Update #25 - The Sphinx Race
about 6 years ago – Wed, Oct 03, 2018 at 12:21:49 AM

Hello everybody!

Today we're going to take a look at the Sphinx Race!

As usual, this doesn't necessarily resemble the final product and may change between now and then.

The Sphinx Race

Here is the current race page:

 The Sphinxes are a race that is adept at accruing knowledge and keeping order. They tend to be very intelligent with very strong memories, and have a very strong natural presence. However, this presence is due to a physical build that makes them larger than just about all the other races. Their overall physique is larger than even the griffons, and most of that is muscle. On all fours, they stand about as tall as the average Starhound does on two legs. All of this culminates in the form of a bonus in both Intelligence and Allure, but a double drop in their Agility to balance out.

They are, of course, due to their wings, able to fly, but, like the Twilightborne, lack the same ability in it as Pegasi or Griffons.

Now, while they have no natural foci like the Unicorns or Cevidae, their rich history of mythology and magic is not without show. They have long since had a natural ability to channel magic through the natural gemstones they've found on their planet, albeit not quite to the same level of sophistication that exists nowadays with the modern magic-infused gems. This history makes itself present by giving them a slight boost to either Spellcasting or Spellcrafting.

Likewise, in accordance with their natural leadership abilities and thirst for knowledge, they receive a boost to either their Leadership or Knowledge Skill.

To further this, on the knowledge side, their large memory grants them a free specialization of their choice in the knowledge skill. This can be anything they like that fits the knowledge skill, with GM's approval. Some examples might be biology, or Sphinxonian history, or even a knowledge of how to bake.

On the leadership side, they get a fairly powerful natural ability. Once per session, they are capable of making a leadership check to attempt to Pacify all enemies within a radius around them. This can come in handy when facing a large horde of opponents or even possibly against a single tougher one. 

They also have some pretty powerful race-specific talents that can be taken during character advancement that will compound into these abilities as well, but those are outside the scope of this post.

 Now, for a little bit more lore:

The Sphinxes have a rich culture, but also one that has been tarnished throughout the ages by stains of bloodshed and slavery. The Zebras which they enslaved many years ago have risen up in anger many times, including the 3 Grand Rebellions. During each of these rebellions, a large percentage of each side was lost, but ultimately the Sphinxes triumphed every time. They would enact new laws and decrees each time, learning from their mistakes and always bettering things for the Zebras, but never completely freeing them.

They are also a deeply religious race, though that religion has had to adapt with their thrusting forward into the modern age, brought about by the arrival of the new "Gods"  – Starhound envoys that were sent to make contact with the Sphinxes. Their religion is now more of a spiritual indulgence than an outright take on the universe. They do still believe in their old gods, but having since learned of the existence of other races in the galaxy, the new ones that descended that day are now just another mortal race to them.

While their culture has adjust to the modern world slowly, the coming of the Starhounds has caused the Sphinxes' technology to improve much more rapidly. As such, it has retained the culturally significant aesthetic that they've now become known for.

They've even stretched their wings to the stars with ships, built in conjunction with the Starhounds, but entirely their own style. The planets they've reached and established colonies on have become testing grounds for them. Built heavily upon the backs of their Zebra workforce, these colonies have given them a foothold in the galactic scene. 

However, as their home planet lies inside Starhound Space and they have a tight trade agreement with them, they are, themselves, not entirely a free empire. The agreement has been revised several times, but currently it states that in return for the un-infused gems they dig up on any of their planets, they will receive other necessary materials, including infused gems. And while they are a growing power left mostly to their own volition, they are essentially still a vassal to the Syndicate.

Those that choose to step outside the Sphinxian Empire often find themselves in the positions of law-enforcement and government. Some become scientists, historians, explorers, and archaeologists, fueling their thirst for knowledge.

And that concludes today's look at the Sphinx Race. Next Tuesday we'll be taking a look at their working race, the Zebras. And reminder that there is no mechanics update this week as it's the off-week again.

See you next time!

- Project Lead Spirit

Update #24 - Hazards Systems Overview
about 6 years ago – Sat, Sep 29, 2018 at 12:31:40 AM

Hello everybody!

Sorry this post is a day late. Something came up last night that had to get dealt with before I could finish prepping this update...

Today, we're going to take a quick look at some of the hazards in the Galloping Stars universe. Reminder, none of this is final yet, and may change in the final product.

The Hazards System

The hazards system in Galloping Stars is designed to be both simple and powerful. They are also designed to reinforce that the galaxy is, by and large, a dangerous place for the ill-prepared.

The hazard systems we'll be taking a look at today are: Lack of Oxygen (Vacuums, Drowning, etc.), Poison, Radiation, and Fall Damage. It's also worth noting that Diseases, while some examples will be provided in the core rule book, will largely be up to the GM's imagination. This is because disease is a broad category and allows space for creativity from the GM and the players.

Let's start with the easiest to explain: the lack of oxygen.

Lack of Oxygen (Vacuums, Drowning, etc.)

If you find yourself without breathable oxygen – such as in the vacuum of space, or underwater without a form of breathing capability – you will have a number of rounds equal to your Grit Rank to find a source of breathable air before you pass out. After this, you have another number of rounds again equal to your Grit Rank for your allies to save you before death sets in.

Of course, there are other possible things, such as freezing, in the vacuum of space that could kill you quicker, but those are outside the scope of this update post.

Poison

Poisons range from weak, all the way up through to deadly. This range is portrayed on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the weakest, and 5 the deadliest. Currently, for each rank on this scale a poison is (they'll be labeled as Poison 3 for example), the character will lose 5 hit points, times that rank per turn (in the scale of combat) or every minute outside of combat. So a Poison 3 will inflict 15 damage each turn/minute, while a Poison 1 will only do 5 damage each turn/minute. 

For each of these time increments that pass, the afflicted character must make a Grit save equal to the damage (so, for example a Poison 2 save would be a 10). If the character passes their roll, they negate the damage for that instance and roll again. If they also pass this second check, then their body has naturally dealt with the poison and cured of it.

This makes weaker poisons easier to overcome, though still worrisome, and stronger poisons much harder to overcome naturally. Of course, most all poisons (there are special cases) can be cured with an antivenom injection.

Radiation

Radiation is particularly tricky. It functions similar to poisons to a degree in that it inflicts damage every turn in combat or every minute outside of combat. However, where poisons target your hit points, radiation targets one of your characters attributes.

There are no ranks for radiation, just different types that target different attributes. Each one will cause a drop of 1 attribute rank per turn/minute. This damage can also be negated by passing a check, based on the affected attribute, with the difficulty this time being based off the amount of exposure the character has had to the radiation.

However, there is no save to cure the radiation. It must either be scrubbed with technology or a spell. Of course, things like a radiation suit or anti-radiation pills can help reduce the affects (in effect, making the damage negation check easier).

Fall Damage

Fall damage is relatively simple. 

The first 10 ft a character falls are free of damage. It is assumed that most characters are competent enough to withstand a minor fall from up to this height as a base-line. 

For anything above 10 feet the damage follows a simple formula of 10 damage for ever 5 ft fallen beyond the first 10 feet. So, at 20 feet, the fall damage would be 20 damage, while at 40 feet, it would be 60 damage.

A character's natural armor will cut some of this damage, but is pretty much useless above a certain height, depending on their Grit. Also, a character may attempt an Agility check in an attempt to safely tumble out of the fall upon hitting the ground. While this won't save them all of the damage, it will halve it if they pass. This check is based on the height fallen and is (currently) equal to half the height, rounded up.

And that concludes our look into some of the hazards you'll find while exploring the Galloping Stars universe. Its a scary, unforgiving place, but approach situations with the right mindset and equipment, and you'll make it out alive.

Thanks for joining us today! Our next update will be on Tuesday when we take ta look at the Sphinx Race. We also have an off-week for our mechanics post next week, too, but the one coming up in two weeks is one that we think is pretty highly anticipated, but you'll have to wait to find out what it'll be!

See you there!

-Project Lead Spirit

Update #23 - Goats of Goath Overview
about 6 years ago – Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 01:51:31 AM

Hello everybody!

Today, we'll be taking a quick look at the Goats of Goath. This will be just a quick overview, and we'll go into a more detailed look at them later on down the road.

Reminder, nothing here is set in stone yet as the Goats are more in development than the 9 core races.

The Goats of Goath (A Brief Look)

Let's start with a basic concept sketch. This sketch only represents the initial concept, we'll get you some full art by the time the deeper dive comes around.

 The Goats hail from, if the name didn't give it away, the planet of Goath, also known by many of their race as the Dread Planet.

This less-than-friendly planet has conditioned the Goats into the hardiest intelligent race in the galaxy. However, being constantly surrounded by death has made them extremely pragmatic, not only in their building and design philosophies, but in their personalities as well. (If you want an example, think Strax from Doctor Who or Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy)

As thus, their Grit is exceptionally good, while their Charisma suffers dramatically. Sarcasm is completely lost on them, as they take everything literally. And until you prove your mettle to them, you will only simply be known as "Kid."

Not only are they able to survive in a habitat hostile to all life, but they've managed to thrive in it. The Goats make their homes in what they call Bastions; large self-sufficient domed mega cities that dot the planet.

They are fierce fighters, strong workers, and can take a beating more than any other race. They are excellent planetary scouts, and for explorers, having a Goat along is a great blessing in any hostile environment. It's hard to earn their loyalty, but once you do, you can bet your life is good hooves.

This isn't everything, but you'll have to stay tuned to get the full story in the in-depth post later!

Thanks for joining us for this quick overview of the Goats of Goath, and we'll see you on Thursday for the next mechanics update. In that update, we'll be taking a look into just some of the hazards you might come across in the Galloping Stars galaxy. And next week's lore update will look into the Sphinx Race.

See you there!

- Project Lead Spirit

Update #22 - First Backer Surveys Rolled Out
about 6 years ago – Tue, Sep 25, 2018 at 11:25:19 PM

Hello everybody!

Just a quick update. The first batch of backer surveys via BackerKit have gone out as of yesterday, and more will roll out in the next few days. The first batch is just a small number of them as a smoke test to make sure everything is working correct, and the rest will follow after these first couple come back and any issues are resolved, but if all goes according to plan, they should all be rolled out by Friday, if not earlier. If you don't get yours right away, know that this is probably why, but if you don't get it by Friday, please email us at [email protected].

Also, the quick overview of the Goats of Goath will follow this post in a separate update.

Thanks, everybody!
- Project Lead Spirit

Update #21 - The Planet of Sphinxonia
about 6 years ago – Wed, Sep 19, 2018 at 11:30:48 PM

Hello everybody!

Today we'll be taking a quick look at the planet of Sphinxonia! Reminder, as always, that what you see here may change a bit before the final product.

The Planet of Sphinxonia

Sphinxonia is an interesting planet. It has a large ocean that covers most of the planet, with a single supercontinent making up 90% of the planet's landmass. The other 10% are outlying islands.

Much of this landmass is covered in desert and savanna biomes. Fresh water is scattered throughout the greener areas, often resulting in floodplains. Mountains rise high and jagged through the continent's core, and sand forms large dune fields that back up against these ranges.

The average temperatures of the planet across the year range from very hot (but not unbearable) during the day, to very chilly at night. Snow is not unheard both north and south of the equator, but is almost never seen around that equatorial belt.

There are two intelligent races that populate the planet: The Sphinxes, who named the planet after themselves, and the Zebra, who have become the subservient race to the other. While the planet itself falls within Starhound borders, they are mostly left alone to their own devices. In fact, the Starhounds have provided the Sphinxes with valuable magic-infused gems in return for other valuable resources buried within the planet.

The backstory of the two races is very long and drawn out, more so than can be fully covered in this short post. But, we'll attempt to sum it up for you.

The Zebra tribes developed separate from the Sphinx clans initially. The Sphinxes' population grew at a slower rate than that of the Zebras, so their numbers were smaller. However, the Sphinxes, being a law and order loving culture, viewed the Zebras as uncivilized and chaotic creatures.

Eventually, they sought to bring order to that chaos, and thus set about warring with the many tribes. Their drive was swift at first, as the individual tribes offered little resistance. Some even welcomed them with open minds. What they got in return though, was not pretty.

Slavery awaited many of the Zebras that fell within the Sphinxes' control. Their living standards may have gone up, but their overall quality of life paid the price. They were forced to do the bidding of the Sphinx Overlords that governed their respective tribes, often being driven to the brink of death on expansive and labor intensive building projects.

Eventually, a great alliance arose between the remaining free Zebra tribes. This slowed the Sphinxes' roll, but it did not stop them. Their individual might was too strong, and the now exceedingly large numbers of Zebra slave soldiers only bolstered that strength. In the end, the Sphinxes succeeded, establishing the First Great Sphinxian Empire.

Since that empire, 3 grand rebellions have occurred. Each, cost both sides dearly, and each forced the Sphinxes to draft reforms and regulations for the treatment of the Zebras.

In modern day, Zebras are no longer enslaved in the classical sense, but are certainly still the working caste, only "enslaved" to the Imperial government, but no longer to individual Overlords. They are free to leave the Empire of their own will, if they can afford to. Before doing so, they mush pay off any outstanding debt, taxes, or other financial bindings they may have, either to the government or an individual.

And that concludes our quick look at Sphinxonia! As there was a bit of a mix up with the scheduling of these lore posts (I accidentally flipped this post with the Goats of Goath overview), next week we'll be taking a break from our usual lore posts on Tuesday. Instead, we'll be doing a quick overview of the Goats of Goath! The Tuesday following that, we'll be back on schedule with our look into the Shinx Race! Also, reminder that there will be no mechanics post this week as we are now on the bi-weekly schedule with that.

See you all next week! 

- Project Lead Spirit