House Rules: Origins

Adventurers are not knights in shining armor, they don't venture into dangerous dungeons because it's fun or noble, and they certainly aren't in this life seeking fame and fortune. Han Solo and the many other protagonists of Star Wars are just trying to survive. They don't have fat inheritances waiting or paltry government hobs waiting from the back home. They ply the most dangerous routes and explore forbidden alien ruins because that's the only way they can scratch a living out in this cold, unforgiving universe.

An RPG named Torchbearer took advantage of this by smoothly integrating this reality into their game mechanics. What really stuck out was how they designed "Towns" in the game. The Town that a character grew up in lends distinct mechanical effects based on descriptions that, on the surface, are interesting, intuitive, and evocative.

The following is a list of seven generic origins for player characters. Each of these describes a location that each player character hails from, though these are just a starting point and each player should expand their own lineage to deepen the character. Where a character grows up has a lasting impact on his or her life, and as such, each character gains 1 rank in a skill of their choice as well as 1 rank in a talent of their choice from each specific origin. Although it may seem unbalanced, each of these locations serves the greater narrative in describing a brutal, bleak galaxy oppressed by a totalitarian Galactic Empire. There are no safe zones, the Rebellion exists as scattered, terrified cells across the outer rim and everyone besides the uppermost echelons are miserables. These don't break the game but increase the value of where you come from and really hits home how important those formative years were on your character.

WHAT IS YOUR ORIGIN?

(Pick one Skill and One Talent from your respective origin. Only one origin may be selected per player character)

Overpopulated Homeworld
The regional or galactic population center where the teeming billions of inhabitants are oppressed by a select few in power.
Skills: Knowledge (core worlds), Negotiation, Streetwise
Talents: Indistinguishable, Sound Investments

Bustling Starport
A den of graft and petty crimes where friendships last only as long as the layover between cryosleep.
Skills: Cool, Deception, Knowledge (underworld)
Talents: Bought Info, Black Market Contacts

Distant Colony
A nigh-forgotten world in the darkest regions of civilized space, forever indebted to their three-generations-old founding homeworld.
Skills: Brawl, Mechanics, Survival
Talents: Forager, Utinni!

Subjugated World
A once-rebellious planet now forced in line by oppressive military occupation.
Skills: Leadership, Knowledge (warfare), Resilience
Talents: Basic Combat Training, Blooded

Isolated Outpost
A research station, mining operation, or penal colony cut off from humanity by incomprehensible distances.
Skills: Discipline, Knowledge (education), Knowledge (xenology)
Talents: Grit, Researcher

Between The Stars
A life living on starships and constantly moving, forever in flux and struggling to find meaning and never having a true home.
Skills: Astrogation, Knowledge (outer rim), Piloting (space)
Talents: Galaxy Mapper, Well Travelled