Hook
It is late in the year 3199. To most of the inhabitants of the Davonian moons, the coming new year signifies nothing more than another year of oppression, injustice and subservience. The charred corpse of Davon Prime’s second moon, Adu, hangs in the skies, a permanent reminder of the might of the Escriosian Diktat and a graveyard for more than eighty million people.
However, some have begun to notice a shifting in the tides. The recent outbreak of open hostilities between the oppressors and the Valetel League in the Mardis system has put a drain on Escriosian resources. As ships and men are pulled away from the moons to die in the next conquest, opportunities arise for resistance.
You live on Vaylar, the most populous moon in the system, in Kasi’Mela, the old capital of the Davonian Commonwealth. From the outside perspective you live a life like many others do under Escriosian rule, toiling away in the agri-domes or new Escriosian factories to scrape out an existence, however a few months ago you were recruited by a cell of the Vaylar Rising, a resistance movement which has been a thorn in the side of the invaders for years. For weeks you have couriered packages, tailed people, surveilled facilities, and committed other nonviolent acts of subversion for the Rising.
Last night you returned home to your meagre apartment from a long day of work to find a torn takeout menu stuffed through your door. You toss it in the trash, but not before recognising its true meaning, a signal from your handler, a man you know only as Thoras, arranging a meeting.
Setting & Lore
From what records remain, by all accounts the Muiran system was prosperous but yet a backwater in Mandate space before the Scream. The system’s sole gas giant, Davon Prime, with its many habitable moons was a prime target for colonisation. However the Scream severed the burgeoning colonies from the wider galactic community. Without outside support the colonies on the Davonian moons and the nearby planet of Tul Ruprima regressed and starved.
Centuries later, with the use of primitive chemical rockets, Vaylar, the most habitable and therefore self-sufficient of the Davonian moons, was able to reestablish contact with the others and aid their own rebuilding. Eventually technology was rediscovered allowing for easier travel between the moons and true supply routes were established. These trade alliances formed the basis for what would soon become formalised as the Davonian Commonwealth. A singular democratic political entity encompassing all six of the inhabited moons.
Over the next few decades the collaboration afforded by the Commonwealth ensured the moons began to prosper. Vaylar, as the capital of the new Commonwealth, thrived culturally while Adu, became the centre of industry possessing the largest shipyards in the Commonwealth. Ignis Station, the ancient mandate orbital laser above the moon of Sarma, was restored to working order allowing the hostile jungles of Sarma to be tamed once more.
Then twenty six years ago things changed. The Davonian Assembly was debating on the topic of contacting the now primitive population of Tul Ruprima, when reports came through of a ship arriving in the system from an unknown point of origin. There was already some contact and travel between the Commonwealth and other nearby systems but this ship heralded the arrival of a new people. Coming from the world of Escrios, they had been embroiled in bitter infighting since the Scream, with one faction finally achieving unification not too long ago. After that they turned their eyes to the stars in search of further conquest.
The invasion came a little over a year after first contact. The Commonwealth Navy paled in comparison to the full might of the Escriosian Fleet. The men and women of the Commonwealth Navy fought hard and died bravely, but in the end the Escriosian’s achieved orbital supremacy in the first two weeks of the invasion. They began landing troops on the moons expecting the inhabitants to now quickly fall in line, but they faced fierce resistance. Even the smaller moons, now cut off from most of their resources, showed great resilience to the invasion.
In a show of strength the Escrosian Fleet, under the command of the now Grand Marshall, then Admiral, Vekall Hernandez, began a weeks long bombardment of Adu. The bombardment scoured the moon, killing an estimated 84 million people and destroying the industrial base of the Commonwealth, with the goal of ensuring the other moons would be unable to mount an effective resistance ever again. The pockets of resistance on the other moons soon surrendered, fearing their homes would experience the same fate of Adu, and a strict and brutal regime was imposed under a new Escriosian Governorship, signifying the end of the Davonian Commonwealth.
Small acts of rebellion and insurgency have occurred in the ensuing twent five years, particularly on the smaller moons, however they have been quickly crushed by the Diktat garrisons and over time many have come to support the new regime, particularly the rich who have seen many benefits befall them as a result of their support.
Character Creation Information
Whether you are a young idealist, a grizzled and bitter veteran of the invasion, or something else, you are a member of a cell of the Vaylar Rising, who lives in Kasi’Mela, the old capital of the Davonian Commonwealth on the moon of Vaylar. While travel is restricted in the territories of the Escriosian Diktat, it is not unheard of, so it is possible to be from somewhere other than Vaylar - however if you are not from the Davonian System you should have a convincing reason to risk your life for the Rising.
Your societal class is likely to be low as those in positions of power and wealth benefit from Escriosian rule. Whether you work in a factory, an agri-dom, rely on criminal acts, or something else, do not feel pressure to build your character entirely around this concept as the Rising would have provided opportunities for some basic training to equip you with some of the skills needed to resist an interstellar military dictatorship.
Both VIs and psychics are playable however they do come with some caveats that you should be aware of. If native Davonian’s are second class citizens then VIs are even lower on the ladder. They would be exclusively used for hard and dangerous labour, and it would be an atypical sight to see one out and about outside of that context.
As for psychics, the Diktat has a strong interest in psionics - seeing both the potential danger and value they represent. Young children in the Davonian System that are suspected of possessing psionic abilities are tested by the authorities at an early age. If they prove to indeed be psychic they are removed from their families and sent to the Engstrom Institute on Terai, where they are raised by the state and trained in their powers with the goal of creating powerful psychics loyal to the Escriosian Diktat.
Character Creation Rules
System: Stars Without Number (SWN)
Level 1
Stats: Standard per system (if rolling, link rolls)
Race: Human or VI
Class: Any published
Language: Mandate
Equipment: Roll 2d6 x 100 for starting credits. All weapons and any armor above Street Armor are unavailable at the start of the game due to strict Escriosian laws. Please add a wish list to your background indicating what types of weapons and armour you would ultimately want.
Unseen Servant Campaign ID: 1016
Character Sheet
Character Name, level 1
Human Class
Background:
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str (+ ), Dex (+ ), Con (+ ), Int (+ ), Wis (+ ), Cha (+ )
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
HP: AC:
Physical: Evasion: Mental:
Base Attack Bonus:
SKILLS
FOCI
ITEMS
READIED (Capacity: X/half strength rounded down)
STOWED (Capacity: X/equal to strength)
CURRENCY
X Credits
Human Class
Background:
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str (+ ), Dex (+ ), Con (+ ), Int (+ ), Wis (+ ), Cha (+ )
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
HP: AC:
Physical: Evasion: Mental:
Base Attack Bonus:
SKILLS
FOCI
ITEMS
READIED (Capacity: X/half strength rounded down)
STOWED (Capacity: X/equal to strength)
CURRENCY
X Credits
Transactions
Combat Block Format
Name in Character Color
Gender Human Class 1
Languages: Mandate
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Speed: X meters
Initiative:
AC:
Physical:
Evasion:
Will:
HP: X/X
Attack Bonuses:
Weapon: Attack Roll, Damage Roll
Unarmed: Attack Roll, Damage Roll
Ammunition Loaded:
Weapon: X/X
Active Effects: none
Consumables:
Gender Human Class 1
Languages: Mandate
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Speed: X meters
Initiative:
AC:
Physical:
Evasion:
Will:
HP: X/X
Attack Bonuses:
Weapon: Attack Roll, Damage Roll
Unarmed: Attack Roll, Damage Roll
Ammunition Loaded:
Weapon: X/X
Active Effects: none
Consumables:
Important Features:
Feature: Description
