Contents

New Player Primer: Vrusk ........................... 1

A short synopsis of the vrusk race to help new
players
Creating Mid-level Characters in Star
Frontiers ....................................................... 2
Sometimes you dont always want to start at the
Issue 20 Spring 2017 beginning
Who are the Raith? ...................................... 4
Features An expansion on the Raith race from Star
Frontiersman issue 3
The Frontier in Miniature: Shrubs, Cactus,
and Flowering Bushes ................................ 10
A guide to building plant miniatures
Creature Conversions II .............................. 12
More Gamma World creatures converted to Star
Frontiers along with a few new ones.
Titan Rising: 2299 ..................................... 19
The Frontier in Miniature: Shrubs, Episode 13 of the Titan Rising comic
Cactus, and Flowering Bushes ..................10 Minotaur Rip Snake ................................... 21
The Jurak Hangna Foundation got an unexpected
and illegal immigrant
Translator Microbes ................................... 24
An alternative to the poly-vox
Vembraces from the Minzii Marketplace... 25
Fashion accessories with hidden functionality
Badder Conversion ..................................... 26
Conversion of an old Gamma World race for use
Minotaur Rip Snake ...........................................21 in Star Frontiers
Malfunctioning Masseuse Bot ................... 31
Your relaxing day at the spa might not turn out
just how you expect.
The Galactic Hundred Acer Woods ....... 33
A table of 100 worlds when you need one in a
hurry.
Grimz Guide Comic ....................... back cover
All good things must come to an end. Maybe?

Badder Conversion ...........................................26

2012-2017 Frontier Explorer Magazine. The Frontier Explorer and Star Frontiersman names and logos are trademarks of the Frontier Explorer Magazine.
Wizards of the Coast, Star Frontiers and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. The rights to all material
presented here are retained by their original authors and are printed with permission.
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

From the Editors Production Credits

Welcome back explorers!
And welcome it issue 20. This issue marks five years worth
of issues of the Frontier Explorer (I cant believe its been
five years). Together weve produced over 800 pages and
over 400,000 words of content and by the looks of it we are
still going strong. I just want to say thanks to all those who
have contributed over the years to make this magazine as
wonderful as it is.
This issue is primarily focused on creatures and races. What
is a science fiction game without more races and creatures to
play and discover? We have two race conversions and a
large number of creatures (both new and converted from
other systems) throughout the pages of this issue along with
some of our staple columns.
Additionally we have an article that didnt quite fit in our last
robot issue, a continuation of our New Player Primer series
that got started way back in issue 6 & 7 but has been on
hiatus, a d100 table to grab a random world from, and a few
other odds and ends.
Looking forward to the next couple of issues, Id like to put
in a request to all of you for articles on a few topics. The first
is spaceships and other in space activities. The plan for
issue 21 is to focus on starships once again and so wed like
to see articles about ships, space equipment, interstellar trade
and travel, etc. whatever you have that youd like to share.
The second is equipment and vehicles. That will be the focus
of issue 22. If you have gadgets and gizmos that youve
introduced into your games, write them up and send them in.
Cover Art: UPTIME: Wandering Server, by Coferosa on
The Pan Galactic catalog is a little bare and could use some
Deviant Art.
more inventory.
Back cover comic: Scott Mulder
Finally, Im looking for adventures and/or locations. These
can range from a single location with a brief write-up, to a Banner Logo Image: NASA
full up adventure scenario spanning multiple locations and Editors: Tom Stephens, Tom Verreault, Eric Winsor
settings, and anything in between. As Ive mentioned before,
Layout: Tom Stephens
I want to revive the Star Frontiersman magazine as a place to
publish these types of articles. I have some in the queue but Full Cover Quote:
need a few more to have enough to publish a full issue. If The world is always open, waiting to be discovered.
youve got something tucked, away consider sharing. - Dejan Stojanovic
As always, dont feel that submissions need to be limited to
these categories. We accept submission on just about any http://frontierexplorer.org
topic as there is always room in an issue for a few more
articles beyond the primary topic (if we even have one). So @FrontierExpMag
dont hesitate to share your creativity with the community.
Wed love to see it. https://patreon.com/FrontierExplorer
Thanks again for your support over the last five years and as
always, keep exploring.
- Tom Stephens
Senior Editor

Legal The Frontier Explorer is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the
Coast LLC. The Frontier Explorer may use the trademarks and other intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast LLC,
which is permitted under Wizards' Fan Site Policy.
ii
Frontier Explorer

Campaign Material

New Player Primer: Vrusk

Tom Verreault & Tom Stephens

Note: the following is a quick primer for a new player

Editors Note: This is the continuation of a series we
who his considering playing a vrusk but is unsure how to
started way back in issues 6 & 7 intended to provide a one
play this alien species. This document is not a
page intro to the setting and each of the core races. For
replacement for the species description in the rulebook.
some reason, which I no longer remember, the series was
interrupted. We are bringing it back to complete it.
The Canonical Material
Vrusk are great lovers of art and beauty and many aspire
The Species to become wealthy art collectors. Both natural and created
Vrusk are a bug like species with an internal skeleton and beauty can captivate a vrusk for hours if given the
hard external carapace. They are ambidextrous with two opportunity to take the time to enjoy it. Vrusk often work
double jointed arms on an upright torso and eight legs on to preserve and enhance the beauty they find in the world
a lower, horizontal body. You can imagine them as an around them.
insectoid centaur but their upper body can bend low and
horizontal to the ground if desired. They are somewhat Language
shorter than humans but much wider and longer. The vrusk language is unspeakable by
Due to their complex society, they have a special the other species of the Frontier but
comprehension ability that allows them to pick up on the vrusk understand Pan-Gal. They
social cues, read social interactions, and understand use a polyvox to communicate.
the social dynamics in a given
situation. Non-Canonical
Society Material
Most vrusk belong to independent
corporations and view them as their Vrusk Singing
family and nation such that they will Bradley McMillian developed ideas about vrusk
give the company name before their singing via moving air through the spiracles on the
personal name. underside of their abdomens. Latter discussions on
The more common vrusk corporation is the trade house the starfrontiers.us site developed that further to
which specializes in one type of business. The other is the include "vrusk tai-chi" as human call it or the vrusk
conglomerate which will have business interests in many sodality or solidarity songs which were often a ritualized
areas. Vrusk can spend their entire lives, from birth to line dance performed by all the vrusk of a particular
death, living and working within a single corporation to company as a means of bonding. Also developed by fans
which they are fiercely loyal. was the idea of flicking emotions with their antenna. See
Frontier Explorer #5 "A Vrusk Life In Song".
As with any society, there are members who do not fit the http://frontierexplorer.org/book/vrusk-life-song.
standard molds. For vrusk, these are the independent
business owners, adventurers, etc. They are often Vrusk Equipment
considered somewhat odd by more traditional vrusk. The other core races of the Frontier are basically
Vrusk society is highly structured and complicated with humanoid (or can be in the case of dralasites) and can for
various levels of connection, obligation, and relationship the most part use the same gear and furniture. Vrusk,
between the various corporations and the members within however, have a significantly different body shape and so
these corporations. The interactions are often subtle and require specialized equipment. They also take up more
complex and usually only a vrusk can fully understand it. space when standing than the other races.
This is what gives rise to their racial comprehension Your referee may ignore this for ease of play but you
ability, compared to vrusk society, other races might want to check to see if that may be a source of role-
interactions are relatively simple. play (or consternation) in your game.
FE
1
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Campaign Material

Creating mid-level Characters

in Star Frontiers
Tom Verreault

Originally, characters created with the Alpha Dawn box For myself I've been a fan of both rule mods although I
set had only two 1st level skills and very limited like to tweak A Skilled Frontier a little to suit myself.
equipment. Characters of this sort were commonly called However, even with A Skilled Frontier you still need a
beginning characters and they were not very capable good sized party to ensure all the critical skills are
and a party of such characters needed to be large (4-6) covered.
in order to have all of the critical skills covered.
Flash back to Dragon Magazine #91 (Nov 1984) and
But what if you only have one or two players? Should you Careers in Star Law by Alex Curylo. The article
flesh out the party with robots and NPCs? While this is an presented a set of guidelines for creating a character that
option, another possibility would be to create mid-range was entry level in Star Law but with some depth of
characters capable of acting somewhat independently. ability. These characters were well suited to operate in
These would be characters that may or may not qualify for pairs or even solo. They were elite in one skill (level 6)
the skills to operate star ship systems but they could and had a smattering of other skills.
certainly be on the cusp of that level of skill.
On the surface a Star Law PC could be created using
High level characters in Star Frontiers have traditionally either the Alpha Dawn rules or the A Skilled Frontier
been those with the Knight Hawks skills (those required rules and both would be on the cusp of gaining KH's skills
for operating starships). The prerequisites for KHs skills without inclusion of Spacer Skills Revisited. The
were maxed out skills from the Alpha Dawn side of the Careers in Star Law character creation rules create a
game. This created a level system well-rounded and capable mid-level
described as: character under either the official
AD & KHs rules or the popular fan
low level PCs walking around doing
creations.
stuff
mid-level PCs driving around doing stuff But there are a few omissions in that
high level PCs flying round doing stuff. article like money and equipment
since Star Law recruits are issued a
The maxed out Alpha Dawn skills tended certain amount of equipment.
to create situations that exacerbated the
problem of power creep, particularly in Alpha Dawn What follows is an adaption of the Careers in Star Law
style encounters. It also contributed to some player material for generic mid-level game play.
frustration where the expectation is that we're playing a
science fiction game so why cant we use starships? Mid-level Character
Things changed somewhat with publication of fan-created
rules modifications in the Star Frontiersman magazine: A
Creation Process
Skilled Frontier (issue #9) and Spacer Skills Revisited
(issue #10)
Option 1 Fixed Skill Levels
The following process outlines the steps to be taken to
With the A Skilled Frontier rule modifications, create a general mid-level character. It provides your
beginning characters had three 1st level starting skills starting characters with comparable numbers and levels of
from an expanded list of skills and primary skill areas skills regardless of their chosen area of emphasis.
(PSAs) and there was the possibility of even having a skill
to operate some star ship systems. Spacer Skills
Step 1
Choose race, roll ability scores, and modify those ability
Revisited didnt change the skill system but simply
scores as per Alpha Dawn Expanded rules on page 4
lowered the skill level requirements needed to get starting
(Steps 1-5).
starship skills, thus making them accessible earlier in the
characters career (although still not from the very Then add 1d10+15 points to any ability scores with the
beginning). caveat that if you add 2 points to one ability score you
must also add a minimum of 1 point to the other ability
score in the pair.
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Frontier Explorer
Alternately, some or all of these extra points may be The skill levels in option one correspond to between 75
applied to racial abilities like Battle Rage, Lie Detection, and 137 XP depending on the skill system used and the
or Comprehension. selected PSAs. Thus assigning a number of XP for
purchasing skills and ability score increases between 95
Step 2
and 155 will allow the players to create comparable
Follow steps 6-9 Alpha Dawn Expanded rules page 4 to
characters to those generated with that method. If using
determine derived ability scores, racial abilities, gender,
the A Skilled Frontier rules, a value at the lower end is
and handedness.
more comparable.
Step 3a Standard Skill Rules
Choose the characters PSA. Next select one 5th and one However, this method also allows the referee to vary the
3rd level skill that must be in that PSA. Finally, select power level a bit more by assigning more or fewer XP at
one 2nd level and one 1st level skills from any PSA. character generation time depending on the needs of the
adventure or campaign.
Step 3b A Skilled Frontier Rules FE
Choose the characters PSA and two Secondary Skill
Areas (SSAs) as per the article. Choose one 5th level skill
from the PSA, a 3rd level skill from one SSA and a 2nd 35th Anniversary
level skill from the other SSA. Finally, select a 1st level
skill from any skill area. Commemorative Patch
Step 4
Give the character 1 free skiensuit and 1 free tool kit (tool
kit must be for a skill that he knows).
Step 5
Determine the characters starting money. Roll
(1d10+1)x1000 credits. This is a lot of starting money but
it does allow for a character to start with a vehicle or own
a robot which are big ticket items.
Step 6 (optional)
Determine the characters past service. The player may
choose a government service, organization, cadre, or
corporation that they have worked for in the past. During
the game the character may be able to gain information or
a small benefit or help from a contact still in that service
or organization at the referee's discretion. Role playing
may be required or a simple PER check. There may be
even long term consequences for this aid like the contact
holding a marker over the PC's head that he will seek to
collect on.
The 35th Anniversary patches are in and available for
Option 2 Fixed Experience order. We made 200 patches this time around and while
Points most of them have already been mailed out to those that
This option is similar to the above method but changes pre-ordered them, there are still a number of patches left
steps 1 and 3 slightly. All other steps stay the same. It is if you didnt place a pre-order and would still like to get
akin to the point buy system found in some other some of them.
games. The starting characters created with this method If you are interested in ordering one or more patches you
will be a bit more variable in their starting levels but will have two options. The easiest option is simply to go to
have comparable experience as if they had been http://starfrontiers.info/patch2017.html and hit the Buy
adventuring together to gain these skills. Now button. This will take you to PayPal where you
Rather than giving a set number of skills at a fixed level can select the quantity you want and place your order. If
and a few points with which to increase their stats and you dont want to order via PayPal, send an e-mail to
racial abilities, players are simply given a fixed number of [email protected] and let us know how many
experience points that they can spend on skills and you would be interested in and well work something
increasing their abilities. This allows the characters to out.
focus in on one or two skills at high level or spread their Order soon because once theyre gone
skills among many low level skills.
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 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Races

Who are the Raith?

Laura Mumma

Raith? (Chuckling) They are nothing but a colonist

boogey man. A story to make sure the kids dont wander Raith Background in Roleplaying
into the waste-lands. I cant believe people believe they Games and Changes I Made
exist. Professor Gthan, University of Zebulon, Xeno- The Raith in Star Frontiers first appeared in Star
anthropology. Frontiersman 03, Star Frontiers Locations Map page 25 &
Until recently the Raith where consider nothing but a Raith Lair page 26. I have changed the Raith from a
fantasy tale told by colonists on Laco or other desolate Medium Herbivore as it was presented in the original Star
wilderness worlds to keep children from wandering off. Frontiersman article to a Medium Carnivore as that is more
Creatures of horror for the campfire tales or bar yarns in keeping with its ecological niche and body design than
spun by exploration teams and miners. Often described as being a Herbivore for this article. The Raith seem to be
a creature part Man or Vrusk and part Scorpion, scientists, based off the Scorpionfolk in D&D which are probably
law enforcement and colonial governments had ignored based off the Scropion Men known as aqrabuamelu or
the occasional report of Raith often in conjunction with a girtablilu from ancient Akkadian Mythology.
missing persons report as a tale concocted from the
bottom of bottle to cover up homicide. Recent events on Laco near the city of Enderom and the
In light of recent discoveries of the existence of the Raith ruins of Xinonus have now lent credence to these long
on Laco, Susan Fillas attorney has filed for appeal ignored tales of Raith as being based on actual encounters
concerning her conviction for the murder of her 1 year with this elusive and dangerous life form. The rescue of
old child Tilla Mark, whom she claimed was abducted by two siblings from a Raith Lair and the bodies of Raith
the Raith. Yuthan, Reporting for Laco FNN. recovered has sparked controversy and diverse opinions
across the Frontier.
A Raith took my baby! I didnt kill me baby! It was a
Raith!(sobbing) Susan Filla, Citizen of Laco during an I heard the Raith and the Vrusk are related! Its the
interview by FNN prior to her conviction for murder of bugs, those damn Vrusk are in league with the Raith. I
her own child. heard the Raith are secret super Vrusk warriors who are
trained to exterminate Humans. New Pale Citizen
visiting Laco Mari Tomark
For the first time ever scientists were able to dissect the
bodies of several Raith including several adults and
RAITH
several immature specimens that had been recovered by
Type: Medium Carnivore concerned citizens after an intense battle and a Human
Number: 1-10 hunting, 50-500 lair. child was rescued. Though other reports of Raith have
occurred, no bodies were ever recovered from such
Medium, 60 meters/turn, Climb encounters. The lack of bodies from past encounters
Move: 40 meters/turn, Burrows 40 between colonists and the Raith had lead to the belief they
meter/turn did not exist.
IM/RS: +4/40
Now scientists are offering other reasons for the lack of
Stamina: 30 bodies. Some scientists have suggested the Raith
50% pinch/pinch or sting plus cannibalized their own dead, while others believe the
Attack: removal of Raith bodies by the Raith may indicate burial
weapon
practices. Xeno-biologists, Xeno-archeologists, Xeno-
pinchers 1d10, stinger 1d10
Damage: paleontologist and Xeno-anthropologists from several
+S5/T5
Universities where invited to Laco by Star Law after Raith
Special Attack: None bodies where delivered to Star Law as proof of the
Special Defense: hard shell as skeinsuit creatures existence. Star Law specifically wants to
determine more about the nature of the Raith. The
Native World: arid wastelands
4
Frontier Explorer
following is based on scientific reports to Star Law, the
UPF Board of Inquiry, and the Laco Government.
The Raith ancestors evolved from an ocean creature
similar to the sea scorpion. These alien sea scorpions
were formidable predators that thrived in warm shallow
waters of their homeworld. It appears that they were well-
adapted for maintaining a secure hold upon rocks or
seaweed against the wash of waves. Gradually these
primitive creatures began crawling out of the oceans and
seas of their world and adapting to land. The climate of
their world was changing and with it they adapted, they
evolved. As the great seas dried and land masses moved
gradually some of these creatures began becoming social
hunters working together to hunt down their prey and in
time they became sentient hunters of arid and desert
regions of their homeworld. -- Professor Zen of the
University of Port Loren, Xeno-biology.

The Body of the Raith

The body of a Raith is divided into two parts: the upper
body area divided into the head which is fused to the chest
and the lower body referred to as the abdomen, which is
subdivided into a broad anterior, and a narrow tail-like
posterior.
The upper body contains the head, one arm pair, which
have hand-like appendages. The second pair of forearms
with claws or pincers attaches at the base of the abdomen
where the chest meets the abdomen and in addition the from 20 to 37 C, they can survive temperatures ranging
abdomen has three pairs of walking legs. The Raith is a from well below freezing to desert heat and do live in
stocky ten-limbed creature. temperatures varying from 31 to 50 C. Raith can
regulate their body temperature which is normally 23.9
The Raith's exoskeleton is thick and durable, providing
C, but in extreme cold they will enter a hibernation state.
good protection from predators. The cuticle of the Raith
contains fluorescent materials which have been A Raith does not have ears like Humans or antenna like
discovered to glow a vibrant blue-green when exposed to the Vrusk. Instead, on close examination of the bodies, it
certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light such as that was discovered they have a lot of fine hairs. These hairs
produced by a black light. Raith exoskeltons are believed are actually not hairs but are sensory structures that allow
to come in a variety of colors varying from white like in the Raith to sense vibration. There are also small slits
the very young to light tans or sand colors to reds, blacks, called slit sensila that allow the Raith to detect mechanical
and even blues based on eye witness accounts and the few strain, using these sensory components it is believed the
bodies dissected. Scientist are unsure if this is normal Raith are adept at detecting vibrations coming through the
biogenetic variation, the result of adapting to specific ground. They can determine the direction by comparing
environments such as soil color or an indication of wave timing among legs.
different races or species. Raith blood is blue due to the
They are also sensitive to airborne vibrations (sound).
presence of hemocyanin which contains copper.
Using the much longer sensory hairs concentrated on their
Raith have two eyes on the top of the head, and usually pedipalps they can catch prey or objects in mid-flight by
two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners of their picking up on the airborne vibrations they cause. The best
head. Despite the fact that Raith have many eyes their way to think of Raith hearing is that their inner ear is
vision is poor compared to other species. Raith are spread out across the outside of their body. Despite this
nocturnal by nature and find shelter during the day in the exceptional hearing, Raith can adapt to constant loud
relative cool of underground lairs and cool cave background noise in that they can properly interrupt the
complexes, emerging at night to hunt and feed. Raith sound for what it is and that it is to be ignored. However,
exhibit photophobic behavior. They prefer caves, tunnels, such sounds interfere with the Raiths ability to hunt
and loose soils such as sand that they can burrow through. properly and severely inhibit its ability to navigate
Though Raith prefer areas where the temperatures range properly.
5
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
The abdomen is segmented, each covered dorsally by a small claw-like structures that protrude from the mouth.
sclerotosed plate and also ventrally for segments 3 to 7. This unusual mouth structure is very sharp, and is used to
The first abdominal segment bears a pair of genital pull small amounts of food off the prey for digestion into
opercula covering the gonopore. Segment 2 consists of the a pre-oral cavity below the chelicerae and carapace.
upper forearms appendages which have a five fingered
Raith can ingest food only in a liquid form; they have
hand similar to the Vrusks, and are used much in the
external digestion. The digestive juices from the gut are
same manner as Vrusk forelimbs making the Raith
egested onto the food and the digested food sucked in
capable of the same fine motor manipulation as other
liquid form. Any solid indigestible matter (fur,
species. It is surmised based on the eye witness reports
exoskeleton, etc.) is trapped by setae in the pre-oral
that the Raith like the Vrusk is ambidextrous. The lower
cavity, which is ejected by the Raith.
segmented clawed forearm appendages occur on segment
3 and are used for prey immobilization, defense, mating The Raith can consume huge amounts of food at one
and sensory purposes. Segments 3 to 7 each have a pair of sitting. They have a very efficient food storage organ and
spiracles, the openings for the Raith's respiratory organs. a very low metabolic rate combined with a relatively
The spiracle openings may be slits, circular, elliptical, or inactive lifestyle. This enables Raith to survive long
oval. periods when deprived of food; some are able to survive 5
to 10 months of starvation. Raith excrete very little; their
The Raith's tail is comprised of five segments (the first tail
waste consists mostly of insoluble nitrogenous
segment looks like a last segment of the body) and the
compounds.
sixth segment bears the stinger. The stinger, in turn,
consists of a pair of venom glands, and the venom-
injecting barb. On rare occasions, Raith can be born with Reproduction
two tails. Two-tailed Raith are not a different species, Raith reproduce sexually, having male and female
merely thought to be a genetic abnormality. In addition individuals. However, some scientist speculate the species
one body discovered lacked a stinger but instead had a tail can reproduce through parthenogenesis, a process in
fan indicating that not all Raith have stingers, how this which unfertilized eggs develop into living embryos. If so
specimen was able to survive is open to debate. Raith use it is hypothesized the parthenogenic reproduction starts
their venom in moderation, it takes the Raith a lot of following the Raith's final molt to maturity and continues
energy to produce venom. It is used for subduing prey, in thereafter.
self-defense and in mating.
Sexual reproduction is accomplished by the transfer of a
spermatophore from the male to the female; Raith possess
Hunting Habits a complex courtship and mating ritual to effect this
Raith are opportunistic predators. The large pincers are transfer. Mating starts with the male and female locating
studded with highly sensitive tactile hairs, as hunters they and identifying each other using a mixture of pheromones
prefer to lay in wait under sand or in dark places and the and vibration communication. Once they have satisfied
moment prey animal touches these, they use their pincers the other that they are of opposite sex, and not closely
to catch the prey. Raith will hunt this way as individuals related mating can commence.
or in groups. Witnesses have also reported seeing Raith at
The courtship starts with the male grasping the female's
night run down prey often as a group and using weapons,
pedipalps with his own; the pair then perform a "dance"
though many people have called such claims into
called the "promenade deux". In this "dance", the male
question. However tools recovered from the Raith Lair
leads the female around searching for a suitable place to
indicate that they do use spears as weapons.
deposit his spermatophore. The courtship ritual can
Depending on the toxicity of their venom and size of their involve several other behaviors, such as juddering and a
claws, they will then either crush the prey or inject it with cheliceral kiss, in which the male's chelicerae pincers
neurotoxin venom. Even though Raith possess venom, as grasp the female's in a smaller more intimate version of
a general rule, they will kill their prey with brute force if the male's grasping the female's pedipalps and in some
they can, as opposed to using venom. cases injecting a small amount of his venom into her
pedipalp or on the edge of her cephalothorax, probably as
The venom is a mixture of compounds each not only
a means of pacifying the female.
causing a different effect but possibly also targeting a
specific animal. Each compound is made and stored in a When the male has identified a suitable location, he
pair of glandular sacs and is released in a quantity deposits the spermatophore and then guides the female
regulated by the Raith itself. This will kill or paralyze the over it. This allows the spermatophore to enter her genital
prey so the Raith can eat it. opercula, which triggers release of the sperm, thus
fertilizing the female. The mating process can take from 1
Raith appear to prefer raw, freshly killed animal life as
to 20+ hours and depends on the ability of the male to find
food. Raith have an unusual style of eating using their,
a suitable place to deposit his spermatophore. If mating
6
Frontier Explorer
continues too long, the female may lose interest, ending Many citizens of the UPF who have believed in the
the process. existence of the Raith on Laco also believe that they are
mindless monsters of the waste-lands. The discovery of a
Once the mating is complete, the male and female will
Raith Lair has however raised serious questions as to the
separate. The male will generally retreat quickly, most
possibility that the Raith are sapient beings. Little is
likely to avoid being cannibalized by the female, although
actually known about Raith Society or intelligence but a
sexual cannibalism is infrequent with the Raith.
thorough investigation led by Star Law with Xeno-
anthropologists and Xeno-archeologist has revealed
Raithlings enough information to make the UPF Board of Inquiry
Raith seem to be universally ovoviviparous. The young concerned that this previously believed fantasy creature
are born one by one after hatching and expelling the may actually be an intelligent life form.
embryonic membrane, if any, and the brood is carried
about on its mother's back until the young have undergone Recovered from the Raith Lairs entrance (area 1 map
at least one molt. on following page) was a flat piece of wood with a rough-
hewn image of unknown design or meaning, skulls
Before the first molt, Raithlings cannot survive naturally impaled by two spears. The concerned citizens whom
without the mother, since they depend on her for rescued the children from the Raith where interviewed
protection and to regulate their moisture levels. The and reported the two spears where originally crossed to
young-mother association continues for an extended block the entrance. The various scientists working with
period of time. The size of the litter depends on Star Law agree this shows a cognitive attempt to warn
environmental factors, and can range from two to over a intruders and mark the Raith territory and possibly
hundred Raithlings. The average litter however, consists identify to other Raith which tribe or band they were
of around 8 Raithlings. from.
The young generally resemble their parents. Growth is The interior entrance of the lair was covered in primitive
accomplished by periodic shedding of the exoskeleton. A art work of mostly unknown meaning, though it has been
Raith's developmental progress is measured in how many suggested perhaps to ward off evil. However, to
molts it has undergone. Raiths typically require between everyones shock and surprise in Pan-Gal was writing that
five and seven molts to reach maturity. When Raiths molt clearly says evil that walks on 2 legs. This has led to a
the new exoskeleton is soft, making the Raith highly debate as to how those words got on the wall, did the
vulnerable to attack. The Raith must constantly stretch Raith do it and if so that means at least some of them can
while the new exoskeleton hardens to ensure that it can read, write and understand Pan-Gal and then how did they
move when the hardening is complete. The new learn Pan-Gal, or is it the deranged writing of a lost soul
exoskeleton does not fluoresce, but as hardening occurs who took refuge in the cave system before the Raith
the fluorescence gradually returns. inhabited it? Why are those that walk on 2 legs evil if the
Raith did write it? It is accepted by most that the only
Lifespan logical implication is that Humans are probably the 2 legs,
As not much is known about the Raith it is difficult for so if the Raith wrote it why are Humans specifically evil?
scientists to be sure how long the Raith may live in their The further discovery by the rescue team of a human body
current primitive state, estimates of 50 to 100 years have and latter recovery of said human body in the entrance
been suggested. Most scientists believe because of the area by Star Law has raised even more questions. The
harsh conditions that the Raith currently live in perhaps Raith are carnivores yet they clearly did not eat this
the average life span in around 30 years. Human. In addition, the Raith according to the rescuers
had left the body armed indicating that they did not know
Raith Intelligence and how to use the weapons or perhaps viewed the weapons as
evil as well.
Society
The Raith are predators of the arid wastelands preying The Ritual Chamber (area 2) where the little girl was
on the citizens of this good world! They are nothing but rescued also has raised questions. According to the rescue
ravenous monsters of limited animal intelligence! There is team, the tribe of Raith clearly had an individual leading a
absolutely no proof these creatures are sentient. As ritual, this indicates to the scientists a structured and
governor of this planet I will curb this menace to complex society with religion. In addition, the witnesses
civilization! These creatures are a threat to the reported the tribal members present were chanting
development of our world and a danger to our Hazzen-Ka which could be their god and indicates they
communities. For the safety of our children we must cull have a spoken language.
the Raith population. Better yet exterminate them! The recovery from the pit of dozens of corpses indicate
Governor Hath of Laco sacrificial rights and again indicates they are not killing
7
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
just for food which in the past was the assumed reason for language.
the attacks. It was also reported by the witnesses that the
The sleeping area (area 6) called the Inner Lair is where
priest or shaman attempted to flee and only became
the families of the tribe sleep communally. The lack of
combative when cornered. Of the Raith bodies recovered
privacy in this area was a surprise to the Xeno-
from this site his lacked a stinger and had instead a fan-
anthropologists, which has led to some interesting theories
shaped tail.
on the nature of Raith society, family structure and their
The room now called the Audience Hall (area 3) appears cooperative nature. Sufficient artifacts were recovered
to have been the area where the leader or the King (as the from the various living areas to conclude that the Raith
rescue party called him) of the Raith and a group of are hunters and gathers, appear to have knowledge of
female Raith resided. The older sibling of the little girl pottery making, flint knapping, primitive copper metal
was found here in chains by the rescue party and again his working, basket weaving, rope, and other textiles such as
weapons had not been removed indicating a lack of fabrics for screens and what appear to be tents, nets and
understanding what has on the boy and that the Human pillows.
boys devices where weapons. The layout of the room was
In all some 78 Raith bodies were recovered for study by
such as to allow or facilitate meetings with other Raith
the research team and it is believed that no members of
and still provide a private area (area 3a) for the chief and
this Raith tribe survived. The research team has
his consorts.
recommended further study and attempts to contact the
The area now identified as the Living Area (area 5) Raith peacefully as they appear to be an intelligent
contained sufficient artifacts of Raith construction to primitive tool using species. However many local
identify that the Raith use staffs, poles, swords, and politicians and UPF citizens want them eradicated now
knives as weapons or tools. In addition items believed to that the existence of the species has been confirmed.
be games, medical in nature, ritual items, and containers
for storing various herbs, roots and supplies all indicate
higher intelligence in this life form. Strangely marked
Fitting the Raith in the
pots, boards, and basket patterns have been surmised to Frontier
indicate that the Raith have some form of symbol In this article I placed the city of Endrom on Laco as Laco

8
Frontier Explorer
seemed like an excellent location for the Raith to live. The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster
original stats on the Raith seem to imply they maybe be an
https://www.scorpsweep.com/facts/
elusive but dangerous life form on several planets. If so
than there are several possibilities that can be explored. Star Frontiersman 03, Star Frontiers Locations Map page
25 & Raith Lair page 26 by Bill Logan.
The Raith are a Sathar bioform seeded amongst the arid
worlds to hamper our colonization of our planets and The Rescue by w00t,
harass our citizens. The Raith are a form of Sathar http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/4066
Terrorism. An insidious alien conspiracy! Laco Citizen
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-
Van Jon
listings/monstrous-humanoids/scorpionfolk
They could be a Sathar bioform that the Sathar seeded on
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Scorpionfolk_(3.5e_Creat
UPF worlds or even abandoned Sathar slave species. They
ure)
could also have been left across the Frontier by other
races such as the Clicks or a Precursor Race such as the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion_man
Tetrarchs.
FE
The Raith are a genetic accident, clearly one of the
mega-corporations created these monstrosities and the
government no doubt backed this insane plan. Why you
ask? Perhaps it was a misguided attempt to create a super
warrior or perhaps they need to create a False Flag
situation to keep the UPF races united out of fear and Starship Dice Tower
maintain their power over us! I tell you its a conspiracy
of the rich and powerful to enslave the colonies! Vido
from Outer Reach
The Raith could be a race released or escaped from a
Mega-Corps lab or even a new race that has developed
because of exposure to mutagens on a planet.
We need to find a way to become one with this world and
live in harmony with all of the verses life forms. The
Raith are just misunderstood creatures of the waste-lands.
Misunderstood because of our own disharmony. We need
to give peace and harmony a chance. The Raith are the
voice of the Verse on this world. Would you like this free There are a lot of dice towers out there but they seem to
literature on how to be one with the Voice? Brother all be based on castle towers. I went looking for a
Gwen of the Church of the Universal Voice. science fiction themed one and couldnt really find
anything. And there definitely wasnt anything shaped
The Raith are the Wrathful Hand of the Divine! Lux
like a spacecraft. So I decided to create my own.
10:14 The Hand shall rise in the wilderness, consume
the unclean and destroy the infidel. Repent Sinners! The picture above shows the model, the unpainted
Clarion Citizen Yang Song prototype and the final painted version. If youd be
interested in owning your own starship dice tower, they
The Raith could be native to a specific planet who has had
can be ordered from the New Frontier Games website at
nothing but bad experiences with colonists or they could
the following links:
even be surviving pocket populations of an ancient race
that once dominated the stars and has been reduced to - 3D model files to print your own:
primitives on most of the worlds they colonized in ages http://newfrontiergames.com/node/10
past.
- 3D Printed dice towers:
http://newfrontiergames.com/products/3d-objects
References The printed towers are available in two sizes: 8.6 and
http://www.scorpionworlds.com/facts-about-scorpions/
12 tall, and two styles: the default style pictured above
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/is-loud-noise-harmful- and an alternate style where the ship is poised on the side
to-scorpions.97537/ of the landing pad/dice tray. The ships and trays are
available in a variety of colors and since they are
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion
individually printed, dont have to be the same color.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurypterid
9
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Miniatures

The Frontier In Miniature: Shrubs,

Cactus, and Flowering Bushes
Tom Verreault

This is a simple project requiring suitable bases of various

sizes (anywhere from 1 to 3 inches in diameter) wood and
plastic discs work but my preference is metal washers.
High density house insulation foam that comes in pink or
blue at the local big box hardware store is required but
only a small amount. I would not recommend buying a ten
foot sheet of the foam for this project. If you dont have
any off cuts on hand you can often as not find some
littering the ground or in a dumpster near a property
where construction is going on. I've even found it washed
up on shore.
Finally you will need plastic flowers from a craft store.
However you must pick some where the very end of the
flower stem looks like a passible double for bushes, cacti,
or flowering plants on the same scale as your miniatures.
mounds. Choose a dark shade of color you want to
represent the ground.
5. Optional: water down white, wood, or PVA glue and
brush onto the mound with an old paint brush then dip the
base in sand. This added texture that would equate in scale
to gravel or sand for the miniatures. It is not required and
the base does not need complete coverage; experiment
with patchworks of sand. Once this dries paint the base
with watered down glue again to seal the sand onto the
base. Note: I obtained my sand at the beach and it was
necessary to sift it to eliminate cigarette butts and
pebbles.
6. If you did step five paint the base again in acrylic paint.
Now dry brush some lighter shades (1-2) onto the base.
7. Prepare your bushes. After finding appropriate plastic
The procedure
1. Glue the bases onto the pink foam with super glue and
allow to dry.
2. Cut in a rough circle around the bases such that there is
now a column of foam attached to each base.
3. Using an craft knife, and later an emery board, shape
the foam into a nice smooth mound. Note the mound must
be high enough to jam the handle of a paint brush into the
foam and then glue the "stem" of the plastic flower into
the foam.
4. Most glues like hot glue, white glue, wood glue or PVA
glue adhere to high density foam better if you paint it first
with acrylic paint. So paint the bases with their foam
10
Frontier Explorer
flowers at the local craft store, trim the ends off with a
wire cutter. You will need a short stem to insert into the
base so be mindful of this as you trim.
8. Poke a hole into the foam with a paint brush handle or
similar slim tool that is close in diameter to the stem of
the plastic flowers your procured. Glue the plastic flower
stem into the hole created with hot glue.
9. Optional: Embellish bases with a model flocking
material. If you dont have any on hand, open a used
herbal tea bag and dry the tea grinds. This material will
look like leaf clutter. Brush watered down white, wood, or
PVA glue on to areas of the base and generously cover the
base with the herbal tea flock for a few seconds then
shake off the excess and allow to dry.

Bonus Terrain Piece

The following pictures are of an ambush terrain piece that
counts as soft cover. On a large base, the bushes were
arranged to allow a figure to hide in the center and a
second 1 inch base was made to occupy this spot so that it
is not obvious an ambusher is present.

FE

11
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Creatures

Creature Conversions II
Laura Mumma

If caught and killed, enough oil to make a 10 minute

Barl Nep radioactive oil slick (-20/R10) may be extracted from its
TSR first introduced the Barl Nep in the 1978 Gamma body. The mutation chance is +4% per day not treated
World 1st edition by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet. (+4% min to +40% max).

Barl Nep
Type: Small (up to1 meter)
Beaster Bunny
# Appearing: 1
Move: Medium (12 meters/60 meters) Description
IM/RS: 5/45 The Beaster Bunny looks like a cross between a rabbit and
a large lizard rabbit eyes & body shape but covered in
STA: 150 reptilian scales and fur. It has iguana like dorsal spikes,
Attack: 80 and the creature sheds much of its fur in summer months.
Damage: see Special Defenses Beaster Bunny
Special Attack / Radioactive Oil Slick & Natural
Medium Carnivore, 2-3 meters
Defenses: Body Armor Type:
long
Native Planet: Gamma III
# Appearing: 2-200
Fresh water lakes, ponds,
Habitat: Medium: NS: 25m/turn CS:
swamps, large rivers.
Move: 50m/turn MS: 125m/turn TS:
17m/turn, burrows: 25m/turn
The barl nep is a totally black fish that can attain a length
of up to 1 meter. It is covered in plate-like scales that are IM/RS: 6/55
extremely tough (a natural toughness similar to plastic Stamina: 75
armor plates) that allows it to survive most forms of attack
unharmed including beam weapons. Attack: 75
No. Of Attacks: 1
If attacked, it will secrete a radioactive oil (-30/R10) that
covers an area 10 meters in diameter. Victims of this oil Damage: bite 2d10, claws 1d10
slick must pass a STA check at the end of duration, poisonous bacterial infused bite
Mutation chance is +6% per day not treated (+6% min to Special Attack:
S5/T10
60% max) This radioactive oil will last up to 10 minutes
or 100 turns (in calm lake or pond water.) Special Defense: none
Native World: Unknown
Habitat: varied

This 2-3 meters long medium sized creature is

carnivorous and lays clutches of large eggs of 20 to 200,
which it incubates in warm mounds. Beaster Bunny eggs
are white with blood red markings that are rather striking.
The eggs are approximately 20 cm long, 15 cm wide, and
weigh around 2 kilograms.
Once established on a planet the species migrates with the
seasonal changes to breeding nesting areas in warmer
Barl Nep sketch from the field notebook of xeno-biologist Aqua climates and then to hunting territories. The yearly
Veltlauffer (Danae Steohens) Beaster Bunny migration in spring are something akin to
12
Frontier Explorer
shark migrations in which 1000s of hungry carnivorous others believe it was a native alien life-form that became a
animals mass migrate towards their breeding and nesting problem only after its predators became rare, while still
areas from across the planet. others believe it is a mutant of the Terran Rabbit either
accidentally created by a mutagenic exposure or a lab
experiment that escaped into the wilderness. Regardless of
how the Beaster Bunny came to be, they first where
discovered on an outpost world that had been attacked by
the Sathar in SWI. They have since spread to other
planets.

History and Use in Your

Setting
The Beaster Bunny is inspired by a really bad film called
Beatser Day by Snygg Brothers. This creature is perfect
Beaster Bunnies form underground warren systems and
for creating an ecological crisis to spring on a planet in
are territorial of these lairs towards invading species.
your setting. Scenarios can vary including an animal
Once the males mate with the females during the breeding rights group releasing the poor lab animals, a Sathar
period they disperse back across the planet, females often release of the critter as one of their creations of terror, the
breed with multiple males, the female then create accidental release of the creatures from a colonys lab as
incubation mounds near their lair in usually a hot humid the result of a Sathar, pirate, or competing corporations
environment. The Sow Beaster Bunny guards the nest and raid. This creature could actually be a native alien life
her hunting territory. When the eggs hatch the fully form of a world that has been accidentally spread or
formed offspring will continue to be guarded and recently colonized. It could have evolved from mutagenic
protected by their mother who will begin teaching them to exposure on a Gamma Dawn type world.
hunt and migrate the family pack in stages to new hunting
Adventures could involve investigating a colony that has
territory as they mature.
stopped transmitting, surviving the migration of these
Young Beaster Bunny hunting packs can be very creatures, escaping a lab compound infested with them,
dangerous. The bite of the adult creature does 2d10, claws hunting for the cause of disappearing colonists, hunting
do 1d10, and has a poisonous bacterial infused bite for the eggs, and stopping the eggs or specimens from
S5/T10. Baby Beaster Bunnies do 1d10, claws do 1d10/2 being smuggled off world.
but the poison is full strength. Beaster Bunnies often bite
prey and wait for it to die, tracking the poisoned prey
animal until it dies.
Beaster Bunnies will eat fresh kill or act as scavengers.
Ber Lep: Sweet-Pad
TSR first introduced the Ber Lep in the 1978 Gamma
Beaster Bunnies can live and hunt in a variety of climates
World 1st edition by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet.
but require a warm climate for breeding and nesting. Once
a Beaster Bunny is fully mature they generally become The ber lep also called the Sweet-Pad is a large (two
more solitary hunters working in much smaller groups of meter across) free-floating aquatic plant which grows
1-5 animals. (akin to the lily pad) as an enormous sheet on the surface
of the water. A sweet smelling acid exuded by the plant
serves to attract, kill, and then dissolve small animals and
insects which land on it. The ber lep is thick enough to
support the weight of a human and the acid is relatively
slow acting. If injured, however, the plant will teleport
itself to a point 5-30 meters distant.

Background
The origin of the Beaster Bunny is hotly debated amongst
scientists with some believing it is a Sathar bioform,
13
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Ber Lep because of radiation intensity -30/R30! Death will result if

player is not successfully treated and there is a +6%
Type: Carnivorous Plant chance per day not treated of mutation (+6% min to 99%
# Appearing: 1-8 max)
Move: N/A The radiation it emits comes from its abdomen. This
radiation is harmful within a 5 meter radius, but will not
IM/RS: N/A
damage the blaash or others of its kind. Once the blaash
STA: 100 has killed its prey, it stops and eats voraciously.
Attack: N/A
Acid 1d10/2 if not wearing shoes
Damage:
when stepping on it The Bladder Rat or
Special Attack:
Acid 1d10/2 if not wearing shoes
when stepping on it.
Brat
This creature was inspired by a cartoon creature from the
Special Defense: Teleport Ghostbusters Cartoon. It seems the species is called a
Native World: Gamma III (or referees choice) "Brat" based on the 2 cartoon characters having the word
"Brat" in their names. I decided to build on the cartoon
Lakes, ponds, river basins, and
Habitat: idea and present a more Star Frontiers appropriate
bayous.
creature. Special thanks to jedion357 for his suggestions.

Bladder Rat
The Blaash Type: Medium Herbivore
TSR first introduced the Blaash in the 1978 Gamma
# Appearing: 1-60
World 1st edition by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet.
Floating slow 15m/turn
Move:
Blaash Jetting fast 90m/turn
Type: Medium Carnivore IM/RS: 70/7
# Appearing: 1-10 STA: 50
Slow (4/9 meters) (45 Attack: 50
Move:
meters top flight speed) Damage: Claws - 1d10
IM/RS: 5/50 Quills 2d10, Rock Drop 1d10
STA: 100 Special Attack: per rock (up to 4), Detonation
Attack: 80 8d10 (see description)

Damage: Bite 2d10 Native World: Alcazzar

Special Attack: Radiation

Native World/Habitat: Gamma III Description
The Bladder Rat or Brat is native to the planet Alcazzar.
This fascinating 1 meter long creature has a long snout, a
This mutated moth creature is often over 1 meter long
narrow braincase, and a prominent sagittal crest. It has an
with a wingspread of 2 meters. The blaash is fearless and
unusually full mouth of strong teeth designed for
quite carnivorous. It grows brightly when it attacks,
consuming vegetation. It has big bat like ears and glassy
black eyes.
Fur covers its head, with females possessing a long
flowing mane and the males a stiff upright mane. The rest
of its fat bladder like body is covered in reptile like scales
and quills.
The Bladder Rat can puff itself up causing its quills,
which normally lay flat, to stand stiff upright forming a
formable defensive weapon. If captured in the mouth or
hands of a predator the quills do 2d10 damage.

14
Frontier Explorer
The tail of the Bladder Rat is prehensile and they can hang will have 3-4d10 animals and a large colony 5-6d10
from it if they choose or use it to carry items or latch animals.
around things.
If the Bladder Rat is threatened they will drop 1 to 4
The bladder rat has a unique metabolism that produces ballast rocks at the threat and rise higher to put distance
hydrogen that it stores in a bladder allowing it to float or between themselves and the PCs (to determine how many
fly without wings. The back of the creature has 3 natural ballast rocks are being dropped multiply colony size times
vents from which excess hydrogen can be vented. 1-4, 1d10: 1-3=1, 3-6=2, 7-9=3, 10=4).
The creature has 6 grasping legs that it uses, often using 2 These creatures form male female breeding pairs, and
pairs to grip rocks or branches as ballast. Each limb ends raises nests of young usually high in trees. The female
in a 3-clawed foot. gives live birth to 1d10 pups.
Specimens have been observed to use the excess gas Shooting Bladder Rats causes the individual animal to
vented for limited jet propulsion. They will drop ballast to explode like a grenade sending flaming Bladder Rat quill
rise or vent gas to drop or jet in between trees. They often shrapnel in all directions doing 8d10 damage in the blast
appear to be slow moving herbivores amongst forest trees radius. Shooting a single Bladder Rat floating amongst a
unless threatened when they will suddenly propel group of Bladder Rats can set off a very deadly chain
themselves at surprising speeds (when floating or reaction of exploding Bladder Rats.
climbing about in a tree this
creature only moves 15 meters
per turn but when emergency Blight
jetting it can move up to 90 TSR first introduced the Blight in
meters per turn). the 1978 Gamma World 1st
edition by James M. Ward and
Bladder Rat infested forests
Gary Jaquet.
can pose a safety risk if the
Bladder Rat drops ballast from This 3 meter long carnivorous
above (1d10 damage per rock winged worm can have a wing
that hits target). Some span of up to 10 meters. It may
xenobiologists claim Bladder Rats become invisible at will, and when
colonies have been observed to it swoops down from the sky onto
bomb threats in what appears to be its prey, its first attack upon becoming
corporative efforts to protect their visible will be a flash of light that will
nests. blind for 1d5 turns any creature who looked at
it. Although it can bite, doing 2d10 of damage,
A nest usually contains 1d10 animals, a small
its preferred mode of attack is constriction.
colony will have 2d10 animals, a medium sized colony
When it is coiled around a victim it does 3d10
of damage per turn. The blight is completely resistant to
Blight radiation, heat, and sonic attacks.
Type: Large Carnivore
# Appearing: 1-4
Slow (1/6 meters) (5 max Bugabeezs
Move: slither speed/30 meters top Bugabeezs were inspired by my grandsons name for
flight speed) bugs.
IM/RS: 4/40 The Bugabeez is a small, ladybug-looking creature that is
STA: 60 usually blue and marked with black stripes or dots. They
build hives like bees.
Attack: 75
These creatures produce a very sweet blue glowing honey
Bite 2d10, Constriction that is a delicacy to Insectoid and Satharoid species. The
Damage:
5d10 per turn. honey is made into various treats and glowing blue
Flash of Light blinds for 1- alcohols. Specific varieties of honey are produced by
Special Attack:
5 (1d10/2) placing hives in fields of certain plants, which effect taste,
Resistant to radiation, heat scent, and stimulating effects.
Special Defense: and sonic attacks. The honey is toxic to races other than Insectoids and
Invisibility. Satharoids. The raw honey has a highly hallucinating
Native World: Gamma III 15
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
effect on other races which lasts 1d10 turns doing 10 secretion with adhesive properties that is constantly
points of damage the same amount of time (S10/T1d10) exuded through pores of the creature's skin. The only
and if the alcohol made from the honey is consumed the sound Glueys make are moans, groans, grunts and
effects are worse (S20/T2d10). Effects of the honey on gurgles. Glueys appear to have no way to speak. Glueys
Insectoids and Satharoids are stimulating or enhancing but are telepathic amongst each other.
not toxic or overwhelming to their senses.
Gluey
Bugabeezs honey, combs, products, and alcohols sell in
the Frontier for extremely high prices. Some Frontier Type: Medium Carnivore
Governments forbid the import or export of Bugabeezs or Size: 1.3 meters, 65 kgs
any products made from them, while others have tight
controls on such products because of the effects on other # Appearing: anywhere from1-4 to hundreds
species. Several highly stimulating drugs, bio-medical Very Slow NS: 5m CS: TS:
Move:
drugs, or treatments and poisons are made from dried MS: 20m
ground Bugabeezs, their honey, and combs. IM/RS: 6/55
The Vrusk where originally thought to have introduced STA: 84
these creatures to the Frontier but recent discoveries of
unique wild populations on recently explored planets, Logic: Average or better.
often with evidence of a previous inhabitation, have Attack: 60%
xenobiologists now considering the possibility that an No. of Attacks: 1
ancient race may have spread these creatures as part of
their agriculture practices. The variety featured above is Absorption 3d10,
Damage:
the common variety raised by the Vrusk. constrict/smother 1d10
Special Attack: Adhesion & Grapling Limbs
Special Defense: Adhesion
Native World: N/A
Habitat: Caves or Cement type bunkers
Genotype: Dralasite
Genetic Stability: Stable
Telepathy only to/from other
Mutations:
Glueys, Adhesion

Bugabeez sketch from the field notebook of xeno-biologist Aqua Origins and Reproduction for
Veltlauffer (Danae Stephens)
the Star Frontiers Setting
The Gluey is mutated species of the Dralasite race, caused
Gluey or Adherer by radiation and biochemical mutagens which created a
The Gluey first appeared in White Dwarf number 7 new species. Glueys can produce more Glueys by splitting
June/July 1978 edition created by Guy Shearer. From off another creature in the same way normal Dralasites do.
there it found its way into the 1979 Dungeons & Dragons In addition a normal Dralasite exposed to the right
Fiend Folio. mutagenic and or radioactive conditions can be
transformed into a Gluey. Such exposer could be
Description accidental or purposeful (survivors of bio-chemical
At first glance this creature is vaguely reminiscent of a warfare weapon inflicted on them, lab experimentation,
mummy, with folds of off-white skin resembling filthy exposure to nuclear contamination).
bandages. The "bandages" act like limbs to reach out and The transformation accelerates the victims metabolism
grapple victims. In addition to the two arms and legs resulting in the Gluey reproducing at accelerated rates
Glueys usually posses, they can in one turn send out a budding while in female stage 3 times a GSY, shortening
number of bandage like grappling limbs equal to their their life spans, growing limbs more quickly, improving
DEX divided by 10 rounded up. The average NPC Gluey DEX and RS by +10, reducing STR -10, improving STA
has a DEX equal to their RS. +10 and making them very hungry. Once a Dralasite
The creature has a sour, mucilaginous smell that transforms into a Gluey they will live for only 35 years
accompanies it. The smell comes from the resin-like more. Glueys that are born from Glueys have a life span

16
Frontier Explorer
of 35 years. The Gluey retains all knowledge they possed The resin is flammable in nature, making it susceptible to
before being transformed into a Gluey and can learn new beam weapons and fire based attacks. It will take full
information. damage from normal fire, and any beam weapon requires
a STA roll by the Gluey, success means the creature takes
Increased Metabolism normal damage, failure means it takes double damage.
This defect forces the Gluey to spend great amounts of If a gluey is killed while attached to a player character and
time feeding. In combat it must stop every 9 turns (54 there is no way to remove the gluey, then the victim and
seconds) and spend one turn eating, before returning to the dead gluey will have to be carried by their mates to
battle, or lose 2 stamina points each melee turn thereafter. somewhere with the means of getting the gluey off, which
NOTE: these losses are temporary. involves heat and boiling liquids.
Habitat & Habits
Glueys are territorial creatures that tend to live in shallow
to deep caves, underground cities, bunker systems, etc. Phase Spider
Though occurring and living in groups (probably related) The Phase Spider to my knowledge first appeared in the
the group does not seem to have a defined hierarchy, there original Greyhawk supplement of 1975 by Gary Gygax
is never a clear leader. Each creature acts on its own and Rob Kuntz. The Phase Spider has developed and
instincts. evolved over the years and entered into many gaming
Living spaces of the creature are usually clean. The systems. The Phase Spider was one of the creatures in the
creature can secrete a solvent for its resin at will, which D&D module S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks by Gary
allows it to voluntary release items attached to it. Glueys Gygax published in 1980. The module was however
do collect and hide things of use to them. The resin does originally a 1976 tournament scenario at Origins II. It was
not stick to stone (cement), Glueys however can live in also featured in the original 1977 Monster Manual. The
other environments such as metal ships by excreting appearance of the Phase Spider as one of the many
solvent. zoological specimens in a crashed spaceship in S3
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks establishes this creature as
This creature lays in wait for its victim, usually covering an alien life form opening up options for referees in Star
its body with items that help it blend in with the Frontiers who need a real challenge for Player Characters.
surroundings. They are very skilled at concealment, thus I have attempted to retain as much of the original flavor of
have an advantage to surprise, but because it relies on this creature in this conversion. I acknowledge that the
stealth attacks, if it is spotted before it can leap onto its creature has evolved with time in the Dungeons &
victim it will flee 40% of the time. Dragons System. However, not all concepts from that
When the creature leaps out onto the target (usually system may work well in Star Frontiers therefore I have
closest) it will attempt to attach itself by means of its chosen to present this creature in its more basic concept
adhesive resin which covers the whole creatures body. form to allow for a different evolution to occur in this
Once attached the creature will punch, kick, and if game setting and give referees greater creative license.
possible, suffocate the victim. If the creature is attacked
by its victims companions it will attempt to use the Description
victim as a living shield between itself and the other These creatures appear as very great spiders. There are
attackers. two varieties of these creatures: a dwarf variety about 2
meters long and a larger standard variety about 5 meters
Damage for a generic NPC Gluey are: long. Both varieties are equally dangerous. The Phase
punch/kick 2 (Gluey NPC STR is 40) Spider does make sounds that are likened to leaves
constrict-smother 1d10 per turn but can smother in 2-5 rustling.
turns if the gluey successfully blocks air off
absorb (eat victim alive) 3d10. Background
On some long forgotten and previously explored (by
All edged or blunt weapons will stick to its body, doing someone) or at least scouted world these creatures live, on
only half damage. Piercing weapons do full damage but the planet that ship later crashed on they could exist or
will require the next turn to pull free. The adhesive is very have once existed. (In my setting Yazirians believe the
strong requiring a STR of 80 to break free. Phase Spider to be a mythic creature, a Yazirian boogey-
Fire, boiling liquids, beam weapons, or the creatures own man to frighten children with, and no one believes in the
secretions can weaken the adhesive bond. Boiling liquids modern Frontier they are real.) If extinct in the Frontier
reduce the effects of the resin for one combat round only some over eager scientist (say at GODco) could
to the point that STR 49 can break free. After one round accidentally resurrect the species from some carcass part
the resin returns to full strength. that was an ancient clan relic the Family of One had
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 Issue 20 Spring 2017
acquired or perhaps they are on a drifting ship in the Out right moment to attack. They can shift from one
Black waiting for new prey and a chance to colonize dimension to the other as a free action and back again as a
better hunting grounds. move. The Phase Spider will appear, strike and phase
away, allowing his poison to do its work. As this is going
Phase Spider on the creature will move on to the next party member and
Standard is Large, Dwarf is do the same.
Type:
Medium, Carnivore
The Poison
# Appearing: 1- 4 Victims are injected with a S30/T! toxin which
Slow NS: 5 meters CS: 10 immediately paralysis them. The poison of a Phase Spider
Move: meters TS: 3 meters MS: 25 is a terrifying thing. A Phase Spiders poison will drain
meters Speed In Web: 2 meters 30 points of STA per turn until medical intervention
occurs.
IM/RS: 4/40
Surviving The Poison
STAMINA: 65
Few adventurers survive the poison of the Phase Spider
Logic: Poor but those that do loose 30 points of STA permanently.
Attack: 60 Mutation
No. Of Attacks: 1 There is a 10% chance that those survivors of the Phase
Spiders poison will mutate and develop the ability to
Damage: 1d10 bite
Phase Shift.
Special Attack: Poison see below
Phase Shift
Special Defense: Phasing see below Mental; Activated, SL
Unknown, Transdimensional The character can phase shift himself. He can phase shift
Native World:
Species and stay up to one hour in the other dimension before
All habitats accept frigid, found returning and then an additional 30 minutes per skill level.
Habitat:
above and below ground. The character can shift 4 times per level per day. The
character can see into their normal dimension from the
Attack & Defense phase dimension, but cannot hear the normal dimension,
the phase shifted character like the spider cannot be seen
When attacking or being attacked, the Phase Spider is able
or heard by characters in the normal dimension.
to shift out of phase with its surroundings, bringing itself
back only when it is ready to deliver its poisonous bite
(usually from behind). When out of phase Phase Spiders
The Web
are impervious to nearly all forms of attack unless These creatures are web builders. They will construct their
players can figure out a way to prevent its teleportation sticky traps horizontally or vertically so as to entrap any
ability or get weapons to work across dimensions they are creature which touches the web. Some will lurk above a
at a great disadvantage. Phase spiders will seek to evade path or a water or food source for other creatures in order
encounters which are unfavorable. to drop upon prey.

It is believed the Phase Spider teleports itself between The web is tough and clinging. Any creature with a STR
Normal Space and another dimension just slightly out of stat of 70 or greater strength can break free in 1 turn, a 65
phase or closest to Normal Space. The Phase Spider strength requires 2 turns, etc. Webs are quite inflammable.
moves between Normal Space and the other dimension to The Phase Spiders Web does possess other unique and
hunt. It is unknown at this time exactly how this natural difficult to explain properties. It has been observed that
teleportation mechanism works. The few scientists who prey (usually an unlucky explorer) once bitten and
have studied these creatures are all believed to have bundled in the Phase Spiders silk will often vanish from
become victims of them. this dimension. It is believed that the Phase Spider can
It is unknown if this other dimension is the same as Void weave its webbing or activate the webbing in such a way
Space. What has been determined is that though people in that the webbing teleports to the alternate dimension.
Normal Space cannot see the Phase Spider the Phase As survivors of Phase Spider encounters are rare,
Spider can see or detect its prey in Normal Space from scientists are unsure as to the reliability of these reports.
this other dimension. The Phase Spider is equally at home When a web is encountered there is a 75% chance the
in both dimensions of space. Phase Spider is present observing from its other realm.
The Phase Spider sits in the alternate dimension where it FE
is 100% silent and invisible to its prey waiting for the
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Titan rising 1 19
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
Titan rising 2

20
Frontier Explorer

Creatures

Minotaur Rip Snake

Eric Winsor

Greetings fellow beings. A few years ago we received a the wrong scent is a great way to get oneself attacked.
Minotaur Sealion for our menagerie here at the Jurak There are unsolved suspected murder cases where the
Hangna Foundation. It has become a favored attraction of victims have been strangled and bitten by rakes that have
visitors here at the JHF. However, Merek is showing the mysteriously made their way across interstellar space to
signs of isolation from his kind and his need for a mate. cities like Port Loren and New Hope.
Fortunately our years of seeking a mate for Merek have
Current theories on these suspected murder cases are that
finally paid off. The Minotaur Wildlife Administration
the victim is first marked with an attractive scent by
has granted us a female sealion named Laka that was
tampering with a cosmetic or hygiene product used by the
captured living a solitary life near the city of Maze and
victim. Then the rake is secretly introduced to the victims
had to be relocated or euthanized. We owe a great debt to
home or other environment and the scent draws the rake
the children of the Apollo Preparatory School of Maza for
to the victim. Rakes are ambush predators and will wait
saving Laka by matching her up with the JHF and Merek.
for their prey to rest or become motionless for a long
Laka just arrived from Minotaur in freeze field in great
period of time before slowly and gently wrapping around
health and with a little something extra.
an appendage or portion of the body with a diameter about
an eighth of their length so they can get multiple wraps
Extra troubles before they start constricting and ripping with their jaws.
Dwain and I prepared Mereks habitat with a divider to
A startled rake will jab and strike with its head as an
keep him separate from Laka and control his introduction
attack. A rakes head is hard and boney allowing it to
to her in the weeks leading up to Lakas arrival. The day
pierce flesh and imbed itself in and stay attached to its
Laka arrived she was taken in her freeze field into her half
victim while it draws its body around to constrict and rip
of the habitat. We opened the cage around the freeze field
its victim. The many spiny legs of the rake are painfully
and Dwain went inside to deactivate the field. The bottom
adept at grabbing onto the flesh of a victim. Once a rake
of the cage was covered with dried silt from her capture.
gets around a body part these spiny legs contribute to the
Dwain deactivated the field and began taking biometric
ripping effect lead by the mouths on the underbelly of the
readings of Lakas health as she slowly woke up. About
rake. The rake will use its spiny legs to pinch and pull at
fifteen minutes into the process as I was hauling a piece of
the flesh as the mouths rip and bite into the victim.
the cage out of the habitat when Dwain scared the life
enemy in me with a holler of, Rake! and he jumped
back out of the cage and knocked me over. There in the
bottom of the cage stirring to life was a 2m rake.

Rake Head by Eric Winsor

The coloration of rakes is white or light gray with red
splotches at intervals along their backs. The head is red at
the crown and yellow on the sides. This is a coloration
that screams to humans and yazirians alike that the rake is
Rake by Eric Winsor dangerous. Hence Dwain's instinctive response and my
The exportation of Rakes is illegal on Minotaur. Rakes equally yazirian response. I tumbled head over foot and
are venomous and their bites result in rapid blood loss, came rolling into a defensive crouch then caught sight of
inhibition of clotting, paralysis, and extreme pain. the rake and jumped for high ground.
Without immediate treatment victims die within four to The reputation and history of rakes is well known in the
five hours. Rakes are also very scent driven and carrying exotic xenological sciences and to see one first hand and
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 Issue 20 Spring 2017
so unexpectedly is frightening. The fact that Dwain held the rake down about 10cm down its length. The rake
accurately identified it on first sight is credit to his began to stir but fortunately it was not fully awake and
expertise and professional knowledge, and it heightened lazily wrapped itself around the second pole without
the sudden rush of fear in me. That knowledge then constricting. I brought the catch bag over then Dwain
quickly jolted our brains to our new problem for the JHF. picked the rake up and put it into the bag and shook it off
of the second pole. I closed the bag.
Paperwork and Police I then tapped security back on my chronocom and asked if
Dwain and I never took our eyes off of the slowly stirring the camera had stayed on the rake the entire time. He
rake as we stuck to our instinctive defensive positions. responded that he had and I told him to keep the camera
Simultaneously we addressed each other by name and focused on the bag as I placed it on the ground a few
said, We have a problem! I touched my chronocom and meters away from Laka.
summoned security. The conversation went like so:
Laka was going to wake up and we needed to clear the
Security, are you recording the incident that just started cage away and have Inspector Giran present for as much
in habitat 312?, said I. of the removal as possible. Now we needed to stall for
Yes! Honorable Jurak., replied the young hunter of a time. I kept control of the catch bag pole and Dwain
yazirain at the security desk. I put you in the main stayed ready with the claw hooks as Tik directed the other
screen as soon as you jumped to the tree. What is staff to remove the rest of the cage from the habitat. A
happening? rake has a strong strike and the snake bag is not thick
enough to prevent a rake from punching through it or
I replied, You have a good eye. Mark the incident start tearing through. Unlike snakes, rakes get agitated and
at five minutes before my jump and put a second camera fight when confined. Dwain dispatched another staff
on the floor of the cage just below Laka's head. Zoom the member to get a large cage made of transparent polyplate.
camera in and you will see another creature stirring there. We wanted a cage that the creature could only touch one
Record that feed in reference to the main screen feed. or two sides and a time and tall enough that it could not
Within seconds the security guard had the second camera climb to the top.
on the creature and replied, I have the creature in good They were just rolling the enclosure down the hall when
view and have set the camera to track it. What is it? another security guard escorted Inspector Giran and two
That!, I replied, Is a rake! A dangerous and illegal other officers to the door of the habitat. Dwain and I were
venomous snake-like creature from Minotaur and it about to empty the bag into the enclosure and paused to
shouldn't be here. Get Inspector Giran over here, fast respond to the Inspectors question of what was all the
dive, to see this and take statements from Dwain and I. excitement about to drag him down from the trees in a
hurry. I replied that we had received an unexpected gift
Understood!, he replied and cut the call. with Laka from Minotaur and indicated the bag.
Dwain then called up Tik on his chronocom and asked Inspector Giran nodded understanding and instructed his
him to bring down the snake handling kit and three doses officers to quickly scan the scene and make their
of antitox, three doses of antivenom, and three doses of recordings as quickly as possible. The hurried up when
biocort. Then he told Tik to put security camera 312C on we pointed out that the creature in the bag was beginning
his chronocom and that got Tik moving fast. to push and fight with the capture bag. Dwain also
Dwain and I then took to watching the rake slowly pointed out how Laka was starting to twitch her tail and
beginning to move and hoping that Tik would arrive how her eyes were creeping open. Scans were taken very
before the rake wrapped itself around some part of the still quickly and efficiently.
slumbering Laka. Our exercises in hope were distracted We then backed everyone out of the habitat and brought
by the gathering collection of staff that were creeping into the catch bag out into the maintenance hall behind the
the habitat to help and just view the unknown creature. habitats. Tik sealed Laka's habitat and our staff pushed
We put one of the staff in charge of keeping the others the transparent polyplate enclosure up against the habitat
from coming any closer and kept our eyes fixed on the door. Everyone backed behind Dwain and I and pushed
rake. back several meters. Tik checked with security to make
A few minutes later Tik pushed through and produced the sure that cameras were recording the room and one was
snake kit for Dwain. This is where Dwain does what zoomed and tracing the rake. The police had their own
Dwain does best. Dwain took two extended claw hooks cameras hovering over the scene.
from the kit and assembled them to full length (3m). Tik The bag was by now getting punched quite rapidly.
assembled the catch bag on the end of another extended Dwain deftly opened the top of the enclosure with the
pole and passed it to me. Dwain gripped the head of the claw hooks. I slid the wiggling jolting catch bag into the
rake with the claws of one of the poles while the other enclosure and Dwain closed the lid on my pole. I rotated
22
Frontier Explorer
the catch bag and eyed Dwain and he nodded. Quickly I Politicians got involved and we took the legal climb of
opened the catch bag dropping the angry rake onto the protecting the JHF, defending our innocence, coming to
enclosure floor. As soon as the rake started darting across the aid of an embattled customs, and exonerating the
the bottom I pulled the catch bag up and Dwain opened shipping company. Minotaur customs got involved as the
the lid just fast enough for me to get the bag free before darts of accusation got hurled in their direction. They got
slamming it shut. rescued by a university professor from the Maze Institute
of Xenology who discovered that rakes go into stasis
Danger Behind Glass faster that sealions and demonstrated that the rake's
All the precautions turned out to be well served. The rake biosignatures were effectively masked by the high metal
spent the next hour violently darting about the cage content of the silt it settled into while Laka's cage was still
looking for a gap in the invisible barrier of the polyplate. submerged after her capture.
We were given a good view after that of the underside of The end result was more policies and procedures. But the
the rake and the danger the mouths present to anyone that rake remained in quarantine with the JHF paying the bills.
gets caught by a Minotaur Rip Snake.
The mouths of a rake are a fifth of the way down from the Compensation for Services
head on the underside of the body where they can chew, Rendered
suck and swallow while the strong body and claws saw Dwain found the politics and investigations very
into the flesh of its victim. Each of the six mouths has a frustrating as it prevented him from doing anything other
pair of fangs to inject venom. The venom inhibits blood than feeding and confining the rake 24 hours a day. Then
clotting and blocks muscle contractions in the victim one day when he was sitting with one of my hangers while
causing placid paralysis. This allows the rake to consume she watched the rake eat she mentioned that it was great
its victim without struggle. Rakes will feed on a carcass that the children of Apollo Preparatory School had saved
for months after downing it. Laka. So, Dwain invited a few school classes to see the
rake and somehow a little local campaign spring up to
save Laka's Rake. End result, due to the costs incurred
maintaining the quarantine, the JHF has been granted
license to make Laka's Rake a public exhibit for our
paying customers to the JHF Menagerie. Laka's Rake is
now the only rake held in captivity off world of Minotaur.
There is a competition among the schools of Scree Fron to
name Laka's Rake.

Rake (Rip Snake)

TYPE: Carnivore
SIZE: Small : 1-2m
NUMBER: 1-2
MOVE: 15 m/turn
IM/RS: 7/72
STAMINA: 10-20
Rake Mouths by Eric Winsor ATTACK: 70
DAMAGE: 1d10 stab
Inspector Giran enjoyed the xenobiology lecture but was SPECIAL ATTACK: Constrictive ripping (2d10)
very aware of the precarious legal situation of the JHF Venom (2d10)
with having a live rake on the premises. Granted we had
SPECIAL DEFENSE: None
properly documented every moment from the discovery of
the rake but there was still lacking evidence of how the NATIVE WORLD: Minotaur, Theseus
rake had gotten past the bioscans in customs and
immigration. Hours and heaps of data later we had
finished all of our depositions to the police and they
turned their attention to the shipping agency.
GM Notes
There are rakes secretly bread captive on Outer Reach.
This kicked off a heated debate about what to do with the
FE
quarantined creature at JHF that made planet wide news.
23
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Equipment

Translator Microbes
Laura Mumma

This new little microbe was inspired by the FarScape The range of the microbes is 2 meters per individual.
television series. I have adapted it for Star Frontiers. I These telepathic microbes only allows a conversation
have attempted to make it less of a plot device to explain to be understood not the reading of private thoughts.
why all the aliens can always understand each other.
The microbes must be possessed by both speakers to
have a functional two-way conversation. However, the
Fitting Them Into The SF host of the microbes will understand someone who
Background does not possess the microbes but will not be able to
The origins of the Translator Microbe is open to debate. communicate back and be understood.
They were first encountered as a rare alien enhancement The microbes cannot translate machine languages.
for sale in the Minzii Marketplace. They have since been
Individuals or species with Mind Shield, Shield,
identified in the remains of dead Sathar. It is not known if
Mental Reflection, Telepathic Block, or similar type
the Sathar developed them or if they acquired them from
another race. It is not known how the microbes are grown psionic abilities cannot have their languages translated.
outside of the host body prior to injection as this is very It is up to the referee if any natural phenomena, drug,
alien bio-technology and there are some fears concerning or other outside influence can kill, harm, or interfere
the idea of brain farms someplace out in space. with these microbes and what side effects will be
appropriate to assess on the host.
Laws: Some governments may be resistant to the use of
these microbes for a variety of reasons or view them as a Modifiers
biological threat and react as they see fit upon discovering The microbes sometimes fail to translate all conversations
an individual possessing them. 100% correctly. This occurs 20% of the time when only
Cost: 1000 Credits (as this is not a common commodity in one party has the microbes. If both parties speaking
the Frontier or the Rim). possess the microbes, there is usually no translation errors
though this does not mean the parties will have 100%
What They Do comprehension, they may not understand an alien species
Translator Microbes are injected at the base of the brain metaphors or unique concepts unless explained to them.
where they proceed to multiply quickly with no known The microbes can be somewhat literal when translating
negative side effects. They bestow upon their host the creating baffling phrases for another language speaker. In
ability to understand the spoken language of alien races. rare cases an alien species language maybe too complex
In some alien races that regularly employee the microbes for the microbes. Such languages should be impossible
it is rumored that they are injected into the host at birth. for mechanical translators as well, and in all cases the
alien species in question must learn to communicate
How They Work slowly and with simple sentences for the microbes to
Once the microbes are injected they almost instantly go to understand them or a mechanical translator device to work
work. Roll a 1d10 to determine how many turns it will if that is even possible for that race to do so.
take before the host can understand others. The microbes
work by creating a psionic telepathic field that is always Facilitating Learning of
automatic as long as the microbes are alive.
Another Language
An individual with these microbes requires less time to
Limitations actually master a new spoken language. Thus an
The microbes cannot help an individual read written individual with these microbes can accelerate learning the
language. conversational version of a language, if the individual is
The microbes cannot translate recordings or broadcast formally studying the whole language (reading/writing)
language. then this increase in verbal conversation will accelerate
The microbes only work when speakers are within the the ability to read and write as well. The learning time for
physical presence of each other. each new skill level is decreased by 25%.
FE
24
Frontier Explorer

Equipment

Vambraces from the Minzii

Marketplace Tom Verreault

A vambrace is a piece of armor worn on the arm; vambraces are made of polyplate, come in cool colors like
especially the forearm. black and red, and are designed to aid in defense. A
character wearing either sparing or defender's vambraces
The negotiations were going poorly. The intel on Jade
and declaring that he is defending in combat gains an
Diablo Corporation being a pirate front was likely true.
additional 5% bonus to defense (example: melee attacks
The corporate executive's "assistants" who really looked
against a defending opponent are -15% but with sparring
like mercenary enforcers in boardroom suits were cocky.
or defender's vambraces the modifier is -20%).
And why wouldn't they be since they had insisted that
Hazred's party come disarmed. Even though they clearly A character with melee weapon or martial arts skill and
had the bulges of concealed weapons within their wearing defender's vambraces and declaring that he is
corporate looking suits. defending may inflict his punching score on his attacker
every time an attack is made against him whether that
Hazred was careful to keep his Yazirian Poker Mussel
attack hits or not. By making a successful skill check
from showing his satisfaction at their cockiness. They had
(melee weapons or martial arts skill) the wearer may
clearly overlooked the concealed weapons he had
inflict his punching score on the attacker. Note:
obtained for this very negotiation on his last trip to the
Defender's Vambraces are compatible with partial and full
Minzii Marketplace. His captain was outfitted with
polyplate armor but using them with full polyplate armor
Needler Bracers and he had a Gladius Bracer that he was
carrys a -5% modifier to the skill check to do damage
excited to try out on these mooks. Hazred, as his captains
while defending.
security chief had planned for concealed weapons that
would give them the edge in initiative if things went sour. Padded Sparring vambraces: 25 Cr
These dumb mooks would be slowed by their weapons
Defender's vambraces: 60 Cr
being holstered under their suit coats but they'd find out
soon enough that you don't mess with a Capellan Free
Merchant and not come out unscathed.
Needler Vambrace
This item is sometimes bought and worn in pairs. It is
There was a twitchy sideways glance by the "executive" made of lightweight polyplate construction and designed
toward his assistants but Hazred and his party read the to look like the Explorer's vambrace. Each one conceals a
tell and responded with swift action. The combat was over needler weapon usually loaded with sleep ammo (INT
in seconds. They DUCT taped the executive to a chair check to spot that it is a concealed weapon although a
administered StimDose to counteract the sleep toxin from character wearing 2 explorer's vambraces should also be a
the needler ammo and recommenced negotiations but with giveaway that something is up). The weapon conforms to
the arrogance and bravado taken out of the Jade Diablo the stats for a needler pistol with only three shots of ammo
exec's sails. and no extreme range. All rules for range weapons apply
including off hand shooting. Note these vambraces are
Explorer's Vambrace compatible with partial and full polyplate armor.
This item is of polyplate construction and worn on a
Cost: 200 Cr
forearm. It incorporates a compass, flashlight, and toxy-
rad gauge into a single item. The toxy-rad gauge can be
set for audio or vibration alerts. The flashlight shines out
The Gladius Vambrace
over the back of the hand. There is a "secret" This item is of polyplate construction and must be rigidly
compartment that is suitable for hiding vitasalt pills or strapped to the forearm. It carries a spring-loaded,
solvaway but the vambrace does not come with these. retractable short sword concealed within the vambrace.
The virtue of this weapon is that it adds +1 to a character's
Cost: 20 Cr initiative modifier and there is no penalty for initiating
combat without a drawn weapon. It functions as a sword
Defender's Vambraces in combat and may double as a machete in the wilderness.
Sparing vambraces were developed for training in INT check to spot that this is a concealed weapon.
unarmed combat but because they are bulky padding they
Cost: 60 Cr
dont look very cool or dangerous. The defender's FE
25
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Races

BAdder Conversion
Laura Mumma

TSR first introduced the Badder in the 1978 Gamma with the utmost tenacity, but limits jaw movement to
World 1st edition by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet. In hinging open and shut, or sliding from side to side without
the original setting of Gamma World, the Badder is one of the twisting movement possible for the jaws of most
the many dangerous intelligent species. As Gamma World mammals. It has small ears on the side of its head.
developed and changed, many folks have actually used
Badders in a post-apocalyptic setting commonly employ
them as a player race option. Like the Ark there are
simple armor, shields, and all sorts of weapons (each is
several possibilities for this creature being in a Star
only 10% likely to have an Artifact weapon or advanced
Frontiers setting. In my setting they are native to Gamma
weapon). Thus there is no reason they could not employ
III in the Gamma System.
advanced weapons in a fight. They can also deliver a
They could be a mutated life form from the human home vicious bite for 1d10 of damage.
worlds fauna introduced on a Frontier planet and could
Badders are hard of hearing, but have a keen sense of
have equally come into existence on one of the
smell and Night Vision. They have a LOG of 65 for
quarantined planets, the mutated descendents of
mental resistance and possess empathy. Can burrow at a
zoological specimens. It is possible that the colony ships
speed of 1 meter per minute.
the Morden or the Warden is their origin in space. The
Gamma World timeline that includes these Metamorphous Badders have thick reddish, brown, grey, or black fur (or a
Alpha ships was published in Dragon 88 (August 1984) mix of said colors) with stripes on its cheeks and one
Before the Dark Years by James Ward. Finally perhaps stripe running from its nose to the back of its head. Albino
they are an alien species that just happens to look like badders are rare. Individual badders are easily recognized
badgers. I have fleshed out their basic culture and biology. by the width and shape of their facial stripes, scars from
fights and how much of their ears are left the
Description conspicuous white tufts are often lost in skirmishes
making it possible for other races to identify individuals
by sight.
Badger-like mutants average
stats from Gamma Dawn Badder
STR/STA: 40/30
Type: Omnivore (Small 1.5 meters tall)
DEX/RS: 35/35
2-18 for a cete, cetecetes can be
Two claw attacks for 2d10/2d10 damage. Has a speed of # Appearing:
much larger.
5m (even if bipedal). Has night vision as the mutation.
Can burrow at a speed of 1 meter per minute. Move: Slow (5 meters/25 meters)
IM/RS: 4/35
Badder: Badgeroids: Digger- STA: 30
Folk
Attack: 65
Also called the Digger-folk, these highly intelligent
bipedal badgeroid species prefer to inhabit cool temperate Number of
2
zones. They are approximately 1.5 meters tall. The badder Attacks:
is a mammal with a somewhat flat or wide body, with Bite 1d10, Two Claw attacks
short stout legs and arms. They have manipulative Damage:
2d10
forepaws with long, sharp front claws and walk erect.
They have a thick muscular neck. Special Locking Jaw, Empathy, Keen
Attack/Defense: Sense of Smell, Night Vision.
Their face is triangular with a long, pointed, tipped-up
Native World: Gamma III (or referees choice)
nose. Their lower jaws are articulated to the upper by
means of transverse condyles firmly locked into long Mountain and Forests, Clear or
cavities of the skull, so dislocation of the jaw is all but Habitat: Deserts, Ruins or Radioactive
impossible. This enables the badder to maintain their hold Zones
26
Frontier Explorer
Badders have two sexes: male (boar) and female (sow).
Males can generally be distinguished from females by
their broader, more domed heads, fuller cheeks
and thicker necks. Tails are a less reliable guide males
typically have thinner, whiter tails; females shorter,
broader ones.

Racial Abilities
Night Vision
Physical, Automatic, no skill level (SL)
Is able to see well in low light conditions. With a full
moon shining, a creature with night vision can see as well
as other creatures can see during the day. On a night with
no moon, they can see as well as if it were a full moon.
The creaturess daytime, or bright light vision, is
unaffected.

Hard of hearing
Is deaf to everything outside of a 3-meter radius and, if
alone, the creature is surprised on a roll of 1-5 on a d10.

Keen sense of smell

Physical, Permanent, no SL
This ability allows badders to identify separate odors from chitters and jaw snapping language but they can
a great distance (60 meters), and, because of this, they approximate some limited Pan-Gal or Tradespeech.
cannot be ambushed (this is different from being
surprised) by non-plant creatures from upwind. A badder
can follow any trail less than a day old over any surface
Attitudes Towards
but water. After contact with another being, they will Other Races &
subsequently be able to identify objects and places
associated with that being, such as campsite or Cultures
possessions. The badder can identify and distinguish Badders are basically aggressive, tenacious, impatient,
individuals by smell. He can track creatures up to a argumentative, belligerent with a xenophobic disposition,
kilometer away by smell alone. He can detect faint traces and are prone to attack first. Culturally Badders always
of materials or gas speak their mind, often start a conversation with an insult,
complaint, or an accusation. Badders take pride in their
Empathy ability to insult and argue and as a result other races often
Mental; 10% base ability view them as rude, prideful, foul-tempered, or just evil.
To badders, insults and arguing are an art form and
The character is able to read the emotions and emotional somewhat ritualized.
intensity of another creature. He can also try and force an
emotion upon a creature. Both of these powers require a The badder culture values strength of body, will, and
successful mental attack (a LOG contest between the spirit. Speaking without hesitation is a sign of honesty,
character and his intended victim, with a bonus based on courage and strength to a badder. Badders have a disdain
the ability level). The Referee may apply modifiers to take for useless words of polite phrases like please and thank
into account how radically the character tries to shift his you. Badders do have a sense of humor, usually expressed
opponent's emotions. Remember, an intelligent creature is through insults or playful arguing. When a badder
influenced by his emotions, but not ruled by them. Thus a challenges another sentient being (without the intent to
creature could force a pack of wild dogs away in terror, or kill) they expect an equal or better response. If they are
entice a food animal closer for the kill. Range: 30 meters. satisfied with the response, they may respond in a very
friendly, jovial manner. Badders are warriors and hunters
by nature and their culture revolves around the ideals of
Language the warrior.
Badders communicate in their own form of snarling,
growling, hisses, squeals, screams, purrs, yelps, snorts,
27
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

Architecture There is frequent social grooming between cete members.

They also engage in scent-marking, particularly bum-
Badders live in earth burrow complexes, although they pressing, where one badder presses the scent gland under
will sometimes be found inhabiting a ruined town of the its tail onto another badder, so that the group shares a
Ancients. This underground housing is called a sett, with common odor. Badders also enjoy using variety of scented
large communities referred to as a settsett. Badder oils. Badder Aromatherapy as a healing method is an
communities are extensive den and burrow complexes that ancient and still honored medical practice amongst them.
serve specialized functions for individuals and the There scent mixers are supposed to be some of the best.
community, such as sleeping, hunting, combat training or They are experts at making essential oils and perfumes.
expedition, religious purposes, storing food, giving birth,
and nurseries to name just a few. In spring and summer, badders dig out their setts. Setts
can be used by many generations of badders. Badders are
Four types of common setts actually very clean conscious. Bedding collection as a
community activity is very common, especially in spring
for a cete and to a lesser extent after harvest time.
Main sett
There is usually only one main sett per social group. This Average Lifespan
is used continuously and may have well-used paths In civilized settings with access to good medical care,
leading to it. It will have a number of entrances, either badders can live into their 80s or 90s. In more primitive
used or in disuse. Occasionally, where conditions are settings badders usually die in their 20s or 30s. It is
relatively poor, badders may have a large territory with a exceptional for a primitive badder to make it their 40s or
scattering of smaller setts. 50s.

Annex sett Life Cycle

This is usually around 150m from the main sett (although Badder females (Sow) sexually mature quicker at 10 years
it can be closer or further away). The annex sett will also than the males (Boars) at 15 years.
have well used entrances and paths connecting it to the
main sett, but may not be in use all of the time.
Reproduction
Subsidiary sett Only some sexual mature females breed in a cete. Those
These are not obviously connected to a main sett and may that are fertile but do not breed are generally smaller and
be some distance away. Although they may have up to more likely to carry scars on their rumps from fights.
five or six holes, they are, again, not always in use. Other non-breeders are past the age of combat and
breeding and often act as judges in combats.
Outlying sett It is known that the females engage in some sort of
These have only one or two holes with no obvious paths unarmed ceremonial fighting amongst each other that
connecting them to other setts. determines who can breed. It is debated on whether the
breeding status of the female is determined by only female
Society nobles or if the male lords have some say on the
Badders live in complex social groups. Some Badders are suitability of a female for breeding. During these
solitary, moving from home to home (these badders are ceremonial fights, female badders often bite and claw
believed to have been banished or sole survivors of wiped each others rumps, tearing off chunks of skin and flesh.
out clans), while others belong to families called cetes. Cubs of subordinate sows who have not earned the right
Cete size is variable from two to eighteen; the average is to breed may be killed soon after birth by dominant sows
usually five adults per cete. These cetes are often and left outside the sett either dead or left to die. It is
organized into a larger feudal clan group called a believed by some xeno-sociologists that even subordinate
Cetecete. females that have earned the right to breed may still have
their cubs killed by a more dominate female. Reasons for
The badders are organized into a society similar to that of infanticide can include but are not limited to cubs failing
the medieval period in human history. If a burrow is to meet a nobles standards (size and vitality or has a
discovered, there will be 10% more females in number to defect), mother died in birth, some cetes only keep one or
the males, and young equal to 50% of the females. There two cubs per birth (usually the most aggressive and large
is usually a slight preponderance of females because of cubs), insufficient resources, or mother challenged to
the higher mortality of males in fights. The burrow will be combat by another mother and only the winners cubs are
ruled by a very large male and 1-4 nobles who make- allowed to live.
up 5% of a Badder community.
28
Frontier Explorer
Males fight each other ceremonially in late summer, when she continues to win at each Churr, after they reach 2
they are mating (during the Churr), females throughout years of age her cubs may not be touched and must be
the year. adopted by the cete. A mother who succeeds at
protecting her cubs in such a manner is considered to
The Churr bring honor to the victorious cete. Females from the
The badder normally mate during a specific period yearly victorious cete cannot interfere with male breeding
around the 5th Galactic Month. They call this the Churr. rights during this 1-month period. After the 1-month
During the Churr adult males and females may mate with breeding period the victorious cete females may test
more than one partner. The Churr is a cultural practice in the new females per badder traditions to determine if
which the participants declare their lust and intention to they may breed next Churr.
mate to produce viable offspring.
Right to the Brothers - A female or group of females
During this time period the females and males can and from a cete that has had all its males killed in
often do mate outside of their cetes. However, it is honorable combat with non-badders, during a hunt, or
important to note that Badders can mate at other times of because of battle on behalf of the Cetecete or the
the year but usually do not. During the Churr males will Settsett may declare Right to the Brothers. In this
attempt to copulate with as many females as possible, scenario fellow male hunter/warriors of the larger
fertile females may reject males by demanding the Right community are expected to mate with the females so
of Mothers Combat. the cete can continue. This last scenerio is extremely
sacred and considered an act of honor to all cetes
The Right of Mothers Combat requires the rejected male,
involved. The surviving males of the greater
if he accepts the challenge; to fight the female and
community will hold ceremonial battles and tests
dominate her into submission. Per the rules of combat, the
(meant not to be lethal) to determine the best of the
male may not kill the female and such combats are
male warriors. It is a huge honor to the other cetes to
regulated by other badders. If the female dominates the
have one of their young males chosen. The young
male, he may not breed.
males that are thus volunteered to the cete that has lost
Males can invoke the Right to Challenge against other their males cannot be challenged with Right of
males during the Churr to interrupt a breeding either to Mothers Combat but the male-less cete gains
stop it (prevent outside males breeding to his cetes community protection, including assistance with basic
females) or win the right to breed to a particular female needs until their males cubs from this mating have
outside his cete. Even if a male wins the right to breed,
the female still has the right to challenge the winner.
Churr combat is steeped in customs some of which clearly
are to prevent too much mortality, but it is not unknown
for deaths to occur during Churr.
During the rest of the year, fertile females and males
usually do not breed except for the following reasons:
Order of a noble (the female can challenge the order by
declaring Right of Mothers Combat or another male
can interfere with Right to Challenge).
Right of Conquest: a male that kills or dominates and
drives out all males over the age of 2 of a cete gains
immediate breeding rights to all fertile females of the
conquered cete as they are now part of his cete. This
Conquest Churr period lasts 1 Galactic month from the
time of conquest. During this month period males of
the victorious cete may breed with the females of the
conquered cete, the males may challenge each other
but only to non-lethal combat. The conquered cete
females can still challenge the males to ceremonial
combat via Right of Mothers Combat, if she wins he
may not breed with that female and any surviving cubs
of hers under 2 years may not be killed until next
community Churr (where they would usually be killed
by dominate cete female not the victorious males). If

29
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
become old enough to join the hunt. During the time
period it takes for a male to mature, no cete group is Support the Frontier
allowed to attack the cete. Cetes and Cetecete power
structure is a complex interchange between the males Explorer via Patreon
and females and it is probably unwise to view it as
male or female dominated.

Birth and Child Rearing

Badder cubs are nearly always born in or around the 3nd
Galactic Month regardless of the time of mating. This is
made possible by an unusual feature of the badder's
reproductive system called delayed implantation. Once the
badder's eggs are fertilized they develop into tiny balls of
cells called a blastocysts. These remain suspended in the
womb or uterus until something in the Badders
metabolism causes them to implant onto the wall of the
uterus, when they continue their development normally. Do you enjoy the Frontier Explorer? Would you like to
No matter when the eggs were fertilized, implantation help support the production of the magazine and improve
nearly always occurs in the last month of the Galactic it? If so consider supporting our Patreon campaign
year. After a further three months of 'normal' gestation, (https://www.patreon.com/FrontierExplorer).
most births then occur around the same time for the We love making the magazine and will continue to do so
community around the end of the third month. This allows regardless of the outcome of this endeavor. However,
the community to raise the cubs in a very organized the production and maintenance of the magazine and
manner. website have costs and that's where you can help.
The female gives birth to 1-5 babies with 2 to 3 being the In addition to just our deep felt thanks, there are perks to
average litter size, all possibly by different fathers. patronage. Depending on the level of support you get
Birthing is an all-female affair occurring deep in sacred access to supporter only forum on the website, e-mailed a
underground nests lined with grasses and plants of sacred copy of the magazine in advance of its public release,
significance. The non-breeding females of the cete assist early access to the articles for up-coming issues, and at
and stand guard, usually heavily armed. The babies are the highest level, a print copy of each issue you support.
blind and covered with a thin coat of fur at birth. Their In addition, supporters will be listed on the magazine's
eyes open when they are 1 Galactic month old, and they website and at some levels here in the magazine itself.
are weaned by the time they are 2 Galactic months old.
The young males at 2 years leave their mothers cete to The patrons that helped support this issue of the
begin their training in the larger Cetecete system. Males magazine are:
and females children are trained in gender specific groups At the Frontiersman Level Akerraren, Ivan Begley,
by their own gender and kept separated. Erik, David Kester, and Nox SanJuan
Juveniles often play around the sett particularly leap- At the Scout Level Andrew Moore, Miska Fredman,
frog and king-of-the-castle. and Tevel Drinkwater
At the Explorer Level Shane Winter, Joe Johnson,
Diet and Tom
At the Space Ranger Level Richard Farris, Scott
Badders are omnivores and enjoy alcohol. They do have
Holliday, and Kenneth Reising
some underground domestic livestock and food products,
At the Station Master Level Pagan & Fred Kauber
as well as cultivate above ground crops and beehives.
They are also usually excellent gathers. They prefer I want to say thanks to our patrons for their contributions.
hunting in underground burrows and caves, but some are
The money raised will be used to improve both the
expert above ground hunters as well. They are actually
Frontier Explorer and Star Frontiersman magazines in
known to create environments for the underground game
various ways including improved web hosting, improved
they enjoy hunting. These burrow/cave hunting grounds
software and hardware for production, website upgrades
are carefully maintained, even to the point of having game
and improvements with the magazine itself.
creatures bred and released. The scents of badder cooked
food are often described as especially floral, fruity, or We'd love to have your support to help make the
pungent. They enjoy the scent of their food as much as the magazines the best that they can be. Jump on over to the
taste, from subtle to strong. Patreon site (https://www.patreon.com/FrontierExplorer),
FE read all the details, and consider becoming a patron.
30
Frontier Explorer

Equipment

Malfunctioning Masseuse Bot

Tom Verreault

One of the most common masseuse bots in the Frontier is poly-vynaltex rubber. The bot conforms to the dominant
the Therapeutic Anatomical Massage Bot or "TAMmy" B species type of the local population though the human
series. Manufactured by Tachton Instruments for the body type is a common default for areas with mixed
Starplay subsidiary Therubotics LLC. populations. The B1 & B2 models were level 2 and never
spoke but the B3 model is level 3 and does in soft
Therubotics developed Starplay's line of sports therapy
soothing tones. All masseuse bots use a 300 Cr robotics
robots for maintaining the good physical condition of
program that tells it how to manipulate a client in
athletes competing in Starplay's various sports leagues.
anatomically correct ways to induce pain relief and not
The development of the masseuse bot expanded
cause injury, this includes the famed Yazirian "Bent
Therubotics' business branching into a wider market with
Sapling" Chiropractic procedures and the Dralasite Rolled
its Theru-spas franchise.
Dough Massage.
Theru-spas franchises have opened across the Frontier on
Mission: to alleviate pain and stress of clients through
numerous worlds and space stations. Their initial
therapeutic massage and proper anatomic limb
marketing push involved digital coupons sent to
manipulation.
chronocoms and they routinely buy lists of crew and
passenger names for new arrivals to the local station or Function 1 would define a client as anyone who has paid
star port as part of this marketing strategy. The spas offer for a massage, has a spa membership, or a coupon, and
a host of relaxing therapies: mud baths, saunas, hot tubs, asks for a massage.
aroma therapy, vacuum enemas, and therapeutic massage.
The day spa rate is 40 Cr, the weekly rate is 100 Cr, and
the monthly rate is 300 Cr.
Common Hacks and
The layout of a typical Theu-spa franchise is shown on the
Malfunctions
following page. A common malfunction is the corruption of the mission
language to read "inflict pain" or "through improper limb
Urban and spacer legend routinely gossips about a story of manipulation." This means the masseuse bot will inflict
a berserk masseuse bot breaking someone's neck but such STA damage to the client every turn. A less common
stories are usually thin on detail and impossible to malfunction is the corruption of the language in Function
document. Not surprisingly Starplay does suppress such 1 to be a client is anyone. This means the masseuse bot
stories where it controls the infotainment outlets. will try to give a massage to everyone it meets regardless
What is certain is the documented therapeutic results of a of whether they want it or not. Should the corruption of
20 Cr massage: the mission and the function occur in the same bot then a
very dangerous situation will develop.
1. If a character is suffering from pain penalties associated
with the condition of 1/2 STA the pain penalty goes Hacked masseuse robots may also have their mission
away for 5 hours. amended to also include a command word that triggers the
robot to switch from therapy to damage. The command
2. If a character is not suffering from pain penalties then word or phrase can be anything but "that's good,"
they receive a temporary boost to either STA or DEX "aaaahhhhh" and "a little lower" are common.
(player's choice) that will last for 5 hours. Example:
Jim Starkiller has a current STA of 53 though his Hacked Mission Example: To alleviate pain through
normal STA is 55. After having a massage he opts to therapeutic massage until command phrase is given then
take the 5 point boost to STA making his current STA inflict pain through improper anatomical manipulation.
58 for 5 hours. When the time limit expires he loses Use of the hacked mission above will also require writing
the 5 point boost. a function to define the command phrase.
Another hacking tactic would be to amend the mission to
Standard Programming provide therapy as usual but attack a specific individual,
The B series bots are all level 2 or 3 anthropomorphic the "target." This tactic will require a function to define
robots equipped with pneumatic hands covered in durable the target and may include a file of identifying
31
 Issue 20 Spring 2017
information. Since the bot is being used as a robotic TAMmy B series models 1 & 2
assassin the roboticist hacker will also want to install an (STA 100, RW n/a, Melee 50%, IM 4, Damage 2d10 &
attack/defense robotics program. 2d10 ) 150 kg 6000Cr.
TAMmy B series model 3
The Malfunctioning (STA 100, RW n/a, Melee 60%, IM 5, Damage 2d10 &
2d10) 150 kg 6500 Cr.
Masseuse Bot in Combat
A masseuse bot lacks the attack/defense robotic program
which would normally prevent it from attacking anyone Plot Hooks
but it does have an anatomy program which illustrates 1. PCs are newly arrived in system and receive a digital
painful and improper anatomical movement. Through this coupon on their chronocom for a free massage at the local
program it can inflict pain and damage on a victim. It does Thera-spa.
not know how to defend itself so attacks against it are at 2. PCs are hired for a job and when the go to meet with
+20%. It only attacks by melee combat. their boss they find that his masseuse bot was hacked and
that it killed him. Incidentally it also wants to give them a
The Robot massage whether they want it or not.
The robot is a basic service robot of level 2 or 3 costing FE
2500 or 3000 Cr respectively. It uses an anthropomorphic
body, a type 2 parabattery, and a therapeutic anatomy
program. All masseuse bots have a lock out to prevent
tampering. A hacker will have to disable this lock but the
therapy bot will not usually resist.

32
Frontier Explorer

Campaign Material

The Galactic Hundred Acre

Woods Scott Mulder

d100 to find a world to use in your adventure setting or

ONE HUNDRED RANDOM interstellar map. You can use the surrounding planets
WORLDS FOR STARSHIPS & listed in the same star system to populate the whole
SPACEMEN 2E system or mix and match them to create a new one as
Presented here are one hundred factual and fictional needed. The two classification tables listed below are an
inspired worlds and their star systems for use in the abbreviated version of those found in the Goblinoid
Goblinoid Games Starships and Spacemen 2nd Edition Games Starships and Spacemen 2nd Edition rules. These
role playing game. The planets and their star systems can tables briefly describe the characteristics of each kind of
easily be converted for use in other games such as Star world and its star system.
Frontiers or Traveller. To randomly generate a planet roll

CLASS PLANETARY CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTION

A/B/C Young Worlds: Planets with planetary core stability ranked in ascending order (A-C).
D Dead Worlds: Lifeless planets that may, or may not, have atmospheres.
E Early Worlds: Primitive planets in a primal state of development with early lifeforms.
F Desert Worlds: Rocky, sandy and dusty planets with scarce water or lifeforms.
G Water Worlds: Planets with water covering the majority of their surface.
H Habitable Worlds: Planets with conditions similar to Earth and abundant lifeforms.
I Super Worlds: High gravity planets that are three to thirty times the size of Earth.
J/K/L/M Gaseous Worlds: Gas planets categorized in ascending size from Dwarf (J) to Giant (M).
N Nomad Worlds: Cold rogue planets expelled from orbit or without a solar system.
O Wild Worlds: Planets with chaotically changing seasons and temperature extremes.
P Wild Worlds: Planets with chaotically changing geological instability and volcanic activity.
Q Wild Worlds: Planets with chaotically evolving mutant lifeforms with accelerated life spans.
R Restricted Worlds: Forbidden planets restricted to travel for classified reasons.
S Silicon Worlds: Rare high pressure planets with silicon based lifeforms.
T Ice Worlds: Planets covered entirely in ice and glaciers with little or no liquid water.
U Uninhabitable Worlds: Former H planets that have been ravaged by catastrophe or war.
V Unusual Worlds: Planets existing outside of time or partially on the psionic plane.
W Planetoids: Small rock or ice planets with little or no native lifeforms.
X Hell Worlds: Exotic planets with dangerously inhospitable environments or lifeforms.
Y/Z Open Classification: Planetary classification that has not yet been identified or assigned.

CLASS STAR CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTION

A Small bright blue colored stars that produce bright light, high heat, and high radiation.
B Large bright blue colored stars that produce bight light, high heat, and high radiation.
F Small blue to white colored stars that produce medium light and heat.
G Small white to yellow colored stars that produce medium light and heat.
K Small orange to red colored stars that produce medium light and heat.
M Small red colored stars that produce faint light and low heat.
O Large bright blue colored stars that produce bight light, high heat, and high radiation.
33
 Issue 20 Spring 2017

SOL STAR SYSTEM (01)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
01 MERCURY SOL I W SOL ALPHA SOL G
02 VENUS SOL II X SOL ALPHA SOL G
03 EARTH SOL III H SOL ALPHA SOL G
04 LUNA (MOON) SOL III-A W SOL ALPHA SOL G
05 MARS SOL IV D SOL ALPHA SOL G
06 SATURN SOL V L SOL ALPHA SOL G
07 JUPITER SOL VI K SOL ALPHA SOL G
08 NEPTUNE SOL VII T/J SOL ALPHA SOL G
09 URANUS SOL VIII T/J SOL ALPHA SOL G
10 PLUTO SOL IX W SOL ALPHA SOL G
11 NIBIRU SOL X V SOL ALPHA SOL G

ALPHA CENTAURI STAR SYSTEM (02)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
12 CENTAURUS ALPHA-C I H SOL ALPHA ALPHA-C G
13 MYRA ALPHA-C II F SOL ALPHA ALPHA-C G
14 TOBYN ALPHA-C III V SOL ALPHA ALPHA-C G
15 JERICHO ALPHA-C IV W SOL ALPHA ALPHA-C G

PROXIMA CENTAURI STAR SYSTEM (03)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
16 ACHILLES PROXIMA-C I W SOL ALPHA PROXMIA- M
(M121) C
17 TRINITY PROXIMA-C II H SOL ALPHA PROXIMA- M
C

SIRIUS STAR SYSTEM (04)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
18 ALTAIR SIRIUS I W SOL ALPHA SIRIUS F
19 SIRENE SIRIUS II T SOL ALPHA SIRIUS F
20 DENEB SIRIUS III H SOL ALPHA SIRIUS F

EPSILON ERIDANI (RAN) STAR SYSTEM (05)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
21 ARKONA EPSILON-E I P SOL ALPHA EPSILON-E G
22 TAURA EPSILON-E II H SOL ALPHA EPSILON-E G
23 TELLAS EPSILON-E III E SOL ALPHA EPSILON-E G
24 VESTA EPSILON-E IV E SOL ALPHA EPSILON-E G

34
Frontier Explorer

TAU CETI STAR SYSTEM (06)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
24 TAU CETI I TAU CETI I T SOL ALPHA TAU CETI G
25 TAU CETI II TAU CETI II H SOL ALPHA TAU CETI G
26 TAU CETI III TAU CETI III H SOL ALPHA TAU CETI G
27 TAU CETI IV TAU CETI IV E SOL ALPHA TAU CETI G
28 TAU CETI V TAU CETI V O SOL ALPHA TAU CETI G

VEGA STAR SYSTEM (07)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
29 HALON VEGA I S SOL ALPHA VEGA G
30 BLACK ROCK VEGA II W SOL ALPHA VEGA G
31 GIDEON VEGA III F SOL ALPHA VEGA G
32 RIGEL VEGA IV H SOL ALPHA VEGA G
33 ANTARUS VEGA V H SOL ALPHA VEGA G
34 HYDRA VEGA VI G SOL ALPHA VEGA G
35 GEMINORA VEGA VII H SOL ALPHA VEGA G
36 THYOPH VEGA VIII E SOL ALPHA VEGA G
37 ASTERILLS VEGA IX V SOL ALPHA VEGA G
38 REMUAN VEGA X T SOL ALPHA VEGA G
39 ROHINA VEGA XI W SOL ALPHA VEGA G

40 ERIDANI-A STAR SYSTEM (08)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
40 RYADEN ERIDANI-A I U/R SOL ALPHA SOLACE F
41 SKARANIS ERIDANI-A II U/R SOL ALPHA SOLACE F
42 SOLACE ERIDANI-A III K SOL ALPHA SOLACE F
43 VOLTANIS ERIDANI-A IV I SOL ALPHA SOLACE F
44 LAMENT ERIDANI-A V F SOL ALPHA SOLACE F

DEMAI STAR SYSTEM (09)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
45 SEAR DEMAI I F SOL ALPHA DEMAI K
46 SOLARIA DEMAI II I SOL ALPHA DEMAI K
47 FARLIGHT DEMAI III H SOL ALPHA DEMAI K
48 DOMINION DEMAI IV M SOL ALPHA DEMAI K
49 HAVEN * ROGUE N SOL ALPHA (ROGUE) K

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ZETA HERCULI STAR SYSTEM (10)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
50 BRAX ZETA-H I E SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
51 TGANIS ZETA-H II W SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
52 ERABAN ZETA-H III J SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
53 HERCULI ZETA-H IV H SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
54 NENTONGA ZETA-H V V SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
55 SERRADIS ZETA-H VI M SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G
56 VENATAVA ZETA-H VII L SOL ALPHA Z-HERCULI G

XOTH STAR SYSTEM (11)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
57 MARAGA XOTH I X XOTH BETA XOTH M
58 ASH XOTH II U XOTH BETA XOTH M
59 FURY XOTH III F XOTH BETA XOTH M
60 AGOTHA XOTH IV G XOTH BETA XOTH M
61 ZONOS XOTH V H XOTH BETA XOTH M
62 ROCHIN XOTH VI H XOTH BETA XOTH M
63 CERION XOTH VII W XOTH BETA XOTH M

MARKAR STAR SYSTEM (12)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
64 ASHOTUN MARKAR I S XOTH BETA MARKAR G
65 NAKARA MARKAR II X XOTH BETA MARKAR G
66 SOGNA MARKAR III E XOTH BETA MARKAR G
67 AZARGON MARKAR IV H XOTH BETA MARKAR G
68 MIZAR MARKAR V G XOTH BETA MARKAR G
69 AMOTHEP MARKAR VI F XOTH BETA MARKAR G
70 QAARK MARKAR VII H XOTH BETA MARKAR G
71 CHORIN MARKAR VIII E XOTH BETA MARKAR G
72 DORADIS MARKAR IX J XOTH BETA MARKAR G
73 BOME MARKAR X T XOTH BETA MARKAR G
74 ORMENA MARKAR XI W XOTH BETA MARKAR G

ORKUS STAR SYSTEM (13)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
75 KATELK ORKUS I C XOTH BETA ORKUS K
76 ONIS ORKUS II E XOTH BETA ORKUS K
77 SHIGSIN ORKUS III G XOTH BETA ORKUS K
78 NAKOTH ORCUS IV J XOTH BETA ORKUS K
79 MEMNAAN ORKUS V T XOTH BETA ORKUS K
80 AMERATH ORKUS VI T XOTH BETA ORKUS K

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YXIA STAR SYSTEM (14)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
81 IZZAR YXIA I S XOTH BETA YXIA F
82 KORIVRYN YXIA II E XOTH BETA YXIA F
83 OKULI YXIA III I XOTH BETA YXIA F
84 GORGANOS YXIA IV G XOTH BETA YXIA F
85 THESULIA YXIA V E XOTH BETA YXIA F
86 TELU YXIA VI H XOTH BETA YXIA F
87 DAVAX YXIA VII X XOTH BETA YXIA F
88 VALISSIA YXIA VIII W XOTH BETA YXIA F

VIDEN STAR SYSTEM (15)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
89 LUMA VIDEN I F XOTH BETA VIDEN K
90 VIDEN PRIME VIDEN II H XOTH BETA VIDEN K
91 MINARIA VIDEN III H XOTH BETA VIDEN K

ALTERIA STAR SYSTEM (16)

ROLL: PLANET NAME: DESIGNATION: CLASS: SECTOR: QUAD: SYSTEM: STAR:
94 JYGAR ALTERIA I X XOTH BETA ATERIA A
95 OKASYS ALTERIA II P XOTH BETA ATERIA A
96 NARAFON ALTERIA III Q XOTH BETA ATERIA A
97 BYDELVA ALTERIA IV V XOTH BETA ATERIA A
98 TANKOR ALTERIA V E XOTH BETA ATERIA A
99 JONAR ALTERIA VI O XOTH BETA ATERIA A
100 SOLEK ALTERIA VII F XOTH BETA ATERIA A

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