Spacer Culture
One of the oldest and most widespread of the three "subcultures" is the spacer culture. In some form or another, Spacers have been around since the beginning of space travel, although the first true space "clade" is often said to be the Tennyo, who are still around to this day and have formed a thriving culture that is well known for its eccentricities. Spacers literally tend to occupy a middle ground between the Skimmers, who live at the end of the system, and the Solarians, who live in the heart of a system, by living everywhere in between those two and sometimes out beyond those two as well.
Where spacers liveSpacers are just that: humans who live in space. They call long-haul freighters, some of which can be up to almost 300 miles long, home, and spend much of their time in microgravity or low gravity conditions. Other times, they are migrants and migrant workers, travelling from system to system in search of jobs, labor, and the like. Others are descended from those who fled the inner sphere during the rise of the God AIs and decided to go into hiding, becoming "backgrounders," while still more are individuals who were crew aboard ships that were flung into the future at relativistic speeds, becoming "relativistic isolates."
One thing is common, and it's that spacers live in space, which is an environment that is inimical to the human experience. They confront challenges daily that most humans never have to deal with, from radiation, the near constant threat of a system failure killing everyone aboard, and the psychological aspect of living with the same people day in and day out, over and over again, for years on end without any relief. They live a life that's long stretches of boredom punctuated by random, punishing moments of uncertain and danger that can seem to come from anywhere, at any time - it's a marvel anyone survives long enough for a culture to form at all. |
Spacer cultural traditionsSpacers have a lot of problems that they need to find solutions form; not only is microgravity an immediate issue, there are the long term psychological effects of living with the same crew for years or decades on end, and how to handle issues like sexual relationships between crew members and reproduction (which is exceptionally hard in microgravity). As such, spacers have developed a number of solutions; below are the generic solutions that are usually, but not always, found across all spacer cultures.
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who spacers are
It takes more than just living in a space station or working in space for extended periods of time to be considered a spacer; spacers are individuals who spend much, if not all, of their lives living in the vacuum, with the only thing separating them from certain death being the walls of their ship. Spacers often have a different, often fatalistic, way of viewing the world, usually seeing bad things as outside of their control and something that can't be prevented, but they can be put off through diligent work and effort. Spacers live in and know how to navigate cramped, enclosed hallways and corridors of starships, which are optimized for the Tyranny of the Rocket Equation rather than any sort of human aesthetic preference. Spacers are often born into their lifestyle, and few can every truly leave it, if only because they find being planet side truly disconcerting and Phobia (Open Spaces) is so common among them it's hard to find a spacer who isn't irrationally afraid of being in an open space without their space suit. Thus, like with the other cultures, it's an outlook as much as it's an attitude and series of principles on which the world is set which makes spacers a separate culture from your average run-of-the-mill human who lives in a rotating habitat or who spends a few months out of the year working in orbit on an orbital habitat.
Spacers are also used to living and and thriving in microgravity conditions, above and beyond what conventional individuals who live and work in space do. They are also adept at overcoming and adapting to all the social problems that these conditions present; they usually drink out of bulbs, won't eat food that leaves crumbs, and typically dislike to leave their space suits, even if it isn't practical to wear it where they're going; for many, the spacesuit is a second skin, and the second thing standing between them and certain death. They often decorate their spacesuit with patches, or coloration patterns, so it's highly personalized and stands out. Many also take libido suppressants, to avoid sexual entanglements, although how precisely a spacer group overcomes these problems is what sets them apart as a unique subculture.
Spacers are also used to living and and thriving in microgravity conditions, above and beyond what conventional individuals who live and work in space do. They are also adept at overcoming and adapting to all the social problems that these conditions present; they usually drink out of bulbs, won't eat food that leaves crumbs, and typically dislike to leave their space suits, even if it isn't practical to wear it where they're going; for many, the spacesuit is a second skin, and the second thing standing between them and certain death. They often decorate their spacesuit with patches, or coloration patterns, so it's highly personalized and stands out. Many also take libido suppressants, to avoid sexual entanglements, although how precisely a spacer group overcomes these problems is what sets them apart as a unique subculture.
Skimmer Culture Template . . . 20 points
Advantages and Perks
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Two of Cybernetics (Protected Sense) [5], G-Experience (Any) [5], Improved G-Tolerance (0.03G) [5], Radiation Tolerance 2 [5], or 5-point talent [5] ● 25 points from among points from among the previous or from among ST +1 to +2 [10/level], DX +1 [20], IQ+1 [20], Per+1 to +4 [5/level], Will +1 to +4 [5/level], HP +1 to +4 [2/level], Basic Move +1 [5], Basic Speed +0.25 [5/level], Absolute Direction [5], Biografts (Any) [Varies], Common Sense [10], Cybernetics (Any) [Varies], Doodads [1/level], Driver's Reflex 1 [5/level], Fearlessness [2/level], Gizmos [5/level], High Manual Dexterity 1-2 [5/level], Master Builder 1 [5], Plant Empathy [5], Rapid Healing [5], Resistant (Single Colony World Hazard) [5], Single-Minded [5], or 10 points in any talent [10] ● Any three of the following Perks: Compact Frame, Dabbler (any eight skills), Efficient (Skill), Focused (Task), Hyperspecialization (Skill), One-Task Wonder, Sealegs, or Teamwork (Skill).
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Disadvantages and Quirks
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-30 points from among Addiction [Varies], Alcoholism [-5*], Bully [-10*], Combat Paralysis [-15*], Delusions (about the way the world works) [-5 to -10], Disciplines of Faith (Ritualism or Mysticism) [-5 to -10], Gullibility [-10*], Incurious [-5*], Insomniac [-10 to -15], Jealousy [-10], Kleptomania [-15*], Lecherousness [-15*], Loner [-5*], Low Empathy [-20], Miserliness [-10*], Odious Cultural Habit (Any) [-5 to -10], Overconfidence [-5*], Pacifism [Varies], Sense of Duty (Organization or Group) [-5], Social Stigma (Uncultured Rube) [-5] or (Minority Group) [-5], Stubbornness [-5], or Workaholic [-5] ● Three of Aloof, Broadminded, Cautious, Dislikes open spaces, Dress Code (Never Leaves Spacesuit), Methodical, Nosy, Religious (Any), Superstition (Any), Token (Any), all [-1].
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Primary Skills
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Area Knowledge (Home Ship), Computer Operations and Spacer, all (E) IQ [1]-10; Electronics Operation (Sensors) (A) IQ-1 [1]-9; Savoir-Faire (Spacer) (E) IQ+1 [2]-11 ● Three of Electronics Operation (Any), Electronics Repair (Any), Merchant, Mechanic (Any), Navigation (Space), Prospecting, Research, all (A) IQ [2]-10; Chemistry, Economics, Expert Skill (Helioseismology), Geology, Geology (Any), or Metallurgy, all (H) IQ-1 [2]-9; Physics (VH) IQ-2 [2]-8.
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Secondary and Background Skills
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Five of Electrician, Electronics Operation (Any), Electronics Repair (Any), Freight Handling, Merchant, Mechanic (Any), or Meteorology (Star), all (A) IQ-1 [1]-9; Free Fall or Piloting (Any Spacecraft), both (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Aerobatics/Acrobatics (H) DX-2 [1]-8; Expert Skill (Helioseismology) or Veterinary, both (H) IQ-2 [1]-8; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-10; or two points in any primary skill.
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Features
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Cultural Familiarity (Spacer), Language (Any, Native), Native Gravity (0G - 1.0 G)
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