different and will have some sort of personality, physical, 
  mental or mechanical nuance to set him apart from the others). 
  Unwilling captives may be enslaved and forced to serve the 
  Gene-Tech, but more often than not (90% of the time), they are 
  released when the genetic wizards are done with them. Thrown 
  away with the other useless garbage or deliberately unleashed 
  into the universe for further research and study (i.e. so the 
  Gene-Tech can see how their "creation" works in the real world 
  or to enjoy the havoc their "creation" may bring about). 
  Gene-Tech are a bit more social than the legendary and com­
  pletely enigmatic Gene-Splicers who shun social interaction of 
  any kind and work in complete secrecy toward some unknown 
  agenda. Consequently, a lone Gene-Tech or a small team of 3-7 
  may appear in a massive, alien spaceship or set up "shop" on a 
  space station or (typically advanced) planet (phase World has 
  one such team of five) where they engage in their own machina­
  tions, but have a standing offer to hear "requests" from individu­
  als looking to be transformed into something different and new. 
  Everybody knows this about the Gene-Tech, so if one appears 
  someplace, people know the mad scientist(s) will hear requests. 
  If the request is rejected, as most are, the stoic creature will sim­
  ply say, ''no,'' or walk away without saying a word (beneath his 
  acknowledgment). If the Gene-Tech are intrigued by the request 
  they will grant it at no charge. However, one must understand 
  that Gene-Tech are by their very nature, cold, clinical and 
  wicked beings, so they may be "intrigued" by almost anything 
  from a scientific challenge to the social, political, psychological, 
  or other ramifications the transformation may have on the indi­
  vidual or more likely, those around him. Of course, a Gene-Tech 
  may just as well grant a request on a cruel whim, i.e. the 
  Gene-Tech knows the individual will suffer mentally or physi­
  cally or in any number or combination of ways and fmds it 
  amusing to themselves. Thus, the fool who undergoes a 
  Gene-Tech transformation is likely to fmd his new body and 
  powers to be as much (and usually much more of) a "curse" as a 
  blessing. Note: "A subject" always suffers from disfigurement 
  (P.B. at least half what it was to start with), is often transformed 
  
  into something monstrous, suffers from ID4 insanities and ID4 
  weaknesses/vulnerabilities, and is often something to be feared 
  or loathed by others. The transformation is never exactly what 
  the "subject" expects, although he or she will get the key pow­
  ers/abilities requested - the cost, however, is seldom worth it. 
  One must also understand that these "unexpected and un­
  wanted" side effects and outcomes are not necessary and are de­
  liberately created/instilled by the Gene-Tech either as part of 
  their own scientific or sociological experimentation (want to see 
  how something works, or affects that race, the individual's psy­
  che, etc.), or for fun - their idea of ajoke. This is why they are 
  known as "Gene-Demons," for they are heartless and cruel with­
  out any apparent rhyme or reason. When the Gene-Tech is done, 
  the "subject" is tossed into the world to fend for himself. Pro­
  tests and complaints over the results, or pleas to be changed 
  back, fall on deaf ears, as do threats of retribution. If the victim 
  attacks his makers, they either strike him down, dead like a mad 
  dog, or incapacitate him and toss him back out into the world. 
  Though sometimes a Gene-Demon will experiment and trans­
  form an entire group of people, they usually restrict their handi­
  work to individuals, and seldom accept more than one request in 
  a million. On the other hand, for their own twisted science, psy­
  chological, anthropological and sociological experiments, 
  Gene-Tech may transform a population anywhere from a quarter 
  to an entire planet, although such extreme experiments are very 
  rare indeed. 
  Gene-Tech appear as tall, thin humanoids with sculpted mus­
  culature, and long, slender fmgers. The eyes and hair are dark, 
  and their complexion is a pasty yellow-white or pale green­
  ish-yellow. Most are over 1000 years old and look to be the 
  equivalent of a 40 or 50 year old human. Those who look to be 
  old are presumed to be many thousands of years old. Those who 
  have a youthful appearance are only around 500 years old. 
  Where they come from or exactly what purpose they serve is a 
  mystery. Gene-Tech seem to serve no master nor world, and 
  even their dedication to mad science often seems bizarre and 
  self-indulgent. At least three-quarters have some form of bionic 
  augmentation in the way of optics, sensors and implants, and 
  half possess a bionic hand or entire hand and arm as a complete 
  bionic surgical and medical appendage that can be removed and 
  interchanged with other arms that fit the situation (see the cover 
  painting). 
  Gene-Tech R.C.C. 
  Note: The Gene-Tech is NOT intended for use as a player 
  character. They are maniacal NPC villains best left for the Game 
  Master to use as a foil for the player characters and as a dra­
  matic device. 
  Alignment: 50% Miscreant, 25% Diabolic, 10% Aberrant, l3% 
  Anarchist and 2% other (typically Unprincipled). 
  Average Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+l 5, M.E. 2D6+l5, M.A. ID6+7, 
  P.S. 2D6+1 5, P.P. 2D6+15, P.E. 2D6+ 15, P.B. 1D6+7, Spd. 
  2D6+ 15. They themselves have been genetically re-engineered, 
  with only a small degree of desired randomness. 
  Size: 7 feet to 7 feet, 6 inches tall (2.1 to 2.3 m). 
  Weight: 260 to 300 pounds ( 1 17 to l35 kg). 
  Average Life Span: 1000 years plus another 2D6xl00 years. 
  Hit Points: 4D4xl0 plus P.E. attribute number and 2D6 points 
  per level of experience. 
  S.D.C.: 1D6x100. This and their Hit Points effectively makes 
  53 
  them minor Mega-Creatures with about 3-8 M.D.C. Conse­
  quently, they also use force field generators to protect them 
  (200-400 M.D.C. that regenerates at a rate of 1D4xl0 per ev­
  ery 15 minutes) or M.D.C. body armor. 
  Natural A.R.: None. 
  M.D.C.: 75 from light body armor robe, plus force field from 
  sphere. 
  Horror Factor: 1 0, but 15 if one faces them strapped down to 
  an operating table! 
  P.P.E.: 6D6+ 15, but possess no natural magic powers. 
  I.S.P.: M.E. attribute number AlO plus 12 points per level of 
  experience. 
  Average Level of Experience for NPCs: ID6+9; use the 
  Dragon's experience table for determining higher levels of 
  experience. 
  Insanity: Obsessed with genetic, psychological and anthropo­
  logical experimentation, study and torture. At least 70% are 
  extremely sadistic and indifferent toward all other life forms 
  (pathological). The lives of others have little meaning to 
  these cold-hearted fiends. Some have suggested that 
  Gene-Tech have an ongoing rivalry with the Gene-Splicers 
  which also borders on obsession. Perhaps, but the Gene-Tech 
  would never admit such a thing even if it were true. 
  Natural Abilities: Perfect 20/20 color vision, nightvision 200 
  feet (61 m), see the invisible, see in the infrared and ultravio­
  let spectrums of light, ambidextrous, great dexterity and agil­
  ity, resistant to fatigue (half normal), impervious to disease, 
  and resistant to cold (does half damage). 
  Magic: None. 
  Psionics: All Sensitive and Healing psionic abilities plus the fol­
  lowing 
  Super-Psionic 
  powers: 
  Bio-Manipulation, 
  Bio-Regeneration, Empathic Transmission, Psychosomatic 
  Disease, 
  Telemechanics (all types), Telekinesis (super), 
  Electrokinesis, Mind Bolt, Hypnotic Suggestion, Group Mind 
  Block, Mind Block Auto-Defense, Psychic Body Field and 
  Psychic Omni-Sight. Considered a Master Psionic. 
  Combat: Five attacks/actions per melee, plus one additional at­
  tack/melee action at levels 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25. Gene-Tech 
  do not ever undergo formal Hand to Hand Combat training 
  and claim to abhor violence. Actually, they love violence, 
  conflict and anarchy as long as they are not personally caught 
  up in it. They personally dislike having to fight themselves, 
  preferring their Monster-X henchmen (described next) or 
  some foolish pawn to do it for them. If attacked they tend to 
  rely on their cunning and natural combat and formidable 
  psionic abilities. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to likely attribute and skill bo­
  nuses): +2 on initiative, +2 to strike, + 1 to parry, +5 to pull 
  punch, +8 to save vs Horror Factor, +8 to save vs symbiotic 
  union and control, +8 to save vs possession of any kind, + 10 
  to save vs poison and disease, +2 to save vs all forms of 
  magic. 
  Gene-Tech R.C.C.: All have a high intellect, superior total re­
  call, centuries of education and studies, and an analytical and 
  inquisitive mind. They know entire skill categories: All Com­
  munication skills at 80010, all Electrical at 80%, all Mechani­
  cal at 85%, all Medical at 98%, all Science at 95%, all 
  Computer skills at 98%, Pilot Related skills at 90% and Pilot: 
  Spaceship and Hover Vehicles at 90%, W.P. Energy Pistol, 
  W.P. Energy Rifle, W.P. Knife, W.P. Blunt and one W.P. of 
  choice. 
  
  Secondary Skills: The character can also know 106+3 Second­
  ary Skills at level one. No bonuses other than I.Q. are appli­
  cable. Selections can be made from: Domestic, Espionage, 
  Military, Physical, Pilot, Rogue, Technical, Weapon Profi­
  ciencies or Wilderness. 
  Standard Equipment: 
  1. Flying Med-Assistant: A powerful and highly skilled ro­
  bot artificial intelligence that appears either as a small hover de­
  vice reminiscent of a toy flying saucer (see cover painting) or a 
  glowing sphere about the size of a bowling ball. When held in 
  the hand, the Gene-Tech and the Auto-Assistant can transmit 
  massive amounts of data to one another in three seconds via the 
  psionic Telemechanics power. Otherwise, the tiny robot can 
  communicate via radio transmission or actually speak in a ro­
  botic voice. 
  M.D.C.: The Main Body has 70 M.D.C. as well as a defen­
  sive force field with 120 M.D.C. Flies via anti-gravity with a 
  maximum speed of 80 mph (128 km); space/vacuum capable 
  and moves in complete silence (equal to a Prowl of 70%). 
  Full Communications System: Includes language translator 
  and radio/video receiver and transmitter. Transmission range is 
  a maximum of 100 miles (160 km; double in space). 
  Full Bio-Med Scan Capabilities: Can monitor up to eight dif­
  ferent patients/subjects. 
  Retractable Arm with Laser Scalpel: Can inflict a range of 
  106 to 606 S.D.C.lHit Point damage in 1 06 increments, or 106 
  or 206 M.D. as is needed. Used to assist in surgical procedures. 
  The arm also has two tiny fiber optic light appendages and the 
  robot can radiate light like a lantern. 
  Retractable Arm with Laser: This laser is used for cutting, 
  burning away and other surgical procedures. It can also be used 
  for self-defense or to protect the Gene-Tech. Damage is one 
  S.D.C. point to 606 S.D.C. or one M.D. to 306 M.D. Maximum 
  range is 100 feet (30.5 m). 
  Computer Program: Has the following equivalent skills: All 
  Radio, Computer, Pilot Related and Medical skills at 94%, plus 
  Basic Electronics, Basic Mechanics, Biology, Botany, Chemis­
  try, Chemistry, Analytical, and Math (basic and advanced), each 
  at 98%. Has an I.Q. 1 8. 
  Bonuses: + 1 on initiative, +2 to strike, +4 to dodge, + 1 to roll 
  with impact, punch or fall. 
  2. Protective Robe: 75 M.D.C.; lightweight: 10 pounds (4.5 
  kg). 
  3. Multi-System Harness. Provides an additional 50 M.D.C. 
  protection to the upper (main) body, can create a force field with 
  240 M.D.C. (regenerates lost M.D.C. at a rate of 30 every hour), 
  has a bigger capacity computer, language translator, a bio-med 
  scan that can monitor up to 10 patients/subjects within a 100 
  foot 
  (30.5 
  m) 
  radius, 
  self-bio 
  monitor 
  (indicates 
  the 
  Gene-Tech's physical condition with data directly transmitted to 
  implants for second to second information), long-range radio, 
  loudspeaker/voice amplification system, and retractable laser 
  scalpel (inflicts anywhere from 104 to 106xl0 S.D.C. to 206 
  M.D.C. points of damage, maximum range is 10 feetl3 m). 
  4. Multi-System Optics & Communications Helmet: In­
  cludes a multi-optic system, a long- and short-range radio (can 
  monitor and play 10 channels simultaneously) with scrambling 
  capabilities, mini-computer and cryptography program, radar 
  54 
  and radiation detection, bio-comp self-monitoring system and 
  language translator. May be linked to Multi-System Harness and 
  communicate with the Flying Med-Assistant as well as numer­
  ous monitors, computers and medical equipment. 
  5. SciencelLaboratory Spaceship: Most of the older, more 
  experienced Gene-Tech and virtually all pairs and groups have 
  one medium to large spaceship that is basically a flying genetics 
  and bionics laboratory. These ships are heavily automated and 
  crewed by the loyal Monster-X. Groups and even wealthy indi­
  viduals may also have one or more laboratories on 104 space 
  stations of planets. 
  6. Nano-Biorestorers. An army of microscopic machines in­
  side the Gene-Tech's body that immediately respond to injury. 
  In game terms, internal organs are repaired in a matter of min­
  utes (one H.P. or S.D.C. per minute), and the Biorestorers leap 
  to action the moment the Gene-Tech gets injured. Also have one 
  or two nano-healing chambers that can restore them to complete 
  health (all Hit Points and S.D.C.) in a matter of 206 minutes. 
  Such healing chambers are found on every Gene-Tech spaceship 
  or base of operation (lab). 
  7. Other items: Just about every piece of medical, computer, 
  sensor and laboratory equipment common to the Three Galaxies 
  is available to the Gene-Tech. They also have a fair arsenal to 
  equip their Monster-X protectors and to use themselves should 
  that become necessary. Ultimately these mysterious beings 
  could be equipped with just about anything other than magic. 
  Cybernetics & Bionics: One mUlti-optic eye and 104+2 other 
  implants. Half also have an interchangeable bionic hand or 
  arm: one for surgery and medical applications, one for me­
  chanical repairs and one for combat (if necessary), etc. 
  Money: Most Gene-Tech have untold millions of credits (some­
  times billions or trillions) at their disposal, which they use to 
  maintain their nefarious genetic engineering experiments and 
  other science operations. 
  Note: Most Gene-Tech secretly keep 104 clones in storage. 
  These clones have blank minds and are created exclusively to 
  serve as replacement parts and bodies for their creator should 
  they ever be needed. 
  Gene-Tech Monster-X 
  By Kevin Siembieda 
  What this creature may have started out as is anyone's guess, 
  but today the winged four-armed behemoth is known only as 
  Monster-X - the Gene-Tech's personal bodyguard, servant and 
  assistant. While the Monster-X may assist the Gene-Tech in sur­
  gery and laboratory work, these dull-witted misanthropes are 
  best equipped as guards, enforcers, and spies. They are skilled 
  trackers, excellent at surveillance and tailing, despite their size, 
  and deadly in combat. For every one Gene-Tech, there are typi­
  cally four (never less than two) Monster-X within earshot if not 
  at their side. In addition, there are probably another 4-1 6  Mon­
  ster-X per Gene-Tech out performing some diabolical mission 
  or task for their master. Monster-X are used exclusively by the 
  Gene-Tech and never sold into slavery or hired out to others. 
  However, if it serves the Gene-Tech's purposes, he may "lend" 
  one or two out, usually to observe test subjects in the field, or to 
  accompany a group of hired guns/adventurers/mercs to make 
  sure its master's best interests are served. The quad-armed gi-
  
  / 
  r 
  I 
  I 
  ants are regularly dispatched to run errands for their Gene-Tech 
  masters as well as to spy on rivals and enemies and to "collect" 
  (i.e., kidnap) new test subjects. 
  Most Monster-X are surprisingly loyal and diligent in pro­
  tecting their creators and guarding the Gene-Tech's laboratories, 
  spacecraft and possessions. Individually, Monster-X are vicious, 
  cunning and have an endless appetite for fighting and evil. They 
  love to mix it up and enjoy the opportunity to bully, intimidate, 
  55 
  torture and kill other beings, from cute little animals to humans, 
  Kreeghor and Cosmo-Knights. They especially love the hunt, 
  suggesting that they have predatory instincts. As if their physi­
  cal acumen were not enough, the Gene-Tech have imbued them 
  with special (super) abilities and limited psionics. One of which 
  is telepathy, so that henchman and master may communicate 
  freely without speaking aloud. This comes in handy when plot­
  ting what to do to somebody when they are standing right in 
  front of them or strapped to an operating table. 
  Monster-X R.C.C., a Gene-Tech NPC Henchman 
  Note: This character can be an NPC villain or optional player 
  character, but only if the G.M. allows it. If a player character, 
  the creature will be a rare runaway who will be severely pun­
  ished if ever found out by any Gene-Tech (they demand fierce 
  loyalty and obedience from their minions and any known to 
  have rebelled and run off are tortured and either forced back into 
  "service" or, more likely, killed as an example to others). Run­
  aways are also much more likely to be of a good or selfish 
  alignment than usual, but most people will probably see the run­
  away as an untrustworthy monster and probably a spy working 
  for a Gene-Tech regardless of what he says or does. That's just 
  the way it is. The Monster-X's reputation precedes him and 
  haunts him forever. 
  Alignment: Any, but typically selfish or evil: 40% Miscreant, 
  30% Aberrant, 20% Diabolic, 10% Anarchist (or other). 
  Attributes: I.Q. 106+6, M.E. 206+4, M.A. 206+4, P.S. 
  306+1 8  (supernatural), P.P. 206+13, P.E. 306+13 (supernatu­
  ral), P.B. 204, Spd. 406+13 running and 206+13 xl0 flying 
  (150 to 270 or roughly 105 to 190 mph/168 to 304 km). 
  Size: Approximately 8-10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) tall. 
  Weight: 500 to 800 pounds (225 to 360 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creature: Main Body: 206xl0 +180 M.O.C., 
  wings (2) have 65 M.O.C. each, arms (4) have 65 M.O.C. 
  each, legs (2) have 100 M.O.C. each, and the head 120. 
  Horror Factor: 12 
  P.P.E.: 606x2 
  I.S.P.: M.E. attribute number x5. 
  Average Life Span: 230+ years. 
  Natural Abilities: A pair of large bat-like wings with climbing 
  claws at the joints (see attributes for flying speed). Can hover 
  and glide without making a sound (basically Prowl 85% in 
  the air) and even when flapping their wings they are surpris­
  ingly quiet. Not surprisingly then, the Monster-X has keen 
  hawk-like vision and can see a rabbit at two miles (3.2 km) 
  away. The extra pair of arms provides additional bonuses 
  (see bonuses, below) and the creature can bio-regenerate 206 
  M.O.C. per hour. If a hand or arm is lost, it will grow back in 
  106+3 months. Impervious to normal heat and cold, and fire 
  and extreme cold do half damage. 
  Special: Power of Adhesion:The character can attach him­
  self to any solid surface by his fingers, hands, toes and feet. 
  This means that he can walk on walls or ceilings, and climb 
  any surface effortlessly. 
  The only limit to this power is the Monster-X cannot carry 
  a heavy load greater than hislher own weight x3, which is 
  still considerable for these supernaturally strong beings. 
  Carrying a greater weight will cause the character to immedi­
  ately fall off. Speed climbing and crawling along walls and 
  ceilings is equal to half the running speed (see Spd. attribute). 
  
  Restrictions: Loose rocks, crumbling plaster, ice, oil or 
  other slippery substances will prevent the character from ad­
  hering to a surface (polished metal, chrome, and glass are not 
  considered slippery substances and are easily scaled). 
  Other Adhesion related abilities and bonuses: 
  • Automatic Climbing skill equal to 90% proficiency (does not 
  include rappelling); -15% when the character is wearing 
  shoes and/or gloves. 
  • Add + 10% to the Prowl skill but only when climbing on the 
  ceiling, wall or other high place. 
  • + 15% to Palming, Pick Pockets, and Concealment skills. 
  • +5% to Acrobatics and/or Gymnastics skills. 
  Special: Supernatural P.S.: This means the typical Mon­
  ster-X does the following damage: 206 M.D. on a full 
  strength punch or kick, 406 M.D. on a power punch or kick. 
  The 206 M.D. punch damage is added to the damage of a 
  hand-held Mega-Damage weapon such as a sword, axe, etc. 
  Does 106 additional M.D. if P.S. is 25-30. Also has Super­
  natural Endurance. 
  Magic Powers: None. 
  Psionics: Deaden Senses, Death Trance, Impervious to Fire, Im­
  pervious to Poison, Levitate, Telepathy, See the Invisible, 
  Sense Magic, Mind Block and Intuitive Combat! Considered 
  a Major Psychic. 
  Com bat: Eight attacks per melee round. Selecting a Hand to 
  Hand style of combat provides one additional attack at levels 
  3, 6, 9 and 12 as well as the usual bonuses! 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to possible attribute and skill 
  bonuses): +3 on initiative, +2 to strike, +5 to parry, +1 to 
  dodge (+3 when flying), +2 to entangle, +1 to disarm, +3 to 
  pull punch, +3 to roll with impact or fall, +1 to save vs 
  psionic attack, +4 to save vs possession, +4 to save vs poison 
  and disease, and +5 to save vs Horror Factor. 
  R.C.C. Skills: In most cases, as much instinct as training. 
  Basic Math (+ 1 0%) 
  Languages: Three of choice (+10%). 
  Radio: Basic (+ 1 0%) 
  Basic Electronics (+ 1 0%) 
  Surveillance Systems (+25%) 
  Intelligence (+ 18%) 
  Tracking (people; +25%) 
  Track Animals (+ 15%) 
  Prowl (+20%) 
  Find Contraband (+14%) 
  Streetwise (+10%) 
  W.P., any three of choice. 
  Hand to Hand: Expert (can be upgraded to Martial Arts or 
  Assassin at the cost of one R.C.C. Related Skill.) 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select eight other skills at level one 
  only. 
  Communications: Any. 
  Domestic: Any. 
  Electrical: None. 
  Espionage: Any (+10%). 
  Mechanical: Basic Mechanics, Automobile and Aircraft Me­
  chanics only. 
  Medical: First Aid only. 
  Military: Any (+5%), except Trap skills and Field Armorer. 
  Physical: Any, (often take Boxing and Acrobatics). 
  56 
  Pilot: Any but tends to avoid military vehicles and boats. 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: Any (+5%). 
  Science: Biology and Math only (+5%). 
  Technical: Any. 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: Any (+5%). 
  Secondary Skills: The character also gets to select four skills 
  from the previous list (often Piloting and W.P.s or Physical) 
  at level one and one additional skill at levels 4, 8, 12, and 15. 
  These are additional areas of knowledge that do not get the 
  advantage of the bonus listed in parentheses. All Secondary 
  Skills start at the base skill level. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): None. They are literally built 
  and designed for the Gene-Tech's specific purpose as protec­
  tor, enforcer, hunter/tracker and spy. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Monster-X start with one weapon for 
  each W.P. and will have access to whatever their master al­
  lows them to have, which can be considerable or very little 
  depending on the Gene-Tech. 
  A Monster-X player character will have three weapons of 
  choice, some very basic adventuring gear, plus 2D6xl,000 
  credits worth of additional gear and hardware such as binocu­
  lars and optical/spy gear. Favorite weapons include energy ri­
  fles, rail guns, Vibro-Blades, and magic weapons. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: None to start and tend to avoid them. 
  Money: NPCs who serve a Gene-Tech will have whatever his 
  master allows him to keep. Many are allowed to keep items 
  and a third of the cash from victims who fall to them. A 
  player character who is a runaway starts with only 2D6x100 
  credits. 
  Golgan Republik 
  The Golgan Republik contains a wild array of alien races, but 
  most of them are in the process of abandoning the Republik for 
  a better life on their own. The Golgans themselves are still the 
  dominant race, and a number of other races can be expected to 
  stand with the them for the time being. However, it will only be 
  a matter of time and circumstance before those minions go off 
  on their own, leaving the Golgans to fend for themselves once 
  more. For the moment, aside from the Golgans, the most promi­
  nent alien races in the Republik include the Lurgess, Ultrovians 
  and Zebuloids. 
  Golgao 
  Golgans are tall, thin, pink amphibian humanoids whose dis­
  tinguishing feature is their large eyes mounted on the side, not 
  the front, of their head. Golgans also do not appear to have a 
  mouth, though they actually do. It is just small and recessed 
  when not in use, but to the casual observer, it might seem a 
  wonder that these creatures can actually talk and eat. Golgans 
  are an ancient race whose survival has rested more on their abil­
  ity to organize and administrate than on their inherent natural 
  abilities. Golgans are not particularly hardy creatures, but they 
  know how to build an empire, and by getting other beings to do 
  their fighting for them, these frail folk have lived long in the 
  Anvil Galaxy, at times ruling huge portions of it. 
  
  The Golgans of today are a far cry from what they once were. 
  Originally a happy and outgoing people, the Golgans have grad­
  ually turned cold, cynical and paranoid. Their once great accom­
  plishments have been lost to greed and war. Their current 
  situation is the direct result of their being invaded and attacked 
  by their neighbors so many times. As a result, the modem 
  Golgans trust nobody except themselves, and no government 
  that does not have entirely Golgan leadership at the head of it. 
  They still maintain a veneer of civility and warmth to 
  non-Golgans and to foreigners to their society, but make no mis-
  57 
  take: Behind every Golgan smile or handshake is a nervous 
  alien waiting for the moment to pull his sidearm and start fIring. 
  Alignment: Any, but the majority tend toward Anarchist or Un­
  principled. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 306+5, M.E. 306+5, M.A. 306, P.S. 206+3, 
  P.P. 206+1, P.E. 206+2, P.B. 204, Spd. 206 
  Size: Six to eight feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) tall. 
  Weight: 160-260 Ibs (72 to 1 17 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. attribute number plus 106 per level of experi-
  ence. 
  S.D.C.: 306 plus extra points from physical skills. 
  Natural A.R.: None. 
  MD.C.: By armor or force field only. 
  Horror Factor: None. 
  P.P.E.: 306 
  Average Life Span: 200-300 years; females typically live up to 
  a century longer than males. 
  Natural Abilities: Golgans are renowned for their advanced 
  senses, which include Heightened Sense of Smell, Heightened 
  Sense of Taste, Heightened Sense of Touch, and Heightened 
  Sense of Sight. Generally, each Golgan individual will have 
  one of the following enhanced senses, but some have more 
  than one. Roll on the following table to determine: 01-75%: 
  One advanced sense. 76-90%: Two advanced senses. 
  91-98%: Three advanced senses. 99-00%: Four advanced 
  senses. Golgans with all four advanced senses often rise to 
  very high positions in the Republik on the merits of their ge­
  netics alone, which gives them special governmental dispen­
  sation. 
  Heightened Sense of Smell: The Golgan has an excep­
  tional olfactory sense with a range of about 100 feet (30.5 
  m). He can recognize/identify specific odors (70%+4% per 
  level of experience), recognize toxins/poisons or chemicals 
  by scent (50%+4% per level of experience), recognize a per­
  son by scent (50%+3% per level of experience), track by 
  scent (50%+3% per level of experience), is difficult to sur­
  prise (especially if the Golgan is being approached by ene­
  mies upwind of his position), and he is +1 to dodge and + 1 
  on initiative. 
  Heightened Sense of Taste: The Golgan can identify pre­
  cisely the components of anything tasted. He can recognize 
  common ingredients such as salt, sugar, spices, etc. 
  (70%+4% per level experience) as well as exotic or foreign 
  ingredients such as poisons, toxins, chemicals, etc. (30%+5% 
  per level of experience). Furthermore, the Golgan will be 
  picky about what he eats. He will almost always select the 
  Cooking skill, and because of his advanced sense, receives a 
  + 10% bonus to it. 
  Heightened Sense of Touch: The Golgan has an uncanny 
  and superior tactile sense. He has a soft, delicate touch and a 
  rock-steady hand. He can recognize and locate very slight 
  differences (scratches, dings, cracks, imperfections, etc.) in 
  textures by touch (70%+2% per level of experience). He can 
  identify fabric and material by touch (60%+2% per level of 
  experience). He can notice minute changes in temperature by 
  touch or close proximity (60%+2% per level of experience). 
  The Golgan gets a +10% bonus to skills that require a light, 
  delicate touch, including Forgery, Oemolitions, Pick Pockets, 
  Pick Locks, Palming, Card Sharp, etc. His penalties to strike, 
  parry and dodge for being blind are only -5 instead of the 
  
  usual -10 and he is at +1 to strike on an aimed or "called" 
  shot with a thrown item or weapon. 
  Heightened Sense of Sight: The Golgan can see a small 
  sign or recognize a person's face up to one mile (1.6 km) 
  away. He can also see in both the infrared and ultraviolet 
  spectrums, granting him nightvision of 300 feet (91.4 m), and 
  he has X-Ray vision that enables him to see through fabric or 
  paper instantly, through up to one foot (0.3 m) of light mate­
  rial (wood, plaster, fabric, vegetation) per each melee 
  round/15 seconds of concentration, and through up to six 
  inches of heavy material (brick, stone, concrete, metal, 
  M.D.C. materials) for every two melee rounds/30 seconds of 
  concentration. Heightened Sight is the most commonly held 
  Golgan super-sense. 
  Magic: None. 
  Psionics: None. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee or through Hand to Hand Com­
  bat training. 
  R.C.c. Bonuses: None. 
  Golgan Administrator R.C.C.: Golgans are natural leaders, or­
  ganizers and administrators. Though the recent failures of the 
  Golgan Republik are not a good example of this, the truth is 
  Golgans generally have an easy time getting others to work 
  together toward a common goal and getting large organiza­
  tions to work efficiently. Fully 80% of all Golgans are 
  Golgan Administrators. 
  R.C.c. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Six of choice (+ 15%). 
  Lore: Galactic/Aliens (+ 10%) 
  Law (General; + 1 5%) 
  History (+ 1 0%) 
  Research (+20%) 
  Cryptography (+10%; for writing secret memos and 
  communiques) 
  W.P.: Any two of choice. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic (never better than Basic). 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 12 other skills, plus select two 
  more skills at levels three, six, nine, twelve and fifteen. New 
  skills start at frrst level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any (+10%). 
  Domestic: Any (+ 10%). 
  Electrical: Basic Electronics only. 
  Espionage: Any (+10%). 
  Mechanical: Basic Mechanics only. 
  Medical: First Aid and Paramedic only. 
  Military: None (that's what soldiers are for). 
  Physical: Any except Acrobatics, Wrestling and Boxing. 
  Pilot: Any. 
  Pilot Related: Any. 
  Rogue: Computer Hacking, Concealment, Find Contraband, 
  Gambling (Standard & Dirty Tricks), and Streetwise only. 
  Science: Any (+ 10%). 
  Technical: Any (+ 1 5%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets six Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and two additional skills at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  58 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.C.c.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the Golgan 
  Administrator RC.C., the player can elect to make his char­
  acter any kind of Scholar/Adventurer. Golgans are ineligible 
  for any true Men at Arms, Magic or Psychic O.C.C. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Golgan Administrators start with one 
  energy weapon of choice, a light suit of M.D. body armor, 
  and 2D6x1 ,000 credits worth of extra weapons and equip­
  ment. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Golgans are neutral concerning bionics 
  and cybernetics. They do not automatically start with any, 
  but may acquire some later in life if they lose a body part or 
  if for some reason they feel they need some kind of augmen­
  tation. Many Golgans get data jacks and internal computers 
  for convenience's sake. 
  Money: Golgan Administrators start with 3D4x1 0,000 credits. 
  Note: All Golgans are intellectual elitists, looking down on 
  those not of their station. They also are racist, looking down on 
  any non-Golgan, all of which is exacerbated by their knowledge 
  of the once glorious Golgan history. Golgans of today are the 
  descendants of a once great interstellar power that has lost its 
  station and greatness to be cast down to near the bottom of the 
  heap in the hierarchy of the Three Galaxies. Most Golgans can­
  not come to grips with their reduced station even though it has 
  been this way for centuries. A few open-minded individuals 
  have broken free of this ancient and calcified mind set, and tend 
  to be the mavericks of Golgan Society, the adventurers, the re­
  bels, and the agitators. 
  Lurgess 
  The Lurgess (LURE-jess) are mysterious space-faring 
  nomads, scouts, traders, miners, smugglers, pirates, and 
  mercenaries who have long been a part of the amalgamated 
  society that is the Golgan Republik. Because of their unusual 
  biology, they are infamous plague carriers, often hosting up to a 
  dozen different pathogens deadly to other races and which could 
  infect huge areas if left uncontained. Although the Lurgess are 
  immune to the diseases they carry, they are hyper-sensitive to 
  nearly all other pathogens common to the Anvil Galaxy. Thus, 
  for any Lurgess to mingle safely among "off-worlders," either 
  the Lurgess must remain in a fully contained environmental suit 
  or the aliens they are meeting with must wear similar protection. 
  As a courtesy, and for their own protection, Lurgess routinely 
  wear super-heavy environmental armor wherever they go, 
  taking it off only when they are in their own private, specially 
  pressurized personal chambers (home). Even when Lurgess are 
  meeting with other Lurgess, they wear their armor until they can 
  be sure their visitors have not picked up any foreign bugs that 
  might prove harmful. 
  Predictably the Lurgess are disliked and shunned by nearly 
  all sentients out of an inherent fear of infection. The vast major­
  ity of Lurgess are hard-working, honest, inventive, courageous 
  and noble, but they are a walking bio-hazard not just to a single 
  person, but to entire planetary populations. As a result, Lurgess 
  are often prohibited from landing on any planet that is not colo­
  nized by the Lurgess themselves. For their part, the Lurgess of­
  ten do the same to foreigners visiting their worlds. The risk of 
  infection is just too great. 
  
  Unfortunately, the fear of this race is promoted by a very 
  small minority of Lurgess terrorists, pirates and mercenaries 
  who use their infectious nature as a terror weapon. After all, 
  who won't give in to the demands of a terrorist whose threat is 
  to pop his armor and contaminate an entire ship, station, city or 
  planet? Who will fIre on a Lurgess soldier when doing so risks 
  breaching his armor and causing an infectious outbreak? For in­
  dividuals such as these, the hatred of the Lurgess continues, de­
  spite the overwhelming efforts of the rest of the race to 
  59 
  contribute positively not only to the Golgan Republik but to the 
  Anvil Galaxy at large. 
  Alignment: A full 90% of Lurgess are good: 40% Principled, 
  50% Scrupulous with another 5% Unprincipled, 3% Anarchist 
  and the remaining 2% are evil (any). 
  Attributes: I.Q. 3D6+1, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 3D6, p.s. 2D6, P.P. 
  3D6, P.E. 2D6, P.B. 2D6, Spd. 3D6 
  Size: Six feet (1.8 m) tall. 
  Weight: 150-200 lbs (67.5 to 90 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. attribute number plus ID6 per level of experi-
  ence. 
  S.D.C.: 3D6. 
  Natural A.R.: None. 
  M.D.C.: By armor only. Lurgess wear super-heavy suits of en­
  vironmental power armor, described below, over a light envi­
  ronmental contamination suit (5 M.D.C.). 
  Horror Factor: 14 ("Cripes! You didn't talk to him, did you? 
  He's a Lurgess! Quick, into the disinfecting chamber before 
  you contaminate the whole ship!") 
  P.P.E.: ID4xl0 
  Average Life Span: 160-200 years. 
  Natural Abilities: 
  Contagion: At any given time, any Lurgess carries 3D4 
  super-lethal pathogens that will spell certain doom for any 
  non-Lurgess exposed to them. An alien exposed to a Lurgess 
  pathogen must immediately save versus disease by rolling 1 5  or 
  better on a D20 for every melee round (15 seconds) he is ex­
  posed to the pathogen! If the character saves, it means he has 
  not contracted a Lurgess disease. If he fails, he has contracted a 
  disease and is quickly on the way to becoming a statistic. 
  For most people, exposure to Lurgess pathogens happens 
  when a Lurgess' suit is breached somehow (by combat, an acci­
  dent, or the rare case of a Lurgess intentionally opening his suit 
  to infect those around him). In game terms, the radius of infec­
  tion is 10 feet (3 m) for the frrst melee round (15 seconds), 30 
  feet (9. 1  m) for the next melee round, 60 feet (1 8.3 m) for the 
  next melee round, and 120 feet (36.6 m) for the next melee 
  round. Thus, in just one minute a Lurgess can contaminate a 120 
  foot (36.6 m) radius. For every minute thereafter, the Lurgess 
  will infect a radius of 120 feet (36.6 m) wherever he goes. After 
  that, the infection will spread on its own, but at a rate deter­
  mined by the G.M. Some Lurgess contagions spread through 
  the air like wildfIre, covering an entire city within a day or so, 
  but thankfully, most Lurgess diseases require actual close prox­
  imity contact, and consequently, are reasonably easy to contain 
  if caught quickly. Others are slower, requiring physical contact 
  with contaminated surfaces. In all cases, the only way to avoid 
  contamination is to not enter an area hit by a Lurgess plague, 
  quickly seal it off and begin sterilization! decontamination of the 
  environment and those contaminated - or to wear full environ­
  mental protection when you do. Note: There are cures for the 
  majority of even the most virulent Lurgess plagues, but victims 
  must be treated within 3-12 hours in most cases to survive, and 
  these diseases spread so fast that hundreds, thousands and even 
  hundreds of thousands can become infected (spreading the con­
  tagion) in a matter of 48 to 72 hours unless immediately con­
  tained. 
  The exact effects of a Lurgess contagion are also left to the 
  G.M., since they are so varied in effect and intensity. Here are a 
  
  few ground rules. Within 1 D4 hours of exposure, characters will 
  begin to weaken, generally at a rate of one P.E. per hour. Unless 
  the character receives intense medical treatment (Le., in a hospi­
  tal, immobilized, and in a full environmental sort of treatment 
  cell), his P .E. will eventually dwindle to zero and he will enter 
  into a coma. When his P.E. dwindles to minus his original P.E. 
  score (e.g.: when a character with a P.E. 15 reaches -15), he 
  dies. Only intense, high-tech medical treatment will halt the 
  progress of the disease, eradicate it, and begin bringing the char­
  acter back to full health. While infected, characters will spread 
  the contagion just as a Lurgess might to anyone who comes 
  within a 120 (36.6 m) radius of them, everywhere they go. 
  Again, only by receiving full environmental treatment can this 
  effect be halted. If a crowd of people get infected, one can easily 
  see how they might infect a much larger area once they disperse 
  and start infecting other people. 
  G.M. Note: The Lurgess contagion is a cocktail of different 
  super-virulent, super-lethal diseases. The Lurgess contagion 
  should not be used as a weapon by player characters or NPCs, 
  mostly because it is so debilitating and potentially threatening to 
  game balance. It is really meant more as a dramatic device and 
  adventure hook. What happens to the heroes when their Lurgess 
  buddy's armor gets breached? How does one stop a Lurgess 
  doomsday terrorist cell from infecting an entire planet? How 
  does one retrieve their stolen property off a ship of Lurgess pi­
  rates or do they write it off as lost? What if the Cosmic Forge is 
  contaminated or falls into the possession of the Lurgess? These 
  are the sorts of things the Lurgess contagion is meant for, not to 
  kill player characters or NPCs without any chance for survival. 
  Use your head when implementing this character into your game 
  for the best results. Let it get out of control, and it will hurt your 
  game. Here endeth the lecture. 
  Magic: None. Lurgess are unable to practice magic. 
  Psionics: Standard, same as humans. 
  Combat: Four attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skill. The Lurgess exoskeleton is what adds an additional two 
  attacks per melee (this is why untrained Lurgess have four at­
  tacks instead of just two). 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: Ironically, Lurgess are 1 00% immune to poi­
  sons of any kind. Note that diseases and poisons are not the 
  same thing. 
  R.C.C. PenaltiesNulnerabilities: The Lurgess are extremely 
  sensitive to any non-Lurgess pathogens. That means the very 
  effects they can inflict on others they themselves will suffer 
  if they come into contact with alien germ bugs. This means if 
  a Lurgess is infecting a place, chances are, the Lurgess him­
  self will become infected by some common germ too. The 
  only time this is not the case is on lifeless worlds or hermeti­
  cally sealed and filtered closed environments (like spaceships 
  or space stations or even certain environmental habitats on 
  worlds with hostile environments). In addition, all Lurgess 
  are -6 to save against them and -10% to save vs coma/death. 
  Also -1 to save vs magic. 
  Lurgess Nomad R.c.c.: Most Lurgess are space travelers, 
  wanderers, merchants and explorers. Their diseased nature 
  condemns most of them to lonely lives out in space, where 
  they can do the least harm to the least number of people. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Three of choice (+1 5%). 
  60 
  Basic Electronics (+ 15%) 
  Robot Electronics (+ 1 5%) 
  Mechanical Engineering (+ 15%) 
  Robot Mechanics (+ 1 5%) 
  Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Warfare (+20%) 
  Pilot Spacecraft: Small (+ 1 0%) 
  Pilot Spacecraft: General (+ I 0%) 
  Salvage (+ I 0%) 
  Space Contacts (+1 5%) 
  W.P.: Any two of choice. 
  Hand to Hand: Basic, but a Lurgess Nomad can upgrade to 
  Expert at a cost of one "other" skill and to Martial Arts (or 
  Assassin if Anarchist or evil) at a cost of two "other" skills. 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select eight other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Mechanical and two from Technical. Plus se­
  lect two skills at levels three, six, nine and twelve. New skills 
  start at first level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any (+5%). 
  Domestic: None. 
  Electrical: Any (+5%). 
  Espionage: None. 
  Mechanical: Any (+5%). 
  Medical: Any (+ 10%). 
  Military: Any. 
  Physical: Climbing, Swimming, Aerobics, Space Combat: 
  Zero Gravity (basic or advanced), Space Depressurization 
  Training, Space Movement, and Space Oxygen Conservation 
  only. 
  Pilot: Any (+5%). 
  Pilot Related: Any (+5%). 
  Rogue: Palming, Concealment, Prowl, Pick Pockets, Com­
  puter Hacking and Safe-Cracking only. 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any. 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets four Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. There are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.c.c.s (Optional): Instead of selecting the Lurgess 
  Nomad R.C.C., the player can elect to make his character any 
  type of basic Soldier/Grunt, Spy, Smuggler, Scholar/Adven­
  turer or Psychic O.C.C. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Lurgess Nomads start with two weap­
  ons of choice plus another 2D6x I ,000 credits in additional 
  weapons and equipment. All Lurgess also start off with either 
  the standard Lurgess Environmental Armor (described be­
  low), or a suit of power armor of their choice. Most Lurgess 
  go with their standard Lurgess armor because it is a symbol 
  of their culture and because it is non-threatening as well as 
  able to take a hit without breaching. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Lurgess are fond of bionics and cyber­
  netics because they offer a way out of their pathogenic na­
  ture. Afull conversion Lurgess cyborg is no longer a walking 
  plague factory. They can travel freely among other people 
  and do not even let others know they are even a Lurgess, so 
  they can live without the stigma that follows the Lurgess 
  
  people. If a Lurgess cyborg's head or brains or other internal 
  organs gets destroyed, then there is a 0 1 - 1 5% a contagion 
  will infect the area of his death or the site where he is buried 
  unless decontamination 
  and containment procedures are 
  taken - a Lurgess' remains are an active bio-hazard. 
  Still, most Lurgess prefer to live in their annored suit be­
  cause undergoing a full conversion is as much an abandonment 
  of their culture and heritage as it is an abandonment of their 
  bodies. The average Lurgess just can't bring himself to do it. 
  Money: Lurgess Nomads begin with 2D6x 1 ,000 credits. 
  Lurgess Environmental Armor with Exoskeleton 
  M.D.C. by Location: 
  Main Body - 400 
  Arms (2) - 1 50 
  Legs (2) - 200 
  Head - 250 (A difficult target to strike. Requires a called 
  shot at a -3 penalty.) 
  Physical Strength: 50 (robotic). 
  Speed: Running: 1 50 mph (240 Ian). Leaping: 25 feet (7.6 m) 
  high or across. Jet assist to 1 00 feet (30.5 m) high or 200 feet 
  (6 1 m) across. 
  Bonuses: +2 attacks/actions per melee round, +2 to initiative, 
  + 1 to strike and parry, +2 to dodge. 
  Environmental Protection: This suit of annor is an entirely 
  self-contained environment for the wearer. A Lurgess can 
  spend the rest of his life in one of these suits because it is an 
  environmental cell which contains raw material for food, a 
  means of getting additional food and water, and waste pro­
  cessing. It is typically changed once a year. 
  While wearing this suit, a Lurgess is lOO% safe from out­
  side pathogens, as well as spreading his own contamination 
  to the outside. There is little fear of a "leak" until the original 
  M.D.C. of the suit is reduced by 80%. Whenever 20% or less 
  of the annor is left, the character and those around him begin 
  to fear for their lives and the suit will rupture when all 
  M.D.C. is gone. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Lurgess annor comes unanned. Char­
  acters can pay to have weaponry installed (as well as other 
  features, such as tools, jet packs, etc.), but at twice the nor­
  mal cost because of the peculiar nature of this annor's design 
  and the general unwillingness of most weapon smiths to han­
  dle Lurgess annor. 
  Ultrovian 
  Ultrovians (ul-TROVE-ee-ens) are large, squat amphibian 
  creatures with striped or spotted skin, fish-like mouths, and eyes 
  on the sides of their head. They have broad torsos and thick 
  limbs, casting an imposing image. As the resident spell casters 
  of the Golgan Repuhlik, Ultrovians fancy themselves experts in 
  all matters arcane, even though their own abilities typically pale 
  before the magical might of the UWW's top mages. Ultrovians 
  are considered to have a great deal of raw talent when it comes 
  to magic, but they do not have the long history of skill and tech­
  nique needed to have truly mastered the mystic arts. As long as 
  that remains the case, Ultrovians are overly concerned with 
  proving their legitimacy as practitioners of magic. This means 
  they might take foolish risks, try dangerous magical experi­
  ments, and make deals with supernatural powers they do not 
  61 
  fully comprehend. In this regard, Ultrovians are a bit like a kid 
  who just discovered his dad's gun - powerful, but perhaps more 
  dangerous than useful. 
  Be that as it may, the Golgan Republik considers having the 
  Ultrovians in their ranks as a coup for the Forge War, as these 
  aliens can easily travel to the galactic Core, bypassing the dan­
  gerous Threshold. 
  Alignment: Any. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+6, M.E. 2D6+6, M.A. 2D6+6, P.S. 
  3D6+6, P.P. 2D6+6, P.E. 3 D6+6, P.B. I D6+3, Spd. 3D6+6 
  
  Size: Seven to eight feet (2. 1 -2.4 m) tall. 
  Weight: 350-600 Ibs (1 57.5 to 270 kg). 
  Hit Points: P.E. attribute number +50, plus 2D6 per experience 
  level. 
  S.D.C.: 3D6x l 0  making them minor Mega-Damage creatures 
  with the equivalent of 1 or 2 M.D.C. points. 
  Natural A.R.: 1 2  
  M.D.C.: By armor, force field or spell only. 
  Horror Factor: None. 
  P.P.E.: I D6x l O  plus whatever additional P.P.E. is afforded by 
  one's Magic O.C.C. 
  Average Life Span: 300 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Ultrovians have a natural aptitude for spell 
  casting, and automatically receive a bonus of + 1 to their spell 
  strength. They also recover P.P.E. at twice the usual rate. 
  Magic: By O.C.C., most are spell casters of some kind. 
  Psionics: None. Ultrovians have no psychic potential. 
  Com bat: Two attacks per melee round or by Hand to Hand 
  Combat training. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses: +2 to save vs magic, +3 to save vs Horror 
  Factor. +1 to save vs insanity. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: For all of their magic abilities, Ultrovians are 
  unable to regenerate their P.P.E. at an accelerated rate when 
  on a ley line or a ley line nexus. In fact, when at these loca­
  tions, they recover P.P.E. at half their usual rate. Likewise, an 
  Ultrovian sorcerer (even a Line Walker) can only draw upon 
  half the usual amount of available ley line P.P.E. Nobody has 
  a clue as to why this is. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Approximately 80% of all 
  Ultrovians take up some kind of Magic O.C.C. (any, except 
  those that require psionics, like the Mystic). Another 1 0% be­
  come 
  scientists 
  or 
  engineers, 
  7% 
  some 
  sort 
  of 
  scholar/teacher/explorer and the remaining 3% typically be­
  come an adventurer, man at arms or criminal, but that 3% are 
  shunned by the rest ofUltrovian society. 
  Weapons & Equipment: Ultrovians begin with a common, 
  low-power, magic weapon and a force field generating suit or 
  a light to medium suit of magical M.D.C. body armor. 
  Ultrovians also have a language translator, portable com­
  puter, 
  notebooks, 
  three 
  writing 
  utensils, 
  and 
  another 
  ID4xl ,000 credits worth of additional gear. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: NONE for practitioners of magic for 
  the ill effect they have on spell casting, but non-magic 
  O.C.C.s may get implants and bionics as they please. Start 
  with none. 
  Money: Ultrovians begin with 2D4x l,000 credits. 
  Zebuloid R.C.C. 
  By Bill Coffin & Kevin Siembieda 
  The bizarre Zebuloids look as if they have evolved from 
  some kind of armored jellyfish. Their heads are huge, circular 
  domes covered in plating from which sprout two short, armored 
  eye stalks from the sides along the bottom. Also from the bot­
  tom is a mass of writhing, sucker-less tentacles on which the 
  Zebuloids stand and move, and which they use as arms and 
  hands. They are in constant motion, either riding on their undu­
  lating tentacles or sitting still but with their tentacles reaching 
  out to touch three or four things at once or just kind of twitching 
  and undulating at all times. 
  62 
  Despite their weird looks, Zebuloids are extremely intelligent 
  and compassionate. They love to pilot vehicles, starships and ro­
  bots, and can perform multiple tasks simultaneously thanks to 
  their mass of tentacles and the way their minds work. Their 
  quick reflexes, advanced brains, and multitude of tentacles make 
  it easier for them to process the many demands of piloting than 
  it might be for most "standard" humanoids. Thus, a single 
  Zebuloid can function as pilot, navigator, communications offi­
  cer and gunner without missing a beat. 
  
  Considered monsters by so many other alien races, the 
  Zebuloids voluntarily joined the Golgan Republik because the 
  Golgans were one of the few groups of people who actually 
  treated them with decency and respect. As such, Zebuloids are 
  incredibly loyal to their Golgan patrons and will never abandon 
  them, even when it becomes obvious that the Republik's fmal 
  dissolution is imminent. 
  Alignment: Any, but 20% are Principled, 30% Scrupulous, 
  30% Unprincipled, 1 5% Anarchist and 5% other. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 4D6+4, M.E. 3D6+12, M.A. 3D6+3, P.S. 
  3D6+2, P.P. 3D6+ 12, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 106+ 1 ,  Spd. I D4x l0+9 
  Size: Tentacle mass is 1 04+5 feet ( 1 .8 to 2.7 m) talVlong but 
  are usually curled at the bottom. The Zebuloid's giant, bony 
  skull section is another 3 -4 feet (0.9 to 1 .2 m) tall for a total 
  height of 7-9 feet (2. 1  to 2.7 m). However, even tall Zebuloids 
  can position their tentacles to make themselves roughly the 
  same height as their companions. Besides, the low eye stalks 
  make it easy for them to look at others eye to eye. 
  Weight: 220-250 Ibs (99- 1 12.5 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creature: The main body of the armored head 
  has 104x l 00 M.D.C. +3D6 additional M.D.C. per level of 
  experience. The eye stalks (2) have 1 00 M.D.C. each and the 
  I04x l 0+ 1 8  tentacles have 35 M.D.C. each. 
  Horror Factor: 1 3  from their frightful appearance to those who 
  are not familiar with these gentle beings. Only H.F. 8 for 
  those who come to know the Zebuloids, but that changes 
  back to 1 3  if one faces an angry or evil Zebuloid. 
  P.P.E.: 2D6 
  Average Life Span: 90- 1 20 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Keen, 20/20 vision with polarizing eyelids 
  that automatically engage when needed, excellent hearing 
  (though god only knows where the ears are hidden), high 
  sense of touch, climbs at 98/98% and swims at 88% (maxi­
  mum depth is 600 feet/1 83 m), plus the following special 
  abilities. 
  Special: Pilot Savant: Zebuloids can jump into any kind of 
  vehicle and have a 40% chance of accurately piloting it. Any 
  specific piloting skill a Zebuloid takes gets an additional 
  +20% bonus. It is not uncommon for Zebuloids to have a 
  98% ranking on several piloting skills. 
  Special: Tentacles: The Zebuloid tentacle mass automati­
  cally gives them W.P. Paired Weapons, in addition to the 
  various bonuses listed below. A Zebuloid can stretch its ten­
  tacles to almost 20 feet (6. 1 m), or they can shrink them in so 
  much they fit underneath the alien's bony skull plate. When 
  fully withdrawn, the Zebuloid sort of looks like a big turtle 
  shell on the floor. They have I D4x l 0+ 1 8  tentacles. All are 
  extremely dexterous and have a high sense of touch. When 
  3-6 are used in concert as a separate bundle of tentacles, they 
  can work like hands, or the super-long fmgers of a hand, to 
  manipulate one particular device without skill penalty. Even 
  a single tentacle can use weapons, tools and objects with only 
  a -1 penalty to their normal bonuses and -5% to the perfor­
  mance of a skill. 
  Special: Multi-Tasking, Compartmental Brain: Can per­
  form as many as four separate and distinct tasks simulta­
  neously, such as fly a vehicle, parry and attack, strike back 
  and radio for help all at the same time. 
  Magic: None. The Zebuloids have never shown any interest in 
  arcane matters. 
  63 
  Psionics: Standard. 
  Combat: 14 melee actions or attacks per melee round! 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to likely attribute and skill bo­
  nuses): +4 on initiative, +5 to parry, +4 to dodge, +4 to dis­
  arm, +6 to entangle, +5 to pull punch, and +4 roll with 
  impact. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: None, aside from their inability to wear any 
  kind of body armor. This makes Zebuloids a bit skittish when 
  not in some kind of protective vehicle. 
  Zebuloid Space Nomad or Pilot R.c.c. 
  R.C.C. Skills: Zebuloids are just gifted in certain areas that 
  make them ideal as navigators and pilots. 
  Languages: Three of choice (+1 5%). 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+25%) 
  Astronomy (+20%) 
  Navigation (+20%) 
  Land Navigation (+1 5%) 
  Pilot Spacecraft: Small (+20%) 
  Pilot Spacecraft: General (+20%) 
  Read (& Operate) Sensory Equipment (+20%) 
  Computer Operation (+ 1 5%) 
  Space Contacts (+1 0%) 
  W.P.: Any two of choice. 
  Hand to Hand: None. Can not take a Hand to Hand skill. 
  R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 14 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Communications, Piloting, and Pilot Related. 
  Plus select two other skills at level three, six, nine and 
  twelve. New skills start at first level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any (+5%). 
  Domestic: None. 
  Electrical: None. 
  Espionage: None. 
  Mechanical: Any. 
  Medical: None. 
  Military: Ship to Ship Combat (+ 1 5%) only. 
  Physical: Only space related skills. 
  Pilot: Any (+Savant Piloting bonus of +20%). 
  Pilot Related: Any (+Savant Piloting bonus of +20%). 
  Rogue: Computer Hacking (+ 1 0%), Concealment (+20%), 
  Palming (+20%), Pick Pockets (+5%), Pick Locks, Prowl, 
  and Streetwise only. 
  Science: Any. 
  Technical: Any (+5%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: None. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets four Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels four, eight and 
  twelve. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All 
  Secondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are 
  limited (any, only, none) as previoqsly indicated in the list. 
  Available O.c.c.s (Optional): 
  Instead 
  of 
  selecting 
  the 
  Zebuloid Space Nomad R.C.C. the creature can select any of 
  the following: Spacer, Galactic Tracer, Space Pirate, Runner, 
  Colonist, and virtually any type of space jockey/pilot, navi­
  gator, computer guru or systems operator type O.C.C. 
  Weapons & Equipment: By O.C.C. A Space Nomad will have 
  a portable computer, language translator, backpack, and other 
  basic gear. 
  
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Zebuloids do not like bionics and cy­
  bernetics and will avoid getting them, even if they are com­
  mon among their chosen O.C.C. 
  Money: Zebuloid Space Nomads can earn a pile 0' money as an 
  exceptional navigator or pilot, but start with 2D6x l ,000 cred­
  its or by O.C.C. 
  Altess R.C.C.s 
  The Altess Dynasty has, through genetic engineering and 
  breeding techniques, refined its people into a slightly more 
  evolved version of the human race. These are the Altess, and 
  they are, according to the Dynasty, the new face of humanity it­
  self. On the surface, there is nothing unusual about them except 
  they are especially good looking and physically fit. However, 
  they possess attributes and abilities far beyond the range of ordi­
  nary humans, as anybody who has tangled with one can attest. 
  The Altess 
  Attributes: I.Q. 2D6+ 12, M.E. 2D6+ 1 0, M.A. 4D6, P.S. 
  2D6+10 (supernatural), 
  P.P. 2D6+ 12, P.E. 2D6+1 0, 
  P.B. 
  3D6+9, Spd. 2D6+ 12 
  Size: Six feet, six inches (1 .95 m) tall. 
  Weight: 140- 1 80 Ibs (63 to 81 kg). 
  Mega-Damage Creature: I D4x l 0  +P.E. attribute number and 
  ID6 M.D.C. per level of experience. 
  Awe Factor: 10 
  P.P.E.: 4D6 
  Average Life Span: 250 years. 
  Natural Abilities: Same as normal humans but all are at the top 
  level, i.e. perfect 20/20 vision, keen hearing, etc. They also 
  bio-regenerate I D4 M.D.C. per hour. 
  Magic: By O.C.C. only. However, the vast majority of Altess 
  never pursue the mystic arts. 
  Psionics: Standard, though each Altess gets a bonus of + 1 0% 
  when rolling to determine psychic ability. 
  Com bat: Three attacks per melee or by Hand to Hand Combat 
  skill. 
  R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to likely attribute and skill bo­
  nuses): +1 attack per melee, +2 on initiative, +2 to strike, 
  parry and dodge, +3 to pull punch, + 1 to disarm and entan­
  gle, + 1 to roll with punch, fall or impact, +2 to all saving 
  throws, and +20% to save vs coma/death. 
  R.C.C. Penalties: None per se, except that most Altess possess 
  a jaded, superior attitude that makes Star Elves look humble 
  in comparison. To their way of thinking, the Altess are the 
  supermen destined to one day control the universe. Only they 
  are so smug and secure, and so insulated by vast wealth and 
  power, that they generally do nothing to advance their race's 
  station in the Anvil Galaxy. As a result, the average Altess is 
  lazy and non-productive, and far more likely to pay some­
  body to do something for him than to do something for him­
  self. That is why, despite their potential as soldiers and 
  champions, so few ever do anything with their lives aside 
  from sip wine, hold dinner parties, engage in petty contests 
  and challenges to prove their superiority in mind and body, 
  and check up on their investment portfolios. 
  64 
  Altess Noble R.C.C.: This is what the Altess really seem to 
  think they are cut out for - a life of living in luxury, enjoying 
  the fmer things, and generally distancing one's self from ad­
  versity and hardship as much as possible. For the Altess, that 
  distance can be quite large, leading these haughty nobles to 
  become a bit detached from reality. As a result, they tend to 
  believe that they have a right to absolutely whatever they 
  want, that everybody is beneath them, and that the sooner the 
  Altess control everything, the better off the universe (or at 
  least the Anvil Galaxy) will be. 
  R.C.C. Skills: 
  Basic and Advanced Math (+20%) 
  Languages: Three of choice (+20%). 
  Lore: Galactic/Alien (+ 1 5%) 
  Law: Space (+1 0%) 
  Art (+15%) 
  Breed Dogs (+1 5%) 
  Falconry (+ 1 0%) 
  History (+1 5%) 
  Research (+ 1 5%) 
  Seduction (+20%) 
  Hand to Hand: Basic, but may upgrade to Expert at the cost 
  of one "other" skill or Martial Arts or Assassin (if Anarchist 
  or evil) at the cost of two "other" skills. 
  R.C.c. Related Skills: Select 14 other skills, but at least two 
  must be from Electrical and two from Technical. Plus select 
  two skills at levels three, seven, ten and thirteen. New skills 
  start at first level proficiency. 
  Communications: Any. 
  Domestic: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Electrical: Any. 
  Espionage: 
  Any 
  (+5%; 
  Altess 
  love 
  intrigue 
  and 
  backstabbing). 
  Mechanical: Any. 
  Medical: Any. 
  Military: Military Etiquette and Recognize Weapon Quality 
  only. 
  Physical: Any (+5% where applicable). 
  Pilot: Any (+5%). 
  Pilot Related: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Rogue: Any (+5% to most, but + 13% to Seduction). 
  Science: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  Technical: Any (+ 1 0%). 
  W.P.: Any. 
  Wilderness: Any. 
  Secondary Skills: The character gets six Secondary Skills at 
  level one, and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 
  1 5 .  There are additional areas of knowledge that do not get 
  the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses. All Sec-
  
  65 
  ondary Skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are lim­
  ited (any, only, none) as previously indicated in the list. 
  Available O.C.C.s (Optional): Well over 85% of all Altess opt 
  for the Altess Noble R.C.C., which stresses leisure pursuits 
  more than anything. The remainder either become some kind 
  of skilled expert or "specialist," typically a know-it-all 
  scholar/adventurer. Occasionally an Altess may take up espi­
  onage or become a man at arms. If the latter case, they usu­
  ally join the Armoria - the Altess Dynasty's armed forces. 
  However, less than one percent take a military career, though 
  3% enjoy spy work and espionage. 
  Weapons & Equipment: If they are on their home world, it is a 
  safe bet an Altess Noble can get his hands on whatever weap­
  ons or equipment he needs. Adventuresome player characters 
  can tap their formidable wealth to buy any necessary weap­
  ons, armor, gear or vehicles. 
  Bionics & Cybernetics: Altess Nobles fmd these things to be 
  the height of kitsch. No matter how much one conceals the 
  nature of an artificial body part or implant, the truth remains 
  that one is partly mechanical, and that simply is not up to 
  style. Injured Altess generally opt for expensive medical re­
  generation to replace lost body parts rather than rely on bion­
  ics or cybernetics. Of course, soldiers in the Armoria have no 
  such compunction, and readily mod themselves out. Armoria 
  characters may start with up to 2D6 different implants, fea­
  tures and cyber-weapons. 
  Money: Altess Noble Non-Player Characters (NPCs) have at 
  their disposal between three and eighteen million credits 
  (3D6xl ,000,000)! By adventurers standards, this is a huge 
  amount of money, but for the average Altess, it is just a day's 
  petty cash. For Altess Nobles out on their own, their money 
  is their power. They do not like to fight, they like to buy their 
  way out of things. As a result, this money might very well 
  dwindle rapidly as an Altess gets in and out of scrapes. Or, 
  the Altess Noble could use this cash to fund adventurers, ex­
  plorers or henchmen (Le. the player characters) for his further 
  gain, personal enjoyment or machinations, or secret intrigues 
  or petty vengeance. Obviously, this kind of crazy money can 
  upset game balance which is why only NPCs and villains 
  should have these kinds of resources (Altess pulling the 
  strings behind the scenes make excellent villains). Even then, 
  the NPC should not be the player group's private backer with 
  an endless pocket, and the Altess is likely to turn on them or 
  place them in a position where they must defy or act against 
  their benefactor/employer at some point - after all, they are 
  expendable inferiors. Note: A player character is either an 
  Altess who is undercover, slumming or a (at least temporary) 
  social outcast for 
  some despicable reason, with "only" 
  I D4xl OO,OOO credits to his or her name and about 60,000 
  credits worth of equipment from weapons and armor to vehi­
  cles and wardrobe already purchased. 
  
  The Halo 
  The outermost portion of the Anvil Galaxy, and the area most 
  accommodating to carbon-based life forms such as humans and 
  the other main races of the Phase World® setting, the Halo, is 
  where much of the action is. The many different power blocs 
  here vie for supremacy against each other just as much as they 
  try to outwit and outpace each other in the race to discover and 
  obtain the Cosmic Forge. Not only that, but Cosmo-Knights and 
  their various allies and rivals have begun gathering forces within 
  the Halo, ostensibly for a massed exploration or assault of the 
  Threshold. Until they do, they are in the Halo, and all of the po­
  tential for conflict and catastrophe that comes with them is, for 
  the moment, also the problem of the Halo's denizens. Add to 
  this already unstable mix a healthy dose of deadly galactic phe­
  nomena, the ever-present threat of attack by unknown aliens, the 
  presence of magic and inter-dimensional anomalies, as well as a 
  hundred other hazards not yet encountered or catalogued, and 
  the Halo is indeed a very exciting, amazing and dangerous place 
  in which to live. For many of the heroes and hardcases who call 
  the Halo their home, that very danger is what they like most 
  about the place. 
  The Powers That Be 
  There are literally thousands of different governments, alli­
  ances, civilizations and societies extant within the Halo alone. 
  Most of these control only a single planet or at best, a single so­
  lar system. The Halo contains millions and millions of stars -
  solar systems with or without planets - thus it stands to reason 
  that there are more "small political powers" here than could rea­
  sonably be counted. These Independent Systems, as they are 
  called, only make up a small portion of the Halo. The rest of it is 
  controlled by nine superpowers referred to as Power Blocs. 
  These are the real movers and shakers of the Halo and much of 
  the Anvil Galaxy. When they go to war, the entire galaxy shud­
  ders. When power blocs like these experiences great prosperity, 
  then so does the rest of the galaxy. For many Minor Powers, 
  dwelling in the shadow of such impressive power blocs can be 
  intimidating and perhaps even a little frustrating, since these 
  mighty nine groups do so much to dictate politics, economics, 
  e 
  and the overall mood of the Anvil Galaxy. In the long run, Mi­
  nor Powers deal with the major Power Blocs the way one might 
  when living at the foot of a great mountain chain. One gets used 
  to living amongst forces far greater than he, and must be content 
  with what they can do themselves. 
  66 
  The nine power blocs of the Halo include: 
  The Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW). The premier 
  civilization of the Anvil Galaxies, and indeed of the Three Gal­
  axies. A loose federation of worlds, the CCW is a major force of 
  freedom, justice, equality and opposition to tyranny in this and 
  the other of the Three Galaxies. 
  The Trans-Galactic Empire (TGE). A huge and oppressive 
  government that rivals the CCW in its scope and power, the 
  TGE is dominated by the evil Kreeghor, aliens bent on conquer­
  ing all of the Three Galaxies and setting themselves as absolute 
  rulers of everything. 
  The United Worlds of Warlock (UWW). The third largest 
  power in the galaxy, the UWW is the top civilization in which 
  magic plays an important role. Thanks to their ongoing magical 
  experimentation, the UWW has become unusually powerful and 
  prosperous, considering how young and relatively small their 
  civilization is (for a top-flight Power Bloc, anyway). 
  The Cosmo-Knights. While not a power bloc or a political 
  entity per se, the Cosmo-Knights have, for reasons they do not 
  discuss outside of their order, converged on the Anvil Galaxy in 
  greater numbers than ever before. For those who would hatch a 
  crazy plot of galactic domination, or some other crime, the 
  chances are good that if such deeds would affect an entire world 
  or solar system, at least one Cosmo-Knight would arrive to get 
  involved. The exception to this is entering magic-rich worlds, 
  which might be peaceful, but whose eldritch energies still pose a 
  threat to the mighty Cosmo-Knights. 
  Naruni Enterprises. Easily the Three Galaxies' largest sin­
  gle manufacturer of military technology, Naruni Enterprises 
  holds a virtual monopoly on arms dealing in the Anvil Galaxy. 
  They are challenged only by the Hartigal Combine, an organiza­
  tion that Naruni created itself and now faces rebellion from. 
  The Hartigal Combine. Formed as a subsidiary of Naruni 
  Enterprises' s  Research & Development Division, the Hartigal 
  Combine has broken away from Naruni and has established their 
  own base of factories and sales channels. All they really do is 
  
  knock off Naruni technology and sell it at a much lower price, 
  and for that, Naruni has sworn to destroy them. 
  The Golgan Republik. Once an enormous civilization of 
  peace-loving aliens, the Golgans were beset by enemies and ma­
  rauders from all sides and very nearly destroyed. Now they are 
  an aggressive, suspicious lot bent on absorbing as many other 
  worlds around them as possible, so they might have a buffer 
  zone against further incursions. Only the Golgans themselves 
  are dying, and what remains of their civilization is rapidly un­
  raveling. 
  The Altess Dynasty. The longest-lived human civilization in 
  the Anvil Galaxy, the Altess Dynasty is ruled by a race of ad­
  vanced humans who have unlocked the key to longevity and 
  lazy power. They claim to be direct descendants from The First, 
  but then again, so do a lot of other civilizations. The thing is, the 
  Altess might actually have the means to prove their claim, and 
  to many alien civilizations, this makes the Altess very danger­
  ous. 
  The Central Alliance. A motley assortment of balkanized 
  and warlike worlds brought together only by the sole military 
  exploits of the gladiator-despot Ogor Noldek, who has person­
  ally conquered the worlds he controls, and has made cybernetic 
  enhancement a virtual requirement for citizenship. The Alliance 
  makes a small splash on the galactic politics stage, but the killer 
  cyborgs this society produces are among some of the most ea­
  gerly sought after mercenaries and killers in the Anvil Galaxy. 
  The Consortium 
  of Civilized Worlds 
  Population: 7 trillion sentient beings total, 2. 1 trillion in the 
  Anvil Galaxy. 
  Demographics: 2 1 %  Human, 20% Noro, 14% Wulfen, 1 1% 
  Catyr, 1 0% Seljuk, 24% Other (over 200 races, each of which 
  comprises less than I % of the total population); in the Anvil 
  Galaxy, three of the most prominent of these races include the 
  Durosk, Faustians and Iborians, which are fully described in the 
  Aliens section of this sourcebook. 
  Overview 
  The CCW is the largest and most influential civilization of 
  the Three Galaxies, matched only by the Trans-Galactic Empire 
  (TGE). Founded several centuries ago through the union of the 
  human and Noro civilizations, the CCW received an early bap­
  tism of fIre in its conflicts with the TGE. In the aftermath of that 
  largely inconclusive conflict, the Consortium has opened its 
  arms to any worthy civilization that wishes to join its ranks. 
  The CCW' s main goals are self-defense and peacekeeping. It 
  rules through the principles of "enlightened self-interest," and 
  minimizes its intrusions in the affairs of individual governments. 
  Member planets are free to conduct their own governments, 
  laws and societies as they see fIt, as long as certain rights are 
  preserved for all citizens. For example: Slavery is forbidden 
  throughout the Consortium's planets and citizens cannot be im­
  prisoned or executed without a trial. In theory, all Consortium 
  members are models of freedom and harmony. In practice, some 
  worlds are ruled by exploitative dictatorships or other oppres-
  67 
  sive governments who use loopholes in the loose laws of the 
  CCW to oppress their people. 
  The Consortium comprises 23 1 member races and about 
  1 00 associated races spread over 5,000 inhabitable planets, 
  thousands of space stations, bases and terra-forming colonies on 
  hostile worlds. "Member races" include any space-faring spe­
  cies who control a planet belonging to the CCW. Many of these 
  species control only one planet and may have just learned to 
  build simple spacecraft. Member races are given full citizenship 
  rights and can conduct their own affairs as they see fIt, as long 
  as they respect the bylaws of the Consortium. 
  Associated races are alien species whose civilizations are 
  technologically 
  underdeveloped. 
  A 
  strict 
  policy 
  of 
  noninterference is enforced on those worlds, limiting contact to 
  a few small trading and scientifIc outposts. Such restrictions in 
  trade and communication with other worlds are monitored and 
  enforced by the Consortium Authority. Associated races are pro­
  tected by the CCW's armed forces. When they reach the appro­
  priate level of technology, they are 
  invited to join the 
  Consortium as full members, but are free to declare independ­
  ence if they wish to do so. 
  The CCW in the Anvil Galaxy is on more of a military stand­
  ing than in the Corkscrew or Thundercloud Galaxies because of 
  the Forge War. Local CCW commanders have devoted a fair 
  amount of military and other government resources to search for 
  the Cosmic Forge as well as to keep tabs on the TGE' s activi­
  ties, and to encourage many of the smaller independent civiliza­
  tions of the galaxy to ally with the CCW rather than with the 
  TGE or some other force. In this regard, the Consortium tends to 
  play a little more hardball than it ordinarily would. The GSA 
  (Galactic Security Agency), the CCW' s equivalent of the CIA, 
  NSA and FBI rolled up into one, has been extremely busy and 
  can be found in strength pretty much anywhere the CCW has a 
  hold. Since they don't want to provoke a war with the 
  KreeghorffGE, the CCW thought that to get things done it 
  would expand its espionage base and flood their domain with 
  covert GSA operatives who, with their skill and special abilities, 
  can do much to thwart the TGE and speed the Consortium' s  pur­
  suit of the Cosmic Forge without letting the TGE know that the 
  heat is on. 
  In many CCW sectors, GSA offices are authorized to hire in­
  dependent contractors on a temporary basis. Such freelancers 
  are used most often for missions where "plausible deniability" is 
  required, and where the operative probably doesn't stand a good 
  chance of surviving (though they don't tell the hired mercenar­
  ies and adventurers that last part). In some sectors, the GSA of­
  fice relies on freelancers so heavily that they practically are the 
  GSA. Sometimes this works well, but mostly it is a recipe for 
  disaster. Efficiency goes down, corruption goes up, and TGE in­
  fIltration becomes an epidemic. 
  Ironically, the search for the Cosmic Forge has stunted scien­
  tific development in the CCW, largely because funding is going 
  into the military and the GSA. For most scientists to continue 
  their work, they must fmd alternate funding somehow. In many 
  cases, promising new technologies remain half fmished while 
  the CCW continues its high-stakes and expensive game against 
  the TGE. The scientifIc community can only hope that when the 
  Forge War cools off, they will receive their funding once more 
  and the CCW can continue its otherwise steady march towards 
  
  better technology in all fields - transportation, communica­
  tions, medicine, weapons and armor, field generation, cybernet­
  ics, holographics, and so on. 
  CCW Government 
  The Consortium of Civilized Worlds is not as organized or 
  controlled as a typical nation from 20th Century Earth. In some 
  ways, it is similar to the American Confederacy during the Civil 
  War; a loose alliance of "states" that has limited authority over 
  the internal affairs of its members. All members of the Consor­
  tium must become signatories of the Civilization Compact. The 
  Compact is a pledge to follow a number of basic guidelines. If 
  those guidelines are ignored, the signatory planet can be ex­
  pelled from the Consortium, or its government may be removed 
  by force. 
  The rules of the Civilization Compact are fairly simple and 
  not very detailed, since they are meant to cover many different 
  races, cultures and civilizations. Like all laws, the Civilization 
  Compact is often ignored, sidestepped, or broken. Several dozen 
  worlds ruled by dictatorships or other exploitative and repres­
  sive governments are members of the Consortium. While slav­
  ery is illegal, in many places people become wage slaves, 
  making barely enough to survive, or are eternally in debt to their 
  employers. Some unscrupulous entrepreneurs quietly engage in 
  limited slave trade outside of CCW space. Overall, however, 
  most planets follow both the letter and the spirit of the Civiliza­
  tion Compact. There are four prime tenets to the Compact, oth­
  erwise known as the Four Freedoms. They are: 
  2) Freedom From Conquest. No Consortium member may 
  engage in the conquest or colonization of other worlds without 
  the consent of the Consortium at large. Violent conquest of 
  other planets is expressively forbidden by the Compact and it 
  cannot be carried out under any circumstances. Pennission to 
  colonize uninhabited worlds is usually granted, but such activi­
  ties are monitored to ensure that the planet does not have intelli­
  gent races or even the potential to evolve intelligent species who 
  may be compromised by the colonization process. 
  3) Freedom From Anarchy. All signatory worlds must be 
  represented by a planetary government. In special cases, only an 
  area of a planet is granted membership to the Consortium and 
  the rest of the world is left out of its jurisdiction. Ordinarily 
  though, balkanized worlds are refused membership to the CCW. 
  Likewise, member worlds that enter into civil war have a five 
  year grace period to cease hostilities and reunite their civiliza­
  tion or they will face expulsion. This threat of exile is often 
  enough to get warring nations to broker peace for the greater 
  good of the world. 
  4) Freedom From Tyranny. All signatories must pledge to 
  respect a number of certain rights, including the right to prop­
  erty, the right to a fair trial, and the right to elect government 
  representatives. In the Anvil Galaxy, this Tenet has been ex­
  panded to include the right to personal expression, the right to 
  worship freely, and the right to bear arms. 
  In addition to the Compact, each member world has its own 
  fonn of government. Several hundred planets are also organized 
  in sub-confederations of their own. The three biggest ones are 
  the Human Alliance, the Noro Federation and the Wulfen Re­
  public, each of which represents over a hundred planets and tril­
  lions of inhabitants. 
  There are three government branches in the Consortium of 
  Civilized Worlds: The Consortium Congress, the Ministries, and 
  the Galactic Courts. The CCW Congress proposes and ap­
  proves laws and has representatives from all member planets. 
  The number of Members of Congress (MCs) per planet is deter­
  mined by the total population, economical, political and military 
  contributions to the CCW and a number of other factors. The 
  congress 
  then 
  elects 
  a 
  smaller number of Congressional 
  Speakers who cannot exceed two hundred. It is they who do 
  most of the debating on important issues. Laws are voted upon 
  by the entire congress, with a two-thirds majority being needed 
  to pass a law or proposal. Predictably, this system often makes it 
  impossible to reach important decisions quickly. 
  The CCW Ministries are a number of political offices 
  elected by representatives in a galactic-wide general election 
  held every six Standard years. The Prime Minister is somewhat 
  similar to a president, with the power to issue executive orders, 
  pass decrees and declare war. There are also about a dozen other 
  Ministers, including Defense, Interplanetary Affairs, and Dis­
  covery and Development, but their decisions can be overruled 
  by the Prime Minister. However, overruling the edicts of a Min­
  istry is not done lightly and can be taken to the Congress for ar­
  bitration. 
  Finally, the CCW Galactic Courts enforce the laws of the 
  1) Freedom From Slavery. Slavery is outlawed in all Con-
  Consortium. A large corps of judges and public attorneys is es-
  sortium planets and territories. Slaves may not be owned, sold 
  tablished through the Consortium planets. There are two courts 
  or transported in Consortium space and any slaves who are 
  of appeals and a supreme court in each sector. A judicial sector 
  found there are considered to be free people and are automati-
  comprises 2-40 planets, depending on their size and population. 
  cally granted asylum by CCW authorities. 
  These two courts can overturn laws they fmd unconstitutional. 
  68 
  
  Alphabet Soup: 
  the CAF, GSA and TVIA 
  There are also three government organizations that have in­
  fluence and jurisdiction on all member planets and the associ­
  ated worlds. They are the Consortium Armed Forces (CAF), the 
  Galactic Security Agency (GSA) and the Treaty Violation Inves­
  tigation Agency (TVIA). Many citizens and government offi­
  cials refer to these entities as part of the Consortium's "alphabet 
  soup" - all of the agencies referred to by acronym rather by 
  name. By that logic, the CCW itself might be lumped in with the 
  alphabet soup, as well as the Consortium' s  many Independent 
  Defense Forces (IDFs), described in the next section. 
  The CAF (Consortium Armed Forces) protect the space 
  ways and act as the equivalent of the Coast Guard. In addition to 
  the space fleet, it has garrisons at every member planet to assist 
  in matters of defense and security. Ordinarily, the CAF cannot 
  intervene in the domestic affairs of member worlds, unless or­
  dered to do so by the Consortium. However, things being how 
  they are in the Anvil Galaxy, the Consortium Congress recently 
  passed an emergency resolution authorizing CAF generals to 
  conduct temporary "interdictions" on member worlds if there is 
  reason to believe that a threat to the Consortium at large is pres­
  ent there. Examples include the presence of a terrorist network 
  with the ability to destroy a planet, a large group of Kreeghor in­
  filtrators, or the presence of some new alien staging an invasion 
  route into CCW space. Naturally, 
  locals don't like these 
  interdictions and claim they are just the fIrSt step in a long slide 
  towards tyranny on the Congress' part. Time will tell on that 
  one. 
  Aside from emergency interdiction, intervention on a mem­
  ber planet can only be authorized by a two-thirds majority of the 
  Consortium Congress. More common reasons for interventions 
  might include crises that seem to threaten only that planet, such 
  as political instability, economic meltdown, a rampant disease, 
  natural disaster, pirate or mercenary attack, etc. The CAF is also 
  involved in the further exploration of the rest of the Three Gal­
  axies and beyond. 
  The CAF is not all guns and glory, however. Fully half of its 
  strength is devoted to its exploration arm, known as the Discov­
  ery Corps. Members of the Discovery Corps are among the best 
  trained and famous members of the CAF. The majority are 
  trained officers with years of experience in space travel and ex­
  ploration. The Corps are the brave souls who are spearheading 
  the hands-on search for the Cosmic Forge. This includes travel­
  ing to worlds to dig up leads, scouting out possible worlds that 
  may bear evidence of the Cosmic Forge' s  location, and crossing 
  the Threshold to conduct explorations of the Core. The Discov­
  ery Corps has also been saddled with the occasional reconnais­
  sance mission into TGE space to keep tabs on what the 
  Kreeghor are up to. Discovery Corps scouts loathe such duty, 
  claiming they are explorers, not spies. To the other half of the 
  CAF and to the GSA, there is little difference between the two 
  in this atmosphere of impending conflict. 
  Besides the CAF, the Consortium has the GSA (Galactic Se­
  curity Agency) that serves a number of special functions. The 
  agency acts as a planetary police force that is roughly the equiv­
  alent of the FBI. This police force investigates violations of the 
  Civilization Compact, acts of espionage and terrorism, smug-
  69 
  gling (especially the smuggling, sale and possession of harmful 
  drugs, weapons and slaves), and other criminal activity that af­
  fects or involves more than one planet or people. The GSA also 
  has a covert operations arm that conducts its own intelli­
  gence-gathering (spy) operations on other worlds. It is roughly 
  equivalent to the CIA. As mentioned before, in the Anvil Gal­
  axy, the GSA has received enormous funding in light of the 
  Forge War, and they are perhaps the single largest government 
  agency in the CCW in terms of personnel. Most of what the 
  GSA does is top secret, however, so most citizens do not know 
  that the GSA is as big as it is, nor do they know what they are 
  up to. However, the GSA has been a little too good at covering 
  its tracks, for there is just about no information on these guys 
  whatsoever, which is a red flag to investigative journalists that 
  clearly, the GSA are hiding plenty. For those few in the know, 
  this has led to the joke that "GSA" really stands for "Got Se­
  crets, Anyone?" (G.M. Note: GSA agents typically receive in­
  tensive training and whatever equipment or cybernetics they 
  require. They are the best of the best in the galactic intelligence 
  business, and they are very tough customers. They make for 
  great Non-Player Characters as well as player characters, so 
  don't discount the prospect of a GSA-intensive campaign, espe­
  cially if you enjoy spy adventures and covert ops in space.) 
  TVIA (Treaty Violation Investigation Agency): The Con­
  sortium enforces the Civilization Compact through the Treaty 
  Violation Investigation Agency. The TVIA is charged with dis­
  covering any violations of the Civilization Compact and other 
  treaties and agreements, both within the CCW and between the 
  Consortium and other planetary governments. Their chief mis­
  sion is to ensure that primitive peoples are not exploited, en­
  slaved or defrauded by the citizens, businesses and governments 
  of the CCW. Inspectors make periodic visits to associated plan­
  ets and often place agents undercover among possible treaty vio­
  lators. The TVIA has often been charged with being corrupt and 
  subject to bribery and petty internal politics. As a result, the 
  Agency is now spending almost as much time policing itself as 
  it is watching treaty violators. However, TVIA Internal Affairs 
  is almost as corrupt as the very offenders it is policing, making a 
  bad situation worse. With impending war against the TGE, how­
  ever, cleaning up the TVIA, or enforcing the Compact is actu­
  ally a fairly low priority for the CCW's top officials. They are 
  too busy focusing on the Cosmic Forge and the Forge War and 
  all those things they entail. Depending on how the future plays 
  out, the CCW's overt neglect of upholding its own Compact 
  might return to haunt them and threaten the stability of the entire 
  Consortium. 
  Independent Defense Forces (IDFs) 
  Although the Consortium Armed Forces (CAF) keep garri­
  sons on or near most member planets of the CCW, the organiza­
  tion simply does not have the manpower and funds to fully 
  protect every planet. In the Anvil Galaxy, those systems border­
  ing TGE territories have rather large forces in place, leaving the 
  more "interior" systems to fend for themselves. That is okay by 
  these member worlds, since they generally prefer to have a rela­
  tively small CAF detachment that can deal with major threats 
  but which aren't large or powerful enough to become a law unto 
  themselves. (Again, the systems bordering the TGE feel a little 
  differently since they live on what will become a front line, so 
  they want all the CAF units around them that they can get.) 
  
  For local protection, most member planets and planetary col­
  lectives have Independent Defense Forces, the Consortium' s 
  equivalent of a militia or National Guard. The IDFs are account­
  able to the government that funds them, and not to the CAF, al­
  though in an emergency, the CCW Congress can "draft" any and 
  all IDFs into the regular armed forces. The mission of the IDF is 
  to defend planets from outside threats. They do not have police 
  or patrol powers and cannot operate beyond a planet's star sys­
  tem, 
  except 
  when 
  "deputized" 
  by 
  a 
  CAF 
  officer. 
  IDF 
  deputization is typically reserved for recruiting additional forces 
  to chase pirates, mercenaries or other belligerents who have hit a 
  member planet and fled the system, requiring a chaselhunt and 
  out-of-system confrontation. Rather than try to coordinate with 
  the IDFs of any system the fugitives might flee to, the CAF sim­
  ply deputizes the IDF of the victimized planet to go after the bad 
  guys, with strict CAF supervision, of course. So far, this method 
  works well, since IDFs do not like to ride roughshod over other 
  worlds, and when they do track their quarry to a specific planet, 
  then they work jointly with the local IDF to finish the job. 
  IDFs have their own uniforms, weapons and equipment. 
  Some imitate CAF designs, often purchasing surplus uniforms 
  and vehicles and then altering them slightly to distinguish them. 
  Others prefer to make their troops stand out, and have com­
  pletely different gear. At the "core worlds" of the CCW, where 
  raids and other threats are almost unheard of, the IDFs are little 
  more than a paramilitary club in which storekeepers, students 
  and young professionals get to play soldier a few times a year in 
  return for tax credits or scholarship opportunities. On frontier 
  planets where the danger of violence is very real, the IDFs are as 
  well-trained and equipped as the planet can afford. Naruni En­
  terprises often supplies IDFs within the Consortium. However, 
  most CCW members distrust the trans-dimensional weapon 
  dealers, so many of them make do with obsolete CAF ships and 
  weapons purchased at very low prices and with generous credit 
  terms granted by the government. A few have established weap­
  ons contracts with Hartigal Manufacturing for cut-rate Naruni 
  tech, but the CAF frowns on this as it gets the Naruni bent out of 
  shape. And, since the CAF and Naruni are major trading part­
  ners, the CAF is willing to step on a few IDFs' toes to keep their 
  Naruni counterparts happy. 
  A few planets use the IDF as a private army with which to 
  twist or avoid the Four Freedoms of the Compact. On a few oc­
  casions, rivalries or disputes between two worlds have ended vi­
  olently when the IDFs of one or both planets involved decided 
  70 
  to take matters into their own hands. There have even been 
  some incidents when an IDF fired upon CAF ships or personnel !  
  These have been isolated cases, however, since the largest IDF 
  in the Consortium is only a fraction of the size of the CAF, and 
  no planetary defense force could hope to successfully defy the 
  CAF in the field of battle for long. Eventually the vast numeri­
  cal superiority of the CAF would win, but the CCW does not 
  like fighting its own worlds. It would rather blockade offending 
  planets and starve them into submission, if at all possible. 
  Veterans of an IDF often move on to service in the CAF and 
  vice versa. There is some degree of animosity between the two 
  military forces, however. Many CAF officers distrust IDFs, see­
  ing them as armies that are loyal to their local interests frrst and 
  to the Consortium as a whole, second. Several IDFs view the 
  CAF as an impersonal war machine that does not care about the 
  fate of one planet as long as the greater whole is preserved. 
  Former IDF forces and personnel who dislike the CAF have a 
  strong tendency to form their own private security companies, 
  providing military solutions for large multi-planetary clients 
  (governments without an army or big companies or super-rich 
  individuals). While these organizations like to think of them­
  selves as legitimate security experts, the CAF views them as 
  mercenaries and borderline criminals to be monitored very 
  closely. It is a good bet that every such security company has an 
  extensive GSA file on them and their chief personnel. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The TGE is the CCW' s main rival, 
  and the two have been locked in an intractable state of cold war 
  for as long as anyone cares to remember. The state of hostilities 
  between these two superpowers of the Three Galaxies is seen by 
  many to be a barometer of the overall political stability of the 
  region. At the heart of this conflict is a single unalterable truth: 
  the Kreeghor-dominated TGE will not rest until it conquers the 
  Three Galaxies. To expect anything else from the Kreeghor is 
  like expecting a sun not to bum or water not to flow. The 
  Kreeghor are creatures of war, and every molecule of their being 
  cries out to fight and conquer, and as long as they continue to 
  control the TGE, that civilization will remain on a permanent 
  war footing. Unless equally powerful groups like the CCW op­
  pose them, the CCW believes, the TGE would ride roughshod 
  over the whole Three Galaxies (true), and so it is the CCW' s 
  duty both as a beacon of justice and out of self-preservation to 
  counter the TGE's every move, especially in the Anvil Galaxy 
  
  where the goal for this struggle is ultimate power itself: the ac­
  quisition of the Cosmic Forge. 
  In the news and entertainment of the Consortium, the Empire 
  is presented as an evil, monster-ruled civilization where massa­
  cres and other atrocities are commonplace (an exaggeration, but 
  with more than a grain of truth). The GSA covert operations 
  branch spends most of its efforts secretly aiding the Free World 
  Council and its freedom fighters, as well as spies on the Empire 
  regularly. By the same token, a number of TGE Imperial spies 
  also operate in the CCW, causing terrorism and unrest. Of 
  course, both sides claim they are helping "freedom fighters" 
  while their enemies support terrorists. Tensions remain high be­
  tween these two collectives and many analysts believe that war 
  is inevitable. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: The CCW and the United 
  Worlds of Warlock have several treaties of mutual assistance, 
  trade and even defense in the event of a major galactic threat. 
  However, the Forge War has made relations between the UWW 
  and the CCW a little strained, because both blocs want to fmd 
  the Cosmic Forge before the other does, and both have their 
  own particular edges to the race. The UWW can cross the 
  Threshold more easily, while the CCW can scour the Halo for 
  clues more efficiently due to its greater resources. Both power 
  blocs distrust the TGE, and on that regard, the two will gladly 
  ally to contain the Kreeghor and keep them from obtaining the 
  Cosmic Forge. 
  Naruni Enterprises: The CAF is a major Naruni client, es­
  pecially in the Anvil Galaxy, where the CCW's military budget 
  has been cranked into overdrive to keep the TGE in line. Thanks 
  to the CCW's high wealth, they can afford to buy in great quan­
  tity from the Naruni, and piece by piece, they are replacing 
  home-developed 
  CCW 
  weapons 
  and 
  technology 
  with 
  off-the-shelf Naruni tech. While the Naruni are gleefully rub­
  bing their hands at how much money they are making off the 
  CCW, 
  what 
  they 
  do 
  not 
  know 
  is 
  the 
  CCW 
  is 
  re­
  verse-engineering everything they buy from N aruni and are 
  building entire factory worlds to produce this technology them­
  selves. The Naruni's money train is about to derail, and the 
  CCW (the GSA, specifically) is prepared to take the Naruni 
  down a few pegs if the trans-dimensional company decides to 
  get nasty about it. Lest the Naruni forget, they are a powerful 
  commercial concern, but the CCW is a galactic government. 
  They could squash Naruni like the bugs they are if they so de­
  sired. And if pushed to it, they will. 
  Hartigal Combine: This renegade offshoot of Naruni Enter­
  prises is, in the short run, a thorn in the side for the CCW, since 
  numerous IDFs are buying a great number of weapons from 
  Hartigal in order to get more mileage out of their modest mili­
  tary budgets. Naruni Enterprises does not like this, and routinely 
  requests the CCW to stop this sort of "manufacturing piracy" 
  wherever it is detected. In response, the CCW seizes Hartigal fa­
  cilities and inventories under the pretense of freezing the com­
  pany's assets until it can decide what to do. Invariably, the 
  CCW ends up confiscating the items and distributing them 
  amongst the IDF that bought them in the first place, or giving 
  them to GSA covert units. Since the CCW is about to freeze the 
  Naruni out of their lucrative weapons deals anyway, they have 
  little sympathy for the arms merchants' claims that Hartigal is 
  ripping them off. 
  71 
  Golgan Republik: The CCW feels that the Golgans' expan­
  sionist tendencies make them a little too much like the TGE for 
  their taste, and so they keep their distance from this mildly re­
  pressive and paranoid state. The CCW does keep tabs on the 
  Golgan situation, however, and they realize the Republik might 
  fracture at any moment. If and when it does, the GSA will be on 
  the scene to entreat the remnant states to consider Consortium 
  membership, if only to deny the same opportunity to the TGE. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Altess are intermittent members of the 
  CCW, coming and going as they please. The frustrating thing 
  about it for the Consortium is they can never figure out why the 
  Altess join and then resign their CCW status. They make no 
  treaty or Compact violations, they just seem to decide to join or 
  quit on a whim. 
  Central Alliance: The CCW sees the Central Alliance for 
  what it really is: a collection of gladiator worlds populated by 
  attack cyborgs too fascinated with their own onboard weaponry 
  to govern themselves properly or make a really beneficial im­
  pact on the Anvil Galaxy. The Central Alliance is probably the 
  only major power bloc not actively seeking the Cosmic Forge. 
  They are content to fight amongst themselves, and so the CCW 
  leaves them to their own devices. GSA agents routinely infil­
  trate the Central Alliance to steal the secrets of their unusual cy­
  bernetic technology, and to keep tabs on the government and 
  CA society. 
  Cosmo-Knights: The Cosmo-Knights are recognized by the 
  CCW as a law enforcement agency, as long as any and all 
  Cosmo-Knights operating in CCW space are "Bonded Dep­
  uties." A bonded deputy is an authorized agent who knows and 
  implements 
  the 
  laws 
  of 
  the 
  Consortium. 
  In 
  general, 
  Cosmo-Knights cannot intervene in domestic affairs unless they 
  can prove that those accused of a crime, be it the government, 
  business or individual, were involved in violations of the Con­
  sortium's rules. The Cosmo-Knights seem particularly adept at 
  ferreting out such treachery. Should the CCW and TGE ever go 
  to war, the Cosmo-Knights are certain to side with the CCW. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Besides the Trans-Galactic Empire, 
  Splugorth-occupied worlds are another source of trouble. The 
  CCW has no formal relations with about half of the Splugorth 
  domains and is effectively in a state of war with two or three of 
  them at any one time. The Splugorth Kingdom of Rynncryyl, in 
  the Anvil Galaxy, is one of the Splugorth entities the CCW is in 
  open war with, even though it would much rather devote its en­
  ergy and resources in containing the TGE. The Rynncryyl 
  Splugorth are relentless slavers who can't stop themselves from 
  raiding Consortium space for new "inventory." These raids are a 
  constant source of casualties and violence, and after extended 
  efforts to open diplomatic channels with the mad Splugorth 
  King, the CCW threw it all out the window, declared war, and 
  has set itself to destroying the kingdom utterly. In a rare show of 
  mercilessness, the Consortium 
  generals in charge 
  of the 
  Rynncryyl campaign will not rest until the Splugorth Kingdom 
  is utterly destroyed, thinking that any fragments left will ulti­
  mately reform and regrow into yet another threat to the CCW. 
  Even Splugorth worlds that have established diplomatic ties 
  with the CCW are not to be trusted and are constantly sending 
  spies and saboteurs to harm CCW interests. As operations have 
  begun against the Rynncryyl Kingdom, the strained relations 
  with other Splugorth worlds and systems in the Three Galaxies 
  
  have become even more so. The Splugorth are generally happy 
  to see the renegade Rynncryyl taken down a peg, but the CCW' s 
  success in destroying the kingdom would be disconcerting to the 
  other Splugorth Kings, who do not want to see "lesser beings" 
  come to believe they can challenge the power of the Splugorth. 
  For now, the alien intelligences are holding their position where 
  Rynncryyl is concerned, but if the CCW gets too aggressive to­
  wards them, they will certainly band together to put the Consor­
  tium in its place, and possibly ally with the TGE for mutual 
  defense or revenge. 
  Gene-Techs: Considered the vilest of villains, all Gene-Tech 
  (and Gene-Splicers) are to be destroyed or apprehended imme­
  diately upon their detection within CCW space. The GSA se­
  cretly wants to capture a Gene-Tech (or a Gene-Splicer) ship 
  intact so they can study their technology. 
  Omegan Order: This rogue order of Fallen Cosmo-Knights 
  is considered an enemy of the CCW, and of the Anvil Galaxies 
  at large. The CCW will destroy any representative of the 
  Omegan Order it finds, no negotiations possible. The CCW 
  takes such a hard line against the Omegans in part because of 
  the CCW's alliance with the true Cosmo-Knights, and in part 
  because Omegans are responsible for the destruction of numer­
  ous CCW exploration ships sent to the Core. 
  Xodian Collective: The CCW knows virtually nothing about 
  this strange alien civilization, though it would very much like to. 
  If only the Omegan Order would stop destroying CCW diplo­
  matic envoys, the Consortium is convinced they could establish 
  a meaningful relationship with the Xodians. 
  K!ozn: The K!ozn (Kot sin) are a race of extraordinarily ad­
  vanced but incredibly secretive beings - so secretive that few 
  people have any idea what they even look like. They have little 
  use or patience for anybody from the Halo, and so they consider 
  the CCW a pesky flea to be discarded whenever they come 
  buzzing around. The Consortium of Civilized Worlds appreci­
  ates this philosophy although it does not agree with it. The 
  K!ozn's apparently superior tech level is what keeps the CCW 
  from 
  making 
  any 
  threats 
  against 
  these 
  super-intelligent, 
  super-aloof aliens. They know any sabre-rattling to the K!ozn 
  Continuum will be ignored, so CCW operatives must content 
  themselves to deal with the various K!ozn minions sent into the 
  galaxy to see why the Halo is suddenly interested in the Core, 
  and why they can't just stay on their side of the Threshold. 
  Independent Worlds: Often, independent worlds call in the 
  CCW to arbitrate disputes, or to help them deal with disasters or 
  invasions. The Consortium can be trusted not to take advantage 
  of the situation and to be extremely fair. Many worlds fear that 
  this reputation is undeserved, however, and that the CCW uses 
  its trustworthy facade to slowly gain more influence and power 
  over independent planets to get them to join the Consortium. 
  Despite some problems with corruption and illegal operations of 
  unscrupulous corporations, the CCW is completely above board 
  and always makes an effort to be fair and equitable to all parties. 
  CCW Society 
  With hundreds of races and thousands of worlds, it is hard to 
  generalize about the society of the CCW. There is one social 
  distinction that cuts across all the differences in race, money and 
  class: the difference between people who make their home "in 
  space," and those who don't. There are Spacers, often called 
  72 
  "nomads," "vacuum addicts" and less complimentary things, 
  and the Groundsiders, also referred to as "dirtsiders," "mud peo­
  ple" and other contemptuous nicknames. Spacers are typically 
  ship crew members, explorers, soldiers and adventurers. They 
  are not afraid of the vast universe they travel in, but they know 
  and respect its deadliness. Groundsiders are people who are con­
  tent with staying on one world and who only travel beyond its 
  confines when they absolutely have to, and usually to set foot on 
  another planet. 
  Spacers make up less than 10% of the Consortium's total 
  population. Their importance is disproportionate to their size, 
  however, because they help to keep commerce alive between the 
  planets, defend them from invaders, and fmd new worlds to col­
  onize. Their lives are so romanticized in movies and computer 
  games that many children dream of becoming Spacers when 
  they grow up. At the same time, they are held in contempt by 
  many adult Groundsiders, who consider them to be shiftless 
  vagabonds and glory hounds of an unscrupulous nature. The fact 
  that they can be on one planet one day and one hundred light 
  years away on the next has contributed to those sentiments. 
  Many have a long history of leaving behind friends and lovers, 
  unpaid debts, and causing trouble and running away rather than 
  facing the consequences. By the same token, Spacers have a 
  rough code of honor, especially among themselves. These hon­
  orable characters usually share the same disdain for rogue 
  Spacers who give them a bad name as the Groundsiders. Mean­
  while, most Spacers look upon Groundsiders as narrow-minded 
  conservatives too frightened to leave the ground, or as wealthy 
  snobs (land owners) or cowardly intellectuals who have a long 
  history of unfairly blaming Spacers for all their troubles and lo­
  cal crime. Most Spacers feel the wealthy Groundsiders are more 
  likely to lie, cheat or steal from them. 
  Another common aspect of Consortium society is a general 
  dislike for war. The Noro culture has spared no effort to share 
  with other races the consequences of mindless violence. Even 
  the Wulfen and Seljuk races have come to recognize that war is 
  only honorable if no other means of resolving a conflict are via­
  ble. This attitude has led to a general distrust of mercenaries and 
  warriors. Many people feel that warriors (and even soldiers) 
  cannot make important rational decisions, because they are natu­
  rally inclined to be aggressive and start a war. What they don't 
  realize is that most soldiers who have experienced the horrors of 
  war frrsthand are often the strongest supporters of peaceful solu­
  tions. Still, on several planets, soldiers and warriors are treated 
  as coldly and belligerently as Spacers. 
  This pacifistic tendency has frequently harmed the CCW, 
  both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Fortunately, 
  enough people recognize the need for a strong defensive force to 
  keep the peace and maintain the law. 
  Daily Life in the CCW 
  Technology dominates the lives of the denizens of the Con­
  sortium. Without it, survival would be impossible for the teem­
  ing billions who work, party and dwell in the enormous cities, 
  space stations and new colonies scattered across the galaxies. 
  Technology and the benign government of the Consortium have 
  brought about the highest standard of living in the Three Gal­
  axies; the average citizen of the Consortium enjoys luxuries and 
  comforts undreamed of on Rifts Earth. 
  
  More than 80% of the CCW's population lives in cities or 
  suburbs. The average city has a population in excess of one mil­
  lion people, and several of them have as many as 1 00 million 
  people! The remaining 20% of the population is divided be­
  tween Spacers, farmers and colonists of new or inhospitable 
  worlds. Most city dwellers work in the service sector, anything 
  from restaurants and entertainment services to communication 
  networks, stores and professions in law or medicine. Factories 
  are largely automated and require very few workers. The Con­
  sortium has a large middle class, about 70% of the total popula­
  tion. The wealthy comprise about 1 0% of the total; the rest have 
  incomes below the poverty line, and live in the slums that exist 
  in almost every city. Even the poor have better lives than many 
  citizens of other worlds, thanks to extensive social services pro­
  vided by most CCW planets. 
  Information networks are everywhere. All but the poorest 
  households have a "terminal," a combination computer, tele­
  phone, TV and answering machine that is plugged into a huge 
  information network. Through the "terminal," the household 
  members can order movies, holograms and virtual reality shows, 
  communicate via video and audio anywhere on the planet and 
  stations in orbit, plus they can access video libraries and data­
  bases, all without leaving the house. Magazines and movies can 
  be purchased and printed out or stored on CDs for easy access. 
  A sizable percentage of the population (30%) works out of 
  their homes, using their "terminals" to send their work to their 
  employers, saving companies the expense of office space. This 
  has led to a number of problems, including the "shut-in" phe­
  nomenon: people who rarely leave their house and who often 
  develop mild agoraphobia (a fear of open spaces). These 
  shut-ins prefer to live in their holographic or virtual reality 
  world, where they can be in complete control. Shut-ins are com­
  mon on densely populated worlds where as many as 1 5% of the 
  population may suffer, to varying degrees, from the malady. 
  However, it is almost unheard of on fringe, or recently colo­
  nized planets (less than 0.5%). 
  Law and Citizenship 
  The Consortium's laws are very complex, due to the fact that 
  it is a loose federation of worlds rather than a monolithic entity 
  like the Trans-Galactic Empire. Since there are hundreds of 
  "sub-governments" in the CCW with often contradictory laws, 
  the Consortium has to separate local and galactic laws, and de­
  cide which laws apply in each case. To deal with this, all sen­
  tient beings in the CCW are granted dual citizenship, which 
  makes them citizens of both the Consortium and one planet or 
  planetary collective. Some people (including almost all Spacers) 
  have single citizenship, making them members of the Consor­
  tium but not of any other worlds or nations within its vast terri­
  tory. 
  Taxes are always more favorable for local citizens than for 
  Consortium citizens, so most people who reside and work on 
  one planet will usually become citizens of that planet. For­
  eigners (those without CCW citizenship) are still subject to Con­
  sortium laws within CCW space. CAF personnel (Consortium 
  Armed Forces), regardless of their original citizenship, are 
  bound by CCW laws only. 
  Dual citizens are subject to the laws of both their "home 
  planet" and the Consortium. While on the citizen's home world, 
  73 
  local laws have precedence; everywhere else, the person is sub­
  ject to Consortium laws. For example, the planet Motherhome 
  (see Rifts® Phase World®, page 56) has very harsh environ­
  mental laws. Starting a campfire without a license has a stiff 
  fme (5,000 credits) and up to one year of community service as 
  a penalty. This law applies only to Motherhome citizens. A 
  CCW citizen would pay the lower fmes dictated by Consortium 
  law. 
  Local laws change a great deal from world to world. The 
  only constants are those defmed by the Civilization Compact 
  with edicts that insist slavery is outlawed and trial by jury is re­
  quired for all criminal matters; beyond that, pretty much any­
  thing goes. Most planets have laws that are close copies of the 
  Consortium's codices. Others keep the laws of their original cul­
  ture and civilization. About 70% of all Consortium planets, for 
  instance, prescribe the death penalty for a number of crimes, 
  from first-degree murder (80%) to grand larceny (5%)! Consor­
  tium law has the death penalty for only the most severe crimes, 
  like engaging in genocide, large-scale slavery, and mass murder. 
  Crime 
  "Crime is the price a free society must pay," is one common 
  saying in the Consortium. Since the government is not con­
  stantly watching its citizens, opportunities for crime exist, and 
  are exploited by the greedy, selfish, desperate, power hungry, 
  and insane. Most criminal activity occurs in the poorest sections 
  of cities and planets. Furthermore, the poorest 1 0% of the Con­
  sortium's society is 50 times more likely to be the victims of vi­
  olent crime than the wealthiest 10%. The large majority of 
  planets in the Consortium (70%) have criminal rates as low as 
  those of Japan's during the late 20th Century. Piracy, smuggling 
  and slavery tend to occur in frontier and isolated planets. 
  Despite the best efforts of both local and galactic authorities, 
  however, criminal networks have developed on several worlds, 
  sometimes with links that stretch between planets or even galax­
  ies. Some of these crime rings are suspected of being fronts for 
  the Trans-Galactic Empire, the Splugorth and Naruni Enter­
  prises. In the Anvil Galaxy, the largest of these criminal organi­
  zations are the Korgian Legion, the Uganza, and the Galton 
  Ring. 
  The Korgian Legion is more of a terrorist ring and merce­
  nary crew than straight-up outlaws, but they are a significant 
  contributor to crime within the CCW anyway. Exactly what the 
  Legion's political motivations are is a bit of a mystery since the 
  group is extremely factionalized and it has carried out militant 
  actions against sites in the CCW, TGE, UWW, and every other 
  major power bloc in the Anvil Galaxy. They show no undue 
  dedication one way or the other regarding the Cosmic Forge, 
  and they have issued no public statements, manifestos, or other 
  indications of what makes this group tick. However, they are 
  very active, carrying out guerilla actions and flat-out terrorism 
  all over the galaxy. To fund their actions, the Korgian Legion 
  has a "domestic crime" branch that commits acts of theft and pi­
  racy as a means of funding the group's larger war effort. To this 
  end, the CCW provides the most target-rich environment, espe­
  cially the Consortium's enviable Utopia Worlds (six of which 
  reside in the Anvil Galaxy). Thus, while the Legion affects ev­
  erybody in the Anvil Galaxy, it is the CCW who has taken the 
  lead in cracking down on this nefarious group. So far, most of 
  
  the Consortium's efforts have floundered, as the Legion is made 
  up of some very smart and slippery people who hold to an abso­
  lute vow of secrecy. The few Korgian operatives taken into cus­
  tody killed themselves within hours of their capture, using 
  nothing more than mental conditioning to get the job done! Ap­
  parently, Korgian soldiers are trained to simply shut down their 
  heart and brains if caught, using a mysterious form of mental 
  conditioning known to authorities as the Korgian Protocol. Lit­
  tle else is known about it except that it does a fme job of deny­
  ing CCW intelligence officers of useful information about the 
  Korgian Legion. The Legion apparently is made up of all sorts 
  of races and it uses whatever technology it can get its hands on. 
  It does not appear to be a major user of magic. 
  The U ganza is a huge and tightly networked crime syndicate 
  that has taken control of the CCW member planet Uganze. 
  Crime had always been epidemic on the planet, and it almost 
  forbade it entry into the CCW, but since the TGE was on the 
  verge of conquering that planet, the CCW made an exception 
  and took U ganze under its wing to deny their rivals. It is a move 
  the CCW has regretted ever since, as the planet is not only un­
  governable due to its anarchy and crime (kidnaping and drug 
  dealing are the two leading industries there), but crooks have be­
  gun leaving the world and traveling to other CCW planets, 
  bringing their criminal intentions with them. Fed up, the CCW 
  government issued an ultimatum to the planet: straighten up and 
  fly right within five years or face expUlsion from the CCW. 
  Sensing an opportunity, the leading crime families on the planet 
  went on the offensive and waged war on their competitors. Only 
  when they defeated each one, instead of destroying them, they 
  simply folded them into their own organization, creating an 
  ever-stronger amalgamated crime empire that is rapidly taking 
  over the whole world. Within two years, the syndicate (known 
  as the Uganza) has conquered the planet. To control crime, they 
  simply levied taxes on it and laid down rules for how certain ac­
  tivities had to be carried out. Contract murder, for example, 
  could no longer include women or children. Prostitutes had to 
  undergo monthly health and psych checkups, extortion could not 
  exceed a certain percentage of a victim's income, and of course, 
  33% of all criminal profit is kicked back directly to the Uganza, 
  who soon found themselves making crazy amounts of money. 
  Now the Uganza is petitioning the CCW to be recognized as the 
  formal government, which provides the Consortium with a new 
  dilemma. The Uganza is obeying the Consortium compact to the 
  letter, and there is no legal grounds for expelling them from the 
  confederation. But the CCW fmds the Uganza to be utterly dis­
  tasteful and wishes they could be cut loose. There is one year 
  left until the CCW deadline, when it will be forced to make a 
  difficult decision. Until then, the GSA is sending undercover 
  agents to infiltrate the world and destabilize things so the CCW 
  might have a plausible reason for ejecting the planet from its 
  ranks. It is an ugly way of handling the problem, but the CCW 
  people in charge of it feel, in this case, the ends justify the 
  means, even if it might mean throwing the entire planet into the 
  cold of the Anvil Galaxy, where it will have a considerably 
  harder time surviving without the aegis of the CCW to protect it 
  from outside interference from pirate nations, the TGE, and 
  other interstellar predators. 
  The Galton Ring is a small but highly organized gang of pi­
  rates, consisting of maybe one or two hundred people. Despite 
  74 
  its size, the Galton Ring' s exploits have made them legendary 
  (some would say "infamous") throughout the Anvil Galaxy. 
  They are a blight on interstellar travel and a black eye for the 
  CCW's law enforcement community. The Galton Ring got its 
  start some 50 years ago when the human pirate Gora Galton as­
  saulted a CCW courier ship containing, among other things, the 
  Crown Jewels of Thoridia, a diplomatic present from the gov­
  ernment of that planet to the CCW government. Thoridia was 
  under consideration for inclusion to the CCW, and it made this 
  offering as a gesture of its good will and firm intent. When 
  Galton pinched the jewels, it caused quite a disturbance, to say 
  the least. Thoridia withdrew its application and was subse­
  quently courted by the TGE, which Thoridia then joined. The 
  TGE, upon reviewing the case, approached Galton and offered 
  her a position as a "black-level" privateer for the TGE. That 
  means they would never take responsibility for her actions - she 
  was 1 00% deniable, but, every time she hit a CCW ship, they 
  would match the value of her theft 1 00%. For Galton, this was a 
  dream ticket. If she handled it right, she'd make more money 
  than she could ever spend. So, she recruited every other pirate 
  she could trust and cut them in on the action. She turned her sin­
  gular efforts into a network affair, and before long, the CCW 
  was seeing an unacceptable number of high-value cargo ships 
  disappearing en route. 
  In the years since Galton has begun working for the TGE, she 
  has made untold billions of credits in stolen cash, merchandise, 
  spaceships, and Kreeghor bonus payments. She is so successful, 
  in fact, that she and her cronies (who also are now fabulously 
  wealthy) are having a tough time fmding places to hide their 
  money. An idea floating among the group is they pool their re­
  sources and simply buy an independent world and set up a per­
  manent base there. Meanwhile, the group's TGE money train is 
  about to derail - their exploits are so successful that they are 
  breaking the TGE' s black ops budget for that part of the galaxy, 
  and pretty soon the TGE will have to cease paying out its bo­
  nuses. This would be no big deal monetarily for Galton and her 
  friends, since they have more cash than they know what to do 
  with, but getting cut off would be a grave insult to Galton, who 
  might very well tum her sights on TGE ships out of revenge. 
  The TGE has already predicted this, so they are considering as­
  sassinating her instead and blaming it on the Consortium. That 
  way, their Galton problem goes away and the CCW catches the 
  blame for it. Meanwhile, all of these developments are unknown 
  to CCW intelligence. The Consortium knows who Galton is and 
  that her ring is nabbing CCW ships, but they know nothing 
  about how much money she has, her plans to buy a planet, or the 
  extent of her connection with the TGE. Considering how much 
  time and money the CCW has spent investigating and trying to 
  bring Galton to justice, that level of non-progress is just embar­
  rassing, and suggests maybe Galton has paid off some very 
  powerful people in the CCW government to look the other way. 
  In the meanwhile, Galton is always willing to recruit new pirates 
  into her organization, provided she feels she can trust them. 
  Major Worlds of the CCW 
  Below are just a handful of some of the more prominent 
  worlds in the Anvil Galaxy region of the Consortium of Civi­
  lized Worlds. They are meant to give the reader ideas for adven­
  tures, campaigns, or designing worlds of your own. Have fun 
  with them! 
  
  Koga Junction: If the CCW were to have a capital world in 
  the Anvil Galaxy (it doesn't), then Koga Junction would defi­
  nitely be it. Covered with enormous factories, shipyards and 
  other facilities serving the Consortium Armed Forces, Koga 
  Junction is the single largest maker of CAF starships in the gal­
  axy. It also is the regional administrative headquarters for CAF 
  Fleet Command and the GSA. 
  Security on the planet is just incredible, since there is so 
  much here to protect. No ship can even enter the star system 
  without first receiving a CAF intercept which scans incoming 
  ships for weapons. Suspicious spacecraft are turned back, 
  boarded or destroyed, depending on their nature and conduct. 
  More than a few friendly ships have been destroyed by the secu­
  rity teams here, so most folks should just stay away or play it 
  real safe when making an approach. Because it is a purely mili­
  tary and intelligence world, Koga Junction is outside the politi­
  cal spheres of the Consortium Congress, the traditional news 
  media, entertainment networks, and so on. The top administra­
  tors of the planet see things only in terms of the Forge War and 
  containing the TGE, and while that keeps the CCW on its toes, 
  the personnel here tend to feel a bit isolated from the rest of 
  CCW society. Some factions of the CAF and GSA stationed 
  here wonder if maybe things would run better if they simply 
  took power, dissolved the Congress and ran things more di­
  rectly. Clearly, this is treasonous thought, and it is more the ex­
  ception than the rule, but it shows that there is a seed of sedition 
  growing on Koga Junction, and nobody may be willing to accept 
  it exists to uproot it. 
  Thrant: The civilian counterpart to Koga Junction, the mas­
  sive world of Thrant is dotted with huge arcology cities that are 
  home to the Consortium Congress and over 60010 of the govern­
  ment's central administrations. Still, the planet is not considered 
  the regional capital, but it does have more than its share of 
  power. Security for the world is tight, but most of it is up in or­
  bit, screening whoever comes and goes from the world. En­
  trance and exit protocols take about 72 hours on average while 
  every traveler's record, ID, and passage manifests are thor­
  oughly scanned, checked and cross-referenced. Ever since 
  Kreeghor assassins set a homemade fusion bomb in the Consor­
  tium Congress chamber (it failed to go off due to a malfunction 
  in the timer), the representatives here are willing to live under a 
  security microscope to keep things safe. Groundside security is 
  handled by the GSA, which has a massive presence on Thrant. 
  Not only are their main offices and training facilities on the 
  world, but they have set up perhaps the largest communications 
  monitoring system on any single planet in the Anvil Galaxy. 
  GSA comm techs filter all communications on and around the 
  world, running them through megacomputers and AI screens for 
  any language or codes that would reveal possible terrorist or en­
  emy intent. So far, this network has been instrumental in thwart­
  ing over five separate terrorist plots to the planet, but the 
  civilians who know of the net (and of GSA intent to place more 
  such nets on other CCW worlds) are afraid that it is a sign the 
  CCW is losing its way. They fear that in striving to contain the 
  tyranny of the TGE, the CCW might become tyrannical itself. 
  Dalgond: Once a beautiful Earth-like planet, Dalgond had 
  huge deposits of various ultra-valuable minerals and as such, at­
  tracted the attentions of the largest mining companies in the 
  CCW. Over the span of a century, these companies managed to 
  75 
  
  strip mine the entire world, exhausting its mineral wealth and 
  leaving the world a barren, scarred and pitted rock in space. 
  Technically, the Compact frowns on such foul exploitation, but 
  all of the metal was being bought by the CCW to upgrade its 
  battle fleets, so the government was willing to overlook this par­
  ticular case of environmental catastrophe. Unfortunately for the 
  Dalgond locals, their world had been reduced to ruin with no 
  hope in sight. Or was there? The deepest mine shafts had re­
  vealed that a million years ago, a subterranean civilization lived 
  on Dalgond and chronicled their society's history on the walls 
  of their warrens and under cities. These strange hieroglyphics 
  have been of intense interest to archaeologists who are con­
  vinced this ancient people (who must have died out because 
  there is no evidence they existed to the present day) had some 
  kind of contact with the Cosmic Forge. When news of that got 
  out, GSA agents descended on the world and have maintained a 
  presence there. Despite their best efforts, though, TGE spies as 
  well as operatives from various other power blocs have all made 
  trips to Dalgond to see the hieroglyphics themselves. This has 
  turned the capital city of Dalgor into a hotbed of espionage, as 
  spies and black ops folks from a dozen different power blocs 
  mix it up and try to outwit each other. At least three people dis­
  appear each week in Dalgor, a silent testimony to the ongoing 
  spy war being fought there with no collateral damage to speak 
  of, and no end in sight. For GSA spooks, a tour of duty in 
  Dalgor is a coveted assignment, especially for those looking for 
  combat experience. 
  Voria: Positioned on a vital space lane where five trade 
  routes intersect, V oria is a major economic power that makes all 
  of its money in the sale and resale of goods and services. There 
  is little primary industry (Le., agriculture, manufacturing) on the 
  planet, but it does okay because so much is sold here that the lo­
  cals have no need to import anything - they just buy everything 
  they need as it passes through. Trade guilds run the planet like 
  one big marketplace, and instead of political factions, there are 
  competing sub-guilds that control matters of government and 
  economy as if they were the same. This kind of arrangement has 
  been tried on other worlds to no effect, but it works out remark­
  ably well here, probably because of the huge intersection of 
  trade lanes. With so much merchant traffic coming through 
  Voria, it would be impossible for it to not make a bundle of 
  money off that. Voria is also notable because it is the nexus of 
  three ley lines in space. This would ordinarily make the planet a 
  mecca for spell casters, but the guilds who own the planet refuse 
  to admit any sorcerers to the planet, something that rankles visi­
  tors from the UWW, who could use the planet's unique position 
  to their advantage. Oddly, the world has never had any trouble 
  with dimensional portals opening up there or other dimensional 
  phenomena, although mystic scholars suggest that Voria is long 
  overdue for the ley line equivalent of an earthquake, where a 
  nexus will virtually explode, tearing open portals to multiple 
  different places in the Megaverse at once. What happens after 
  that is anybody's guess. It could destroy the world if monsters 
  flood through, but if these gateways are to friendly worlds, and 
  if the Vorians handle it correctly, they might turn their mercan­
  tile crossroads into something even more lucrative than it al­
  ready is. 
  Gaelerash: This world is the Anvil Galaxy headquarters for 
  the CCW Scouting Corps, making it one of the most important 
  worlds in the ongoing search for the Cosmic Forge. Like Koga 
  76 
  Junction and Thrant, Gaelerash has insanely tight security, 
  largely because the CAF and GSA fear what might happen if en­
  emy operatives were to infiltrate this world and access the 
  CCW's data archives detailing their leads and progress regard­
  ing the Forge quest. While the Scouting Corps itself appreciates 
  the security concern, they are explorers at heart, not spies or sol­
  diers. They are unhappy enough with being forced to run recon­
  naissance missions against the TGE and other governments, but 
  they accept that as part of the current political situation. What 
  they really can't stand, though, is having a bunch of GSA goons 
  telling them how to behave on what the Scouting Corps consid­
  ers "its" world. As a result, some Scouting teams have stopped 
  sharing their fmdings with GSA liaisons, preferring to hang on 
  to that information should they ever need it as a bargaining tool 
  against the GSA. So far, the GSA doesn't know about this, but it 
  is a sure bet that they will find out, and when they do, they will 
  do everything they can to gut the Scouting Corps, replacing its 
  ranks with much more GSA-friendly personnel who don't mind 
  serving their government's security interests first and satisfying 
  their sense of wanderlust and galactic exploration second. 
  Lareinnon: The CCW captured this planet from the TGE 
  when the two fought their frrst war, so many years ago. The 
  planet is a breadbasket world capable of producing huge quanti­
  ties of pretty much any kind of agriculture known in the Three 
  Galaxies. The soil here has a special combination of minerals, 
  enzymes and microorganisms that make it the most perfect 
  growing medium in the Three Galaxies. The Kreeghor had 
  never used the world for farming but instead harvested the soil 
  itself and sent it to other planets to "seed" them and hopefully 
  transform those worlds into additional breadbasket planets. The 
  project never worked, but the TGE is convinced its principle is 
  sound and have always wanted to resume their experiment. The 
  CCW has a deadlock on Lareinnon, having turned it into a ma­
  jor farming world and exporter of agro-produce. So it was with 
  a heavy heart that Kreeghor generals decided three years ago 
  that if they could not have this world, then the CCW wouldn't 
  either. Using treacherous locals as their agents, the TGE has in­
  troduced over 2,500 different forms of viral agents to the world 
  in the hopes of destroying the delicate balance in the soil. The 
  aim is to transform this cornucopia into a barren wasteland. So 
  far, there have been no results, but the TGE scientists who engi­
  neered the virii insist it will take at least another two years to 
  start seeing crop failures. In the meantime, the GSA has gotten 
  wind of the plot and is trying to fmd out who among the local 
  populace might have helped the Kreeghor. The problem is this 
  remains an intensively rural world where the locals trust each 
  other far more than some slick-looking GSA operative. As a re­
  sult, if there are Kreeghor agents Groundside, chances are their 
  friends and families will harbor them, even if their misdeeds 
  might spell catastrophe for the planet. 
  Niathh: A small outpost world right on the border separating 
  the CCW from the TGE, Niathh is a bit of a strategic way point 
  for both superpowers. Despite this, Niathh has remained largely 
  uninhabited and pristine. It has never been a major battleground 
  for any of the hot and cold wars that the CCW and TGE have 
  fought against each other, though the CCW did use Niathh as a 
  major listening post, because the planet has unusual harmonic 
  frequencies that enable long-range scanners to intercept TGE 
  communications traffic deep within TGE territory. This makes 
  Niathh very important to the CCW intelligence effort, and as 
  
  such, the Congress invoked a special clause in the Compact de­
  nying the Niathhi the right to secede. For the moment, keeping 
  them on as "executive members," a euphemism for "people 
  forced against their will to be CCW citizens." 
  Having enjoyed a great deal of independence, the Niathhi 
  were not about to take the Congress' actions lying down, and 
  they announced their secession from the CCW anyway. Since 
  the world had no major military presence on it (it was withheld 
  so the TGE thought this was an unimportant world, rather than a 
  central intelligence gathering spot), the Niathhi were able to 
  take control relatively quickly, converting the listening post into 
  a broadcasting station. Now, the Niathhi use this stolen CCW 
  technology to route criminal transmissions of information and 
  money from anywhere to anywhere in the Anvil Galaxy. The 
  space ports here have become havens for pirates, smugglers, 
  data thieves, and rebels, and if the CAF does not do something 
  soon, the planet will become a veritable criminal fortress, im­
  possible to reclaim without having to fight a major guerilla war 
  against the insurgent Niathhi. 
  Liremos Prime: For years, Liremos Prime has made its mark 
  as a data processing giant. A place where backup copies of data 
  arcologies could be safely stored and replicated without fear of 
  corruption or security breach. The CCW government, in particu­
  lar, made heavy use of Liremos Prime's data banks to store the 
  official governmental archives. Furthermore, hundreds of 
  worlds maintain backup copies of their entire economies' ac­
  tions on Liremos Prime. The artificial intelligences used to man­
  age all of this information are a marvel of technology 
  themselves, possessing organic structures and capable of devel­
  oping genuine emotions. Thought a bit freakish at first, these 
  "organic AIs" were found to be a lot more reliable than a stan­
  dard Artificial Intelligence, since they had feelings of loyalty 
  and pride in their work. 
  For a century, this worked just fme, but about four years ago, 
  a corruption arose in AI7521, the intelligence in charge of main­
  taining tertiary security protocols on all data influx channels. 
  Feeling a bit "off," A17521 sought the counsel of its friend, 
  AI1 933, as was their custom. Moments after that meeting, 
  AI1933 began suffering the same "off" feeling that its friend 
  had felt, and in tum sought another friend for counsel. It turns 
  out these AIs had developed the equivalent of a virulent form of 
  insanity, and they were spreading it among themselves at a very 
  rapid pace. By the time technicians discovered this problem, 
  over 80% of the AI population was corrupted and growing more 
  and more off-kilter each day. To keep things cool, most of the 
  data network has simply been shut down, freezing the corrupt 
  AIs in stasis, but sooner or later, clients will need to access to 
  their information, and to do that, the data network will have to 
  come back online and these corrupt AIs will have to be dealt 
  with. What the managers fear most is one of these AIs somehow 
  uploading themselves out of the network, perhaps to a starship's 
  central computer, or to the brain of a Naruni Repo-Bot or some 
  other dangerous and highly mobile form where they could travel 
  freely, spreading corruption as they go to any computer that 
  might be susceptible to it. 
  Y'kn: With increasing intensity, this developed planet, home 
  to nearly eight billion people, suffers from storms of "skipper 
  meteors," a little-understood scientific anomaly that phase in 
  and out of reality on their path through the Megaverse. Right 
  77 
  now, the meteor swarm is skipping right into the path of this 
  world, so they show up with little to no warning before they 
  blast the planet. The biggest shower yet is on its way, and the 
  frightened populace is trying to get off the planet before the "big 
  one" hits. The wild thing is, this situation is far more than it 
  seems. The reason why these skipper meteors are so poorly un­
  derstood is because they are not just meteors. They are the 
  equivalent of alien kamikaze vessels launched millions of years 
  ago by a race of hostile aliens who imparted a fragment of their 
  consciousness into each skipper meteor so they might steer them 
  to their target. The skipper meteors hurtling toward Y'kn were 
  caught in a strong chronol distortion that chucked them fOlWard 
  in time by a few million years, throwing them off course (the 
  galaxy is in a different place than it was a million years ago), 
  putting this innocent world in the line of fire. Were a team of 
  psychics employed to establish contact, they could probably get 
  the skipper meteors to hold off from impacting on Y'kn. Should 
  that work, the CCW might wish to research these things further, 
  seeing if maybe more of these meteors could be fabricated 
  somehow and used as a secret weapon against the TGE. 
  Acalel: This sub-zero world is a rich mosaic of super-deep 
  slush oceans, icebergs the size of starships and icecaps the size 
  of continents, etched with deep canyons where the locals have 
  built their hardy, technologically advanced cities. There are also 
  huge floating cities as well as undersea settlements that filter the 
  slush water for nutrients, trace minerals, and exotic mi­
  cro-organisms for use in biological research. This work is a lot 
  more hazardous than it sounds because workers must routinely 
  don pressure suits and go out into the water to service/repair the 
  filtration machinery. Robots never seem to work for reasons un­
  known (the microorganisms screw up their circuitry channels, 
  actually), so live workers are the ticket. Problem is, these work­
  ers are represented by a coalition of ultra-militant labor unions 
  that have no problem kidnaping government officials and the 
  executives of the various companies that operate the filtration 
  network. 
  A recent spate of accidents and pay cuts threaten to shut 
  down the entire planetary economy, as well as introduce some 
  nasty insurrection in every major city on this world. The only 
  way things will get better is if conditions improve for the work­
  ers, and the only way that is going to happen is if the union lead­
  ers and the company's government leaders see eye to eye. But 
  there are too many egos involved, and too much bad blood, and 
  for both sides, the only way to settle things is by force. As a re­
  sult, the unions and the companies have been hiring mercenaries 
  and assassins in preparation for a dirty street war that will make 
  Acalel the scene of a planetary-scale St. Valentine's Day massa­
  cre. The local government has done a great job of covering all of 
  this up, for fear of the CAF intervening and taking over the fil­
  tration network (which would rid the corrupt government offi­
  cials here of the substantial profit sharing they have received at 
  the expense of the working population). The local government is 
  also powerless to do anything about this situation, and is basi­
  cally sitting things out and hoping for the best. In the meantime, 
  all sorts of criminal elements have come to Acalel sensing an 
  opportunity to get in on the impending action and either snatch­
  ing a piece of the filtration industry for themselves or putting 
  down strong criminal roots during this time of virtual 
  non-government. What this planet really needs are some heroes 
  to come in and clean things up, but so far, there have been no 
  takers. 
  
  Trans-Galactic Empire 
  Population: 6 trillion total; 1 .5 trillion in the Anvil Galaxy. 
  Demographics: Kreeghor (25%), Humans ( 15%), Machine 
  People (10%), Wulfen (9%), Silhouette (6%), Monros (5%), 
  �oro (5%), Others (25%; prominent races in the Anvil Galaxy 
  mclude the Kelesh, Qidians and Sinestrians). 
  Overview: The Trans-Galactic Empire is an autocratic civili­
  zation ruled by the Kreeghor, a warlike race of inhuman crea­
  tures. The Kreeghor are the dominant race of the Trans-Galactic 
  Empire, but not the only one with power or influence. Unlike 
  the CCW, the Trans-Galactic Empire has a policy of expansion, 
  �ed conquest and slavery. As a result, many of its subjects are 
  m o�en rebe.llion against it or wish they could be free of the ty­
  ranmcal regIme. Only the overwhelming military might of the 
  Kreeghor keeps their subjects in line. 
  The Kreeghor were the result of Splugorth bio-engineering, a 
  former slave race that rose against its tormentors and was able to 
  overthrow them, but only by becoming as savage and blood­
  thirsty as their one-time masters. The Kreeghor have spread 
  through the Three Galaxies like a plague, conquering and colo­
  nizing planets at a frenzied pace. Those who dare to oppose 
  them are destroyed or defeated and enslaved. At fIrst, the 
  Kreeghor constantly engaged in the routine enslavement or 
  genocide of other races, but as they matured as an intergalactic 
  force, they realized that those policies would eventually lead to 
  their destruction. The Kreeghor then decided to accept worthy 
  conquered races as "near equals" who could play a role in their 
  78 
  Empire. A brutal war with the Wulfen Empire proved them wor­
  thy of this new policy. Instead of destroying the Wulfen, they 
  conquered them. The Kreeghor praised their enemies' martial 
  spirit and offered good terms to any planet that surrendered to 
  them. Many Wulfen warriors decided to join forces with the 
  Kreeghor and turned against their own kind. This was especially 
  true of clans or tribes that had grievances against the Wulfen 
  royal family, and who decided revenge was worth the price of 
  betrayal. To this day, millions of Wulfen warriors are the 
  Kreeghor's allies. The same tactic was applied against several 
  human-inhabited worlds and now humans are an important part 
  of the TGE as well. 
  The Trans-Galactic Empire's golden age came to an end with 
  the formation of the Consortium of Civilized Worlds (CCW) 
  several hundred years ago. Shortly after the CCW's founding, it 
  fell under TGE attack, and in the brief but fIerce bloodletting 
  that followed, both civilizations fought each other to a standstill. 
  At last, the Kreeghor's found an enemy who could not be easily 
  bea�en. An enemy that would plague the Kreeghor dreams of ga­
  lactic conquest forever more. Realizing that all-out war would 
  destroy both civilizations, the TGE sued for peace with the 
  CCW, but they vowed that one day they would have fmal vic­
  tory over �he Consortium. An uneasy peace treaty was signed, 
  but centuries of resentment remains strong, especially in the An­
  vil Galaxy, where the TGE and CCW compete directly with 
  each other for winning new worlds to their cause and acquiring 
  the Cosmic Forge. 
  
  For the TGE, the Forge War is almost a welcome diversion 
  from its problems in the other two galaxies, where a raging civil 
  war has led to the loss of a substantial amount of Imperial Terri­
  tory. Breaking away as the Free World Council, a number of 
  renegade systems, led by fierce and clever freedom fighters, 
  have defeated the TGE on more than a few occasions. The FWC 
  now has open support from the CCW as well as other independ­
  ent systems that fear TGE expansion and throw their lot in with 
  those who have so successfully resisted the Kreeghor's dreaded 
  Empire. This particular rebellion began on the planet of Good 
  Hope (page 73, Phase World®) and soon spread to several con­
  quered worlds and became an organized, well-armed rebellion. 
  Instead of conquering new worlds in the Corkscrew and Thun­
  dercloud galaxies, the Kreeghor and their minions now have to 
  recapture dozens of rebellious planets, with success far from 
  guaranteed. 
  So far, no rebellion in the Anvil Galaxy has come close to the 
  success of the Free World Council, but Kreeghor overlords fear 
  it is only a matter of time. After all, the CCW is strong here and 
  getting stronger. It is allied with the United Worlds of Warlock, 
  making the TGE defmitely outgunned in the Anvil Galaxy. With 
  so much trouble in the other two galaxies, and the ability to ex­
  pand pretty much halted in the Anvil Galaxy, the TGE have spe­
  cial need for the Cosmic Forge. Many in the upper echelons of 
  leadership feel that only the Cosmic Forge can save the TGE in 
  what may be its darkest hour. Without ultimate power in their 
  clutches, the Kreeghor fear that it may be only a matter of time 
  before their Empire gradually falls into tatters. For them, the 
  Cosmic Forge is really their only certain avenue to victory, or so 
  they have convinced themselves. This makes its recovery a 
  make or break issue. Either the Kreeghor shall capture it, and 
  with it rule the whole universe (or at least the Three Galaxies), 
  or they will lose it to their hated enemies, and will surely face 
  ruination. 
  Already many Kreeghor generals see the impending Forge 
  War as the first sign of the coming doom. Many Kreeghor want 
  to attack the CCW now instead of waiting for the Cosmic Forge 
  to turn up. Perhaps, just perhaps, the CCW is not as strong as it 
  appears, and if the Kreeghor were to score a quick victory over 
  their adversary, it might scare other parties off the search for the 
  Cosmic Forge! Of course, this is a fairly hair-brained idea, but 
  the generals of the TGE are looking at their Empire in a state of 
  decline for the first time. The decline is not something they are 
  even remotely prepared for, and it is freaking them all out in a 
  huge way. As a result, the leaders of the TGE, especially in the 
  Anvil Galaxy, are beginning to make rash decisions and poor 
  snap judgements, succumbing to a gnawing panic. This makes 
  the Empire very dangerous and very unpredictable. Chances are, 
  the TGE will not find the Cosmic Forge on their own. If they do 
  get it, it will probably be because they lucked on to it or stole in­
  formation from the UWW or CCW and acted upon it. 
  Government 
  The Trans-Galactic Empire is a monarchy, ruled by the 
  Kreeghor Emperor and the Royal Family. The Royal "Family" 
  is made up of members of the Royal Kreeghor sub-species, a 
  super-powerful variant of the Kreeghor race (Phase World®, 
  page 74). A few heroic or famous subjects of the Empire, both 
  Kreeghor and non-Kreeghor, are sometimes "adopted" into the 
  79 
  Royal Family but this is an occasion most rare and not seen 
  more than once every ten or twenty years, tops. Royal Family 
  members command the military and disdain all other forms of 
  public service as "button pushers" unworthy of true warriors. 
  They are granted large estates and farms worked by slave labor 
  and live off the rents produced by them. The Emperor has a 
  Privy Council made up of the most powerful members of the 
  Royal Family. The Privy Council has 6 to 12 members and each 
  of them is second to the Emperor in authority. 
  Below the Royal Family are a number of Ministries, usually 
  filled by non-Kreeghor public servants (mostly humans and 
  Wulfen). The Ministers take care of the bureaucracy and admin­
  istrative duties, such as tax collecting, funding, and other tasks. 
  Their proposals have to be approved by the Emperor, or one of 
  the members of the Privy Council. Corruption is rife among the 
  Ministers. The Kreeghor don't pay as much attention to business 
  affairs as they should, so most Ministers skim money off the top 
  and hide it beneath layers of bureaucracy. As long as the impe­
  rial machinery is kept running, the Kreeghor do not mind some 
  petty theft. However, should these bureaucrats cross their mas­
  ters, the Ministers can be removed and killed at the whim of the 
  Emperor. 
  Planetary holdings are controlled by military governors an­
  swerable only to the Royal Family. These governors can be of 
  any race, but all are chosen for their loyalty to the Empire, and 
  are fanatical pro-imperialists with little tolerance for dissent. 
  The rest of the government is run by the military which fulfills 
  the role of policing, tax collecting and other government tasks. 
  The Imperial Legions 
  The true symbol of the Trans-Galactic Empire is the march­
  ing legionnaire in full combat armor. Kreeghor, Wulfen, human 
  or alien, the Imperial soldiers are well-trained, armed to the 
  teeth and for the most part, ready to kill in the name of the Em­
  pire. Although the Army also acts as the police, most of the sol­
  diers' training is military, with little to no expertise in formal 
  criminology. As a result, working a crime consists of rounding 
  up the usual suspects and beating a confession out of somebody, 
  followed by a fair trial and a speedy execution (broadcast on 
  live holovision, of course). When responding to crimes in prog­
  ress, the Imperial Guard simply show up and begin firing, usu­
  ally resulting in plenty of collateral damage and injured or killed 
  innocent bystanders. With any luck, the Guard will have nailed 
  the perpetrator too, making it all worthwhile in their eyes. 
  "Better to lose some civvies and bag the perp than to miss the 
  mark and lose the jerk," as they say. 
  Although the TGE civilian populace hates and fears the Im­
  perial Army, many people join it because of the privileges and 
  power enjoyed by soldiers. Military personnel are exempt from 
  civilian laws and answer only to military courts. Disputes be­
  tween legionnaires and civilians are usually decided in favor of 
  the soldiers, and enlisted men can often get away with murder, 
  as long as the victims are not wealthy or powerful. Imperial pro­
  paganda portrays soldiers as heroes and role models, a line no­
  body really believes but they live by it anyway. The 
  legionnaires' great deeds are often immortalized in movies and 
  songs (usually of terrible quality - the Kreeghor are just not cut 
  out for making art and song), and they are not only well paid, 
  but enjoy generous retirement and injury pensions. The Empire 
  
  80 
  knows its welfare depends on its anned forces and does its best 
  to keep them happy. 
  A special branch of the Imperial Army, the Invincible 
  Guard, is even more vicious, pampered and glorified. Through 
  intense bio-engineering, Invincible Guardsmen are transfonned 
  into genuine super-beings with incredible powers that put them 
  on par with the legendary Cosmo-Knights (who, incidentally, 
  are hated by the TGE for their constant opposition to it and alli­
  ance with the CCW). The Invincible Guard are living symbols 
  of the Empire's power, and they are at liberty to roam freely, 
  dispensing imperial "justice" as they see fit, and supporting im­
  perial military operations. All Invincible Guardsmen are given a 
  minimum rank of lieutenant in the anny and many of them rise 
  to higher ranks, all the way up to general. Many, if not most In­
  vincible Guardsmen are arrogant and fanatically dedicated to 
  upholding the Empire. To them, the Empire does not make mis­
  takes. It is never in question. Its righteousness can not be 
  doubted, and their ultimate victory over the Three Galaxies is 
  assured. These are the original super-patriots, and their convic­
  tion to the Empire's cause reveals them for what they really are, 
  dangerous fanatics with too much power and absolutely no 
  sense of how to use it responsibly. 
  The Invincible Guard takes its orders directly from the 
  Kreeghor Emperor and nobody else. Their orders supersede all 
  others, and even when not acting under direct command from 
  the Emperor, it should be assumed that whatever they do has the 
  Emperor's tacit approval. This gives the Invincible Guard total 
  freedom to do whatever they want to whomever they want in the 
  Empire, even to members of the Royal Family! This has helped 
  keep the Empire stable even during its recent troubles - to de­
  pose the Emperor, one would have to get rid of the Invincible 
  Guard somehow, and without the help of somebody like the 
  Cosmo-Knights, the Invincible Guard are not going anywhere. 
  (For more infonnation on the Invincible Guard, check out the 
  Phase World® Sourcebook, page 32.) 
  Foreign Affairs 
  In the eyes of the Trans-Galactic Empire, there are two kinds 
  of foreign powers, enemies who are to be defeated by force of 
  anns and enemies who are to be deceived by diplomacy. The 
  Splugorth-controlled worlds are among the fonner, and the Con­
  sortium of Civilized Worlds and the United Worlds of Warlock 
  are among the latter. In any dealings with other worlds, the 
  Trans-Galactic Empire will try to strengthen itself by undennin­
  ing everybody else. At frrst, they had no skilled diplomats, since 
  the Kreeghor are a warrior race with little use for peaceful arts 
  and trades. In more recent times however, a well-trained diplo­
  matic corps (made up mostly of non-Kreeghor representatives) 
  has been developed. Now, Imperial Ambassadors are received 
  by all major civilizations in the Three Galaxies. However, their 
  goals for conquest and intergalactic domination remain un­
  changed, and most power blocs know that, making the 
  Kreeghor's diplomatic missions difficult ones. 
  The Free World Council: About a hundred years ago, a 
  popular revolt exploded on the planet of Good Hope. The 
  planet, populated mostly by humans and Wulfen, had been suf­
  fering under a tyrannical human governor. Among other things, 
  the governor seized the offices of a local news service and had 
  every employee executed by torture for the crime of reporting 
  
  rumors of corruption in the local government. This last crime 
  sparked a riot. The governor ordered the anny to take a tank 
  company and, in his words, "Drown those rioters in their own 
  blood." Rather than slaughter thousands of innocent people, a 
  number of human and Wulfen soldiers led by Army lieutenant 
  Michael Klass rebelled against their officers. Supported by an 
  angry mob, the soldiers attacked the Governor's Palace with 
  tanks and artillery pieces, reducing it to burning rubble. When 
  the smoke cleared, Klass realized he was now leading a revolu­
  tion. Already a popular officer who had also proven himself to 
  be a compassionate and fair man, he had little difficulty rallying 
  others to his cause and in no time at all his ranks swelled with 
  fresh volunteers. Klass also proved to be a gifted military leader 
  and he was able to defeat the loyalist forces with surprising 
  ease. In a daring stroke, Klass led a commando team to capture 
  the powerful war satellites orbiting the planet. This successful 
  surprise attack gave them control over the orbital death dealers 
  and also provided the rebels with a 24 vessel fleet that was cap­
  tured along with the satellites. Once the entire planet was under 
  the rebels' control, Klass publicly denounced the Emperor as a 
  ruthless tyrant and asked all members of the Trans-Galactic Em­
  pire to rise against their oppressors. 
  News of this successful uprising spread throughout the Em­
  pire despite efforts to suppress all reports coming from Good 
  Hope. For the first time in centuries, a world had successfully 
  fought and defeated the Imperial Army! A military expedition 
  dispatched to recapture the planet was delayed by strikes, sabo­
  tage and riots on several other worlds. The governors of those 
  planets reacted to these rebellious outbreaks with brutality, 
  slaughtering thousands of people. These measures backfired by 
  stirring more discontent. Then the unthinkable happened again. 
  Instead of being content with their winning back of Good Hope, 
  the rebel fleet, consisting both of the captured ships and addi­
  tional merchant ships outfitted with weapons and annor, 
  swooped down on planets locked in conflict and helped the local 
  rebels overthrow the governments there as well. Two other plan­
  ets were freed from the grip of the Trans-Galactic Empire. 
  Finally, a large fleet was sent against the three rebel planets. 
  To the surprise of the Kreeghor, the fleet was met by a huge ar­
  mada of ships, including pirates and smugglers who had been 
  convinced by Klass to join the rebellion. Other ships had been 
  provided by Splugorth-controlled worlds, always happy to cause 
  chaos among their former slaves. Among the rebels also stood a 
  dozen Cosmo-Knights, each equivalent in power to a small 
  starship by themselves! A massive space battle was fought with 
  inconclusive results. The rebels suffered enormous losses, but so 
  did the Imperial fleet and it had to withdraw without fmishing 
  its mission. The planets and the rebels were battered but re­
  mained free. 
  Since then, the rebels have managed to capture and hold on 
  to over two dozen planets, and there is open rebellion and war­
  fare on dozens of other worlds. Several space routes are war 
  zones and any ship flying through risks being raided or de­
  stroyed by one side or the other. Klass was assassinated thirty 
  years after the revolution, but his granddaughter Rachel Klass 
  has carried on the struggle. The freedom fighters call themselves 
  the Free World Council. Their goal is to defend liberated 
  worlds, carry the revolution to other oppressed planets, and es­
  tablish democratic governments. The Free World Council has 
  81 
  attracted many different people to its banner. Most of them are 
  dedicated revolutionaries, people who have suffered under the 
  TGE, and now want revenge. Others are men and women who 
  will not stand for Kreeghor domination. Some have joined out 
  of greed and ambition, hoping to use the revolution to gain 
  power, fame and wealth. Many criminals facing the wrath of the 
  TGE joined the rebellion out of sheer self-preservation. 
  So far, the rebellion has not managed to make a serious dent 
  in the Kreeghor's holdings; only a couple dozen worlds com­
  pared with the Trans-Galactic Empire's thousands of planets. 
  However, the fact that the Empire has not been able to crush the 
  freedom fighters is an insufferable offense to the Kreeghor and 
  the rebels are a constant thorn in their side. 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: The TGE and CCW butt 
  heads throughout the Three Galaxies, but especially in the Anvil 
  Galaxy where the two compete directly for the Cosmic Forge. 
  The only reason why the TGE does not wage all-out war on the 
  CCW is because their adversary is just as strong (if not stronger) 
  as they are, and total war is likely to bring liberated and inde­
  pendent worlds to assist the CCW and spell ruin for the TGE. 
  Among more fanatical generals and Imperial Guardsmen, how­
  ever, waging war against the CCW is the only prudent course 
  anyway, regardless of what ill effects it brings down on the Em­
  pire. Such militants often fmd (or make up) reasons to confront 
  and skirmish with CCW forces on their own initiative, small 
  battles that could easily blow up into something major if they 
  are not halted quickly. When this happens, usually other TGE 
  units have the unpleasant task of restraining their out of control 
  comrades and bringing them back home. With Invincible 
  Guardsmen who are on the warpath, pulling them away from the 
  field of battle is very difficult, and half the time they must be 
  destroyed rather than restrained - or left to go wild, branded as 
  madmen or malcontents condemned and disavowed by the TGE, 
  but who does nothing to stop them, claiming these lone rebels 
  are beyond the reach of TGE authorities. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: The UWW has staunchly allied 
  with the CCW against the TGE, so they are considered only 
  marginally less of an enemy than the CCW. Seeking to drive a 
  wedge between those powers, the TGE routinely tries to fmd 
  something, anything, that might pull the CCW and UWW apart, 
  but so far, they have failed. 
  Naruni Enterprises: The Naruni sell a great deal of weap­
  onry to the CCW, and therefore are also on the TGE's lengthy 
  list of enemies. In the Anvil Galaxy, Naruni Enterprises has the 
  good sense to stay away from TGE territory and operatives, so 
  the Empire rarely gets the chance to directly slam the 
  anns-dealing enterprise the way they would like. However, in­
  vincible Guardsmen will sometimes seek out Naruni production 
  facilities and supply ships to destroy them just to spite the anns 
  dealers and to teach them a lesson, "Sell to the enemy, be 
  treated like the enemy." 
  Hartigal Combine: The TGE treats this renegade manufac­
  turer as a subsidiary of Naruni and/or the CCW. When the day 
  comes for the Kreeghor to rule the galaxy, Hartigal shall lie in 
  ruins like so much else of the CCW civilization. 
  Goigan Republik: The Kreeghor appreciate the Golgans' 
  imperial tendencies, and they certainly appreciate their efforts to 
  build a buffer zone around their home world. They also respect 
  their military history and self-reliance, but the time has come for 
  
  the Republik to go. It is weakening and fragmenting, and the 
  TGE would like nothing more than to grab whatever is left of 
  the Republik before the CCW or some other power gets their 
  grubby little fmgers on it. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Kreeghor disregard the Altess' claims 
  to special lineage. Frankly, many Kreeghor feel the Legend of 
  the First is something of a farce. After all, they were engineered 
  into existence by the Splugorth and so could any of the other 
  races in the galaxy. Claiming to be built by some mythic and 
  all-powerful progenitor just sounds stupid to the Kreeghor, and 
  so the TGE has no interest in taking seriously a civilization like 
  the Altess Dynasty, to which the myth of the First plays such an 
  important role. 
  Central Alliance: The Kreeghor admire the sheer vicious­
  ness of these people, their love for combat, and their lack of the 
  more delicate emotions so often showed by the citizens of the 
  CCW and UWW. The TGE would like to incorporate the Cen­
  tral Alliance into their Empire, but there is no telling if these 
  people would come willingly, and the TGE has enough prob­
  lems without bringing a bunch of cybernetic thrill killers into 
  the fold. For the moment, the Central Alliance forms a buffer 
  between a segment of the TGE and the CCW, which means on 
  the other side of it, CCW border forces are lesser than else­
  where. Thus, the TGE considers the Central Alliance as a good 
  spot for mounting a quick invasion, should the Emperor ever de­
  cide to take such a route. It would be fortunate if the people of 
  the Alliance took part in a Kreeghor march to glory, but if they 
  do not, then so be it. The Kreeghor will just march over them in­
  stead. 
  Cosmo-Knights: Bah! Cosmo-Knights! The TGE considers 
  them to be the utmost of enemies, and they are to be destroyed 
  on sight. Unfortunately, TGE weaponry does little to harm the 
  Cosmo-Knights, and so the Kreeghor feel particularly vulnera­
  ble to them. Though the Invincible Guardsmen were formed in 
  part to foil the Cosmo-Knights, they never quite match up. Still, 
  what the Guardsmen lack in power they make up for in convic­
  tion, and there have been plenty of times when several Guards­
  men have attacked Cosmo-Knights despite the odds and came 
  out victorious. To the Kreeghor, that is proof of the true power 
  of Imperial courage. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Only the Splugorth, the race that 
  created the Kreeghor, and the race from which the Kreeghor 
  won its freedom, are more hated than the CCW. The Kreeghor 
  actually will deal and negotiate with the CCW, and if they can 
  avoid war, they will do it. (They won't like it, but they know 
  that avoiding war with the CCW better suits their interests for 
  the time being.) The Splugorth, however, get no such treatment. 
  Any and all Splugorth presence in the Three Galaxies is to be 
  destroyed at once, under direct order from the Emperor. Having 
  said that, the TGE knows where the various Splugorth King­
  doms are in the Three Galaxies, but they have not sought them 
  out for destruction yet because they have greater fish to fry just 
  now. Should things quiet down with the rebellion and the Forge 
  War, the Splugorth had better expect a TGE invasion force right 
  away. In the Anvil Galaxy, the only major Splugorth presence is 
  the Kingdom of Rynncryyl, the most diabolic and most insane 
  Splugorth in the Three Galaxies! Since he keeps his Kingdom in 
  the Threshold, the TGE fmd it easy to ignore him, but should 
  any of his ships or minions be found anywhere near TGE space, 
  82 
  then the Imperials will move to engage, shooting to kill. The 
  Splugorth know this and keep a respectful distance. 
  Gene-Tech: The enigmatic Gene-Tech are viewed as danger­
  ous beings who refused Kreeghor invitations to join the Empire 
  and who serve their own dark purpose or some secret, higher 
  power, making them an unknown quantity that drives the 
  Kreeghor crazy. The fact that the Gene-Tech go around mutat­
  ing and creating new races, and stirring up trouble, reminds the 
  Kreeghor of the hated Splugorth and earns the Gene-Tech simi­
  lar treatment from the TGE as the Splugorth. The Empire would 
  not mind plundering the Gene-Tech to get their hands on their 
  revolutionary and extensive genetic engineering knowledge, be­
  cause with that expertise in their arsenal, the Invincible Guards­
  men could be made much more powerful than they already are, 
  and Kreeghor shock troops could also be made to wield special 
  powers and modifications. Of course, the Gene-Tech ignore or 
  decline TGE requests for their help or to sell them even a scrap 
  of their knowledge, which is a slap in the face that only makes 
  the Kreeghor hate these mad scientists all the more. 
  Om egan Order: The TGE likes these guys because they are 
  enemies of the Cosmo-Knights, and an enemy of their enemy is 
  by default a friend. Only the Omegan Order wants nobody' s 
  company, so the TGE is content to leave them be, taking heart 
  in the trouble they inflict on the CCW. Should, however, the 
  Omegan Order get in the TGE's way while they look for the 
  Cosmic Forge in the Core, the TGE will not hesitate to smash 
  them into pieces. Nothing must stand in the way of fmding the 
  Forge. 
  Xodian Collective: The TGE has had limited contact with 
  the Xodians, largely because their territory in the Core is no­
  where near where the TGE has been focusing its search attempts 
  in the center of the galaxy. What little they know about the 
  Xodians points to a race that might serve well as an addition to 
  the Imperial Guardsmen, if they learn the proper respect for 
  Kreeghor superiority, that is. 
  K!ozn: The TGE is frustrated by the K!ozo's superior atti­
  tude and refusal to deal with Halo power blocs as if they were 
  equals. Still, the TGE respects the K!ozn's apparently superior 
  technology, and the various soldier races the K!ozo have sent 
  out on errands have performed most admirably. Truly a race not 
  to be trifled with. 
  Independent Worlds: The Empire has tried to gobble up as 
  many of these as possible, especially in the Anvil Galaxy where 
  they need all the allies and subordinates they can get to tip the 
  scale against the CCW/uwW alliance. The problem is, most of 
  the Independent Worlds in the Anvil Galaxy are either beyond 
  the Empire's reach, safely within the shadow of the CCW, or are 
  powerful enough to make any kind of Kreeghor takeover a long 
  and bloody affair. The long and short of it is that the TGE has 
  no more worlds to conquer in the Anvil Galaxy. Not like they 
  used to, anyway, and so they must focus their energies on de­
  feating the enemies at hand - the CCW, the UWW, and what­
  ever secondary power blocs dare oppose them. 
  TGE Society 
  The Empire runs on a very simple system: citizens can do 
  what they want as long as they don't interfere with the Empire, 
  break the law, or willingly or accidentally get in the way of 
  somebody more important than they. On the surface, life in the 
  
  Trans-Galactic Empire is not too different from that of other 
  worlds. People go to their jobs, start their own businesses, and 
  lead seemingly normal lives. Closer examination reveals that 
  things are not as normal as they seem. 
  TGE Daily Life 
  First of all, there is always a visible military presence in the 
  lives of the Imperial subjects. Armed patrols can be seen on all 
  major streets. Propaganda posters proclaiming war victories can 
  be seen on every street comer, and movies and television have 
  clearly militaristic undertones and zealous, patriotic program­
  ming. A sizable percentage of the population is directly in­
  volved in the military. Every town, city and village has an 
  armed garrison. Every child born in the Empire has seen tanks 
  rolling down the streets or military jets flying overhead. 
  Also, there is always an atmosphere of fear. If a person says 
  the wrong thing in public, he might get a visit from an armed 
  squad. Most of the time, the person is just intimidated and 
  threatened by the soldiers, but sometimes the victim just disap­
  pears, never to be seen again. Any criticism of the Empire is met 
  with censorship, repression and violence. The Royal Family has 
  the right of life and death over all subjects (there are no citizens 
  in the TGE, only "subjects" without legal rights). If a Royal 
  likes your home, he can evict you and move in himself. These 
  privileges are not enforced often, but each injustice reminds 
  people that they have no rights or defenses against their power­
  ful masters. Imperial propaganda tries to counter all of this with 
  claims that the Empire has brought peace and prosperity to all 
  member planets. Many people believe in this and are actually 
  dedicated to the betterment of the TGE. Those who disagree are 
  afraid of speaking their minds. 
  Slavery is legal in the Trans-Galactic Empire. Convicted 
  criminals, captives of war and the descendants of slaves make 
  up most of the slave population. Parents can sell their children 
  into slavery if they want to. "I'll sell you off if you don't be­
  have," is a threat commonly heard in many poor households. 
  People can even sell themselves off to pay debts. A slave can 
  buy his freedom if he manages to save enough money. How­
  ever, this is exceedingly difficult because they don't get wages, 
  but slaves can save up tips and gratuities. Slaves have very few 
  rights. Owners can kill or abuse them with relative impunity. 
  Escaped slaves that are guilty of treason are tortured or executed 
  when captured. Most wealthy households have one or more 
  slaves - some have dozens. Entire factories, mining operations, 
  farms and plantations are often run on slave labor. 
  Racism is rampant in most parts of the Trans-Galactic Em­
  pire. The Kreeghor and a few "worthy" races, such as the Ma­
  chine People, the Silhouette and the Wulfen, enjoy more 
  privileges than others. These people are rarely mistreated by the 
  authorities, are always given the benefit of the doubt, and usu­
  ally win any legal trouble they have with members of other spe­
  cies. A slave's word against one of the these races is dismissed 
  entirely. Humans, the second largest race after the Kreeghor, are 
  treated as second-class citizens unless they are members of the 
  armed forces. 
  Law and Order 
  The laws of the Trans-Galactic Empire are simple and brutal. 
  Suspects are assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. The au-
  83 
  thorities can search any premises without need for warrants, and 
  arrest suspects on the flimsiest of evidence. Those convicted of 
  minor offenses (petty theft, littering, etc.) are fined heavily, of­
  ten the equivalent of several years' worth of pay. If the person 
  cannot pay, they have to work it off in labor, performing such 
  duties as garbage collecting and street sweeping. Thieves, con 
  men and political dissenters are condemned to hard labor, erect­
  ing buildings or working in mines, or sold into slavery. Mur­
  derers, rapists, and convicted traitors are either executed (often 
  by torture) or condemned to one of the Hellworlds, brutal pris­
  ons deliberately designed to be worse than death (described 
  elsewhere). 
  Unlike the Consortium, the Trans-Galactic Empire has only 
  one legal system in force throughout its territories. Kreeghor 
  law is "efficient" as the Kreeghor refer to it. The accused are as­
  sumed guilty until proven innocent, and money and power talks. 
  Most punishments range from lengthy prison sentences to slav­
  ery and death. Prison is spent on the Hellworlds, those planets 
  specifically intended for use as prison environments. Typically 
  Hellworlds are the worst real estate in the Empire's dominions, 
  and spending any appreciable amount of time on one is consid­
  ered to be a worse punishment than death. Imperial propaganda 
  makes a big deal out of the fact that the law is never "easy" on 
  criminals, and criticizes the CCW for "coddling murderers and 
  hooligans" because they lack the intestinal fortitude to be prop­
  erly harsh on lawbreakers. 
  
  Despite the harshness of the laws, crime is at least as com­
  mon in the TGE as it is in the Consortium. Since most people 
  are afraid of the cops, very few step fOlward and press charges 
  or act as witnesses against criminals. As a result, a lot of petty 
  thieves, murderers, and racketeers often get away with a lot, as 
  long as they are careful not to step on the toes of the Royal Fam­
  ily and their lackeys. Criminal gangs dominate the slums and 
  poor neighborhoods of most cities in the Empire. The Kreeghor 
  only sweep them up when they are suspected of collaborating 
  with either the Splugorth or the Free World Council. The Gun 
  Brothers have a few teams operating in the TGE, but they are 
  being constantly hunted down by the authorities, who execute 
  them without mercy (usually on the spot). 
  Smuggling is a common offense. Imperial tariffs are ex­
  tremely high, in an attempt to try to protect the Kreeghor mo­
  nopoly on most manufactured goods. As a result, spacers willing 
  to take risks can make an enormous profit running the Imperial 
  blockades and selling products from other civilizations. Weapon 
  smuggling, especially to the Free World Council, is also ex­
  tremely profitable. The freedom fighters will pay any price for 
  good quality military equipment, and they have the funds (typi­
  cally loot from the Imperial treasure houses) to pay for it. They 
  are especially eager to purchase Naruni weapons. 
  There is no police force in the Empire. Instead, the Imperial 
  Legions act both as the military and law-enforcement agency. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Serti Gandle, Prime Dominion. This is considered the 
  throne world of the TGE's section of the Anvil Galaxy. Con­
  trolled by Gura 'g Kuorg, High Prince of the Kreeghor Royal 
  Family, Serti Gandle is where all Imperial authority radiates 
  from in this part of the universe. When the Emperor has some­
  thing important to say, he sends it along to Serti Gandle and 
  trusts that world to disseminate it properly. 
  This planet is the home of the Kreeghor Armadas and the Im­
  perial Army in the Anvil Galaxy, as well as the Invincible 
  Guardsmen. The world is an impenetrable fortress, filled with 
  shipyards, factories, barracks, and other kinds of typically mili­
  tary architecture. The whole world looks like one big military 
  base, which is pretty much what it is. Serti Gandle bristles with 
  defensive screens, scanners, automated weaponry, starship pa­
  trols, and various other security measures. At any given time, 
  there are at least 1,000 assorted warships either in orbit or on the 
  ground ready to deploy, and a standing army of 2-3 million 
  troops remains on constant alert should they be needed. There 
  also remains at least a dozen Invincible Guardsmen on the world 
  at all times, even though those super-warriors would probably 
  prefer to be out and about, stirring up trouble for the CCW and 
  its allies. While it is typical Imperial practice to go overboard 
  securing its important worlds, they really must do so here, since 
  Serti Gandle is, tactically speaking, like putting all of their eggs 
  in one basket. Were the CCW or UWW to destroy this planet, 
  they would decapitate the TGE forces in the Anvil Galaxy, deal­
  ing it a blow from which it would probably never recover. 
  To call Serti Gandle a police state is to drastically undervalue 
  the meaning of the words ''police state." TGE citizens have no 
  business being on the world - only military and Royal Family 
  and specially appointed visitors may even enter this star system, 
  let alone land on the planet below. Oddly, this is also where the 
  84 
  Empire receives all of its ambassadors from other power blocs. 
  The Kreeghor think that by making envoys meet here, under the 
  presence of such an awesome array of the Empire's might, visi­
  tors will be intimidated and more acquiescent to the Empire. 
  Actually, it has just the opposite effect - ambassadors tend to be 
  offended by having to kowtow amid such a display of force, and 
  they leave resolved to work with the Empire all the less. Serti 
  Gandle is a dark, wet, miserable world where the sun never 
  shines, it never stops raining, and the air smells mildly of sulfur 
  and smoke. It is a Kreeghor paradise, and they consider it to be 
  the most beautiful planet in the Anvil G�laxy. Figures. 
  Keblinka. Long ago, this world used to be part of the Golgan 
  Republik, but as that power bloc has crumbled, the TGE has 
  snapped up what it can along the way. Keblinka is a world that 
  tried setting up its own coalition govermnent with five other 
  planets shortly after breaking away from the Republik. This co­
  alition primarily served Lurgess aliens, a race best known as the 
  carriers of ultra-virulent plagues that will destroy virtually any 
  other carbon life form that comes into contact with it. When 
  traveling among other people, the Lurgess wear environmentally 
  sealed exoskeletons, but they long for a place where they can 
  live without these things, and so this system of worlds was 
  meant to be such a place. The TGE invaded shortly thereafter, 
  unfortunately destroying all life on four of the five planets and 
  capturing the fifth so they might exploit the rich gold, silver and 
  diamond deposits there. The Kreeghor quickly learned of the 
  virulent Lurgess and their contaminated world, but not after they 
  had bombed the planet back into the Stone Age, destroying all 
  Lurgess containment suits. The TGE has scoured the planet of 
  the Lurgess contagion, but they kept the Lurgess population to 
  work the various mines being dug. So, they built enormous and 
  horrific concentration camps in which the poor Lurgess are 
  forced to live and work (the camps are right on top of the mine 
  entrances). The Empire also built a large space station orbiting 
  the planet, and soldiers working guard duty on the planet's sur­
  face do so for three-day shifts, wearing environmental armor the 
  entire time. When they return to the space station, the armor 
  must be scoured and purified or the soldiers are not let through 
  the station' s bio-hazard zones. As for the camps, they have be­
  come hideous examples of Kreeghor cruelty, and the Imperials 
  inflict every kind of cruelty and torture upon their Lurgess pris­
  oners while working them to death. Even the Coalition States of 
  Rifts Earth might balk at the kind of harsh treatment the 
  Kreeghor inflict upon the Lurgess daily, but that is the Kreeghor 
  to a tee - vicious, cruel, and happiest when inflicting pain on the 
  helpless. Rumor has it a team of Cosmo-Knights and/or mortal 
  adventurers is planning a raid on this world, with the intent of 
  destroying the mine facilities and rescuing the Lurgess. Second­
  ary objective is to destroy the TGE space station. 
  Thiradon III. The Thiradon system used to be a heavily 
  populated comer of the TGE until harmonic disruptions caused 
  the two worlds closest to the sun to explode without warning. 
  The Kreeghor overlord commanding the third planet was 
  warped by this catastrophe, and ever since has become obsessed 
  with random chaos. He exhibits it with an unnatural love for 
  gambling and games of chance, and he runs enormous festivals 
  every quarter-year which turn Thiradon III into a huge carnival 
  and casino during that time. The local govermnent foots the bill 
  for the festivals, largely by jacking up taxes on the locals to 70% 
  
  or 80%. Locals are not welcome to the festivals, only military 
  personnel, Royal Family and specially invited off-world guests. 
  The array of games to play is mind-boggling, but all of them 
  permit gambling in some form. These festivals typically last for 
  21 days, after which the 32 players who have accumulated the 
  most prize money will play off against each other in a sin­
  gle-elimination tournament. The winner of that tournament gets 
  the right to play the overlord himself in a thee-day series of 
  games. If the challenger wins, he gains control of the planet for­
  ever or until the next games festival unseats him. If the chal­
  lenger loses, he gets beheaded on the spot. Surprisingly, many 
  of the Empire's best game players yearn to get into the "Elimi­
  nation Tournament," because it is considered a great honor to do 
  so and the prize is an entire planet. Other than gaming halls, 
  shady fmancial institutions and various entertainment centers, 
  there is little honest industry on this world at all. Apart from its 
  shiny, flashy cities, the planet is dull, dreary and inhospitable. 
  Zeihan 12, Prison World. Zeihan 12 is, predictably, the 
  twelfth moon of the gas giant Zeihan Major. Each of the twelve 
  moons is like a miniature planet on its own, many of which are 
  verdant worlds with Earth-like atmospheres and support impres­
  sive populations. "ZI2," as it is nicknamed, is the outermost 
  planetoid moon, and meteorite impacts have, over time, reduced 
  it to a cratered ruin with a trace atmosphere consisting mostly of 
  noxious, corrosive vapors. The gravity is several times that of 
  the Earth, and it is bitterly cold all of the time. What's more, the 
  lack of atmosphere makes anybody on the surface not in an en­
  vironmental suit susceptible to dangerously high radiation expo­
  sure. A mild case of overexposure resembles severe sunburn. A 
  major case results in scarring, disfigurement, mutation or death. 
  All of these things together made Z12 the perfect candidate to 
  become one of the TGE's infamous Hellworld prisons. The war­
  den, a particularly sadistic Kreeghor who goes only by the name 
  of Mr. Z, runs an open facility - that is, there are no walls, no 
  contained environments of any kind. Inmates are free to come 
  and go as they please. The catch is, they are never, ever allowed 
  inside a protected environment. They must spend their entire 
  time outside, in an environmental suit. The harsh conditions are 
  rough on these suits, so they need constant repairs and replace­
  ment. There is only one repair facility on the planetoid, under 
  Mr. Z's personal care. Prisoners with damaged suits may walk 
  in an airlock and remove the suit and wait for it to be repaired 
  again - this is a grueling experience since the airlocks are not 
  well insulated and some prisoners freeze to death before they 
  get their suits back. More importantly, though, Mr. Z charges 
  for all repair work, and there is only one industry on Z 12: rock 
  mining. Using only hand-held tools, the prisoners must bust 
  rock down to small enough pieces to carry (Remember, under 
  high gravity conditions) and cash them in to Mr. Z. The warden 
  gives a pittance for every load of rock, all part of a carefully fig­
  ured formula that makes it so prisoners must work at 1 00% all 
  the time if they hope to get enough money saved up by the time 
  their suit needs overhauling. Prisoners who somehow damage 
  their suit or suffer a malfunction usually either die or buddy up 
  with a friend for as long as they can, sharing life support be­
  tween the suits, etc. 
  The average life expectancy on Z 12 is one year. The longest 
  lived inmate on the world is General Diego Galveh, a CCW mil­
  itary hero who was taken prisoner by the TGE during a clandes­
  tine raid on one of their factory worlds three years ago. Since it 
  85 
  was a black op, General Galveh was disavowed and left to his 
  own fate, as he knew he would be. He has survived for thee 
  years, and not a day goes by when he does not think of some 
  way to escape or organize a rebellion that might save his and ev­
  ery other inmate's life. Taking out Mr. Z won't be easy. He lives 
  in an armored bunker with a command staff of 30 armored 
  Kreeghor troopers, all of whom are combat veterans who are 
  just aching for some action. 
  Thelag Vohann, Weapons Research World. Knowing that 
  the CCW has effectively hired Naruni Enterprises to conduct 
  weapons research and development for them, the TGE is facing 
  a long-term deficit in weapons technology. The embattled evil 
  empire can hardly sustain another drawback in its race for su­
  premacy over the CCW, and so it has established a network of 
  R&D planets across the Three Galaxies. These worlds enjoy cu­
  riously free rein to conduct whatever experiments they like, so 
  long as they ultimately benefit weapons and armor development. 
  So far, the project is showing promising results, but nothing def­
  inite has come out of it yet. Within a few more years, however, 
  the Emperor expects a quantum leap in his armies' destructive 
  capability, or every scientist recruited for this project will face 
  execution. (Talk about your killer deadline!) Despite the incredi­
  bly tight security at Thelag V ohann, the premier TGE research 
  world in the Anvil Galaxy, the science teams there want out. 
  They do not believe they can give the Emperor what he wants in 
  time, and they sure aren't going to work hard the next few years 
  just so they can be executed. So, they are trying to fmd a way 
  off their world. Agents from the CCW have contacted them, but 
  have been unable to send operatives to actually make contact 
  with the scientists and get them out. For that, a GSA covert 
  strike team or some really talented mercenaries will be required. 
  A likely candidate might be Col. Wolf Harker, commander of 
  the Tharsis Division, a mercenary company that has done black 
  ops for the GSA in the past. Only thing is, Harker is missing in 
  action, having not reported in from the last time the GSA sent 
  him out on a secret mission ... 
  Qidia. Home to the Qidian race, an alien people recently ab­
  sorbed into the TGE and none too happy about it, Qidia is turn­
  ing out to be a risky proposition for the Empire. The Qidians, 
  despite their other talents, have a deeply developed warrior cul­
  ture, and they are renowned for their skill at unarmed combat. 
  Most Qidians know one of a number of native martial arts, and 
  with these skills alone, rebel Qidians have been able to defeat 
  Kreeghor soldiers with relative ease. The Imperial Army first 
  tried to destroy every school, village and monastery where 
  Qidian warriors might train, but that has only generated more re­
  bels. Now, the Empire is offering lucrative positions to any 
  Qidian who teaches his skills to the Imperial Army. So far, there 
  are few takers. The Qidians, a reserved and inward folk, are 
  simply biding their time for when the opportunity comes to 
  body slam the Imperials on their world and show them that 
  Qidia is free and always will be. 
  Troma Nydae. One of the largest terrestrial planets in the 
  Anvil Galaxy (it is easily more than ten times the diameter of 
  Earth), Troma Nydae is largely covered with dense and vibrant 
  jungles. Some civilizations might look at this place as a natural 
  treasure and leave well enough alone, but not the Trans-Galactic 
  Empire. To them, this world is good for lumber and coming up 
  with hot, new biotechnology. Kreeghor scientists believe that 
  
  the extreme bio-diversity in the planet's jungles makes Troma 
  Nydae a gold mine for developing all sorts of pharmaceuticals. 
  In fact, the planet is so incredibly rich in plant and animal life 
  that the TGE scientists stationed here hardly have to do any 
  work to produce new wonder products. They need only under­
  stand the natural processes before them and figure out a means 
  of industrializing them for export. It is like the deepest Amazon 
  on a planetary scale. The only civilization present is the loose 
  network of TGE outpost cities - heavily armed, supplied and 
  fortified, but cut off nonetheless. Aside from the scientists and 
  workers living here, these cities are also a haven for freelance 
  merchants who can make a killing selling exotic merchandise to 
  the isolated laborers of Troma Nydae. 
  Dirakath. Situated very close to its sun (not unlike Mercury 
  to our Sun), this planet is subjected to scorching heat and in­
  tense radiation. In a brilliant move, the scientists of this planet 
  established a system of orbital lenses and mirrors that would 
  soak up all of this energy and beam it in tight pulses to the other 
  worlds of the system. There, energy collectors in orbit over 
  those other worlds would catch the energy and use it to charge 
  energy cells. Some of it would be beamed down to the planet's 
  surface, where it would feed into the planetary power grid. This 
  method loses a lot of energy from the original pulses sent out 
  from Dirakath, but it still delivers lots of clean, free and limit­
  less energy to the other worlds of the system. One hundred years 
  ago, the TGE overran the system and captured this unique en­
  ergy transferral system. The TGE being the TGE, they immedi­
  ately wanted to make a weapon out of this. They succeeded only 
  in dismantling the energy transfer network and adding a few 
  more lenses and projectors to those already in orbit over 
  Dirakath. The result is that Dirakath is basically a huge gunnery 
  station, forever collecting solar energy, storing it up, and able to 
  fire off intensely powerful energy bolts to anywhere in the gal­
  axy. The Kreeghor have not yet tested this weapon system fully, 
  but they are convinced that an energy blast from this system 
  could vaporize the largest battleships at close range. Once (or if) 
  the Kreeghor get this system to work right, they intend to install 
  them on all of their conquered systems as a cheap and simple 
  means of providing each system with a powerful super-weapon 
  to fight off enemy invasion. Consequently, operations on 
  Dirakath have been targeted for sabotage by enemy forces. 
  Sirab Ona. The TGE invaded this world over 250 years ago, 
  receiving little initial resistance from the locals. After a brief 
  campaign, the TGE assumed control of the cities and assumed 
  that any resistance on this world's immense and inhospitable 
  wilderness would be sporadic at best. Well, they were wrong. 
  Dead wrong. As it turned out, this world had a huge, rural indig­
  enous population. The standing armies of the cities the TGE de­
  feated were probably the weakest of all factions of local 
  86 
  warriors, all of whom had honed their art by fighting each other 
  all their lives in never-ending factional conflicts. With a foreign 
  invader to turn their sights to, the locals unified, scrounged up 
  what M.D.C. weapons they could, and began resisting. A quar­
  ter of a millennia later, the same insurgent kind of war is still 
  going on with no end in sight. The thing is, the TGE is really 
  doing a lot of good for the locals, who, until TGE dominion, 
  were under the heel of monsters, interstellar bandits, and the 
  like. Are the TGE tyrants? Yes. Are the oppressed benefitting 
  from it? Yes. Does this put the rebels into a very ambiguous 
  gray zone? Yes, but before the TGE took over, the world was 
  plunged into bitter and severe factional wars. Despite their ty­
  rannical culture, the TGE made this world a better place in 
  which to live, and that is causing some of the locals to wonder 
  which is more important: freedom from slavery (as under the 
  TGE) or freedom to vote, to speak freely, etc. 
  Pomadon, World of Demons. Pomadon has long been a part 
  of the TGE's Anvil Galaxy territory, but it never figured promi­
  nently as a military outpost or manufacturing center. It was just 
  one of hundreds of worlds filled with Imperial subjects who 
  lived their lives, paid their taxes, and volunteered for military 
  service. Several decades ago, a massive explosion at the planet' s 
  main fusion reactor caused a chain reaction that ultimately de­
  stroyed 80% of the world's energy-making industry. The chain 
  of fusion reactions was similar to the nuclear war that sparked 
  the Coming of the Rifts on Earth, and as anybody from that em­
  battled world can attest, what would come next was not pretty. 
  Indeed, the fusion explosions killed billions of people, and the 
  P.P.E. surge from that opened up numerous Rifts along the 
  planet's modest ley lines. Since then, Pomadon has become a 
  world infested with extra-dimensional monsters and demons of 
  every kind. The TGE has little experience in fighting such 
  things, and though they have responded bravely and with ex­
  treme firepower (orbital bombardments are routine), they still 
  are no closer to closing the dimensional portals and preventing 
  more demons and monsters from coming through and replacing 
  the ones already slain by Imperial legionnaires. Unless the TGE 
  fmds a permanent solution to the problem of Pomadon, they will 
  end up having to deploy battle groups here forever just to keep 
  the demon menace contained. TGE scientists, however, are in­
  trigued by the monsters coming through here and would like to 
  capture 
  a 
  few 
  so they might be 
  studied for 
  future 
  bio-engineering projects. (G.M. Note: Space restrictions pre­
  vent us from detailing any of the monsters plaguing Pomadon, 
  so we encourage you to use either of the random monster gener­
  ators in the Rifts® RPG, use existing creatures in other Palla­
  dium RPG books or make up your own. Note that Pomadon has 
  only one tenth the amount of magic or number of dimensional 
  Rifts of Rifts Earth.) 
  
  The United 
  Worlds of Warlock 
  Population: 500 billion, 400 billion of which are in the An­
  vil Galaxy. 
  Demographics: Star Elves (20%), Humans (15%), Wulfen 
  (15%), Dwarven Guildmasters (15%), Space Minotaurs (6%), 
  Ratanoids (7%), Others (22%; includes supernatural beings like 
  demons and Elementals, as well as dozens of other races). 
  Overview: Long before the Consortium of Civilized Worlds 
  (CCW) was even a concept, the magic users of the Anvil Galaxy 
  banded together for mutual defense against evil powers such as 
  the Kreeghor, the Gene-Tech and the Splugorth. Pooling their 
  talents to create incredible technological and magical means of 
  traveling through space, this civilization soon established a 
  wide-ranging society in which magic surpassed non-magical 
  technologies to become the dominant form of industry and 
  power. Here, magic is commonplace and the standard, not ma­
  chinery, and here all people through whom magic flows like 
  blood in their veins are welcome. Thus was born the United 
  Worlds o/ Warlock, and they continue to be a strong force in the 
  Three Galaxies, especially the Anvil Galaxy, to this day. In 
  terms of size and raw power, the UWW ranks behind the Con­
  sortium of Civilized Worlds and the Trans-Galactic Empire, 
  making it the third most influential power bloc in the Anvil Gal­
  axy. For a society not bent on expanding its territory or subju-
  87 
  gating others, this degree of prominence is neither expected nor 
  unwelcome. To the vast majority of decision makers in the 
  UWW, their vast domain and power amount to nice perks and a 
  degree of authority and independence they never thought they 
  would enjoy. 
  The ftrst civilization to use magic instead of technology to 
  travel throughout the Anvil Galaxy was controlled by the Elves 
  - soon thereafter to be known as "Star Elves." These so-called 
  "Star Elves" never learned how to build true spaceships; instead, 
  they opened dimensional portals from one planet to the next, 
  never leaving the atmosphere. Soon their jeweled towers rose in 
  several dozen worlds. Under High King Silverlight (who contin­
  ues to rule, thousands of years later), the Star Kingdom became 
  a powerful space-faring culture. 
  Before long, the Star Kingdom made contact with a coalition 
  of practitioners of magic of diverse alien races. This coalition 
  eponymously called itself the Warlocks, in reference to their tra­
  ditional leaders, those Warlocks whose magical abilities granted 
  them mastery over the elements themselves. Unlike the Star 
  Kingdom, the Warlocks also tried to combine high technology 
  and magic to travel between worlds. When Warlock ships ftrst 
  visited the Star Kingdom, they were amazed at the Elves' lack 
  of conventional spacecraft of any kind. Likewise, the Elves 
  found the Warlock ships to be fascinating, and soon the two par­
  ties both saw in each other unique strengths. Both societies real­
  ized they had much to gain by joining forces, and so they did. 
  The Star Elves quickly realized the advantages an enemy who 
  could control space would enjoy over them and resolved to 
  build their own space fleet. Fortunately, the Warlocks were not 
  interested in conquest. They had occupied a handful of uninhab­
  ited worlds, but their main interest was exploration. The War­
  lock Council and the Elven High King met shortly after the fIrst 
  contact and a treaty of cooperation and mutual assistance was 
  signed. The Star Elves exchanged their dimension spanning 
  magicks for alien secrets of magic and technology. Elven ex­
  plorers discovered that ley lines existed in space and that their 
  Rift Jump Drives (described in Phase World®, page 1 52) were 
  even more effective if they followed those ley lines. Within a 
  decade, all the cosmic ley line systems were mapped and used 
  as space-lanes. 
  The alliance slowly grew, and as they expanded they met 
  other civilizations. To their misfortune, their fIrst neighbor 
  turned out to be a Splugorth dominion. The Splugorth and their 
  minions did not waste any time, attacking an Elven planet by 
  surprise, slaughtering half the population and enslaving the rest. 
  The Warlocks and the Elven Star Kingdom rallied their forces 
  for a counterattack, but they found themselves outnumbered and 
  outgunned by the Splugorth's space fleet. Although the 
  Splugorth 
  warships 
  were 
  not 
  experienced 
  in 
  ftghting 
  magic-wielders, their numbers were much greater and their tech­
  nology roughly equal in power and capabilities. In desperation, 
  the magicians sent pleas for help through the ley lines, hoping 
  somebody out there would come to their rescue. Indeed, what a 
  rescue there would be! 
  In the middle of a major space battle, a planet-sized dimen­
  sional Rift opened above the combatants. Through the space dis­
  tortion came a horde of crude starships made of riveted iron and 
  steel, enchanted to resist the hardships of space. The newcomers 
  poured magic fIre and lightning on the surprised Kittani 
  
  starships, destroying several of them and scattering the rest of 
  the fleet into a panicked rout. Some of the strange ships' weap­
  ons projected mini-Rifts among the enemy, tearing ships apart 
  or transporting them to other dimensions. The Star Elves and 
  Warlocks took the opportunity to regroup their own forces and 
  tear into their enemy's ranks. In the ensuing bloodbath, the 
  Splugorth minions lost nine-tenths of their ships. This day 
  would later be known as the Battle of Newcomers, to commemo­
  rate the most dramatic entrance of the Elves and Warlocks' 
  newest ally, the Dwarven Guildmasters. 
  The Dwarven Guildmasters (a.k.a. Anvil Dwarves) were 
  from the other side of the Anvil Galaxy. Due to natural phenom­
  ena the Dwarves were powerless to stop (they were most likely 
  harmonic disruptions), their worlds were literally falling apart 
  into shattered belts of planetoid-sized chunks of lifeless rock. 
  Their territory no longer habitable, the Dwarven Guildmasters 
  were a people without a home. But, hearing the distress call 
  from the Star Elves and Warlocks, they sent their advance fleet 
  to the scene where it helped deliver one of the most reeling 
  blows any Splugorth civilization had suffered in a single battle. 
  A hurried meeting and treaty between the Star Elves, Warlocks 
  and Dwarven Guildmasters soon followed, with the Star Elves 
  and Warlocks promising to share their technology and their ter­
  ritory in return for a military alliance with the Dwarven 
  Guildmasters. The Anvil Dwarves agreed, and the United 
  Worlds of Warlock were born. 
  Immediately thereafter, this combined force followed up on 
  its victory at the Battle of Newcomers and assaulted a major 
  Splugorth slave world, liberating the slaves and running the 
  Splugorth intelligence 
  Yythcryss out of this dimension! 
  (Yythcryss died shortly thereafter at the hands . . . .  er, tentacles 
  of his fellow Splugorth.) In the process, they captured a great 
  deal of new knowledge, including pyramid technology and stone 
  magic (see Rifts® World Book One: Atlantis), making their 
  magic expertise even more supreme among the Three Galaxies. 
  Since then, a few other Splugorth worlds have joined the UWW , 
  giving them a small population of Splugorth minions to use for 
  spying and covert operations against their most hated enemy. 
  Government 
  The UWW is a very loose federation, with more diverse 
  laws and cultures than even the Consortium. The lack of central­
  ization means that member planets are able to have any type of 
  government, from enlightened democracies to savage dictator­
  ships. More than anything, what is important is that the member 
  worlds all use magic, and that they all stick together in times of 
  crisis. The UWW was forged from the fIres of war against the 
  Splugorth. Now, it fmds itself in a similar crisis as they race 
  against the Splugorth, the Trans-Galactic Empire, and even their 
  old friends, the CCW, to fmd the Cosmic Forge. Now more than 
  ever, member worlds are able to overlook each other's govern­
  mental indiscretions. So long as they remain united toward fmd­
  ing the Forge, all is forgiven. 
  The government of the United Worlds of Warlock is the fu­
  sion of three very different government systems. The Elven Star 
  Kingdom was a monarchy, controlled by the Star Elf High King 
  and his Star Chamber, a group of advisors and ministers. The 
  Warlocks were ruled by a Sorcerers ' College that was elected 
  by a vote among all magicians in the coalition. The Dwarven 
  88 
  Guilds were a loose coalition of craftsmen's guilds, each of 
  which elected a representative at the Guildmasters ' Council. 
  To accommodate all these governments, the Parliament of 
  Worlds was formed. This ruling body included the full mem­
  bership of the Star Chamber, the Sorcerers' College and the 
  Guildmasters' Council. The Parliament also added two repre­
  sentatives from each member world. A Consul, roughly equiva­
  lent to a president, is elected by a majority vote in the 
  Parliament. So far, the only Consul has been the Elven High 
  King, Silverlight, who has been elected for the past one hundred 
  elections! Silverlight's fairness, charisma and intelligence have 
  made him stand head and shoulders above all other candidates. 
  Each member world has to select two representatives. How 
  this is done is left to the individual planet. Some worlds are run 
  by monarchies, dictatorships or oligarchies who simply select 
  the representatives. Others hold democratic elections. 
  The Warlock Navy 
  The Warlock Navy is the military arm of the United Worlds. 
  This is a wholly volunteer force recruited from all member 
  worlds. Every planet pays dues to keep the Navy armed and 
  supplied. The largest contribution comes from the Star Kingdom 
  and the Dwarven Guildmasters, who provide most of the Navy's 
  ships and their crews. The Navy's role is basically defensive, 
  fIghting both outside threats and the Dark Covens. The best 
  known Navy members are the elite Warlock Marines, highly 
  trained soldiers equipped with fearsome power armor. 
  Since its creation, the Navy has fought in over a hundred mi­
  nor conflicts, from large-scale Splugorth raids to skirmishes 
  with the Trans-Galactic Empire, pirate fleets, Star Hives (a com­
  mon threat in some UWW areas) and the occasional Dominator 
  and supernatural intelligence. It has been successful most of the 
  time. 
  Interestingly, it has not played a major role in the Forge War 
  yet. While the CCW and TGE are pouring much of their mili­
  tary resources in the quest to fmd the Cosmic Forge, the UWW 
  would much rather hold its Navy in reserve and send out indi­
  vidual operatives to seek clues to the Cosmic Forge and make 
  discreet scouting trips to the Core of the galaxy. Part of the rea­
  son for this is that the Navy ships used by the UWW are largely 
  hand-crafted and difficult to mass-produce. These ships are 
  more time-intensive than they are resource-intensive, so every 
  time one is lost in battle, it presents a big hole in the UWW's 
  forces that cannot be fIlled right away. Thus, the Navy is used 
  only for serious interventions. Navy ships do not patrol often, 
  again because that exposes them to unnecessary danger. They 
  spend most of their time in hangars, awaiting the call for de­
  ployment. Then they come like a dagger from the shadows, ap­
  pearing seemingly out of nowhere, in force, to slam the enemy 
  before they know what hit them. 
  Some of the less refmed elements of the UWW, such as its 
  Space Minotaurs, Ratanoids and some other races, serve as the 
  Navy's Marines -
  highly trained mobile infantry ready to 
  charge into action at a moment's notice. Over the years, though, 
  the Warlock Marines, as these forces are called, have grown 
  frustrated that they must rely on the Navy to get them into bat­
  tle, a Navy that is perhaps a little too reluctant to fIght! Elements 
  within the Warlock Marines have clamored for getting alternate 
  spacecraft, perhaps Naruni ships or CCW surplus - more ex-
  
  pendable vessels that can be used without undue concern. That 
  way, the Warlock Marines can be more visible to the UWW's 
  enemies, and present a strong front to anyone who would op­
  pose the UWW. So far, such requests have been denied time and 
  again, and the Marines are growing impatient and disgruntled. 
  Though there is no real talk of mutiny, the Admirals of the Navy 
  realize that unless these soldiers are given a major war to fight -
  and soon - they might self-destruct. Of course, with the Forge 
  War upon the entire Anvil Galaxy, these warriors might have 
  the fight they have been spoiling for sooner than they expected. 
  The Dark Covens 
  Not all the organizations and governments of the United 
  Worlds of Warlock are benevolent. Chief among the would-be 
  despoilers of Warlock are the evil cults collectively known as 
  the Dark Covens. Many members of the covens are Witches, 
  evil Shifters, Space Warlocks, Demon Magi and the priests of 
  evil gods. Others include vampires, supernatural creatures, and 
  minor demons masquerading as humans or Elves. These groups 
  are the common scourge of magic-using societies, and they are 
  all too common in the United Worlds. 
  Despite their name, however, the Dark Covens are not a uni­
  fied group. In fact, many compete and fight against each other, 
  because they serve different (and antagonistic) entities. Vam­
  pires in particular are often at odds with demon worshipers and 
  other practitioners of magic. Still, each separate group is often a 
  formidable force in its own right. Many covens have infiltrated 
  entire planetary governments, influencing whole worlds through 
  a number of converted or mind-controlled puppets. 
  89 
  Historically, the Dark Covens have never posed a threat to 
  the stability of the UWW at large, or even to an entire planet. 
  They are the UWW's equivalent of a criminal underworld, only 
  they are a purer, more sinister form of evil that merits utter erad­
  ication in the name of all that is good and pure in the universe. 
  What is making the Dark Covens really feared now, however, is 
  that they too are hot on the trail of the Cosmic Forge. Many 
  times, the Covens infiltrate UWW sorcerers' colleges and pilfer 
  secret information on the UWW's leads on the Forge's location, 
  bringing them that much closer to fmding this source of ultimate 
  power and using it to abominable purposes. The Parliament of 
  Worlds is determined to destroy the Dark Covens, every last one 
  of them, before this happens, and to do that, they have autho­
  rized select groups of the Warlock Marines to search out Coven 
  hiding spots and eradicate them. These small strike fleets hope 
  to make up in surprise what they sacrifice in firepower. The Co­
  vens are really terrorist-type groups that are not a big army, but 
  a network of guerilla fighters, assassins, agents and villains ad­
  ept at spreading fear, suspicion and turmoil. Should any one Co­
  ven be attacked suddenly by a Warlock Marine strike team, the 
  Marines will almost certainly carry the day, especially since 
  they will have at least a few mid to high-level spell casters 
  among them in addition to their Space Minotaur and Ratanoid 
  troops. 
  Despite the early successes of the Warlock Marines, the most 
  prominent leader of the Dark Covens, a Witch named Azriel 
  Darkling, remains elusive. She routinely sends threatening com­
  munications to the Parliament of Worlds, and vows that soon 
  she shall unleash a destructive force upon the UWW that will 
  strike fear into the hearts of all the people living in the Three 
  Galaxies. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Enemies include the Splugorth worlds, pirates, Dark Covens 
  and the Star Hives (described elsewhere). Splugorth ships are at­
  tacked on sight when they encroach on UWW space. Members 
  of their minion races are immediately detained and questioned 
  whenever they are spotted. Travelers and criminals who are 
  likely to be Splugorthian spies are interrogated extensively, their 
  activities watched closely and, in many instances, they are es­
  corted out ofUWW space and asked not to return. 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: The UWW and the CCW 
  are on more or less friendly terms. They conduct quite a bit of 
  trading with each other, and even though they do not always see 
  eye to eye on a lot of things, both civilizations are content to let 
  the other operate as they see fit. In the Anvil Galaxy, these two 
  civilizations are both allies and rivals regarding the Cosmic 
  Forge. They have sworn to help each other prevent the TGE 
  from getting its clutches on the Forge, but at the same time, nei­
  ther one wants to lose the race to get the Forge themselves. Un­
  like so many other power blocs in the Anvil Galaxy, rival CCW 
  and UWW forces will probably not come to blows when trying 
  to get the Cosmic Forge. They will deceive and outwit one an­
  other, but war between these two major powers, even over 
  something as monumental as the Cosmic Forge, is not going to 
  happen. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The UWW has long mistrusted the 
  TGE and is unlikely to trade with them for any reason. Border 
  skirmishes between TGE and UWW forces are more common 
  than the UWW is comfortable with, and the UWW was only too 
  
  happy to join with the CCW to help contain the TGE's search 
  for the Cosmic Forge. That said, however, both the UWW and 
  the TGE have a unique common enemy in the Splugorth, and it 
  is not inconceivable for the UWW and TGE to one day team up 
  to eradicate the Splugorth Kingdom of Rynncryyl in the Anvil 
  Galaxy. That remains a very hypothetical situation, though, and 
  for the present, the UWW sees the TGE much more as an enemy 
  than as even a circumstantial ally. 
  Naruni Enterprises: Being masters of magic, the UWW has 
  little use for Naruni weaponry or ruthless Naruni business prac­
  tices. In general, these arms merchants are not welcome in 
  UWW space, but at the same time, possession of Naruni tech­
  nology is not prohibited either. Some elements of the Warlock 
  Marines have secretly contacted Naruni to make weapons pur­
  chases for them so they might act more freely against the 
  UWW's enemies. The Naruni, masters of discretion that they 
  are, have kept such communications quiet, until such time as it 
  might benefit them to use it for extortion or blackmail purposes. 
  Hartigal Combine: Just as the UWW has no use for Naruni 
  Enterprises, it certainly has no use for this renegade subsidiary 
  of it, either. Most folks in the UWW do not even know this or­
  ganization exists, much less are inclined to do business with 
  them. 
  Golgan Republik: The UWW has formal relations with the 
  Republik, but the two powers are hardly bosom buddies. Certain 
  member worlds of the UWW agree wholeheartedly with the 
  Golgans' 
  approach 
  to 
  repressive government and em­
  pire-building, while others feel the Golgans are just a bunch of 
  despots and imperialists who try to gloss it over with polite 
  manners and the veneer of civility. Either way, the Golgan 
  Republik is falling apart, and as it does so, numerous worlds 
  rich with P.P.E. and strong ley lines are becoming available for 
  the UWW to make allies or to offer membership status. 
  Altess Dynasty: The haughty Altess, having alienated most 
  other power blocs in the Anvil Galaxy, are used to going it 
  alone, especially on the search for the Cosmic Forge. The UWW 
  maintains formal relations with the government, but it does so 
  for formality's sake and nothing more. The UWW is interested, 
  however, in reports that the Altess have made huge leaps and 
  bounds toward fmding the Cosmic Forge, and that of all the 
  power blocs on the hunt, they are said to be the closest to the 
  prize. The UWW had long thought they, themselves, were the 
  closest, since they can travel to the Core region and search it 
  easily. The Altess lead troubles the UWW, and so they have be­
  gun making subtle overtures to the Dynasty that perhaps they 
  should join forces and search for the Forge together. 
  Central Alliance: These barbaric cyber-gladiators are every­
  thing the UWW is not: purely focused on warfare and technol­
  ogy, with no appreciation for the mystic aspects of the universe. 
  Since the UWW have little trade with the Central Alliance, and 
  since they do not border them or share similar military concerns, 
  the Alliance is effectively a non-entity to the UWW. 
  Cosmo-Knights: Seen as champions of truth and justice, the 
  UWW hails the Cosmo-Knights as heroes and protectors, and 
  gives them free passage anywhere within UWW territory. The 
  UWW respects the Cosmo-Knight's neutrality in the search for 
  the Cosmic Forge, though they suspect that the Knights know 
  more about the Forge than they are letting on. Some members of 
  the UWW Parliament of Worlds suspect the Cosmo-Knights 
  90 
  somehow know the Cosmic Forge can never be found, which is 
  why they are not bothering to look for it. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: These hated Splugorth slavers are 
  to be destroyed upon sight. The UWW is not interested in any 
  negotiations with them at all. And neither are the Splugorth, not 
  after the UWW captured some of their worlds, colonized their 
  cities, and have successfully turned Splugorth technology back 
  against the very people who invented it. 
  Gene-Tech: Considered to be a criminal element with the 
  power of an independent solar system, the Gene-Tech rank 
  somewhere between the Splugorth and the TGE as far as the 
  UWW is concerned. It would take an atrocity on the 
  Gene-Tech's part against the UWW to spur the Warlock confed­
  eration against them, however, and honestly, the Gene-Tech are 
  far too smart for that. Should the Gene-Tech manage to fmd the 
  Cosmic Forge, however, the UWW will spare no effort to de­
  stroy them and capture the Forge for themselves. The thought of 
  what the Gene-Tech might do with the Cosmic Forge is just too 
  mind-boggling to consider. 
  Om egan Order: These renegade Cosmo-Knights are a blight 
  upon all of civilization, according to the UWW. Given the 
  UWW's friendly relations with the Cosmo-Knights, the Omegan 
  Order is considered an enemy of their state. Should the 
  Cosmo-Knights ever request UWW aid in destroying the 
  Omegan Order (an unlikely scenario, but one the UWW consid­
  ers possible), the UWW would be only too happy to oblige. Es­
  pecially since they know that the Omegan Order is nowhere 
  nearly as powerful as the Cosmo-Knights are, and a united effort 
  to destroy them would surely succeed. The problem is the 
  Omegans are safely across the Threshold, which makes them 
  difficult to assault for anybody who can not magically transport 
  themselves there. Individual UWW mages can, but their Navy 
  can not. 
  Xodian Collective: The Xodians are of interest to the UWW 
  because they seem to be at least mystically attuned, if not out­
  right users of magic energy. Either way, any race that eschews 
  technology as much as the Xodians seem to can't be all bad. 
  UWW envoys to the Core have met with the Xodians on a few 
  occasions, and although these aliens are difficult to understand, 
  a possible alliance in the future is not out of the question. 
  K!ozn: Though the UWW respects this ancient and advanced 
  race's seniority, it does not appreciate its holier-than-thou atti­
  tude to the rest of the Anvil Galaxy. It also does not like that the 
  K!ozn seemingly have appointed themselves protectors of the 
  Cosmic Forge. K!ozn intervention has already cost the lives of 
  plenty of UWW scouts and mystics, and the UWW wants to see 
  that stopped. However, the UWW is alone in this sentiment for 
  now, only because it spends far more time in the Core than the 
  other Halo power blocs, and has more opportunities to establish 
  a bad rapport with the K!ozn. Everybody else is too busy com­
  peting against or fighting each other for clues to the Cosmic 
  Forge or trying to cross the Threshold to appreciate just how in­
  tractable the K!ozn are going to be to anyone searching in the 
  Core for the Forge. The UWW does not think the K!ozn have it, 
  but do believe the K!ozn know where it is. And for that, the 
  UWW is willing to keep trying to deal with the K!ozn, showing 
  them how worthy they are as trading partners, and so on. 
  Independent Worlds: The UWW has never been particu­
  larly aggressive in its expansion. It eagerly seeks new worlds 
  
  with which to do business and if those worlds look like they 
  might be good members, then the UWW extends an invitation to 
  join their federation. Ultimately, the decision is up to the invited 
  world or system or power bloc to join. The UWW is not really 
  into coercing others to join them. They fmnly believe that their 
  member states should be 100% volunteers; loyalty born of free 
  will is the foundation of a strong alliance. Even among worlds 
  the UWW has not extended membership invitations to, the 
  UWW has a reputation as fair dealers and a power bloc that is as 
  good as its word As the Forge War heats up, the UWW has 
  been calling in its many favors to various independent worlds as 
  they shake down the Anvil Galaxy for clues as to the Cosmic 
  Forge's whereabouts. Most of these independent worlds are glad 
  to help out their benefactors, since they generally think the 
  UWW might use the Forge more responsibly than the CCW or 
  any other power bloc. 
  Society 
  The society of the UWW is even more diverse and heteroge­
  neous than the one of the Consortium. Almost every single 
  planet has its own culture, customs and social classes. The main 
  distinction in the United Worlds is that of magic-users and 
  "mundanes." About 70% of the member worlds use some sort of 
  magic or combinations of mystic disciplines as their primary 
  form of technology. The rest are those "mundanes" who rely 
  mostly on science and conventional technology. There is some 
  friction between the two groups, but for the most part it is re­
  duced to the occasional snide remark or rude joke about the dis­
  advantages of relying on magic versus technology, or vice versa. 
  Of special interest recently, has been the effort from the mun­
  dane side of the UWW to acquire conventional warships and 
  military technology as a more easily replaced component of the 
  UWW Navy. The Dwarven Guildmasters and Star Elves who 
  command the mystical spacecraft of the Warlock Navy see this 
  gesture as a little insulting. After all, the mystic armada has 
  served the UWW well so far, who cares if it does not deploy so 
  often? The UWW's power lies not in a visible show of force, 
  but in the minds of its enemies who all know that beneath the 
  surface of this quiet civilization are untapped powers ofunthink­
  able destruction. 
  Daily Life 
  It is hard to refer to an "average" day or citizen of the UWW 
  because it is so incredibly diverse from world to world, system 
  to system. Mundane worlds are very similar to the CCW in 
  terms of personal technology, quality of life, and so on. Worlds 
  where magic has replaced technology are largely the same kind 
  of setup except there is a magic equivalent for every piece of 
  ubiquitous technology in CCW life. For the vast majority of 
  UWW citizens, life is good, filled with peace and prosperity. 
  The low population of the UWW means that most worlds have 
  low 
  population 
  densities. 
  Nowhere 
  will 
  one 
  see 
  the 
  super-crowded arcologies found in the CCW, TGE and else­
  where. The most concentrated things get are certain planetary 
  capitals which might be as densely developed and populated as 
  a large city of 20th Century Earth, only magic is everywhere 
  one looks, not pure technology. 
  91 
  Law and Order 
  There is no galactic body of law in the United Worlds. Each 
  planet or planetary collective formulates its own laws. The Par­
  liament of Worlds (see Rifts Phase World, page 85) only has ju­
  risdiction in interplanetary affairs, and even then only when a 
  planet requests aid. This means that the only time the United 
  Worlds' government and armed forces will intervene is in case 
  of a major emergency or disaster. Two member planets can even 
  declare war on each other, and unless one of them asks for help, 
  the Warlock Navy will only stand by! 
  There are only two main guidelines that all members agree to 
  obey: 1) No member planet or collective can declare war or at­
  tack an outsider planet or collective; doing so might drag the en­
  tire United Worlds into a war. If a planet does this anyway, it 
  forsakes its membership and the UWW will not help it in the 
  conflict. 2) The other rule enforced throughout the United 
  Worlds is against the worship or service of "supernatural 
  intelligences" and so-called "demons." To the eyes of the 
  UWW, this category refers to any entity that feeds on the life 
  energies of sentient beings or seeks to torment or subjugate mor­
  tals. This includes vampires and vampire intelligences, demon 
  and devil lords, and most supernatural monsters. "Gods" who 
  desire worship but do not demand human sacrifices are exempt 
  from this law. Despite the law, many cults (collectively known 
  as the Dark Covens) operate secretly in the UWW. 
  The largest groups in the UWW, the Elven Star Kingdom and 
  the Dwarven Guildmasters, have similar bodies of law. Most 
  laws are very similar to the Consortium's, but with more empha­
  sis on imprisonment than rehabilitation testing periods. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Altbeim: The home world of the Elven Star Kingdom, 
  Alfheim is a major center for magic, perhaps the greatest such 
  place in the Anvil Galaxy. Not only is the planet itself criss­
  crossed with ley lines, but the world is "boxed in" by three ley 
  line nexi in space above the planet. Each of these nexus points 
  are created by the intersection of three different ley lines, mak­
  ing Alfheim easily the most ley-line intensive world in the gal­
  axy. In terms of raw P.P.E. available, the extensive magic and 
  technology on the surface runs nonstop, feeding exclusively off 
  the world's groundside ley lines and even receiving ambient 
  P.P.E. energy from each nexus in the sky. 
  The world is mostly a pastoral wonderland with the occa­
  sional metropolis looking like it was pulled from the pages of a 
  fairy tale. Tall towers, graceful arches, slender yet strong walls, 
  cobblestone pathways, all of these things defme the look of 
  these beautiful places, especially in Star City, the capital of the 
  world. Here does High King Silverlight rule from his breath tak­
  ing Palace of Diamonds, widely considered to be the most mar­
  velous piece of architecture in the Three Galaxies. How could it 
  not be? It stands 1 000 feet (305 m) high and is made of pure 
  crystal, decorated with colored jewels. The palace serves as the 
  center of government for the United Worlds of Warlock and 
  King Silverlight's home. He rarely leaves here, though being the 
  master of magic that he is (15th level Wizard who knows all 
  WizardlLine Walker spells) he can make his presence felt a 
  world away ifhe so desires. 
  Tempest: This world is full of Elemental beings of all types 
  - Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. From time to time, rumors surface 
  
  that new Elementals arrive on Tempest - Mud, Smoke, Dust, 
  Mist, Lightning, Wind, Light, Darkness, Star, Time, Life, Death 
  - but the existence of any of these beings has never been con­
  fIrmed. Of course, the Parliament of Worlds never deny them, 
  either, leading some to believe that perhaps there is on Tempest 
  a secret project to establish contact with new and undiscovered 
  Elemental Planes (if indeed there are any) and create entire new 
  schools of elemental magic from them. In the meantime, how­
  ever, life continues on Tempest in ways that make the planet in­
  hospitable for anything besides an Elemental or a proper 
  Warlock. All over the planet's surface, Elementals play their 
  games. Their "games" cause constant storms, earthquakes, hur­
  ricanes and volcanic activity that make it almost impossible for 
  normal humanoid life to survive. This also makes it impossible 
  to invade this world, as Splugorth raiding parties learn the hard 
  way each and every time they try to snatch a few Elementals off 
  Tempest to be sold in the Phase World slave auctions. To date, 
  no Elemental has ever been successfully captured, a statistic that 
  Rynncryyl the mad would dearly love to change. 
  The Smithy: This planet is the ruling world of the Dwarven 
  Guildsmasters. It is fIlled with factories and forges that create 
  rune weapons and other magical devices and items as well as 
  technological items. Spaceships, vehicles, weapons and other 
  pieces of equipment are manufactured here, most of which are 
  exported to other worlds within the UWW. If magic could be in­
  dustrialized, it would be here. The magic weapons and en­
  chanted items are still handmade, but there are millions upon 
  millions of Dwarven craftsmen who blend magic with the mate­
  rial world and even with technology, always hard at work ham­
  mering out the latest magic items for UWW consumption. What 
  is really amazing about this world is that the endless factories 
  and metalworks covering the surface were actually contained 
  within a massive pocket dimension at one point. When the 
  Dwarven Guildmasters abandoned their old empire, they lost all 
  but one of their manufacturing planets. Determined not to lose 
  their last and greatest magical production facility, they managed 
  to lift the entire industrial infrastructure off the planet and trans­
  port it into a special pocket dimension of the Guildmasters' cre­
  ation. After that, all they had to do is fInd a suitable world on 
  which to replace their massive 
  factories. Apparently, the 
  Guildmasters could do this again, but precious few of them 
  know the secrets behind such an enormous feat of magic. Rumor 
  has it that over 100,000 Dwarves willingly gave up their lives to 
  generate the P.P.E. needed for such an operation. Still, the 
  thought of the UWW transporting entire planetary infrastruc­
  tures to other worlds has interesting colonization possibilities, 
  and more than a few UWW mages have suggested transporting 
  the surface development of a few UWW worlds to a beachhead 
  in the Core so future scouting missions have friendly territory to 
  retreat to. 
  New Midgard: Technically speaking, this planet is ruled by 
  the gods of the Norse Pantheon - Odin, Thor, Magni, Heimdall, 
  Loki, Balder, Hel, Njord, Freyr and Freya (See Rifts® Conver­
  sion Book Two: Pantheons of the Megaverse® for details). In­
  deed, these gods routinely visit the world, but more so as a 
  retreat or place to vacation for a while to take their troubled 
  minds off whatever is bothering them back in Asgard. This was 
  the way of life on this planet for eons before the UWW ever 
  came to be. That the federation stumbled across a retreat for 
  Norse Gods is a bit of a shocking coincidence for both sides, 
  92 
  and very quickly, the UWW agreed that they would cordon off 
  the world and prevent outsiders from troubling the Norse dei­
  ties. Odin, for his part, thanked the UWW leadership for their 
  wisdom, and that is about all he or any of the other gods have 
  ever said to anybody from the UWW. Perhaps as a sign of this 
  appreciation, the Asgardian Dwarves on New Midgard man a 
  number of magic factories, producing Rift Ships decorated with 
  sea-serpent motifs and well stocked with all sorts of personal 
  magic weapons and items. Upon completion, these ships and 
  their contents are piloted to UWW docks and donated to the 
  Warlock Navy. Periodically, somebody in the Parliament of 
  Worlds suggests that maybe the gods should be recruited for a 
  military drive against the Splugorth, but other members shoot 
  down the ideas as pure lunacy. Recruit the GODS? Yeah, right. 
  As the Forge War gets underway, though, some UWW loyal­
  ists are afraid the Norse Gods will learn about the Cosmic Forge 
  and will begin looking for it themselves. Indeed, there are those 
  who insist that Asgardian minions of all kinds can be encoun­
  tered throughout the UWW, and they can only be looking for 
  one thing: the Forge of Forges, as they like to call it. Note: 
  There seems to be little difference between Asgardian Dwarves 
  and the Anvil Dwarves, leading some scholars to believe that, 
  since the Asgardian Gods had set up shop in the Anvil Galaxy 
  so long ago, the Dwarven Guildsmasters might very well be the 
  descendants of Asgardian Dwarves, who for some reason estab­
  lished their own realm. Such a theory may not be far off the 
  mark, as Asgardian Dwarves have been living on the planet for 
  a very long time, as well as Asgardian Elves, Valkyries and nu­
  merous other mythical creatures. These folk generally do not 
  leave the world, preferring to stay on this, a satellite territory of 
  Asgard itself. 
  Alexandria, True Atlantean Colony: Alexandria is an im­
  portant member planet of the UWW, having one of the largest 
  concentrations of True Atlanteans in the Megaverse - over 
  50,000 members of this ancient and wise species (for more in­
  formation on the True Atlanteans and their place in the 
  Megaverse, refer to Rifts® World Book Two: Atlantis). 
  The Atlantean colony in Alexandria is dominated by Clan 
  Acherean (pronounced Ah-keh-reh-ann), an influential group 
  whose members have largely abandoned the practice of wander­
  ing the Megaverse to provide a safe haven for their nomadic 
  brethren. Alexandria is a frequent site for the periodic gather­
  ings of the various other Atlantean Clans. It is also a dimen­
  sional port of no small importance (although it pales to 
  insignifIcance when compared to Phase World's Center). 
  The planet was a Rift-tom wasteland when the fIrst Atlantean 
  nomads arrived thousands of years ago. The inhabitants were all 
  alien refugees brought to that world by freak dimensional anom­
  alies and disturbances. Their lives were fraught with danger 
  from both the Rifts themselves and demonic or monstrous crea­
  tures that often arrived through them. The True Atlanteans real­
  ized that the planet was a super-rich P.P.E. battery and that the 
  only way to control its chaotic energies was to build a network 
  of pyramids at major ley line nexus points. 
  The leader of the trans-dimensional band, an Elder Atlantean 
  from Clan Acherean, called for help and thousands of members 
  responded. Hundreds of Stone Masters (see Rifts® Atlantis, 
  page 99) combined their powers to raise pyramids and tap into 
  the powerful ley lines of Alexandria. Monitoring the flux of 
  
  mystical energies was a full-time job, so the Atlanteans found 
  themselves forced to stay on the planet. Cities soon grew around 
  each major pyramid, and trans-dimensional trade flourished. 
  When the ships of the United Worlds of Warlock arrived to Al­
  exandria, the planet was already a prosperous and advanced 
  world. 
  Clan Acherean was glad to relinquish power and allowed 
  UWW administrators and officials to set up shop in their cities. 
  The Atlanteans concentrated on managing the pyramids and 
  then on venturing into the rest of the Three Galaxies to right 
  wrongs and protect the innocent. Many Atlantean Undead 
  Slayers, sorcerers and champions have come from Alexandria. 
  Thyrgord, Realm of Anarchy. This planet was settled by 
  humans and Star Elves many centuries ago, and for all of that 
  time, it has been the model of civility, productivity, and political 
  stability. Except, every 25 years, the locals ritually abandon all 
  government and dissolve all laws for exactly one year. During 
  this time, there is pure anarchy. No social order of any kind, 
  leaving the citizens to survive on their own however they would 
  like. Often there is some looting and civil war, as well as those 
  who flee the planet for the next 12 months. However, the major­
  ity of the people actually make anarchy look like a workable sit­
  uation. Since everyone has magical knowledge or special 
  abilities, everyone can pretty much defend themselves ade­
  quately, so there is little outright savagery being practiced upon 
  one another. Make no mistake, this place is dangerous during its 
  "anarchy world" period because pirates, bandits and would-be 
  despots descend upon the planet to make their bids to take it 
  over. They never do, because the populace bands together to 
  fight them off. From the locals' point of view, anarchy year does 
  them a service by flushing out all of the bad guys and would-be 
  conquerors 
  from 
  their immediate 
  area and forces the 
  Thyrgordian society to take care of them all at once. The next 
  anarchy year is due to begin in three months and this time, 
  things are a little different. The mad Shifter Furog Huld is ru­
  mored to have come to Thyrgord, and during the Great Anarchy, 
  he shall surely summon some kind of unspeakable horror to the 
  world so it might visit terrible destruction upon the populace. 
  That is why, from now until the Anarchy begins, Thyrgordian 
  authorities are conducting a relentless search for this villain, of­
  fering a one million credit reward to whoever bags him fIrSt. 
  Rhilith, Home of the Gear. Rhilith is one of the very few 
  United Worlds that has no ley lines or strong source of magic 
  energy, so it has no significant magic-using population, and has 
  no schools of magic anywhere. It is a technological power, con­
  sisting largely of high-tech science R&D facilities as well as the 
  occasional civilian arcology and manufacturing complex. FTL 
  propulsion is the specialty here as well as interstellar communi­
  cations. 
  Rhilith was offered membership in the UWW 35 years ago as 
  a way of showing the UWW's gratitude for the role the 
  Rhilithians played in the Yorian Genocide. During that bleak 
  time, the neighboring planet of Y oria was in the grip of a savage 
  civil war in which numerous factions were busy conducting var­
  ious form of mass murder upon each other. Yoria had a substan­
  tial magic-user population, but it was perhaps the one group of 
  people on the planet universally hated by all. Historically, magic 
  users were always wealthier than other Y orians and generations 
  of frustration about that came to a boiling point during the civil 
  93 
  war. Unless somebody got involved, the magic-using population 
  of Yoria would be exterminated. The Rhilithian High Command 
  decided they could not stand by and watch this atrocity unfold, 
  so they sent a huge strike force of their best ships carrying their 
  best troops to Yoria. In a tough three-week campaign, Rhilith 
  rescued the remaining 10 million magic-users from Y oria and 
  gave them the choice of settling on Rhilith or on the UWW 
  world of their choice. Forever grateful for their heroism, the res­
  cued Y orians never forgot their Rhilithian saviors. A few years 
  later, Yoria and nine other worlds prepared to make an allied as­
  sault upon Rhilith, this time jealous of that planet's high stan­
  dard of living, and for their rescue of Yoria's hated magic users. 
  This time, the Rhilithian High Command knew they could not 
  survive this battle, but they bravely prepared for the worst. As 
  the battle began, Dwarven Guildmaster ships from the UWW 
  swooped in and scattered the attacking forces, saving Rhilith 
  from certain doom. To cap it all off, the Dwarven ships came 
  with an offer of membership to the UWW, an offer Rhilith 
  readily accepted. Today, life is still good on this tech world, and 
  its loyalty to the UWW is unquestioning. Whatever the UWW 
  needs, the people of Rhilith will gladly supply. 
  Kron Omega. This tortured world is home to a cult of insane 
  Warlocks who call themselves the Agony and Ecstasy, or "AlE" 
  for short. The AlE have been a thorn in the side of UWW poli­
  tics for years. They are the de facto rulers of Kron Omega, and 
  though they aspire to one day destroy the planet, they conduct 
  no overt criminal activity, nor do they abuse the planet's popula­
  tion (90% of the populace belongs to AlE, so everyone is pretty 
  much on the same page, philosophically speaking). The AlE's 
  driving motivation is that their magic powers are really meant 
  for destruction, and nothing else. They believe that the true 
  powers of the universe are released when things are destroyed, 
  and so they believe their magic should only be used for destruc­
  tive ends. And what more destructive end could there be than to 
  destroy their very own planet? The rest of the UWW simply 
  shakes their head at this insane reasoning, but to the AlE, this is 
  the only honest way of approaching life. Those who spend their 
  time creating things, they believe, are chasing a fool's dream. 
  Since everything falls to dust, trying to fight that process is not 
  only an exercise in futility but it disrespects the simple beauty of 
  the destructive process. 
  For years, the Parliament of Worlds simply disregarded any­
  thing this world had to say, because it invariably came back to 
  them wanting the Warlock Navy's help to destroy the planet. 
  Aside from it being a gross misapplication of military power, 
  the Parliament was not going to help anybody destroy a planet 
  for any reason unless it was to save the UWW itself from grave 
  danger. That being the case, the AlE have been left to their own 
  devices. Little does anybody know that the TGE have surrepti­
  tiously provided 1 ,000 nuclear warheads to the AlE, who are 
  busily digging deep shafts in which to place the bombs and then 
  detonate them. T-minus one year and counting . . . .  
  Ikarus. This world is home to just ten beings, the ancient 
  Great Homed Dragon lkarus, and his crew of adventuring allies: 
  Solbriad, an ancient Fire Dragon who recently took part in the 
  war in Tolkeen, on Rifts Earth (and is fairly depressed over the 
  outcome); Mikao, an ancient Ice Dragon who is sick and tired of 
  Solbriad's bellyaching about the damn Tolkeen thing; Obsidius, 
  an ancient Night Stalker dragon who wishes she could relive her 
  
  Hatchling Days and longs for adventure still; Karadoun the Pen­
  itent, a refonned Temporal Raider who gave up his life of evil 
  so he might crusade for justice at Solbriad's side; Yewen the 
  Misunderstood, an ancient and powerful Sphinx who developed 
  quite a taste for fme liquors in his later age; Elerad, a venerable 
  reptilian sorcerer whose works of scholarship and mystic sym­
  bols are among the fmest in the Megaverse; fndigar Shallow, a 
  disgraced Godling who was expelled from a Pantheon he would 
  rather not mention because the whole thing is still too painful 
  for him; Brusephus the Forgotten, an Elven arch-mage who 
  once was famous throughout the Megaverse but has retreated 
  into obscurity; and Galak, a refonned Dominator who has spent 
  his last years hunting down and killing his very own people. 
  These ancient heroes have retired to Ikarus so they might live 
  out a long and peaceful retirement where they do nothing but 
  take in slow days recounting old war stories. The UWW consid­
  ers these living legends to be honored guests, and all have hon­
  orary seats on the Parliament of Worlds. There has been talk of 
  trying to get these fellows to help with the search for the Cosmic 
  Forge, but the consensus is that if Ikarus and his friends want to 
  help, they will do so of their own accord. Until then, best to 
  leave them in peace. 
  Skaltin: These are not real planets, but huge artificial plane­
  toids that orbit near asteroid fields. Each Asteroid Eater is a 
  self-contained mining and manufacturing colony. Asteroids, 
  planetoids, moons and even small planets are stripped of all use­
  ful minerals, which are then processed to build ships, weapons, 
  computers and other materials. Most of the crews/inhabitants of 
  the Asteroid Eaters are Dwarves. Many are born, live out their 
  lives, and die in their huge habitats, never having set foot on a 
  real planet. The largest Asteroid Eaters can hold a population of 
  five million; the smallest are little more than oversized ships 
  that hold 5,000+ inhabitants. 
  Most Asteroid Eaters are considered to be installations be­
  longing to a planet or corporation. A few of the largest ones, 
  however, have declared their independence and are treated as 
  full members of the UWW, with their own representatives and 
  laws. One of these artificial planets, fronring, is ruled by the de­
  monic Inglix the Mad. 
  Naruni Enterprises 
  Population: 200 million sentients (estimated) working full 
  time, plus 1-3 billion ''temps.'' Note: This number only deals 
  with Naruni personnel located in the Three Galaxies; nobody 
  knows how many people work for the corporation throughout 
  the Megaverse. Also, this does not include slaves or indentured 
  servants. True Naruni (0. 1 %; fewer than 200,000) 
  Demographics: Uteni Shifters (30%), Molock Enforcers 
  (20%), Pleasurers (5%), Humans (10%), Shapechangers (of one 
  kind or another, 5%), and Others (30%). 
  Overview: Naruni Enterprises is a trans-dimensional weap­
  ons, vehicles and technology manufacturer known throughout 
  the Megaverse as much for the quality of its goods as for its 
  ruthless business practices. Like the Splugorth, they sell and 
  trade throughout of the Megaverse. Presently, they are about 
  half as well known, powerful, and hated as the Splugorth. 
  94 
  Naruni Enterprises has regional headquarters throughout the 
  Three Galaxies in CCW, TGE, and independent space. They 
  also have a massive trade and fmance complex in the city of 
  Center, on Phase World itself. 
  No one race runs the trans-dimensional corporation. Rather, 
  its employees are chosen from all over the Megaverse, with a 
  preference toward those from high-tech worlds. However, most 
  of N aruni Enterprises' top management and owners are True 
  Naruni, and the bulk of the company's second echelon consist 
  more of Uteni than of any other humanoid race. Naruni factories 
  are located in other dimensions, where hundreds of thousands of 
  vehicles, weapons and munitions are produced every day for 
  sale on hundreds of worlds. 
  Naruni Enterprises and the Splugorth are ruthless competitors 
  so the Naruni try to avoid dealing with them or Splugorth con­
  trolled worlds. The Splugorth have no liking for the corporation, 
  whom they see as a group of meddlers and an increasingly an­
  noying rival in trans-dimensional commerce currently domi­
  nated by the Splugorth. The fact that Naruni Enterprises seems 
  to frequently arm the enemies of the Splugorth hasn't helped re­
  lations between the two either. The weapons and vehicles sold 
  by Naruni Enterprises are among the best in the Megaverse. 
  Only the Kittani and similar high-tech civilizations can match 
  them. However, Naruni items are very expensive. 
  To make a sale, the salespeople at NE allow governments 
  and large businesses to buy on credit. The weapon merchants 
  are friendly, cheerful and helpful in consummating the sale, but 
  when it is time to collect the debt, the corporation is ruthless! If 
  the purchaser cannot pay in cash, the corporation will consider 
  trading goods or services, but is more inclined to acquire (seize) 
  mining and land rights as payment. On several worlds, this 
  credit and collection policy has enabled Naruni Enterprises to 
  seize entire planets! Naruni Enterprises will get its money any 
  way it can. At first, it will pester delinquent clients, then it will 
  sic its crack legal teams on them. If that does not work (which is 
  about half of the time), Naruni gets really nasty. 
  In some instances they have taken the entire population of an 
  indebted kingdom or planet to sell into slavery. In other cases, 
  they have forced the population to build and operate high-tech 
  factories and into a life of hard labor. Beautiful lands, some­
  times entire planets, are transfonned into giant, smoke-belching 
  factory worlds. Few dare to fight Naruni Enterprises because 
  they have resources across the Megaverse and access to troops, 
  allies and weapons that dwarf any one planet or even most col­
  lectives of planets. These military assets are all part of the 
  dreaded Naruni Debt Collection (NDC) division. ("Oh, 'Debt 
  Collector' has such an ugly ring to it. Please think of us as the 
  military wing of the Accounts Receivable department.") The 
  NDC has been known to raze entire cities in order to impress 
  upon delinquent clients just how important it is to stay on top of 
  one's bills. The NDC rarely destroys a client outright, because 
  one cannot get paid by the dead, usually, but it will wreak utter 
  havoc on a planetary scale until it gets what it came for. In al­
  most all cases, when the NDC arrives on the scene, the debtors 
  somehow fmd a way to cough up what they owe even if it 
  means making painful, even terrible, choices. It is just not 
  worthwhile to resist. 
  The NDC works best on Independent worlds. The CCW does 
  not care for Naruni Enterprises in general (though it buys and 
  
  uses a great deal ofNaruni equipment) and it despises the NDC. 
  Any NDC forces operating within CCW territory are considered 
  invaders to be destroyed on sight. Of course, not all CCW mili­
  tary forces are equipped to handle the NDC, so sometimes this 
  order goes unheeded. For the Naruni, causing trouble with the 
  CCW is something to avoid because they are a major business 
  partner. Thus, it goes the more discreet route when collecting 
  debts, which usually means sending Repo-Bot assassin/enforc­
  ers directly to a debtor's home or place of business and shaking 
  him down that way. Either way, Naruni always gets paid what it 
  is owed. Always. 
  Naruni's heartless pursuit of its profits have marked it a rene­
  gade organization by the Cosmo-Knights, many of whom have 
  no qualms about attacking or harassing Naruni operatives on 
  sight. Indeed, Naruni stars hip convoys have begun disappearing 
  all over the Anvil Galaxy. The average shipment now has only a 
  50% chance of reaching its destination. The Naruni Board ofDi­
  rectors is convinced that Cosmo-Knights are behind this, but are 
  at a loss as to how to address the problem. 
  Having said all of this, it should be pointed out that Naruni is 
  not an entirely evil organization. Its chief rivals, the Splugorth, 
  have the "sinister behavior" market cornered, lock stock and 
  barrel. No, the Naruni might be loan sharks and vicious debt 
  collectors, but they do not practice overt slavery nor do they de­
  velop, manufacture or distribute street drugs or Bio-Wizard de­
  vices of any sort. 
  In the Anvil Galaxy, Naruni regional offices are having a 
  field day as the bulk of the civilizations here have begun their 
  frantic search for the Cosmic Forge. Suspecting that many of the 
  parties searching for the Forge will come to blows when they 
  cross paths, the Naruni are busy positioning themselves to make 
  a killing by selling ALL parties weapons, spacecraft and equip­
  ment. Naruni manufacturing worlds have been producing excess 
  inventory for a full five years now, and sales representatives 
  have been working hard to worm their way into the halls of gov­
  ernment and the trading nexi of the galaxy. That way, when the 
  inevitable "Forge Wars" do erupt, Naruni Enterprises will be 
  ready, willing and able to capitalize on it, selling their latest 
  arms to all interested parties. This, more than anything, shows 
  the true nature of Naruni Enterprises. They are not one of the 
  truly evil forces at work in the Anvil Galaxy. They are simply 
  heartless opportunists who strive to make a profit however they 
  can, even if it means taking advantage of other people's greed, 
  hate and stupidity. To Naruni Enterprises, fomenting war and 
  chaos, dealing with known evildoers, and standing by without 
  lifting a finger while innocent people are trampled is just the 
  price of doing business. Naruni is a callous, uncaring organiza­
  tion who would not lift a fmger to stop the destruction of the en­
  tire Megaverse if they could figure out how to make a quick 
  credit off it. Their desire for money is not the source of their 
  evil; the means by which they get that money, is their evil com­
  plicity. 
  The N aruni Board of Directors 
  The Naruni Board of Directors has 20 to 24 members, de­
  pending on the current situation regarding internal politics and 
  intrigue. More than one member has been forced to resign, or 
  has been "retired" permanently by a plasma cartridge round. 
  Two-thirds of the board seats are held by True Naruni and Uteni 
  95 
  traders (each of them rich beyond reason), and who collectively 
  hold 60% of all Naruni Enterprises stock. Another important 
  member is the godling Thraxus (described in detail on page 20 
  of Phase World®). He holds 50% of all stock and is worth tril­
  lions of credits. The rest of the board are from all over the 
  Megaverse, including a demon lord and an alien intelligence! 
  The express goals of the company are simple: Expand their 
  holdings and assets, stay on the leading edge of technology, and 
  "maintain a climate favorable for the marketing and distribution 
  of Naruni products." This last phrase can mean a number of 
  things - including the need to maintain a climate of war in the 
  Megaverse to guarantee a market for advanced weaponry. 
  Naruni Enterprises, unlike other trans-dimensional forces, is 
  not in the business of forcible conquest. They see war as a 
  wasteful activity that rarely pays for itself. It is far more profit­
  able to sell weapons to those involved in war! The few 
  large-scale conflicts in which Naruni Enterprises was directly 
  involved were launched against the weakened survivors of a 
  previous war, who were unable to put up much resistance and 
  who were enslaved and sold to pay their debts. 
  Naruni Enterprises will not tum down cash transactions, and 
  makes a healthy profit from perfectly legal sales to those who 
  can afford the prices. However, not all of Naruni's dealings are 
  above-board. The Board of Directors has an elite unit of secret 
  employees, the Social Studies Branch. On the outside, this 
  branch is funded to examine social conditions in the Three Gal­
  axies and the rest of the Megaverse, supposedly as harmless 
  market research. In reality, funds go to mercenaries, secret 
  agents and other free lancers, most of whom do not realize they 
  are even working for NE. These agents then help instigate wars 
  and skirmishes in selected areas. The Social Studies Branch is 
  not used to make trouble, because there are enough wars and 
  conflicts around to satisfy the Board of Directors. Should things 
  slacken off, however, the SSB will conduct a little "social engi­
  neering" of their own. 
  Another important branch of the company is the Research 
  and Development Department. This group reports directly to 
  the Board of Directors, many of whom are renowned weapon 
  designers themselves. However, few new or innovative weapon 
  systems have been developed over the last few decades. It seems 
  that technological development has become stagnant for some 
  reason. The Board of Directors is particularly frustrated by 
  Naruni's inability to learn the secrets of Phase Technology and 
  its lack of success in competing in the magic market. 
  Naruni Products & Services 
  Straight up, there is no commercial interest that produces 
  better quality, or more sophisticated weapons and military tech­
  nology on the scale maintained by Naruni Enterprises. There 
  might be some R&D fmns with slightly more advanced technol­
  ogy, but they do not and probably will never have the market 
  share that Naruni does. These guys are synonymous with heavy 
  hardware, especially in the Anvil Galaxy where so many power 
  blocs are arming themselves for any number of confrontations, 
  the preparations for the impending Forge War being among the 
  most current and sweeping. Naruni weapons are, in large part, 
  the standard design for military technology in the Three Gal­
  axies, and there are far more worlds that use them than those 
  who do not. The TGE is a notable exception, as is the UWW, 
  
  but Naruni technology is very common in the CCW, among the 
  independent worlds, and with those who live between worlds, 
  like spacers, pirates, mercenaries and adventurers. To some it is 
  incomprehensible that a single manufacturer could so com­
  pletely dominate a marketplace as huge as the Anvil Galaxy, but 
  Naruni Enterprises has certainly done that. There are other ef­
  fective monopolies in the Anvil Galaxy, such as MacroCode 
  (makers of civilian and military software solutions; 96% of all 
  computers in the Anvil Galaxy run MacroCode systems, even 
  though they really aren't all that great and MacroCode's few 
  competitors routinely put out better product), Nuke (a 
  super-popular sugary beverage sold in vacc-sacs or aluminum 
  blisters), ICP (a private entertainment and news broadcasting 
  service watched by well over 66% of the galactic population, in­
  cluding TGE subjects; the TGE censors it, though), and 
  Ganymede GoSystems (the leading producer of personal trans­
  portation technology, specializing in jet packs, exoskeletons, 
  and even a personal space travel suit that enables single fliers to 
  travel to 25 light years on their own). Naruni is just one more 
  monopoly in a galactic economy full of them. One of the things 
  about a monopoly is that it stunts competition. In Naruni's case, 
  this means there have been no substantial upgrades or redesigns 
  to its products in over 50 years. However, even if Naruni were 
  out of the picture, the fact remains that technological innovation 
  in all things stagnated across the Three Galaxies hundreds and 
  hundreds of years ago. Despite the turbulence and occasional 
  war, there is no incredible crisis threatening all life in the galax­
  ies, so, as a result, people in the Three Galaxies are using the 
  same technology designs they have had around for up to a thou­
  sand years. They are familiar, comfortable, reliable and get the 
  job done. While the Anvil Galaxy does not mind this, it is the 
  reason why certain low-tech worlds are beginning to close the 
  technological gap with Naruni and even introduce new technol­
  ogies. 
  G.M. Note: Space restrictions prevent us from reprinting the 
  basic stats for Naruni weapons, but they can be found in Phase 
  96 
  World®, Phase World® Sourcebook, and Rifts® Mercenar­
  ies titles. Also, all Naruni tech is collected in one handy location 
  in the monstrous Rifts® G.M.'s Guide. Check it out! For new 
  and improved Naruni tech designs as well as a host of other new 
  hardware for the Phase World® setting, keep an eye out for the 
  upcoming Phase World® Technical Manual sourcebook. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: Easily Naruni Enter­
  prises' biggest customer in the Anvil Galaxy. The CCW has 
  been undergoing a weapons upgrade initiative for the last de­
  cade or so, and is gradually replacing its outdated HI-series en­
  ergy weapons with Naruni hardware. In some cases, local CAF 
  commanders, fond of the look and feel of their old weapons, are 
  simply having the guts of them replaced with Naruni interiors so 
  the weapons seem just like their old selves, but they behave like 
  a comparable Naruni weapon. Rumor has it GSA operatives just 
  love using retooled CAF weapons refitted to Naruni spec. The 
  Naruni have no idea, however, that the CCW is double-crossing 
  them by reverse engineering the Naruni weapon designs and 
  building knock-offs of their own. This is going to really hurt 
  Naruni sales when the CCW cancels or significantly (by 
  60-70%) reduces its orders, since the Naruni have grown so reli­
  ant on CCW sales. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The Naruni have little use for these 
  belligerent fellows because they do little arms sales to them. 
  Plus, the TGE's generally grumpy attitude towards them lets the 
  Naruni know they are not welcome. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: Those worlds that do not rely 
  on magic tend to be pretty good customers. However, a growing 
  number of these worlds are beginning to fall behind on their 
  payments, and Naruni would very much like to collect. How 
  they go about this is tricky, since the company can't hope to 
  send a whole bunch of Repo-Bots and battleships into UWW 
  space and begin pushing around member planet governments. 
  Sending undercover operatives to harass and murder govern­
  ment officials on these worlds might do the trick. So might sab­
  otaging the tech N aruni Enterprises has already sold to these 
  clients with the promise that the sabotage will be repaired or un­
  done somehow upon receipt of payment. NE has done this be­
  fore. For example, they have been known to install a time lock 
  on the CPU of energy weapons with a 90 or 120 day timer. 
  When the guns are paid off, the Naruni sales rep sends the buyer 
  the unlock code for the guns. The Naruni don't like doing this 
  often because the whole thing works by not telling the client that 
  the guns are timed out in the first place. That way when the guns 
  stop working, the client comes to the sales rep looking for a re­
  fund. And that is when the deadbeat gets the news about the 
  time delay lock. If the Naruni did this to all of their clients, the 
  method would lose its shock value. Worse, clients would buy 
  huge amounts of guns and just throw them away after 89 days 
  without paying at all, or they might try to deactivate the timers. 
  Hartigal Combine: Traitors! Pirates! Thieves! This subsid­
  iary was once a loyal element of Naruni Enterprises, but now it 
  has gone off on its own to sell direct copies of NE hardware at 
  dramatically reduced prices! They even offer zero percent fi­
  nancing and 30 day money-back guarantees! There is not a sin­
  gle Naruni sales rep or field operative who wouldn't like to nuke 
  the Hartigal home office. In the long run, Naruni Enterprises 
  
  might do just that. The companies are, in effect, fighting a civil 
  war now, with strike teams routinely conducting industrial espi­
  onage and sabotage on each other's facilities. Execs for both 
  sides are not safe in this high-stakes war of corporate takeover 
  vs unpopular profit sharing. It is a no holds barred rivalry that 
  can only end badly for one side or the other (and that "other" is 
  most likely to be the Hartigal Combine). 
  Golgan Republik: As this great power bloc disintegrates, 
  more and more of its component societies will need to arm 
  themselves, and Naruni sales reps are only too happy to oblige. 
  NE saw that the Republik was in trouble a long while ago, and 
  has quietly established a dense sales and marketing network on 
  the Golgans' planets so when their Republik did fall apart, 
  Naruni would be there to sell to the pieces. 
  Altess Dynasty: Being the fabulously wealthy power bloc 
  that they are, the Altess are, among other things, enormous 
  Naruni Enterprises clients. Their entire military is outfitted with 
  the latest Naruni hardware, and nothing but Naruni ships fly 
  over the Altess home world. The Altess have even managed to 
  buy a dozen Repo-Bots for use in the Dynastic Bodyguard, but 
  only after paying ungodly sums of money to get NE to part with 
  them. Rumor has it the Naruni sales reps hid a latent program in 
  the 'Bots' heads so they would transmit everything they see and 
  hear back to NE headquarters, thus giving the Naruni a great 
  means of spying on their Altess customers. 
  Central Alliance: If this bloc did not have the annoying ten­
  dency to design and build its own technology, it would have 
  been another great Naruni client. Instead, it handles all of its 
  hardware needs itself. On the few cases when these guys do buy 
  from NE, they pay up front in cash so the Naruni debt collectors 
  can never have an excuse to come knocking on the Alliance' s 
  doors. 
  Cosmo-Knights: The Naruni stopped trying to sell these 
  Boy Scouts anything a looooong time ago. They do not appreci­
  ate the occasional Cosmo-Knight raid on NE factories and cargo 
  ships. Sure, NE makes a profit selling to monsters, rebels, pi­
  rates and raiders, but does that really make them so bad? Appar­
  ently certain Cosmo-Knights think so. Go figure. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Sadly, NE and the Splugorth are ri­
  vals and even enemies, which the Naruni would much rather see 
  changed. After all, the Splugorth are fond of their own weapons 
  and of Bio-Wizardry, but certainly they could use some Naruni 
  blasters, too, right? Naruni Enterprises sees the Splugorth as dis­
  gusting, vile and worthy of scorn, but that still does not mean 
  they wouldn't be a decent trading partner, if only they could get 
  the Splugorth to trade. The Splugorth idea of a fair trade is they 
  take everything and then enslave the salesman. 
  Gene-Tech: The N aruni don't really know much about these 
  strange aliens except that they are distrusted and often reviled 
  throughout the Anvil Galaxy, and that they drive around in 
  spaceships of their own design and manufacture, and that they 
  have never ever placed an order with Naruni Enterprises. Sales 
  reps are forbidden from abandoning sales prospects, but for the 
  Gene-Tech, the upper management will make an exception. 
  Still, there are more than a few ambitious mid-level execs who 
  wouldn't mind taking a secret team of Repo-Bots and comman­
  deering a Gene-Tech ship or laboratory to see what secrets it 
  might hold .. 
  97 
  Om egan Order: While these renegade Cosmo-Knights 
  might be persuaded to use Naruni or any other standard energy 
  weapons, there are two major problems with selling to these 
  people. One, they are utterly untrustworthy, and are likely to 
  simply steal whatever arms are brought to them. Two, they are 
  across the Threshold, a barrier that Naruni Enterprises has made 
  no effort to cross. To them, there is no reason to risk the hazards 
  of the Threshold when there is so much business to be done. 
  Xodian Collective: The Naruni hardly even know about 
  these aliens, much less have a plan for selling them weapons. 
  Besides, from what they can tell, the Xodians don't really need 
  any weapons. 
  K!ozn: Selling directly to the K!ozn is out because of the 
  Threshold problem and because there is every indication the 
  super-advanced K!ozn have weapon designs that are equal (or 
  even superior!) to whatever the Naruni have to offer. Still, the 
  Naruni are very interested in fmding a lone K!ozn operative and 
  dealing with him. That way, there is the chance the sales reps 
  might somehow gain access to K!ozn technology and reverse 
  engineer it for themselves. 
  Independent Worlds: This is the last great frontier for 
  Naruni Enterprises. At any given time, there are dozens - no, 
  hundreds - of great business opportunities to be had with the 
  small fries of the Anvil Galaxy. To such customers, Naruni En­
  terprises really comes off like an invincible juggernaut; indeed 
  NE is larger and more powerful than many independent civiliza­
  tions, so those who deal with them had better be on their toes. 
  They had also better keep up on their payments, because NE re­
  ally can push around these smaller powers, repossessing their 
  entire world if they fail to make payments. For young sales reps, 
  debt collectors and executives, working the independent territo­
  ries is where one cuts his teeth before moving on to bigger 
  things like serving the CCW account. 
  Society & Daily Life 
  Naruni Enterprises is as ruthless a bunch of cutthroats as any 
  band of pirates or mercenaries in the Three Galaxies. One does 
  not simply work for this company, it becomes their life, their na­
  tion, their everything. The successful Naruni worker eats, 
  breathes, sleeps and dreams "the job." It is omnipresent. To 
  those who maintain the illusion that they might have a p(;fsonal 
  life outside of their work, serious mental therapy is prescribed, 
  along with heavy-duty personality alteration drugs and the occa­
  sional electro-shock treatment. Nothing revives one's company 
  loyalty better than a couple of blasts to the old frontal lobes, eh? 
  Any other company could not get away with this kind of fa­
  natical work environment. However, NE is so large that it has an 
  entire population of captive workers who spend their entire lives 
  in the care of the Naruni. Employees live on NE property, wear 
  NE clothes, eat NE food, get NE medical care, everything! Even 
  if they wanted to, most employees really could not escape. 
  Maybe some of the higher execs could, but they make so much 
  money doing what they do, that they rarely consider leaving. 
  Their mental conditioning is so strong by the time they get to 
  that level of power, having a sudden attack of individuality or 
  developing a taste for personal freedom is virtually unheard of. 
  Nobody gets frred from NE, they just keep getting demoted. 
  No matter how lowly one's position is, NE supervisors can al­
  ways fmd something worse for those unable to do their job 
  
  properly. Quarterly evaluation reports are all anybody really 
  lives for, and most often, people get a "satisfactory" rating or 
  less, no matter how hard they have been working. To advance, 
  pure hard work and good attitude is not enough. One must know 
  the right people, get a little lucky, and have no fear about sabo­
  taging their superiors and their competition. Backstabbing is a 
  hallowed cultural tradition within NE, and nobody ever gets to 
  the top without having become a master at it. As a result, there 
  can be no real friendships within NE. Even husbands and wives 
  have cause to distrust each other and their children. Everybody 
  is fair game. Everything is an opportunity for the person with 
  the guts to go for it. Everybody is expendable. Everybody. 
  Daily Life 
  Get up. Go to work. Stay at work. Stay late at work. Receive 
  payment. Return to domicile. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. 
  Law and Punishment 
  There are no set rules within Naruni Enterprises. The only 
  rule is, your superiors set your rules. That's it. There is no going 
  over your supervisor's head. There is no alternate committee to 
  take grievances to. Everybody ultimately answers to just one 
  person, so it is in everyone's best interest to make sure that one 
  person likes them a lot. This means not only giving 1,000% to 
  the job, but blatant brown-nosing, sycophantery and groveling 
  are expected. There is no escape from this, but those with the 
  company know no other way of life. They credit this kind of 
  harsh conditioning as the reason why Naruni Enterprises is at 
  the top of its game in the weapons field and everybody else is 
  scrounging for whatever scraps Naruni leaves behind. 
  What makes this savage ladder of authority work is that no 
  matter how bad somebody has it, they have somebody else to 
  take out their frustrations on. And, life does not necessarily get 
  better or worse depending on one's rank. There are employees at 
  the bottom of the pile who get along great with their supervisor 
  and are happy as can be, and there are top-level executives 
  whose superiors hate them and therefore make their lives living 
  hell. 
  Another constant is that no matter how well one does their 
  job, some level of hazing or mistreatment should be expected. In 
  fact, since so many superiors get backstabbed by their subordi­
  nates (and end up serving them), doing a really good job usually 
  shows dangerous levels of ambition. As a result, the eager bea­
  vers get harassed and pressured (and sabotaged) extra by their 
  superiors to teach them the cardinal rule of Naruni Enterprises: 
  one is expected to do a good job, but don't do it so well that you 
  expect to advance to mine. 
  Crime and Order 
  As mentioned before, since the only rules are those laid down 
  by one's superior. On the surface, it might look like anybody 
  can indulge in criminal conduct if their superior has not specifi­
  cally forbidden it. But it does not work that way. Assume that 
  Sulg the sales rep answers to Durg the low-level exec. Durg lays 
  down the rules that Sulg lives by. Sulg is ultimately answerable 
  to Durg in all things. Thus, if Sulg gets drunk one night, starts a 
  fight and steals a hovercycle, investigators will report Sulg to 
  his superior, Durg. Sulg's shortcomings are Durg's shortcom­
  ings, and so both get into hot water. Sulg obviously is in trouble 
  with Durg because his misconduct made his superior look bad. 
  98 
  Durg is in trouble with his superior because he could not keep 
  his subordinate in line. Durg has also made his superior look 
  bad, though not as much. This ripples upward the chain of au­
  thority until fmally somebody near the top does not even notice 
  that something happened. Meanwhile, poor Sulg is going to get 
  it from Durg. Durg might demote the hell out of him, dock his 
  pay, assign Sulg to the worst duties in his job description, etc. 
  Until Durg has sufficiently vented his anger. 
  Pretty harsh, huh? But there is a mechanism to keep superiors 
  from going overboard themselves. Simply put, a subordinate re­
  members when his boss was tough on him, and there always co­
  mes a time when an employee has the opportunity to stab his 
  boss in the back or not. This is where loyalty comes in. It is a 
  rarely felt sensation among NE employees, but it does happen, 
  and every supervisor hopes that they don't entirely drive it out 
  of their subordinates, for if they do, they are only assuring that 
  they will defmitely get it in the back one day. 
  This whole system is a delicate balance of fear; fear from 
  one's superiors, fear from one's subordinates. Fear is a great 
  motivator, and it does wonders to keep the galaxy's largest and 
  most sinister colony of evil workaholics running smoothly. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  As a rule, the Naruni are not interested in planetary conquest 
  or colonization. From time to time, they will buy entire solar 
  systems much like how a smaller company might buy land on 
  which to build an office or absorb a smaller company. In such 
  systems, the Naruni set up extensive manufacturing, storage, 
  distribution and administrative facilities, sometimes employing 
  the entire native population of those worlds. It makes better 
  business sense to hire and train the locals than to kick them off. 
  In addition to these worlds, the Naruni also possess a mixed 
  bag of planets and entire systems that came to them from clients 
  who defaulted on their debts. In some cases, the clients just 
  signed over their territory while in other cases the NDC moved 
  in and took the place over. Either way, NE is now the undis­
  puted lord of such domains, and they usually turn them into 
  sales centers and local distribution stations. Though such worlds 
  are put to a relatively mundane purpose, that does not mean they 
  don't see their share of adventure. Those looking to steal from 
  the Naruni, those who have a grudge against the company, and 
  those living on the planet and looking to stir up trouble all have 
  a reason to make NE's life difficult, and on company planets, 
  harsh trouble can and does occur. 
  NE 192-2393. The Naruni bought this planet from its previ­
  ous owners to use as a massive waste dump. Not that NE can't 
  molecularize its trash - it can and does - but it knows that not 
  all civilizations have such capabilities. Indeed, on many inde­
  pendent worlds, vast garbage piles dot the landscape, providing 
  terrible environments for disease, wild predators, unsavory scav­
  engers, and so on. NE created NE 192-2393 as a vast experi­
  ment. They have imported garbage from all over the Anvil 
  Galaxy and created a planetary junkyard which they now moni­
  tor. The Social Studies department have deposited small popula­
  tions of prisoners from other worlds' penal systems here to see 
  what kind of civilization they will build. R&D have deposited 
  numerous hostile organisms here too to see how they might sur­
  vive in a post-urban environment, and malfunctioning robots 
  have been deposited here as well, to see how they might repair 
  
  and maintain themselves with only refuse to sustain them. Be­
  sides yielding lots of market-worthy information, monitoring 
  NE 192-2393 is like a live-action soap opera for much of the 
  company. Betting pools on what will happen next in a given 
  sector are rampant, and NE has thought about broadcasting the 
  monitors to other worlds and charging syndication rights for 
  them. 
  NE 654-0081. This world once was home to an ancient and 
  honorable civilization that made the mistake of buying products 
  from NE that it really could not afford. Unwilling to live under 
  the Naruni's harsh repayment conditions, these people rebelled, 
  and ultimately the NDC came in and blitzed the whole place to 
  smithereens. Since then, the shell-shocked locals of this world 
  are desperately trying to survive in the Naruni-generated wreck­
  age of their home world. Into this situation comes master sales 
  rep Tillin Kadmire, an Uteni salesman who is reportedly able to 
  sell water to a fish, he is that good. His mission is to mingle 
  among this hostile and impoverished population in order to sell 
  them basic survival goods. This is the hardest sell the Sales Rep 
  Executive Committee can come up with, but Tillin handles it ex­
  pertly. He has had cyber-cameras implanted in his skull, so his 
  sales trips to this world are broadcast live to the many different 
  ongoing educational programs the company runs to keep its 
  sales force in good shape. Tillin's sales techniques are copied by 
  almost everyone in the Company, and he is their equivalent of a 
  war hero. 
  NE 000-0001. This is the world of origin for Naruni Enter­
  prises, or so it claims. Here, the company built an enormous mu­
  seum chronicling the great and glorious history of the company, 
  with endless exhibits, displays and holovision shows to explain 
  and glorify every aspect of the company, its mission and its his­
  tory. Tourists outside the company almost never come here. It is 
  part of the basic training package all new sales personnel must 
  undergo. Really it is a form of mental endurance test, for the re­
  cruits are forced to go through three full days of museum tour­
  ing, with each exhibit just a little more boring and minutely 
  detailed than the last. At the end of the third day, with the visi­
  tors near exhaustion, a pop exam is sprung and the visitors must 
  answer correctly 1 00 questions about the exhibits they just saw. 
  These are fill in the blank questions, and a visitor may not leave, 
  rest or eat until he has successfully completed 100 questions. 
  Alternately, if the visitor gets 1 ,000 wrong answers, he is imme­
  diately demoted and sent back to whatever world he is domi­
  ciled on, where his superior can determine his fate. 
  NE 207-1839. Failure to make good on weapons payments 
  has turned this once-thriving world into a total battle zone. The 
  NDC was called in to extract payment and lay a little smack 
  down on the locals to remind them of the importance of timely 
  payment of one's debts. However, the resistance here is stiff, as 
  the locals are expert guerilla fighters and hey, they're armed to 
  the teeth with Naruni hardware so they are definitely well 
  equipped. The NDC Field Commander loves war and personally 
  wishes the fighting here drags on forever, even though he knows 
  that if this goes on for too much longer, the home office will 
  simply order the planet nuked and closed for business. 
  NE 234-9753. Several years ago, the Social Studies Depart­
  ment predicted a massive war and political meltdown in a 
  stretch of independent space along the southern edge of the gal­
  axy. That war scenario never panned out. In fact, the worlds in 
  99 
  question were overtaken by a wildly popular pacifism cult that 
  would make sure these worlds would never go to war again. 
  Good for the locals, bad for Naruni Enterprises, which had 
  ramped up all sorts of weapons production to meet their pre­
  dicted demand here. Now, the company had a whole lot of extra 
  guns, equipment, ships and robots and nobody to sell them to. 
  Rather than redeploy them elsewhere, the Naruni simply bought 
  a small planetoid orbiting a lonely gas giant, and they turned 
  this little world into a giant warehouse. Containing millions 
  upon millions of bits of Naruni merchandise, NE 234-9753 is 
  the company's biggest single inventory depot in the Three Gal­
  axies. The whole place is automated, and an army of Repo-Bots 
  is on hand to handle security break-ins (thieves just can't resist 
  trying to sneak into this place and steal a few cargo loads of 
  valuable merchandise). 
  NE 1 1 1-2987. This world came into Naruni possession when 
  Accounts Receivable foreclosed on it after the locals could no 
  longer make their payments. Rather than face the wrath of the 
  NDC, the locals just fled the planet, leaving behind entire cities, 
  roads, and a civilization with no people in it! R&D took it over 
  and turned it into a research colony, where scientists could live 
  in a fairly pleasant environment while they work on new and in­
  triguing products. The trick for these scientists is to improve 
  products just enough to make the client want to upgrade from 
  what they already own, but not so much of an improvement that 
  old merchandise loses its value. This is the sort of research most 
  of the world does. Elsewhere, though, are secret R&D enclaves 
  dedicated to ultra-advanced research. Probability engines. Me­
  son weaponry. Anti-Matter generators. That sort of thing. 
  Whether or not the company will ever bring such stuff to market 
  if and when working prototypes are fmished remains to be seen. 
  Most think the company just wants this stuff to be worked on in 
  case they find a need for it. 
  NE 101-1010: This world was an exemplary administrative 
  center that handled all kinds of fmancial information transfer. 
  Bank accounts, interest computations, investment returns, that 
  sort of thing. Life turned upside down, however, when a cadre 
  of particularly vicious supervisors apparently entered into a sick 
  contest with each other to see who could drive the most subordi­
  nates to suicide. At that, the supervisors waged an all-out psy­
  chological war on everyone below them, and productivity came 
  to a standstill. Some clusters of subordinates actually rebelled 
  against their superiors, slaying them and assuming their author­
  ity. Civil war was on the verge of breaking out when somebody 
  with a cool head activated the Social Contingency - a platoon of 
  Repo-Bots programmed to crack heads and get everybody back 
  to work. Only the lead Repo-Bot had some kind of corruption of 
  programming problem, because it interpreted its orders to mean 
  that the entire world needed to be taken into its control. So, the 
  Repo-Bot led its troops to the highest rungs of power on the 
  planet and had all of the top execs killed on the spot. The 
  Repo-Bots assumed the top exec positions on the planet, some­
  thing that had never happened before! Five years later, this situ­
  ation is working out nicely, so the higher-ups do not want to 
  change anything. Still, the lead Repo-Bot's behavior was inter­
  esting, and a few folks in R&D would like to see if that 'bot 
  simply glitched up on them or is the beginning of a new kind of 
  independence to be expected among all Repo-Bots. 
  
  NE 357-5748. This world is under the impression that it is an 
  independent planet, but it really is owned and controlled by 
  Naruni Enterprises, who spend a great deal of time and energy 
  making sure that a) the locals do not discover the truth about 
  their world, and b) travel to and from the planet remains very re­
  stricted. The company does this so they can have a totally unbi­
  ased audience for testing Naruni products. The society of this 
  world has experienced a terrible civil war, a war which the 
  Naruni generated so it would have an ongoing situation in which 
  it could test weapons and it would not really raise too many eye­
  brows. So far, this world has proven to be extremely useful, but 
  recently a few citizens escaped and intend to break the truth 
  wide open on this chamber of horrors. Naruni top execs have or­
  dered these escapees slain immediately, but they might already 
  be too late for that. 
  NE 252-4861. This world has recently seen all of its life 
  snuffed out within the span of a week. The cause of the catastro­
  phe is not yet known, but the company is keeping as tight a lid 
  on this as possible. Spin Doctors are already filtering cover sto­
  ries back to the families of the slain, and R&D is examining the 
  world for any traces of a pathogen or molecular death agent that 
  might have been used to kill the population. (Whatever R&D 
  finds will probably find its way into a weapons research project 
  of some kind.) 
  NE 145-2929. This is another large office world for Naruni 
  Enterprises, only its major distinction is that a single True 
  Naruni runs it, and recently he has received a shocking dressing 
  down from his superior over declining productivity, lost profits, 
  and various personal matters of the exec's that his superior fmds 
  offensive. The end result is the exec stands to be demoted se­
  verely very shortly. The question is, will he order all of his sub­
  ordinates - pretty much the whole planet - to commit suicide 
  along with him? That way, the exec thinks, the world may be 
  spared the disgrace by association that awaits them all once he is 
  gone. Plus, it would really stick it to his superiors, which is al­
  ways a bonus. 
  The Hartigal Combine 
  a.k.a. Hartigal 
  Manufacturies Amalgamated, LDC 
  Population: One billion employees; Anvil Galaxy only. No 
  presence in other galaxies. 
  Demographics: Humans (77%), Uteni (13%), and Other 
  (10%). 
  Overview: The Hartigal Combine was a subsidiary of Naruni 
  Enterprises created 25 years ago. When it was started, NE top 
  executives felt they were suffering from a culture gap between 
  their largely Uteni sales force and the largely human markets 
  they were trying (with little success) to penetrate in the inde­
  pendent territories. To bridge this gap, NE formed a subsidiary 
  of itself that would basically be a smaller version of the com­
  pany, only it would have a human face and human relationships 
  with the clients. The merchandise and pricing would be the 
  same, but the feel would be human. 
  The plan worked well for a few years, but then R&D got in­
  volved with it. Feeling that the company was not moving ahead 
  fast enough in terms of weapons development, they saw 
  Hartigal as the perfect testing ground for new technology. Even 
  before Hartigal got off the ground, company R&D folks were all 
  over the project, trying to turn this thing into their own private 
  laboratory. In the end, the top executives gave the scientists 
  what they wanted, and Hartigal began focusing strongly on new 
  weapons development. In just a few short years, they had come 
  out with some interesting variants on already existing weapons, 
  but the customers weren't biting. They liked the standard Naruni 
  designs, and saw no reason to switch! Moreover, the research 
  project had cost a lot of time and money, and it would never pay 
  for itself. Heads certainly rolled over the debacle, and true to 
  Naruni fashion of passing the buck, the trouble eventually shook 
  its way down to the Hartigal staff, who were told to shoulder the 
  blame for everything. The Hartigal people, unused to catching 
  1 00 
  hell for things that were not their fault, resented this treatment, 
  and after about a year of it, they seceded the company from 
  Naruni Enterprises. Hartigal took with them all the money they 
  had made for NE and they took their clients with them, too. 
  They set up base on a desolate planet in the independent terri­
  tory near the CCW border, and from there they opened shop. 
  Hartigal Manufacturies Amalgamated, LDC was born. 
  Naruni executives were shocked. You can't just leave the 
  company like that! You have to get permission from your supe­
  riors, and fill out forms in triplicate, and get permission, and go 
  through channels and form committees, and . . . .  and . . . .  you 
  surely can't take clients with you! 
  Hartigal employees were having none of it. If the Naruni 
  wanted to treat themselves like slaves, they were welcome to do 
  so, but Hartigal Manufacturies would work differently. Oh, it 
  would sell the exact same merchandise, alright, but at a lower 
  cost (Naruni tech carries a nearly 85% profit margin on every 
  sale; even cutting that in half, the seller still makes a killing). 
  Hartigal also knocks off CCW HI-series weaponry, but the 
  CCW considers that "open-source" technology and does not 
  care if anyone copies it. 
  In the short time Hartigal has been on its own, it has made 
  great inroads with new clients, and it is fast becoming the pre­
  mier weapons dealer among the independent worlds of the Anvil 
  Galaxy. In the grand scheme of things, this is a small market in 
  a small galaxy, and there is simply no way Hartigal could ever 
  come close to matching Naruni Enterprises' god-like stature in 
  the whole market. But it rankles the company nonetheless. They 
  still can't believe that Hartigal dared break away, and that 
  Hartigal is selling Naruni designs as their own is flat-out offen­
  sive. Naruni's top executives have decided that Hartigal must 
  pay dearly for their indiscretions. That means a state of informal 
  war is now on between the two companies. On one side, a huge 
  and powerful manufacturer with enough money and resources to 
  
  field an anny larger than most government forces. On the other 
  side, a small, nimble target, difficult to hit and adept at fighting 
  dirty. Actually, this is a pretty good match up, and whoever 
  wins or loses will inherit the ever-growing gold mine that is the 
  Anvil Galaxy weapons marketplace. 
  Government 
  Unlike Naruni Enterprises, Hartigal is a fairly open society. 
  Its employees are both citizens and shareholders, with the option 
  of buying into the company as much as they like. Hartigal holds 
  shareholder meetings every half year, allowing the employees to 
  air their grievances in an orderly fashion, and to vote on impor­
  tant issues to the company. The workers can also vote members 
  on the Board of Directors in and out, including the CEO of the 
  company. This is an important thing for the workers, many of 
  whom once toiled thanklessly for Naruni Enterprises since the 
  day they were born. Having anything approaching a voice in 
  how the company is run is like a dream come true to the 
  Hartigal populace. Having other things like vacations, fair pay, 
  respect and a cordial atmosphere makes their newfound situa­
  tion seem all the more unreal. 
  Employees are reviewed by their superiors, but those superi­
  ors must get clearance from their superiors before promoting, 
  demoting, hiring or fIring anyone. This double-check system 
  keeps executives from abusing their power, but it is not so cum­
  bersome as to prevent things from getting done. 
  Military 
  Hartigal Security Solutions, LDC is the company's internal 
  security specialist as well as the primary provider for external 
  1 01 
  security at company installations, factories, buildings, etc. HSS 
  also provides bodyguard cover for Hartigal VIPs, performs res­
  cue operations for kidnaped Hartigal personnel, works to pre­
  vent industrial espionage and sabotage, and all manner of other 
  such services. Hartigal is hardly big and wealthy enough to field 
  a substantial military, but it does have quite the security force. 
  In military terms, these fellows would rank as elite Special Ops 
  troops excellent for discretionary warfare, but not the sort of 
  training to fight a stand-up war. Ordinarily, Hartigal would not 
  fret over that, but it is becoming clear that Naruni Enterprises 
  has no intention of letting Hartigal chart its own course, and so 
  is preparing to lay siege to all known Hartigal worlds - an un­
  usual move for the Naruni, who usually avoid all-out military 
  campaigns. So far, Hartigal's appeals for military aid to the 
  CCW and UWW have gone unanswered, so it must seek alter­
  nate means of protecting itself: hiring mercenaries. 
  In the last twelve months alone, Hartigal has assembled a 
  huge fighting force out of freelance warriors from across the 
  galaxy. These hard-bitten veterans are all crack fighters and 
  spoiling for some action. Although a bit unruly and not used to 
  following orders, they have proven reliable so far, and in the 
  few skirmishes with the NDC, these soldiers have proven they 
  are worth their generous salaries. Money is an issue with them, 
  though, and the majority of the mercs are accepting initial cash 
  payments plus a cut out of future weapons sales earnings for 
  five years. Should Hartigal survive their Naruni onslaught, they 
  will be paying quite a lot for their victory, but survival some­
  times carries a heavy price. 
  Be they mercenaries or internal security, everyone fighting 
  for Hartigal is equipped with the latest Naruni-style weapons, 
  armor, force field defenses, and equipment. This really bugs the 
  Naruni, who are used to having an edge in firepower, but now 
  are fighting their own technology. 
  Other Agencies 
  Hartigal Technical Solutions (HTS) is the Research & Devel­
  opment wing of the company. Really, they are not interested in 
  fmding out how to manufacture anything new. They are inter­
  ested in fmding existing technology, reverse engineering it, and 
  producing cheap knock-offs of it. So far, they have focused on 
  putting out Hartigal versions of all common personal weapons 
  in the Three Galaxies. Their second big achievement was a 
  knock-off of the Naruni Repo-Bot, which could be programmed 
  for anything ranging from simple combat missions to compli­
  cated covert work. Hartigal has even figured out a way to slot in 
  cybernetic brain chips so full conversion cyborgs can use a 
  Hartigal Repo-Bot as a chassis, giving them noteworthy fire­
  power, endurance and versatility. These knock-off Repo-Bots 
  are a smash hit for the department, even though they are not as 
  formidable as the genuine article (30% less M.D.C., 20% lower 
  attributes and speed, and 10% shorter-range for weapons) and 
  sales of them have gone through the roof. Everybody who can 
  afford them has placed orders, ranging from governments in 
  need of automated commandos to wealthy individuals looking 
  to have some heavy-duty personal protection when they are out 
  and about. 
  Naruni Enterprises is furious over the Repo-Bot knock-off, 
  since they designed those machines for use as a shock device for 
  themselves. They were held in reserve and then brought out 
  
  against delinquent clients in a terrifYing show of force. This 
  gave the Repo-Bots a mystique that got more results than any of 
  their onboard weaponry. Hartigal's flooding the market with 
  cheap Repo-Bot knock-offs is threatening to destroy that mys­
  tique altogether, especially since Hartigal's knock-offs are of 
  lower quality and easier to destroy. The least Hartigal could do 
  was rename them, think the Naruni. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: Hartigal has no beef with 
  the CCW, even if they do buy all of their weapons from the 
  Naruni. Hartigal likes to stick close to Consortium territory, 
  though, in the hopes that when NE makes its next assault, 
  maybe Hartigal can persuade the CCW to intervene. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: Hartigal does not knock off only 
  CCW and Naruni weapons. They have also produced their own 
  versions of the energy pulse weapons used so often by the TGE. 
  Energy pulse guns are sort of the "second string" weapon of the 
  Anvil Galaxy. Though well designed and great in combat, their 
  use by the TGE has stigmatized them, and they are not as popu­
  lar in the rest of the galaxy as Naruni weapons or old-style 
  HI-series weapons. Still, they are far cheaper to make than ei­
  ther Naruni or HI hardware, and for that reason, Hartigal really 
  wants to make a business plan for EP weapons to get off the 
  ground. One idea is to manufacture them faster, better and 
  cheaper than the TGE does, and sell them to the Empire. Of 
  course, this would create diplomatic problems with the CCW, 
  but Hartigal is in the business of profit, not conscience, and if it 
  must deal with the Devil, then so be it. Heck, the TGE might go 
  for such an arrangement just to counter the CCW's arrangement 
  with the Naruni. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: There has been very little mar­
  ket opportunity for Hartigal in the UWW, so they no longer 
  maintain any permanent sales positions there. Hartigal would 
  not mind trying to mass produce magic items, but to do that they 
  would 
  have 
  to 
  learn 
  magic 
  and 
  study 
  the 
  Dwarven 
  Guildmasters' methods extensively. Consequently, Hartigal 
  doesn't know if it would be worth the trouble, but they have dis­
  patched about 100 spies to research the matter for future consid­
  eration. 
  Naruni Enterprises: The Naruni have sworn to destroy 
  Hartigal for its treachery, and Hartigal is more than ready for the 
  fight. So far, the conflict between these two companies has been 
  limited to increased competition, dirty tricks, skirmishes out in 
  space, the occasional theft of each other's cargo, attacks to crip­
  ple and maroon cargo ships, and a few acts of factory sabotage. 
  However, things are heating up. Hartigal recently lost three exec­
  utives to a Naruni assassin, and "pirate" raids on their cargo ves­
  sels have jumped up 40% in the last two months, so they are 
  now preparing for all-out war on the Naruni upper levels of 
  management. Hartigal is currently going through its ranks of se­
  curity experts and mercenaries to put together a big hit and sab­
  otage squad to decapitate Naruni Enterprises and leave it 
  leaderless. Even a foiled attempt (which is likely) will only 
  serve to escalate the level of violence and aggression of the 
  Naruni. 
  Golgan Republik: Hartigal has had some success selling 
  cheap weapons to the breakaway factions of the Republik, as 
  well as to the Republik itself. Though it fmds working both 
  1 02 
  sides of a civil war distasteful, there can be no denying it is very 
  good for business. On a few occasions, Hartigal has provided a 
  few of its best mercenaries to fight in the Republik Conflict, ba­
  sically as living advertising for the power and reliability of 
  Hartigal weaponry. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Altess' main power comes from their 
  incredible wealth generated by the licensing of their very so­
  phisticated home-grown technology. The Altess are not weap­
  ons builders, though, so they buy a lot of Naruni weapons. The 
  Altess never have problems paying their arms dealers and their 
  sense of superiority precludes them from buying "cheap imita­
  tions," it's just too gauche. However, if the Naruni ever lost the 
  favor of the Altess, these arrogant superhumans might take a 
  more serious look at Hartigal. Perhaps needless to say, Hartigal 
  likes that idea and is busy trying to develop a plan to trick 
  Naruni Enterprise into disrespecting their Altess clients and tak­
  ing NE's place. Consequently, Hartigal maintains diplomatic re­
  lations with the Altess and kisses up to them like they have 
  never before. Always one to appreciate the adoration of "lesser 
  beings," the Altess allow the Hartigal agents to stay and have re­
  cently given them their own embassy, a tum of events that 
  makes the Naruni's blood boil. For now, Naruni Enterprises has 
  nothing to worry about, but who knows what may unfold in the 
  future? 
  Central Alliance: The Central Alliance makes heavy use of 
  old, secondhand weaponry originally manufactured by Naruni 
  Enterprises, the CCW, and other companies years ago. They 
  have also been known to buy from a number of knock-off manu­
  facturers throughout the galaxy. However, the Alliance fmds it­
  self swimming in old, cheap, deteriorating weapons that no 
  longer work reliably. Now that the bloc's civil wars are fmally 
  coming to a close, the powers that be are looking to upgrade 
  weapons across the board. With their history of buying 
  knock-offs in the past, they really like the idea of buying from 
  Hartigal because it produces some of the fmest and most reliable 
  knock-offs on the market. Best of all, Hartigal has the ready in­
  ventory, the sales force, and tantalizing product that is right in 
  the Alliance's price range. Unless something goes terribly 
  wrong, Hartigal stands to make a ton of money off the Central 
  Alliance over the next decade or so. 
  Cosmo-Knights: Hartigal really has no contact with these 
  defenders of justice, but they unanimously agree with and sup­
  port their actions. Were the opportunity to arise for Hartigal to 
  help the Cosmo-Knights in any way, they would surely do it. Of 
  course, the company's potential dealings with the TGE might 
  very well prevent such an opportunity from ever arising. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Hartigal despises the Splugorth and 
  considers them to be vicious slavers, killers and space scum 
  from the Threshold. Even if the "Sploogies" were to offer 
  Hartigal the weapons contract of a lifetime, the company would 
  probably tum it down. Of course, every company has its price, 
  even Hartigal, and the Splugorth do hate Naruni Enterprises so 
  intensely, who knows what they might consider to hurt NE? 
  Maybe an unlikely alliance between Hartigal and the Splugorth 
  is a possibility? It would require Hartigal receiving a sinful 
  amount of money, though. 
  Gene-Tech: Hartigal does not recognize these guys as a le­
  gitimate power bloc. Moreover, the Gene-Tech don't buy weap­
  ons, so Hartigal has no reason to deal with them. 
  
  Omegan Order: Hartigal does absolutely no business across 
  the Threshold, and as such, has no contact with the Omegan Or­
  der. A few Omegan operatives have come across Hartigal sales 
  reps on this side of the Threshold, but each time, the company 
  has found a convenient reason not to sell these fallen knights 
  anything. Hartigal fears that dealing with them would forever tie 
  the two organizations together somehow, plus the Omegans sim­
  ply creep out most Hartigal workers. 
  Xodian Collective: Hartigal has no intelligence on the 
  Xodians, other than knowing these aliens do not use weapons, 
  and so Hartigal writes them off as a sales opportunity. 
  K!ozn: Though Hartigal has no contact with the K!oZll Con­
  tinlJum on the far side of the Threshold, K!oZll operatives and 
  their minions can be found in the Anvil Galaxy exploring and 
  stirring up trouble from time to time. For some reason, the 
  K!oZll are very fond of Hartigal weaponry, and they have been 
  buying a lot of it through third- and fourth-party vendors. Why 
  such advanced aliens want Hartigal versions of already existent 
  weapons is one mystery. Why the K!oZll want to conceal the 
  purchases is another. 
  Independent Worlds: These are the bread and butter for the 
  company. Indie worlds constitute 66% of all sales at present, 
  with no letup in sight. Hartigal hopes that should their war with 
  the Naruni get really ugly, maybe some of their indie clients will 
  help defend the company from defeat or destruction. 
  Society 
  Hartigal culture is, in most respects, a direct response to the 
  brutality of living and working for Naruni Enterprises. The com­
  pany was formed to get away from the Naruni way of life and 
  all it entails. As a result, Hartigal society stresses freedom, 
  teamwork, trust, friendship, self-determination, and the rights of 
  individuals to enter and exit the organization as they see fit. The 
  Hartigal company is dedicated to forming honest business part­
  nerships with its clients, not just exploiting them or bullying 
  them, as Naruni so often does. Thus, honesty, forthrightness, 
  and candor are all part of the Hartigal culture. This has already 
  paid off - on many independent worlds where Hartigal does the 
  bulk of its business, the company has a well-deserved reputation 
  for fairness, openness, and flexibility. They are willing to work 
  out payment plans with delinquent customers without sending in 
  big armies or sinister collection robots. They are willing to give 
  refunds or exchanges for less-than-happy customers. And they 
  openly recruit from their client worlds, further strengthening the 
  ties between the company and those it serves. In many ways, 
  Hartigal is a model society that other power blocs of the Anvil 
  Galaxy would do well to emulate. 
  Daily Life 
  Daily life in Hartigal mirrors that in the CCW, where em­
  ployees/citizens generally lead comfortable, high-tech lives on 
  residential planets filled with luxury and convenience. Those 
  who do not live on such worlds typically stay in equally com­
  fortable orbital stations or enormous freighters that make end­
  less circuits through Hartigal territory, delivering inventory 
  from factories to sales outlets and ferrying important personnel 
  around Hartigal's network of worlds. 
  Hartigal's peace and quiet is disrupted by the ongoing trou­
  bles with Naruni Enterprises, though, and many citizens are a 
  little apprehensive at what the Naruni might do to get even. Ru-
  1 03 
  mors of terrorist activity swirl through Hartigal communities, 
  and stories of assassinations and sneak attacks are ever-present. 
  Despite this climate of fear, the resilient Hartigal folk soldier on, 
  keeping their chins up and looking to the future with more hope 
  than dread, which is a lot more than their counterparts at Naruni 
  Enterprises can say. 
  Law and Order 
  Hartigal internal security enforces the law within the plane­
  tary network. Hartigal has adopted the CCW code of law, and 
  has had no difficulty implementing it. 
  Crime and Punishment 
  There is little crime among Hartigal worlds, mostly because 
  everybody is united against the Naruni and dedicated to making 
  a better life for themselves. This makes them too busy or too pa­
  triotic to victimize each other. More importantly, though, 
  Hartigal employees are universally well taken care of, so there is 
  little cause for theft or jealousy. In the few instances when em­
  ployees do commit a crime, internal security handles it, and 
  doles out punishments exactly as the CCW would. Most of the 
  crime on Hartigal worlds is committed by outsiders such as pi­
  rates, thieves, drifters, hostile aliens, and Naruni troublemakers. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Harker's Enclave. A backwater world where Elden Harker, 
  renegade scientist and theoretical genius, has established a her­
  mitage of sorts where only like-minded eccentric geniuses are 
  welcome. Nobody knows for sure where this world is, but both 
  the CCW and the TGE want to fmd it and they want to fmd 
  Harker, since he worked for both sides at one time and has a 
  great deal of their classified scientific information. He is a major 
  security risk to either side. Hartigal has taken an interest in the 
  world because they accidentally stumbled onto its location and 
  are now secretly monitoring it for any new technologies being 
  developed there. In fact, they kinda hope to convince Harker to 
  sell or license them some of his innovations. 
  Panhelion Prime. The Panhelion Council is a collective of 
  people who work for Hartigal but live in space stations orbiting 
  stars in systems without planets. This particular system is where 
  this weird culture/religion got its start and is the strongest. The 
  people's aversion to "hard earth" is part of their belief structure, 
  and nobody from Hartigal is about to question that. This system 
  is just part of an exotic trinary star system with no worlds. In the 
  center point of the three stars, numerous galactic phenomena are 
  known to occur, and the Panhelion scientists appear to be on the 
  verge of unlocking the secrets of most of them. The question is, 
  do they do this for their own protection, for the benefit of 
  Hartigal, or do they wish to turn their knowledge into weapons 
  technology in a bid to destroy the galaxy's planets one by one? 
  The Sargasso. This is no planet, but a set of four asteroid 
  belts connected by dense clouds of dust. It is all part of a young 
  solar system that is still accreting into planetary mass, but for 
  the time being, it is the home to many smugglers, pirates and 
  crooks of every kind to whom the numerous asteroids provide 
  cheap homes and protection. Hartigal maintains control over the 
  system because they are mining the asteroids. They have an 
  agreement with the criminal types - we leave you alone, you 
  leave us alone. It is working okay for the moment, but as soon 
  as a Cosmo-Knight shows up to clean things out (and they al-
  
  ways do), then the Hartigal mining interests will be abandoned 
  in order to avoid undue attention from the Knight. 
  Theora. This world is a genuine pirate kingdom, like Mada­
  gascar of old. A fleet of seven different pirate clans have come 
  together, selected a king, and taken over this sparsely populated 
  world to make it their base. The thing is, it was a sparsely popu­
  lated Hartigal outpost, and the company now has a major piracy 
  problem on its hands. Lacking the overt military power neces­
  sary to rout them, Hartigal must appeal to larger powers (good 
  luck) to get these lawbreakers off their world, or they must rely 
  on adventurer types and their newly created mercenary army to 
  sneak into the enemy's camp quietly and take care of the prob­
  lem in a short, sharp stroke. 
  The Tengen Archipelago. In this solar system, all of the 
  planets are in permanent alignment. It appears some advanced, 
  ancient civilization did this. On the third and fourth worlds, 
  there are a ton of artifacts to be uncovered that would support 
  this theory, only the locals, for whatever reason, have shown no 
  interest in unearthing these treasures. The artifacts are valuable 
  to the scientific community as well as to the collectors' commu­
  nity since they are made of precious metals and minerals (gold, 
  silver, teelium, etc.). Thus, there are one has a lot of scrupulous 
  and unscrupulous Hartigal off-worlders trying to plunder the 
  hidden riches of these worlds. The locals don't really care what 
  happens to their heritage; they are (for the most part) willing to 
  sell out their past for money and trade things that would propel 
  this society into the interstellar arena. The Sellout has been good 
  for the people materially, but some are worried they are doing 
  irreparable damage to their history, so they are now seeing re­
  bels and resistors dedicated to kicking out the foreigners and 
  keeping the people's cultural treasures right here, where they 
  belong. So far, this is not a revolution scenario, but it is causing 
  quite a bit of unrest. 
  Hoddes. This high-gravity world has proven to be an out­
  standing environment for testing new exoskeletons, power ar­
  mor and combat robots. Most ofthe world is dedicated to testing 
  facilities and prototype manufacturing, and as such, has been 
  nicknamed the "Toy Box." Naruni spies and saboteurs have had 
  a terrible time infiltrating the place because for some odd rea­
  son, Hartigal employees stationed on Hoddes for more than a 
  year develop a strange psionic link to one another - a sort of 
  non-intrusive mental bond that tells them when there is an en­
  emy or intruder in their midst. The power only works on this 
  world and fades within 2D6 days after leaving the planet. 
  Tralan Antassif. This is a major gateway world for moving 
  Hartigal inventory. As mentioned earlier, the company main­
  tains a circuit of freighters within their own network of worlds 
  to move finished goods from factory planets to outlet planets. 
  Tralan Antassif is a nexus world between this circuit and the 
  many external trade circuits Hartigal maintains with worlds out­
  side of the company's territory. From this planet, freighters load 
  up with inventory and deliver it to worlds that have already 
  placed an order. They also stop off at other points of opportunity 
  along their path to make on-the-spot sales to those who need 
  weapons now. These freighters travel with heavy warship escort, 
  especially since pirates and Naruni (masquerading as pirates) 
  fmd these targets too tempting to resist. 
  Che'Vad. Hartigal was given this world as a gift from the 
  Mortu Consulate, a tiny kingdom of humans and other races 
  who, with Hartigal weaponry, managed to break free of the dis­
  integrating Golgan Republik. Though the Mortu made good on 
  their payments to Hartigal, they also gave them one of their own 
  worlds in an unprecedented show of generosity. Hartigal is 
  mulling whether or not to give the world back. What might be 
  the deciding factor is a set of interesting ruins discovered by ar­
  chaeological teams at the bottom of the world's deepest ocean 
  that indicates there used to be an alien civilization here. There is 
  also evidence from these ruins that these aliens knew a lot about 
  the Cosmic Forge and may have had something to do with de­
  ciding where it would be hidden. 
  Gandon Point. This world is on the end of a long, exposed 
  "salient" of Hartigal territory that extends deep into the realms 
  controlled by Naruni Enterprises. This makes the world effec­
  tively a siege state, as Naruni warships routinely blockade the 
  world and subject it to bombardments of "accidental weapons 
  drops" and "weapons malfunctions." Of course, nobody believes 
  these lame Naruni excuses for firing on the planet, and Hartigal 
  is busy massing a fleet to relieve the planet, to reinforce it, and 
  to shatter the Naruni vessels orbiting there. 
  Hydekker. Hartigal treasures this world for its vast deposits 
  of heavy metals, precious elements and other valuable mineral 
  resources. The company is strip mining it as fast as possible be­
  cause seismic surveys reveal serious harmonic instability 
  throughout the planet. This means the world could explode at 
  any time. At least the world is a lifeless crater field, so there will 
  be no environmental loss if and when it goes kablooey. Hartigal 
  employees must volunteer to work the planet, and they do so at 
  triple hazard pay, making this one of the most lucrative, and 
  dangerous gigs within the entire company. Some miners are try­
  ing to burrow channels deep into the earth to ease the onset of 
  the planet's harmonic disturbances. The theory is they could 
  coax the world into cracking in half rather than just exploding. 
  This would be great for mining, since the deep deposits could be 
  accessed with ease. However, it is just a theory, and one that 
  could prove to be explosively wrong to those intent on proving 
  it. 
  Golgan Republik 
  (Editor's Note: The misspellings of "Republik," "Politik," 
  "Scientifik" and other such misspellings in the Golgan section 
  are intentional. It's just an affectation to set this power bloc 
  apart from other CUltures.) 
  1 04 
  Population: 2 trillion sentient beings, though as the Republik 
  breaks down, that number dwindles little by little. 
  Demographics: Golgan (50%), Lurgess (14%), Ultrovians 
  (13%), Zebuloids (13%), Other (1 0010). Full descriptions of these 
  races are found in the Aliens section of this book. 
  Overview: Founded by the Golgan race over a thousand 
  years ago, the Golgan Republik is really a massive effort by the 
  indigenous people to create as much of a buffer zone around 
  their home worlds as possible. The Golgans used to be a 
  peace-loving people, but after several wars with their neighbors 
  (in which the Golgans suffered terribly), the Golgan culture be­
  came hard-edged, paranoid and cynical. Though the Golgans 
  won their wars and annihilated their enemies, they live in con-
  
  stant fear that they will be attacked again. Rather than rebuild 
  their shattered worlds into the glorious examples of architecture 
  they once were, the Golgans threw their considerable resources 
  and strength into militarizing their whole society. They built 
  vast fleets of starships and trained enormous armies of billions 
  of soldiers, all ready, willing and able to die for their beloved 
  Republik. 
  The Golgans embarked on a 300-year quest to conquer or 
  otherwise assimilate as much of their neighboring star systems 
  as they could. At the end of the period, the Republik was at its 
  height, with nearly 2,000 star systems and 5 trillion sentient 
  people under its control. Since then, it has gradually lost power 
  as more and more of its worlds rebel and break away. Today, 
  the Golgan Republik is in a state of steady disintegration, and 
  the government has little power to stop it. Essentially, the civili­
  zation expanded too far, too quickly, and became terribly over­
  extended. In many cases, the very military units stationed on 
  conquered foreign worlds were the ones leading the revolts. By 
  the time the rest of the Golgan military could respond, the rebel­
  lion was effectively over, and to bring the breakaway world 
  back into the fold would require a full war effort that would cost 
  a lot of time, resources, manpower and energy. And for what? 
  By the time the Golgans retrieved their rebel world, the planet 
  would have been reduced to ruin and no good to anybody. So, 
  the Golgans simply let these worlds go in the hopes that maybe 
  they could at least retain them as trading partners. 
  For the Republik, this approach, merciful though it may have 
  been, sounded the death knell. Knowing that their government is 
  not likely to destroy them for breaking away, any world disen-
  chanted with the Golgan way of life is now rebelling, flooding 
  the government with too many secession crises to deal with. The 
  end result is that the outermost edge of the Republik is crum­
  bling rapidly, and within another century, all that will remain 
  are the three or four core Golgan systems that created the 
  Republik in the first place. 
  Government 
  The Council Politik is the ruling body within the Republik. It 
  is like a big parliament in which every non-Golgan world gets a 
  single representative and every Golgan world gets two represen­
  tatives. The Council is a representative democracy, with a sim­
  ple majority carrying all votes. The Council tries to be 
  accommodating to everybody, but in the end, the Golgans con­
  trol the majority of representatives in the Council, so more often 
  than not, it is they who get what they want. At present, the disin­
  tegration of the Republik is slowly draining away non-Golgan 
  representatives from the Council, making it increasingly diffi­
  cult for non-Golgans to ever rally enough votes to overturn un­
  popular Golgan decrees or laws. The result is that entire 
  non-Golgan populations are growing tired of their waning 
  power in this society, and are more apt to rebel, speeding the 
  Republik's collapse. If the Council wanted to halt the epidemic 
  of rebellion, it would redistribute the voting power among the 
  Council reps, making it so the Golgans did not have such an un­
  fair share of power. However, being as paranoid as they are, the 
  Golgans will never agree to this, and would rather cling to what 
  power they have for now (and lose it in the long run) than give 
  up a little now (and keep their authority well into the future). 
  It is this kind of shortsightedness that has hamstrung the 
  Republikan government all along. Daily matters are carried out 
  by a massive, redundant and impersonal bureaucracy that makes 
  the old Soviet system on Earth look like a smooth-running so­
  cial machine. Everything takes longer than it should, nothing 
  gets done quickly, and by the time the government accomplishes 
  anything, the result is inadequate or way overdue. Ironically, 
  this paralytic form of governance came about because the 
  Golgans wanted to include all of their conquered people in the 
  process of getting things done. Thus, there are millions of per­
  manent bureaus, committees, oversight boards and other such 
  venues for citizens to get involved in the governmental process. 
  Talk about too much of a good thing! As result of having so 
  much over-input, the Golgan government is smothering under 
  its own weight. Nothing gets done, the people are unhappy, and 
  a bad situation is only getting worse. The Golgan system could 
  work on a much smaller scale, but for a massive and multiracial 
  empire, it is a recipe for disaster. 
  1 05 
  Military 
  The Republikan Guard is the primary military force, con­
  sisting of Army, Navy and Marine branches. It is exclusive to 
  Golgans, however, and it is reserved mostly for dealing with ex­
  ternal threats to the Republik. The Auxiliary Guard is the sec­
  ondary military force, consisting exclusively of non-Golgans. 
  Every non-Golgan planet has its own Auxiliary Guard force, 
  and these are supposed to uphold the law and suppress any re­
  bellion. However, with politics falling along racial lines, the 
  Auxiliary Guards are often just as eager to rebel as the citizens, 
  which makes the secession of worlds from the Republik a fairly 
  simple process. 
  
  The Republikan Guard is armed with the latest Naruni weap­
  onry, armor, ships and equipment. They are also well trained 
  and well motivated, and overall, present a fine fighting force. 
  The problem is, they are not being used since the Council 
  Politik is so convinced that invisible enemies lurk outside of the 
  Republik's domain, waiting for the right moment to strike. 
  Thus, the very force that could keep the Republik together is in­
  stead deployed along the outermost borders, their eyes and guns 
  turned outward into space, where no real danger exists, instead 
  of inward to the Republik, where a bloodless civil war is already 
  underway. 
  Auxiliary Guards are often armed with secondhand or obso­
  lete equipment. Most of them use HI-series knock-offs as their 
  main weapons, and armor and equipment put together locally, or 
  from some generic manufacturer off-world. These Guardsmen 
  tend to be better motivated than trained, and most are adept at 
  guerilla fighting, so if the Republikan Guard were ever to inter­
  vene on a rebel world, there would be one heck of a fight. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: Most of the worlds that 
  leave the Golgan Republik end up allying with or joining the 
  Consortium. As far as the CCW goes, since there is very little 
  fighting in this wave of secessions, the Golgans must not mind 
  that so many of their worlds are joining them. However, there is 
  great resentment. That the CCW would so openly and readily in­
  vite Golgan Republik breakaway worlds to join them is an af­
  front of the frrst order, and the Golgans will never forget it. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: As a result of what they see as the 
  CCW openly stealing their worlds (perhaps even secretly en­
  couraging rebellion), the Golgans have secretly begun to con­
  sider the TGE a potential ally in the Forge War. The Golgans no 
  longer have the resources to contribute meaningfully to the 
  search for the Cosmic Forge because they are so busy trying to 
  keep from self-destructing. But they do know that the Forge 
  War is heating things up between the CCW and the TGE, and 
  ultimately, the Republik will have to choose a side. The Golgans 
  would like to show their support then for the TGE as a way of 
  surprising the Consortium and getting back at them for gobbling 
  up so many of their breakaway worlds. Conversely, no 
  non-Golgan wants to join or partner with the TGE for fear that 
  the Empire will take it as an invitation to just move in and take 
  over. As bad as life can be under the Republik, with its exces­
  sive rules for everything and blatant preferential treatment to all 
  Golgans, things would be far worse under the Kreeghor Impe­
  rials. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: Any Golgan world with a 
  strong magical or spiritual culture that breaks away from the 
  Republik automatically seeks recognition and perhaps member­
  ship from the UWW. For their part, the UWW is happy to com­
  ply, repeating the same kind of inSUlting conduct that the CCW 
  has done so much of already. That, coupled with the Golgans' 
  naive thoughts of hooking up with the TGE, makes the UWW 
  an enemy state not to be trusted. The Golgans do not want to let 
  on about this just yet, though, preferring that the UWW think 
  that they are on good terms with the Republik when they actu­
  ally are not. 
  Naruni Enterprises: The Republik is on the verge of de­
  faulting on several very large weapons shipments it recently re-
  1 06 
  ceived from the Naruni, and they have absolutely no way to 
  make payments. This is a disaster in the making, and the Coun­
  cil Politik would rather pretend the problem does not exist rather 
  than try to work it out. Those few representatives who do see 
  this problem for what it is insist that the Republikan Guard can 
  repel any efforts by the Naruni to collect on their debts. This is 
  why the Guard was formed, and armed with the very cream of 
  Naruni weaponry, they will make sure that no part of the 
  Republik falls into Naruni hands ... right? 
  Hartigal Combine: Facing foreclosure from the Naruni, the 
  Council Politik is considering establishing trade channels with 
  Hartigal both to keep new weapons coming into the Republik, 
  and as a gesture of defiance to Naruni Enterprises. Many Auxil­
  iary worlds of the Republik have already been buying weapons 
  under the table from Hartigal, so the Council Politik feels that 
  perhaps now is the time the entire Republik opens a joint ac­
  count with the rogue manufacturer. At least that way, maybe 
  they could get a volume discount. Of course, ifthe Republik can 
  not pay Naruni, it might not be able to pay Hartigal either, 
  something that is making the Hartigal reps a little wary of jump­
  ing into bed with the Republik right away. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Altess are one of the few power blocs 
  that successfully resisted conquest by the Republik. Though the 
  Altess no longer hold a grudge from this old war (it happened 
  over 200 years ago), the Golgans have not forgotten. They have 
  sworn to make the Altess pay for their insolence, although how 
  they might do that has always been a bit of a mystery. After all, 
  the Republik had a chance to crush the Altess once before, and 
  they failed to get the job done. Since then, the Altess have 
  shown few signs of weakness that the Republik could capitalize 
  on, and the chances that the Golgans will ever get their shot at 
  vengeance dwindle further with each passing year. Conversely, 
  the Altess have been indifferent to the Republik's collapse, 
  showing no interest in grabbing up newly independent worlds 
  for themselves. They are too busy counting their money and liv­
  ing in the lap of luxury to care what some half-baked super­
  power thinks or does. 
  Central Alliance: The Central Alliance consists of worlds 
  that broke away from the Republik nearly 300 years ago. For 
  this, they can never be forgiven, and the Golgans consider them 
  all to be enemy states. That said, these Alliance worlds were 
  themselves so fractious and riven with infighting that the 
  Golgans smirked at their barbarity and wrote them off as per­
  haps something better left apart from the Republik anyway. 
  Now that the Central Alliance is solidifying and turning into a 
  new power bloc just as the Golgans' power is declining, many 
  Golgan reps in the Council Politik fear that the Centra) Alliance 
  might turn its eyes on the Republik and strike in its moment of 
  weakness. Numerous Golgan generals insist that it is in the 
  Republik's best interests to send a pre-emptive strike force of 
  Republikan Guardsmen into Central Alliance territory to shake 
  things up. So far, cooler heads have prevailed on this, but for 
  how much longer can they hold out? 
  Cosmo-Knights: Cosmo-Knights interfered on numerous oc­
  casions during the Golgans' initial phase of conquest. On sev­
  eral campaigns, entire worlds were prevented from assimilation 
  by timely Cosmo-Knight intervention, and the Golgans consider 
  the knights to be evil menaces bent on spreading their warped 
  brand of justice throughout the galaxy. That is not the case, of 
  
  course, but that is how the Golgans see it. They are also power­
  less to do anything to the Cosmo-Knights, but they remain ever 
  watchful for an opportunity that would allow them to strike 
  down a Cosmo-Knight and get some payback. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Splugorth slavers have raided 
  Golgan space on a number of occasions in the past, and their 
  presence is one of the reasons why the Republik was formed in 
  the first place. Now as the Republik is falling apart, many 
  Golgans fear that Splugorth agents are waiting in the wings, 
  ready to strike from the shadows and deal a death blow to the 
  teetering Golgan civilization. The thing is, in this case, they may 
  be right. 
  Gene-Tech: The Golgans appreciate the skill and technology 
  the Gene-Tech command, but that is the extent of any good feel­
  ings they have for these vicious genetic engineers. Republikan 
  Guardsmen destroyed a Gene-Tech ship skimming the border 
  zone a few years ago, and ever since, the Republik has been on 
  the lookout for some kind of retaliation. Reports that a clan of 
  Gene-Tech have taken over a desolate planetoid not far from the 
  Republik's southern border persists, as do additional rumors that 
  the Gene-Tech have reactivated an army of billions of geneti­
  cally modified warriors, all of whom want a piece of the Golgan 
  Republik. The story is almost certainly absolute poppycock, but 
  for the paranoid Golgan Republik it seems to be a very real dan­
  ger. 
  Omegan 
  Order: 
  Though 
  the 
  Golgans 
  distrust 
  the 
  Cosmo-Knights, they distrust the Omegan Order even more. 
  The Cosmo-Knights are just warped, the Golgans think, whereas 
  the Omegans are flat-out EVIL. They should be destroyed, of 
  course, but by somebody besides the Republik, which has more 
  pressing matters to attend to. 
  Xodian Collective: The Republik's official stance on the 
  Xodians is that they do not exist, and that they are a figment of 
  the Consortium's imagination. Nobody has ever given much 
  reason to explain this odd stance. It just popped up somehow, 
  and the Council Politik has gone along with it. Non-Golgans are 
  quickly coming to the conclusion that the Xodians do exist, and 
  that they would not mind contacting them sometime. 
  K!ozn: The Republik is convinced that K! Ozll agents are 
  afoot wherever there is rebellion within the Republik. The 
  Golgans do not like the look of these strange aliens, nor of their 
  even stranger minions. As far as the Golgans are concerned, the 
  K!OZll cannot possibly be as smart and sophisticated as they pre­
  tend to be. They must be putting on some kind of front to im­
  press or trick the power blocs of the Halo. Yeah, that's the 
  ticket! 
  Independent Worlds: The Republik is surrounded by inde­
  pendent worlds, most of which were once part of the Republik 
  and broke away. Those that are not old members of the 
  Republik were once assaulted by the Republik but successfully 
  resisted (there are only a few of these) or were at one time con­
  nected to an enemy of the Republik. All of this feeds into the 
  typically paranoid culture of the Golgans, who see them all as 
  envious upstarts or vengeful enemies. All of which makes the 
  Golgans feel they are, and forever will be, a nation of people in 
  a sea of enemies. 
  Society 
  The Golgans, as a race, have become dour, cynical and ex­
  cessively wary of their surroundings. Since the Golgans control 
  the reins of power in the Republik, their culture dominates the 
  overall society, making it a gloomy, unhappy place where there 
  is little hope or reason to look ahead for the future. However, 
  the Golgan way is not present everywhere in the Republik, and 
  the incredible diversity of races that make up this society all 
  contribute a little bit of their own cultures into the mix. Espe­
  cially on worlds that are not predominantly Golgan, things feel 
  very different. 
  Daily Life 
  The worlds of the Golgan Republik range from rich to poor, 
  agricultural to industrial, high-tech to low-tech. Throughout this 
  wide disparity of lifestyles, one thing remains constant; all 
  Golgans have it better than non-Golgans. They either get paid 
  more for their job, have better land reserved for them, get tax 
  breaks, are given exclusive access to certain technologies, etc. It 
  is the foundation of daily life in the Republik. It is also a major 
  reason behind the Republik's imminent collapse. 
  Law and Order 
  There is a law or regulation for everything in the Golgan 
  Republik. No matter what one does, they must consider that the 
  chances are good they have accidentally forgotten to cross a "T" 
  or dot an "I" somewhere, and will be made to suffer for it. On 
  most worlds, the Auxiliary Guard enforces the laws and regula­
  tions of the Council Politik, but in many cases, the Guard let a 
  lot of infractions slide because they do not agree with them. The 
  Republikan Guard is able to enforce the law anywhere in the 
  Republik, but it rarely does so because it is deployed in deep 
  space, and because most Republikan Guards feel civil law en­
  forcement is beneath them. 
  Crime and Punishment 
  The Golgans are not necessarily cruel people or overly harsh 
  lawmakers, but they do expect people to uphold even the tiniest 
  details of the law. Those who do not face "revokation" of social 
  privileges, such as reduction in pay, restriction of travel, prohib­
  ited access to the Golgan information network, and so on. Ba­
  sically the entire society runs on a big demerit system, and 
  people are allowed to transfer their demerits on to other willing 
  recipients. This means that families and groups of friends often 
  have large "demerit pools" that are used to keep any one mem­
  ber from going to jail. Jail is only for those who have excessive 
  demerits, and since one loses demerits for time served without 
  additional penalties, as long as one keeps his nose clean in be­
  tween infractions, jail time is a remote possibility at best. 
  Really, the whole system is made to harass the public and keep 
  them always on their toes when around the government. Those 
  with absolutely no demerits are always given some, just as those 
  with tons of demerits will only get more if they truly deserve 
  them. Like so much else in the Republik, this system does not 
  work because so many people are part of enormous demerit 
  pools. Given a large enough pool, a person can commit premed­
  itated murder and get away with it, so long as he has enough 
  pool mates who are willing to soak up a fraction of the demerits 
  assigned. In fact, entire planets have seceded legally, stating that 
  the whole population has formed a single demerit pool capable 
  1 07 
  
  of absorbing the demerits awarded for treason. Faced with such 
  an argument, the feckless Council Politik simply shrugs its 
  shoulders and sends the newly liberated world on its way. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Gologo Maxus. This is the world from which the Golgan 
  people originated. It has never left their possession, and is the 
  capital world for the Republik today. Despite its importance 
  governmentally, it is a sparsely populated world, having only a 
  few major cities. The rest of the land is left wild out of an 
  age-old Golgan fear that if they over-exploit their home world's 
  resources, their own society will crumble because of it. Every 
  other world in the Republik has been worked over pretty se­
  verely in terms of resource extraction, leading, in most cases, to 
  irreparable environmental damage. But Gologo Maxus remains 
  a relatively untouched place. All Golgans are expected to return 
  here at least three times in their life. The reasons behind this old 
  custom have been forgotten, but the practice lives on and as a 
  result, Gologo Maxus is probably the only capital world in the 
  Anvil Galaxy that does more tourism business than government. 
  Kadobe, Mutant World. Strange radiation from the sun is 
  mutating everybody in the Kadobe star system, arguably the sin­
  gle most populated set of planets in the Golgan Republik. Some 
  Kadobans are getting sick or deformed, some are only margin­
  ally affected, and some are getting special abilities and 
  super-powers, generating an entire generation of super-powered 
  heroes, villains and freebooters. This is especially problematic 
  for the Republik, as Kadobe is a hotbed of rebellion. If its peo­
  ple develop super-powers, they may not be content only to se­
  cede. They may want to help other worlds do the same. 
  Daradan. More than a century ago, the Council ScientifIk 
  appropriated this uninhabited world to conduct various 
  biogenetic experiments on it. Through a typically Golgan snafu, 
  the government failed to renew funding for the Council 
  ScientifIk, and Daradan was left to go wild. Now, years later, 
  the Republik is in need of additional living space, as its prime 
  worlds are all leaving and the overcrowding on some of the 
  older, more Golgan-only worlds is reaching epidemic propor­
  tions. Daradan is seen as a potential colonization target, only it 
  is now crawling with all sorts of monstrous plants and animals, 
  courtesy of the unfmished biogen experiments that were left to 
  evolve on their own. While the government wrings its hands try­
  ing to fIgure out how to clear the planet for settlement, it has in 
  the meantime become a favored spot for big game hunters, pi­
  rates, smugglers, renegade scientists, explorers, mercenaries, ex­
  iled governments, religious refugees (some of whom fmd this 
  world to be a holy place), ex-government types, and others. 
  Naanta. This super-tech utopia world is one of the few 
  crown jewels remaining in the Golgan Republik. Covered with 
  orderly, clean, efficient arcologies, powered by endless fIelds of 
  top-line fusion reactors, home to over one hundred and fIfty bil­
  lion sentient beings, and absolutely no shred of rebellion on the 
  entire world, Naanta is indeed what many Golgans wish their 
  entire society was. However, this is just the public face to the 
  world, a Potemkin village to make the Council Politik feel 
  better. The truth is that while Naanta is a highly advanced 
  world, it simmers with crime and revolution, and the Auxiliary 
  Guard stationed here have evolved into one of the most ruthless 
  and efficient anti-crime, anti-terrorism units in the Golgan 
  Republik. On the streets ofNaanta, there is war going on, a hid-
  1 08 
  
  den war, safe from the eyes of the beautiful people living so 
  high in the arcologies. This is a down and dirty fight for nothing 
  less than the stability of one ofthe Golgan Republik's remaining 
  bastions of stability . 
  Kaluda. This lonely planet is the home world of the 
  Zebuloids, strange tentacled aliens who have long been a part of 
  the Republik. Kaluda is also home to Red Moon Squadron, an 
  elite force of starship pilots who, as part of that world' s Auxil­
  iary Guard, patrol the space lanes in search of intruders and pi­
  rates. In part because Kaluda has its own shipyard industry and 
  builds very efficient craft and in part because Zebuloids are nat­
  urally excellent pilots, Red Moon Squadron has an astounding 
  250: 1 kill ratio! That means for every ship Red Moon Squadron 
  loses, 250 ships, on average, are destroyed. The Squadron is so 
  good that piracy has stopped not only for this system but for the 
  surrounding systems as well. The Republik is considering putt­
  ing the Squadron on "tour" so it can go around the Republik on 
  a free search for bad guys to destroy. Of course, Kaluda is on 
  the verge of seceding, and when it does, it will deprive the 
  Republik of a fine star force. With little other industry to rely 
  on, the world will most likely hire out the Red Moon Squadron 
  as mercenaries to operate for whatever parties wish to use them 
  in the Forge War. 
  Skandau. A huge gas giant with nine planet-like moons, 
  Skandau was once colonized by the Golgans as a strategic way 
  point for traveling starships. The various moons hosted a num­
  ber of friendly outposts to foreign and domestic traffic, and the 
  taxes on fuel, food, and other commodities sold to travelers 
  more than made the system pay for itself. For a long time, it 
  stayed this way, isolated and underpopulated. However, as the 
  Forge War began, refugees from the neighboring Nefertidi sys­
  tem fled to Skandau's moons to avoid marauding TGE forces 
  who were tossing entire worlds in search for clues to the Cosmic 
  Forge's location. The refugees never left, and the Republik is 
  still trying to figure out what to do with them. These people are 
  not welcome - though the Republik is falling apart, the Golgans 
  are still picky over who they admit into their ranks - but to mass 
  deport them means a trip back to the TGE and probable death. 
  (The TGE doesn't look kindly on those who flee the Empire for 
  any reason.) Moreover, Skandau's other moons are some of the 
  few worlds still willing to stay with the Republik, and if the 
  Golgans eject the refugees, rebellion will surely result. What to 
  do? Whatever the Republik does, it had better do it fast because 
  the refugees are quickly overwhelming the moons on which they 
  live, and if the government does not get involved, starvation and 
  environmental depletion will follow. 
  Mekanik. A Golgan experiment in independent machinery, 
  Mekanik has been a fully automated world - no organics al­
  lowed - for 66 years. It is a production facility for various kinds 
  of military and civilian technology, especially planetary engi­
  neering processors, a vital component in any terra-forming pro­
  ject. The intelligent machinery has been given its mission and 
  left to its own devices (no pun intended) on how to complete 
  said mission. Aside from routine supply drops and pickups of 
  fmished products, the world receives no contact from the out­
  side. Automated defense satellites keep pirates and other inter­
  lopers at bay. Amazingly, it is all working well except for the 
  fact that during the latest session of the Council Politik, two hu­
  manoid robots claiming to be from Mekanik showed up on the 
  Council floor and announced that they were Mekanik's official 
  representatives. The Republik does not know what to make of 
  this. The prospect of Mekanik determining its own fate to any 
  degree could be catastrophic, especially if it decided to secede 
  and take all of that terra-forming machinery with it. On the other 
  hand, if the Republik denies representation to this robot world, 
  rebellion might also result. The Mekanik representatives have 
  asked that the Republik give their answer to this within 100 
  days. 1 0  days are left, with no resolution in sight. However this 
  ends up, it probably will not be good. (G.M. Note: For players 
  wishing to play an intelligent robot from Mekanik, please check 
  out the Robot R.C.C. Rules in the Rifts® Sourcebook. Or, for 
  convenience's sake, simply play a Naruni Repo-Bot, but without 
  all of the on-board weaponry. For other robot designs, check out 
  Rifts® Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids®.) 
  Ulmore. This is one of the few worlds where the Republikan 
  Guard actually did respond militarily to a planetary secession. It 
  was almost 300 years ago, and the Ulmorian Auxiliary Guard 
  had decided they wanted to be in charge of their world, and that 
  they no longer needed the accursed Golgans telling them what 
  to do. Incensed, the Golgans sicced the dogs on the Ulmorians, 
  and a fierce battle ensued. In the end, the Republikan Guard de­
  stroyed pretty much everything on the planet, and the Ulmorians 
  were either killed or fled the world. (Many of them established a 
  new world for themselves just beyond Republik territory, in a 
  system renamed Ulmore II). Saddened by this wasteful episode, 
  the Republik cordoned off the entire world as a memorial to the 
  needless violence civil war causes. It was supposed to be a re­
  minder to all subjects that secession can bring only ruin. It in­
  stead eroded the Golgan resolve to ever respond strongly to 
  secession again, and in tum only encouraged more worlds to 
  break away from the Republik. 
  Adraodus. A plague outbreak on this world forced its 
  Golgan colonists to take refuge in deep subterranean cities 
  where the environment could be purified more easily. Long after 
  the surface plague subsided, the Golgans stayed underground, 
  digging deeper to expand their cities, instead of reaching back to 
  the surface. Now the world is an utterly massive honeycomb of 
  underground passages, chambers and shafts. In fact, some of 
  these passageways have gone all the way to the planetary core ! 
  The ingenious engineers here have figured out a way to harness 
  the tapped core energies for fuel, heat, and as a rudimentary 
  weapon in case the planet itself comes under attack. Though it is 
  a theoretical measure, the engineers think they can vent a jet of 
  molten core out of the planet at incoming enemies, melting them 
  instantaneously! They also think a core vent can move the 
  planet just a little bit off its orbit, which might be useful if a 
  comet or asteroid threatens to hit the planet. Of course, doing 
  any of these things threatens to exhaust the core, and cause the 
  gradual and unstoppable cooling of the planet. It would take 
  millions of years, but eventually all life on the planet would die, 
  and it would become like a big asteroid or rocky moon. 
  1 09 
  Jaoril. Site of the Battle of Endless Konquest, Jaoril is con­
  sidered by Golgan military historians to be the place where the 
  Republik's golden age of expansion began. Here, Golgan armies 
  defeated the Order of Darkness, a sinister cult that had control 
  over the entire planet and was in the process of orchestrating a 
  global suicide event. Whatever purpose all that death was sup­
  posed to serve never came to bear, but the Golgans who de-
  
  stroyed the Cult and most of its followers have been hailed as 
  heroes. Though Jaoril has become a massively redeveloped 
  world, there still exists a huge stone courtyard, some 1 00 miles 
  (160 km) square, in which the shattered hulls of the ships that 
  fought in the battle rest as a monument to Golgan glory. Not all 
  of the cultists were destroyed, however. A few of them lived, 
  and today, a secret underground version of the Order of Dark­
  ness exists and plots the destruction not only of this world, but 
  of the entire Golgan Republik, and after that, the Anvil Galaxy 
  itself. For the Order of Darkness knows exactly where the Cos­
  mic Forge is, or so they claim, and when they finally figure out 
  how to get to it, they shall have all the power they need to bring 
  their dark vision for the universe into reality ... 
  The Altess Dynasty 
  Population: 100 million sentient beings. The low population 
  is a result of careful and deliberate efforts taken by the Altess to 
  achieve ZPG - Zero Population Growth. This cause is the cen­
  tral theme to Altess culture and government. 
  Demographics: Human (88%), Other (12%). Humans defi­
  nitely have preferred status. Any other race is considered sec­
  ond-class (at best). Most aliens here are as slaves. Less than 1% 
  of the alien population within the Altess Dynasty is free, and 
  those who are almost always are in the process of getting out. 
  Overview: The Altess Dynasty is an unusual blend of social 
  engineering, genetic engineering, and political engineering. It is 
  1 1 0  
  one of the most stridently human-supremacist power blocs in the 
  Anvil Galaxy, but through adept diplomacy, artful dodging, and 
  outright bribery, it has managed to ascend to the top circles of 
  galactic power, somehow avoiding destruction along the way. 
  The Altess are a race of humans from the Altetch star system, 
  deep in the heart of the western Halo. They claim to have de­
  scended directly from The First, that mythical race that once 
  commanded the Cosmic Forge. According to Altess legend, 
  when the Cosmic Forge went into hiding, it revealed to the 
  Altess where it would go, but in a way that no single Altess 
  could know. The Cosmic Forge is said to have imparted upon 
  each Altess alive at the time a tiny fragment of its hiding place, 
  like a single piece to a puzzle. Each Altess would have this frag­
  ment of knowledge in their head, a tiny shard of an ancient and 
  amazing truth they could telepathically project to whoever 
  wished to receive it. For the Altess to divine the location of the 
  Cosmic Forge, they would all have to link their minds and 
  thoughts at once, all simultaneously sharing their single piece of 
  knowledge. Only then would the location of the Cosmic Forge 
  unlock itself in their minds, and only then could they, "the cho­
  sen people," inherit the Cosmic Forge for themselves. 
  This might not seem like such a difficult thing to do. Only 
  back then, the Altess were a savage and violent people, end­
  lessly locked in warfare. For them all to share with each other 
  their innermost secret would require a miracle - or several thou­
  sand generations of social evolution. The latter proved to be 
  what happened, and now, so very many millennia after the Cos­
  mic Forge went into hiding, the Altess are a much changed peo­
  ple. They no longer fight amongst themselves, they possess a 
  C-- - . .  -----��.�� 
  - -----
  
  highly advanced culture and technology, and they have mastered 
  the art of thought-sharing, making it all the more possible for 
  them to share the knowledge of the Cosmic Forge's where­
  abouts. 
  So why haven't the Altess yet unlocked the Forge's location? 
  That is perhaps the greatest unanswered question for this civili­
  zation to solve. The leading theory is that the race widely dis­
  persed after the Cosmic Forge imparted its location to them all, 
  and in the subsequent generations, the Altess have had to come 
  back together, realigning their bloodlines so they more or less 
  match up to what they once were. Basically, the Altess must en­
  gineer their genetic lineage in such a way that it comes full cir­
  cle and is as close to what it once was as possible. The Altess 
  have done this, but it still is not enough. There are just a few 
  pieces of their collective memory missing, and nobody is quite 
  sure of where to find them. For the Altess, this is like having an 
  entire puzzle completed with just two or three pieces missing. 
  Only this is no mere puzzle to be solved; this is the key to un­
  locking the doors to ultimate power. 
  As a race, the Altess have grown rather philosophical about 
  all of this. To them, while the rest of the galaxy knocks itself out 
  trying to find the Cosmic Forge, the Altess are already 97% of 
  the way there. All they have to do is wait for those last few 
  pieces of genetic information to come their way, and their quest 
  is over. To keep their race from fragmenting again, the Altess 
  have instituted a practice of Zero Population Growth. Basically, 
  it is a method by which no new Altess are born until one of 
  them dies. The number of Altess must remain constant at all 
  times or else they risk losing more of their collective genetic 
  memory. 
  In the past, Altess despots believed that if they killed as 
  many Altess as possible, the race's collective genetic memory 
  would keep redistributing itself among the survivors until only 
  one person could have the entire know ledge of the Cosmic 
  Forge's location. Nearly 9,000 years ago, a maniacal overlord 
  named Jurgo Kilter believed in this method and set to extermi­
  nating all of his fellow Altess, hoping it would impart upon him 
  more knowledge of the Forge's whereabouts. By the time Kilter 
  was himself slain, fewer than 200 million Altess remained out of 
  the seven billion there once were! Some scholars believe that 
  this irrevocably ruined the Altess' chances of ever reuniting 
  their genetic memory, and the best they can do is what they have 
  now, an incomplete key that can never be made whole. 
  Most Altess accept this and are content to move on with their 
  lives. It is not that hard, since the Altess live very good lives, in­
  deed. After the Kilter Massacres, the Altess began working fe­
  verishly on ways to extend their life span, to reduce the death 
  rate among them as much as possible. After a few centuries, 
  they perfected genetic engineering techniques that extended 
  their life span to well over 1 ,000 years. That, coupled with in­
  credible medical and regenerative technologies, made it so that 
  an Altess could pretty much live forever. With such long life 
  spans, the average Altess has an enormously long period of time 
  to amass wealth, which many of them do. All told, the Altess are 
  the richest population per capita in the Anvil Galaxy. Each 
  Altess citizen has more money than many independent govern­
  ments. A large portion of this usually is in cash deposited in 
  banks all across the galaxy, while the rest is tied up in an elabo­
  rate network of investments spanning the Anvil Galaxy. This 
  1 1 1  
  makes Altess wealth very diversified and immune to catastro­
  phe. It also gives them a vested interest in everything that goes 
  on in the Anvil Galaxy, so they have learned to keep their ears 
  to the ground. Historically, they have learned to be neutral in ga­
  lactic politics, though they are not above pulling some strings in 
  the background every now and again to make sure certain events 
  or trends tum out their way. 
  Government 
  The Altess Dynasty is a tightly knit collection of noble fami­
  lies who have emerged from the barbaric state the Altess were 
  once in. Through careful social engineering and the develop­
  ment of methods to make themselves immortal, the Altess Dy­
  nasty is part of a very stable ruling tradition that has remained 
  unchanged for thousands of years. Politics moves at a glacial 
  pace with these people, and to say that the current regime is long 
  lived is to slight the term "long lived." The Altess measure the 
  time of their regimes by generations, not years. And the config­
  uration of years to generations to the number of the dynasty car­
  ries special significance, too. For example, the current regime is 
  in the 1 1th year of the 1 1th generation of the 1 1th Dynasty. Not 
  only have these ruling families governed for a very long time, 
  but they have reached a critical juncture in their time - the three 
  l Is signify that something very big is going to happen to these 
  rulers, and it is going to happen soon. The Altess believe it will 
  be something to do with the Cosmic Forge; either the Dynasty 
  will be dragged into the forefront of the Forge War, or somehow 
  they will gain the missing knowledge they need to unlock the 
  Forge's secret location. 
  The Dynasty itself is a simple aristocracy. All ruling author­
  ity derives from the Dynasty's bloodline. Unless you are blood 
  or married to it, you can not rule. Simple as that. The dozens of 
  royal families all have equal footing, and they come together 
  once a decade in the Concession of the Bond, an arcane cere­
  mony in which matters of state are decided upon. In the interim, 
  governmental matters are decided upon by the families them­
  selves, who have total control over their territory within the Dy­
  nasty's sphere of influence. 
  Military 
  Each royal family maintains its own force of soldiers (usually 
  volunteers but sometimes conscripts), and on top of that, each 
  family is expected to maintain a certain percentage of the 
  Armoria, the joint military that addresses security for the Dy­
  nasty as a whole. The Armoria is meant to repel attacks from pi­
  rates, despots, hostile aliens, and the like, but it has seen very 
  little action in some years. As the Forge War threatens to push 
  the Altess into the middle of rival galactic superpowers, the 
  Armoria has gone into a heightened state of alert. It has also 
  purchased additional arms and armor from the Naruni and even 
  a few assorted third-party vendors who specialize in secondhand 
  and knock-off weaponry. The Armoria can't possibly use all of 
  this at once, but the Altess believe in maintaining a ridiculously 
  large stockpile of spare military hardware just in case they 
  should ever need it. At present, the Altess have enough extra 
  weapons and equipment to completely refit the Armoria six 
  times before supplies are exhausted. Considering that nearly all 
  of this equipment is top-line Naruni product, that makes for one 
  formidable cache offrrepower. 
  
  Despite this incredible stockpile, the chances are that the 
  Altess will never have to use it. Over time, they have done well 
  with their fITSt and most powerful weapon: money. The Altess 
  are so incredible wealthy that they have usually been able to just 
  buy off their enemies or hire mercenaries to take care of them. 
  Or, the Altess will sometimes hire the enemies of their enemies 
  to get involved on the Altess' behalf. This sort of thing has been 
  the Altess' fITSt line of defense for millennia, and it works. The 
  best thing about it is that it has never even come close to deplet­
  ing the Royal Treasuries. Hell, the interest off the interest off the 
  interest from the Treasuries could fund a substantial army for 
  ten years, so it is no wonder the Altess can bribe just about any­
  one to do just about anything. That being the case, the Altess are 
  no pushovers, and they make it clear whenever buying off a foe 
  that this is it, this is the end of all hostilities for at least a century 
  or so. The Altess are not about to tolerate some greedy despot 
  who intends on extorting another payment out of the Altess ev­
  ery few years. Against that sort of opposition, the Altess will go 
  to war, and they will spare no expense, and bar no holds until 
  their enemies are destroyed. When the Altess military goes after 
  a target, it conducts what it euphemistically calls "hereditary 
  victory." That means they will not only destroy their opponents, 
  but they will destroy their immediate family, including children. 
  The Altess have and will carry this out on a global scale, as evi­
  denced by the horrific Cipher War, in which the Altess fell un­
  der attack by the League of Blood, a pretentious pirate armada 
  that had taken over a few independent worlds and fancied them­
  selves rulers of the galaxy. The Altess bought them off once, 
  and the Legion immediately came back for more. In short order, 
  the Armoria not only destroyed the Legion's fleet, but they 
  made sure every single pirate was slain, as was his family and 
  his friends. The relatively innocent civilians of the conquered 
  worlds were spared, but they were given the message that the 
  Altess expected them to root out any sympathizers of the Legion 
  of Blood and execute them immediately. So scared of the 
  Armoria were these people that they actually followed the order, 
  hunting and killing pirate sympathizers for months thereafter. 
  Events like the Cipher War have given the Altess military a 
  reputation as a sleeping dragon. Most of the time, it is quiet, 
  even invisible. But when it awakens, the very cosmos shakes, 
  and those foolish enough to stir the dragon shall know in short 
  order what it feels like to be slain by one. 
  The Royal Treasuries 
  Each royal family keeps account of its own wealth, but they 
  are all required to report their holdings to the jointly adminis­
  trated Royal Treasuries. This organization is like a massive ac-
  alien concepts borne of societies that still deal with things like 
  population growth, economic cycles, and resource depletion. 
  The Altess figured these things out (in a way that works for 
  them, anyway) long ago, and as such, have freed themselves 
  from thinking in terms of rich and poor. They are simply Altess, 
  and part of that means having enough resource capability to sat­
  isfy one's wildest urges. Since the Altess are born into this kind 
  of life, they end up not abusing it. Knowing in one's heart that 
  he can have anything curiously has an opposite effect on the 
  Altess, who are content to live modest personal lives. They 
  build grand cities and palaces and use incredible amounts of 
  high technology to lavish a comfortable life on themselves and 
  their people (nobody wants for much among the Altess), but on 
  a personal level, the Altess do not mark their lives by consump­
  tion and spending. Having no sense of poverty, they have no 
  need to distance themselves psychologically from it by exercis­
  ing their buying abilities over and over and over again by ob­
  taining things they do not really need. Most of the Anvil Galaxy 
  sees this outlook as something weird, but the Altess know it for 
  what it is - the way everybody would look at life if only they 
  had the means to. 
  The Royal Academies of Science 
  This well funded sector of the Altess is charged with devel­
  oping new technological breakthroughs. They have all the time 
  they want, and are under no pressure to produce. That is the 
  Altess way. The absent need for urgent production today is the 
  result of an interesting initiative the Altess took some thousands 
  of years ago. Back then, they gathered some of the top minds in 
  the galaxy and gave them a fully funded haven where they could 
  dedicate their lives to pure research. In time, these scientists 
  came up with hundreds of great inventions, technologies that 
  would change the face of life in the Anvil Galaxy in every pos­
  sible aspect. Weapons. Transportation. Food. Clothing. Environ­
  ment. Education, Communications. 
  Once the Altess felt they had enough such items, they retired 
  their science teams and stockpiled their work. From there, the 
  Altess made a huge fortune licensing out their super-tech de­
  signs to those who wanted them. These licensing agreements 
  and royalties continue to this day, and by now, nearly 50% of 
  the galaxy is paying some kind of royalty or kickback to the 
  Altess without their knowing it. Those societies that are aware 
  of the royalties being paid to the Altess are usually angry about 
  it at first, but then when they learn exactly what the Altess have 
  done to deserve those royalties, the bellyaching stops for good. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  counting firm and investment center for the entire Dynasty. Not 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: The Altess are one of the 
  only does it maintain exact figures on the net worth of the Dy-
  very few powers that are just not impressed by the Consortium. 
  nasty, but it also manages all investment activity (apart from 
  All they see in these worlds is a bunch of small powers huddling 
  what the nobles themselves may want to dally in) and makes the 
  together out of fear of the rest of the galaxy. The Altess deal 
  numbers public knowledge to everyone in the Dynasty, noble 
  with the Consortium and even are a member of it from time to 
  and commoner alike. 
  time, but only because it suits their purposes for the moment. 
  This last part serves two purposes. One, it keeps the nobles 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The TGE is, by Altess standards, 
  honest with each other and helps reduce any feelings of compe-
  the sad work of a degenerate and barbaric people so govem-
  tition or jealousy. Nearly all of the royal families are similarly 
  mentally retarded that to even call them a proper "civilization" 
  wealthy, and even the "poorest" among them has wealth far be-
  requires one to ingest massive amounts of painkillers fITSt. The 
  yond the imagination of most Halo governments. Wealth, as it 
  Altess would endeavor to destroy such an offensive society if 
  were, is a relative concept to the Altess, who are used to having 
  they were not convinced that it would destroy itself fITSt. The 
  absolutely anything they want. They see wealth and poverty as 
  Altess have seen the TGE's like before, and they know full well 
  it will one day go the way of the dodo bird. 
  1 1 2  
  
  United Worlds of Warlock: Though the Altess have no use 
  for magic (they are a profoundly scientific people), they find the 
  UWW's mastery of magic to be interesting, at the very least. 
  With views as jaded as the Altess, any other body politic that is 
  fresh and new should be appreciated. And the Altess appreciate 
  the UWW quite a bit, even if they don't let on that fact to the 
  UWW. The Altess also feel that after them, the UWW stands the 
  best chance of fmding the Cosmic Forge. They are light years 
  ahead of the CCW and TGE, which are both like children in a 
  dark room fumbling for a light switch they can't possibly reach. 
  Naruni Enterprises: The Altess buy copious amounts of 
  weapons from these people, but only because it is convenient to 
  do so. Were there no Naruni Enterprises, the Altess would sim­
  ply build a company of similar stature to provide it with weap­
  onry. Though the Naruni do not know it, the Altess collectively 
  own 39% of Naruni stock, giving them quite a say in how that 
  company operates. The Altess do not use this power, but instead 
  are holding it in reserve for some special day. Like when Naruni 
  tries bullying the Altess into doing something the Altess do not 
  like, at that point, the ownership question will come up, and the 
  Altess will flex their stockholding muscles to get the N aruni off 
  their back. If that is not enough, the Altess have more than 
  enough cash to simply buy Naruni Enterprises out from under 
  its owners/rulers, if they so desired. Altess Industries, anyone? 
  Of course, this is not the Altess' style, and they would be far 
  more content to beat the N aruni up with the threat of such action 
  than actually doing. 
  Hartigal Combine: Altess fmd these people to be very po­
  lite, accommodating and pleasant to have around, mainly be­
  cause the Hartigal are trying to cozy up to them to get the Altess 
  to buy their goods instead of the Naruni. The Altess are im­
  pressed by Hartigal's "go-getter" attitude and hard work, but 
  have no intention of buying Naruni knock-offs from them. (For 
  one thing it would hurt their secret partial ownership of Naruni 
  Enterprises. However, favorably impressed with Hartigal, the 
  Altess have secretly, through third parties, purchased 7% of the 
  Hartigal Combine to cover their bets.) 
  Golgan Republik: The Golgans actually tried to invade 
  Altess territory a while back (it was a few hundred years ago, 
  but nearly all Altess nobles still remember it like it was yester­
  day). The Golgans lost the battle, of course, and even though the 
  Golgans are still angry over it, the Altess could not care less. 
  They knew the Golgans were crazy to try taking over the Dy­
  nasty, and they were glad to help educate them to this. The 
  Altess hold no grudges against the Golgans for their aggression, 
  but they do fmd the Golgan people generally distasteful, and the 
  Altess fmd it very entertaining to watch the Golgan Republik 
  come apart at the seams. 
  Central Alliance: The Cyber-warriors of the Central Alli­
  ance remind the Altess of how they once were, thousands of 
  generations ago. Perhaps that is why the Altess have taken a 
  kind of guardian angel status with these people. The Alliance 
  does not know it, but the Armoria has standing orders to act on 
  the Central Alliance's behalf if it is attacked. An assault upon 
  the Cental Alliance is, therefore, an assault upon the Altess Dy­
  nasty. 
  Cosmo-Knights: The Altess find these do-gooders interest­
  ing, but living as long as the Altess do, they know that the 
  Cosmo-Knights have not yet done anything to substantially 
  1 1 3 
  change things for better or worse in the Three Galaxies. For ev­
  ery villain they defeat, another surfaces. Perhaps this will 
  change with the Forge War and the knights' assault upon the 
  Threshold, but few Altess are optimistic about it. They will sim­
  ply sit and wait to hear about what happened, even if that takes 
  ten, twenty, or a hundred years. 
  Gene-Tech: That goes the same for the Gene-Tech, in part 
  because these genetic engineers remind the Altess a little about 
  their own efforts to bioengineer themselves into superior beings 
  and maintain their bloodlines. Gene-Tech are viewed as un­
  known quantities best to be driven out of Altess territory. Any 
  Gene-Tech to fight back or to dare alter the genetic structure of 
  an Altess is to be destroyed without mercy. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: The Altess fmd these monsters de­
  spicable in every way, and they feel the Three Galaxies would 
  be a better place if they were destroyed. There is no further dis­
  cussion to be had. Be gone with them! 
  Om egan Order: The Omegans are filthy swine who do not 
  even deserve the title of "knight" in any form. This hatred is 
  purely cultural - as nobles, the Altess tend to value honor and 
  dignity, things which the Omegans totally lack. Moreover, while 
  the Altess have little use for the Cosmo-Knights, they at least re­
  spect their position in the galaxy and the valor of their deeds. 
  The Omegan Order have no such deeds to worship, no outward 
  signs that indeed, these warriors are worthy of one's praise and 
  adoration. All the Omegans offer is a resounding aura of evil 
  and the desire to be feared. The Altess can not accept that. They 
  have been around the block too many times to be scared by the 
  likes of this rabble. The sooner the proper Cosmo-Knights de­
  stroy the Omegans, the cleaner and brighter the entire galaxy 
  will be. 
  Xodian Collective: The Altess remember that long ago, dur­
  ing the 2nd or 3rd Dynasty, a large force of Xodians crossed the 
  Threshold and established a dominion in the Halo for about a 
  century before they returned from whence they came. They left 
  little to no evidence that they had ever been here, and to this 
  day, the Altess are not exactly sure what they came here for or 
  why they returned to the Core. The Altess enjoy not sharing this 
  information with the rest of the galaxy, which is collectively 
  beating its head against the wall trying to figure these strange 
  aliens out. 
  K!ozn: The Altess' immortality makes them special among 
  the Halo, and for that reason, K!OZll representatives have sought 
  audiences with the Altess royal families on several different oc­
  casions. The Altess find the K!OZll a mysterious but pleasant and 
  intriguing people, if a little hard to understand. The Altess know 
  they are dealing with a superior intellect, and they make no pre­
  tension to intellectual equality, something the K!OZll appreciate. 
  The K!OZll come to the Altess because they wish to recruit them 
  in an effort to make sure none of the Halo powers ever learn 
  where the Cosmic Forge is located. If the Altess agree to join 
  the K!OZll, the K!OZll will share technology with them, as well 
  as territory within the Core. The Altess are generally fascinated 
  by this offer, but as mentioned before, they like to move on 
  things very slowly, and the Forge War might be over before 
  they even give a response to the K!OZll offer. 
  Independent Worlds: The Altess have, from time to time, 
  built enormous Empires by Proxy, a term they like to use for 
  when they dangle bribes of cash, technology and military help to 
  
  neighboring (and relatively low tech) worlds in return for their 
  help and cooperation. This has given the Altess a reputation as 
  big spenders and fair employers. Should the Altess need to re­
  ally get dirty in the Forge War and hire mercenaries, the popula­
  tions of many surrounding independent worlds would be glad to 
  offer their services. 
  Society 
  The Altess dominions are about as close to a Utopia as one is 
  likely to fmd in the Anvil Galaxy. The civilization's incredible 
  wealth makes it so that nobody is wanting for anything. There 
  are no appreciable shortages of anything, and huge forces of ro­
  bots carry out almost every aspect of daily work, so the citizens 
  do not have to toil . . . .  ever. No Altess worlds are over­
  crowded. They have no poverty. There is no material crime, 
  only crimes of passion (people have no need to steal). If any­
  thing, the people's worst enemy is boredom, as their every need 
  is met and their lives are seemingly endless. Those who crave 
  some kind of excitement volunteer for combat duty in the 
  Armoria and hope that they see some kind of action. Otherwise, 
  Altess citizens are likely to spend some years adventuring out in 
  the rest of the galaxy, just for fun. Given that the entire Altess 
  bloodline must be assembled at once to unlock the key to the 
  Cosmic Forge, runaways and kidnap victims are dealt with as if 
  a national treasure has been stolen. No effort will be spared to 
  bring such folk back to the fold, safe and sound. This means that 
  Altess adventurers are almost always on the run from their home 
  and have a large force of Armorian guards after them. Though 
  the Armorian guards will only use non-lethal capture methods 
  against Altess runaways and adventurers, they might not be so 
  easy on whoever might be harboring them. 
  Daily Life 
  For the vast majority of Altess citizens, daily life is one of 
  endless leisure. Robot servants handle all mundane work, manu­
  facturing and processing basic goods and necessities, leaving 
  their Altess human masters free to do whatever they like. Most 
  Altess devote their time to sport, art, philosophy, travel, and 
  other such diversions. Still others turn to meditation, martial 
  arts, storytelling, and so on. Over the course of their lives 
  Altess end up trying about every hobby and diversion they c� 
  think of before they learn that their favorite pasttime is merely 
  doing nothing but watching the universe go by. All Altess are 
  strong students of history (largely because they can live through 
  so much of it), and so they take great pleasure in viewing cur­
  rent events, putting them into some kind of historical context 
  and trying to extrapolate what will happen in the future. Altes� 
  (especially nobles) love to get together and talk about these sorts 
  of things for days. 
  It should be noted that there is little noticeable difference in 
  quality of life between nobles and non-nobles. Indeed, to most 
  non-nobles, the only thing they lack is a voice in the govern­
  ment, but most of the time, these people realize that they do not 
  particularly want one. 
  Most off-worlders visiting the Altess see their lifestyle as a 
  kind of paradise, and for a few days, they revel in it. But after a 
  while, strangers simply can not digest the slow pace of life, the 
  abundance of everything, and the constant need to do nothing. 
  Stir-crazy within a few weeks, off-worlders almost never ask to 
  stay with the Altess, which makes it all the easier for them to 
  keep their bloodlines pure. 
  Law and Order 
  Crime is almost unheard of among the Altess. With so much 
  material abundance, crimes like theft become irrelevant. There 
  is no need to steal when nobody has something that can not be 
  gotten by somebody else. Violent crimes are still possible and 
  happen occasionally, but the Altess are culturally bound to­
  gether by their common desire to unlock the knowledge within 
  them that will point the way to the Cosmic Forge. An act of 
  murder jeopardizes that cause, hurting the murderer as much as 
  the murdered. This helps prevent killings, as well as the fact that 
  the Altess are generally a jaded, non-violent people who are not 
  quick to fight with people. As a result, few crimes of passion 
  end up hurting anybody, so the whole thing can be brushed un­
  der the carpet. 
  Crime and Punishment 
  In the few cases where somebody does something worthy of 
  punishment, they are sent before whatever noble family governs 
  over them. The accused is required to enter a plea, but since all 
  legal proceedings take place behind closed doors, there is no 
  telling what the client will get. Nobles adjudicating the case can 
  assign whatever fate they see fit. 
  Exclusive Immortality 
  The Altess believe they have gained virtual immortality 
  through thousands of generations of subtle genetic engineering, 
  filtering out almost anything in their DNA that promotes aging 
  or biologic decrepitude. As a result, they age at nearly 1I10Oth 
  the rate of other humans. On top of that, however, is their highly 
  adv�ced medical industry which can cure almost any illness, 
  repaIr almost any damage, and even regress one's body to a 
  younger, healthier state. As a result, Altess can pretty much live 
  forever -
  or at least for several thousand years. Only 
  self-termination or unforeseen death (accidents, combat, etc.) 
  can take their life. 
  Sadly, what makes the Altess immortal does not translate to 
  other races, not even to other humans. Only a true Altess (no 
  half-breeds) gains the benefit of their unusually long life span. 
  And only an Altess living within the Dynasty will fmd access to 
  the unique medical technology of his home. The Altess do not 
  e�po� their rejuvenative technology anywhere, and even if they 
  did, It would not help any other races, as it is finely hmed to 
  work on Altess genetic patterns only. This special technology is 
  also not portable, so individual Altess cannot take it with them 
  unless they somehow bring what amounts to a miniature hospi� 
  tal wherever they go. A few eccentric Altess have been known 
  to do this, but it is frowned upon as being in bad taste and overly 
  attractive to nosy off-worlders. 
  Other humans can breed with the Altess, but the resulting 
  children will have entirely human, not Altess genes. That means 
  the child will have none of the Altess parent's special abilities, 
  genetic knowledge of the Cosmic Forge, or the incredible Altess 
  life span. The Altess have engineered themselves to be like this 
  so their knowledge of the Cosmic Forge does not scatter across 
  all humans in the Three Galaxies. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Kars Alta. Through an odd state of geology and erosion, the 
  majority of the world looks like an endless array of stone tow­
  ers, cliffs and other weird rocky protrusions. There is virtually 
  1 1 4  
  
  no flat land anywhere. It is as if the entire world is a huge bed of 
  nails, or the back of a giant stone hedgehog. The cities there 
  have had to use some pretty wild architecture to graft onto these 
  weird stone columns and cliffs, and as a result, the build­
  ing-makers ofKars Alta have become really famous. This snow­
  balled into the world becoming a major center for arts, 
  education and engineering among the Altess as well as other 
  peoples from across the Anvil Galaxy. As the Forge War has be­
  gun to ignite, places like Kars Alta, renowned gathering spots 
  for people from across the Galaxy, are becoming hot spots for 
  spies and assassins working for the various governments that are 
  searching for the Cosmic Forge. These cat-and-mouse games go 
  on with an emphasis on keeping things discreet, but sometimes, 
  one of these "secret wars" spills out into the open, and the 
  Altess must take care of it to maintain order. Otherwise, the 
  Altess are content to let one of their worlds be a subtle battle­
  ground of the Forge War. To them, who are not participating in 
  the conflict, seeing so many worlds running around after some­
  thing they will probably never fmd is of great amusement to the 
  Altess. 
  Ramis. A mysterious natural force on this planet virtually 
  halts the aging process of any creature living on it. Off-worlders 
  who know about this planet suspect that the Altess' own immor­
  tality must have incorporated some serious study of this place. 
  As if to bolster that theory, Ramis is one of the very few worlds 
  that the Altess refuse to let off-worlders set foot on. A large con­
  tingent of the Armoria blockades the world at all times, inter­
  cepting traffic before it gets within the planet's atmosphere. The 
  Altess also have a few UWW mages on the payroll to detect the 
  passage of magic-users to Ramis. Conventional wisdom states 
  that the Altess fear their method for immortality might become 
  common knowledge if visitors are allowed free access to their 
  world. Of course, those who know the Altess insist that they 
  might be putting this whole thing on as an elaborate joke, a huge 
  prank to amuse an endlessly jaded people. 
  Alderensys. A typically Altess world, this planet has every 
  high-tech feature one might expect on a luxurious Utopia. Apart 
  from the extremely comfortable living arrangements, spacious 
  cities, parks and rural areas, Alderensys has two items of special 
  interest. The ftrst is their artiftcial ring. Like a ring of Saturn, 
  this ring circles the planet, way out on the outer edges of the 
  planet's gravity well. Only instead of rocks and ice particles, 
  this ring is a continuous space station. Though it is ribbon-thin 
  compared to the bulk of the planet, this station is a huge habitat 
  capable of housing billions of people. It is the gateway through 
  which all visitors come and go, and it is practically a society 
  unto itself. The second landmark is a planetary system of space 
  elevators that connect the ring to Alderensys' surface by way of 
  hundreds of thin, nearly indestructible cords. (Each 10 footl3 m 
  length has 850 M.D.C.) Huge gondola-type craft ride on these 
  cables which winch up and down from the ring in a continuous 
  circuit, giving the folks of this world a cheap and easy way to 
  reach orbit. From far away, this world almost looks like the 
  spherical hub of a bicycle wheel, with the ring as the rim and the 
  space elevators as the spokes. Though these elevators are highly 
  useful, the Altess built them just to see if they would work. 
  Given how successful they have proven, the Royal Academy of 
  Sciences has licensed out the Altess space elevator to numerous 
  third parties, none of whom have gotten their elevators on-line 
  yet. 
  Minamede. This world sustained a massive crater impact 
  just one hundred years ago, blasting the atmosphere into noth­
  ing, and turning what biosphere existed into a faint memory. 
  The size of this planet and the size of the impact it took should 
  have shattered the world into a million pieces. Why it did not 
  shall probably continue to puzzle scientists for many years to 
  come. Some think the Altess have developed a secret process 
  that makes worlds invulnerable to things like black holes and 
  harmonic disruptions, while others think that the Altess must be 
  as much in the dark about this event as everybody else. 
  The most likely explanation is that this world contains a large 
  amount of stenthamine, an exotic, impact-resistant metal that is 
  sometimes used in anti-ballistic armor and spaceship hulls. If 
  Minamede has stenthamine deposits beneath its crust, it not only 
  will be a very impact-resistant planet (as it has already proven 
  itself to be), but it is a huge cash cow just waiting to be ex­
  ploited. Of course, just because the Altess can make a ton of 
  money off this world does not mean they actually will go ahead 
  and do it. They have enough money as it is. They will need a 
  more compelling reason than wealth to justify tearing up a 
  planet. 
  Nocturne, Endless Night. One of the longest-held Altess 
  worlds, Nocturne is so named because its unusual rotation and 
  orbit always place it behind the inner planets of the system. 
  Thus eclipsed, Nocturne is always darkened, like night. Every 
  thousand years or so there is a small window in the eclipse 
  alignments, and there is daylight for a few hours, during which 
  1 1 5 
  time a large part of the population goes a little crazy. Rioting, 
  random violence and suicides all spike like mad during these 
  "bright times," causing considerable disruption to the world in 
  general. Some say the endless night of this world is to keep hid­
  den the Cosmic Forge, which is secured deep in one of Noc­
  turne's endless subterranean lava chutes and passages. Others 
  say that Nocturne is a living test of the Altess people, to see if 
  they can, despite their advanced society and genetic condition­
  ing, resist the madness that comes from a momentary brightness 
  that interrupts a lifetime of night. 
  Hewn. Considered by many Altess to be a sister world to 
  Alderensys (described above), Hewn is a similarly Utopian, 
  high-tech world with a technological distinction all of its own. 
  Hewn is the sole planet of its solar system, and it is really far 
  from its sun (about where Uranus would be in our solar system). 
  While this makes life difficult on the planet (it is very cold and 
  dark there), it makes it the perfect place for the Rodulan 
  Acclerator, an inventive form of cheap FTL propulsion that 
  only the Altess would have dreamed up, much less put into ac­
  tion. The Rodulan Accelerator is based off the concept that the 
  farther away from a central point an orbiting object is, the faster 
  it tends to go. Case in point: a musical record playing a song. A 
  point right near the center of the record travels at one speed, but 
  a point on the outer edge of the record travels a different, higher 
  speed because it must cover more ground if it is to keep up with 
  the point close to the center of the record. On Hewn, the Altess 
  have extrapolated this concept into a space elevator that 
  stretches all the way from the surface of Hewn almost to the 
  system's sun. Essentially it works like a big slingshot or the 
  children's game "Crack the Whip." A starship enters orbit and 
  hooks up with the end of the FTL tether. The tether pays out as 
  the planet below spins in orbit. Slowly, the ship begins to move 
  
  as it is tugged along. Bit by bit, the space elevator keeps paying 
  out, and the ship attached to the end accelerates more and more. 
  By the time the cable pays out entirely, the ship is moving an 
  99% lightspeed. It lets go of the tether and rockets out of the 
  system under no power. Of course, it will take some time for 
  any ships traveling like this to reach the nearest star system, but 
  the Altess built this for kicks, not for practicality. Numerous for­
  eign spies have visited this world to take a look at the device, 
  and to assess its military and economic value, if any. 
  Altess Prime. This is the Altess "origin world," where ac­
  cording to legend, their race initially descended from The First. 
  In later ages, as Altess dynasties came and went, this world be­
  came the ceremonial place where each new eon of leadership 
  would begin. As a result, Altess Prime holds an almost religious 
  significance to this otherwise secular, rational people. A full di­
  vision of the Annoria keeps watch on this world at all times, for 
  even though there have been no attacks on the planet in over one 
  thousand years, with the Forge War beginning and the Altess' 
  neighbors getting jumpy over who might find the Cosmic Forge 
  first, the Altess is not taking any chances. Though they can and 
  will stay out of the conflict as best they can, some wild-eyed 
  bomber pilot might go rogue and fire a spread of weapons at the 
  Altess to provoke a reaction. With Altess Prime so far on the 
  edge of Altess territory, the chances are better for that world, 
  more than others, to accidentally get caught in the Forge War 
  cross-fire. Were the planet seriously damaged or destroyed, the 
  sanguine Altess would go on the warpath, seeking to annihilate 
  whoever dared desecrate their most beloved of worlds. 
  Novus IX. Featuring high gravity and terrible environmental 
  effects (toxic atmosphere, high magnetic fields), Novus IX has 
  become the premier training world for the Altess Annoria. All 
  Annoria soldiers must spend at least one tour of duty (four 
  years) on this world. Here they toughen up, learn to maximize 
  their natural abilities, and hone their impressive body of skills. 
  By the time soldiers leave Novus IX, they are ready for any­
  thing, and are deployed across the Altess empire. Little does 
  anybody know that the planet is building up a huge chronol dis­
  placement field in its core, and pretty soon the whole world will 
  leap elsewhere in time. The Armoria' s best and brightest are sta­
  tioned here, as is a sizeable amount of top Armoria hardware. 
  What should happen when this planet disappears could severely 
  impact the rest of the Altess Dynasty. In the present, the Altess 
  are out a major military resource when they need it most - dur­
  ing the beginning of the Forge War. In another time, the sudden 
  presence of the Armoria and their equipment might seriously 
  upset future history or the ancient past. Unless one were to 
  travel with the displaced, there might be no way of knowing 
  what effect on reality the travelers might have. 
  Galdon. This world contains many ancient temples devoted 
  to the worship of the Cosmic Forge. They all predate Altess re­
  corded history, and it is the Altess' belief that their ancient, bar­
  barian ancestors once lived and worshiped here under the 
  watchful eye of The First. In the subsequent eons, the local 
  Altess have done well to develop this world with as much of a 
  sense of the world's natural environment as of the huge 
  techno-cities the Altess are so fond of building. The result is an 
  incredibly 
  lavish, 
  beautiful world covered with 
  sprawling 
  eco-arcologies, buildings where the structures seam perfectly 
  with the planet's natural rain forest-type environment. Most im-
  pressive, however, is the monumental Vault of Memory, a mas­
  sive museum of sorts where the collective history of the Altess 
  has been gathered and organized. One could pore over every de­
  tail of this exhibit, but Altess statisticians figured that if a visitor 
  spent just three seconds on every exhibit housed in the Vault, it 
  would take him over a century to get to the exit. For those will­
  ing to sift through this mountain of history, there are endless 
  treasures to find - long-lost technology designs, the locations of 
  ancient ruins and lost civilizations, secret trade routes to un­
  known parts of the Anvil Galaxy, and more. What it does not 
  contain, however, is any overt reference to the Cosmic Forge. 
  That, it seems, has been removed by Altess superiors who 
  thought it better to keep such things secret. That still does not 
  discourage off-world visitors, many of whom spend their lives 
  combing the Vault for any snippet of information that might 
  crack the search for the Cosmic Forge wide open. 
  Zyvult. This world is home to the Altess Financial Directory, 
  the centralized database through which the records of all Altess 
  fmancial transactions must pass. These databases do not hold 
  any irreplaceable information. They are more like the means 
  through which the galactic public may see how the Altess make 
  and handle their money. By retrieving fmancial reports from the 
  Directory (known as "X9s"), one might see exactly how much 
  any one of the royal families of the Altess is worth. Most 
  off-worlders don't bother with this because it just depresses 
  them to see how filthy rich these Altess really are. However, 
  those who study the Altess financials come to appreciate what 
  many call the "Altess problem." The Altess' riches are widely 
  dispersed in investments all over the Anvil Galaxy. If the Altess 
  wanted to, they could shift their various holdings and buy out 
  entire governments or sections of the galaxy before anybody 
  could do something about it. Or, if the Altess decided to "cash 
  out" all of their accounts at once, the resulting sell off would 
  crash the entire Anvil Galaxy interstellar economy and cause a 
  galactic depression the likes of which nobody has ever seen. 
  This does not sit well with fmanciers outside of the Altess' 
  sphere of influence. Even though the Altess have shown no in­
  clinations to do such damaging things with their money, the 
  truth remains that they could if they wanted to, and that makes 
  them extremely dangerous. 
  1 1 6  
  Central Alliance 
  Population: One trillion sentient beings. 
  Demographics: Human (2 1%), Other (79%; no other race 
  constitutes more than 2% or 3% of the Central Alliance. It is a 
  remarkably diverse society). 
  Overview: The Central Alliance occupies a large stretch of 
  space on the inside of the northeastern comer of the Halo. This 
  part of the galaxy has long been considered an interstellar 
  wasteland, filled with inhospitable systems or worlds with rough 
  environments, barbaric peoples, and social orders too fractious 
  and warlike to ever get anything done. Most of the worlds here 
  no longer have FTL capability, and they end up becoming a sort 
  of social black hole into which derelict spacers, traders and pi­
  rates fall into when they make planet-fall, never to be seen or 
  heard from again. On one of these nameless worlds, a brilliant 
  military leader named General Ogor Noldek grew tired of his 
  
  world's endless faction warfare. Taking charge of his faction's 
  military, he waged war on all other elements of his planet's 
  power structure until, after a lengthy period of conquest, he con­
  quered the whole world. Gaining command of a few FTL troop 
  ships, he expanded his campaign to neighboring worlds, each of 
  which were just as balkanized and riven with internecine con­
  flict as his had once been. General Noldek knew if he could 
  unite worlds such as these he would become one of the most 
  powerful men in the galaxy. But how? 
  Campaigning on his home world was one thing. He knew the 
  territory and his soldiers were willing fight long and hard to re­
  gain control of their homeland. Every single one of these war­
  ring worlds before General Noldek's army posed a similar 
  challenge. There was no way Noldek's men could ever triumph 
  over so many hostile planets. Over one or two, maybe, but not a 
  hundred, a thousand. 
  Noldek realized that he would have to convince his future 
  subjects to willingly subject themselves to his authority. To do 
  that, he would become something these people could all respect: 
  killing power. 
  Already a brilliant martial artist at the top of his form, Gen­
  eral Noldek hired off-world mercenary cyber-docs to transform 
  him into an inhuman killing machine. Noldek's nearly superhu­
  man physical attributes enabled doctors to graft an unusually in­
  tense array of cybernetics to his body, making him bigger, better 
  and badder than almost any other cyborg one was likely to find 
  in the Anvil Galaxy, or anywhere else. Casting a most fearful 
  1 1 7  
  image, General Noldek ventured to the worlds before him, 
  broadcasting a challenge to the entire population there that he 
  would be holding a contest of arms against any and all tribal 
  leaders willing to participate. This played on the egos of the lo­
  cal warlords who ruled these law less worlds, and one by one, 
  General Noldek met them all in widely televised single combat. 
  With his skills and cybernetics, the General easily crushed his 
  opponents (victims?) and within three years, he had assembled a 
  vast empire of over one hundred systems, all swearing loyalty 
  directly to General Noldek. 
  In the years that have followed, a huge cult of personality has 
  surrounded the General, making his grip on these worlds all the 
  stronger. Through his draconian but effective leadership, Noldek 
  brought peace to worlds that had never known any, civilization 
  where there was once barbarity, industry and commerce where 
  there was once only poverty and thievery. This collection of 
  worlds, which General Noldek renamed the Central Alliance, 
  had risen from the dust of the galaxy and emerged as its most 
  unlikely new superpower. 
  Government 
  The Central Alliance is a fairly straightforward military dic­
  tatorship. General Noldek has absolute authority. What he says, 
  goes. Only his empire has grown so vast that he cannot possibly 
  oversee the administration of dozens of worlds personally. Thus, 
  he has created a sinister order of lieutenants simply known as 
  the Mechanism. Made up exclusively of full-conversion cy­
  borgs, the Mechanism is a motley assortment of warlords and 
  cyber-gladiators who somehow have been found and taken in by 
  General Noldek and given extraordinary power. Noldek assigns 
  a single member of the Mechanism as a regional governor to ev­
  ery planet of the Central Alliance. These are sub-dictators who 
  are free to run their worlds as they see fit, on three conditions. 
  First, the citizens of each world are not to be victimized with­
  out the express permission of General Noldek. Noldek might be 
  a harsh warlord, but he understands good governance, and he 
  believes that the only legitimate reasons to crack down on one's 
  subjects are excessive lawlessness, rebellion, or other such un­
  rest. 
  Second, each world must maintain a consistently positive 
  gross planetary output. In short, each world must be a produc­
  tive member of the Alliance. It must maintain industry, keep 
  joblessness low, and produce enough global revenue that it can 
  afford to pay an annual tithe to General Noldek. He in tum, uses 
  that money for "federal" projects (like funding the military or 
  handling a natural disaster) that affect the entire Alliance. 
  Third, each world must pass judgement on their governor ev­
  ery four years. This is a simple vote of no confidence. If the 
  people do not like what their governor has been doing, they vote 
  against him. A simple majority carries the vote. The military is 
  ineligible to vote. This is a civilian matter only, and it is the 
  means by which the people can keep their immediate leadership 
  from abusing them. Governors who are voted out are stripped of 
  all cybernetics and exiled from the Central Alliance forever. 
  These three laws have helped the Mechanism function as a 
  fair but tough means of government. There are the occasional 
  abuses of power and civilian crackdowns, but on the whole, life 
  is much better in the Central Alliance than it had been before 
  General Noldek took over, and for the Alliance's many citizens, 
  
  that is good enough. Only two governors have ever been voted 
  out of office, and both times, it was by a narrow vote. General 
  Noldek keeps a close eye on his governors, in fact, it is what he 
  spends much of his time on, to make sure they are also doing 
  right by his personal standards. 
  General Noldek reserves the right to dismiss a governor at 
  any time for any reason. If the governor objects, he may chal­
  lenge Noldek to single combat, to the death. These death duels 
  are broadcast throughout the entire Alliance, and they are con­
  sidered top entertainment - like a national election and the latest 
  professional wrestling or badman contest rolled into one. There 
  have only been seven death duels since the Alliance was 
  founded - two of which were really attempted coups by disloyal 
  governors. In each duel, General Noldek won brilliant victories, 
  shredding his opponents (literally!) with his incredible strength, 
  speed, skill and ability to 
  handle the many different 
  cyber-weapons installed on his personal chassis. However, 
  Noldek is not immortal, and his body, enhanced as it is, is 
  slowly succumbing to the march of time. Sooner or later, a 
  member of the Mechanism will challenge the General and will 
  defeat him, gaining control of the entire Alliance as his prize. 
  This shall be the true test of the government, and it is a day 
  Noldek tries to put off as long as possible, but one he also 
  knows must eventually arrive. 
  Military 
  Each governor ofthe Mechanism is also charged with assem­
  bling and maintaining a fighting force sufficient to keep the 
  peace on his planet. These provincial armies are often called 
  Little Machines, or if they belong to a particularly ruthless gov­
  ernor, Mean Machines. They consist largely of combat-ready 
  cyborgs as well as the occasional heavy vehicle, aircraft and 
  starship support. Little Machines are really military police 
  forces meant to handle urban peacekeeping and the occasional 
  infantry mission. They are not fully diversified armies able to 
  wage total war on a planetary scale. That is what General 
  Noldek's personal army, the Cyberhawks, is for. These soldiers 
  are part of a fully diversified, fully integrated, fully lethal fight­
  ing force on par with anything the CCW or the TGE can field in 
  battle. The big difference between the 
  C entral Alliance and 
  those other superpowers is that the C CW and TGE have numer­
  ous army groups the size and strength of the C yberhawks - the 
  C entral Alliance has just this one group. Thus, while the C entral 
  Alliance could win a major battle against either of those two ul­
  tra-powers, it could never win a sustained war without some 
  kind of miracle or utter ineptitude on the part of the C CW ITGE. 
  All Central Alliance forces use generic weaponry and equip­
  ment. HI-series weapons and Energy Pulse weapons are stan­
  dard throughout the Central Alliance. All of this tech tends to be 
  old, generic, and beaten up, giving the Central Alliance forces a 
  scruffY look, like they have been through Hell and back and 
  they are in no mood for anybody's nonsense. While this is 
  hardly the spit-and-polish appearance many armies strive for, it 
  certainly works for the fighters of the Central Alliance, who take 
  pride in looking like they practice what they preach: victory 
  through superior soldiering. 
  1 1 8  
  Foreign Affairs 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: Just as the CCW has little 
  interest in interacting with the Central Alliance, the Alliance 
  feels the same way about the CCW. For one thing, the two civi­
  lizations are pretty far apart from each other, and the Central Al­
  liance is not particularly into jaunting about the Halo. For 
  another thing, the CCW is consumed with the search for the 
  Cosmic Forge, something the Central Alliance has no interest in. 
  The Forge Mythos has never factored prominently in any of the 
  cultures of the Central Alliance worlds, and so most of its citi­
  zens do not believe the Cosmic Forge exists. For them the Cos­
  mic Forge quest is a fool's crusade. If the rest of the galaxy is 
  willing to destroy itself over this imaginary thing, they are wel­
  come to it, but the people of the Central Alliance are smarter 
  than that and intend to play no part in the coming storm. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The Alliance feels the same way 
  regarding the TGE as it does about the CCW. It too is seen as a 
  large, meddling super-society that is way too interested in the 
  Cosmic Forge for its own good. Only the TGE is a lot more ex­
  pansionist than the CCW, and General Noldek knows full well 
  that if the TGE ever thought they could successfully invade the 
  Alliance worlds, it would do so. Right now, only the TGE's 
  other problems, coupled with the savage rebellion the Imperial­
  ists would face from rebellious Central Alliance cyborgs, are 
  what keep the TGE from considering their conquest. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: The Central Alliance is far 
  away from the UWW's sphere of influence, and so the two civi­
  lizations have almost no contact. Even if they were neighbors, 
  they would have little interaction since they are so different cul­
  turally. The Central Alliance embraces the very things about 
  technology that the UWW fmds repellent. Likewise, the UWW 
  is far too emotional and spiritual for the down-and-dirty mind 
  set of the Central Alliance. Ships passing in the night, these two 
  are. 
  Naruni Enterprises: Naruni representatives keep trying to 
  sell lots of shiny new weaponry to the Central Alliance, but 
  General Noldek's troops aren't having any of it. For one thing, 
  the Alliance can not afford Naruni weaponry. Not in the quanti­
  ties Naruni is trying to sell, anyway. For another, General 
  Noldek has heard about this company's ruthless business prac­
  tices, and he would just as soon steer well clear of them. 
  Hartigal Combine: Hartigal understands that the Central Al­
  liance is tired of rebuffmg over-eager Naruni sales reps, so they 
  are looking into ways of infiltrating the Alliance and selling 
  them weapons on the sly. That way, they don't feel like they 
  have been played by a big-time arms dealer and Hartigal gets to 
  unload some merchandise at the same time. 
  Golgan Republik: The Golgans represent exactly the kind of 
  stuffy, overbearing, bureaucratic sort of government that Gen­
  eral Noldek despises. His direct, dictatorial manner of ruling, 
  and that of his lieutenants of the Machine, have drawn sharp 
  criticism from Golgan representatives. The Central Alliance 
  members threw the Golgan representative out when they first 
  met, insulting him gravely, and earning the eternal scorn of the 
  rapidly disintegrating Republik. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Central Alliance just does not get the 
  Altess. For the cyborgs it is all about getting dirty, fighting hard, 
  living short, violent lives. The Altess are none of those things, 
  
  content to live a long, boring existence while amassing incredi­
  ble wealth that nobody ever seems to spend! For these reasons 
  and others, the Central Alliance tries to steer clear of the Altess, 
  and vice versa. 
  Cosmo-Knights: The Cosmo-Knights have, on a few occa­
  sions, arrived on an Alliance world and destroyed their governor 
  and his minions for perceived crimes against the people. Gen­
  eral Noldek does not believe any such thing could be, since his 
  citizens would have told him about it, right? Right?!? As a re­
  sult, the Central Alliance considers Cosmo-Knights to be ene­
  mies, even though the average CA cyber-soldier knows he does 
  not stand a bit of a chance against even one Cosmo-Knight 
  rather than a legion of them. 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl: Being so close to the Threshold 
  themselves, the Central Alliance has more than its fair share of 
  contact with the Splugorth Slavers and pirates who prowl the 
  empty space of the Anvil Galaxy, looking for likely victims. So 
  far, the CA has successfully defended itself against the 
  half-hearted attempts of Rynncryyl's marauders, but it is only a 
  matter of time before a massed Splugorth assault hits hard and 
  fast, and when it does, there is no guarantee that the Central Al­
  liance will survive the attack. 
  Gene-Tech: Likewise, the Central Alliance sees all too much 
  of these foul and mysterious beings. Though General Noldek 
  can appreciate the idea of genetic manipulation and augmenta­
  tion, it is diametrically opposed to his and the Alliance's ap­
  proach toward mechanical augmentation. Gene-Tech are seen as 
  duplicitous, dishonorable and malevolent beings best to be 
  avoided. If they cause trouble in the Alliance, those responsible 
  are destroyed. 
  Om egan Order: These fallen Cosmo-Knights mean almost 
  nothing to the Alliance, which has never even tried to cross the 
  Threshold, much less mix it up with a small anny of fallen 
  Cosmo-Knights. 
  Xodian Collective: The Xodians are also a total mystery to 
  the Alliance, mostly because they have never crossed the 
  Threshold to make contact with the Xodians themselves. 
  K!ozn: The Central Alliance knows nothing of the K!ozn, 
  both because their civilization is across the Threshold, and be­
  cause the CA is a fairly lowbrow society based on little more 
  than cheap thrills, unnecessary cybernetic modification, wor­
  shiping a cult of personality, and other unsavory characteristics. 
  K!ozn operatives do not associate with civilizations that clearly 
  have a long way to develop. And the Alliance has a long way to 
  go, indeed. 
  Independent Worlds: The Alliance keeps tabs on all of its 
  independent neighbors to make sure they are not up to any 
  funny business. Otherwise, the Alliance does a great deal of 
  trading and intelligence swapping with its many friendly neigh­
  bors. 
  Society 
  More than anything, the people of the Central Alliance are 
  defined and united by a single thing: cybernetics. This civiliza­
  tion revolves around its beloved leader, General Noldek, who is 
  a monstrous super-cyborg. His lieutenants are cyborgs, and most 
  of his soldiers and the solders of his lieutenants are cyborgs 
  (mostly because they have all received terrible injuries during 
  their careers that necessitated cybernetic replacement). As such, 
  1 1 9  
  replacing one's body with machinery is seen as a badge of office 
  and a mark of honor. For the people of the Central Alliance, 
  having some kind of visible cybernetics is a show of loyalty, a 
  sign that you are like General Noldek and the warriors of the 
  Machine. 
  This has become such a tradition that many Alliance citizens, 
  upon reaching young adulthood, undergo some kind of ritual cy­
  bernetic surgery, replacing a perfectly good body part with an 
  obviously mechanical one. The body part to be replaced is up to 
  the recipient, and usually personal wants have as much to do 
  with the surgery as what one can afford. Those without much 
  money might just get a simple cyber-eye installed, where those 
  who are loaded will have a limb replaced, or maybe even un­
  dergo partial conversion. Full conversion is seen as the ultimate 
  sign of loyalty and social station, but the majority of Central Al­
  liance citizens cannot afford it, and so only those who are filthy 
  rich or who are part of the noble military get full conversion. 
  Though most people in the Central Alliance have some mea­
  sure of cybernetics, few of them carry weapons in their on-board 
  machinery. Concealed cyber-weapons are usually outlawed by 
  planetary governors unless the user gets a special permit to use 
  them. Off-worlders wearing concealed cyber-weapons must of­
  ten detach them or cut the power supply to them for the duration 
  of their stay. Obvious, outwardly showing weapons, however, 
  usually are not prohibited, even though they are more destruc­
  tive than the hidden kinds! This is all part of the Alliance men­
  tality, that it is okay to have weapons on you, it's just not okay 
  to hide them. Hiding is sneaky and dishonorable. 
  The Central Alliance is made up of a wild variety of alien 
  races. In fact, every major race of the Anvil Galaxy can be 
  found living somewhere in the Central Alliance. In many societ­
  ies (the CCW notwithstanding), this alien diversity might cause 
  social friction, but not in the Alliance. Here, the people's exces­
  sive love for cybernetics equalizes everything, and regardless of 
  one's alien race, the cybernetics they sport are a much more de­
  fining characteristic. 
  G.M. Note: Player characters hailing from the Central Alli­
  ance may be of any "standard" alien racelR.C.C. Regardless of 
  what O.C.C. or R.C.C. the player selects, the character automat­
  ically gets either I D4 bionic implants of choice, or they get an 
  entire limb replaced and empowered with ID4 special features 
  (weapons are frowned upon but if the character wants to break 
  the law and put them in, it's his risk to run). Often, as people get 
  wealthier in the Central Alliance, they upgrade their cybernetics, 
  adding more and more machinery to their bodies. This is how 
  most folks who end up as partial cyborgs do it - they piecemeal 
  themselves into the role. Player Characters who wish to play a 
  partial cyborg can simply pretend that their character hails from 
  a rich family or that he is an older person who has amassed a 
  personal fortune and spent it becoming a cyborg. Full conver­
  sion cyborg characters will almost always be part of the Central 
  Alliance military. Full conversion cyborgs are not outlawed in 
  the CA, but their presence almost always speaks of somebody 
  who fights for the Alliance. Those who have undergone full 
  conversion but do not serve in the military draw suspicious 
  stares from their fellow citizens. Why undergo such a great 
  show of patriotism and then not use it? 
  If the G .M. approves, any of the cybernetic designs from the 
  Warlords of Russia™ sourcebook (Light Machine, Heavy Ma-
  
  chine, Cyborg Shocktrooper, etc., or some variation of them) 
  may be used in the Central Alliance. Clearly, these would not be 
  the actual Russian cyborg designs, but their "alien" equivalent. 
  G.M.s, if you have the Warlords of Russia sourcebook, we 
  strongly urge you to consider converting over Russian' Borgs 
  for use in the Central Alliance. They are bigger, badder, cooler, 
  and fit the Central Alliance ethos of turning oneself into the nas­
  tiest looking machine possible. 
  Daily Life 
  The quality of life in the Central Alliance varies from world 
  to world. There are no really wealthy, high-tech planets in the 
  Alliance. The best one can do would be to live on a highly in­
  dustrialized planet that might be considered "lower middle 
  class" in the CCW. The majority of Central Alliance worlds fea­
  ture poor shanty town-like settlements built around the base of 
  large, imposing cybernetic factories. The Ubiquitous cybernetics 
  in this society is its only consistent show of high technology and 
  development. But even the cybernetics people wear are 
  run-down, beaten up and look second- or third-hand. After all, 
  before General Noldek conquered these planets, they were the 
  galactic equivalent of modem-day Afghanistan or Western Af­
  rica - states so riven with internal conflict that there could be 
  no meaningful industry or enterprise. The people were living 
  short and violent lives, often in terrible squalor. General Noldek 
  has changed all of that and is bringing real economic strength 
  and stability to these worlds. The standard of living remains 
  low, but it is getting better every day, and slowly the people are 
  learning how to live a better, calmer, more comfortable life than 
  they and their ancestors led prior to the arrival of General 
  Noldek. 
  Law and Order 
  Law enforcement and local legislation is left to each plane­
  tary governor, who can pretty much make whatever laws he 
  likes and enforcement how he likes. The only controls are the 
  four-year vote of confidence, and the basic ground rules General 
  Noldek laid down. Outside of all that, the governors have free 
  rein. Most of what these governors create is what amounts to a 
  benevolent dictatorship, where they rule absolutely, sometimes 
  harshly, but they at least try to be fair and generous. For the 
  most part, the laws of any world in the Alliance are simple: do 
  your job, leave other people alone, pay your taxes, show support 
  for your local governor. Some worlds make cybernetic replace­
  ment a mandatory show of loyalty. Other worlds require all citi­
  zens to join the local military at some point. And still other 
  worlds have unique cultures that the Alliance have not been able 
  to supersede, and so they have an interesting blend of old tradi­
  tion plus new order. A good example is the Holy Order of 
  Tuyrene, a prominent religion among many Alliance worlds. 
  One of the tenets of this order states it is ungodly for one to un­
  necessarily modify one's body with machinery (cybernetics) 
  when one does not need them. However, on a few planets where 
  this religion is strong, the governors have made it mandatory 
  that all adult citizens get some kind of cybernetics to show their 
  allegiance to General Noldek. The citizens and religious figures 
  get around this by establishing traditions of ritual amputation 
  prior to adulthood as away of ridding one's self of spiritual un­
  cleanliness. For the next few years, these amputees are going 
  through a period of "spiritual reflection" that ends with adult-
  1 20 
  hood, and a cybernetic replacement for the body part that got 
  taken off. It is a series of compromises that allows the governors 
  to have their law and allows the locals to have their traditions. 
  This is a good example of how law and order work in the Cen­
  tral Alliance - it is largely left to the leaders to make laws and to 
  the citizens to figure out ways to fit their lives around them. 
  Most people really do love their new government, and they want 
  to work with it, not against it, even it means retooling their an­
  cient culture and ways of living. 
  Crime and Punishment 
  Local governors are allowed to punish people as they see fit, 
  but they must not get too rough on them, or they will face un­
  popularity and eventual votes of no confidence. Or worse, they 
  will receive ill favor directly from General Noldek, who will 86 
  the unpopular governor without warning. 
  On most Alliance worlds, minor infractions of the law result 
  in fmes or temporary suspension of cybernetic privileges. That 
  means the offender has his cybernetics detached for a certain pe­
  riod of time but is free to keep living his life as usual. However, 
  loss of cybernetics is a great shame in the Alliance, roughly 
  equivalent to being locked up in the stockades for a few days. 
  Wherever one goes, everybody will see that they are a law­
  breaker. More importantly, the convict's humiliation is made all 
  the worse because he probably cannot function at 100% effi­
  ciency since he might be missing an arm, leg, eye, etc. This pun­
  ishment works really well against more heavily tricked-out 
  cyborgs and it keeps them from abusing their power. For a par­
  tial- or full-conversion cyborg to lose their cyber-privileges 
  would reduce them to utter helplessness, something that most 
  Alliance folk would never quite live down. Thus, fear of losing 
  one's machinery is often enough to keep people in line. It is a 
  beautiful system, because the governors do not have to do much 
  to enforce the law. The law ends up enforcing itself, and by us­
  ing this kind of shame tactic, there is no real need for large pris­
  ons or penal systems. There only needs to be enough of that to 
  contain off-worlder offenders, or cyborgs who re-install cyber­
  netics while such rights have been suspended. Such offenders 
  remain locked down until their sentence is up, and afterwards, 
  their revocation of cyber-privileges usually is pennanent. 
  This system does nothing to address grievances between citi­
  zens, however. Rather than having a large and unwieldy civil 
  court system, the Central Alliance routes all civilian disputes to 
  gladiatorial arenas where the combatants simply duke it out to 
  see who is right. This stems from long, rich dueling traditions 
  present on nearly every Central Alliance world prior to General 
  Noldek's conquest of them. These fights have a hundred differ­
  ent names - "duels of justice," "grudge matches," "bouts of 
  honor," "slam festivals" -
  but they all boil down to a simple 
  contest of arms between two hostile parties. While such duels 
  are usually between two civilians, they also can be used by a ci­
  vilian against a soldier, a governor, or even General Noldek 
  himself! Soldiers are discouraged from dueling as it might make 
  it seem that their ranks are fractious. In cases of military dis­
  putes, officers try to exhaust every possible means of resolution 
  before a duel is approved. 
  In legal duels, the accused party has the right to detennine 
  what kind of weapons will be used -
  none, hand to hand, 
  ranged, exotic, etc. Prior to the fight, each combatant has the ap-
  
  propriate hardware attached to whatever cybernetics will accom­
  modate it. If either combatant does not have the cybernetics to 
  accommodate the duel's weapon of choice, the parties can either 
  undergo further cybernetic conversion so they can use the weap­
  ons of choice, or new weapons are picked. 
  Duels of this sort are usually arranged for a single day once a 
  month. On these days, the duels are broadcast live throughout 
  the Alliance. Viewership of these is always high, and lots of 
  folks lay bets on who they think the winners shall be. The cul­
  ture of the Alliance is such that people watching these duels will 
  genuinely support whoever wins the match. Most matches are to 
  the death, but if the defeated party asks for mercy, the victor is 
  expected to be sporting and grant it. The point of these things is 
  not to slaughter one another but to resolve their differences. 
  There are a ton of cases where combatants in the arena emerged 
  as friends and stayed that way for life thereafter. 
  A final note: The use of illegal weapons or devices in legal 
  duels is not only forbidden, but it is a great source of shame. 
  Any such cheating will result in the loss of the match as well as 
  permanent revocation of all cyber-privileges. To cheat like this, 
  especially in a broadcast duel, is fairly stupid, since there are so 
  many folks watching, it will be easy to get caught. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Noldek's World. The capital world of the Central Alliance, 
  the home world of General Noldek, and the administrative capi­
  tal for the entire civilization. Life here is akin to what the CCW 
  might consider "upper middle class." The world is a small one, 
  dominated by numerous shipyards and cyber-factories. Here, 
  Noldek has built his own personal army. He also conducts cy­
  bernetic research here, working on new cybernetic chassis for 
  him and his troops. 
  Shortly after the Central Alliance was formed, immigration 
  to this world grew to a near-epidemic. General Noldek fmally 
  put a stop to it entirely, not because this planet could not absorb 
  any more visitors, but because it was bleeding so many other 
  worlds dry of people! As such, getting any kind of visitation 
  rights to this planet are hard to come by, even for citizens who 
  live there. Those who leave Noldek's World for any reason 
  might not fmd a place for themselves when they try to come 
  home. As a result, those who live here usually stay here forever. 
  It has isolated the planet somewhat, and its populace is begin­
  ning to evolve on a different cultural track than the rest of the 
  Central Alliance. Whereas most Alliance worlds are rural and 
  bound by ancient traditions, the people of Noldek's World are 
  increasingly urbane and favor new philosophies over old tradi­
  tions. This cultural gap will only widen in time. If General 
  Noldek does not do something about it, his own capital world 
  might find itself culturally isolated from the rest of the inter­
  planetary society. 
  Cybernary. The heart of cybernetic design and manufacture 
  in the Alliance, Cybernary is a medium-sized world covered 
  with factories and heavy industry of all kinds. Much of these fa­
  cilities are in poor working order, but the overall industrial 
  strength of the planet is formidable, and it provides the Central 
  Alliance with the bulk of its cybernetic parts and chassis. The 
  "gearheads" who design new cybernetic hardware do so in di­
  reet 
  competition 
  with 
  General 
  Noldek's 
  personal 
  cyber-designers. A less-than-friendly rivalry exists between 
  1 21 
  these two groups, who are routinely trying to outdo each other. 
  For the moment, they are both neck and neck with their latest 
  designs, but the Cybernary designers believe they are on the 
  verge of developing a whole new line of cyber-weapons that 
  will make current Central Alliance technology look positively 
  Stone 
  Age 
  in 
  comparison! 
  If 
  true, 
  General 
  Noldek' s 
  cyber-designers might not recover from this. 
  Draulik. The vast majority of people living on this sparsely 
  populated world have undergone full cybernetic conversion be­
  cause the environment here is so harsh. Full cyborgs can roam 
  the world freely and not have to worry about its lack of breath­
  able atmosphere, lethal amounts of UV radiation, presence of 
  mutative pathogens, etc. Anything less than full conversion 
  means one must live with maintaining a life support system of 
  some kind, which on this world is a serious liability. One fail­
  ure, and you could be looking at death in a matter of minutes. 
  The problem with living under full conversion is that most of 
  the people here are ordinary civilians, not soldiers. This does not 
  sit well with the planetary governor, who would like to see more 
  volunteers for the local military. It also does not sit well with 
  neighboring Central Alliance worlds who do not know why 
  Draulik inhabitants undergo full conversion but don't mind 
  passing judgement on them anyway. These people tend to see 
  Draulik as a world filled with shirkers who like having the 
  power of full conversion, but who do not want to execute the 
  duties that come with such power (like military service). 
  Shallow Hope. Though General Noldek officially took over 
  this massive terrestrial world early in his campaign to forge the 
  Central Alliance, there still exist huge mountain ranges in which 
  live factions of locals who do not accept Noldek as their leader, 
  who see cybernetics as an unholy plague upon all peoples, and 
  who have vowed to fight a guerilla war until General Noldek 
  and all of his cyber-minions leave. Most of these rebels have be­
  come adept in the magic arts, and are experts at hit and run war­
  fare. They cannot infiltrate the cities of this world too well, 
  since they have no cybernetics on them, but they are a terror in 
  the wilderness and good at sneaking close to settlements, hitting 
  them hard and vanishing before anybody ever knows what hit 
  them. Moreover, the mountains and caves these rebels live in 
  are very treacherous, and the governor's troops have had a really 
  hard time fmding rebels to kill them. With so many places to 
  hide, the guerilla war is likely to go on here for decades to 
  come. Such a depressing situation has prompted the locals to 
  change this world's name from its traditional Tn; to Shallow 
  Hope. If the governor does not resolve the situation here in one 
  year, General Noldek will come back with his own armies and 
  take the situation into hand personally. This is what most of the 
  locals are hoping for, since they have lost confidence in their 
  own governor, who is just botching the war against these insur­
  gents in the worst way. 
  Grighton. The Central Alliance worlds do not carry out 
  much trade with neighboring worlds, largely because there are 
  so few spaceships within the Alliance, and almost all of them 
  belong to General Noldek. A notable exception, however, is the 
  world of Grighton, which has always been a trading nexus in 
  this part of the Halo, and continues to be one today. This small, 
  almost planetoid-sized world orbits a white dwarf on the inner­
  most edge of the Central Alliance, right on the border with the 
  Threshold. This has made the world a popular spot for pirates, 
  
  smugglers, fugitives, adventurers and mercenaries over the 
  years. Eventually, the world was colonized by merchants who 
  wanted to trade with the shady, but cash-rich strangers who 
  passed by so often. Most of these spacers had huge amounts of 
  illegally gotten money and goods they needed to get rid of, and 
  Grighton would be such a place. In time, the world became 
  pretty rich (relative to other worlds in this part of the Halo) and 
  even maintained a modest fleet of trading ships. When General 
  Noldek came through looking to include this world into the 
  Central Alliance, the Grightonese accepted without a fight. They 
  knew General Noldek would treat them fairly, and the planet 
  would always have more than enough money to live well after 
  paying whatever taxes the General required. Besides, Grighton 
  had been seeing a little too much of Splugorth and Gene-Tech 
  ships in recent years for comfort's sake, and being part of 
  Noldek's larger alliance would be a nice security screen to fall 
  back on. For Noldek, Grighton is his empire's link to the larger 
  interstellar community, and he aims to keep it that way. 
  Ungersoll. Even for the Central Alliance, this world is poor. 
  It is the home of Ungersoll Motors, a failed cyber-design firm 
  that went out of business just a year ago. Ungersoll had a boom 
  in business right after the Central Alliance was formed and peo­
  ple everywhere were rushing to fit themselves with cybernetics 
  and show their support for the new leader. Ungersoll was the 
  only factory in place to fit the need, but these guys were really 
  designers of industrial machinery, not cybernetics, and were un­
  fit for the task. It didn't stop them from trying, however, and 
  soon the entire planet was sporting Ungersoll implants. Too bad 
  these implants were all poorly designed, poorly built, and prone 
  to failure. Within a few years, the populace had broken down, 
  with malfunctioning cybernetics and not enough money to af­
  ford repairs or replacements. The company went out of business 
  trying to make good on all of its product defect claims, and ulti­
  mately, the board of directors ended the debacle by dissolving 
  the company and then committing mass suicide out of shame. 
  Since then, this place has been the home of misery as the people 
  shuffle about on twitching, sparking cybernetics that work only 
  half the time. It is as if the world itself has broken down, and 
  nothing is rushing to fix it. 
  Hammerhead. This world has always made a business out of 
  local dueling traditions, and with the advent of the Central Alli­
  ance and cyber-dueling, Hammerhead's gladiator arenas have 
  become even more popular. Here, cyber-athletes routinely com­
  pete against each other in vicious battle matches featuring every 
  kind of cyber-equipment presently available. The crowds go 
  wild over this stuff, and gambling on the matches is a handsome 
  secondary industry, generating a lot of revenue for those run­
  ning the betting parlors. But if you are not a professional gam­
  bler, cyber-athlete, or if you don't run a fighting school, arena, 
  or gambling den, there is little hope to make good on this world. 
  Like so many other places that peg their hopes on dirty indus­
  tries like gambling and professional combat, Hammerhead is in 
  a quiet state of crisis. The majority of people live dirt-poor lives, 
  full of despair that only goes away under the harsh lights of the 
  gladiator arenas, under the loud cheers of the fans in the stands, 
  under the flashing displays of the gambling machines, or under 
  the momentary rush of a winning bet. These are the things that 
  keep society going on this world. Were the gambling or gladia­
  tor industries to stop, Hammerhead would melt down, and only 
  the intervention of an outside entrepreneur or a huge building 
  1 22 
  project financed by Noldek himself could lift the planet from the 
  quagmire. 
  Xleena. This world has long been considered the Anvil Gal­
  axy's junkyard, a place where folks could dump hazardous or 
  regulated waste (spent nuclear rods, bio-hazard material, etc.) 
  without fear of retribution. People have always lived here, mak­
  ing their money as junk dealers and salvage experts, and some­
  how, they have evolved to deal with the disease, the radiation, 
  and all of the other stuff in the air that might kill the ordinary 
  alien or human. When the Central Alliance took over, the 
  cyber-craze hit this place hard, and virtually everybody on the 
  plant is a partial or full conversion cyborg. The thing is, most of 
  the cyborgs here have jacked themselves up with cybernetics 
  built right from the junk pile, giving the cyborgs here an even 
  nastier, rustier, more rundown appearance. The funny thing is, 
  people from other worlds think that Xleenan cyborgs look really 
  cool, and the "corroded" look is becoming a huge fashion state­
  ment across the Central Alliance. For the Xleenans, it is merely 
  the best way they can turn themselves into machines and keep 
  running. G.M. Note: Xleenan cyborgs, no matter what their at­
  tachments or degree of conversion, will have 35% more M.D.C. 
  because of the extremely tough parts used in construction. How­
  ever, they will also be 50% heavier and 50% slower, so cut all 
  combat bonuses in half. 
  R250-72S. The Central Alliance is not known for space ex­
  ploration, but General Noldek has sponsored the colonization of 
  a single world that is right on the line between the Halo and the 
  Threshold. Its galactic catalogue number is simply R250-728, 
  and it appears to be an ancient outpost of some kind used by 
  alien spacers. So far, a contingent of about 1 ,000 Central Alli­
  ance cyborgs live and work here, digging around to see what 
  they might fmd. General Noldek himself is convinced that the 
  aliens who used to run this world left behind valuable technol­
  ogy he and his soldiers can use. Already the colonists have 
  found dozens of destroyed old alien spacecraft in unsalvageable 
  condition. But there is every indication that there is more tech to 
  fmd, and that at least a good chunk of it will be usable. The 
  question is, what exactly will this tech be able to do? Some 
  think this place was an ancient listening post from which alien 
  astronomers could broadcast and scan across the Threshold, 
  maintaining contact with people in the Core. Others think the 
  place was a fortress to hold the line against marauders from the 
  Threshold. And still others believe this was a science world that 
  was destroyed by an experiment gone awry. Who knows? 
  Maybe all three theories are wrong, or maybe they all are right! 
  For the moment, anything is possible here as Alliance cyborgs 
  struggle to piece together the history of this strange and isolated 
  world. 
  New Triumph. Shortly after the Central Alliance formed, 
  Splugorth slave ships from the Kingdom of Rynncryyl raided 
  the world with the intent to take as many slaves as possible. 
  Noldek and his army responded swiftly, taking heavy losses but 
  ultimately destroying the raiders. The Central Alliance had sent 
  a clear message to the Splugorth that if they wanted to take the 
  Alliance's worlds, they had better be prepared to fight for them. 
  Since then, there have been only very small isolated incursions 
  that the Central Alliance turned away easily. 
  To commemorate the great battle, the world renamed itself 
  New Triumph, and to those who live here, General Noldek is 
  
  like a god. He is credited for saving them against the Splugorth 
  menace, and they are convinced that whatever the Splugorth 
  throw at this world when they return (and they will return), Gen­
  eral Noldek and his brave cyborgs will be able to send it all back 
  to where it came from. The local military is very strong, with 
  huge numbers of volunteers who have undergone partial and full 
  conversion. Only Noldek knows that Rynncryyl is planning a 
  big invasion of this world and perhaps the Central Alliance at 
  large, and only he knows that against a huge, organized 
  Splugorth front, this planet, and indeed the Central Alliance, 
  cannot withstand that sort of frrepower. By defeating the 
  Splugorth once, the Central Alliance may have sealed New Tri­
  umph' s fate forever. Time will tell. Meanwhile, the General 
  searches for strategies and tactics that might win the day, and/or 
  a possible alliance with some outside power. 
  The Threshold 
  A large portion of the Anvil Galaxy is just empty space, an 
  intimidating void that separates the densely populated Halo 
  from the mysterious Core. This great gap to cross is the Thresh­
  old, and it is the bane of many Spacers and adventurers. 
  The vast majority (75%) of ships that try crossing the Thresh­
  old never make it. Most of them just disappear without a trace. 
  It could be that these ships are instantly destroyed, or it could be 
  that they suffer a prolonged attack but somehow are prevented 
  from sending out a distress call. Or maybe they get caught in a 
  huge chronol shift that rockets them into the incredibly distant 
  past or future. Or maybe harmonic disruptions destroy every­
  thing within a certain radius of the Threshold borders. Or it 
  could be one of a thousand other hypotheses ventured by scien­
  tists to whom the Threshold is as frustrating as it is fascinating. 
  Clearly, something terrible is going in there. Only nobody has 
  even come close to figuring out what it might be. Though most 
  are never seen or heard from again, there are the lucky ones who 
  claim to have made it through to the Core side, only to be mys­
  teriously teleported back to the Halo, usually near where (and 
  sometimes when) they started their trek. 
  There is no evidence one way or the other that suggests who 
  or what might be responsible for either result. Some Spacers 
  think that hostile aliens - of which there are probably many in 
  the Core - are to blame for the destruction of space craft in the 
  Core. Of course, the most anybody in the Halo ever glean from 
  ships that vanish are frantic distress calls that don't make much 
  sense before they get cut off, presumably destroyed at the 
  source. To date, no ship has ever lasted longer than three weeks 
  in the Core before destruction or, more commonly, it gets mys­
  teriously whisked across space and time and instantaneously ap­
  pears right back in the Halo. Some scientists think there might 
  be some undetectable kind of wormhole abundant in the Core 
  that causes this "return trip" phenomenon. Others go back to the 
  "hostile aliens" theory to suggest that these unknown aliens take 
  pity on some space ship and send back to where they came from 
  rather than destroy them. After all, what few aliens known to in­
  habit the Core all seem to be radically advanced with technol­
  ogy equal to or well beyond Phase World standards. Perhaps 
  one of these aliens simply put intruders from the Halo travelers 
  back where they think they belong. 
  1 23 
  Beyond all this, however, lurks the nagging question: why? 
  Why destroy those who visit the Core, or forcibly eject them? 
  What is it that the denizen of the Core want to keep hidden from 
  the rest of the universe? Of course, many (including supposedly 
  reliable lore) point to the Cosmic Forge, thought by many to be 
  hidden in the Core somewhere. Could it be that someone or 
  something is protecting the Core and dispatching those who 
  seek it out? Perhaps aggressive and hostile explorers into the 
  Threshold or the Core are destroyed, where the honestly curious 
  and peaceful are simply "put back" home! Perhaps there is no 
  secret alien civilization or guardian organization trying to keep 
  people away. Perhaps it is the Cosmic Forge itself taking direct 
  action to keep its whereabouts secret. Whatever it is, so long as 
  there is a Cosmic Forge to fmd, multitudes of 
  people will 
  search for it, and look to the Core as a likely hiding place. And 
  by extension, so long as there is a Threshold, especially one that 
  might be the last great obstacle to fmding the Cosmic Forge, 
  then there will always be people willing to cross it to claim the 
  device. 
  G.M. Note: There are no set rules for exactly what will hap­
  pen to ships that cross the Threshold, because we feel there 
  should not be any. Crossing the Threshold is a dangerous and 
  often fatal experience that rarely leaves those who attempt to do 
  it, unscathed. Certainly there are those lucky few who manage 
  to do succeed, if only for a few short weeks (naturally the player 
  characters may try to be counted among that minority), but even 
  if death and destruction are avoided, a fate unknown awaits 
  those who explore the even more mysterious and unknown 
  Core. Exactly how long the heroes may stay in the Core, what 
  they fmd there, and what kind of damage they sustain going 
  through the Threshold is left almost entirely to the Game Mas­
  ter. It is his or her call to say what happens to those who try 
  crossing what is supposed to be the uncrossable. Maybe the 
  characters' ship suffers major damage. Maybe the heroes them­
  selves are hurt. Maybe the crew get caught in a nasty spatial 
  phenomenon that carries them to a parallel dimension or differ­
  ent part of the Galaxy or universe for that matter. Or are cap­
  tured and studied or enslaved by some sort of non-carbon based 
  life form. Whatever the fate of the player characters, do not im­
  pose an outcome with no chance for survival or just to torture 
  them. Impose a result that has some cool adventure hook to it. If 
  the characters' great pirate ship gets mangled on the way 
  through the Threshold, give them an opportunity to repair it. If 
  the heroes go mad during the trip, give them a chance to cure 
  themselves. If they get captured allow them to escape. Let the 
  explore the unknown and triumph in the challenge of the experi­
  ence, especially if there is no tangible reward/treasure (which 
  there probably is not). Let them boldly go where no one has 
  gone before and escape, even if they can never fmd that place 
  again. Remember, the players are attached to their characters, 
  and nobody likes it when a G.M. callously hurts or takes away 
  their character. Instant death just plain stinks in a role-playing 
  game. After all , this is supposed to be heroic adventure that 
  challenges the player character's courage and ingenuity. Make 
  it so. 
  The Powers That Be 
  The Threshold is believed to be mostly empty space . . . .  or 
  is it? Surely, there must be something behind all of the disap­
  pearances and strange encounters that Spacers run into every 
  
  time they tty crossing from the Halo to the Core. But what? 
  Theories abound, but sooner or later, they all at least touch upon 
  two major villains known to inhabit the space where the Halo 
  meets the Threshold. They are The Splugorth Kingdom of 
  Rynncryyl, one of the four great Splugorth Kingdoms of the 
  Three Galaxies, and the Gene-Tech, feared if not reviled by all, 
  these sinister genetic sculptors craft untold monstrosities for rea­
  sons unknown. Some believe they know the reason, and claim a 
  band of Gene-Tech (or could it be the even rarer and more ma­
  levolent Gene-Splicers) are creating an entire mutant armies 
  from innocent victims in the hopes of selling them to desperate 
  warlords and would-be conquerors across the Anvil Galaxy. 
  The Splugorth Kingdom of Rynncryyl 
  Population: 20 billion (estimated). The Kingdom of 
  Rynncryyl makes up about 25% of the total Splugorth popula­
  tion in the Three Galaxies. 
  Demographics: High Lords and Conservators (1%), Over­
  lords (20%), Powerlords (2%), Slavers (1%), Blind Warrior 
  Women (5%), Kittani (2%), Metzla (5%), Gargoyles (3%), Hu­
  mans (10%, most are slaves), Wulfen ( 10"10, most are slaves), 
  Other Mortal Races (36%; this segment of the population comes 
  from all over the Three Galaxies and even from across the 
  Megaverse; about half of them are slaves and the rest are gener­
  ally nervous free citizens), Supernatural Creatures (5%; includes 
  but is not limited to Dragons, Elementals, Demons, Devils and 
  other supernatural beings; about 30% of all of these creatures 
  are slaves, even a few unfortunate Dragons and other creatures 
  1 24 
  of magic). For details on most of these races, check out Rifts® 
  World Book Two: Atlantis sourcebook. 
  Overview: The alien intelligences known as the Splugorth 
  (see Rifts® Atlantis for more information) have long been a 
  major presence in the Three Galaxies. At any given time, there 
  has been at least one Splugorth Kingdom somewhere in the 
  Three Galaxies either waging a war of conquest upon its neigh­
  bors, preparing to wage such a war, or is recovering from losing 
  such a war. Living in peace is not the Splugorth way, and the 
  various Kingdoms of the Three Galaxies prove that without a 
  doubt. 
  The Splugorth have known much success in conquering, rul­
  ing and dominating scores of planets and even one or more solar 
  systems, but whenever they have made a bid to take over a large 
  
  section of a galaxy, or perhaps even an entire galaxy itself, those 
  ambitions inevitably bring about utter destruction from the other 
  power blocs present in the vicinity. In the case of the Anvil Gal­
  axy, the last time the Splugorth made a serious bid to take over 
  the entire galaxy, it was only 50 years ago, by the reigning 
  Splugorth power in the galaxy today, the Kingdom of Rynncryyl. 
  Lord Rynncryyl is an utterly mad Splugorth intelligence that 
  is obsessed not only with controlling the Anvil Galaxy, but with 
  fmding the Cosmic Forge. Some fifty years ago, Lord 
  Rynncryyl deluded himself that he possessed the power to shat­
  ter both the CCW and the TGE at the same time. He thought if 
  those powers would crumble, then certainly all of the other pow­
  ers of the galaxy would either disintegrate or they would just 
  swear allegiance to the Splugorth to avoid a shattering invasion. 
  Then, with at least the Halo under his command, he could cross 
  the Threshold, conquer the Core (how he would do this nobody 
  knows) and then have the entire galaxy at his disposal, from the 
  innermost Core to the outermost Halo. He could then scour the 
  entire Anvil Galaxy for clues to fmding the Cosmic Forge. As 
  he saw things unfolding, he would fmd the Forge, and with the 
  ultimate power it would give him, he would fITst take over the 
  other Three Galaxies, and then he would set about to enslaving 
  neighboring galaxies to his god-like authority. 
  Oooooookay. 
  The trouble with Lord Rynncryyl is that he is a well known 
  figure in the Anvil Galaxy. He and more importantly, his min­
  ions are forever getting caught in crazy schemes to manipulate 
  galactic politics or cause wars between superpowers, that sort of 
  thing. This plot of Rynncryyl to conquer both the TGE and the 
  CCW gets points for ambition, but none for execution. Strong 
  though Rynncryyl' s  armada might have been, his Kingdom con­
  trols only 25 worlds split between three star systems. His do­
  main is a drop in the bucket compared to such giants as the 
  CCW or the TGE, both of which maintain intergalactic civiliza­
  tions that span thousands and thousands of worlds. Without 
  some kind of miracle in his pocket or an alien doomsday 
  weapon to even the score, Lord Rynncryyl had no chance. He 
  would get slaughtered, and that is exactly what happened. Both 
  the CCW and the TGE independently came down on 
  Rynncryyl's forces like hammers, destroying most of them and 
  leaving a few ships to limp home and tell of the defeat they suf­
  fered. 
  Ever since that ill-fated (and irrational) campaign, Lord 
  Rynncryyl has been absent, even among the subjects of his own 
  Kingdom! Frankly, he was lucky to still have a Kingdom. 
  Surely the CCW or more likely, the TGE could have destroyed 
  it entirely, if they had not started fighting amongst themselves. 
  In the last days of the war, CCW and TGE ships were closing in 
  on Splugorth territory when one or both sides decided they were 
  getting too close for comfort. Somebody flinched, and a brief 
  but deadly skirmish broke out between the CCW and TGE ar­
  madas. Fearing this could turn into a wider conflict, both side 
  withdrew from the Splugorth territory, inadvertently sparing this 
  Kingdom of Evil. The fact remains that Lord Rynncryyl is gone, 
  having disappeared right when it looked like his Kingdom 
  would be smashed to pieces by CCW and/or TGE might. Ever 
  since, Rynncryyl's top lieutenants and advisors have been 
  jointly running the Kingdom, certain that their cowardly lord in­
  deed flew the coop, but fearful that if any one of them tries to 
  1 25 
  take over, he will either be killed by all of the other seconds in 
  command, or by Lord Rynncryyl himself, if and when he returns 
  from wherever he went. 
  This, more than anything else, is keeping the Kingdom of 
  Rynncryyl fairly small and its operations contained. Though 
  Splugorth Slavers routinely sortie forth from the Kingdom to 
  raid outlying communities on the inner edge of the Halo, that is 
  about the extent of the Kingdom's power at the moment. The 
  leaders are too busy trying to make sure the secret of Lord 
  Rynncryyl's absence never gets out, for if it did, then the legions 
  of enemies who hate the Splugorth might seize upon the oppor­
  tunity to destroy the severely weakened Kingdom once and for 
  all. 
  Though the Kingdom is weak, it is recovering. Moreover, it 
  is still Splugorth, and that means it is still a major player in just 
  about any evil plot hatched within the Anvil Galaxy. Naturally, 
  it does not make sense for the Splugorth to get involved in evil 
  plots here, there and everywhere. They really should tend to 
  their own teetering stability before mucking about with other 
  worlds and civilizations, but, that is the Splugorth for you. They 
  are compulsive evildoers who simply cannot get by without at 
  least knowing that someway, somehow, they are making some­
  body's life miserable. And so, they continue to plot and interfere 
  with the daily life of the Anvil Galaxy as best they can, knowing 
  full well that every time they do so, they risk setting off a chain 
  of events that could hurt them. 
  As a result of all this, the Kingdom's influence over galactic 
  events is way out of proportion to its real power in terms of 
  number of ships, soldiers, and fmancial capital. Rynncryyl spies 
  and assassins can be expected to have a hand in many of the 
  major political conspiracies ongoing in the Anvil Galaxy, espe­
  cially if it is the sort of thing that might topple a government, 
  cause a war, spark a widespread interplanetary panic, or have 
  similar effect. As such, they have numerous contacts with the 
  criminal superpowers of the CCW, they help foment rebellion 
  among TGE worlds that have not yet joined the Free World 
  Council, they feed information about the Free World Council 
  back to the TGE, they help the Dark Covens of the UWW con­
  duct their ark and evil practices, and so on. 
  At the forefront of all this plotting and double-dealing are the 
  Sunaj Assassins, the Rynncryyl Kingdom's front line of terror 
  and mayhem. Using the Sunaj as special forces operatives, the 
  Rynncryyl lords routinely have them slay important members of 
  various societies as well as cause other acts of mayhem. They 
  also are the first people tapped to handle matters of espionage 
  and global security. Meanwhile, slave rebellions within the 
  Rynncryyl Kingdom is a problem that is getting worse and 
  worse each day. It is as if the subjects know their leader is gone, 
  and that is giving them the courage to throw off their chains and 
  rebel. So it is that the Sunaj fmd themselves fighting desperately 
  to crush any sign of revolt from without and within the King­
  dom, lest it come apart completely, turning the once-proud 
  Splugorth Kingdom into just another collection of Independent 
  worlds populated by gleeful ex-slaves. Rynncryyl's assassins 
  and spies keep an especially sharp eye out for agents of long 
  time enemies such as the CCW and TGE, and deal with them 
  quickly and ruthlessly. 
  Note: The Rifts® Atlantis World Book offers a ton of great 
  details on how a "typical" Splugorth Kingdom might operate. 
  
  Keep in mind, Splynncryyth only controls a single continent. 
  Rynncryyl's Kingdom controls 25 entire planets, so the scale of 
  his forces would be many times that found on the Altantean con­
  tinent of Rifts Earth. However, these are the same basic society, 
  and any details one wishes to fmd for the Kingdom of 
  Rynncryyl can be found within the indispensable Rifts® 
  Atlantis book. Run, don't walk, to your nearest game or hobby 
  shop and pick up a copy. You will not be sorry that you did. 
  Government 
  Like all Splugorth controlled worlds, these planets are ruled 
  by an absolutist government, controlled by the Splugorth 
  intelligences and their minions. The Kingdom of Rynncryyl was 
  once controlled by Rynncryyl himself, but the big coward abdi­
  cated his throne when the CCW and TGE threatened to invade 
  this Kingdom itself. Now, all of Rynncryyl's top advisors and 
  second-hand men have formed an uneasy council through which 
  they jointly run the Kingdom as if Rynncryyl were still around. 
  Hey, the King is mad as a hatter, and it would not be out of the 
  question for him to vanish like this just to test the loyalty of his 
  minions. With that in mind, none of them have made the slight­
  est move to take the throne for himself. Besides the certain 
  death they would suffer at the hands of Rynncryyl's other top 
  minions, the suffering inflicted by Rynncryyl himself should he 
  decide to return would be far worse than death itself. 
  Military 
  The Kingdom maintains a formidable armada of warships as 
  well as legions of soldiers hailing from the various conquered 
  worlds and slave races. These include humans, Wulfen, Altara 
  Warrior Women, Tattooed Men, Kittani, Kydians, Metzla, Gar­
  goyles, and substantial numbers from the many other races com­
  monly used by the Splugorth or found in the Three Galaxies. 
  Atop this mess of slave-soldiers rules the standard Splugorth hi­
  erarchy of Slavers, Overlords, Powerlords, Conservators and 
  High Lords. According to legend, this mob of frrepower should 
  be a nearly invincible fighting force. In truth, while devastat­
  ingly power, it is far from invincible. Since the defeat of their 
  once powerful army, the Kingdom's forces have floundered 
  with only basic training, equipment and resources abundantly 
  available. Additionally, with their Splugorth Lord gone, there is 
  no decisive leader willing to go out on a limb with many signifi­
  cant military incursions. Consequently, the current armed forces 
  languish with little to challenge them. Furthermore, many of the 
  starships and other equipment in use today are all left overs 
  from the war against the CCW and the TGE. On top of that, the 
  best leaders in the Kingdom are busy trying to pretend they are 
  acting on Lord Rynncryyl's behalf in the hope of keeping the 
  Kingdom together for next generation or two. As a result, sec­
  ond-rate (at best) leaders are left to control what passes for the 
  military. To those in the know, it is a sad sight to see this once 
  impressive military machine fall to such hard times and lack of 
  spirit. The honest truth is that if another power bloc were to 
  come in and wage total war right now, it is highly doubtful the 
  Kingdom of Rynncryyl would survive the strain. Certainly if the 
  CCW or TGE came in, they would shatter the Kingdom to dust, 
  but that is not the greatest worry at the moment. No, the greatest 
  worry are the other three Splugorth Kingdoms spread out 
  through the Three Galaxies - two in the Corkscrew and one in 
  the Thundercloud. The four Kingdoms have never really gotten 
  1 26 
  along, and even for a Splugorth, Rynncryyl has a way of making 
  enemies with everybody. If the other three Kingdoms ever real­
  ize how weak this Kingdom really is, they would waste no time 
  taking it over or just destroying it outright. Against a much more 
  organized, fleshed out, equipped Splugorth invasion, the King­
  dom ofRynncryyl would fold like a piece of paper. 
  Then again, where is Lord Rynncryyl and what is he up to? 
  Could he be hot on the trail of the Cosmic Forge? Could it or 
  some other powerful weapon be within his grasp? Or is he 
  hatching some new scheme or building a new secret army or al­
  liance with some alien power in the Threshold, The Core or 
  other part of the universe? It seems unlikely for him to be so 
  frightened as to remain in hiding all these years. On the other 
  hand, perhaps he met his doom trying to traverse the Threshold? 
  Only time will tell. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  Consortium of Civilized Worlds: The Splugorth hate the 
  CCW for their instrumental role in the Kingdom's defeat no so 
  long ago. They already despised this civilization for its fairness, 
  openness and embrace of liberty. The CCW stands or all the 
  things the Splugorth do not, and so they long to destroy it. 
  Trans-Galactic Empire: The Splugorth also hate the TGE 
  for its role in the Kingdom's defeat. They hate this society 
  equally for its use of brute strength without appreciating the 
  fmer evils such strength can accomplish. In the arts of evil, the 
  TGE are mindless thugs unworthy of the Splugorth's notice. 
  That they lost a war to them really bothers the Splugorth. 
  United Worlds of Warlock: The UWW's condemnation of 
  Splugorth Bio-Wizardry would be enough to get this magical 
  society on the Splugorth's hit list if it weren't already there for 
  its alliance with the CCW. 
  Naruni Enterprises: These sinister arms merchants are cut 
  from the same cloth as the Splugorth, only they do not have the 
  guts to enslave their clients outright. Their pretense of com­
  merce disgusts the Splugorth, who feel that the Naruni are too 
  soft in their ways and intentions, but annoying rivals nonethe­
  less. 
  Hartigal Combine: The Splugorth see this organization as a 
  prime target for one of its plots. Its youth makes it naive, and its 
  breakaway status from the Naruni makes them reckless. Indeed, 
  they shall feel the Splugorth sting soon enough ... 
  Goigan Republik: The Kingdom of Rynncryyl fully intend 
  to raid the hell out of the Golgan worlds just as they fall away 
  from the Republik. In fact, the Golgan Republik is seen as the 
  perfect target for "tuning up" its sluggish and flat military. It is 
  also a safe target because they know Lord Rynncryyl had in­
  tended to raid, loot and conquer parts of the Rebublik and given 
  their weak state, they make for a relatively soft target. 
  Altess Dynasty: The Kingdom is still smarting from the de­
  feat the Altess handed them, unexpectedly. Though they lack the 
  resources to make a full assault on the Altess, they would dearly 
  love to. Sunaj assassins are being deployed in force to infiltrate 
  their society so they might assassinate its leaders and sow dis­
  sent. 
  Central Alliance: These world are also excellent slaving tar­
  gets because they are relatively poor and weak compared to gi­
  ants like the CCW and the TGE. They also are right along the 
  
  inner edge of the Halo, which makes them convenient to hit 
  from the darkness of the Threshold. However, the Alliance has 
  proven a worthy foe, and a society of cyborgs will not be vic­
  timized so easily. 
  Cosmo-Knights: Argh! These champions of justice are a 
  constant thorn in the Splugorth's side. If they really knew how 
  hurting the Kingdom of Rynncryyl was, they might descend 
  upon it like jackals, destroying it completely, or so the current 
  secret leadership believes. 
  Indeed, 
  if 
  they massed their 
  strength, the Cosmo-Knights could smash the Kingdom with rel­
  ative ease. 
  Gene-Tech: The Splugorth occasionally deal with these mer­
  chants of misery. They are considering obtaining the Gene-Tech 
  of the Threshold's secret armies of genetically augmented sol­
  diers as a temporary solution to the Kingdom's military and 
  manpower shortfalls. 
  Omegan Order: If the Splugorth could cross the Threshold 
  easily themselves, they would certainly try to join forces with 
  these admirably evil renegades. Surely, they have heard of the 
  Splugorth, and on a few occasions, the Kingdom has received a 
  few vaguely worded messages from the Omegans regarding a 
  future partnership, but nothing has come of it as yet. 
  Xodian Collective: Like so many others in the galaxy, the 
  Splugorth know little of the Xodians except that they are a 
  super-powerful races capable of crossing space under their own 
  power and acting as living weapons batteries. Word has it they 
  are one of the few powers of the Core that is looking to cross the 
  Threshold and colonize parts of the Halo for themselves. 
  K!ozn: These super-intelligent plotters and manipulators are 
  both appreciated and despised by the Splugorth. On one hand, 
  they admire their raw intellect and their ability to conduct sim­
  ple manipulations behind the scenes to make the entire galaxy 
  bend to the K!ozn will. They hate these aliens for just that abil­
  ity, too, since the Splugorth dearly wish they had such influence, 
  but do not. For that, they are jealous enough to kill. 
  Independent Worlds: The Splugorth consider small, cut off 
  worlds to be prime targets for slave runs. If the world is inade­
  quately protected, slave ships can take the place over, picking it 
  clean of people before the CCW, TGE or Cosmo-Knights show 
  up to investigate. 
  Society 
  The Splugorth dominated worlds tend to regard most mortals 
  as lesser beings to be used, abused, enslaved, tortured, and, in 
  some cases, even eaten by other supernatural creatures. As on 
  might expect, the Splugorth and other powerful supernatural be­
  ings enjoy as many rights, freedoms and privileges as they can 
  defend through raw strength and manipulation, while humans 
  and other mortals languish in oppression and poverty. Humans 
  and other races are in constant danger, and suffer the contempt 
  and hostility of the monster races. The constant for most mortals 
  1 27 
  is a life of hard labor, servitude, and drudgery There is no jus­
  tice for lesser beings, though there are laws and some semblance 
  of order. C rimes committed by mortals upon other mortals may 
  be ignored and go 
  without punishment, or the there may be 
  swift, brutal consequences from the so-called authorities; typi­
  cally a beating. For a human or other lesser race to commit 
  crime against a leader or greater supernatural beings, there can 
  only be misery and death. There are only masters and slaves in 
  this Kingdom, and if a slave dares to steal or harm his better, the 
  slave may be struck down and beaten, tortured and/or slain, of­
  ten on the spot. Masters enjoy absolute power over slaves, and 
  they inflict whatever harm or ''justice'' they like upon their un­
  derlings. Slaves live in endless misery and humiliation as they 
  serve their masters' every whim. All in all, there is no good side 
  of life here. There is only those who give pain and those who re­
  ceive it. Most receive it in some way or another. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Gylcrdd: This world is the current throne planet for the 
  Kingdom, home to Rynncryyl's top advisors and lieutenants. 
  The world is supposed to be the great staging ground for a new 
  invasion, but there are few soldiers here, and many of them are 
  deployed to keep the peace in the streets. A monotonous and 
  thankless job for soldiers who feel they should be out conquer­
  ing the galaxy. 
  Ryythknn: This is the Sunaj headquarters, where they re­
  cruit, train and deploy their members. Huge Sunaj fortresses 
  stand out in the open, almost daring enemies to strike if they 
  dared The Sunaj effectively govern the planet, since 90% of the 
  population in some way serve the Sunaj. Word has it the leaders 
  of the assassins here know that Rynncryyl is missing and are 
  poised to make a move against all of the Kingdom's leaders, es­
  tablishing Sunaj warriors in their stead until Rynncryyl comes 
  back (whenever that might be). 
  Hhurigh: The Slave Market of Hhurigh is the largest of its 
  kind on the Kingdom. On par with the Splynn Dimensional 
  Market, the vendors here routinely jaunt between this world and 
  Phase World in an effort to maintain two very busy fmancial 
  fronts at once. The slavers here are very powerful and wealthy, 
  and represent a powerful bloc within the society. Are they tough 
  enough to help overthrow the government? Sure. Do they have 
  the courage to do so? Not unless something drastic happens, no. 
  Alkasda: This world is in open revolt against its masters. 
  The Splugorth have deployed a full Repression Fleet to extermi­
  nate the planetary population in the hopes of sending a dire mes­
  sage to all other potential rebels. Whether or not this fleet 
  actually kills the bulk of the planet's population remains to be 
  seen, since they are already getting messages about the attack 
  and are secretly fleeing the world. 
  Skynnkyll: A renegade Splugorth Intelligence named 
  Blyythznn is hiding on this otherwise unremarkable world be­
  cause he made a few too many enemies in the other Splugorth 
  Kingdoms of the Three Galaxies. He has learned that Rynncryy 1 
  is no longer on the throne here, and he is mulling over exactly 
  how he might squirm his way to the seat of power. To get any­
  thing done, though, he needs to build a base of power, and to do 
  that, he needs minions willing to fight and die for him. 
  Plthh: This world has also openly rebelled against their mas­
  ters, only on this one, there have already been several large bat-
  
  ties, 
  and 
  in 
  each 
  case, 
  the 
  slaves have 
  won. 
  Inept 
  (non-Splugorth) leadership as well as the element of surprise on 
  the rebel's part is largely determining the course of the rebel­
  lion. One or two more rebel victories, and the rest of the planet's 
  population will rise up and kick out the Minions of Splugorth 
  who dominate their planet. After that, Plthh will be as good as 
  an Independent World. 
  Koliath: This is one of the few worlds where Lord 
  Rynncryyl's Minions still have a fairly tight grip on the reins of 
  power. Little do they know that a quartet of Cosmo-Knights 
  have infiltrated the world posing as human slaves. They intend 
  to topple the Splugorth's reign here, but to do that they will need 
  to get the slaves themselves to rise up and fight for themselves. 
  The four are debating whether they should just assume their 
  super-powered forms and tear up the Splugorth until the locals 
  take destiny into their own hands, or should they remain secret 
  and act only once the locals have proven their intent to break 
  away on their own. 
  Zaladast: This is where the last shots were frred in the CCW 
  and TGE war. The Battle of Zaladast was the last TGE engage­
  ment, during which Empire warships bombarded the planet, 
  slaughtering 90% of the popUlation. 
  Since then, the 
  Splugorth have been desperately trying to re-colonize the world, 
  but nobody will set foot there. Meanwhile, the 1 0% who sur­
  vived the TGE bombardment are all on their own, building a 
  piece meal society out of the scraps of the old order, wondering 
  when somebody will come to give them some humanitarian aid. 
  Furego: Small harmonic disruptions are splitting this world 
  apart, just as surely as a stonemason's hammer will eventually 
  crack a great rock in two. The disruptions happen about every 
  week or so, and many inhabitants will not leave until they are 
  certain a big disruption will hit. For game purposes, consider the 
  next disruption as having a 01-33% chance of splitting he world 
  in half. Increase that chance by 2% for every week thereafter. 
  Eventually, the world will break in half. 
  Nnyylld: Time has always been a bit unstable around this 
  world, and a large force of Splugorth soldiers and scientists are 
  trying to trigger a chronal distortion that will launch them far 
  enough back in time so they might rewrite their terrible history, 
  creating a win at the Battle of Zaladast and making sure the 
  Kingdom's fortunes rose after that last war, not fell. 
  Threshold 
  Gene-Tech 
  By Kevin Siembieda 
  Population: There are less than 2000 Gene-Tech in the An­
  vil Galaxy, and perhaps fewer than 1 0,000 throughout the 
  Megaverse. The reasons for such low numbers remain a mys­
  tery, but leading theories suggest that either ancient space faring 
  civilizations tried to wipe them out or that the Gene-Tech fell 
  prey to a "designer virus" created to wipe them out. (As the 
  story goes, the virus was created by one of their own, but no­
  body knows if this tale is true or not.) Since their near 
  (self-inflicted?) genocide, they have sworn off microbe engi­
  neering and stick exclusively to modifying carbon-based hu-
  1 28 
  manoids. Despite their low numbers, Gene-Tech still have a 
  forceful presence in the Anvil Galaxy both as independent 
  groups of mad scientists and, here in the Threshold, with armies 
  of genetically altered warriors (total numbers estimated at nearly 
  300 million) mostly stored in enormous stasis lockers hidden 
  throughout the Threshold. 
  Demographics: 
  Monster X (10%), Cyborgs (20%), 
  Warhounds (20%), Shapechangers (20010), Super-powered Be­
  ings (25%), Willing Slaves and fanatical Worshipers (5%; vari­
  ous races, most are not augmented or mutated). Roughly 900 
  Threshold Gene-Tech are responsible for this. 
  Overview: The Threshold Gene-Tech are typically referred 
  to as "Gene-Threshers" or just "Threshers," to differentiate be­
  tween them and the arguably more benign Gene-Tech gathered 
  in small groups throughout the rest of the Three Galaxies and 
  the universe (see the Aliens section earlier in this book for de­
  tails). These mysterious geneticists are active throughout the 
  Three Galaxies, but for reasons unknown, especially in the An­
  vil Galaxy. They have mastered the sciences of genetics and 
  gene-engineering, surpassing even the Trans-Galactic Empire (a 
  leader in genetic technology) and the Splugorth, and are easily 
  on par with the near mythical and malevolent Gene-Splicers. In 
  fact, the Gene-Tech's abilities to create and remake living be­
  ings is only matched by the magic of some of the most powerful 
  ancient gods! 
  Many legends have grown around these strange "mad doc­
  tors." Some fanatics think that they are The First, newly re­
  turned to remake their children in their image. Some "believers" 
  
  actually worship Gene-Tech and seek to serve them in any and 
  every way possible. Only the Gene-Threshers usually take these 
  fanatics up on their offer, and some even volunteer to be trans­
  formed and enslaved by the Threshers. Most other Gene-Tech 
  fmd these deluded souls to be an annoyance. Fortunately, these 
  are far and few between. On the other hand, some ancient writ­
  ings suggest that the Gene-Tech might be related to, or de­
  scended from, "The One" (He who tried to pervert the Cosmic 
  Forge untold millennia ago). Others mention a race of beings 
  from another dimension who tried to use the creatures of the 
  Three Galaxies as their playthings (as indeed the Gene-Tech 
  do), 
  and who were 
  expelled or destroyed by 
  the 
  early 
  Cosmo-Knights. The truth may be any or none of these. 
  One of the rumors popular among non-humans is that the en­
  tire human race is the creation of the Gene-Tech and that hu­
  mans were merely dumb animals snatched out of the jungle by 
  superior aliens, had a few choice genes rearranged to change 
  and advance their evolution, and then let loose to see what hap­
  pens. Now the aliens (the Gene-Tech, naturally) have returned 
  to examine their handiwork, and perhaps to activate a certain 
  command locked away in their subjects' genetic code that with a 
  word, will make them all willing slaves of those who created 
  them. Such rumors have caused entire civilizations to fear hu­
  mans in this context. What if the stories were true? What if the 
  Gene-Tech could simply hijack all of humanity with a single 
  command? The consequences of such a thing are too horrible to 
  consider. Of course, what makes this easier to deal with is that 
  similar rumors float around connecting the Gene-Tech to every 
  other race in the Three Galaxy, especially if they possess some 
  special superhuman ability. 
  These "puppet master" theories 
  about the Gene-Tech taking are just stories designed to either 
  scare people for fun or to besmirch the reputation of a particular 
  race, often reflecting racial prejudice. Some, like the paranoid 
  Golgans, actually wonder, though, and worry. Finding little 
  comfort in the notion that if the Gene-Tech had this power, why 
  haven't they used it to overrun and takeover the Three Galaxies? 
  Perhaps they are just waiting for the right moment? 
  Gene-Tech normally operate in small groups of a dozen or 
  less, usually only 1 -4, and they travel in cruiser-sized starships. 
  These vessels don't have the fIrepower of most war vessels in 
  the Three Galaxies, but they can outrun all but the fastest known 
  ships, and can travel galactic distances at incredible speeds us­
  ing a warp-space system not yet developed by known civiliza­
  tions. Their stealth systems also make them almost undetectable 
  as well, so these villains can operate with relative impunity. 
  They greatly fear Cosmo-Knights, Phase Adepts from Phase 
  World, Second Stage Prometheans and beings of power such as 
  gods, adult dragons and demon lords. In fact, they tend to avoid 
  planets strong with magic as well as people who wield magic. 
  At the same time they are fascinated by powerful beings, espe­
  cially superhumans, godlings and supernatural creatures, and 
  wish to map their genetic structures, perhaps out of some mad 
  bid for power. It could be that these villains are so insane that 
  they truly believe if they could master how to play with a 
  dragon or god's genetic code, they could make themselves to be 
  even more powerful than they. Actually, the most popular rumor 
  contends they hope to learn how to make, and in so doing, en-
  seems to fit the twisted psyche of the Gene-Threshers if not all 
  Gene-Tech. The very fact that anyone could believe this could 
  even be a real goal illustrates just how powerful, insane and 
  dangerous the Gene-Tech really are. 
  Redrawing the Genetic Blueprint 
  Through genetic reconstruction, the Gene-Tech are able to 
  move the building blocks of life around to make a completely 
  new and different structure! They can do little things like 
  change the color of an individual's eyes, hair or skin, grow new 
  hair (by removing/flXing the gene for baldness), make the nose 
  or ears smaller or larger, rounded or pointed, even add inches to 
  one's height, take 20 years off one's appearance and eliminate 
  genetic weaknesses in the body that might cause crippling dis­
  ease. To these maniacal aliens, such advances are mere child' s 
  play. 
  Genetic changes can be an improvement or a disaster. The 
  cruel aliens are just as likely to knock the building blocks apart 
  or rearrange them to create monstrous structures. Frequently, 
  they subject other life forms to strange and terrible things just 
  because they can or for the purpose of scientific research - but 
  then the Gene-Tech do almost everything, good and evil, in the 
  name of science. Many Gene-Tech are sadistic and enjoy inflict­
  ing and studying physical and mental pain and trauma. 
  The entire record of evolution is recorded on each DNA mol­
  ecule and the Gene-Tech know how to both read and rearrange 
  the DNA codes on a molecular level. Thus, they can turn back 
  the passage of time and explore every step of a creature's evolu­
  tion, and rearrange the building blocks to explore evolutionary 
  paths never taken. Along these lines, the Gene-Tech can reshape 
  an individual to almost anything and instil their subjects with 
  superhuman to animalistic powers and abilities. Whether there is 
  any rhyme or reason to their insane creations, experiments and 
  acts of torture is unknown (there doesn't seem to be any). They 
  claim all they do is in the name of science, and many presume 
  there is some secret agenda, but what it may be is unknown. The 
  fact that the nefarious Gene-Splicers conduct similar experi­
  ments and exhibit the same callousness have suggested to some 
  that these two races of mad scientist are locked in some sort of 
  vile competition or seek the same answers to the same ques­
  tions, though no one knows what they may be. With the rampant 
  quest for the Cosmic Forge, some believe the Gene-Tech seek 
  the location of the Cosmic Forge by searching for biological ev­
  idence and clues locked within all living creatures in the Three 
  Galaxies. After all, the Cosmic Forge was used to create life 
  long before it was used to destroy it. 
  Gene-Tech seem particularly fascinated by human beings and 
  other carbon life forms, and spend a great deal of time experi­
  menting on them. They often abduct or lure a subject into their 
  clutches, work their scientific magic on them and release them. 
  Sometimes the subject of experimentation is part of a long term 
  study in which the individual is secretly observed, periodically 
  recaptured, subjected to genetic adjustments or analysis, and re­
  leased again. Just as frequently, test subjects are transformed 
  and released never to be bothered by a Gene-Tech again. 
  The Threshers 
  slave and command gods - raising the question, who is truly a 
  The Threshold Gene-Tech are breaking all the normally ac-
  god, the godlings or the ones who "make and command the 
  cepted rules of Gene-Tech behavior. First, there are an estimated 
  gods?" It is a frightening and insane ambition, but one that 
  900 of them working together. In some ways this is a bit mis-
  1 29 
  
  leading as the 900 Threshers are typically broken down into 
  smaller groups of 6-30 working apart from most of the other 
  groups. However, they do seem to be working toward the same 
  cause: to create an anny of super-powerful life forms. Not just 
  lone individuals for the purpose of study or some twisted experi­
  ment, but have shifted their focus from random experimentation 
  to mass production. Apparently, they have hit upon a few ge­
  netic "designs" they are very fond of, and have begun producing 
  huge numbers of these creatures, but for what purpose no one 
  can say. 
  Many claim they are creating and selling entire annies of 
  pre-made genetic soldiers genetically programmed to loyally 
  serve whomever they are sold to via an imprint mechanism that 
  is bumt into the soldiers psyche the moment they awake from 
  status and cast their eyes upon their superiors. (Not unlike a 
  hatchling duck "imprinting" with the first living thing it sees be­
  lieving it to be its "mother" whether it is actually the parent or 
  something quite different). If so, the Threshers could be on the 
  verge of creating an entirely new and terrible military market: 
  Slave Soldiers completely loyal and willing to die for their 
  leader/master/owner . Super powerful ones at that. This could 
  change the entire balance of power, giving whomever who 
  could afford to buy them, a decided edge in any conflict. Not to 
  mention it gives the Gene-Threshers power because they ulti­
  mately chose whom to sell to and therefore help, bring into 
  power or destroy. For example, selling millions of soldiers to 
  the TGE could guarantee they could conquer the CCW, and vice 
  versa. An interplanetary power could turn to the Threshers in a 
  mad bid to destroy an enemy, conquer a world or extract bloody 
  vengeance. This does not even being to take into account the 
  moral ramifications of creating intelligent life for the sole pur­
  pose of combat, in effect creating a disposable anny. Then, the 
  Gene-Tech have never encumbered themselves with questions 
  of morality, ethics or right and wrong. 
  Of course, nobody knows if this is what the Threshers have 
  accomplished and plan to do, or not. Yes, it would explain why 
  they have uncharacteristically banded together, and why so 
  many millions of these mass produced life forms are locked in 
  stasis, but it seems so unlike the Gene-Tech. These genetic engi­
  neers have never been interested in personal gain before, nor in 
  the slave trade or mass market commerce. It is out of character. 
  The main reason people have jumped to the conclusion that the 
  Thresher are creating annies of super-soldiers for sale is because 
  they sold one million to one of the Splugorth Kingdoms to quell 
  an uprising. However, this has been the only sale and, knowing 
  the Gene-Tech, it could have been nothing more than a "field 
  test" or a game to frighten people and get a reaction. 
  For all anyone knows, they intend to create a super-anny of 
  their own, though that still leaves the question of why? To what 
  end? Do they plan to conquer the Anvil Galaxy or one of the 
  other Three Galaxies? Are they throwing in with one of the in­
  tergalactic powers? Are they preparing for an alien invasion 
  from the Core? What do they know that the rest of the galactic 
  community doesn't? Could they have the Cosmic Forge and 
  have created an anny to keep it? (Would they need such an 
  anny if they had the Forge?) More likely, they think they know 
  where the Cosmic Forge is and are creating a giant anny to seize 
  it. Then again, the Gene-Tech have never shown much interest 
  in acquiring the Cosmic Forge. Could it be they want to make 
  1 30 
  certain no one else does? Or will acquiring the Cosmic Forge 
  enable them to become the all-powerful gods they have always 
  dreamt of becoming, enabling them to remake the universe in 
  their own twisted image? That's the problem with these mysteri­
  ous beings, no one knows what's going through their minds or 
  why they do anything. 
  Foreign Affairs 
  The Cosmo-Knights know the stories suggesting the 
  Gene-Tech may be related to The First or The One are false, but 
  they do not dispute that the Gene-Tech, particularly the 
  Threshers, are one of the greatest threats to the Three Galaxies. 
  Cosmo-Knights make it their business to keep an eye on these 
  weird aliens and frequently interceded on the behalf of innocent 
  victims in the Gene-Tech's clutches as well as spoiling 
  Gen-Tech plots and machinations. The heroic Cosmo-Knights 
  are at a loss as to what the Threshers may be up to, but they 
  know it can't be anything good A dozen are keeping a close 
  watch on the situation and would dearly love to infiltrate the 
  complex to learn more, but except for themselves and their cre­
  ations, the Threshers' space complex is closed to outsiders. 
  Breaching one of the "Cage" stations confirms that the 
  Threshers have in stasis millions of warriors in cold storage. 
  Everyone else in the Anvil Galaxy. Most planets, systems 
  and interstellar alliances in the Three Galaxies tolerate and put 
  up with Gene-Tech, but only a few welcome or invite them. 
  Some outlaw the aliens and either chase away or destroy them 
  whenever Gene-Tech make their presence known. Inevitably, 
  the appearance of a Gene-Tech individual or small group means 
  trouble on some scale. Ultimately, the aliens are just too secre­
  tive, aloof, weird and spooky to make many friends in the inter­
  galactic community (not that they seem to be looking for any). 
  Thus, the Gene-Tech are the eternal outsiders ever floating 
  around the fringe. 
  The Thresher's orbital complex and genetic anny in the 
  Threshold were only discovered recently, two years ago, by the 
  Cosmo-Knights. Nobody knows what to make of it and all are 
  worried, even the Splugorth and TGE who immediately consider 
  ways how they might exploit and benefit from the situation, es­
  pecially if the rumors are true about them creating super-annies 
  for sale. The Golgan Republik is positively freaked out and have 
  a thousand conspiracy theories on the unnerving discovery. 
  Worlds of Interest 
  Genesis Factory: This is the Gene-Threshers' base of opera­
  tion. A giant, two-piece space station with an outer ring and a 
  sphere suspended in the center. It is without question the Three 
  Galaxies largest genetics engineering laboratory. A full half of 
  the moon-sized facility is devoted to the creation, cloning, grow­
  ing and conditioning of the Threshers' super-soldiers. A quarter 
  is life support and infrastructure, and 22% is for manufacturing 
  and maintenance. Only 3% is devoted to living space, laborato­
  ries and new research. 
  The Cage #1-7: Another gigantic space station type con­
  struct that is effectively the size of an artificial world or massive 
  space station, only these are massive storage facilities that hold 
  their mutant annies in stasis until . . . .  whatever. Cage #7 is 
  still under construction and yet to be "stocked." Cage #1-5 are 
  filled and Cage #6 is at 8 1  % capacity. 
  
  Worshipers and willing slaves are gathered in star ships and 
  makeshift space stations all strung together to create something 
  of a floating junkyard or parking lot floating in space. The 
  Gene-Tech will not let them on the Genesis Factory or Cage 
  Stations, so they gather in whatever they came in to be near the 
  ones they 
  have 
  deemed 
  to 
  be 
  gods. 
  They 
  beg 
  the 
  Gene-Threshers to utilize them to help or serve them in any 
  way. The Gene-Threshers sometimes use them as pawns in ge­
  netic experiments and sometimes have them run errands for 
  them or to do things for them like spying, information gathering 
  and creating a diversion. However, these slaves and fanatical 
  worshipers are always kept in the dark as to their masters' real 
  plans and know nothing about the goings on in the Threshold or 
  anything about the Gene-Tech or the Factory. 
  Gene-Splicing by the Gene-Tech 
  When one looks at all the myriad possibilities, there are mil­
  lions of variations that can be explored! Add in gene-splicing, 
  and the blending of one completely different life form with an­
  other, and the possibilities are virtually endless. 
  Gene-splicing is used to alter the genetic structure of one 
  creature by combining it with several traits from two or three 
  completely different aliens, monsters or animals. The "splicing" 
  process allows the aliens to bond different animal parts into one 
  monstrosity. Genetic reconstruction of the DNA code means 
  there is no risk of the body rejecting any of its new parts or 
  traits. The results can be staggering, combining incongruous and 
  normally incompatible elements that defy natural evolution. 
  One of the frightening things about these genetic modifica­
  tions its that because they are done on the most fundamental ge­
  netic level, frequently they can be passed on to offspring. Of 
  course, the Gene-Tech usually control whether or not such "im­
  provements" or "new variables" are hereditary or not. They can 
  make a creation compatible or incompatible with his own (origi­
  nal) species or compatible or not with other creations like him­
  self. Unfortunately for the victims of many genetic experiments, 
  they are one-of-a-kind creations and completely alien. 
  The following are just a few notable traits/changes that the 
  Gene-Tech can instill on humans and most other carbon life 
  forms. While their genetic manipUlation can produce an infmite 
  variety of results, each alien race, monster or animal can only 
  accommodate a certain range of changes. The following genetic 
  modifications are those discovered by the Gene-Tech to work on 
  99% of all creatures encountered in the Anvil Galaxy (including 
  many plants!). There are literally thousands of other modifica­
  tions the Gene-Tech are capable of, providing their test subject 
  has the right genetic make-up. 
  Note: Game Masters looking to craft a huge list of potential 
  Gene-Tech modifications, check out the super abilities section 
  of the Heroes Unlimited, 2nd Ed. RPG as well as the mutant 
  and bionics sections. As for a wide range of animal mutants and 
  animal powers you have to take a look at the After the Bomb 
  RPG, with over a hundred different mutant animals. That hav­
  ing been said, we encourage G.M.s to use their imaginations and 
  whip up their own genetic soup of mutants and super beings. 
  Remember, Gene-Tech, Threshers included, may also combine 
  bionics and cybernetics with their mutant creations. 
  Standard Genetic Modifications 
  Monster X: See the complete description in the Alien sec­
  tion of this book. Most (99%) Monster X are exclusively used 
  by the Gene-Tech and never sold or traded away. 
  Cyborg soldiers: Typically partial cyborgs with one or two 
  weapon arms and/or optics and sensors (occasionally built-in or 
  detachable jet packs, bionic wings, modular weapons arms, 
  bionic tentacles or extra pair of arms, bionic legs or machine 
  lower body, lungs, etc.) built into a living humanoid genetically 
  altered to better accept and compliment the artificial augmenta­
  tion. Typically the bionic "elements" serve a specific function 
  that goes hand in hand with a physical attribute, ability or 
  power, including great physical endurance and Mega-Damage 
  body (seldom more than 3D6xlO+ 90). 
  Warhounds: Are humanoid soldiers that are built from pred­
  atory animals or given predatory instincts and abilities, often an­
  imal-like or feral. Typically S.D.C. creatures who require body 
  armor or modest Mega-Damage beings (2D4xlO +P.E. attribute 
  number in M.D.C. plus an additional 106 M.D.C. per level of 
  experience). Warhounds often have a canine or wolfish appear­
  ance. Likes the taste of blood and likes to eat raw meat, may be 
  a cannibal (01-50% chance). 
  Common Abilities (in addition to attribute and skill bo­
  nuses ): + 1 attack per melee round, +1 D4 on initiative, + 1 D4 to 
  strike, +1 to parry and dodge, +2 to disarm, +3 to pull punch, +2 
  to roll with punch, fall or impact, + ID6 to save vs Horror Fac­
  tor, fatigues at one quarter the rate of humans and heals twice as 
  fast, has perfect vision, keen sense of hearing and smell (which 
  contribute to some of these bonuses). 
  Natural Weapons: Fangs for biting (typically does 3D6 
  S.D.C. damage), claws that may be retractable (typically does 
  3D6 S.D.C. damage plus P.S. damage bonus, or just does an ex­
  tra 106 or 2D6 M.D. if also has Supernatural P.S.). May also 
  have a prehensile tail or feet that can be used as an extra limb 
  and/or weapon. May also have horns or antlers (typically capa­
  ble of doing 2D6 or 3D6 points of damage). 
  Special abilities (Pick three): Superhuman P.S. (robotic 
  equivalent), Supernatural P.S. (counts as two choices), leaping 
  (can leap three times his height in length and width), climbing 
  (98% skill equivalent), swim (95% skill equivalent, plus can 
  hold breath for 106+6 minutes), track by smell (60% +2% per 
  level of experience, + 1 0% to follow blood scent or other very 
  strong scent), or prowl (75% skill equivalent). 10% may have 
  one or two Minor Super Abilities from the Heroes Unlimited™ 
  RPG. See the "Revised" Rifts® Conversion Book One for 
  Rifts® conversions. 
  Skills: Basic combat training including Hand to Hand: Expert 
  or Martial Arts, 104+1 Weapon Proficiencies, Radio Basic, 
  Military Etiquette, Land Navigation, Running or Body Building 
  and ID4 other very basic skills appropriate for a warrior. Most 
  Warhounds are illiterate and don't know math or how to drive a 
  vehicle. 
  Thresher Shapechangers: Typically an S.D.C. being with 
  the power to transform into a different shape and form. This can 
  be essentially a metamorphosis into any humanoid creature like 
  a Changeling or one of the Heroes UnlimitedTM RPG "Alter 
  Physical Structure"(any) super abilities. See the "Revised" 
  Rifts® Conversion Book One for Mega-Damage conversion for 
  these and other powers (and lots of other useful stuff). 
  1 31 
  
  Thresher 
  Super-Powered 
  Beings: 
  Typically 
  a 
  Mega-Damage humanoid with 5D6xlO M.D.C. +P.E. attribute 
  number. Most are "space capable" meaning they are impervious 
  to cold, can breathe without air for at least an hour at a time 
  (some indefmitely), fly (Flight Wingless, 200 mph/321 speed), 
  and one Minor or Major Super Ability of choice, typically a 
  type of Energy Explusion - no Control Elemental Force power, 
  nor Karmic Power or Lycanthropy. See the Heroes UnlimitedTM 
  RPG for complete description of super abilities (some conver­
  sion may be necessary). Also see the "Revised" Rifts® Conver­
  sion Book One for Mega-Damage conversion for many of 
  powers from Heroes UnlimitedTM and lots of other useful stuff. 
  Other types of mutants & powers 
  The following are other types of powers and abilities com­
  monly available from Gene-Tech. 
  • Reduce aging. Doubles the average life expectancy and the 
  character always looks reasonably youthful. 
  • Stop aging. Actually the aging process is so dramatically re­
  duced that he seems to have stopped aging entirely. Add 2D6 
  x 100 years to the character's normal life expectancy. 
  • Increase a creature's height and weight by as much as 1 00% 
  or reduce it by as much as 50%. 
  • Increase human intelligence up to 30 but roll for one random 
  insanity. 
  • Increase human aggression: +3 on initiative, +3 to strike and 
  parry, +2 to save vs horror factor, +4D6 S.D.C.; tends to be 
  hyper, short tempered, suspicious of others, competitive, 
  loves combat and physical contests. Level of concentration is 
  reduced; - 10% on skill performance and may have trouble 
  sleeping. 
  • Add 2D4 psionic powers from any of the three lesser catego­
  ries to minor psionics and double l.S.P.; add 3D4 psionic 
  powers from any of the three lesser categories or four Super 
  Psi-power to Major Psionics and double l.S.P.; or give ALL 
  psionic powers of the Mind Melter or Mind Bleeders, and 
  double l.S.P. 
  • Double the I.S.P., range and damage of a Burster's powers. 
  Create the genetic equivalent of the following D.C.C.s: 
  Burster, dog boy, crazy or juicer without artificial implants or 
  drugs. 
  • Add one to four arms, tail (prehensile or not), wings and the 
  capability to fly (may mean hollow bones and different size), 
  horns, and others. Can also change physical features. 
  • Mega-Conversion! The test subject has been transformed into 
  a light Mega-Damage creature To determine M.D.C., add to­
  gether the test subjects hit points and S.D.C. And add 
  ID4xl0. This goes up by 1 0  M.D.C. Per additional level of 
  experience. 50% of the time, this transformation will also 
  give the test subject supernatural P.S. (Although this P.S. 
  Score will not increase). 
  Game Master Notes: How to use a Gene-Tech 
  One might think of Gene-Tech as a custom-design Monsters 
  Factory as well as a reoccurring villain and story device. Using 
  them as a story element, the Game Master can devise 
  "one-of-a-kind" aliens, mutants and monsters, creating alterna­
  tives to the beings who populate the Three Galaxies. This can be 
  1 32 
  useful in keeping players on their toes and guessing when an un­
  known alien or monster steps around the comer. Or they can be 
  thrown for a curve when a familiar looking alien demonstrates 
  some unusual power or ability. 
  The Gene-Tech is definitely restricted to non-player charac­
  ters (NPCs). As arch-villains, they offer virtually limitless pos­
  sibilities. BEWARE! Going crazy with the possibilities can 
  unbalance your game or tum it into a monster-fest. Neither is 
  desirable. To best use these characters, consider the following 
  tips: 
  1. Gene-Tech should be used sparingly and in ways that are 
  twisted, evil and dangerous. They are not benevolent beings, so 
  they aren't going to create superhumans for the betterment of 
  mankind and often have an ulterior motive, even if it is just to 
  cause trouble or extract revenge. Nor are they likely to save a 
  brilliant leader or hero from old age, disease or injury unless 
  there's something in it for them, and the end result will always 
  come with something negative - some cursed aspect, deformity 
  or foul side-effect. 
  2. Not all monsters are ugly or alien looking. Evil is a state of 
  mind and a way of life. 
  3. They have a twisted sense of amusement, humor and art, 
  often turning heroes into grotesque monsters and monsters into 
  beautiful or at least more attractive looking beings. 
  4. The creations of Gene-Tech monsters can be responsible 
  for random acts of violence and intervention that could have lit­
  tle, medium level or great consequences to a particular person, 
  place or event. 
  S. A Gene-Tech creation could become a major hero, misun­
  derstood villain, an arch-villain, predator, slave, minion or just 
  about anything. Whether or not a genetically reconstructed char­
  acter is available as a player characters (and what his powers 
  and penalties may be) is left entirely to the discretion of the 
  Game Master. 
  6. Always think about the creations you allow in the game ei­
  ther as NPCs or player characters. 
  7. Gene-Tech can also make clones, duplicating perfectly any 
  individual, even themselves. It is rumored that every Gene-Tech 
  keeps several backup copies of themselves hidden away and at­
  tuned to the original person's brain waves. Then the brain signal 
  from the original ceases, the nearest clone comes online and 
  picks up where the original left off. 
  8. People can't usually tell the difference between a 
  Gene-Tech "work of art" and an alien from another world. 
  9. Don't bee too vicious. Show some compassion. 
  10. Monsters and mutants created from the Three Galaxies 
  don't have to adapt to a strange new environment. They already 
  know the lay of the land and should be able to understand the 
  languages, existing technology, laws, customs, routines, and so 
  on, of the region. This strange familiarity can add to the mys­
  tery, suspense and tragedy of encounters with such beings. 
  Some Limitations 
  1. There are not many Gene-Tech throughout the Megaverse, 
  let alone the Anvil Galaxy. At present, there are probably less 
  than 1 000 in the entire galaxy, and only a few times more 
  throughout the Three Galaxies at large. Why there are so few of 
  these creatures is a mystery, but not one most people are willing 
  
  to question. For them, it is fortunate there are not more of these 
  evil beings, so whatever has made them so scarce is something 
  to be thankful for. 
  2. Although they can alter and evolve animals they usually 
  spend most of their energy mutating humanoids and other intel­
  ligent life forms. One can only presume that the aliens get 
  greater sadistic pleasure transforming creatures who will under­
  stand what horrors have befallen them and what their future may 
  hold. 
  3. Remember, Gene-Tech are evil and they are motivated by 
  cruelty and evil. They like to inflict misery on others through 
  genetic reconstruction. They will seldom do anything to help 
  anybody. 
  4. The creations of Gene-Tech are usually monstrous or de­
  liberately flawed in some way. Remember, the majority are 
  nothing more than genetic experiments. Like all experiments, 
  some are more successful than others. 
  5. It takes 3D4 weeks to perform major genetic reconstruc­
  tion, sometimes longer. However, simple genetic grafts, splicing 
  The Core 
  To the inhabitants of the Halo section of the Anvil Galaxy, 
  the Core is a region of nearly total mystery. Very few spacers 
  ever make it there despite some heroic efforts, and even UWW 
  operatives who can travel to the Core instantly by magic have 
  done little exploration and even less diplomacy with the daz­
  zling array of alien races living there. 
  What little is known about the Core is that it is a dense star 
  field rich with worlds and rich with life. However, these worlds 
  are totally incompatible with those of the Halo, so there is virtu­
  ally no carbon-based life to be found. Any creatures in the Core 
  are either of a totally different elemental strain (silicon-based, 
  hydrogen-based, etc.) or they are carbon aliens who have some­
  how figured out the means to endure their strange and hostile 
  environment. 
  The Core is commonly believed to be the resting place of the 
  Cosmic Forge, but even if that were defmitely the case (it may 
  not be - the Cosmic Forge's location is not known by anyone), 
  combing the Core for it would be no easy feat. It is still around 
  three thousand light-years across, and the number of worlds and 
  stars it contains is much denser than what might be found in the 
  and minor alterations can be accomplished in 6D6 hours, so can 
  most bionic procedures. 
  6. Gene-Tech can quickly become hated and hunted monsters 
  themselves. Many communities will try to find and destroy 
  them, or at least chase them away. Indeed, the CCW, UWW 
  and most Independent Worlds consider the aliens to be a plague 
  that needs to be confronted wherever and whenever they rear 
  their ugly heads. 
  7. Gene-Tech NEVER share their secrets! The TGE (and oth­
  ers) would pay or do just about anything to possess even a frac­
  tion of the Gene-Tech' knowledge of genetic reconstruction, but 
  it will NEVER happen. 
  S. At least one third of their creations include cybernetic and 
  bionic augmentation. 
  9. Energy beings, alien intelligences, androids, and most, true 
  supernatural beings and creatures of magic cannot be genetically 
  altered. 
  10. Lost limbs cannot (as a rule) be genetically regrown. 
  However, new limbs of all kinds can be attached onto an indi­
  vidual from other creatures or clones. 
  are preparing an assault on the Threshold itself, perhaps to elim­
  inate whatever it is that has been making it so tough for space­
  ships to cross it. If the Cosmo-Knights are successful in this 
  regard (and they might very well be), then the Core shall be 
  much more open to exploration, and the peoples of the Halo and 
  the Core can meet and interact like never before. Who knows? 
  Maybe this will bring about a new golden age for the Anvil Gal­
  axy, with joint discovery and sharing of the Cosmic Forge to the 
  mutual benefit of all! Or perhaps it is a colossal disaster waiting 
  to happen as so many incompatible aliens get thrown in the mix 
  together and learn that not only do they not understand each 
  other, they do not trust each other, and they can not abide the 
  other's presence. A kind of hatred that only leads to war. 
  Note: Since much of the Core remains a mystery, it will only 
  receive a brief overview in this book. However, keep your eyes 
  peeled for the upcoming Cosmo-Knights sourcebook, which 
  will not only reveal more secrets about the Cosmo-Knights, but 
  it will uncover much more about the Core of the Anvil Galaxy, 
  the many exotic alien civilizations therein, and the impending 
  Cosmo-Knight invasion which might push the Forge War to a 
  whole new level. 
  The Powers That Be 
  Halo. In terms of ground to cover, the Core is at least as "large" 
  Strangely enough, the alien races living in the Core seem to 
  as the Halo, if not more so. Any search for the Cosmic Forge 
  not be interested in the Cosmic Forge. From the very few con-
  will be an extremely long and exhaustive process unless the 
  tacts Halo explorers have had with Core aliens (mostly the 
  searchers enlist the aid of local help, or if they somehow are at-
  Xodian Collective and the K!ozn Continuum), the Cosmic Forge 
  tuned with the Cosmic Forge itself and use that to home in on it, 
  does not have the same cultural significance that it does in the 
  or are just plain lucky. 
  rest of the Three Galaxies. It is almost as if the peoples of the 
  Despite the ongoing efforts to learn more about the Core, it 
  Core have lived in isolation for so long that they have fallen out 
  still remains a mystery, even to the Anvil Galaxy's top scien-
  of touch with what the rest of the Three Galaxies think and 
  tists, explorers, mystics and Cosmo-Knights. But as long as such 
  want. Of course, the irony of this is that among the Three Gal-
  a mystery exists, there will be people willing to risk their lives 
  axies, there is a lot more territory like the Core than like the 
  to explore it. One thing that might help facilitate the exploration 
  Halo, and it is the Halo nations that are in the minority, not the 
  of the Core is the army of Cosmo-Knights assembling , on the 
  strange races found in the Three Galaxies' interiors. 
  Halo's border with the Threshold. For reasons they are not dis-
  Knowing that, Halo explorers try to be diplomatic and 
  cussing with anyone outside of their order, the Cosmo-Knights 
  easy-going when encountering Core aliens, but most of the time, 
  1 33 
  
  death and destruction result. For many years, it was just thought 
  that the Core aliens were savages or relentlessly hostile. Now, it 
  appears that a large group of Fallen Cosmo-Knights, the 
  Om egan Order, have set up shop in the Core. Surely they have 
  the ability to destroy Halo ships whenever they fmd them. 
  Hating the Cosmo-Knights as they do, and probably on the 
  search for the Cosmic Forge themselves, it makes sense that 
  they would want to suppress any search for the Forge that does 
  not directly benefit them. 
  There is also the enigmatic and powerful Xodian Collective, 
  which as far as anybody from the Halo can tell, is a 
  super-powered race of humanoids who have virtually no tech­
  nology because they rely solely on their incredible natural abili­
  ties. Not quite on par with Cosmo-Knights in terms of raw 
  strength or power, the sheer number of Xodians makes the� at 
  least as formidable a force in the galaxy as the Cosmo-KnIghts 
  and even certain small or medium-sized power blocs. The 
  Xodians do not appear to be overtly hostile, but they have been 
  responsible for the destruction of several exploration vessels 
  that made it to the Core. Scientists believe that the Xodians are 
  merely mistaking these exploration ships as war vessels and are 
  only attacking to defend themselves. If the Halo can figure out a 
  way to tell the Xodians the truth, an ally in the Core might be in 
  the making. 
  Finally, there is the K!ozn (COT -zin) Continuum. These 
  aloof, super-intelligent aliens were quietly working on evo!ving 
  their race to its next, god-like step when the Forge War kIcked 
  up over in the Halo. Now, like somebody disturbed right before 
  he goes to sleep by the racket of kids across the street, the K!ozn 
  have angrily put off their planned evolutionary ascension and 
  sent some of their junior members (along with members of the 
  K!ozn's warrior races) into the Halo to see exactly what the 
  heck is going on. This gives the K!ozn reason enough to wage 
  war against the people of the Halo, to keep them from establish­
  ing a base in the Core and bringing their hated Forge War into 
  their sector of space. 
  These are just three out of hundreds of major races living in 
  the Core, any number of which could have a reason for pre�ent­
  ing Halo ships from visiting. Some might be overtly hostIle to 
  anything from beyond the Threshold. Others might be afraid 
  that the carbon life forms will seek to transform the Core worlds 
  into worlds more suitable for carbon habitation. Some might 
  have a religious devotion to the Cosmic Forge itself, and have 
  taken it upon themselves to deny any and all who are unworthy 
  of the Forge (read: everyone but them) from obtaining access to 
  it. Some might view the Halo aliens as barely evolved creatures 
  no more worthy of the Cosmic Forge than a bug would be wor­
  thy of the secrets of space travel. Some might hold a grudge 
  from some terrible conflict between the Halo and the Core long 
  ago. Some might just think that the Core is their soverei� terri­
  tory and they will be damned if they let some grubby l�ttl.e car­
  bon life forms invade it uninvited. The upshot of all thIS IS that 
  for the moment, nobody knows what is going on in the Core, or 
  how it might play into the phenomena of the Threshold and the 
  larger implications of all this with the Forge War and life out­
  side the Core. Until somebody learns something more, it will re­
  main a tantalizing but unexplored part of the Anvil Galaxy, its 
  secrets safe for now. 
  1 34 
  Omegan Order 
  Population: One billion sentient beings (estimated; this 
  number could be extremely higher than originally projected). 
  Demographics: Fewer than 1,000 Fallen Cosmo-Knights 
  form the leadership of this dark society. Supplementing them 
  are an undetermined number of renegade Invincible Guardsmen 
  from the TGE, and other super-powered beings. The rest of the 
  Order's sentients consist of races found only in the Core, nearly 
  all of which are unknown to the various power blocs in the 
  Halo. 
  Overview: The dark side of the otherwise heroic and noble 
  Cosmo-Knights is the sinister Omegan Order, a counter-society 
  originally created by "fallen" knights - those who were granted 
  powers by the Cosmic Forge to mete out justice throughout the 
  Three Galaxies, but who could not keep from abusing their re­
  markable gifts. These individuals tried to take over worlds out­
  right, committed acts of mass murder and/or genocide, and other 
  vile deeds of abuse and tyranny. The Cosmic Forge is always 
  watching its charges, and those who break its laws are always 
  punished. They lose all but a fraction of their former abilities, 
  and they must live forever more with the nagging memories of 
  what it once was like to command such incredible power only to 
  be returned to a lowly state. 
  
  Most of the time, Fallen Cosmo-Knights wander the galaxy, 
  bitter and alone. Some kill themselves, some go mad, some lose 
  themselves to a life of drink (or worse). All in all, theirs is a 
  tragic case, but once one falls from grace, they rarely have the 
  strength and conviction to continue their evil deeds. They just 
  slowly dwindle away, like an ancient and dying star. 
  A small cadre of fallen knights somehow maintained their 
  drive and vision, even after losing their cosmic powers. They 
  banded together and swore that one day they, and their brethren, 
  would return to the Halo and wreak havoc on it. They would 
  rule the galaxy with an iron fist. They would see the 
  Cosmo-Knights driven before them. And they would control ul­
  timate power by fmding and enslaving the very Cosmic Forge 
  that once spurned them. 
  Over the last few decades, a growing number of Fallen 
  Cosmo-Knights, calling themselves the Omegan Order, have 
  slowly recruited other fallen knights into their ranks, as well as 
  huge legions of thieves, killers, pirates, mercenaries, and any 
  other interstellar cut throat willing to join this army of darkness. 
  After the first ten years, the order gained momentum, and now 
  virtually every Fallen Cosmo-Knight in the Anvil Galaxy has 
  hooked up with the Omegan Order, bringing with them what­
  ever lowly minions they could fmd. 
  In a wildly unexpected move, the Omegans also managed to 
  recruit several dozen disaffected Invincible Guardsmen from the 
  TGE. These are super-powered warriors close to being on par 
  with Cosmo-Knights but supposedly fanatical devotees of the 
  Kreeghor Emperor. How could the Omegans have gotten to 
  these, the most dedicated loyalists of the Trans-Galactic Em­
  pire? Some think that maybe the Invincible Guardsmen are not 
  so fanatical after all, and that some are unhappy with how the 
  Empire is being run and how they, in particular, are being 
  treated. Others think that the Guardsmen are susceptible to good 
  and evil just like anybody, and that those whose moral centers 
  failed them turned to the Omegans. Still others suspect that there 
  is a larger, more sinister force at work, something that is cor­
  rupting good Cosmo-Knights and loyal Invincible Guardsmen 
  alike. This force would be responsible for the alarmingly high 
  number of fallen knights (their numbers have tripled in the last 
  twenty years alone) as well as the Invincible Guardsmen insur­
  rections occurring here and there in the TGE. If such a force is 
  at work, then the civilized peoples of the Anvil Galaxy have a 
  major problem on their hands. What could be so strong that it 
  could corrupt the soul of the galaxy's purest champions and sol­
  diers? So far, there is no answer, and quite honestly, there are 
  those who would rather not find one for fear of learning what 
  the Anvil Galaxy might be up against. 
  Whatever is providing the Omegan Order with its energy -
  be it a supernatural mystery force or simply the natural gather­
  ing of some really bad people - the Omegan Order is a force 
  that must be stopped and destroyed entirely. They are in the 
  Core already. They are looking for the Cosmic Forge, and as far 
  as anybody can tell, they may be the closest to finding it. After 
  all, is not even a Fallen Cosmo-Knight somehow linked to the 
  Cosmic Forge? Can't they feel its energies? 
  If the Omegan Order wins control of the Forge, certainly 
  they will lose it shortly thereafter (the Cosmic Forge does not 
  like being a tool of evil), but before then, the Omegans would 
  surely do something unspeakable with it. (Like extinguish all of 
  1 35 
  the stars in the Anvil Galaxy, render themselves invincible and 
  immortal, or any of a number of other horrific plans.) Nobody 
  really knows how close the Omegans might or might not be to 
  the Cosmic Forge, but the thought of them seriously searching 
  for it is enough to send shivers down a Cosmo-Knight's spine. 
  For the sake of the Cosmic Forge, the Anvil Galaxy, and the en­
  tire Megaverse, the Omegan Order must be destroyed immedi­
  ately. It is for this reason that many military analysts believe the 
  Cosmo-Knights and their allies are lining up on the edge of the 
  Threshold, preparing for a big jump into the breach. Maybe they 
  have decided the Omegans have had their fun long enough, and 
  that it is fmally time for this ultimate battle to join. 
  Om egan Order Rumor Mill 
  1) The alien races of the Core are far more likely to work 
  with the Omegan Order than with any power bloc of the Halo. 
  2) The Omegan Order has developed a super-weapon that 
  will more than offset any extra power the Cosmo-Knights might 
  possess. 
  3) All Cosmo-Knights are destined to become fallen knights 
  someday, and when they do, the Omegan Order will be there to 
  accept them. 
  4) There can only be a certain number of Cosmo-Knights 
  and/or fallen knights in the universe at the same time. The 
  Omegan order is slowly boxing out the possibility for there to be 
  new Cosmo-Knights by providing a place where all the bad 
  guys can live in peace. With every fallen knight who stays alive 
  while a crusading Cosmo-Knight dies, the number of bad out­
  weighing the good increases by just a little bit more. Could it be 
  tipping the scales of good and evil on a cosmic level, at least in 
  the Three Galaxies? 
  5) The Omegan Order maintains its headquarters in the heart 
  of a rogue moon somewhere along the Core's edge. The moon 
  has a huge engine on it so the Omegans may actually pilot it 
  from place to place. It is a huge floating fortress that dwarfs any 
  of the Dominator planetoid fortresses. 
  6) If the Omegan Order fmds the Cosmic Forge, they will all 
  get their original power back. Perhaps even greater power than 
  before. 
  7) The Omegan Order has within its capability, the means to 
  destroy either the CCW or the TGE in a single stroke. They 
  have not used it because they cannot decide on which civiliza­
  tion to snuff out. 
  8) The real reason why technology has not really progressed 
  in the Anvil Galaxy the past fifty years is because the insidious 
  Omegan Order has conspired to make it so. They have done this 
  so that the technologies they are developing - starships, artificial 
  intelligence, armor and shielding, prototype phase components -
  are well ahead of anything the Halo can produce. 
  9) Every hundred years, up to six Omegans regain their full 
  powers as Cosmo-Knights, only any villainy they conduct after­
  wards does not result in the revocation of their powers. It is like 
  the Cosmic Force has mistakenly granted these foul knights pa­
  role and fully reinstated them without thinking about what they 
  would actually do with their restored power. 
  10) The worlds controlled by the Omegan Order are the clos­
  est thing to Earth-like habitats in the Core. If anybody from the 
  Halo wishes to make an extended exploration of the galaxy, they 
  
  will need a good base of operations. The only worlds that fit that 
  bill are in Omegan hands. 
  11) Supposedly, there is one Fallen Cosmo-Knight locked in 
  something like an undead state. He was defeated long ago by 
  true Cosmo-Knights, but he never truly died. Instead, his cor­
  rupted life force lives on. It is said that any true knight who 
  touches this slain traitor to the cause will in turn be corrupted, 
  too. This single, unknown villain knight is thought to be the root 
  of all fallen knights, and if his body were destroyed, all fallen 
  knights would break free of their villainous mind set, and might 
  possibly regain their once-cherished cosmic power. 
  12) Threshold Gene-Tech have sold untold millions of genet­
  ically modified soldiers to the Omegans, who intend to use them 
  as expendable troops if and when the Cosmo-Knights and their 
  allies invade the Threshold and the Core. 
  Actually, conflicting rumors suggest the Gene-Threshers are 
  in league with the Omegans and create their army for them, 
  while others say the Gene-Threshers create their army to battle 
  and destroy the Omegans, either because they are rivals or be­
  cause the Threshers have joined forces with the good 
  Cosmo-Knights. Who knows what the Threshers are up to, or 
  whether it has anything at all to do with the Omegan Order? 
  13) The Omegan Order secretly receives help, intelligence 
  and assistance from its network of spies, which has agents in 
  very high places in the CCW, TGE, Naruni Enterprises, the 
  Altess Dynasty, and the Golgan Republik. 
  14) There is not a single non-human among the fallen 
  Cosmo-Knights. Could it be that only humans are capable of 
  falling from grace once they have been given the powers of a 
  Cosmo-Knight? 
  15) Any Fallen Cosmo-Knight who is captured will never 
  yield any useful information. Most are mentally conditioned so 
  that it is impossible for them to talk about certain topics (se­
  crets). Others have miniature nuclear or fusion bombs surgically 
  implanted in their bodies and slaved to their heartbeat. The mo­
  ment their heart stops, the bomb goes off. 
  16) Small strike teams of fallen Cosmo-Knights keep hitting 
  the same 20 or 30 worlds in the CCW and the TGE. Investiga­
  tors have been able to put no link between these worlds, and are 
  at a loss for the fallen knights' motivations. 
  17) The Omegan Order is composed of secret followers of 
  the Tenth Heresy, an unknown Heresy regarding the location of 
  the Cosmic Forge and how to get it. 
  18) The Omegans already have found the Forge - only to dis­
  cover that its power burned out long ago. There is nothing more 
  to search for. 
  19) There has been a coup d'etat within the Omegan Order. 
  Its leaders are dead, and a powerful faction within the Order 
  wants to admit the Cosmo-Knights to their territory and clean 
  house. The Cosmo-Knights must act quickly on this, lest the 
  Omegan rebels lose their grip on power. 
  20) The Omegans already have the Cosmic Forge and with it, 
  they have set into motion the chain of events that will unmake 
  the Anvil Galaxy within the next ten years. 
  1 36 
  Xodian Collective 
  Population: Three trillion (unreliable estimate). 
  Demographics: Unknown. 
  Overview: At present there is an impressive body of rumor, 
  speculation and hearsay that is circulating throughout the Halo 
  regarding the Xodian Collective. Since the Xodians are seem­
  ingly involved in about 80% of the ship disappearances in the 
  Threshold, the Halo power blocs have taken an acute interest in 
  these aliens, even if they know next to nothing about them. The 
  following is a breakdown of some of the most persistent nuggets 
  of information about the Xodians. Some, all or none of them 
  may be true. Until a scouting contingent from one of the Halo 
  worlds makes meaningful contact with the Xodians and has a 
  prolonged chance to converse with them and exchange informa­
  tion, the Xodians will remain just as mysterious as ever. Of 
  course, the lack of knowledge about this race has not stopped 
  the Halo's power blocs from all taking a stand on these crea­
  tures. The politicians and leaders of these major societies have 
  all decided that they would rather take any stand regarding the 
  Xodians - even if they abandon it later - than to take no stand at 
  all. Taking a stand requires one to keep an eye on the Xodians 
  and gather new information about them. All of them maintain at 
  least a trace level of readiness if and when the Xodians swing 
  into action. There is evidence that the Anvil Galaxy was invaded 
  by the Xodians once before. It could always happen again. 
  
  Xodian Rumor Mill 
  1) The Xodian Collective is a collection of clone worlds 
  where everybody is the same and the only thing separating one 
  from the competition is your record of deeds. It is the ultimate 
  meritocracy. 
  2) The Xodians are all tough customers, but when they pool 
  their strength, they are invincible! Somehow, they can share the 
  energies coursing within their bodies, creating an energy web 
  capable of doing almost anything. This is how they have sur­
  vived and remained independent, even now as the Forge War is 
  heating up. 
  3) Xodians are notoriously neutral in all things. They do not 
  like picking sides at all. Their involvement in the Threshold at­
  tacks is being done out of self-preservation. They believe they 
  are under attack by the Halo ships for some reason. 
  4) Xodians are extremely long lived, but are unable to learn 
  anything new or improve on what they already know or can do. 
  The time for that comes during brief periods of intense activity 
  once every few decades. 
  5) During their bursts of development, Xodians undergo a 
  personality change and become independent, opinionated, and 
  aligned. They adventure, carouse with others, and think for 
  themselves for a while, strengthening themselves as much as 
  possible. Then it ends and they return home to rejoin the Collec­
  tive. 
  6) Xodians appear as giant-sized, armored humanoids, only 
  their armor is really a kind of carapace that is resistant to all but 
  the most powerful of weapons. A Xodian's carapace is grooved 
  with intricate patterns of channels that all glow with energy 
  whenever they prepare to use their powers. 
  7) There are four sub-species of Xodians - low-level grunt, a 
  mid-level super-soldier, a high-level master planner, and a few 
  ultra-powerful overlords who command the entire society, but 
  are not above taking direct action in battles themselves. 
  8) The Xodians hate all carbon-based life because of a tenet 
  in their religion or philosophy that brands carbon as the "ele­
  ment of sin." 
  9) A renegade fragment of the Collective was expelled long 
  ago and it tried to colonize a portion of the Halo. It was de­
  stroyed after a long and costly war with the various power blocs 
  in existence at that time. 
  10) The Xodians are a soldier race created specifically by the 
  Cosmic Forge to protect it while it is in hiding. Xodian territory 
  forms a big perimeter around the center of the galaxy, which ob­
  viously must be where the Forge is hidden. 
  11) Xodians are the "finished draft" of a super-race created 
  by the Forge. The "rough draft" were the Cosmo-Knights, who 
  lack the uniformity and incorruptibility of the Xodians. 
  12) The Xodians do not actually know of the Cosmic Forge's 
  whereabouts, nor do they care. They are merely a huge society 
  trying to expand its territory throughout the Core so they all 
  have a place to live. The other Core aliens do not like the 
  Xodians' relentless advance, and so they sow seeds of rumors 
  about the Xodians being evil monsters in the Halo. They do this 
  in the hopes that Halo power blocs will pick a fight with the 
  Xodians, thus distracting them from their relentless pursuit of 
  new living area. 
  1 37 
  13) The Xodians are really the dying remnants of the First! 
  After the hiding of the Cosmic Forge and the near-obliteration 
  of the race, they regressed to a primitive state and have stayed 
  there ever since. 
  14) The Xodians have no use for technology, as they can fly 
  through space and manipulate energy with their own natural 
  abilities. They disdain anybody who must rely on machinery to 
  survive, and by extension, feel that the entire Halo are nothing 
  more than backward savages who should probably be wiped out 
  for the betterment of the Anvil Galaxy. 
  15) The Xodians are a silent partner in the Cosmo-Knights' 
  quest to bring peace and justice to the Anvil Galaxy. They are 
  arranging to help bring the CosmO-Knight invasion force across 
  the Threshold so they may attack the Omegan Order in full 
  strength. 
  16) Xodian "solos," those who have broken away from the 
  Collective, are turning up in the Halo as independent adventur­
  ers, mercenaries and freebooters. Commanding remarkable 
  power, they have no trouble finding jobs as super-soldiers in any 
  ofthe galaxy's war zones. 
  17) The Xodians know of secret pathways and methods for 
  crossing the Threshold safely. The Threshold is like a giant in­
  visible maze made up of harmonic energies. Deviate from the 
  safe courses through this maze, and suffer a harmonic disrup­
  tion! This explains why so few ships make it through safely. 
  18) The Xodians are paranoid about Halo visitors learning 
  too much about them, so they blank out the memory of visitors 
  before teleporting them back to wherever they came from. 
  19) Each member of the Xodian Collective is himself a col­
  lective organism consisting of billions of intelligent, psychic mi­
  croorganisms. These creatures come together and build a shared 
  body out of pure psychic energy. This is what gives them their 
  power. 
  20) Divergent thinkers from the Xodian planet of Nacene 
  have introduced a dangerous and virulent concept into the Col­
  lective of the Nacene Hierarchy. It states that one's echelon 
  should dictate one's position in society. For a society with no 
  rank at all, this is a wild concept, and one that threatens to tear 
  the Collective apart. Now, all Xodians are being forced to 
  choose a side. Are they with the Nacene Hierarchy, or are they 
  against it? 
  K! ozn Continuum 
  Population: Unknown. 
  Demographics: Unknown. 
  Overview: The K!ozn (pronounced "COT-zin") are a race of 
  extraordinarily advanced and enlightened people who are on the 
  verge of entering a new evolutionary phase, one in which they 
  will transcend the mere physical and become god-like beings of 
  pure energy. However, all of the ruckus in the Halo regarding 
  the Forge War, and increasing numbers of visitors trying to 
  cross the Threshold in search for the Cosmic Forge, has proven 
  to be a great collective distraction to the K!ozn race. Until these 
  conflicts are resolved, they will never be able to make their 
  long-awaited Ascension. The K!ozn would much rather lea:e 
  this turbulent galaxy far behind them, but for now they are stIll 
  stuck here, and if they want to leave, they will have to either 
  
  help the searchers of the Cosmic Forge fmd what they are look­
  ing for, discourage them from looking any further, or destroy 
  them outright. 
  The K!OZIl must tread carefully, for if total war ignites over 
  the Cosmic Forge, then the K!OZIl can write off Ascension for at 
  least another several centuries. However, there still is a chance 
  that they might salvage their progress towards Ascension if this 
  Forge situation can be controlled. Thus, the K!OZIl are sending 
  their most junior members to the Halo on a three-pronged mis­
  sion to: 1) Gain intelligence on the origin, players, conditions, 
  and likely outcomes of the Forge War, 2) Discern what it would 
  take to bring about the most expedient end to the Forge War, 
  and 3) Put plans in motion to bring about said expedient end. 
  The Forge War must be stopped by any means necessary. That 
  means if the K!OZIl nuke an entire world to prevent the Forge 
  War from flaring up in a particular sector, then that is perfectly 
  fme by the K!OZIl superiors. 
  It is assumed that K!OZIl operatives in the Halo are keeping a 
  very low profile, because none have ever been detected. 
  Granted, there are a ton of different alien species in the Halo, 
  many of which live on only one planet, so running into strange 
  life forms is to be expected. In that regard, it is easy for a 
  strange-looking alien to travel freely without gathering too 
  much notice. However, the K!OZIl are not carbon-based life 
  forms. They are something else, and as such, they will be unable 
  to handle any planetary environment in the Halo. While there 
  are certain aliens who must wear full environmental protection 
  at all times (the In'Valian Robo-Jockeys and the Lurgess are 
  two good examples), such aliens are few and far between, mak­
  ing it all the more likely that somewhere, somehow, somebody 
  will encounter a K!OZIl. But that has not happened yet, leading 
  some to wonder if maybe these aliens are just a figment of the 
  galaxy's collective imagination. 
  K!ozn Rumor Mill 
  1) The K!OZIl are remarkably humanoid in appearance for a 
  non-carbon life form. They are tall, slender, have large heads, 
  1 38 
  pointed ears, and purple skin. Their eyes are recessed deeply in 
  their eye sockets, and they tend to wear long, flowing robes that 
  conceal the features of their bodies. 
  2) Every K!OZIl has a triple-lobed brain. At any given time, 
  one of these lobes will be running as an independent brain, al­
  lowing the other two to rest. Every 8-10 hours, the K!OZIl'S pri­
  mary lobe switches off and another switches on. This gives the 
  K!OZIl the ability to work non-stop without ever sleeping, but his 
  personality will undergo minor changes as each lobe changes 
  over. 
  3) The K!OZIl do not even exist. They are the product of a 
  Halo rumor mill that specializes in telling tall tales for the pur­
  pose of manipulating galactic events. The story of the K!OZIl is 
  to light a fire under the searchers for the Cosmic Forge. To 
  make people in the Halo worried that some alien race in the 
  Core is getting involved in the search and they might lose their 
  chance to grab the Cosmic Forge if they do not take action 
  quickly. With that kind of infectious incentive, the Forge War 
  has begun and threatens to get even hotter s�ill. 
  4) The K!OZIl have not visited the Halo in force, but they do 
  send a lot of FTL message pulses to the various power blocs 
  looking for the Cosmic Forge. Usually, they are gloating mes­
  sages decrying the search for the Forge as a fool's crusade, and 
  an invitation to sure destruction. These messages also warn 
  against any Halo ship trying to cross the Threshold, which is 
  something they have been trying themselves to cross but without 
  success. 
  5) Rather than risk members of their own race on dangerous 
  missions, the K!ozn use members from one of a dozen different 
  soldier races at their disposal. Many of these aliens live to die, 
  and never really develop meaningful personalities. 
  6) The K!OZIl do not really believe in the Cosmic Forge, but 
  they do sense a great danger coming out of the Forge War, 
  which is why they are trying so hard to direct the crisis from 
  afar and from behind the scenes. They want to bring the war to 
  an end, regardless of who thinks they have the Cosmic Forge. 
  7) The only reason why the K!OZIl are so hellbent on As­
  cending is that when they do, each of them will have power 
  comparable to that of the Cosmic Forge. They will become the 
  rulers of the universe! 
  8) In one of the TGE's infamous Hellworld prisons, there is a 
  K!OZIl operative who knows everything that the K!OZIl do. He 
  can build their fabulous technology, he knows the truth behind 
  the Forge mythos, he knows why ships can't cross the Thresh­
  old, everything. He is scheduled for execution tomorrow. 
  9) The K!OZIl are masters of time travel, and the presence of 
  chronal distortions throughout the Anvil Galaxy is just the wake 
  of their own journeys through time. The K!OZIl forbid them­
  selves from changing the past, but they do jump into the future 
  all the time to raid it for resources, technology, information, etc., 
  and then they come back to their present, where they can use the 
  stuff without fear of what might happen to the future time line 
  (which may or may not happen anyway) that they took it from. 
  10) The K!OZIl have mapped out every single star, planet, and 
  sector of space in the Anvil Galaxy. For every moving object 
  they have a trajectory course, and they even have a bead on 66% 
  of all starships traveling through the galaxy, as well. It has taken 
  them a thousand years to set up this monitoring network, but 
  now that it is in place, there is no place in the galaxy they can 
  not see. 
  
  11) According to K!ozn scientists, the center of the Anvil 
  Galaxy is an enormous white hole, the reverse of a black hole. 
  Entire star systems constantly spew forth from the hole, contrib­
  uting to the Anvil Galaxy's gradual expansion across the Cos­
  mos. One day, it shall grow large enough to incorporate the 
  Corkscrew and Thundercloud Galaxies, forming a super-galaxy 
  the likes of which the universe has never seen. 
  12) The K!ozn live in a Utopian supertech society where 
  their every bit of machinery and technology is so radically ad­
  vanced it makes the most cutting-edge Naruni prototypes look 
  like a child's toy. They use super high-tech far beyond Naruni 
  means. 
  13) The K!ozn know of Rifts Earth, have visited it a few 
  times undetected, and have written it off as an unimportant 
  backwater place of chaos. They fmd the Four Horsemen of the 
  Apocalypse intriguing, however, and wonder what they might 
  do once they lay waste to that world. Move on to other planets, 
  perhaps? 
  14) Unbeknownst to the vast majority of people, the K!ozn 
  were the secret power behind the building of Phase World. But 
  the K!ozn no longer have any use for it, so they have set into 
  motion a plan to destroy it. 
  15) The K!ozn were themselves created as a soldier race for 
  an ancient master race. The K!ozn rebelled, killing their masters 
  and seizing control of their own destinies. Now the K!ozn are 
  waiting for their own slaves to kill them and complete the cycle, 
  paving the way for the K!ozn's Ascension. 
  16) The K!ozn already control the Cosmic Forge and are 
  merely toying with the people of the Halo by dropping clues 
  here and there that make it seem like the Forge is still waiting to 
  be discovered somewhere. 
  17) This race is composed of anti-matter and will explode 
  with nuclear force the moment they come into contact with any­
  thing that is not anti-matter. They wear special containment 
  suits so they can interact with other creatures, but one breach to 
  these suits, and it's KA-BLAM! 
  18) For as long as there has been a CCW or a TGE, the 
  K!ozn have been stealing their ships from interstellar space and 
  storing them in a secret inter-dimensional pocket. The K!ozn 
  have been especially ruthless about ship-grabbing in the Thresh­
  old, which is why so many ships disappear there. For what pur­
  pose the K! ozn are keeping these ships is unknown. Some think 
  the K!ozn themselves are acting under mandate from an even 
  higher power still. 
  19) The K!ozn and their many agents are the true champions 
  of the Three Galaxies, and they are currently planning to launch 
  a crusade that will rid the galaxy of all evil. 
  20) When the Cosmic Forge is eventually found, it shall be 
  the K!ozn's job to destroy it. The K!ozn and the Forge are inex­
  tricably linked, as if they are two sides of the same force work­
  ing throughout the universe. In this regard, the K!ozn are less of 
  an alien species and more like an intelligent galactic phenome­
  non. 
  1 39 
  The World 
  Builder's Toolbox 
  An essential part of space opera is exploring strange new 
  worlds, and the Phase World® setting is no different. Even 
  though this sourcebook details a large number of pre-made 
  worlds, let's face it - part of the fun of running a campaign is 
  creating things yourselfl Making up worlds within the Anvil 
  Galaxy (or any other outer space setting, really) can be a fun and 
  immersive experience in which the creator can lavish as much 
  detail on the planet as he or she wants, right down to the cultural 
  intricacies of its inhabitants, fluctuations in local weather pat­
  terns, and so on. However, sometimes, one needs to whip up an 
  alien world in just a few minutes, or one might be stuck for 
  ideas. In either case, a random generator might do the trick. The 
  series of random tables that follow just give the bare bones for 
  creating an alien world. There are plenty of details left to the 
  G.M., such as designing alien cultures, assigning monsters and 
  animals, specific technologies, special magic, specific crises or 
  ongoing dramas, etc. But, the World Builder's Toolbox should 
  give you a good start. (Note: Because this book is an overview 
  of the Anvil Galaxy, many of the worlds described elsewhere in 
  this book could not include a lot of details about the actual plan­
  ets themselves. They largely focus on their primary intelligent 
  race, civilizations and ongoing crises or dramas. This set of ta­
  bles, however, can be used to generate whatever details the 
  G.M. feels one of his worlds might need.) 
  One more thing - astute Palladium fans might notice that the 
  Heroes Unlimited™ Galaxy Guide™ and The Rifter® #18 
  also feature a random planet creation system. This section is not 
  a reprint or expansion of those rules. It is merely another way of 
  rolling up planets. The Heroes Unlimited™ generator is de­
  signed to go hand in hand with that particular game's rules for 
  creating Alien super heroes, but if you feel it might be fun to use 
  for your Anvil GalaxyTM or Phase World® campaign, be our 
  guest. Heck, you can even combine the two (or three) systems if 
  you want! The important thing is to have fun and explore the 
  poss ibilities. 
  Solar System 
  These tables are just to give an overview of an entire solar 
  system. If you only wish to create a single planet, please skip 
  this section. Otherwise, just roll through it. When fmished, there 
  might be several different planets within the system. Roll 
  through the rest of the generator for each world to get a full set 
  of results. 
  Num ber of Stars 
  Like other galaxies, nearly half of all stars are part of a bi­
  nary system. While this is not so unusual, some scientists con­
  tend that their arrangement within the galaxy is. Certain Anvil 
  Galaxy researchers are mapping out the galaxy's entire stock of 
  binary systems to see if those systems form any kind of special 
  pattern. It is believed by these researchers that once the location 
  of every binary system is known, the pattern of those systems 
  will reveal the location of the Cosmic Forge. As a result, there 
  
  1 40 
  
  has been a recent rush of explorers trying to fmd binary systems 
  and report the information back to the scientists willing to pay 
  for such data. Needless to say, these mercenary explorers often 
  are in tight competition with each other, and when running afoul 
  of each other in deep space, vicious, dirty battles are the typical 
  result as each side tries to prevent the other from stealing their 
  payday. 
  01-50%: Solitaire. A single star in the center of the system. 
  Most solar systems in the Anvil Galaxy are like this. 
  51-90%: Binary stars. The system is really a pair of solar 
  system in tight formation. The planets of each star probably will 
  not interlock their orbits, but sometimes that actually does hap­
  pen. In such cases, the systems periodically "swap" the outer­
  most planets of either system. Sometimes, this leads to planetary 
  collisions that destroy both worlds and shower the rest of the so­
  lar system with deadly fragment. 
  91-97%: Trinary Stars. The solar system is actually a set of 
  three stars. Like a binary system, only larger. These are really 
  rare. 
  98-00%: Exotic Formation. The system might be a Quater­
  nary System (four stars) or it might feature some other ex­
  tremely unusual solar arrangement. Systems such as these are 
  almost unheard of. When they are discovered, they become 
  items of intense scientific interest, generating a kind of "gold 
  rush" in which research vessels streak to the system so they 
  might be the first to make a thorough examination of it. In such 
  cases, the local civilizations of these systems sometimes do not 
  know how to handle all of this sudden alien interest in their 
  home, and troubles arise. These might range from mild cultural 
  misunderstandings to all-out war. 
  Star Type 
  This is the spectral class of the star, or its basic type, size, di­
  ameter, and so on. In most space opera, this is more of a scien­
  tific detail that has no real importance on any of the dramas at 
  hand. We include it here as something that might spark addi­
  tional ideas for the worlds you are creating. An Earth-type 
  world, for example, will turn out a lot differently orbiting a 
  super-hot blue star than if it orbits a relatively mild yellow star 
  (like our sun) or a cold white dwarf. There are no rules for these 
  things; we are only offering them as fodder for your imagina­
  tion. 
  01-05%: Blue Supergiant. These are blue stars with a sur­
  face temperature of over 25,000 Kelvin, which makes them the 
  hottest standard star in the Anvil Galaxy. Blue super-giants stars 
  have roughly 60 times the mass of a yellow dwarf (the Earth's 
  Sun is a good example of a yellow star) and roughly 1 5  times 
  the radius. They are almost 1 .4 million times as bright as the 
  Sun and they emit incredible amounts of radiation, rendering 
  their solar system uninhabitable by the "standard" humanoid life 
  forms that populate the Three Galaxies. Non-carbon life forms 
  are known to live in blue supergiant star systems, however. 
  Most times, they are dependent on the high levels of radiation 
  they receive and therefore do not visit yellow, orange or red 
  dwarf systems because the radiation drought might starve them. 
  06-10%: Blue Giant. These are blue stars with surface tem­
  peratures ranging from 1 1 ,000 to 25,000 K. They have 1 8  times 
  more mass than the Sun, 7 times the radius, and are generally 
  2,000 times as bright. Though not as severe as a blue supergiant, 
  1 41 
  blue giants are still pretty nasty for carbon life forms, and they 
  are something to avoid, both because of their heat and radiation. 
  11-20%: Blue Sub-Giant. These are blue stars with surface 
  temperatures ranging from 7,500 to 1 1,000 K. They have 3.2 
  times the Sun's mass, 2.5 times the radius, and are around 80 
  times as bright. Compared to their two "big brothers" mentioned 
  above, blue sub-giants are the mildest of the purely blue stars. 
  They are still dangerous to most forms of carbon life, and their 
  systems are not eagerly sought for exploration or colonization. 
  Interestingly, the closer one gets to the core of the Anvil Galaxy, 
  the hotter and bluer the stars get, which explains why so many 
  of the civilizations to be found are on the galactic edge, among 
  the more yellow and red stars. Still, there are many civilizations 
  to be discovered in the galaxy, living amid the hottest blue stars, 
  strangely adapted to such environments. 
  21-35%: Blue Dwarf. These are blue-white stars with sur­
  face temperatures between 6,000 and 7,500 K. They have 1.7 
  times the mass of the Sun, roughly 1 .3 times the radius, and are 
  around six times as bright. For most carbon-based life forms, 
  blue dwarves are on the upper edge of systems they are likely to 
  inhabit. They are uncomfortably hot and bright, but they can be 
  adapted to far more easily than the upper-class blue stars. 
  36-55%: Yellow Dwarf. These are white-yellow stars with 
  surface temperatures between 5,000 and 6,000 K. The Sun is a 
  yellow dwarf. Oddly enough, over 66% of the civilizations in 
  the Anvil Galaxy are in systems with yellow dwarves. Most of 
  the others inhabit systems with orange or red dwarves, described 
  below. 
  56-75%: Orange Dwarf. These are orange-red stars with 
  surface temperatures less than that of the Sun, only 3,500 to 
  5,000 K. They are also smaller than the Sun, having only 0.8 
  times the Sun's mass and 0.9 times the Sun's radius. They are 
  also considerably less bright, having only 0.4 times the luminos­
  ity of the Sun. Orange dwarf systems are still fairly easy to in­
  habit, as evidenced time and time again by the many different 
  communities on the outer edge of the Anvil Galaxy. While 
  many aliens have evolved or adapted to live under orange dwarf 
  conditions, many other species (including humans) find it diffi­
  cult to exist here without some kind of assistance, be it a suit to 
  keep warm, or genetic modification to compensate for the lower 
  level of solar radiation. Orange dwarf-type aliens rarely have the 
  same difficulties when visiting yellow dwarf systems, a fact that 
  has always given "orange" aliens a bit of an edge in military 
  campaigns, since they need not specially outfit their ships or 
  personnel during raids or invasions of "yellow" territory. 
  76-000/0: Red Dwarf. These are the most commonly encoun­
  tered kind of star in the Anvil Galaxy. They are red stars with 
  relatively cool surface temperatures (for a star, anyway) of un­
  der 3,500 Kelvin. They have only 0.3 times the mass of the Sun, 
  0.4 times the radius, and they are only 0.04 times as bright as 
  the Sun. This makes them very faint. Aliens living under red 
  dwarf conditions often fmd it impossible to tolerate living under 
  anything brighter than a yellow dwarf unless they carry with 
  them some kind of intense shielding; ranging from polarizing 
  lenses to environmental exoskeletons that shield out all excess 
  radiation. 
  
  Number of Planets 
  01-10%: Zero. But don't give up hope! There can always be 
  artificial habitats (derelict spaceships, space stations, etc.) in the 
  system. Or, some strange alien race might inhabit the sun itself. 
  Ultimately, it is the G.M.'s call. 
  11-20%: One. Roll through the rest of the generator to see 
  what features this world has. 
  21-30%: Two. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  31-40%: Three. Roll through the rest of the generator for 
  each of the worlds in the system. 
  41-50%: Four. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  51-60%: Five. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  61-70%: Six. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  71-800/0: Seven. Roll through the rest of the generator for 
  each of the worlds in the system. 
  81-90%: Eight. Roll through the rest of the generator for 
  each of the worlds in the system. 
  91-93%: Nine. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  94-96%: Ten. Roll through the rest of the generator for each 
  of the worlds in the system. 
  97-00%: Eleven or more. Roll through the rest of the genera­
  tor for each of the worlds in the system. Chances are, all planets 
  in this system will be fairly small because the planetary mass 
  has been so spread out. Or, the system is simply gargantuan. 
  G.M.'s call. Either way, solar systems in the Anvil Galaxy 
  rarely have more than 1 5  worlds under any circumstances. Only 
  three such systems are on record, and in each case, most of the 
  worlds are merely large asteroids with nothing remarkable about 
  them other than their high number. 
  Optional: 
  When Stars Die 
  Stars, like organic life, grow old and die. They do so over in­
  credible lengths of time, but they die all the same, and when 
  they do so, they tend to have a massive effect on the planets that 
  orbit them. For the purposes of running campaigns in the Anvil 
  Galaxy, we offer the following tables for seeing if, a) the star of 
  a randomly generated system is about to kick the bucket and, b) 
  what it will do when it happens. This is not meant to be a strict 
  science lesson. It is meant to be another source of ideas for ad­
  ventures. 
  Imagine for a moment that the heroes are in a star system that 
  is on the verge of turning into a red giant or going supernova. 
  All of a sudden, life in the system becomes very dicey, doesn't 
  it? Politics can turn upside down, military situations might be 
  thrown on their head, local ley lines might surge uncontrollably, 
  and all sorts of other turmoil could result. Likewise, a system 
  whose star has become a brown or black dwarfmight once have 
  thrived with life, but now is a cold and dark place, home only to 
  barren planets that are covered with the ruins of whatever civili-
  zations once lived there. Such stellar graveyards could be fun 
  places for explorers to poke through or opportunists to plunder 
  for treasure and technology. Or, perhaps the system has been 
  living under these conditions for a while now, and as a result, 
  the societies there are really weird or bizarre, having adapted to 
  life around a turbulent supergiant or a black hole in the making. 
  The possibilities are endless, so throttle your imagination into 
  overdrive and see what you come up with! 
  The life span of a star depends on its mass. Generally speak­
  ing, the more massive a star is, the shorter its life span. (This 
  makes things a bit interesting in the core of the Anvil Galaxy, 
  which has an awful lot of massive stars, most of which seem to 
  teeter on the edge of their own demise - much to the concern of 
  the alien civilizations living in those systems.) A yellow dwarf 
  like the Sun has an estimated average life span of about 10 bil­
  lion years, but a blue supergiant, for example, might only live 
  for a few million years! Conversely, a red dwarf might live 
  twice as long or longer than a yellow dwarf. 
  However long a star lives for, none of them are immortal. 
  This is because all stars operate with a limited amount of fuel. 
  The nuclear reactions that cause stars to burn will eventually de­
  plete the star's internal fuel source. When that happens, the star 
  enters its death cycle, and that is when some really cool things 
  begin to go down. Some stars turn into brown or black dwarves. 
  Some turn into neutron stars, and some turn into black holes. 
  Whatever their fate, should you decide to incorporate a dying 
  star into the system you are creating, be sure to exploit this un­
  usual situation for all it is worth. Star death is a dramatic and 
  unique occurrence. It is the perfect excuse to cut your imagina­
  tion loose, so go for it! 
  If the G.M. wants to randomly determine if a star system is 
  about to hit its death cycle, roll percentile dice. A roll of 0 1-02% 
  means the star has begun its death cycle. To fmd out exactly 
  where, roll on the appropriate table below. Chances are, these 
  tables will radically alter the nature of the star, which is some­
  thing the G.M. should consider regarding the planets in the sys­
  tem. The planets of a red giant system will be having a much 
  hotter time than those of a planetary nebula or brown dwarf. 
  1 42 
  Small Stars 
  Yellow dwarves, orange dwarves and red dwarves all fall 
  into this category. When stars of this size die, they first become 
  red giants, then planetary nebulae, then white dwarves. Some­
  times, when in their white dwarf phase, small stars will turn into 
  novas. Ifnot, they become black dwarves. 
  01-23%: Red Giant. Initially, stars burn their vast stockpiles 
  of hydrogen as fuel. Well, they don't really "burn" hydrogen. 
  They fuse hydrogen into helium. For roughly 99% of its life­
  time, a star will bum hydrogen as its primary fuel. When the star 
  eventually runs out of hydrogen, it begins burning helium. This 
  changeover causes the star to expand to anywhere from 30 to 
  100 times its original size! 
  Despite this increase, the star's surface itself actually cools 
  off somewhat (thereby becoming "red" and no longer yellow or 
  orange). The star has now transformed into a red giant. When a 
  star goes red giant, it poses a serious problem to the planets or­
  biting it. When the Earth's Sun goes red giant (in about five bil­
  lion years, so don't worry), for example, it will completely 
  engulf Mercury and Venus, and it will turn Earth into a great, 
  
  big semi-molten slag pile. Mars' environment will heat up quite 
  a bit, too. In other words, the entire environment of the solar 
  system will be radically changed in a very short period of time. 
  In the Anvil Galaxy, red giants in inhabited systems tend to cre­
  ate mass evacuations of the rest of the system. During these 
  mad, panicked flights to safety, sometimes entire planetary in­
  frastructures are left behind. Huge factories, industrial stock­
  piles, etc., all discarded for the sake of safety. Salvage operators 
  generally view such places as great but risky targets, since much 
  can be scrounged from them, but the original owners often re­
  turn to pick up some of what they left behind. When these two 
  forces butt heads, flfeworks are sure to follow. 
  When red giants occur in uninhabited systems, they some­
  times draw large numbers of visitors who are convinced the gi­
  ant might be a manifestation of the Cosmic Forge. These visitors 
  include pilgrims looking to worship the Forge, military ships 
  looking to capture it, explorers seeking to study it, and adventur­
  ers looking to get involved in whatever trouble might arise. In 
  the Anvil Galaxy, red giants do not last very long, only for 
  about 1% of the star's previous life span (Le., the time from the 
  star's formation to when it turned into a red giant) before it ex­
  hausts the star's nuclear fuel and becomes a . . . .  
  24-46%: Planetary Nebula. Just as the star went through all 
  of its hydrogen, the red giant will go through all of its helium, 
  fusing it into carbon. For reasons too complicated to clutter up 
  an RPG book with, small stars cannot bum carbon, so the core 
  locks down. The nuclear fifes of the star have no more fuel to 
  bum, and the star itself condenses down to a diameter of only a 
  few thousand mileslkilometers. However, the outer layers of the 
  1 43 
  star that began expanding during the red giant phase will keep 
  on expanding as a huge cloud of stellar gas, forming a planetary 
  nebula (even though it really has nothing to do with planets). 
  In a game context, planetary nebulae are incredible resources 
  to mine for raw materials. Advanced civilizations have made a 
  practice of visiting planetary nebulae and scooping up all of that 
  stellar material into huge ram scoops, where it is then com­
  pressed on a molecular level into solid elements. Those ele­
  ments are then typically used as fuel, or in unusual situations, as 
  building material or even as a form of monetary unit. Though it 
  has remained largely unstudied, some scientists in the Three 
  Galaxies are intensely interested in what happens to planets that 
  are in the path of an expanding planetary nebula. Certain theo­
  ries suggest that in some cases, the planetary nebulae from un­
  usual stars have "coated" inhabited planets, effecting dramatic 
  changes on the populace, ranging from freakish deformities, 
  dramatic but inconsequential cosmetic changes (like a change in 
  skin color), a major shortening or lengthening of individual life 
  spans, the emergence of incredible super-powers, transformation 
  into Mega-Beings, a total reversal of alignment, the develop­
  ment of magical or psionic powers, and other wild results. None 
  of this has yet been proven, but there are plenty of scientists 
  willing to give it a try. 
  47-69%: White Dwarf. After a star goes through the plane­
  tary nebula phase, it will have no nuclear fuel left, and it be­
  comes a white dwarf. A faint reflection of its former self, the 
  star is a fraction of its original size and is very cool. For billions 
  of years, it will live out a twilight existence as it radiates the last 
  of its heat into space. Though white dwarves are small and cold 
  
  (relative to other stars), they still give off considerable amounts 
  of energy, and they tend to light up their surrounding planetary 
  nebulae in a beautiful spectacle. Astronomers in the Anvil Gal­
  axy often can spot white dwarves by sighting their surrounding 
  planetary nebulae ftrst. 
  White dwarves are also of interest to Anvil Galaxy scientists 
  because they are so incredibly dense. Were the Earth's Sun to 
  turn into a white dwarf, for example, a single teaspoon of it 
  would weigh about 16 tons once you got it back to Earth (or a 
  planet of similar gravity)! For those who mine stellar material, 
  planetary nebulae are nice, but the real payday are white 
  dwarves. If one has a ship capable of withstanding the incredible 
  gravity of a white dwarf (it exerts a force of nearly 100 million 
  pounds/45 million kg), then one can actually begin cutting it 
  apart and transporting the stellar material away as super-dense 
  raw materials. Decompressing the stuff is a complicated pro­
  cess, and only a handful of organizations can do it, most nota­
  bly, the CCW and the TGE, and even then only with limited 
  success. A few advanced local powers in the Anvil Galaxy have 
  had much more success with extracting and manipulating white 
  dwarf material, which explains why, even though they com­
  mand relatively few star systems, they have the material re­
  sources of an empire many times their size. This situation is 
  slowly but surely making it impossible for the large govern­
  ments of the CCW or the TGE to expand any further into the 
  Anvil Galaxy. In fact, in time it will probably result in the cur­
  rently "small" powers of the galaxies pushing these big powers 
  into smaller and smaller comers ofterritory before ejecting them 
  from the Anvil Galaxy altogether. Of course, this is a highly 
  speculative situation, and one many generations down the road, 
  but it is a situation that makes the farsighted CCW and the TGE 
  a bit nervous. As a result, both powers have spies and scientists 
  scrambling to figure out how to exploit white dwarves more ef­
  fectively. This has turned the once-barren and discarded terri­
  tory of the inner galaxy into white-hot interstellar real estate. 
  70-87%: Nova. If a white dwarf is part of a binary star sys­
  tem, then chances are it will turn into a nova at some point. 
  When this occurs, the white dwarf suddenly increases in bright­
  ness by a factor of 2x to 20x. The brightness peaks over a period 
  of ftve to twenty days, after which the star gradually dims back 
  to its normal luminosity. This dimming can last for a couple of 
  weeks to hundreds of days; every star's rate of decline is differ­
  ent. 
  Novas are interesting to astronomers on an academic level, 
  but they are positively deadly to explorers and miners who are 
  checking out a white dwarf when it undergoes this change. So 
  far, Anvil Galaxy scientists have been unable to accurately pre­
  dict when a nova candidate will actually go nova. This means 
  that any of the wildcatters who are "mining" a white dwarf do 
  so at the risk of getting caught at ground zero if and when a 
  nova transformation occurs. There is no technology in the Anvil 
  Galaxy that can withstand being right on top of a nova star. 
  Those caught in the transformation are instantly destroyed. 
  However, some theorists insist that on stars with any kind of ley 
  line activity, a nova will not destroy those on or near the star, 
  but instead transports them randomly across the Megaverse, to 
  parts unknown. Given that nobody ever hears from those unfor­
  tunates caught in a nova transformation, there is really no way 
  to tell if this "transportation" theory has any credibility. Yet. 
  1 44 
  One should note that as a white dwarf dims back to normal, it 
  ejects a tremendous amount of gas from itself. If any white 
  dwarf miners are in the area, this gas is of moderate value, 
  somewhere between harvesting planetary nebula gas and har­
  vesting actual white dwarf material. The problem with these gas 
  jets is they are short lived, and prospectors tend to crowd in on 
  each other to draw off the gas stream while it is around. This 
  tends to promote "claim jumping" as rival miners push each 
  other out of the gas stream. Tensions run high under situations 
  like these, so everybody involved tends to get a little jumpy, and 
  minor space battles between miners have been known to result. 
  88-00%: Black Dwarf. Once a white dwarf has expelled all 
  of its heat, it truly dies, becoming a black dwarf. Black dwarves 
  are fairly uncommon because white dwarves actually live for a 
  really long time (billions of years, in fact), and the Anvil Galaxy 
  is not all that old, astronomically speaking. 
  The chances of fmding white dwarves is decent, but ftnding 
  one that has finally died out is quite another story. To date, only 
  3 black dwarves have been reported in the entire Anvil Galaxy. 
  Of course, there might be more that have gone undiscovered. 
  And there are almost certainly some that have been discovered, 
  but kept a secret from the rest of the galactic community. The 
  reason why somebody would want to hide a black dwarf is be­
  cause these dead stars are essentially huge lumps of highly com­
  pressed carbon and are filled with diamonds! And we're not 
  talking about just measly one- or two-karat diamonds, either. 
  These are huge, ranging from the Hope Diamond to diamonds 
  the size of automobiles or houses. If mined and sold in the right 
  markets, the "diamond harvest" from a black dwarf can produce 
  unimaginable wealth (as a few local star systems have already 
  done). This is a tricky operation, though. If the miners flood 
  their local market too quickly, they will destroy the value of 
  their diamonds, making them nearly worthless. Moreover, if 
  news gets out of a black dwarf mine, certain parties will spare 
  no expense to take over the mine for themselves. This means pi­
  rates, evil (or just plain greedy) corporations, alien marauders 
  and cutthroat governments. Mining a black dwarf, an be ex­
  tremely rewarding, and talking about it can be extremely deadly. 
  Often the two end up going hand in hand, so those who stumble 
  upon these treasures must tread carefully when they cash in on 
  them. 
  Huge Stars 
  Huge stars include blue dwarves and blue sub-giants. When 
  stars of this size die, they ftrst become red supergiants, then go 
  out with a bang by 
  going supernova, and then became 
  super-dense neutron stars. 
  01-34%: Red Supergiant Much like their smaller cousins, 
  the red giants, red supergiants are large stars that have begun 
  burning helium instead of hydrogen. But, because these stars are 
  so much bigger in the ftrst place, their helium-burning reaction 
  is much more dramatic. Red giants expand to the size of an en­
  tire solar system, spelling certain doom for whatever planets 
  once orbited it. There is no escape - they all get engulfed by the 
  star, a process which melts down the planets and leaves nothing 
  behind later on. Red supergiants in the Anvil Galaxy develop 
  very quickly, ballooning from their normal size to supergiant 
  size in a period of 10-100 years. In inhabited systems, this 
  leaves plenty of time for folks to clear out before their homes 
  
  are destroyed. However, there have been examples in which 
  people did not want to leave their system without resolving a 
  few outstanding conflicts with their neighbors frrst, and what re­
  sulted was a system at war but under a time limit. These kinds 
  of conflicts typically end with one or both parties falling prey to 
  the system star as it overtakes them. 
  35-67%: Supernova. As a red supergiant bums, it trans­
  forms helium into carbon. These stars are so incredibly big and 
  hot they can bum the carbon, too, fusing it into still heavier ele­
  ments like oxygen and sodium. This keeps the red supergiant in 
  business until it creates a stockpile of iron and begins burning it. 
  Iron behaves differently from all of the elements the star had 
  previously been using as fuel. In short, it halts the star's nuclear 
  chain reaction and the star collapses under its own weight. The 
  iron in the star absorbs the energy of this collapse, allowing the 
  star to fall in on itself at tremendous speed. Then, like a tightly 
  coiled spring, the star expands back outward again in a cata­
  strophic explosion that leaves behind only the tiniest fragment 
  of its former self. In this explosion, the star's temperature rises 
  to several trillion degrees! This mega-explosion is a supernova, 
  arguably the most powerful naturally occurring event in deep 
  space. 
  Supernovas have their own importance in the Anvil Galaxy, 
  of course. First, they will obliterate whatever is in their solar 
  system at the time. Ships, space stations, asteroids, moons, plan­
  ets, all of it destroyed. There is no known force that can with­
  stand the blast of a supernova that close to ground zero. The 
  minimum safe distance from a supernova depends on the size of 
  the blast, but usually being in the next nearest star system is a 
  safe bet. Like a white dwarfs nova, supernovas give little to no 
  warning before they occur. The entire chain reaction that is a su­
  pernova takes just a few minutes, from beginning to end. In 
  most cases, this is not even enough time for people to get to 
  their spaceships and get out of town before the star explodes. 
  Ships already in space might have a chance if they initiate their 
  FTL protocols immediately, but even then, there is a decent 
  chance those ships might not get away in time. The best bet to 
  escape a supernova is some kind of teleportation or dimensional 
  travel - something that will instantaneously remove one from 
  harm's way. This might be one reason why so many conven­
  tional space travelers avoid red supergiants as a matter of 
  course. Would you want to take a chance on having a supernova 
  go off in your face? It might also account for why so many of 
  the Anvil Galaxy's psychics and practitioners of magic feel 
  comfortable around these stellar powder kegs. Reportedly, cer­
  tain mystics and psychics can tell when a red supergiant is about 
  to pop its cork, and they also have the means to blip out of the 
  system with a mere 15 second's notice. No scientific study has 
  been done of any mystic or psychic means of detecting an im­
  pending supernova, but nevertheless it remains an unwritten rule 
  that to see a supernova coming, science alone will not get the 
  job done. 
  On a darker note, there are also rumors that certain nefarious 
  elements within the galaxy, notably renegade scientists and 
  rogue governments, have been working on prototype weaponry 
  that would somehow accelerate a large star's rate of decrepitude 
  exponentially. The end result would be a device that could actu­
  ally cause a huge star to enter its red supergiant phase in the 
  span of a microsecond, and from there to go supernova a few 
  1 45 
  seconds later. People have talked about "star killers" for eons, 
  but so far, nobody has been able to create such a terrifying 
  weapon. Recent fears hinge on the bizarre and disturbing "chain 
  reaction" of supernovas several years ago in the southern sectors 
  of the galactic core, when the stars of seven adjacent solar sys­
  tems all went supernova in the span of a single 24 hour period. 
  Some fear that the event was somebody "testing" a star killer 
  weapon, but most believe it was a strange natural phenomenon 
  or a massive coincidence - many stars at or near the core are 
  fairly old and are entering their death cycles, despite the relative 
  youth of the Anvil Galaxy itself. Despite such explanations, the 
  rumors of a super-weapon being responsible for this event per­
  sist, and keep popping up in the galactic intelligence community 
  like a persistent cold nobody seems able to stamp out. Whether 
  or not any such weapon is being seriously researched by any­
  body or if this kind of weapon is even possible is something 
  both the CCW and the TGE care not to discuss publicly. That 
  stance only fuels the fires of speculation even more. The worry 
  with most state intelligence officials is that even if this supposed 
  super-weapon does not exist, the persistent discussion of one 
  will eventually inspire rogue scientists to try to build one. Such 
  technology, the CCW and the TGE feel, is best left undiscov­
  ered by everybody. On that, these two rival governments are in 
  total agreement. 
  68-00%: Neutron Star. What happens after a supernova de­
  pends on the size of the red supergiant that blew up. If it was ut­
  terly huge, then it turns into a black hole, which is discussed in 
  the next table. If it was smaller, like one of the stars in this cate­
  gory, then it turns into a neutron star. Just prior to the star's ex­
  plosion, the materials of the collapsing star pile up at the center, 
  and the star's remaining electrons and protons combine to form 
  neutrons and neutrinos. The center of the star is now a pure ball 
  of neutrons only ten miles (16 km) in diameter, but with most of 
  the star's original matter packed into it, giving it simply incredi­
  ble density. Neutron stars emit neutrinos all the time, like how a 
  frre might emit warmth, or a light bulb emits illumination. 
  Sometimes, neutron stars have "neutrino storms" - sharp bursts 
  of radiation that even planets with marginal technology (by 
  Phase World standards) can detect on radio telescopes. For 
  many low-tech astronomers, this activity also gives neutrons the 
  title of pulsars. But besides giving one type of star two different 
  names, these neutrino storms and their spikes of radiation play 
  an interesting role in the ongoing search for the Cosmic Forge. 
  Various scientific organizations have noted that the galactic pat­
  tern of pulsar emission, when charted over an extremely long 
  period of time (thousands upon thousands of years at the mini­
  mum), seems to fit a repeating pattern. The pulsar radiation 
  spikes might very well be part of a huge kind of galactic morse 
  code, but nobody has been able to discern if indeed these pulses 
  are part of a code, and if so, what that code might be saying. 
  Naturally, fmgers point towards the Cosmic Forge, and that this 
  is all a special means of locating the Forge, i.e. a trail left behind 
  by the Cosmic Forge itself. Only advanced civilizations would 
  be able to pick up such a subtle message, thereby ensuring that 
  only an advanced civilization would fmd the Cosmic Forge! A 
  nice theory, but it supposes that all pulsar activity is not natural, 
  but manipulated into being by some outside force. Many scien­
  tists laugh off such a notion, but lest they become too arrogant, 
  the Cosmic Forge itself is sure to have existed, and if that is the 
  
  case, then anything is possible, even a galactic Easter egg in the 
  form of a pulsar network steadily beaming out a message of 
  where to find the most carefully hidden object in history. 
  Giant Stars 
  Giant stars include blue giants and blue supergiants. When 
  stars of this size die, they first become red supergiants, then go 
  supernova, and then they collapse and become the bogeyman of 
  deep space, a dreaded (and revered) black hole. 
  01-34%: Red Supergiant. The transformation into a red 
  supergiant is essentially the same for both huge stars and giant 
  stars. For details on red supergiants, see the previous section. 
  The only real difference is size - red supergiants of this class 
  become much larger than even their entire solar system. In cases 
  of binary stars, they might even reach the outermost planets of 
  their neighboring solar system. 
  35-670/0: Supernova. The supernova chain reaction is essen­
  tially the same for both huge stars and giant stars. For details on 
  supernovas, see the previous section. The only real difference is 
  magnitude - the effects of a supernova from this class can be 
  felt even in adjacent star systems. This is especially true of bi­
  nary star systems, in which the supernova of one star will lay 
  waste to every planet orbiting the other star. In some cases, sci­
  entists have even recorded massive damage being done to the 
  companion star, such that the star began its own transformation 
  into a red supergiant and then into supernova almost immedi­
  ately thereafter. In such instances, absolutely nothing is left of 
  either solar system, and ships within 1 00 light years of the blasts 
  can expect to receive heavy damage, ifnot outright destruction. 
  68-00%: Black Hole. Most of the time, after a star explodes 
  into a supernova, it condenses into a neutron star. However, if 
  that star were supermassive, like a blue giant or blue supergiant, 
  then something different happens. After such stars go super­
  nova, they condense and form a body of such incredible gravity 
  that the very fabric of space and time warps infmitely, creating 
  the ultimate in spatial phenomena: the black hole. 
  In the Anvil Galaxy, back holes are both a blessing and a 
  curse. For ships not equipped with up to date navigational data, 
  accidental encounters with black holes are not uncommon, espe­
  cially the closer one gets to the galactic Core. If properly 
  equipped with navigational coordinates, and if driven by an ex­
  pert pilot, spaceships can navigate a black hole, skipping past its 
  singularity (the point where the star has been condensed to a sin­
  gle point - not really a place one wants to be under any circum­
  stance) and flying through the black hole. Once past the 
  singularity, the pilot will see that black holes actually form 
  hyperspace tunnels to other places! Sometimes these tunnels are 
  to other spots in the Anvil Galaxy or the Three Galaxies, or 
  sometimes they lead to alien worlds and dimensions far across 
  the Megaverse. Sometimes a black hole's 'wormhole' wanders 
  like a water hose without somebody to hold on to it, a tunnel 
  that sends its travelers to a different destination every time. 
  Other times, wormholes are ftxed and can be used as a regular 
  shortcut by interstellar travelers. 
  Wormholes are a relatively easy means of skipping across 
  huge distances in no time at all, but such capabilities are tempt­
  ing to galactic engineers, many of whom are currently hard at 
  work at perfecting hypergravitic technology - machines that can 
  artiftcially enhance gravity to such a point that an artificial 
  1 46 
  black hole might be made for travel purposes. Of course, certain 
  scientists on such projects secretly fear this technology might be 
  used as a weapon, and so they are actually willing to lie, cheat, 
  steal and commit sabotage to see that their project does not al­
  ways succeed, especially when their superiors come for peer re­
  view. 
  Planetology 
  Okay, so we know what kind of star we have and how many 
  planets are in the system. Now is the time to hash out the details 
  for every planet. This is where the real fun (and the real detail) 
  begins. There are ftve basic categories to planetology: type 
  (moon, asteroid, planet, etc.), diameter (relative to the norm for 
  that planetary type), gravity (again, relative to the norm for that 
  planetary type), temperature, and special features (moons, rings, 
  etc.). 
  Type 
  01-15%: Asteroid. This entails any rocky body between 10 
  km and 1 ,000 km in diameter. Anything larger than that may be 
  classifted as a planet. Anything smaller than that is considered a 
  meteorite. Asteroids generally do not have an atmosphere, 
  standing water, or biosphere (plants and animals). However, 
  there are always exceptions to the rule, such as an asteroid with 
  some giant creature living inside of it, an asteroid with large ice 
  plates on its surface or an asteroid with trace amounts of oxygen 
  clinging to it. In these cases, however, such elements almost al­
  ways are deposited on the asteroid by some external force. 
  Throughout the Anvil Galaxy, there are many examples of how 
  asteroids actually are attractive habitats for certain people. Mer­
  cenaries, pirates, and rebels all love to hide out in asteroid belts 
  because the real estate is cheap and it is easy to lie low there. 
  Miners like asteroids because they can make their home right on 
  top of their workplace. Hermits like them because they can get 
  some decent solitude. And adventurers like them, well because 
  asteroids are just cool. 
  16-55%: Terrestrial Planet. Also known as "rocky" plan­
  ets, worlds of this type are like Mercury, Venus, Mars and the 
  Earth - relatively small rocky bodies that might or might not 
  support atmospheres, water or life. They are different from gas 
  giants in that they are more rock than gas. In any given solar 
  system, terrestrial planets tend to be closer to the sun than any 
  gas giants. They also tend to be the ones most likely to harbor 
  some kind of life or civilization. 
  56-96%: Gas Giant. Gas giants typically have a relatively 
  small rocky core the size of a terrestrial planet surrounded by an 
  enormous atmosphere of some kind. Most gas giants have a ra­
  dius many times that of even the largest terrestrial planet, effec­
  tively making them huge clouds of gas clinging to a rocky core 
  and held in place by gravity and rotation. Gas giants may have 
  life within them, but it is rarely of the "standard" humanoid, car­
  bon-based type, and it is almost never technologically sophisti­
  cated. For that, a gas giant's best bet is if it has any moons. In 
  many cases, gas giant moons are, in effect, small planets (Jupi­
  ter's 10, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are fme examples) 
  which might very well support life (as well as a trip through the 
  Random Planet Generator if you feel like hashing out all of their 
  details). 
  
  97-00%: Exotic. The planet is of a strange and nonstandard 
  fonn. Examples might include a huge comet that somehow sup­
  ports pennanent life on its surface (or in its interior), a ring hab­
  itat (an artificial habitat maybe a few thousand mileslkilometers 
  in width but with a radius of a planetary orbit, giving a huge sur­
  face environment), a sphere habitat (known as Dyson Spheres 
  on Earth, they are like ring habitats except they enclose an entire 
  orbital diameter; they are considered by most to be purely theo­
  retical, but reports of sphere worlds from near the galactic core 
  persist), a rogue planet (a world that belongs to no solar system 
  and drifts freely), part of a rosette (several worlds all on fixed 
  points on the same orbital track, like a string of pearls - almost 
  always fonned artificially by a super-advanced civilization) or 
  some other odd type. 
  Diameter 
  This chart gauges how large the world is relative to its type. 
  Asteroids typically range from 100 km to 1,000 km in diameter. 
  Terrestrial Worlds typically range from 1,000 km to 25,000 km 
  (with the average being around 1 2,000, which is the rough di­
  ameter of Earth). Gas Giants are always big, typically ranging 
  from 75,000 km to 250,000 km in diameter. Exotic worlds have 
  no typical range, so for them, anything goes. 
  01-05%: Microscopic. Well, not really, but worlds of this 
  size are beyond 75% below the nonnal minimum size for their 
  type. -66% on the Gravity table, below. 
  06-15%: Minuscule. As much as 75% below nonnal mini­
  mum size for its type. -50% on the Gravity table, below. 
  16-25%: Tiny. As much as 50% below the nonnal minimum 
  size for its type. -33% on the Gravity table, below. 
  26-40%: Small. At the low end of the nonnal size range for 
  its type. -25% on the Gravity table, below. 
  41-60%: Average. Right in the middle of the nonnal size 
  range for its type. 
  61-75%: Large. At the high end of the nonnal size range for 
  its type. +2S% on the Gravity table, below. 
  76-85%: Huge. As much as four times larger than the nor­
  mal maximum size for its type. +33% on the Gravity table, be­
  low. 
  86-95%: Enormous. As much as eight times larger than the 
  nonnal maximum size for its type. +SO% on the gravity table, 
  below. 
  96-000/0: Gargantuan. Beyond eight times larger than the 
  nonnal maximum size for its type. +66% on the gravity table, 
  below. 
  Gravity 
  The average gravity for most habitable worlds in the Anvil 
  Galaxy is roughly equivalent to that of the Earth, so that will be 
  the basis of comparison for this table. 
  01-10%: Minuscule. The world has only the slightest hint of 
  gravity, similar to what one might fmd on a small asteroid or a 
  tiny moon like Deimos or Phobos (both moons of Mars). On a 
  world such as this, a human of average strength can throw a 
  baseball into orbit! Or, if one threw parallel to the ground, the 
  ball would eventually come back around and hit the thrower in 
  the back of the head, if the world were small enough. Those 
  with superhuman strength can perfonn mind-boggling feats of 
  1 47 
  brawn on worlds such as this. In game tenns, lifting and 
  carrying capacity is increased by lOOx (or more!), as is leaping 
  distance (Careful - leaping into orbit isn't out of the question 
  here!). 
  11-20%: Light. The world has a fairly light gravity, compa­
  rable to what we fmd on Earth's Moon. In game terms, lift­
  ing/carrying capacity and leaping distance are increased by SOx 
  to 1 00x. 
  21-35%: Low. The world has a fairly low gravity, compara­
  ble to what we might fmd on Mars or one of Jupiter's planetary 
  moons. In game tenns, lifting/carrying capacity and leaping dis­
  tance are increased by lOx to SOx. 
  36-55%: Average. The world has a gravity comparable to 
  Earth's. This still covers a fairly wide range of gravity, and de­
  pending on how the G.M. designs this world, lifting/carrying ca­
  pacity and leaping distance might still be increased by as much 
  as l Ox, or it might be decreased by as much as 25% due to 
  higher-than-average gravity. 
  56-70%: High. The gravity is up to twice what one might 
  fmd on Earth. As a result, lifting and carrying capacity and leap­
  ing distance are reduced by SO%. Also, one's endurance lasts 
  only half as long, making hard physical labor a real hassle. Hu­
  manoids native to such a world typically have high P.S., P.E. 
  and Spd. 
  71-80%: Heavy. The gravity is up to four times what one 
  might fmd on Earth. As a result, lifting and carrying capacity 
  and leaping distance are reduced by 7S%. Also, one's endurance 
  lasts only one-quarter as long, making hard physical labor utter 
  torture. Humanoids native to such a world typically have super­
  human P.S., P.E. and Spd. 
  81-90%: Extreme. The gravity is up to eight times what one 
  might fmd on Earth. As a result, lifting and carrying capacity 
  and leaping distance are reduced by 90%. Also, one's endurance 
  lasts only one-eighth as long, making sustained physical labor 
  virtually impossible without the aid of an exoskeleton, bionics, 
  or some other fonn of mechanical enhancement. Humanoids na­
  tive to such a world typically have superhuman or even super­
  natural P.S., P.E. and Spd. 
  91-00%: Punishing. The gravity is more than eight times 
  what one might find on Earth. As a result, lifting and carrying 
  capacity and leaping distance are reduced by 99%. Also, one's 
  endurance lasts only one-sixteenth as long, making sustained 
  physical labor impossible without using an exoskeleton, bionics, 
  or other mechanical help. Most humanoids under such circum­
  stances have to use a suit of environmental body armor all the 
  time, since the gravity is so harsh one will have difficulty 
  breathing otherwise. The only alternative is setting up habitats 
  where artificially light gravity can be generated. 
  Temperature 
  The following temperatures are rated by how they might af­
  fect the "standard" carbon-based humanoids of the Anvil Gal­
  axy. Most of these life fonns live with temperatures roughly 
  equivalent to what might be found in the Earth's solar system. 
  For temperature gauges in a really hot or cold solar system, the 
  G.M. is invited to extrapolate the following table accordingly. 
  01-10%: Frozen. The planet's surface temperature is below 
  40 Kelvin (-387.5 F/-233 C). Only non-carbon aliens are able to 
  
  adapt to such cold. Carbon-based technology can still handle the 
  cold, however, though it might suffer long-term adverse effects 
  if not maintained properly. 
  11-200/0: Freezing. The planet's surface temperature is 
  roughly equivalent to Pluto, typically ranging between 40 K 
  (-387.5 FI-233 C) and 60 K (-3 5 1 .4 FI-213 C). Carbon-based 
  life forms generally can not fully adapt to this environment. 
  Technologically advanced humanoids can defeat the cold with a 
  heavy environmental suit, or they might one day alter the envi­
  ronment through terra formation, but on their own, this cold will 
  prove too much for them. 
  21-30%: Frigid. The planet's surface temperature is roughly 
  equivalent to Neptune, typically ranging between 60 K (-35 1 .4 
  FI-2 13 C) to 80 K (-3 1 5.4 FI- 193 C). Carbon-based life forms 
  can live here with heavy adaptation. For most humanoids, this 
  means wearing heavy environmental suits or undergoing special 
  genetic engineering. 
  31-40%: Cold. The planet's surface temperature is roughly 
  equivalent to Uranus or Saturn, typically ranging between 80 K 
  (-3 1 5.4 FI- 193 C) and 100 K (-279.4 FI-173 C). Carbon-based 
  life forms can live here with moderate adaptation. For human­
  oids, this means environmental suits or portable heating units in 
  their uniforms. 
  41-50%: Cool. The planet's surface temperature is roughly 
  equivalent to Jupiter (on the cold end) or Polar Mars (on the 
  high end), typically ranging between 100 K (-279.4 FI-173 C) 
  and 200 K (-99.4 FI-73 C). Carbon-based life forms can live 
  here with minimal adaptation. For most humanoids, this means 
  wearing really warm clothes. 
  51-60%: Temperate. The planet's surface temperature is 
  roughly equivalent to Equatorial Mars or the Earth, typically 
  ranging between 200 K (-99.4 FI-73 C) and 325 K (125.6 FI52 
  C). Carbon-based life forms can live here with no problems 
  adapting. 
  61-70%: Warm. The planet's surface temperature is roughly 
  equivalent to what Venus might be like without its greenhouse 
  effect, typically ranging between 325 K (125.6 FI52 C) and 500 
  K (440.6 F/227 C). Carbon-based life forms can live here with 
  moderate adaptation. For humanoids, this means environmental 
  suits or portable cooling units in their uniforms. 
  71-80%: Hot. The planet's surface temperature is roughly 
  equivalent to Mercury, and what Venus actually is like, typically 
  ranging between 500 K (440.6 F/227 C) and 750 K (890.6 F/477 
  C). Carbon-based life forms can live here with heavy adaptation. 
  For most humanoids, this means wearing heavy environmental 
  suits or undergoing special genetic engineering. 
  81-90%: Scalding. The planet's surface temperature typi­
  cally range between 750 K (809.6 F/477 C) and 1 ,000 K 
  (1,340.6 F/727 C). Carbon-based life forms generally can not 
  fully adapt to this environment. Technologically advanced hu­
  manoids can beat the heat with a heavy environmental suit, or 
  they 
  might 
  one 
  day 
  alter 
  the 
  environment 
  through 
  terra-formation, but on their own, this heat will prove too much 
  for them. 
  91-00%: Scorching. The planet's surface temperature is hot­
  ter than 1,000 K (1 ,340.6 F/727 C). Only non-carbon aliens are 
  able to adapt to such heat. Carbon-based technology can still 
  handle the heat, however, though it might suffer long-term ad­
  verse effects if not maintained properly. 
  1 48 
  UnusuaVSpecial Features 
  Roll percentile dice for each of the following categories of 
  "unusual" or "special" features. A roll of 01-20% means that the 
  world has that particular special feature. It is possible for a 
  world to have every kind of special feature listed here, and then 
  some. Or a world might have none of these features at all. 
  Strange Orbit The world's orbit might be elliptical, or it 
  might intersect with the orbit of another planet (raising the pos­
  sibility of a collision, or some other effect when the planets get 
  too close to each other), or it might be degrading (with each or­
  bit the world gets closer to its sun) or it might be increasing 
  (with each orbit, the planet moves farther away from the sun), or 
  it might be transphasic (parts of the orbital path take place in 
  different dimensions, so the world really shares time in various 
  different spots across the Megaverse), or it might have some 
  other form of unusual orbit. Almost always, odd orbits put the 
  world in harm's way, make its environment more challenging, 
  or they make it possible for alien creatures to set up shop perma­
  nently, sometimes without the aid of technology. 
  Unusual Axis. The planet is basically tilted dramatically in 
  one direction. This by itself is not so noteworthy, except in the 
  Anvil Galaxy, planets have been known to undergo dramatic 
  and spontaneous axis shift. It is as if an unseen hand slapped the 
  world, sending it spinning into its new axis. Such events, while 
  rare, can be catastrophic. They throw the world's entire environ­
  ment out of whack, and the damage they inflict on the settled 
  civilizations there often is mortal. Many civilizations can not 
  adapt quickly enough to their stark new landscape, and they ei­
  ther leave the planet or they die out trying in vain to adapt to 
  their new surroundings. Sometimes, planets with an unusual 
  axis have equally unusual magnetic fields or their planetary axis 
  and polar magnetic axis are out of whack. The end result is that 
  such planets can be much more difficult to approach for landing, 
  especially when a ship is decelerating from lightspeed. De­
  pending on the nature of the axis difficulties, piloting and navi­
  gation skill rolls may be affected by as much as -25% during 
  landing procedures. Such planets are often known as "spaceship 
  graveyards" for being so tough to land on. 
  Odd Revolution. The planet takes an unusually long or an 
  unusually short period of time to go once around its star. To 
  some extent, this might be explained by the planet's proximity 
  to the star (Mercury whips around the Sun a heck of a lot faster 
  than Pluto), but for these worlds, something else is almost al­
  ways afoot. The most common phenomenon accompanying this 
  (in the Anvil Galaxy, anyway) is a corresponding effect on the 
  life span of whoever lives on the planet. If it has an unusually 
  long revolution, then life spans tend to be a lot longer than 
  usual. Conversely, really short revolution times mean that in­
  habitants live far shorter than usual. There is no acceptable ex­
  planation for this, so far. Only a handful of planets - fewer than 
  three dozen - exhibit these effects in the Anvil Galaxy. 
  On a related note, several teams of Xeno-sociologists have 
  conducted exhaustive studies comparing planetary military his­
  tory and planetary revolution. Though the two seemingly have 
  nothing in common, it is a fact that in the Anvil Galaxy, planets 
  with unusually long revolutions tend to be very difficult to in­
  vade and occupy. Likewise, planets with really fast revolutions 
  often have terrible and recurrent civil wars. These studies have 
  been debunked by many as a chronicle of coincidence made to 
  
  fit the scientists' conclusions, but coincidence or not, these facts 
  speak for themselves. 
  Weird Rotation. The planet has a strange rate of rotation. 
  Perhaps it spins extremely fast, making several revolutions per 
  day! Such worlds are notoriously difficult to land or take off 
  from; -33% on all piloting and navigational skills. Or maybe the 
  world periodically switches what direction it rotates in. Or 
  maybe the planet does not rotate at all, or it rotates in synch with 
  its rate of revolution, so one face always sees the sun and one 
  face never does. 
  Moons. The planet has a number of satellites orbiting itself. 
  Roll ID20 to see how many moons the planet has. For determin­
  ing the nature of these moons, feel free to roll again on these ta­
  bles. Only subtract -50% to the rolls for Type, Diameter and 
  Gravity, and do not roll on the Unusual/Special Features table. 
  Rings. The planet has some kind of orbital ring made up of 
  ice particles and small rocks, the largest of which might classify 
  as small asteroids. The ring may be really skinny and almost in­
  visible, or it may be wide and majestic, like Saturn's rings -
  G.M.'s choice. Aside from being a nice spectacle, rings can pro­
  vide crude shelter for spacecraft. In emergencies, lifeboats have 
  often found a temporary refuge within rings, in which they 
  could hide until their rescue. Pirates and smugglers also use 
  rings as a hiding place, to jump out on unsuspecting prey, or to 
  sneak past the authorities. 
  Craters. Somewhere, sometime the planet has been hit (and 
  hit hard) by meteors, comets, and a few smaller things, too. Al­
  most all planets have some kind of cratering on their surface, 
  but planets in this case have really serious craters on them. The 
  kind that came very close to shattering the planet (like the one 
  on the Saturnian moon of Mimas). Worlds with active bio­
  spheres often turn these craters into spherical oceans or verdant 
  valleys where unusually dense concentrations of plants and ani­
  mals can be found. Worlds without biospheres often look like 
  they have a big eye staring up into space, something which cer­
  tain religious cults in the Anvil Galaxy and elsewhere consider a 
  holy sign meaning that the presence of a deity is nearby, watch­
  ing. 
  Special Energy Field. This can be any kind of strange en­
  ergy emanating from the planet. It does not need to be overtly 
  harmful, either. It could be that the planet emits especially pow­
  erful radio waves, making the world an astronomic beacon 
  across the galaxy. (On a few such worlds, the inhabitants have 
  figured out how to manipulate and accelerate such energies in 
  order to speak instantaneously to any other planet in the Anvil 
  Galaxy!) Or, the world could emit powerful levels of radiation, 
  either of a kind people are already familiar with, or something 
  strange, alien and new. Either way, the G.M. should determine if 
  this energy being emitted is good or bad, and how it might affect 
  the inhabitants of the planet. 
  Other. The G.M. is encouraged to come up with something 
  really strange about the planet. It has varying speeds of rotation 
  or revolution; it is actually hollow with people living inside; it is 
  really a living organism; it is on the verge of exploding; it has 
  no magnetic field whatsoever, it gets pummeled constantly by 
  meteor showers; its core emits a sort of radiation that renders 
  technology unusable, etc. The possibilities are wide open here, 
  so run with it and have a ball. This is your blank check to make 
  the world as bizarre as you care to. 
  1 49 
  Environment 
  Now that we have a basic idea of what the planet is like, let's 
  consider what life on the actual surface might be like. There are 
  four basic sections to this category: atmosphere (most life needs 
  to breathe something, right?), terrain (what surprises do the 
  ground and its associated climates hold?), hydrosphere (the 
  amount of freestanding water on the planetary surface), and bio­
  sphere (the degree to which plants, animals and other life forms 
  have developed on the world). 
  Note that none of these categories are necessarily prerequi­
  sites for each other. It is possible, for example, for a planet to 
  have a massive biosphere but no atmosphere. In such an appar­
  ent contradiction, the G.M. is encouraged to figure out a reason 
  for why this set of circumstances came about. Give it a try - you 
  might find that the reasons you develop end up adding some 
  great detail and mystery (and maybe even adventure hooks) to 
  the world you are building. Or adjust accordingly. 
  Atmosphere 
  Another interesting coincidence uniting most of the human­
  oid races of the Anvil Galaxy is their need to breathe a more or 
  less "Earth-like" atmosphere (one rich in oxygen and nitrogen). 
  There are always exceptions, of course, but for the most part, 
  the readily habitable worlds of the Anvil Galaxy are those sport­
  ing an atmosphere most humans would feel at home in. 
  01-10%: No Atmosphere. Like Earth's Moon, this world 
  has no atmosphere whatsoever. This is most common of aster­
  oids, moons and planets that are either very close or very far 
  from their sun. In most cases, planets tend to have at least some 
  kind of atmosphere. If the planet is a gas giant and No Atmo­
  sphere is rolled, either re-roll, or try to come up with an interest­
  ing reason for why this gas giant has lost its gas. Was it some 
  kind of ancient battleground? Was the gas giant ignited some­
  how, and it burned off its atmosphere in a star-like blaze of 
  glory? Did some weird galactic phenomenon blow the atmo­
  sphere away? Or did some advanced race deliberately alter the 
  environment, losing the atmosphere in the process? (Rumor has 
  it certain advanced cultures that have terribly polluted their 
  home worlds will actually steal the atmosphere off a gas giant in 
  order to replenish their own tainted air. For this to work, those 
  aliens would have to have incredible technology not only to 
  steal the gas, but to modify it so they could breathe it.) 
  11-200/0: Trace Atmosphere. There is only the barest hint of 
  an atmosphere on this world. For just about any life form that 
  needs to breathe, there is not remotely enough atmosphere to 
  sustain life. Certain kinds of plants and protists can thrive in 
  such an environment, however. Full-enclosure atmosphere suits 
  and pressurized habitats are required. Of course, worlds such as 
  this can always have an atmosphere added to them by 
  terra-formation. In fact, the more atmosphere there is, the easier 
  terra-forming becomes, so for many planetary engineers, a 
  Trace Atmosphere world is a more preferable target than a No 
  Atmosphere world. 
  21-30%: Thin Atmosphere. There is definitely an atmo­
  sphere, but for breathing purposes, it is a little lacking. Most life 
  forms that need to breathe can adapt to this environment. In­
  deed, there are many examples of plants and animals that thrive 
  in thin atmospheres. For the fIrst-time visitor, wearing some 
  
  kind of breathing gear will be necessary, even if it is just a sim­
  ple rebreather or oxygen mask. After a few weeks, depending on 
  the visitor's biology and endurance, unassisted breathing should 
  be possible. Those not used to a thin atmosphere should not 
  overexert themselves, or they will become exhausted very 
  quickly. All heavy labor and combat can be performed for 
  2D6xl 0  minutes before the person peters out. 
  31-50%: Normal (Earth-like) Atmosphere. The atmo­
  sphere is very similar to Earth's. The vast majority of 
  space-faring folk can breathe the air here just fine, even if it is 
  not the native atmosphere of their home. The funny thing about 
  atmospheres like this is that they seem to be almost universally 
  breathable. In the Anvil Galaxy, many of the aliens who breathe 
  different atmospheres on their home world often have little diffi­
  culty adapting to a Normal Atmosphere, whereas those races 
  (including humanity) that naturally require a Normal Atmo­
  sphere have a very difficult time adapting to any other atmo­
  sphere. Some races see this as a fortunate hedge against the 
  forces of humanity from spreading out too far and taking over 
  every comer of the Anvil Galaxy. 
  51-600/0: Dense Atmosphere. While the atmosphere is simi­
  lar to Earth's ,there is simply more of it. A lot more. In fact, the 
  atmosphere is about twice as dense as the galactic norm for 
  life-bearing worlds, which makes it really difficult to breathe 
  here. (Too much of a good thing, huh?) Most humanoids will re­
  quire some kind of breathing assistance, such as an air mask or 
  filter. Humanoids and animals can adapt to such circumstances, 
  however, and numerous Dense Atmosphere worlds have thriv­
  ing native biospheres on them. Unfortunately for such life, visit­
  ing a Normal Atmosphere feels like a Thin Atmosphere world. 
  61-70%: Super-Dense Atmosphere. The atmosphere is just 
  too dense to breathe. This is often the case with certain gas gi­
  ants or with terrestrial planets whose atmospheres are so large 
  that by the time one reaches the rocky surface of the planet, the 
  atmospheric pressure is incredible. Breathing unassisted here is 
  impossible for most humanoids, who will require air masks, fil­
  ters, or best yet - environmental suits/armor. Native life can 
  thrive on worlds such as this, but it is fairly uncommon. Plane­
  tary engineers find such worlds to be very easy to terra-form. 
  All they have to do is rid the world of what they consider "ex­
  cess atmosphere." A few frrms have actually managed to skim 
  off atmosphere from one world and basically transplant it else­
  where. Such operations are called "swap outs," and they are 
  seen by some to be the new face of planetary reformation. 
  71-80%: Tainted Atmosphere. The atmosphere is close to 
  Earth-like but contains enough of some noxious element to ren­
  der it unsafe to breathe. With air filtration, the air can be made 
  safe again, but breathing without a mask or filter of some kind is 
  hazardous to one's health. The degree to which the atmosphere 
  hurts non-native humanoids is up to the G.M. The effect can be 
  insidious, building up a cumulative effect over several hours. 
  Or, the effect can be almost instant, sending visitors scrambling 
  for their air masks. With no more than moderate terra-forming, 
  the atmosphere can be "scrubbed" clean, however. 
  81-90%: Hostile Atmosphere. The planet's atmosphere is 
  patently unbreathable and would require extensive atmospheric 
  processing to make it safe for most humanoids. Usually, the at­
  mosphere simply has too much of a noxious element or not 
  enough of a critical element. Pirates, smugglers and other sorts 
  1 50 
  of underworld or renegade types love to set up their headquar­
  ters on such worlds because the risk of being discovered by 
  snoopy colonists or planetary engineers is minimal. 
  91-00%: Exotic Atmosphere. The planet's atmosphere is 
  strange, to say the least. It might very well be breathable, but it 
  also has exotic qualities to it that make it alien. Exotic effects 
  might include the presence of gravity-defying gas clouds, the 
  tendency for the atmosphere to change the voice pitch of who­
  ever breathes it, the equivalent effect of sleeping gas on certain 
  species, etc. 
  Terrain 
  In planetology terms, "terrain" refers both to the topography 
  land mass formation and climate{ s) of a planet. 
  01-10%: Single Terrain. The world is dominated by a sin­
  gle kind of terrain. These are the classic "space opera" planets -
  a jungle world, a desert world, a frozen world, etc. The exact na­
  ture of this terrain is left to the G .M.' s discretion, but it covers 
  virtually the entire planet. It can be something found on Earth, it 
  can be an odd amalgam of Earth-like terrains, or it can be some­
  thing entirely alien and unknown to Earth geologists. 
  11-20%: Two Terrains. The world has a primary and a sec­
  ondary terrain. In most cases, the primary terrain covers 
  ID4xl0+50% of the planetary surface (maximum 90%, never 
  less than 60%) and the secondary terrain covers the rest. 
  21-30%: Three Terrains. The world has a primary, second­
  ary and tertiary terrain. In most cases, the primary terrain covers 
  ID4xlO%+30% of the planetary surface (max 70%), the second­
  ary covers ID4xlO% of what is left over, and the tertiary terrain 
  covers what is left to as little as 1%. 
  31-50%: Four+ Terrains. The world has four or more ter­
  rains. Usually, any given terrain covers roughly ID4xlO% of the 
  planet's surface, with each terrain covering at least 10%. 
  51-60%: Exotic Terrain Present. Either the entire planet or 
  ID6xlO% of it is some exotic terrain. This means it possesses 
  some alien and dangerous characteristic not found on most in­
  habited worlds. This could include areas that run backward or 
  parallel in time, spots that have unusual magnetic fields, spots 
  that randomly teleport those who visit them, zones where grav­
  ity behaves differently, regions covered by forests of crystals, 
  and so on. Or, the exotic terrain can be more climatic than actual 
  terrain - arctic jungle of ice, mountainous swamps, etc. 
  61-70%: Hostile Terrain Present At least one of the 
  planet's terrains is hostile. This means it possess some alien 
  characteristic not found on most inhabited worlds. This could 
  include a field of needle-like rock stalactites that might easily 
  pierce the feet of whoever walks through, areas of super-deadly 
  quicksand, weird and devastating storms, areas that are bathed 
  with deadly radiation during the day, and so on. 
  71-80%: Unusual Mineralogy. On, near and under the sur­
  face of this planet lie out of the ordinary mineral formations. 
  Most of the time, given enough analysis, these minerals can be 
  found to have some fairly valuable - if not at least interesting 
  - properties. Entire fortunes can be made on finding such 
  things, and indeed, mining interests in the Anvil Galaxy spend 
  large sums of money sending survey teams into space so they 
  might find those one or two systems with cold fusion diamonds, 
  crystallized teelium 23 1 ,  or some other wild mineral that repre-
  
  sents millions, billions, or even trillions of credits in excavation 
  potential. 
  81-90%: Unusual Seismology. The seismic nature of the 
  planet is unusual, to say the least. At one extreme, the world 
  might be seismically inert. There is no tectonic activity whatso­
  ever. This means there can be no earthquakes. It also means that 
  if there are any volcanoes on the planet, they will never stop 
  growing. (A good example of this is on Mars, where one vol­
  cano, Olympus Mons, has grown to the size of Texas. No kid­
  ding.) At the other extreme, the planet might be one great big 
  seismic event, with incredible earthquakes and volcanoes going 
  off 24-7. (Jupiter's moon 10 is a good example of this. Turned 
  inside out by Jupiter's gravity field, 10 is nothing but spewing 
  volcanoes. ) 
  91-00%: Unusual Geology. The rock formation of the world 
  is eccentric. This can create a host of weird circumstances, such 
  as: there might be huge pockets in the crust (perfect for civiliza­
  tions to settle), the world might actually be hollow, the world 
  might have no real core to speak of (so it loses heat), the planet 
  may be covered with deep canals or canyons or pillars of stone, 
  or it might be full of holes and tunnels like a block of Swiss 
  cheese, the world might have a super-dense metallic core pro­
  ducing freaky magnetic fields, or the world's geo-formation 
  might make it vulnerable to certain harmonic frequencies, which 
  means that at any time, it might spontaneously explode. 
  1 51 
  Hydrosphere 
  01-10%: Dry. The planet is devoid of standing water. Trace 
  amounts might be found in the soil, but not enough to support 
  life. 
  11-20%: Desert. No large bodies of standing water. The oc­
  casional river or oasis, but that is it. There might be substantial 
  amounts of water on the planet, but it is trapped somehow, ei­
  ther as ice at the poles, suspended in the rock and dirt, etc. 
  21-40%: Badlands. In select places there is enough water to 
  sustain life. These are small rivers, isolated springs, etc. Besides 
  such oases, the majority of the planet is fairly dry, making it a 
  dangerous place to travel long distances unless one has copious 
  amounts of water with them. This category also accounts for the 
  surprisingly high number of worlds in the Anvil Galaxy that 
  have abundant surface water but for some reason it is unfit for 
  consumption. Excessive metal content, poisonous trace ele­
  ments, microorganism contamination, you name it. 
  41-60%: Balanced. The world has a large amount of stand­
  ing water on the surface. This means a small ocean and/or lakes, 
  rivers, streams and ponds. There is still a lot more land than wa­
  ter, but the world is wet enough that deserts are now a minority 
  form of territory. 
  61-80%: Moist. There is slightly more water on the planet 
  than land, usually in the form of one or more large/small oceans, 
  and numerous lakes, streams, rivers and ponds. Large and abun­
  dant aquatic biospheres are possible, as is underwater coloniza­
  tion. 
  
  81-90%: Soaking Wet. Mostly ocean. One major land mass, 
  maximum. In some parts, the oceans get so deep that they might 
  not be fully explored by the land-dwelling inhabitants. On more 
  than one occasion, this has led to a nasty culture clash on worlds 
  with two technologically advanced species, one on land, one at 
  the bottom of the ocean. Eventually, these two peoples will butt 
  heads, and sometimes, global warfare can result. In fact, more 
  times than not, such encounters turn hostile and stay that way 
  until one race leaves, is enslaved, or is destroyed. 
  91-00%: Water World. No major land masses, just water 
  stretching endlessly to the horizon. Land dwellers might live on 
  the surface, cruising around in houseboats and meeting in artifi­
  cial atolls. But for the most part, this is a swimmers' world, and 
  if there is any significant civilization to be hand, it will be un­
  derwater. Depending on the nature of the biosphere, these un­
  derwater dwellers might or might not be technologically 
  proficient. 
  Biosphere 
  01-23%: Lifeless. The world either never developed life 
  (like Mercury) or it once had life but it was extenninated. In the 
  second situation, ruins might still exist, as do the ghosts of those 
  who died in the world's fmal reckoning. 
  24-500/0: Sparse. Few thriving species. Planet is either just 
  developing life, or is on the verge of going totally extinct. There 
  probably is not quite enough here to fonn a stable biosphere, so 
  worlds like this are especially susceptible to outside tampering. 
  Renegade genetic engineers just love finding worlds like this. 
  To them, it is like a blank canvas on which they can create 
  whatever their twisted minds desire. Bacteria may be the pri­
  mary life fonn. 
  51-70%: Thin. This is the weakest fonn of stable biosphere 
  likely to be found in the Anvil Galaxy. There are only two or 
  three prominent species besides bacteria. Anything else plays a 
  marginal role. For various reasons, the life fonns here tend to be 
  simple and show little signs of evolutionary specialization. 
  71-80%: Moderate. Varied thriving species. The planet has 
  an established biosphere, but it is fairly simple and could be 
  thrown out of whack easily if interfered with. There are plenty 
  of specialized species, and it is on worlds like these that explor­
  ers often begin seeing some of the really strange monsters and 
  animals known to lurk the galaxy. 
  81-90%: Dense. Numerous thriving species. The planet has a 
  wide variety of life environments. Were one to crash, it would 
  probably not take all others with it, but one can never tell. As a 
  side effect of such an active biosphere, microorganisms often 
  pose a problem to humanoids. In short, disease, infection, and 
  all sorts of micro-contamination become likely. Unless one 
  takes strenuous measures to keep clean of these buggers, any 
  kind of long-tenn stay on the planet will probably be hazardous 
  to one's health. 
  91-95%: Verdant. Many different plant and animals species, 
  contributing to a robust and diverse biosphere. On the plus side, 
  this means abundant crops, tons of pharmacologically beneficial 
  life fonns, and a treasure trove of genetic infonnation awaiting 
  the research team willing to collect it. On the down side, numer­
  ous predator species, strange species, and numerous ways for 
  micro-creatures to get inside and kill somebody without their 
  ever knowing it. 
  1 52 
  96-00%: Cornucopia. Massive numbers of thriving species. 
  Only a sustained destruction of the global environment by dis­
  ease, industrialization, war, or cosmic event (e.g., asteroid im­
  pact) would seriously upset the biosphere of this world. Such 
  worlds are poor candidates for any kind of industrial develop­
  ment, since history shows that the environment will overgrow 
  any transplanted buildings or machinery. For most organiza­
  tions, colonizing or setting up shop on planets like this are not 
  worth the effort, in the long run. So, they leave them alone. As a 
  result, criminals, rebels and runaways of all kinds love to use 
  such worlds as hideouts. 
  Civilization 
  Population 
  01-20%: Uninhabited. Nobody lives on this world. Yet. 
  21-30%: Skeleton Crew. The world is home to up to 100 
  people. In most cases, the inhabitants are either a shipwrecked 
  crew, a small band of bandits, explorers, runaways, etc. Some­
  times they are the skeleton crew of a larger contingent of peo­
  ple, like if most of the staff of a science outpost were called 
  away and never came back for some reason. If the people are 
  very self-sufficient and have adequate supplies, they can proba­
  bly survive indefmitely barring any external threat like pirates 
  landing or scary animals approaching. 
  31-40%: Outpost. The world is home to 1,000 or a few 
  thousand people. This is the lower limit of most colonies. Out­
  posts are usually populated by scientists, miners, explorers, and 
  other hard-knock types. These places feel less like an actual 
  town or village, and more like a great, big workstation (which is 
  what they are). Outposts tend to have their own peculiar tradi­
  tions and culture, and most resent it terribly when colonists 
  show up and try to make a "model community" out of the place. 
  41-60%: Colony. The world is home to up to 100, 000 peo­
  ple. This is the upper limit of most colonies. With any more 
  people, the world is generally considered settled. That means it 
  is no longer a mere outgrowth of its home society; it is now an­
  other full-fledged part of it. For a lot of space-faring societies, 
  there is a distinct change in how life feels at a place such as this. 
  Soon the old "frontier" mentality will give way to a more pol­
  ished and urbane sense of things. A major transition is in the 
  works, and those who were with the planet from the beginning 
  will likely leave to make room for the new wave of immigrants 
  who, as far as they are concerned, are just moving from one civ­
  ilized place to another. 
  61-70%: Settled. The world is home to ID4 million people! 
  There will be at least one large city, as well as numerous smaller 
  cities, towns and villages. Population density is still fairly 
  sparse, considering that there is roughly the population of a 
  moderate pre-Rifts European country spread out over an entire 
  planet. 
  71-80%: Busy. The world is home to tens o/millions ofpeo­
  pIe! The planet has at least a handful of large cities as well as a 
  dense network of smaller cities, towns and villages. 
  81-90%: Crowded. The world is home to hundreds o/mil­
  lions of people! The planet most likely has numerous large cit­
  ies, and countless smaller cities, towns and villages. 
  
  91-00%: Jammed. The world is home to tens of billions of 
  people! Unless the world is very large, chances are the civiliza­
  tion will have had to build some kind of arcology network or 
  underground warren just to accommodate everyone. 
  Technology 
  01-05%: No Technology! For some reason, the people here 
  never developed any kind of tools. Most of the time, it is be­
  cause the natives have not yet progressed to the point of under­
  standing technology, much less building or inventing it for 
  themselves, In rare cases, however, (and this seems to be the 
  case more in the Anvil Galaxy than in either the Corkscrew Gal­
  axy or the Thundercloud Galaxy) certain alien peoples will ei­
  ther forsake all technology or will have developed themselves 
  beyond a need for it. Such people often have advanced magic, 
  psychic or super-powers which obviate their needs for weapons, 
  armor, vehicles and other associated gadgetry, even basic tools. 
  06-15%: Stone Age. This world has progressed to the 
  Cro-Magnon level of technology. They understand basic things 
  like using and building a simple shelter (hut or cave house), 
  tools, keeping (making) fIre, developing language, using cloth­
  ing and basic weapons and tools, and so on. But these folks 
  must still rely more on their purely natural abilities than on the 
  tools they can build. To them, exposure to any technology from 
  a higher technology level will seem like magic or the creation of 
  the gods. 
  16-25%: Iron Age. The world's collective technology hov­
  ers somewhere between that of Ancient Rome and Medieval Eu­
  rope. Tools are commonplace, but mass production, the key to 
  1 53 
  more advanced technologies, is not. Gunpowder or its equiva­
  lent may or may not be part of this picture (the G.M.'s call). 
  26-35%: Industrial Age. The world's collective technology 
  hovers somewhere between the advent of Steam Power and the 
  development of Atomic Power. Though most civilizations 
  bridge this gap in a relatively short period of time, this period is 
  a huge leap in technical capabilities, and it can be very stressful 
  for civilizations not equipped to handle it. 
  36-55% Information Age. The world's collective technol­
  ogy hovers somewhere between the end of the Atomic Age and 
  the beginning of a reach for the stars. During this time span, the 
  world is likely to have developed massive computerization, net­
  working, global production, and other marvels. However, pollu­
  tion, resource depletion and overcrowding are all perils in 
  waiting. For many civilizations, the answer to such problems is 
  to find another world to live on. Hence, the beginnings of space 
  colonization. The world has, at this point, successfully extended 
  its reach to other planets, but not other stars. Still, the world 
  might not yet have encountered other alien races. It might also 
  still think it is alone in the universe. It certainly is unlikely to 
  know of a larger intergalactic community to become part of. 
  56-80%: Stellar Age. The world has, at this point, success­
  fully extended its reach to well beyond its own solar system. It 
  is aware of the galactic community, the Three Galaxies, the 
  Cosmic Forge, and all that such things entail. This civilization is 
  ready, willing, and able to send explorers to the farthest comers 
  of the galaxy, where they might establish friendly acquaintances 
  and possible diplomatic connections. This is the level of tech­
  nology most commonly encountered among the major powers of 
  
  the Anvil Galaxy - the CCW, the TGE, Naruni Enterprises, etc. 
  More advanced technology is available (as the next two entries 
  show), but they are comparatively uncommon and mere adven­
  turers will have a hard time getting their hands on it. 
  81-95%: Galactic Age. The world is home to an advanced 
  star-faring culture, one that sees intergalactic travel (and not just 
  between the Three Galaxies) as something no more dramatic 
  than taking a monorail across town. Galactic Age planets are in 
  short supply in the Anvil Galaxy, the result of endless warfare 
  amongst their own people. 
  96-00%: Megaverse Age! The people of this world are be­
  yond star-faring. They may have developed incredible magic, 
  psionics, or some technological means of instantaneously cast­
  ing themselves as far away as they like. Oftentimes, their travels 
  include breaching the Megaversal fabric and going to other di­
  mensions and even alternate versions of the Megaverse itself. 
  Time travel is also a common technology to such cultures. 
  Needless to say, precious few of these exist anywhere within the 
  Three Galaxies. Those in the Anvil Galaxy tend to be near the 
  core, in star systems beyond the scope of what most car­
  bon-based humanoids consider to be habitable. Thankfully, 
  Megaversal races often have reached a state of extreme evolu­
  tion, and have either purged themselves of the need for con­
  quest, or have developed their technology so much that they 
  have no need to expand to other star systems. Otherwise, such 
  societies would be running the Anvil Galaxy. 
  Economy 
  Roll on this table three times for each planet. The frrst roll 
  determines the largest pillar of the world's economy, accounting 
  for about 60% of all domestic production and income. The sec­
  ond roll determines the world's secondary economic pillar, ac­
  counting for about 30% of all domestic production and income. 
  The third roll determined the world's tertiary economic pillar, 
  accounting for only about 10% of the all domestic production 
  and income. 
  01-25%: Agricultural. The growing of crops and the raising 
  of livestock. 
  26-55%: Industrial. The manufacture and distribution of 
  goods. Or, the performance of a particular service on a mass 
  scale. 
  56-83%: Commercial. The mass buying and selling of 
  goods. Or the transactions between manufacturer and retailer. 
  84-98%: Service & Information Technologies. 10% agri­
  cultural, 20% industrial & Commercial, and the rest of its busi­
  ness is service, communications, and information technologies. 
  These people do not do a great deal of manufacturing but trade 
  tons of services and information/technology and operate an ad­
  vanced global (probably even an interplanetary) communica­
  tions network. Information and communications is virtually 
  everything. 
  99-00%: Exotic. Some weird fusion of any of the preceding 
  categories. This might mean a kind of agricultural commercial­
  ism whereby there is a massive consumer economy but produce 
  and livestock are used instead of actual money. Or, an agricul­
  tural industrial world in which components used for heavy ma­
  chinery are actually produced organically, and therefore, must 
  be farmed. That sort of thing. Feel free to get as strange as you 
  can on this one. In fact, the stranger, the better! 
  1 54 
  Wealth 
  01-10%: Utter Squalor & Poverty. The world has nothing 
  of value and its people live in the worst conditions imaginable 
  for anything that might qualify as a civilization. Usually such 
  poverty is only found in areas that have been devastated by war 
  or natural disaster, populations being actively oppressed by in­
  vaders, or areas where some kind of total breakdown has oc­
  curred in the economy. Crime is oddly low only because there is 
  nothing for crooks to take. Everybody has nothing. This is the 
  very picture of misery. Unless the native people place no impor­
  tance on money or material gain, that is. If that is the case then 
  the squalor perceived by off-worlders might not be seen as such 
  by the locals, who might be rather content to live their simple, 
  uncluttered lives. 
  11-20%: Impoverished. The world has an economy teeter­
  ing on the edge of total collapse. There is not enough of any­
  thing to go around. Shortages are common even for the most 
  basic commodities. Luxuries of any sort are not to be found; 
  what is considered luxurious is to get all the food, clothing and 
  shelter one needs for a time. 
  21-30%: Poor. The world does not have much income at all. 
  The majority of the people live hard and spare lives. They are 
  not impoverished, but they defmitely are lacking in many mate­
  rials and in wealth, a condition the economy is just not large, 
  strong or healthy enough to counter. Most often, poor conditions 
  are created by government ineptitude, destruction of industries, 
  inability to gain trading partners, population growth that exceeds 
  economic growth, or any number of other factors. 
  31-40%: Depressed. The world is probably of an average or 
  better economy but it has fallen on hard times and now things 
  look pretty bleak. Unemployment and debt are high, as is crime 
  of all sorts. This is generally a transitory state; if things get 
  worse, the world will begin to slip into permanent poverty. If 
  they get better, the world will jump up a notch or two in Wealth 
  rating. However, it fell from grace once, it could always do so 
  again. 
  41-50%: Average. The world has a stable and solid econ­
  omy. It is diversified enough so that any minor or moderate 
  problems can be ridden out with minimal disruption. Still, the 
  world is no economic superpower, and the vast majority of its 
  people live modest, "middle class" lives. These people do not 
  want for basic necessities, but they hardly live luxury-laden 
  lives, either. 
  51-600/0: Prosperous. The world has a robust economy. Ei­
  ther it is an Average economy during a boom time, or the econ­
  omy is just naturally strong and the people can afford to live 
  high on the hog. Luxury items are commonplace, and the gov­
  ernment usually has a great deal of resources at its disposal. 
  61-70%: Wealthy. The world is well above average in both 
  resources and cash flow. Unemployment and crime is fairly low. 
  There will always be some of both on this world, but there is lit­
  tle enough that the government can brush it under the carpet 
  with minimal trouble. 
  71-80%: Rich. The world is simply rolling in dough. There 
  might be class divisions in teJ;1lls of wealth, but even the poor 
  here have little to complain about compared to the truly destitute 
  on other worlds. Here, being poor means not having as much as 
  the richest have. Even the most impoverished person here has 
  
  their basic needs more than taken care of. Crime is generally the 
  product of those who will commit larceny or other outlaw activ­
  ity no matter how well off they are. 
  81-900/0: Super-Rich. The world has a stronger economy 
  than 90% of the rest of the Anvil Galaxy. Typically, these 
  worlds are massive trading powers, able to dictate prices for 
  most commodities in the sector. They are capable of mass build­
  ing or industrialization if they like, and their citizenry enjoy 
  lives of ease and luxury. For this world, life is a great big bowl 
  of cherries, and handling problems of any sort is simply dirty 
  work that somebody else must take care of. 
  91-00%: Utopia! There are only a handful of worlds like this 
  in the Anvil Galaxy, those with so much wealth that they have 
  eliminated poverty altogether, and everybody lives by getting 
  pretty much whatever they want, whenever they want. The 
  funny thing is, with a life no longer defmed by the scarcity of 
  resources, the people quickly lose interest in material things and 
  begin living life for intangibles such as love, hate, mastering 
  skills or talents, and achievement. 
  Government 
  By this time, we have a rough idea of what kind of society in­
  habits this world. But no society is complete without rulership, 
  and in the Anvil Galaxy, there are almost as many different ex­
  amples of bizarre governments as there are alien races to run 
  them. Rolling up a government has four main sections: its type 
  (democracy, monarchy, etc.), its law level (or "crime and pun­
  ishment index"), its popularity (do the governed accept their rul­
  ers?) and its stability (how likely are the governed to accept 
  their rulers' authority?). 
  Like other tables in this generator, there can easily be some 
  really strange or contradictory results, but as always, take it as 
  an opportunity to make a really unique and memorable world 
  for your adventurers to explore. Remember, this is the Anvil 
  Galaxy. This is space opera. Not only are bizarre worlds to be 
  expected, in some ways, they are the norm. 
  Type 
  01-05%: Anarchy. No government at all! This might result 
  from a total breakdown in the government (tantamount to revo­
  lution or civil war), or the society might have progressed to such 
  a point that it no longer needs a formal government. In such a 
  case, all individuals take ultimate responsibility for their own 
  lives in every way. 
  06-10%: Militocracy. Rule by the military. This is different 
  from a mere junta or military coup d'etat regime in that a genu­
  ine militocracy succeeds itself over a period of administrations 
  or regimes. In other words, a real militocracy can stand the test 
  of time, and is not merely an interim government until some­
  thing more palatable comes around. A good example of a 
  militocracy is on Keskis Alpha, a world terribly beset by annual 
  raids from the Star Hives. As an independent world, Keskis Al­
  pha throws most of its resources into military defense. By de­
  fault, military leaders are also governmental leaders. To do 
  otherwise is mere redundancy. 
  11-15%: Autocracy. Rule by a single figure. Also known as 
  dictatorships, autocracies make no pretensions to royalty, divin­
  ity or any other trappings of an immortal nature. They are sim-
  1 55 
  ply governments set up by a single person who decided to take 
  power for whatever reason. Somewhere along the line, this per­
  son got enough people to go along and in the end, the dictator 
  ended up running things. There are, sadly, all too many 
  examples of autocracies in the Anvil Galaxies, especially among 
  Independent worlds. One particularly heartbreaking example is 
  on Paruvia, in which a vile despot named Orthus Kretch over­
  threw a popular and democratically elected government simply 
  because he, to quote Kretch directly, "needed a place in the gal­
  axy where he could rape and kill whoever he wanted." In the 30 
  years since Kretch overthrew Paruvia, he has satisfied those 
  very urges thousands and thousands of times, inflicting himself 
  upon a populace too terrified to oppose him or his dreaded 
  shock troopers, the 455 Legion. 
  16-20%: Monarchy. Rule by a hereditary sovereign. Monar­
  chies are the classic royal setup, typically with a king or queen 
  presiding, though sometimes a prince, princess or regent might 
  fmd themselves on the throne during unusual circumstances. 
  Monarchies succeed themselves by bloodline, which makes 
  marriage a very big deal to these people. There are a fair number 
  of monarchies throughout the Anvil Galaxy, but the Kingdom of 
  Wex Kragaa gains special notice because its sovereigns rou­
  tinely duel their own heirs every five years for the right of pre­
  mature ascension to the throne. If the sovereign loses, he or she 
  is executed or enters exile. If the heir wins, they take control. 
  One might think this would lead to an unstable monarchy, but 
  the Kingdom has survived for over 1,000 years, probably be­
  cause the Wexians themselves live for centuries, are extremely 
  resilient to physical harm (bio-regeneration) and have up to 40 
  offspring in a single brood. 
  21-25%: Aristocracy. Rule by nobility. Similar to a monar­
  chy, except instead of a single ruling sovereign, there is an en­
  tire group of them. Most often, this means a noble family or a 
  coalition of noble families hold power. In the Anvil Galaxy, ar­
  istocracies almost always occur after a monarchy has crumbled 
  or 
  been overthrown by 
  a 
  large number of potential 
  heirs-in-waiting who overthrew their monarch when he or she 
  was weak. Aristocracies tend to be transitional governments; ei­
  ther a new monarch ascends from the ruling aristocrats or an 
  heir to the deposed sovereign returns and reclaims the throne 
  somehow, or the aristocracy evolves into something different. A 
  notable example of an enduring aristocracy is the Kangsreal, a 
  world that was once a monarchy, but turned into an aristocracy 
  after a violent coup. Three centuries later, the ruling nobles have 
  increased in number so that fully 65% of the population bears 
  noble rank and the other 35% have enough money to pretend to 
  be noble. Though things are running well now, the government 
  is in shambles and is a revolution waiting to happen. 
  26-30%: Hierarchy. Rule by stratified layers of authority. 
  This is fairly uncommon in the Anvil Galaxy, but a good exam­
  ple might be the Strossian Fellowship, which controls the 
  Paxares system. The Strossians have nine different parliaments, 
  each of whom have authority over the one below them and an­
  swer to the one above them. Only the ninth parliament answers 
  to the first, making it a round robin government. Maybe not a 
  strict hierarchy, as there is no bottom and top, but this does 
  maintain the hierarchical spirit, as officials are constantly striv­
  ing to advance in their parliamentary "level," and making it all 
  the way around the circle is seen as a feat of considerable 
  achievement. 
  
  31-35%: Confederacy. Rule by allied power blocs. The ele­
  ments within a confederacy might actually be of varying gov­
  ernments, but adhering to the principle of a whole being greater 
  than the sum of its parts, these elements come together in mu­
  tual accord and mutual governance. Most confederacies, or fed­
  erations as they often like to call themselves, are fairly loose 
  governments with few rules. The Consortium of Civilized 
  Worlds is a fme example of a very large confederacy that has 
  proven immensely successful. 
  36-40%: Democracy. Rule by popular accord. Many of the 
  CCW's member states are democracies, a kind of government 
  widely regarded as a high benchmark of civility and governmen­
  tal maturity. That said, democracies are not infallible, and in the 
  Anvil Galaxy, many have collapsed under their own weight. The 
  most familiar scenario is when a democratic society gets too 
  prosperous for its own good, which breeds apathy, which means 
  nobody bothers to vote anymore, which means the government 
  either falls apart into a mass of squabbling petty interests, or a 
  dictator of some kind takes over, or the whole thing just melts 
  into anarchy. In the sad case of Tyhid II, all three have occurred 
  and keep occurring with regularity as the government goes 
  through an odd cycle of boom, bust and self-destruction. 
  41-45%: Oligarchy. Rule by an elite. This elite might have 
  nothing to do with government; it might be those who adhere to 
  a particular philosophy, those who have achieved a certain task, 
  those who are part of a certain ethnicity, race, breed, or profes­
  sion, and so on. Oligarchies might best be thought of as a kind 
  of dictatorship except instead of a single ruling autocrat, there is 
  a whole gaggle of them who share power more or less equally. 
  A notable oligarchy is the Council of Longo, whose lackluster 
  rulership over the Mucahle system has kept these otherwise re­
  source-rich worlds from becoming the local economic super­
  power they could be. The problem is, any time someone 
  challenges the Oligarchy, the Oligarchy simply takes them into 
  their ranks. Hence absolute power corrupts absolutely, and there 
  is no further opposition for a while. 
  46-50%: Syndicracy. Rule by a group of syndics, or com­
  mon business interests. In the Anvil Galaxy, this is an increas­
  ingly common form of government in which powerful 
  businesses somehow wrest control from more traditional gov­
  ernments. Or, these businesses colonize worlds for economic 
  gain and end up having to rule the place once colonists put 
  down roots there. Syndicracies tend not to be very effective gov­
  ernments, since they are more attuned to maintaining a healthy 
  profit margin than dealing in the more personal goals of good 
  government. This is illustrated well in the case of Tholos, LLC, 
  a huge multi-planetary company that bought numerous worlds 
  outright with the hopes of setting up automated factories on 
  them. They treated the native populations like trespassers, and 
  after a while, the locals decided to revolt. In a wild tum of 
  events, some of them hacked into the Tholos mainframe and 
  transferred the company's stock to the native populations. They 
  then sold the stock short in the Phase World bourse (stock ex­
  change) and made a mint. Shortly thereafter, the company was 
  dissolved by its shareholders, and the local natives lived in 
  peace. Tholos operatives have vowed revenge, however, and 
  might one day try to regain their former asset worlds. 
  51-55%,: Plutocracy. Rule by the wealthy. There are few of 
  these in the Anvil Galaxy, but those that do exist serve as a good 
  1 56 
  counterpoint to the shortcomings of most syndicracies. Plutoc­
  racies generally work best when citizens are also shareholders, 
  and the term "voting with your wallet" takes on a literal mean­
  ing. Citizens come and go to these societies more freely as they 
  buy and sell their interest in the government. Strict controls keep 
  such societies from selling citizenship to enemies of the state. 
  As the cases of Vurious III, Sketti Syl, and New Dahan show, a 
  plutocracy run with the shareholders in mind can actually be a 
  stable and very profitable way of running a planet. Indeed, each 
  of those three worlds possess higher standards of living than 
  90% of the rest of the Anvil Galaxy, and they have had no major 
  political upheavals in over 250 years. 
  56-60%: Bureaucracy. Rule by bureaucrats. Strangely, no­
  body seems to know exactly how these redundant, inefficient 
  and individual-smothering organizations ever get started. Lead 
  theories suspect it is when large and complicated societies be­
  come too much of both and the government drowns itself in the 
  details of running daily business. Soon, the forest gets lost for 
  the trees, and the entire government spends 99% of its time and 
  resources chasing its tail, crossing "r's, dotting "r's, and filling 
  things out in triplicate. Some bureaucracies have become enor­
  mously powerful, however, as the massive fleets of the Jjelong 
  Collective illustrate. Thankfully, their naval commanders must 
  send request memos to over thirty different departments before 
  gaining authorization to carry out anything purely offensive in 
  nature, which keeps the society from invading their neighbors. 
  61-65%: Pedocracy. Rule by the learned. This is different 
  from a technocracy, rule by the those who possess certain skills, 
  in that pedocracies are usually run by scholars and academics, 
  not applied experts. Pedocracies tend to exist in highly ad­
  vanced, peaceful, and bountiful societies where external threats 
  are minimal and most efforts are placed towards learning. 
  Pedocracies rarely stir up trouble, but when they do, they do it 
  in style. One example is the Gautian Quorum, a pedocracy 
  made up of evil scientists who only wanted one thing: the ex­
  tinction of all carbon-based life (including their own). Thank­
  fully, the intervention of several unknown adventurers halted 
  their most recent plot, but as long as a group like the Quorum 
  has an entire planet's resources at its disposal, nothing good will 
  ever come of their efforts. 
  66-70%: Theocracy. Rule by clergy. There seems to be little 
  room for religion in the Anvil Galaxy outside of some kind of 
  worship for the Cosmic Forge. Because passions run so hot re­
  garding the varying interpretation of the Cosmic Forge legends, 
  any government devoted to a particular religious tenet of the 
  Forge often generates too many enemies and dies a quick death. 
  However, there are a few enduring theocracies in the Anvil Gal­
  axy. One in particular is the Path of Light, a militant cult that 
  unified a system's worth of planets and imposed their ul­
  tra-harsh religious views on everybody under their control. Lit­
  tle more than a form of totalitarianism, the Path of Light exists 
  only because news of it has not really reached the rest of the gal­
  axy yet. When it does, a Cosmo-Knight or other noble crusaders 
  will make sure the Path's days are numbered and that justice and 
  tolerance might be replaced in the system. 
  71-75%: Mageocracy. Rule by magic-wielder. The means 
  by which that magic wielder assumes power is varied; another 
  roll on this table might be helpful. There is only one real major 
  mageocracy in the Anvil Galaxy, and it is the United Worlds of 
  
  Warlock. Still, there are a few very small mageocracies among 
  the independent worlds. They try to keep a low profile so they 
  are not swallowed by their neighbors. 
  76-80%: Gerontocracy. Rule by those of a certain age. Ba­
  sically, a kind of oligarchy wherein only people of a certain age 
  are considered fit to govern. Some gerontocracies disqualify the 
  young from government while some disqualify the old. The 
  world of Susk prohibits anybody whose age is a multiple of 
  three from governing, an odd stricture that has no apparent ori­
  gin or aim other than to shake up the government once in a 
  while. 
  81-85%: Gendocracy. Rule by those of a particular sex. 
  Most of the time, governments such as this exclude either men 
  or women from ruling. In a few alien societies, gendocracy gets 
  more complicated among species that have more than two sexes. 
  The unusual Feereon race, with their eleven distinct sexes, often 
  resort to gendocracy to meet their political aims. In a society 
  such as theirs, one's sex often determines what political party or 
  faction they are likely to belong to. 
  86-90%: Technocracy. Rule by those possessing certain 
  skills. In the Anvil Galaxy, this form of government comes 
  about most often on highly economic worlds in which trade un­
  ions or guilds obtain serious political clout. Eventually, one of 
  these trade groups takes over the government, and to make sure 
  they remain in power, modify things so that only one from their 
  guild or union may rule. The end result is a technocracy, which 
  usually has little to do with the actual skill the technocrats in 
  power possess. The world of Pandehi has been a technocracy 
  for many years, only the skill sets that make one eligible for rul­
  ership change all the time. Given that most of the populace have 
  datajacks in their heads into which they can slot memory cards 
  that let them practice any skill, the technocratic rules of their 
  government are fairly obsolete. But, despite all odds, they per­
  sist. Probably because no viable alternative has yet been offered. 
  91-95%: Mechocracy. Rule by machine. In some cases, a 
  mechocracy may exist for a society of intelligent automatons, as 
  was the case with the Machinists' Machine People long ago. In 
  other cases, a carbon-based people might cede their political au­
  thority to a machine of some sort (a mega-computer comes to 
  mind) to make their decisions for them. Mechocracies can work 
  very well; the machines in charge are very efficient and get a lot 
  done while their organic masters live lives of luxury. The only 
  problem is dislodging the machines from power once they are 
  there. Many machines do not see it as logical to return govern­
  ment to their carbon masters. More than a few wars have begun 
  over that particular misunderstanding. 
  96-00%: Exotic. The planet has some kind of government 
  not described above, and which might be best classified as ... ec­
  centric. With a setting as large as the Anvil Galaxy, there is 
  room for just about any kind of political permutation one can 
  think of. Most of the time, these eccentric governments are one 
  of a kind, the product of unique geography, culture, economy 
  and politics. So while there might be a lot of Exotic govern­
  ments across the Anvil Galaxy, they also tend to be isolated po­
  litical entities that one will not find elsewhere. Just one more 
  thing to keep space travelers on their toes. Some of the more in­
  teresting examples of Exotic governments include: 
  Xenocracy, or rule by aliens. The Kingdom of Aad has long 
  lived by such a government. Basically, nobody born on the 
  1 57 
  planet may be eligible for any seat in government, and the mon­
  archy must be made up of those outside the Aadian race. 
  Mutocracy, or rule by mutants. This can be found on the 
  post-industrial wasteland planet of Zerten VI. Once the jewel of 
  an ancient interstellar kingdom, it is now a Kreeghor dumping 
  ground for all kinds of noxious pollutants. The planet is cur­
  rently out of Kreeghor hands, and most of the population has 
  undergone some kind of genetic change thanks to all of the ra­
  dioactive, teratogenic, or otherwise mutagenic crap laying 
  around. Thus, the Zerteni Parliament may only be populated by 
  those who have a "true" feeling for what life on Zerten VI is like 
  - and those folks would be the world's mutants, many of 
  whom have actual super powers as well as grotesque deformi­
  ties. 
  Chronocracy, or rule by those displaced by time. This can 
  be found on Ghuria Prime, where a Temporal Raider took over 
  years ago and sought to assure that only he and his kind would 
  rule by decreeing that only those who can travel through time 
  have the perspective needed to govern effectively. Since the na­
  tive Ghurians have extremely short lives (only lD4+1 years!), 
  the long life span of a Temporal Raider, coupled with its ability 
  to travel through the very medium which defines the Ghurian 
  culture (time), makes the Raiders seem like gods. So who are 
  the Ghurians to question that? 
  Criminiocracy, or rule by those who have broken the law. 
  This is best seen on Auriaon, a world that is utterly fascinated 
  by crime and punishment, and whose population is almost en­
  tirely comprised of lawyers, justices, law enforcement personnel 
  and ex-cons. The Auriaon legal system is so complex and con­
  tradictory that it is almost impossible for somebody to not break 
  the law over the course of their lifetime. (This is something 
  many off-world visitors learn the hard way during their first 
  visit.) In many sectors of the planet, folks ritually break the law 
  as a rite of adulthood, and the years they spend in prison are 
  considered a valuable part of their personal growth. As far as 
  government is concerned, the idea is that one can not possibly 
  understand how the Auriaon society works without having expe­
  rienced firsthand its very foundation - its legal and penal sys­
  tems. This type of government has been tried on a few other 
  worlds, but usually they fail within a few years. Only Auriaon 
  has been able to really make it work. 
  Ludocracy, or rule by games of chance. A famous ludocracy 
  was established on H addlegun, which historically had been 
  locked in seemingly endless civil wars between its various na­
  tions. A brilliant general fmally conquered all warring parties 
  and established a unified government, keeping the peace for 100 
  years. In his old age, the despot-leader went a little wonky in the 
  head, and developed an unhealthy love for any kind of game of 
  chance. With no heirs or any other perceptible means of trans­
  ferring power once he would be gone, the leader held a tourna­
  ment of gaming to determine who would take over. The 
  tournament not only proved to be a big hit with the people, but it 
  also produced a successor who was actually pretty good at lead­
  ing! Since then the Haddlegun Ludocracy has become a galactic 
  oddity - a must-see for tourists and professional gamblers 
  alike. This attention keeps the government in business (imagine 
  if the casinos of Monaco or Las Vegas were really parliamen­
  tary factions!) and the Ludocracy has remained stable through 
  seven successive transfers of power. 
  
  Mystocracy, or rule by unknown or anonymous figures. An 
  example of this is Tyrol Greva, a world plagued by banditry and 
  lawlessness of every kind until it was tamed by an unknown cru­
  sader some years ago. It was rumored that this unknown hero 
  was really a Cosmo-Knight who chose to hide his identity. Be 
  that as it may, a weird side effect of the planet's transfonnation 
  from lawlessness is that in honor of their hero, all government 
  heads hide their identities when on the job. This has its prob­
  lems, though, like when rival politicians 
  or meddling 
  off-worlders impersonate standing leaders to cause unrest. Since 
  everybody wears a hood or mask or otherwise obscures their 
  identity, it is hard to tell who is the imposter and who is the real 
  McCoy. It is an inefficient, awkward government, but it beats 
  the non-government they had before. 
  Randocracy, or rule by random selection. Sharing traits with 
  the Haddlegun Ludocracy, the Randocracy of Sehesia deter­
  mines its president and congress by a four-year planetary lot­
  tery. The lottery is quite an affair, with months of build up and 
  sub-lotteries for lesser offices. Though the government has 
  worked well enough, it does have the unfortunate side effect of 
  drafting lots of unwilling individuals into governmental posts of 
  great importance. As a result, these folks often end up ceding 
  most of their authority to friends, family, their cabinets, or they 
  actually sell the position off to the highest bidder. As a result, 
  about one in every six planetary lotteries ends up in some fonn 
  of serious governmental crisis. In fact, this has already sparked 
  two revolutions and a short-lived civil war. But the Sehesians, a 
  profoundly philosophical and easy-going race, do not seem to 
  mind it all that much (a Sehesian civil war is a far less bloody 
  1 58 
  thing than civil wars on most other worlds), and so their 
  Randocracy works about as well as any other fonn of govern­
  ment might. And at least this way, there can be no blame on 
  how people got into power. It has all been decided, in one way 
  or another, by Lady Luck. 
  Law Level 
  01-10%: Lawless! This place is like Dodge City of the Old 
  West with heavy energy weapons. In most cases, the world has 
  suffered a total breakdown in law and order, either because of 
  civil war, or some kind of economic, political or cultural melt­
  down. Such worlds are prime choices for heroes like 
  Cosmo-Knights, noble mercenaries or other wandering champi­
  ons to step in and do some good. On the other end of the spec­
  trum, there are also lawless worlds that are the product of a 
  culture so enlightened and advanced that it no longer needs laws 
  of any kind. Its people can be trusted to always do the right 
  thing and not hurt their fellow citizen. This does not mean these 
  societies have no means to defend themselves - often times, as 
  gentle as they are on their own citizens, they can be utterly bru­
  tal against off-worlders stirring up any kind of trouble. 
  11-20%: Minimal. There might be some kind of law en­
  forcement present, but it in no way meets the local needs. In 
  many cases, this might be a lonely sheriff or an outclassed po­
  lice department up against overwhelming crime - like if Elliot 
  Ness was all by himself in Prohibition Chicago. In most cases, 
  worlds like this are unable to solve their crime problems. They 
  need help, and in a big way. The big difference between a Mini­
  mal world and a Lawless! world is that on a Minimal world, the 
  
  presence of at least a few good guys means they can get the 
  word out that they need help. As a result, they tend to receive re­
  inforcements faster. Even with extra help, though, taming 
  worlds like this is an uphill battle. 
  21-40%: Moderate. The world has a well established legal 
  system and law enforcement, but for some reason, it just is not 
  quite getting the job done. Maybe the good guys are not funded 
  well enough. Maybe the bad guys are just too powerful - led 
  by a super-being of some sort or equipped with unusually tough 
  hardware. Or maybe the good guys have corruption in the ranks 
  which weakens them. Or perhaps they lack experience. What­
  ever the reason, crime has the upper hand on worlds such as 
  this, though it is not yet a crisis situation, even if it feels like it 
  to the people living here. Wandering champions might not re­
  ceive such a warm welcome here, only because the lawmen of 
  this world have the sense that things are not entirely out of con­
  trol, and they could lay down the law if only people dido't get in 
  their way. As a result, unless specifically asked for, wandering 
  champions are seen more as a hindrance than a help. 
  41-600/0: Lawful. The world has a good law system set up, 
  and it keeps crime well in check. Best of all, it does so without 
  trampling the civil liberties of its citizens. In a place as wild and 
  wooly as the Anvil Galaxy, striking this balance can sometimes 
  be really difficult. It helps if the world has a stable government, 
  a culture not prone to lawlessness or barbarity, and a military 
  that can keep away bandits, pirates, and other independent trou­
  blemakers. In general, such worlds welcome Cosmo-Knights 
  and other champions of good as fellow peacekeepers, but they 
  expect them to obey the local laws during their stay. Fellow 
  lawman or not, the peace must be upheld, and if visiting cham­
  pions must be asked to leave or put in the lockup for a night to 
  do that, then such is the price to pay. Something to keep in mind 
  is that on Lawful worlds, weapon possession may or may not be 
  restricted. Some worlds allow their citizens to own any weapon 
  they like, but they somehow have set up an environment where 
  such ownership does not lead to anarchy. Likewise, other worlds 
  restrict weapons ownership, but they do it in such a way that it 
  does not foment resentment or rebellion among the people. For 
  any world, the G.M. is at liberty to decide how much weapons 
  restriction plays into the world's law level. 
  61-80%: Overbearing. This world forcefully keeps the 
  peace through a "better safe than sony" attitude. Crime is way 
  down, but that's because the local peacekeepers are not adverse 
  to stepping on some toes to do it. Civil liberties are seen as a 
  luxury that the government does not want to take away, but it 
  will the moment it feels such liberties are getting in the way of 
  keeping the peace. Visitors especially must watch their step, lest 
  they find themselves in lockup or facing stiff fines for breaking 
  laws they did not know existed. On worlds such as this, criminal 
  or sedition suspects are considered guilty until proven innocent, 
  they may or may not have the right to remain silent, and the 
  cops may or may not have the right to arbitrarily beat the hell 
  out of them. 
  81-90%: Authoritarian. Crime? What crime? This world is 
  a police state in which restrictions far outweigh freedoms. The 
  government keeps a close eye on everything, and people gener­
  ally are fearful that they might somehow get on the govern­
  ment's bad side. Such worlds have large police and military 
  forces, and they have no problems suspending any or all civil 
  1 59 
  liberties to maintain what it perceives as "order." A free press is 
  a hypothetical concept here, and political dissent of any kind is 
  strictly monitored and governed. Basically, one can not so much 
  as sing on a street comer without getting a permit which itself 
  has a three month waiting list. Get the picture? 
  91-00%: Totalitarian. Big Brother had the right idea, but he 
  lacked the guts to do the job properly! Totalitarian governments 
  enforce near-total control and oversight of the people's lives. 
  There is no freedom or privacy, and any dissent is crushed with­
  out hesitation. Worlds such as this almost always have extraor­
  dinary police and/or military forces, as well as extensive 
  surveillance everywhere. On the plus side (if there really is one), 
  totalitarian worlds tend to have outstanding intelligence gather­
  ing abilities. This makes them very valuable when they take part 
  in coalition military endeavors, though for freedom-loving soci­
  eties, working with totalitarian regimes feels like making a deal 
  with the Devil. 
  Popularity 
  01-10%: Hated. The people of this world utterly despise 
  their government. Chances are good that the world's Stability 
  rating is in a steady decline of some sort. No matter how much 
  control a government might have, when its people hate it this 
  much, some kind of uprising is bound to happen. Eventually, the 
  government will be overthrown, or it will capitulate to the peo­
  ple and give them what they want. 
  11-20%: Angry. The people are out for blood, and are cer­
  tainly experienced at rioting. If talk of revolution is not in the 
  air, it will be soon. However, there is a sizeable portion of the 
  population that either does not care about the current political 
  troubles or is too scared/intimidated to do anything about it. On 
  some worlds, this can lead to an unfortunate balance in which a 
  world never stops being near a revolution. 
  21-40%: Unpopular. The government has a habit of getting 
  on the people's bad side, but serious revolution is not yet a fore­
  seeable possibility. More likely, there will be isolated pockets of 
  resistance where terrorists (or freedom fighters, depending on 
  one's perspective) strike at the existing establishment. 
  41-60%: Ambivalent. Things are fairly middle ground here. 
  There are the usual grievances against the government, but 
  things are good enough that the civilian populace does not really 
  care about the state of their own world, much less anybody 
  else's. In this state, the government can maintain power for a re­
  ally long time, since the people are too busy with other things 
  than to provide oversight to the military. 
  61-80%: Popular. The government is liked by the people, 
  and though it has its detractors, on popularity alone, it is a suc­
  cessful and stable way to run a planet. Unless there is tremen­
  dous crime or a military emergency, armed police may or may 
  not be seen on such worlds. 
  81-90%: Beloved. The government is the apple of the citi­
  zenry's eye, and as far as the common man is concerned, the 
  government can do little wrong. 
  91-00%: Fanatical. The people are willing to lay down their 
  lives for their rulership. Most commonly, this occurs when a 
  cult takes control of the society, mass brainwashing has been 
  conducted, some kind of technology effects mass personality 
  control, or by other such means. Fanatical societies tend to be 
  dangerous because they believe their way is the only way, and 
  
  those that are different are enemies that must be destroyed. This 
  applies to any culture, government, philosophy, whatever. In the 
  Anvil Galaxy, fanaticism of any sort rarely is a good thing. 
  Stability 
  01-10%: Revolution/Civil War. Things don't get much 
  more unstable than this. The planet's government is under direct 
  attack. In the case of a revolution, the fighters want to overthrow 
  or destroy the government, replacing it with one of their choos­
  ing. In the case of a civil war, the aim is more likely to be for a 
  segment of the population to break away and form a government 
  of their own. Either way, the potential for warfare, destruction 
  and disruption is immense. In the Anvil Galaxy, there are entire 
  solar systems embroiled in revolution or civil war for decades at 
  a time. 
  11-20%: Rebellion. The government is under attack, but by 
  a significantly smaller portion of the populace than in a revolu­
  tion or civil war. Depending on how powerful the government 
  (Le., the chances of the rebels actually winning), the rebels 
  might be considered to be mere criminals stirring up trouble. 
  Still, life on the planet is being seriously disturbed by the ongo­
  ing rebellion, and until it ends, there can be no peace. 
  21-30%: Uprising. A small portion of the population are di­
  rectly opposing the government, but they have little chance of 
  succeeding. Or, a large number of people might be opposing the 
  government, but they are not resolved to really wage war, so 
  things can't be disrupted all that badly. Uprisings are an interest­
  ing crossroad of political disturbance: if things get worse, then 
  the government is probably on a downward slope to revolution 
  or civil war. If things get better, then the government can be 
  pretty sure they will remain in power for the foreseeable future. 
  31-40%: Unrest. There is widespread grousing, and there 
  might be the occasional terrorist or revolutionary stirring up 
  trouble, but the planet is basically at peace, and the government 
  will remain in place for the foreseeable future. That said, the 
  populace has some pretty severe grievances that are not being 
  addressed. This might lead to a less disruptive overthrow of the 
  government, like a sweep in upcoming elections or some other 
  peaceful transfer of power. 
  41-600/0: Stable. The government is more or less liked and 
  approved of by the populace. There might be the occasional 
  scandal or cause for protest, but in the long run, things are work­
  ing and should continue to do so. Terrorists and revolutionaries 
  are very much in the minority, and are seen by most people as 
  criminals, nut cases, or both. 
  61-70%: Solid. The government is either so popular that it is 
  very unlikely to be replaced by its citizens for any reason, or the 
  government might have so much power that even if the popula­
  tion wanted to replace it, they would have a very difficult time 
  doing so. Either way, governments this stable are good in the 
  short run, but in the long run they sometimes lead to either com­
  placency among the citizenry, or tyranny within the govern­
  ment. 
  71-80%: Long-Standing. The government has a long tradi­
  tion of stability, so much so, that the people can hardly imagine 
  life without it. For a government of this kind to be overturned, 
  circumstances would have to become radically different from 
  what they are now. 
  81-90%: Dynastic. The government has been ruling in its 
  current form for at least several generations now. Chances are 
  good that the planet has a long history of dynastic government, 
  although there is a first time for everything, even a governmen­
  tal dynasty. The problem with dynasties is they can become very 
  oppressive, corrupt and inefficient. Usually this is the case when 
  you have a people who by culture, brainwashing or other means, 
  simply can not conceive of changing the government them­
  selves. Sometimes, this is because the people lack the power to 
  change their government, and have come to live with it. 
  91-00%: Immortal. A most rare condition in the Anvil Gal­
  axy, the government is almost impossible to change and can be 
  expected to remain in place for thousands, if not tens of thou­
  sands, of years. A good example of this is the draco logy of 
  Llakancen, which has been ruled by Llakancen the Just, an im­
  mortal dragon from another dimension who rules his world with 
  justice, nobility, and utter power. 
  World Building Template 
  1 60 
  Solar System 
  Number of Stars: 
  Star Type: 
  Number of Planets: 
  Optional: When Stars Die 
  Small Stars: 
  Huge Stars: 
  Giant Stars: 
  Planetology 
  Type: 
  Diameter: 
  Gravity: 
  Temperature: 
  Special Features: 
  Environment: 
  Atmosphere: 
  Terrain: 
  Hydrosphere: 
  Biosphere: 
  Civilization 
  Population: 
  Technology: 
  Economy: 
  Wealth: 
  Government 
  Type: 
  Law Level: 
  Popularity: 
  Stability: 
  
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  Robotech® “Core Rules” – Shadow Chronicles® RPG Hardcover
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  Robotech®: The Masters Saga™ Sourcebook – Cat. No. 552
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  Zentraedi Glaug Command™ – Cat. No. 55403
  This diverse pack provides your Zentraedi forces with greater tac�cal 
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  ● 4 Zentraedi Support Ba�lepods, each of which can be made into:
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  Serauhaug-Regult – Heavy Ar�llery Ba�lepod
  TTelnesta-Regult – Experimental Par�cle Beam Ba�lepod
  Four game pieces total.
  Zentraedi Regult Ba�lepods™ – Cat. No. 55401
  Expand your Zentraedi forces with their main infantry ba�le mecha; 
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  UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids™ – Cat. No. 55203
  Add some long-range power and up-close punch to your army with 
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  UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids™ – Cat. No. 55202
  Expand your Destroid squad with these formidable walking tanks; 
  four game pieces total. $32.95 retail.
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  ba�ery of missiles and an array of other weapons.
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  UEDF Valkyrie Wing™
  – Cat. No. 55201
  Build your ﬂeet of Earth defenders with the Valkyrie Veritech 
  Fighter; six game pieces total. $36.95 retail.
  ● 2 Valkyries in Fighter mode.
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  ● 
  ● 2 Valkyries in Ba�loid mode.
  ● Mul�ple heads for making the VF-1A, VF-1J, VF-1R & VF-1S.
  Note: Each product contains plas�c game pieces requiring assembly and pain�ng. Glue not included. This is not a toy. Small parts, not suitable for children under the 
  age of 13. Adult supervision advised. Images shown here are not to scale.
  A fast-paced, strategy ba�le game that captures the speed and ac�on of Robotech®. 
  Play Earth defenders or Zentraedi invaders.
  ● Scalable from small squad skirmishes to mass ba�les.
  ● Turn-based system of play and uses D6. Two or more players.
  ● 34 highly detailed game pieces. 6mm scale.
  ● 112 page color rule book with paint guide and index.
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  ● Assembly and pain�ng required. Glue not included.
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  ● Comprehensive background on the Road Reapers.
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  Graveyard Earth™ Sourcebook
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  Hell Followed™ Sourcebook
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  Dead Reign® RPG – “Core Rules.” It is the aftermath of the zombie 
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  The zombies grow in number and strangeness. Can humankind 
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  Can YOU survive the Zombie Apocalypse?
  
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  ®
  Rifts® Dimension BookTM Fivc:
  The Anvil Galaxy
  TM
  At last, the Anvil Galaxy – one of the infamous Three Galaxies of Phase World® – is presented in this exciting 
  overview. New alien races are introduced, political powers and competition defined and food for adventure abounds. 
  Especially with the advent of the Forge WarTM – the anything goes, crush the opposition race to find the legendary 
  Cosmic Forge. (If it even exists at all.)
  !!  Overview of the Anvil Galaxy.
  !  Key races, civilizations and planets of note (scores of them).
  !  Nearly 20 alien races, including the Ratanoid, Star Elves and Zebuloids.
  !  More on the Trans-Galactic Empire and Consortium of Civilized Worlds.
  !  The mysterious Threshold and Core.
  !  Legends of the Cosmic Forge and the brewing race to find it known as the Forge War.
  !  Planet creation rules, Cosmo-Knights, mystery and more.
  !!  Ideas and fodder for countless space adventures.
  !  160 pages.
  Join the adventure. Explore the Megaverse®.
  $20.95
  Cat. No. 847
  ISBN-10: 157457-019-6
  ISBN-13: 978-1-57457-019-9
  Also from Palladium Books®
  Rifts® Dimension Book™ Six:
  Three Galaxies™
  ! An overview of the Three Galaxies and some of the promi-
  nent people and places in them.
  ! 16 O.C.C.s/R.C.C.s and a half dozen monsters.
  ! New equipment and spacecraft, including construction rules 
  for space stations.
  ! Adventure ideas by the dozen. Rumors, villains and starting 
  points.
  ! 160 pages. Cat. No. 851.
  Rifts® Dimension Book™ Seven:
  Megaverse® Builder™
  ! Dimension creation rules.
  ! Dimensional storms and anomalies.
  ! Exotic new Familiars and dangerous dimensional monsters.
  ! Dozens of Hook, Line and Sinker™ adventure outlines and 
  ideas for many more.
  ! 96 pages. Cat. No. 859.
  The Minion War™
  An
  An epic, five-part crossover series following the war 
  between the twin Hells of Hades and Dyval.
  ! Rifts® Dimension Book™ 10: Hades – Pits of Hell™
  ! Rifts® Dimension Book™ 11: Dyval™ – Hell Unleashed
  ! Rifts® Dimension Book™ 12: Dimensional Outbreak™
  ! Heroes Unlimited™: Armageddon Unlimited™
  ! Rifts®: Megaverse® in Flames™
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/RIFTS/Dimension Books/Rifts - Dimension Book 05 - Anvil Galaxy - PAL847P.pdf