Stars Without Number: Solo-Play Rules

by Dave Cooper

 Art by David Reddington

This is a solo system I developed several years ago to play Traveller. Originally written for Classic Traveller, I’ve updated it for Stars Without Number.

Fairly straightforward to use; generate a set of characters and start at point one. Follow action, then throw 1D and go to the appropriate section. Each run through the chart is approximately six days of time. However, the results are designed to make you think, the tables will not provide all of the answers for you.

Some comments on individual areas: -

Upkeep

10cr x (Total Level of group)² . This accounts for day-to-day living expenses

Training

You can expend Skill Points to initiate training, although you will have to cycle through the chart for the required length of time to complete it.

Note: New psionic disciplines can only be aquired via (8) Options.

(3) Buy one item or group of related items. Means exactly that, you can buy one length of rope or 20 rounds of ammunition etc. It’s designed to stop the ‘we’ll replace everything we used on the last adventure and buy everything we need for the next one’ syndrome. Now you have to choose between replacing the monoblade or the survival pack you dropped in the swamp on Pavonis II. You can’t buy again here unless you are directed back.

(8) Options: A very versatile section. You can choose any Action, or seek a job, seek a new PC/NPC, court someone; whatever you like.

This can be expanded as needed: -

e.g. : Take a job. (Make up a table.) Now I’m working helping to build the new terminal building at Proxyon spaceport. After rent, living, local tax etc, I end up with 100Cr per month. Throw 2D each month

2          Fired/lose job (why? Maybe a short adventure?)

3-4       Promoted/Pay rise: Pay goes up 5%

5-10     Work goes on. Roll again next month. Mark passage of time. Or you can pack the job in and return to main flowchart where you left it.

11-12   As (5-10) but option to take redundancy. Get bonus of 25Cr for each month worked. Return to main flowchart where you left it.

Years later I can look at the terminal building and think, “I helped build that”.

Keep notes and try and maintain continuity. For example, on Cubro, I got into a fight with three thugs and one was injured. Sometime later, back on Cubro, I’m jumped by three thugs; one is missing an eye. I might be in trouble here.

I write things up in as much detail as possible; this is your story you’re writing here, and it’s good to read back over past history and events. I developed this system some years ago, when I had a fair bit of time on my hands but no players. The Free Trader ‘No Strings Attached’ spent several years wandering around the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants of my Traveller Outreach campaign. Final tally was six crewmembers still on board, four dead, one insane, one missing and one retired (but somewhat eccentric).

Off-Time Flowchart: Chart 1

1. Start. Assemble Characters

            Go to (2) Upkeep

2. Sell Cargo, pay Ship costs, pay Crew wages. All characters pay Upkeep

            1-2       (3) Buy Equipment

            3-4       (5) Healing

            5-6       (4) Sell Equipment

3. Buy Equipment. Each PC may buy 1 item or group of related items of equipment

            1-2       (4) Sell Equipment

            3-4       (5) Healing

                5      (7) Event

                6      (3) Buy Equipment

4. Sell Equipment. PC’s may sell any surplus equipment and/or curios they have collected. Equipment may be sold at 50% of base cost. Rare items, curios etc. throw 9+ to find a buyer then negotiate.

            1-3       (3) Buy Equipment

                4      (5) Healing

            5-6       (6) Event

5. Healing. Recover Wounds or pay for Medical Aid. May also purchase medpacks, drugs etc.

               1       (7)   Event

            2-3       (10) Seek Patron

            4-6       (8)   Options

6. Event. Roll on Event Table. Events may affect the whole group, or just an individual. Some have long-reaching effects, see Table for details.

            1-3       (8) Options

            4-6       (9) Healing

7. Event. Roll on Event Table. Events may affect the whole group, or just an individual. Some have long-reaching effects, see Table for details.

            1-2       (8)   Options

            3-4       (10) Seek Patron

                5      (12) Expenses

                6      (3)   Buy Equipment

8. Options. May take any Action, initiate new project, take a job etc.

               1       Generate Adventure seed

   2       (11) Hear Rumour

            3-4       (13) Buy/Sell Equipment

                5      (10) Seek Patron

                6      (14) Encounter

9. Healing. Recover Wounds or pay for Medical Aid. May also purchase medpacks, drugs etc.

            1-3       (13) Buy/Sell equipment

            4-5       (11) Hear Rumour

                6      (8)   Options

10. Seek Patron? (Choose or Roll 1D: 1-4 = Yes  5-6 = No)

            If Yes, generate Patron and go to Chart #3

            If No, or when Chart #3 finished, go to (11) Hear Rumour

11. Hear Rumour. Roll on Rumour Table with appropriate mods.

            1-2       (8)   Options

                3      (14) Encounter

            4-5       (9)   Healing

                6      (13) Buy/Sell Equipment

12. Misc. expenses. An unforeseen expense that must be paid. Roll 1D:

1-3       Cr100

4-5       Cr1 x Level²

    6      Cr5 x Level²

                Level is total Level of characters in group. This can be expensive!

1-3       (14) Encounter

            4-6       (16) End

13. Buy/Sell Equipment. Group may buy/sell as much equipment as is desired.

               1       (14) Encounter

            2-6       (16) End

14. Encounter. Group may encounter NPC’s, Law Enforcers or even creatures.

1-2       No Encounter

    3      Law Enforcers.

4-5       Roll on Encounter table and check reaction / outcome.

    6      Animal. Roll on Animal Encounter Table for area

            1-4       (15) Healing

            5-6       (16) End

15. Healing. Recover Wounds or pay for Medical Aid. May also purchase medpacks, drugs etc.

            Go to (16) End

16. End. Either repeat cycle from (2) if more time on planet is necessary, else roll for Cargo availability, passengers etc.

Chart #3          Patron

1. Roll Patron / Friend

2. Generate Stats (if required), plus tags etc. See Patron / Friend Creation

3. Generate mission (or select one,) decide if PC’s will accept it (or roll 1D 1-3 = Yes  4-6 = No)

4. Return to Chart #1 (10)
Events    Throw d66

11 Meet generic NPC

12 Meet new PC (a way to introduce new characters)

13 Legal encounter, throw Luck to avoid

14 Gambling. Roll Gambling DF 8, win/lose 1d6 x 100cr

15 Misc. expenses. Pay 50cr x 1d4

16 Receive a message from….

21 Patron encounter

22 Random encounter

23 Hear Rumour

24 Get involved in a brawl (fight it out with 1d6 thugs)

25 Shot at by accident  (Fail Luck to be hit for 1d6 damage)

26 Meet a Friend

31 Opportunity to buy exotic item

32 Close relative dies (who?)

33 Inherit Cr100 x 3d6

34 Weapon jams irreparably, is useless (pick at random, could mean sword breaks etc.)

35 Legal encounter, throw Luck to avoid

36 Opportunity to buy property (may be worth rent etc.)

41 Hear some news about….

42 Opportunity to make TAS application (open entry)

43 Receive information about…

44 Encounter an Enemy

45 Robbed/burgled. Lose 50% of possessions (divide into 2 piles, roll randomly for which one was lost.)

46 Mistaken identity (roll reaction)

51 Meet alien or group of aliens (appropriate to current setting)

52 Civil disorder on planet (why?)

53 Planetary event (volcanic eruption, earthquake, giant asteroid strike etc.)

54 Hear rumour

55 Patron encounter

56 A piece of equipment breaks down and needs to be fixed.

61 Papers/documents not in order. (xref Exit Visa)

62 Complication with cargo (sb)

63 Special charter (transport to…, act as bodyguard to…., etc.)

64 Asked to carry message to...

65 Gain a Contact or Favour owed by NPC (who, why and what)

66 Offered Illegal weapon/Black market goods/drugs/Maltech etc.

Complication with cargo; There is a potential problem with any cargo that will be picked up in the End Phase. Once cargos are generated, throw 2d6 each, 9+ to have a potential problem. Then roll for where the problem is, this end or at the destination. If this end, then roll 1D to see what it is. If the destination, then do not roll until you get there!

1. Needs special import/export licence (see (8) Options.

2. Damaged. Real value reduced by 10-30%

3. Offensive stench will permeate LS system and make passengers unhappy. Needs full overhaul to remove

4. Hazardous cargo, throw 2d6:12+/day in transit to leak/explode and damage cargo area

5. Customs believe it is contraband and cargo is impounded

6. Shipping manifest was wrong and half/double (roll) agreed amount has arrived

The Manufactory: Team Insertion Boat

By Jonathan Sherlock

The Manufactory: Starship Vehicle Fittings

By Jonathan Sherlock

Art by David Reddington

Starships can carry smaller vehicles to assist the crew in accomplishing their mission. Look HERE for detailed rules about carrying vehicles aboard starships in Stars Without Number.

Dawn Sector: The Hippaflicks

By Brian Pichelman

The Hippaflicks are the pacifist fish-people of Flicker. They are very cumbersome on land, but not in the water. They move up to 100 meters/minute (3mph) on land, and 360 meters/minute in water (20mph). They also speak Bladish, and many also speak English.

Appearance and Biology  

Hippaflicks are usually 5' long and have huge flat palms with almost immoveable fingers, which they use for paddling. Their feet are short and flat, because their hands reach to the ground. They have 2 antennae with glowing pink bulbs at the end. the glow is equal  to a flashlight. Their gills are at their sides. They are very streamlined.

Hippaflicks have lungs, but they also have gills, and spend most of their lives underwater.

Unusual Biologic Abilities

Hippaflicks have an armor class of 7 due to their thick skin and cannot wear armor due to their physical oddities. Hippaflicks have a minimum Strength requirement of 14 and minimum Intelligence requirement of 12.

They are the most intelligent race on Flicker, having invented antimatter drives and the theoretical concepts that lead to the development of the wormholes.

They have two glowing pink bulbs on stalks coming from their heads. This provides 10 meters of illumination in all directions. These bulbs can be turned “on” or “off” at will.

History

The Hippaflicks are the newest intelligent race to emerge on Flicker. They stayed “hidden” from the semi-aquatic Bladish for many centuries because Hippaflicks lived in the trenches, a place not many Bladish dare to go. They live in cooperation with the Bladish, on account of the fact the Hippaflicks cannot make tools on their own. They are the only race that spends the majority of their life in the water.

 They travel off-world less often than the Bladish. Most Hippaflicks are Psychics; they developed their mental powers to overcome their physical limitations.. They live in the deep oceans, and so the Bladish are not concerned with their powers. Their Psychics emerged around one hundred years before human contact, so while Flicker was never hit by the Scream, the Hippaflicks haven't gotten much of a chance to develop their powers (about postech level Psychics).

 They are the smartest race on Flicker, but they require the Irons to manufacture their technology. Hippaflicks gain a +1 DM to their Intelligence characteristic.

Psychology

Hippaflicks are a pacifist race, and their religion reflects that. The Gilled God represents the peace that must be, no matter what (many non-Hippaflick historians believe this to be because of their complete hopelessness in a fight). The Shark is the opposite, being like a... shark.

 Other Notes

NPC Hippaflicks with have 8 h.p. and a AC of 7. Randomly encountered Hippaflicks have a 50% chance of being a Psychic, a 35% chance of being a Expert, and only a 15% chance of being a Warrior.

Hippaflicks are of  fish decent; i.e. they are more closely related to lungfish than to a dolphin. 

Hippaflicks live a mostly hermitic existence in relation to other races. Their cities are ruled by singular leaders, considered some of the smartest beings in the known universe. Each City-Leader is part of the Council of Flicker. (There are 13 cities).

Hippaflick as Player Characters

Due to their bulkiness and inability to function well outside of water, I would not recommend them as viable PC.

Dawn Sector: The Bladish

By Brian Pichelman

The Bladish are large lobster-like men with a taste for war. They are tough, strong, and did I mention tough?

Bladish speak Bladish. Most Bladish do not understand English.

Appearance and Biology

Bladish are usually 7' tall, with large crab claws reaching to the ground instead of hands. They use their 3 clawed toes as hands, which actually works. Their claws will inflict 1-8 h.p. of damage if used as a weapon. They are considered proficient with their own claws.

They have a tail. Males have a cone shaped tail, fat at the beginning, thin at the end, with 4 smaller legs at the end (2 on each side, each about 10 centimeters long). Males have 2 large ridge-like horns on their head. Females have a fat lobster-like tail and 2 long antennae, each stopping at the waist. Female Bladish can swim backwards at their normal swimming rate.

Most Bladish wear red pants and a sash with their name in Bladish. Females might wear only the  sash and no top (Female Bladish lack breasts) or they might wear a large red cloak and the sash. They look sort of like giant lobsters. Most Bladish dress the same (with exceptions for life-saving equipment such as space-suits) because of religious custom. They wear mostly red because it is the color they can perceive the best, and the sash comes from Bladish law for identification (this is no joke, as Bladish look mostly alike even to other Bladish). The sash is also part of a mindset, like shirts and pants for humans.

All Bladish have a solid face, and despite the fact that they have obvious cheekbones, they cannot move their mouth or blink. Their eyes have a shell that protects them. Their language excludes “b”,”p”, “v” and “m” sounds because of their face. Otherwise, it sounds like a very foreign human speech. When they speak in English, they sound like someone that speaks without lips and through clenched teeth.

Unusual Biological Abilities

When there is enough radiation, Bladish can employ X-ray vision. Around fusion engines, they can see  the inner parts and they can easily spot spaceships in hidden areas. Assuming there is enough radiation, A Bladish can see 5' through solid rock. When attacking and able to use their x-ray vision, they gain +1 damage because they can see weak spots in armor that cannot usually be seen, i.e. places that lack any hard bone or extra armor. 

 They are semi aquatic, being able to swim very well and breathe underwater. All Bladish are immune to any disease they have already had. 

Bladish naturally have a AC of 2.

All Bladish are unusually strong, this is because Flicker's gravity is 1.5 times more than Earth's. NPC Bladish have strength of 5-20 (3d6+2). All other scores are normal. 

Bladish regrow lost limbs in 1-10 months. Their regeneration is also on a smaller scale, healing 1 h.p. of damage in 1 turn, but damage taken by fire or acid will only heal normally.

All Bladish need radioactivity added to their food. This “extra topping” can be bought at most space faring markets for 4 credits for a day's worth of radiation. If they do not get their radiation, they grow weak,-1 strength every day until it reaches 0, and then they die.

They have a much higher tolerance to radiation than humans. They enjoy a bonus +3 to saving throws vs. radiation.

History

The Bladish are the second-oldest race on Flicker. They never fully left the ocean, and never developed on their own past the 19^th century (Tech Level 2). 

Despite their war-craze, they have never started a war with the Hippaflicks or the Irons (the former would refuse to give them wonderful technologies, and the latter would most certainly destroy the Bladish)

Bladish Psychics are shunned and banned from society. They have settled on other worlds. The Bladish are the most space faring, the Hippaflicks fearing space, and the Irons being terrified for perfectly legitimate reasons. More on the general history above.

The Bladish are ruled by a parliament, but they have 13 elected leaders instead of a singular Prime Minister. These leaders also serve on the Council of Flicker.

Psychology

The Bladish are war minded individuals.

Males and females in the Bladish culture are different, but nevertheless equal. Their social rules are about the same as humans.

Bladish hate the uneducated, and will go out of their way to educate others. This is because they view themselves as the least intelligent race on Flicker. Bladish hate being less-than-best at anything.

They view the world in black and white, good-and-evil. Their religion is focused around the all-good Clawed God, one who promotes the Bladish way of life, and representing the all-evil is the deity the Burned One, who is in all respects identical to the Clawed God in appearance, with the exception he promotes evil ways and has been burned all over.

Flicker is a very dangerous place, and when Bladish are surprised, there is a 75% chance that a male will immediately attack the nearest enemy. A female will react normally. 

Other Notes

NPC Bladish will have 2 HD., a AC of 2 and a randomly encountered Bladish NPC has a 60% chance of being a Warrior, a 20% chance of being a Expert, and a 20% of being a Psychic. On Flicker itself, there is a 39.9% chance of being a Expert and a 0.1% chance of being a Psychic.

All Bladish over the age of 8 carry a Lak-Haz. This is a ceremonial knife, +1 to hit and 1-8 damage. A Bladish will NEVER lend their Lak-Haz. They are automatically proficient in their Lak-Haz, but not necessarily proficient in other primitive weapons.

Bladish reproduce externally, i.e. they do not have sex. Prostitution is literally alien to them. The female egg is impregnated outside her body, and the young are raised in a strict fashion, taking a lot of school and physical activities (sports, weight training, etc.).

They cannot move and fight at the same time, because the majority of their weapons are used by their feet-hands. Bladish weapons are usually made with the large forearms in mind though, and these can be used normally. They suffer no other issues with their feet-hands but this.

Bladish live for 700 Flicker years, or about 200 Earth years.

Bladish as Player Characters

PC Bladish need a minimum Strength of 14. If a player successfully rolls up Bladish stats, the GM should allow +1 to Strength. They cannot wear any TL 3 or lower armor because of their bulkiness. Their AC of 2 is classified as “primitive” armor. TL 4 or higher armor will cost 5/3rds as much due to the custom design needed for them. They are otherwise like a NPC Bladish.

Bladish take the h.p. of their class, not their race, even if it means losing h.p.

PC Bladish usually see opportunity in leaving. Some are curious about the outside universe, some want to conquer and rule a world of their own. Many are for-hire guards on other worlds. Many Bladish just want to leave Flicker. Having three different races inhabiting the same planet can get stressful. Some Psychic Bladish might leave because of persecution by their brethren.