Character Traits
As well as making use of numerous variations on traits found in GURPS: Transhuman Space: Changing Times, GURPS: Ultratech, GURPS: Biotech, and other sources, there are a number of specialized uses for advantages, skills, and the like found in this setting that are detailed below as well as throughout the website.
Cultural Background
Assessing a character's cultural/social background is important to filling in their character sheet.
Tech Level
In 4e terms, Horizon Effect is a mature TL 10 setting with some aspects of TL 11 biotechnology, and with a great deal of higher TL technology that comes not just from the God AIs but also from the extinct/missing alien species. Character from the "Fourth wave" or "Fifth wave" have TL 10; those from the "Third Wave" generally have one or two TLs lower, around TL 9 or TL 8. Those who are native to some neo-luddite habitats and polities, like the Hatire Theocracy, are TL 4 or TL 5. Note that since AIs appeared around Fourth Wave, anyone who takes this advantage will not only start with lower TL skills, but also have difficult dealing with AIs in small but irritating ways.
While Low-TL characters may be familiar with androids, they will regard them as a little unnerving.
In 4e terms, Horizon Effect is a mature TL 10 setting with some aspects of TL 11 biotechnology, and with a great deal of higher TL technology that comes not just from the God AIs but also from the extinct/missing alien species. Character from the "Fourth wave" or "Fifth wave" have TL 10; those from the "Third Wave" generally have one or two TLs lower, around TL 9 or TL 8. Those who are native to some neo-luddite habitats and polities, like the Hatire Theocracy, are TL 4 or TL 5. Note that since AIs appeared around Fourth Wave, anyone who takes this advantage will not only start with lower TL skills, but also have difficult dealing with AIs in small but irritating ways.
While Low-TL characters may be familiar with androids, they will regard them as a little unnerving.
Languages
Languages evolve and change over time, with a vast number of "marginal" languages vanishing entirely. In the Verge and Bleed, Relativistic travel and extended lifespans have preserved a number of languages in a way that a 21st century speaker of those languages could understand them; meanwhile, in the Inner Sphere where the time progression has become more severe, well-known languages have evolved into whole language families that are utterly unrecognizable to most modern speakers. The end result of this is that going to Earth pushes on further into the future of language progression, while going deeper into the Verge pushes on further back in time in terms of language progression. As a result, language shift slightly from system to system. Over distance, these shifts accumulate, and reduce even Native speakers to Accented.
To represent this, Languages are described as being "mutually intelligible" with their sister tongues at one of Accented or Broken. For instance, Hellas English, the English spoken in the Hellas Region of Mars, is mutually intelligible with 21st century English a Broken. This means that if a speaker of 21st century English wanted to learn Hellas English, they buy it up from Broken. Bluefallen English, meanwhile, is mutually intelligible at Accented, so it only costs 2 points (or 1 point if you have Language Talent) for an individual who speaks 21st Century English to become Native in Bluefallen English.
While Illiteracy is still quite rare, it isn't as crippling as it used to be in highly developed areas (generally Fourth and Fifth wave areas); characters from such settings might reduce their level of writing ability with their native language to Accented or even Broken and still be playable.
Languages evolve and change over time, with a vast number of "marginal" languages vanishing entirely. In the Verge and Bleed, Relativistic travel and extended lifespans have preserved a number of languages in a way that a 21st century speaker of those languages could understand them; meanwhile, in the Inner Sphere where the time progression has become more severe, well-known languages have evolved into whole language families that are utterly unrecognizable to most modern speakers. The end result of this is that going to Earth pushes on further into the future of language progression, while going deeper into the Verge pushes on further back in time in terms of language progression. As a result, language shift slightly from system to system. Over distance, these shifts accumulate, and reduce even Native speakers to Accented.
To represent this, Languages are described as being "mutually intelligible" with their sister tongues at one of Accented or Broken. For instance, Hellas English, the English spoken in the Hellas Region of Mars, is mutually intelligible with 21st century English a Broken. This means that if a speaker of 21st century English wanted to learn Hellas English, they buy it up from Broken. Bluefallen English, meanwhile, is mutually intelligible at Accented, so it only costs 2 points (or 1 point if you have Language Talent) for an individual who speaks 21st Century English to become Native in Bluefallen English.
While Illiteracy is still quite rare, it isn't as crippling as it used to be in highly developed areas (generally Fourth and Fifth wave areas); characters from such settings might reduce their level of writing ability with their native language to Accented or even Broken and still be playable.
List of Named Languages
There are almost as many languages as there are inhabited planets. Below are the named languages (so far) in the setting:
There are almost as many languages as there are inhabited planets. Below are the named languages (so far) in the setting:
- Siris (Spacer; mutually intelligible with other varieties of English at Broken or Accented)
- Yasash Om (Spacer; grew out of a creole)
- Russish (Spacer; mutually intelligible with other varieties of Russian at Broken or Accented)
- Kosyak (Spacer; mutually intelligible with other varieties of Russian at Broken)
- Yoh-Uh (Spacer; grew out of a creole)
- Anglika (mutually intelligible with other varieties of English at Accented or Broken)
- Kinezika (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Greek at Broken or None)
- Bluefallen Portuguese (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Portuguese at Accented or Broken)
- Bluefallen English (mutually intelligible with other varieties of English at Accented or Broken)
- Bluefallen Japanese (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Japanese at Accented or Broken)
- Bluefallen Korean (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Korean at Accented or Broken)
- Bluefallen Spanish (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Spanish at Accented, Broken, or None)
- Candovalian Spanish (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Spanish at Accented, Broken, or None)
- Candovalian Tagalog (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Tagalog at Broken or None)
- Exeatese (grew out of a creole)
- Jzukilin and Krabillsk (alien languages)
- Zhanese (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Mandarin at Broken or None)
- Indo-Fomalhauti (mutually intelligible with other varieties of Hindu at Broken or None)
- Dionian French (mutually intelligible with other varieties of French at Broken or None)
- Gojirian English (mutually intelligible with other varieties of English at Accented or Broken)
Cultural Familiarity
In general, every planet typically has its own distinctive culture, with some large space stations also possessing their own distinctive culture. Many of these descended from 21st century Cultural categories, and some of them may be closely related, reducing the penalty of interacting with members of an associated culture. This is highly dependent on the Meta-Empire, however.
In general, every planet typically has its own distinctive culture, with some large space stations also possessing their own distinctive culture. Many of these descended from 21st century Cultural categories, and some of them may be closely related, reducing the penalty of interacting with members of an associated culture. This is highly dependent on the Meta-Empire, however.
Wealth, Status, and Reputation
The basic starting wealth for the Horizon Effect setting is $30,000. This is lower than what's normally suggested for a TL 10 setting, but many parts of the setting are at a lower TL (such as the Monarchy, and a number of planets). Thus, the $30,000 figure is an averaged for all of the various parts of the Verge and Bleed.
Unlike the outline on p. B26, characters do not begin with 80% of their assets tied up in home equity, wardrobe, supporting a settled lifestyle, and the like, since wanderers who lack a fixed location are not uncommon in this setting. That said, characters are responsible for purchasing clothing and the like, and are similarly responsible for purchasing food (or purchasing a wet fabricator that can make it). Characters can opt to set aside a certain amount of money at character creation for specific things (for instance, setting aside 10% of their money for clothing or food that they use over the course of the game), but money set aside for that purpose cannot be used for any other purpose (so if 10% is set aside for clothing, it must be must be used for clothing). Such money is "put in and escrow fund" and usable only by that player (i.e., it can't be transferred to any party fund). The reason for this is because characters must spend all of their starting wealth at character creation - exempting any money that they choose to set aside for specific purposes as outlined above.
Equipment Bought With Points: If a character starts play having spent points for an infomorph Ally, permanent nanomod implant, etc., they don't spend cash for them (although they may need to spend some on maintenance as the campaign proceeds; this can be set aside in a sort of "escrow fund" as detailed above), they spend points. If the item has features that aren't actually required by the point expenditure, they may have to cover the difference in cash; so for example, an AI could run on a cheap small computer in its standard cybershell, but the player wants a standard computer so they can use its capacity for other purposes, they should pay ($2,000 minus $100) $1,900 for the extra computing power.
Note that it's possible to purchase advantages such as implants and cybershells after the game begins. These are purchased exclusively with money; for this reason, players must spend all their money before the game begins.
Infomorph Wealth: A free informoph's cost of living is generally similar to that of a biological. While they have no biological needs (unless they're sleeved in a pod or cybercore, in which case treat as a normal biological), but it will still need to pay rental charges on secure storage for backups, hardware, insurance premiums on cybershells or pods, and so on. Most infomorphs have lower Status than the local human average, which reduces their cost. An infomorph travelling "away from home" does often live more cheaply than a human in the same situation, as cybershell storage comes cheaper than hotel rooms, a benefit arising from advantages such as Reduced Consumption or Doesn't Eat or Drink.
Unlike the outline on p. B26, characters do not begin with 80% of their assets tied up in home equity, wardrobe, supporting a settled lifestyle, and the like, since wanderers who lack a fixed location are not uncommon in this setting. That said, characters are responsible for purchasing clothing and the like, and are similarly responsible for purchasing food (or purchasing a wet fabricator that can make it). Characters can opt to set aside a certain amount of money at character creation for specific things (for instance, setting aside 10% of their money for clothing or food that they use over the course of the game), but money set aside for that purpose cannot be used for any other purpose (so if 10% is set aside for clothing, it must be must be used for clothing). Such money is "put in and escrow fund" and usable only by that player (i.e., it can't be transferred to any party fund). The reason for this is because characters must spend all of their starting wealth at character creation - exempting any money that they choose to set aside for specific purposes as outlined above.
Equipment Bought With Points: If a character starts play having spent points for an infomorph Ally, permanent nanomod implant, etc., they don't spend cash for them (although they may need to spend some on maintenance as the campaign proceeds; this can be set aside in a sort of "escrow fund" as detailed above), they spend points. If the item has features that aren't actually required by the point expenditure, they may have to cover the difference in cash; so for example, an AI could run on a cheap small computer in its standard cybershell, but the player wants a standard computer so they can use its capacity for other purposes, they should pay ($2,000 minus $100) $1,900 for the extra computing power.
Note that it's possible to purchase advantages such as implants and cybershells after the game begins. These are purchased exclusively with money; for this reason, players must spend all their money before the game begins.
Infomorph Wealth: A free informoph's cost of living is generally similar to that of a biological. While they have no biological needs (unless they're sleeved in a pod or cybercore, in which case treat as a normal biological), but it will still need to pay rental charges on secure storage for backups, hardware, insurance premiums on cybershells or pods, and so on. Most infomorphs have lower Status than the local human average, which reduces their cost. An infomorph travelling "away from home" does often live more cheaply than a human in the same situation, as cybershell storage comes cheaper than hotel rooms, a benefit arising from advantages such as Reduced Consumption or Doesn't Eat or Drink.
Status
While few nations are truly "classless meritocracies," many manage to come close. The GM may prohibit PCs from buying more than two levels of Status directly if they're from such a place. For example, the President of Bluefall will have acquired Status 2 from a combination of birth, education, and incidental social influence; will be at least Wealthy (for +1) and probably a Multimillionaire (+2 or +3); and has Administrative Rank 8, for another +3, giving an overall Status of +6 to +8, even though only 2 levels of the advantage may be purchased directly.
Note that this is not true in places like the Monarchy; here, individuals can purchase as many levels in Status as they desire, since Status comes as a position of birthright and is independent of actual wealth - although may aristocrats within the Monarchy are fabulously wealthy, as well.
While few nations are truly "classless meritocracies," many manage to come close. The GM may prohibit PCs from buying more than two levels of Status directly if they're from such a place. For example, the President of Bluefall will have acquired Status 2 from a combination of birth, education, and incidental social influence; will be at least Wealthy (for +1) and probably a Multimillionaire (+2 or +3); and has Administrative Rank 8, for another +3, giving an overall Status of +6 to +8, even though only 2 levels of the advantage may be purchased directly.
Note that this is not true in places like the Monarchy; here, individuals can purchase as many levels in Status as they desire, since Status comes as a position of birthright and is independent of actual wealth - although may aristocrats within the Monarchy are fabulously wealthy, as well.
Reputation
In many modern areas, Reputation can range from important to incredibly important. Most fourth and fifth wave economies have a well-developed reputation economy that underscores it; some places, such as Anarchist habitats, run on Reputation alone. To represent this, when you purchase Reputation, you can purchase Reputation with a whole political bloc (such as with the DBR) or with a small group of people. Each +/-1 point of Reputation with a major political bloc or social movement is [3/level], while each +/-1 with each subculture is [1/level]. When you call in favors from these groups, you can add your Reputation modifier to the Administration check (for large political blocs) or Savoir-Faire check (for small subcultures) and are effectively "all the time". If you sacrifice your bonus, you gain double the bonus on your check for that one check; thus, if you have +2 (DBR), you can "burn" your "rep" giving you a one-time +4 bonus on your Administration check with the DBR. Until you rebuild your reputation, however, all future checks with the DBR have no bonus. A more detailed explanation can be found on the economics page.
In many modern areas, Reputation can range from important to incredibly important. Most fourth and fifth wave economies have a well-developed reputation economy that underscores it; some places, such as Anarchist habitats, run on Reputation alone. To represent this, when you purchase Reputation, you can purchase Reputation with a whole political bloc (such as with the DBR) or with a small group of people. Each +/-1 point of Reputation with a major political bloc or social movement is [3/level], while each +/-1 with each subculture is [1/level]. When you call in favors from these groups, you can add your Reputation modifier to the Administration check (for large political blocs) or Savoir-Faire check (for small subcultures) and are effectively "all the time". If you sacrifice your bonus, you gain double the bonus on your check for that one check; thus, if you have +2 (DBR), you can "burn" your "rep" giving you a one-time +4 bonus on your Administration check with the DBR. Until you rebuild your reputation, however, all future checks with the DBR have no bonus. A more detailed explanation can be found on the economics page.
Advantages and PErks
Appearance
p. B21
This advantage has a new limitation:
p. B21
This advantage has a new limitation:
- Species Only: Appearance is not a universal thing; just because humans find some androids sinister and vaguely unsettling does not mean those androids see themselves that way; similarly, just because some humans find some genotypes ugly doesn't mean those genotypes feel the same way. Since the baseline human norm is still the dominant perspective in the world of Horizon Effect, the Appearance advantage tends to be listed from the perspective of a human, not a member of that species. To reflect this, appearances may be augmented with "Humans only" in the event of Attractive or Better, while Unattractive or Worse may be augmented with "Non-species members only." This means that only humans will find the individual attractive or better - dogs, for instance, don't particularly care how attractive their owners are and that's true for K-10s, and for many non-human pods and neo-animals (neo-Hominids are a notable exception). Meanwhile, "Non-species members only" means that while humans may find the species unattractive, members of that own species do not feel the same way. This allows non-humans to have two Appearance traits if they wish; one that applies to all Non-species members and one that applies to only members of that species at -80% the normal cost. -20%
Claim to Hospitality, and Favor
pp. B41, B55
These advantages seem redundant given the modifications to Reputation, but in reality the new reputation system augments them rather than replacing them. In the case of Claim to Hospitality and Favor, you can call on these without having to make a Savoir-Faire or Administration check, and your Reputation ultimately doesn't matter, since you're still kin or very close friends, or you are owed a favor by a specific individual or organization as opposed to the entire social network that the changes to Reputation represent.
pp. B41, B55
These advantages seem redundant given the modifications to Reputation, but in reality the new reputation system augments them rather than replacing them. In the case of Claim to Hospitality and Favor, you can call on these without having to make a Savoir-Faire or Administration check, and your Reputation ultimately doesn't matter, since you're still kin or very close friends, or you are owed a favor by a specific individual or organization as opposed to the entire social network that the changes to Reputation represent.
Contact Group, Contacts
pp. B44-45
These advantages, however, are mostly, but not completely, redundant with the new changes to Reputation, since Reputation effectively allows you to treat an entire social group as a Contact Group. It's still possible for players to purchase Contact Group or Contacts to represent individuals within a group, or a small group within a subculture or society, allowing you to call on them even if your overall reputation within that organization or subculture isn't that great, however, so they still have a purpose, even if that purpose is reduced in utility.
pp. B44-45
These advantages, however, are mostly, but not completely, redundant with the new changes to Reputation, since Reputation effectively allows you to treat an entire social group as a Contact Group. It's still possible for players to purchase Contact Group or Contacts to represent individuals within a group, or a small group within a subculture or society, allowing you to call on them even if your overall reputation within that organization or subculture isn't that great, however, so they still have a purpose, even if that purpose is reduced in utility.
Cyber Ghost
5 points
You are very adapt at covering your tracks on online, and know how to minimize your online footprint. When you make your Opposed Check to avoid individuals detecting your activities online, you have a +3 bonus before any other bonuses that you may accumulate.
5 points
You are very adapt at covering your tracks on online, and know how to minimize your online footprint. When you make your Opposed Check to avoid individuals detecting your activities online, you have a +3 bonus before any other bonuses that you may accumulate.
Hyper-Specialization [P]
This perk allows you to become an expert in a field far narrower than even the optional specialties would allow. Select one skill so niche and narrow that it takes at least three words to describe it; you have a +5 on all checks relative to that skill. For instance, Literature (Latin American Magical Realist Authors), Metallurgy (Electronegativity of Non-Ferrous Materials), Physics (Baryonic Mass Models). Physiology (Ligand-Gated Sodium channels). You must specialize by area and expertise. While these are usually restricted to "science" skills, as the Literature example shows, it's possible to become hyperspecialized in the humanities, as well.
This perk allows you to become an expert in a field far narrower than even the optional specialties would allow. Select one skill so niche and narrow that it takes at least three words to describe it; you have a +5 on all checks relative to that skill. For instance, Literature (Latin American Magical Realist Authors), Metallurgy (Electronegativity of Non-Ferrous Materials), Physics (Baryonic Mass Models). Physiology (Ligand-Gated Sodium channels). You must specialize by area and expertise. While these are usually restricted to "science" skills, as the Literature example shows, it's possible to become hyperspecialized in the humanities, as well.
Gold Star
+5/+15 points
You have done something to make yourself particularly welcome on a particular social network; either you performed some spectacular deed that earned you renowned far and wide on the network or people think you did this thing and misattribute it to you (in which case, think about Secret). In any case, select on network; you begin play with a +4 bonus on all Reputation checks with that network, and have a +4 bonus on all reaction modifiers from individuals within that network when they meet you. This is effectively the same as purchasing +4 levels in reputation. However, because your deed was so outstanding, you can never fall below a +0 with this group, even if you score a critical failure calling in high level favors.
This advantage is worth +5 points for a small organization or subculture, +15 points for a larger organization, culture, or national reputation network.
+5/+15 points
You have done something to make yourself particularly welcome on a particular social network; either you performed some spectacular deed that earned you renowned far and wide on the network or people think you did this thing and misattribute it to you (in which case, think about Secret). In any case, select on network; you begin play with a +4 bonus on all Reputation checks with that network, and have a +4 bonus on all reaction modifiers from individuals within that network when they meet you. This is effectively the same as purchasing +4 levels in reputation. However, because your deed was so outstanding, you can never fall below a +0 with this group, even if you score a critical failure calling in high level favors.
This advantage is worth +5 points for a small organization or subculture, +15 points for a larger organization, culture, or national reputation network.
Telecommunication
pp. B91
These has a new enhancement:
pp. B91
These has a new enhancement:
- XP: You are able to transmit your sensory experiences in real time, generally as sensory telepathy transmitted through total virtual reality. The use of a direct neural interface is required to make full use of an XP, but they allow the individual to experience full sensory input as if they were there in person. +80%
DisAdvantages and Quirks
Argumentative [Q]
This is a quirk level behavior of Odious Personal Habit (Debating). However, unlike the latter, you simply argue, you don't debate, with no respect to form or the rules of debate, since you are you to win. Also unlike Debating, you're libel to pontificate on as subject you know nothing about, especially if you're Incompetent with that skill. This results in a -1 reaction penalty.
This is a quirk level behavior of Odious Personal Habit (Debating). However, unlike the latter, you simply argue, you don't debate, with no respect to form or the rules of debate, since you are you to win. Also unlike Debating, you're libel to pontificate on as subject you know nothing about, especially if you're Incompetent with that skill. This results in a -1 reaction penalty.
Blacklisted
-5/-15 points
You have made yourself a persona non-gratia on any one social network; either you did something bad in the past that caused them to turn against you or you were blamed for something that you didn't do but you were the victim of a digital public lynching anyway (or you did do it, were rightly excoriated, and have managed to convince yourself that you didn't do anything wrong and that you were wrongly persecuted; in which case think about picking up a 1-point Delusion quirk). Or maybe you just express opinions that are unpopular on that network. In any case, you begin play with a -4 penalty on all Reputation checks with that particular network, and you have a -4 reaction modifier from all individuals within that network when they meet you. This is effectively the same as purchasing -4 levels in Reputation. Furthermore, because you were blacklisted, you are forbidden from purchasing Reputation and ever having a reputation above -4 with that particular network.
This disadvantage is worth -5 points for a small organization or subculture, and -15 points for a large organization, culture, or national reputation network.
-5/-15 points
You have made yourself a persona non-gratia on any one social network; either you did something bad in the past that caused them to turn against you or you were blamed for something that you didn't do but you were the victim of a digital public lynching anyway (or you did do it, were rightly excoriated, and have managed to convince yourself that you didn't do anything wrong and that you were wrongly persecuted; in which case think about picking up a 1-point Delusion quirk). Or maybe you just express opinions that are unpopular on that network. In any case, you begin play with a -4 penalty on all Reputation checks with that particular network, and you have a -4 reaction modifier from all individuals within that network when they meet you. This is effectively the same as purchasing -4 levels in Reputation. Furthermore, because you were blacklisted, you are forbidden from purchasing Reputation and ever having a reputation above -4 with that particular network.
This disadvantage is worth -5 points for a small organization or subculture, and -15 points for a large organization, culture, or national reputation network.
Code of Honor
p. B127
This disadvantage has a new example:
p. B127
This disadvantage has a new example:
- Good Citizen: Always respect the law, no matter how small, including speed limits, seatbelt laws, and the like. Always respect your neighbors, keep your personal area clean, and never go out of your way to pick a fight. -5 points.
- Solarian: Never break a sworn vow. Never ignore an insult to yourself, your tribe, or your religion; insults may only be wiped out by an apology or some kind of combat. Remember your tribe’s feuds and obligations. Ambushes and sneak attacks are cowardly between individuals but appropriate in warfare. Hospitality is sacred; someone who has been invited into your house or tent, or who has shared your bread and salt, must be treated with honor for three full days. Only physical violence or gross insults remove a guest’s protections. If you are a guest, you should treat your host with courtesy and defend his honor and home, and not overstay your three day welcome unless clearly invited. Repay past favors or hospitality in kind when possible. -10 points
Compulsive Behavior
p. B128
This disadvantage has a new example:
p. B128
This disadvantage has a new example:
- Compulsive Cleanliness: You need things clean. If there's dust, it needs to be dusted. If there's dirt or grim, it needs to be cleaned up. If you get dirty, then you need to take a shower (sometimes more than one if the day was especially busy). As a result, a good part of their time is often spent cleaning, and if things aren't clean and you can't make them clean, then you become unhappy. -5 points.
Digital Footprint
-5 points
You are not very adept at keeping your activities online hidden from prying eyes, and it's very easy to keep tabs on what you've been doing and how often you've been doing it. When you make your opposed check to hide your online activity on social networks, you suffer a -3 penalty in addition to any other penalties that you may acquire.
-5 points
You are not very adept at keeping your activities online hidden from prying eyes, and it's very easy to keep tabs on what you've been doing and how often you've been doing it. When you make your opposed check to hide your online activity on social networks, you suffer a -3 penalty in addition to any other penalties that you may acquire.
Odious Racial/Cultural Behavior
p. B127
This disadvantage has a new example:
p. B127
This disadvantage has a new example:
- Debating: You love to debate and you're always looking for an opportunity to get involved in one, up to the point of actively starting them. You will generally only debate and pontificate about a subject you know something about, however, and you do so within the confines of proper debate rules, as opposed to just relying on emotion and "irrational opinion." This tends to rankle others, and results in a -1 reaction penalty from those who are on the receiving end or hear about it (or a +1 from those who are looking to debate). -5 points.
- Nudist: All things told, you're happier without clothing. You'll wear it if pressed to, and you may have some a collection and even enjoy buying it, but much of it sets unused in your closet. Unlike the socialist nudist (See below) who dresses, you typically don't unless told, or unless the situation absolutely demands. This leads to a -1 reaction from most people, since such behavior is far from the norm. If you're militant about it, then you won't wear clothing even when it would be appropriate to do so. -5/-10 points.
Shocking Affectation [Q]
Your behavior or conduct elicits a -1 reaction from a small class of people. Functionally, this is a -5-point Odious Personal Habit, but with the point value reduced by 1/3, as if it were Reputation with the class. This is usually represented in minor snubs or stares or whispers from those in the affected class. There are several variants of this:
Your behavior or conduct elicits a -1 reaction from a small class of people. Functionally, this is a -5-point Odious Personal Habit, but with the point value reduced by 1/3, as if it were Reputation with the class. This is usually represented in minor snubs or stares or whispers from those in the affected class. There are several variants of this:
- Skimpy Dresser: You wear clothing that is scandalous in some areas. Either the bioplastic cut outs are too revealing or what you're wearing simply doesn't mesh up with a conservative dress code because you're showing way too much skin. From individuals who are prudish or who are from areas where more conservative dress is common, you gain a -1 reaction penalty.
- Social Nudist: You wear clothing, and may even enjoy it, and may be a clothes horse, but at the end of the day you simply don't care who sees you without, and are comfortable walking around in (approved - or places you assume are approved) public areas without clothing. In certain habitats, your clothing may be just as bad (or worse) a skimpy dresser; since you don't care who sees you naked, you may well wear fully transparent bioplastic clothing, sans underwear - and may even regard those who are outraged as childish and infantile, unable to stand seeing the human body. You gain a -1 reaction penalty from more conservative cultures.
- Supports [ideology/person]: In some areas of the Verge and Bleed certain names invoke a visceral, often negative reaction from the local population. You know first hand, because you're from those areas. That doesn't stop you from supporting that individual however, openly and proudly, and as a result, gain a -1 reaction penalty from those who are from within the affected communities.
Social Stigma
p. B155
There are two new versions of this:
p. B155
There are two new versions of this:
- Cybershell: You are a biomorphic cybershell - generally a cybershell designed to look like humans, but any conventional animal will do. People tend to distrust cybershells due to fears of hacking and having the cybershell turned against them; this fear isn't entirely unwarranted, but most encryption channels are superior to the cracking software on the market and as a result, you are safer than people give you credit for. But good luck convincing them of that. You receive a -2 penalty on reaction rolls. If you're skinned but it's obvious you're still mechanical, people are more likely to treat you as a pod. -10 points.
- Neo-Animal: You are a neo-animal; an animal/human splice as opposed to a human/animal splice. For many, you are the freaks that humanity was warned about in the early days of genetic engineering, and a sizeable percentage of the population tends to treat you as a inferior or non-human when they aren't outright treating you as an uplift. You receive a -1 on all reaction rolls from everyone who isn't a fellow Neo-Animal. -5 points.
- Pod: You are or spend much of your time occupying a pod, or a being who is native to pods. For the same reason people distrust cybershells, they tend to distrust pods, with the added drawback of pods being more visible. You suffer the resulting -2 penalty. -10 points.
- Uplift: You are a fully sapient uplift; your numbers are generally small, and people tend to have a hard time reacting to you as if you aren't an especially smart animal, which leads them to being patronizing or assuming that you're uneducated or stupid. You receive a -1 penalty on reaction rolls on anyone who isn't a follow Uplift (or Neo-Animal). -5 points.
Skills
Expert Skill
p. B193
In the Horizon Effect setting, Expert Skill represents a cluster of highly specialized, very narrow skills that by themselves have very little use and so are best purchased in a bundle that possess very specific applications. Taken individually, each skill within an Expert Skill specialization can be thought of as being one step below the Hyperspecialization perk in terms of knowledge base.
p. B193
In the Horizon Effect setting, Expert Skill represents a cluster of highly specialized, very narrow skills that by themselves have very little use and so are best purchased in a bundle that possess very specific applications. Taken individually, each skill within an Expert Skill specialization can be thought of as being one step below the Hyperspecialization perk in terms of knowledge base.
- Alien Species: This replaces the Xenology specialization; players must specialize in a particular alien species common to the setting with no default between them. The specializations include Frahl, Mechalus, Evrenler, Myconids, Glassmakers, Stoneburners, Iktomi, Amphibs, and others. It covers both extant and extinct species. This skill can act as a stand in for more skills with some species than with others; for instance, nothing is known about Glassmaker morphology and biology (if they even had such a thing) so this skill can only be used to form conjectures and thus doesn't serve as a proper replacement for those skills.
- Cliodynamics: This is the skill that's used to analyze historical change and make forward projections into the future through sophisticated analysis, allowing individuals to make predictions based off a variety of sources, for instance, using it to make an estimated guess on how a certain war might impact on humanity in the long term, and what major, long-term effects it might have. It can function as Current Affairs, Economics, Geography, History, Intelligence Analysis, or Sociology when attempting to make a prediction about what large scale effects certain decisions may have on the massive structures of the meta-empires. In isolated Althists (i.e., programmed realities designed to simulate the past), it's possible to use this skill to determine where deviations happened that lead to the current present, and what changes can affect the programmed reality in what way.
- Specific Reality: Commonly found on alife species who come from a different digital reality with different laws of physics, this skill functions similar to the Natural Philosophy specialization and can be used in place of any science skill (such as Biology and Physics) to answer questions about how that universe alone works.
- Oceanography: This skill grants knowledge about the fluid dynamics and thermodynamics of oceans, including properties such as density, pressure, solutes, and fluid flow such as tides, currents, and the like. It can be used in place of Biology, Geology, Meteorology, and Physics to answer questions about oceans from all types of planets.
- Terraforming: This skill gives practical knowledge of most general terraforming methods, and acts as Biology, Geology, Meteorology, and related Earth-science skills for purposes of analyzing terraforming methods and determining what affect terraforming will have on the native systems of the planet, as well as what terraforming method might be best suited for a world.
Farming
p. B194
This skill has new specializations.
p. B194
This skill has new specializations.
- Aquaculture: Available at TL9, Aquaculture gives knowledge of how to manage aquatic ecosystems and maximize, as well as harvest, their output - primarily plankton, fish, and algae. While primarily used to make a living, it can also be used to answer questions about aquacultural systems. This skill is common on water-worlds.
Hidden Lore
p. B199
This skill has new specializations.
p. B199
This skill has new specializations.
- God AIs: This skill represents knowledge of God AIs, their history, their names (which are generally lost to history as far as anyone knows), and any major but not well-known projects that the God AIs may have been involved in. While even this skill can't elaborate on where the God AIs went, knowledge of what they were doing and what plans they may have had could lead to major conclusions.