The PowerForce Aliens

One year ago...

A meteor crashed on Earth, releasing the energies of an unknown chemical element on our atmosphere. Thanks to this element, called Superium, mankind faced a new evolutionary step: super-powered beings, as in comic books and sci-fi stories, entered the world. Mastering the energies in their own cells, they gained amazing powers.

A race unlike our own, the Saryans, decided to take no more of the humans' offenses to their territories. They lived peacefully under the oceans for centuries, sharing the same world with those unaware of their alien presence. A war against the surface people divided the peaceful Saryans, and a half-human Tidal Warrior convinced the Elders that the humans had nothing to do with the Superium that menaced their Sunken City, Hydrotys. Peace was celebrated once more, and the Saryans assumed their place among the nations of the world.

Two months ago...

Dr. Kheops and the PowerForce had their last battle of tragic proportions. After stopping Kheops from destroying the world in an atomic explosion caused by Superium meltdown, Major Power and Dr. Kheops disappeared. Quantum, the most powerful human being in the Universe, was reborn as the Superium energies covered the Earth for a second time. New super-humans were created, and a new age was about to begin.

The Krethorians, a race of powerful psionicists once defeated by the PowerForce, saw a perfect chance to conquer the planet. They organized their squadrons and marched, with astonishing firepower, to the Solarium System. The planet Solarium 3, without its main defenders, wouldn't resist the ultimate conquer force of the Universe...

Now...

As Earth doesn't have a super-team to protect them anymore, the Krethorians, a race of evil aliens, attacks Earth with a vengeance. Mankind faces slavery and defeat, but some of the former PowerForce members and new heroes join together to save the planet from the biggest menace since the Dawn of the Superium. Their cause seems lost until Major Power returns...

The Krethorians fought to the end, but the new PowerForce, along with old enemies and new heroes, drove the conquerors away. A new age for mankind started, but the Krethorians still remember their shameful loss, and they swore revenge. The universe is full of mysteries and diversity, and who knows what other races may inhabit the long distant stars...

A Universe of Diversity

There are many alien races in the PowerForce Universe. They range from hostile to friendly, and their cultures and appearances are unique. The races below may be used by players with caution, unless the group is mainly formed by alien beings. Any new races can be added to this list, as the GM chooses. This is by no means a complete, detailed description of each culture, but guidelines for character creation.

The Saryans:

One of the first intelligent races to step on Earth, the Saryans are aquatic beings. Gifted with gulls and flaps, blue or green skin and membrane-protected eyes, these individuals are not able to survive without water. In their home planet, Te'thys, the Saryan civilization reached a high technological level, without forgetting their people's traditions. Therefore, it is not rare seeing a Saryan driving advanced underwater machinery and fighting with ordinary swords.

The Saryans made their first contact with the human civilizations during the ascension of ancient Greece, creating legends about long lost peoples living under the seas, and terrible sea beasts that turned out to be submarines. The lost seas people were called Atlanteans, and some still call the Saryans that way nowadays. They didn't interfere with human affairs for centuries, preferring to abandon their city of Atlantys when the Atlantic ocean became a major market route, moving to the distant city of Hydrotys. When the Superium hit the Earth, the mighty walls of Hydrotys were damaged, and some Saryans considered that the humans were declaring war on them. After a battle against the PowerForce, Gaumird and his armies were defeated, and the Saryans assumed their place among the nations of the world.

Game use: The Saryans are stronger and more agile than ordinary humans. Therefore, they start the game with Strength 2 and Agility 2. They also gain the power Resistance to Underwater pressure 3 and Breathe underwater 3, as well as Swimming 2. They have a racial Vulnerability: Water Dependence 5, and they need water tubes to live in the surface, because their organisms are not equipped with lungs to breathe air. There is a hybrid race, the Half-Saryans, an amalgamation of Saryan and human DNA. These powerful and rare beings, a creation of Saryan advanced technologies, receive a Good Thing (+1) in Agility and Breathe underwater 3, but don't depend only on water to survive. They have a Vulnerability: Salt Dependence 3, because they have to consume large amounts of table salt (Sodium chloride) to survive. Half-Saryans can be affected by the Superium, but the effects of Superium irradiation in Saryans vary from slight demeanor changes to fearful, irrational mutations.

The Sham'ssar:

Maybe the strangest race in the Universe, the Sham'ssar are similar to terrestrial worms, but bigger and filled with sharp thorns and teeth, aligned in lines. This race could be one more species destined to an evolutionary stagnation if a Superium meteor didn't strike their planet, giving them an advanced intellect and a strange symbiotic capacity. The Sham'ssar are spread all over the universe after they mastered the arts of space traveling, inhabiting bodies in all known planets of the universe. They also keep watch on the planets that are about to receive a Superium body.

The Sham'ssar race doesn't seek the conquer of the universe by forming symbiotic bonds with other races: they consider it an honour to be given just to worthy members of other, "inferior" races. The bond is a Superium power, and this power can be added to the host's abilities as well. Among the known members of this race on Earth, Cy'Hryk (SEE-Har-eek), the Sham'ssar that bonded with William Monticelli to form Invader, a former PowerForce member.

Game use: The Sham'ssar never act in their worm form outside their planet, because they are fragile and depend too much on methane. When they are not bonded with other living beings, consider all their attributes as 0, except for Psyche and Wits 5. When bonded with other living beings, including humans or Saryans, they give the following powers: Protection 4 and Claws 4. Other 1-3 powers can be given, according to the GM's choice. The racial Vulnerability is the Symbiotic bonding: the host must produce methane for the Sham'ssar, who acts as an "energy thief". In a danger situation, at the GM's discretion, the Sham'ssar can reclaim the control of the host's body, and the character must resist a Wits test against NP 5 or lose control of his/her actions, turning instantly the chitin armor on. Only those not affected by the Superium can host one Sham'ssar.

The Volghanians:

A race as old as Humanity, but luckier, the Volghanians always had contacts with other alien races. Their planet, Volghan, localized in intergalactic commercial crossroads, soon the Volghanians learned how to trade and to use this advantage to their benefit. Creating great automated cities and spaceship centers, using technology that was left in their planet by an old, lost alien race, the Volghanians became some of the most successful merchants of the galaxy. Their frail bodies, similar to humans but able to live long life spans, and different only in the shape of their pupils, an elongated shape similar to felines' eyes, allowed them to travel the width and length of the universe. But the wars changed everything.

The Volghanians fought civil wars in a battle for internal powers and profitable commercial routes. The most radical faction and the best equipped, the Force of Volghan, overthrew the government and the armies of the Commercial Republic of Volghan. The Volghanian Force established a State similar to the Fascist governments of the Second World War, preaching the superiority of the Volghanian race and destroying commercial alliances with "lesser" races. A revolutionary group, the Volghanian Resistance, acts clandestinely, trying to reestablish the Republic and bring order to Volghan. One of their main tactics is to send ambassadors to other planets, especially in planets affected by the Superium, seeking help for the Volghan Resistance. kh'Ahyer, a former PowerForce member, is a member of this divided race.

Game use: The Volghanians have an organism similar to humans, only having a longer life expectancy: they can life up to 500 years of age. This effect, in the majority of the campaigns, is just a simple alteration, and it doesn't impose bonuses or penalties to the game. They receive a penalty of -1 in all Charisma tests with humans because of their cat-shaped pupils.

The Krethorians: (Created by Valdir Espíndula)

The Krethorians are an alien race known for its space explorations and colonies. They have advanced technologies, especially in areas such as transportation, weapons and genetics. The Krethorian exploring elite is known by its astounding psychic powers and because they never age, blessings given to its race by inbreeding and artificial Superium genetic alterations. The Krethorians look for planets enlightened by yellow suns (such as Earth), where they can extract solar energy and food - the Krethorians live on photosynthesis, and they dependency of light replaces other necessities such as sleep or food, with the exception of water. This genetic trait, common to all Krethorians, made space travel a much easier task for them than for humans. Krethorians live to discover and conquer other planets, fighting the former owners of the planet if needed, and seldom losing a battle. The Krethorians tried to conquer Earth twice, and they established an Empire when the PowerForce was dissolved. Now, they are planning revenge against those who banished them from the most valuable planet of the universe...

The Krethorians have a very strict caste system. These castes (or social groups) are: the Elite, the Soldiers and Explorers, and the Servants. The Elite controls all 14 planets of the Krethorian empire, including the biggest planet and their homeland, Krethor, and all other classes, manipulating and coordinating the actions of all levels of society. The Elitemen live eternally. The Soldiers and Explorers, a superior class if compared to the Servants, form the Krethorian army and they are genetically engineered for combat. The Explorers are considered the eyes and hands of the Elite. Sometimes a Explorer has its own ship, but in the majority of cases, an Explorer is part of a ship's crew with up to 25,000 Servants and Soldiers. The Servants, the lowest Krethorian caste, has no rights from birth, and they must serve the superior factions of the race. They form the majority of the Krethorian race.

The Krethorians are similar to humans, with the exception of their green skin, ranging from light tones to dark olive. Their eyes are black, big circles, without internal distinctions. The female Krethorians have mammal glands, which store large amounts of chlorophyll for the time of child-bearing. The Krethorians are not a pacific race, but they prefer to colonize desert planets. Their war technology is extremely advanced, and they use plasma and laser weapons for army combat. Their ships and plasma cannons are their main battle forces. There are no Krethorian members in the PowerForce.

Game use: The Krethorians are divided into several castes, as described above. These castes are listed as well as their game statistics.

Elite: The powerful Krethorian lords and citizens are about 1.80 m. tall, intelligent and have a superiority attitude to other races and castes. Average attributes: Agility 1, Strength 1, Health 1, Charisma 1 (0 for humans), Wits 2, Psyche 2, Protection 1, Speed 1. Psychic powers (average): Telepathy 3, Mind Control 3, Mental Blast 3, Mental Shield 3. Some Elite members have Telekinesis, Telekinetic Shield and Pyrokinesis (Maximum PLs of 2 to all powers). They also have several scientific/social skills.

Explorers: There are the Krethorians which can be encountered more easily. The are physically equal to the Elite. Some of the Explorers are in command of the great Krethorian battleships. Average attributes: Agility 1+1, Strength 1, Health 1+1, Charisma 1 (0 for humans), Wits 1+1, Psyche 2, Protection 1, Speed 1. Some Explorers may have weak Psychic powers. They usually have space navigation, xenobiology and combat skills.

Soldiers: These men are genetically built by the Elite scientists for combat. They have increased physical attributes for war and low mental attributes to avoid rebellious behaviour. They are very agile despite their amazing size, up to 1.90 m. tall and 150kg+ in weight. Average attributes: Agility 2, Strength 3, Health 2, Charisma 0, Wits 1, Psyche 1, Protection 2, Speed 2. They have combat skills and use the Krethorian arms and armors.

Servants: The lowest class has no power or special characteristics. All attributes are PL 1 and they are similar to the Explorers physically, but their skin is less shiny. All servants have skills related to the jobs they have in the Krethorian society.

Krethorian weapons and armors: The most used Krethorian handguns are laser pistols and rifles (PL 3 damage), but some plasma rifles are also used (PL 4 damage). The combat armors are complete pressurized suits with PL 4 Protection. Made of a plastic fibre, the armors are light and have radio transmitters linked to a telepathic network.. There are very seldom aquatic or land vehicles, but they exist and are equipped with plasma cannons (PL 5 damage) and a strong coating of plastic and metal (PL 5 protection). These vehicles can also be radio-controlled.

Krethorian Ships: The explorer ships are the most common vehicles in the Krethorian fleets, designed for all sizes of crews. Below, some of the most common spaceships in the Krethorian fleet, with statistics:

A Final Word on the PowerForce

The PowerForce Universe is open for expansion. After the planet-shattering events of the last months under Krethorian domination, the world is ready for new super-heroes, alien races, expansion and adventure seeds. New teams such as the Meta-Human League are not developed, and more people to help me fleshing out the descriptions of the new super-humans in the planet are needed. I have developed several villains and stand-alone heroes besides the new PowerForce, as for descriptions of the main cosmic powers in the PowerForce Universe and some alien races. But it is up to all of us to create a whole new Universe over this draft.

I would like to hear from you about new ideas for super-human teams (the Meta-Human League, the New Red Army and maybe more international super-teams would be fit for development), new Alien races, more villains, the major independent super-heroes - whatever you wish to collaborate. And if you don't like anything on this draft, we can discuss and change it. After all, I would love to see an official Powergame setting produced by this Mailing List with the help of the fans, playtesters and Mikko himself (if he finds the time to do it).

Let's create a world! And if you want to e-mail me personally to get more information on NPCs and give opinions about this draft, send e-mails to msarsur@hotmail.com.