Human, Spacer

-2 STR, +4 DEX | 4 HP

Physical Appearance and Structure

Spacers are humans born and raised in the expanse of space many of which have never been planet-side for more than a few days. It’s not uncommon to meet spacers who have never been more than a couple hundred feet from their ship or suffer from terraphobia. Most spacers are indistinguishable from normal humans without medical scans.

Spacers have evolved rapidly by human standards, the effects of a life time of constant or bursts of high dosage radiation. Many of the mutations, however minor or major, are passed on to their children. Spacers are weaker than most humans but make up for their lack of strength with increased agility. Spacers can represent any human ethnic group.

Senses

Spacers share the same range of senses as their planet-side kin unless modified by a mutation.

Speech

Spacers and humans share common physiology and speak the same languages.

Society and Customs

Spacers began as families of long haul freighter operators transporting supplies to and from colonies in neighboring star systems long before the first jump drives were ever developed. Many spacers claim membership to a government or megacorporation but few clans are controlled by such organization.

Family is a complicated matter in space. Spacer clans consist of several family units most of which are interrelated through marriage often traveling on the same starship or convoy of starships. Each clan is led by a First Captain. Although the title is not hereditary, each captain names their successor which is often a son or daughter. The First Captain will appoint a captain for each ship. Politics are important within the clan and appointing the right captains comes second only to arranging the right marriages.

Spacer clans have an honor system. First, they always provide food, water, and atmosphere to those in need even if they have little to share or hail from a rival clan and not doing so would be considered barbaric. Murder and kidnapping, although rare, are considered honorable when providing for the needs of the clan. Anyone can invite an individual back to a ship but only a captain can declare that person a “honored guest”. It is against clan law to harm an honored guest in any way. There are long running family feuds between clans and yet this does not prevent clans from coming to each other’s aid in times of need.

In most cases necessity in space is dealt with in absolutes, you will live or you will die without atmosphere. A spacer might be a pilot, but today they are acting engineer because everyone enjoys breathing. Spacers are jacks-of-all trades by necessity. Although most have no formal training the hands on training aboard a starship begins in childhood.

Attitudes

Spacers are xenophobic and mistrust humans of non-spacer lineage. Relationships with planet-side humans are strictly business. Spacer clans understand their honor system only applies to other spacer clans.

Spacers are slow to adopt new technologies. Races displaying technology beyond their understanding are unlikely to be trusted. Spacers often lack a formal education and this hampers their conceptual understanding of how new technologies work.

Humans often view their human cousins as backward in breeders.

Heroes

It is dishonorable to put one’s needs above the clan’s needs so few spacers take up the path of adventurer. Spacer heroes are usually running from something, or have tragic pasts.

Spacer Racial Traits

Spacer physiology has been altered by the conditions in space and they have the following racial traits;

Age: 16 years

-2 Strength, +4 Dexterity: A lifetime spent in low gravity and tight places.

Medium: Spacers are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Spacers have a base speed of 30 feet.

Bonus Feat: Spacers begin play with Zero-G training, even if they don’t meet the minimum requirements.

Space Jack: Spacers may attempt an untrained skill check on any non-knowledge skill with a +1 bonus including trained-only skills.

Spacer Mutation: Spacers gain +2 Mutation Points (MP), see Mutation

Spacer Phobia: Spacers must choose a phobia; Agoraphobia, sickened condition in wide-open spaces; Barophobia, sickened condition while under the effects of non-artificial gravity; Terraphobia, sickened condition while in contact with solid ground, Xenophobia, -2 penalty on all Ego based checks with aliens.

Radiation Resistance: Spacers receive a +2 bonus to END saves avoiding radiation sickness

Languages: Spacers begin play speaking Pan Sol and Spacer Cant. Spacers with high Intelligence scores can learn any languages they are exposed to (except secret languages).