HIGH COLONIES® SCI–FI ROLEPLAYING 23rd CENTURY Game Design 1501 Tom Dalgliesh & Ed King Welcome to 2238 AD... arth has been ravaged by nuclear and biological warfare known as Earthome War and is now a barren and poisonous wasteland. Humanity is thought to be extinct on Old Earth and its refugees are scattered on planets, moons, and space colonies throughout the Solar System. Once E High Colonie the brightest achievements of progress, the s are now the last hope for humanity. And it's a slender hope. High Colonies is a role playing game, set just over two centuries in the future. Man has learned to exploit the planets and moons of the Solar System, and reap benefits from advanced biological and engineering technologies. However, human population is now reduced to about twenty million, the same as one large city on Old Earth. The game reflects what is known as "hard science fiction" depicting a realistic future based on achievements of 21st century technology. These include sophisticated robotics, bio -engineered humans, and deadly energy weapons. Powerful spaceships allow fast travel between distant colonies and planets, but light speed travel is still a dream. Survival in the vast, hostile solar system favors the strong. Many colonies are dominated by hard, merciless dictators and extremists. Pirates stalk the trade routes between asteroids, planets, and colonies. Some proud technological advances have turned into nightmares. The adverse conditions have not eased human conflicts; old hatreds still fester, and new rivalries threaten everyone. This game contains everything needed to begin playing High Colonies, except for a few dice. It includes a comprehensive history, a listing of all major colonies, and details of their governing organizations. It also contains rules to create characters, a realistic combat system, and special rules to simulate the unique environment of the High Colonies. This is an easy to learn, fun to play game, that does not sacrifice realism. Dangers are everywhere but they are dangers that can be overcome. Please see our website at www.columbiagames.com/highcolonies for more information on the game. There you will have access to free resources, and information on supporting adventures. We welcome any comments and suggestions to clarify and improve High Colonies. High Colonies Copyright © 2020 Columbia Games, Inc. Version 2.0 3 3 CHARACTER PLAYING HIGH COLONIES DICE High Colonies is a role-playing game (RPG) that typically consists of one High Colonies uses two types of dice to Gamemaster (GM) and 2-4 Players. Each player generates a player character generate characters and resolve game actions. No dice are supplied with the (PC) with individual abilities and skills who explore and experience the Solar game; two ten sided dice (of different System in the mid 23rd Century. The GM, with the help of these rules, creates colors) and four six sided dice are needed adventures for the players, monitors the results of their actions, and roleplays for play. the behavior of non-player characters (NPCs). The rules and environment of When dice rolls are required by the rules, High Colonies are intended as a stimulus to GM and PC imagination. They are they may be shown as two numbers not a straitjacket. separated by a “d”. The first number is Play is conducted in sessions, usually of 2-4 hours duration. However, there the number of dice to be rolled, and the is no time limit in role playing games; a single mission might take two hours, second number is the type of dice. For or require a campaign over many multi-hour sessions. Protracted ongoing example: 3d6 indicates a roll of three six adventures are often the most enjoyable. sided dice. The dice are added together to determine the result. GETTING STARTED Some rolls call for d3. This is handled with a d6 roll where 1 or 2 = 1, 3-or 4 = To begin play, all that is needed is a copy of these rules, blank character 2, and 5 or 6 = 3. sheets, writing materials, and some dice. While not essential, science fiction miniatures, available from many hobby stores, make the location and actions Some die rolls may include a modifier to of PCs easier to determine and follow. the die roll. For example: 2d6+6 indicates that two six sided dice are rolled and Scenarios are available for separate purchase, and GMs may, of course, added, plus six is added to that result. draw on science fiction books, movies, and TV shows to create their own The two ten-sided dice are used to scenarios. generate percentages. RPG convention The following routine assumes players will generate characters for an is for a white die to represent 10s, and a ongoing campaign, but they can also be given pre-generated characters for a black die to represent 1s. Hence a white one-time convention game. 4 and a black 7 represents 47. When both dice roll “0”, this is 100. Each adventure begins with the GM presenting a scenario to the players. This is usually done in the form of a job offer, a rumor, or any other plausible FRACTIONS motivation. The GM should also tell players something about their present Some calculations may produce fractions. circumstances. The players then decide on a course of action, and play begins. All fractions are rounded to the nearest whole number. Hence, 6.4 rounds to 6.0, As the session proceeds, players use their imagination and character but 6.5 rounds to 7.0. abilities to deal with situations as they develop. There may be several mysteries to resolve, either related sub-plots or perhaps “red-herrings”. And when the first adventure is completed it is the nature of role-playing games that there is always one more quest to undertake, one more enigma to unravel, one more enemy to defeat. Copyright © 2020 Columbia Games, Inc. 3 High Colonies Version 2.0 4 CHARACTER GENERATION CHARACTER GENERATION A player’s first task is to generate a character. Players can generate a PC A synopsis of Character Generation is given below. with attributes, skills, and equipment in 30 minutes or less. GMs also use these rules to generate NPCs. BIRTH DATA: Record your character’s Name, Sex, Birthdate, and Age. CHARACTER PROFILE Birthplace may be assigned by the GM. Character generation involves filling out a Character Profile. A blank sample EDUCATION: A character’s level of CHARACTER education is critical to Careers available. profile is provided; photocopy for personal use. On the Profile you record Education may be assigned by the GM, or your character’s attributes, skills, possessions, etc. You will refer to the generated on the Education Table. character profile often; keep it handy. Characters are created by players using dice. This provides an element of EDUCATION 1d100 randomness that makes each character unique. But players have considerable 01-15 Dropout: character has not control over the shaping of their characters, particularly in the allocation of completed high school, but is likely to skills. be “street smart”. Some information on the character profile changes often. Putting a sheet 16-70 High School: Character has protector over a blank profile and then writing on it with erasable pens graduated from high school and works reasonably well. Another alternative is to protect areas that change completed two years of civic service. often, such as the Skill MLs, with “magic tape” and then use a pencil; this 71-90 College: Most larger colonies allows multiple erasure without loss of clarity. With any luck, your favorite have at least one college offering characters will have long careers and you will need to re-copy their profiles two year diplomas in Business, Engineering, or Warcraft. All from time to time to keep them legible. corporations in the Pan Enterprise League also have their own training BIRTH DATA colleges that specialize. NAME: Choose a name for your character. 91-00 University: The Outstation BIRTHDATE: Most characters begin play between the ages of 20 and 24. League and the Terran Commonwealth The present year in High Colonies is 2238 (or a year established by the GM). each have high prestige universities. Graduates enter professions like Record birth year and age. Most citizens (both sexes) attend high school to botany, chemistry, medic, and physics. age 18, and then serve two years of compulsory civic service. Graduates may then seek higher, but costly education at college (2 yrs) or university (4 yrs). ATTRIBUTES: There are nine character Age is determined by Education, or assigned by the GM. attributes: Strength, Endurance, Agility, Dexterity, Eyesight, Hearing, • High School graduate, 20 years old Intelligence, Will, and Charisma. Roll • College graduate, 22 years old. 2d6+6 for each attribute. Range is 08–18, average 13. • University graduate, 24 years old. SEX: It is always easier to roleplay your own sex. A gender table is given for TRAITS: Character boons and flaws. the GM to generate random NPCs. The ratio of males to females is gradually CAREER: A character’s career largely moving into balance, having been 62% male in the 2201 census. Roll 1d100. determines the skills available to begin play. They are listed on p.10. The GM Sex Human may wish to have all characters follow Male 01 – 57 the same career, or devise some plan for Female 58 – 00 PCs with different careers to meet. BIRTHPLACE: A character’s birthplace may be assigned by the GM, or SKILLS: Characters have Base, Career, generated on the Birthplace Table (p.7). PCs in the same playing group born in and Combat skills. They are derived different colonies might meet in college or in the military.