74XX ODDSPACE

Author

Roberto Bisceglie

Published

June 3, 2026

Introduction

Intrepid spacers ply the vastness of the Five Galaxies in search of fortune and glory. The discovery of oddspace opened the door to interstellar travel, stitching together an impossibly large civilization held in precarious balance by empires, trade guilds, and the endless frontier.

The systems where law exists, routes are maintained, and transit is taxed are collectively called Charted Space. Most settled populations live here. Most of the trade, communication, and political activity that governs them happens here. The cost of using Charted Space’s infrastructure is built into the price of everything.

Two travel systems connect it. The Wormhole Access Network, a grid of artificial wormholes between maintained stations, offers faster, more reliable transit between galaxies, but every node is owned, every node has an operator, and access can be refused. Politically inconvenient vessels use oddspace instead: slower, more demanding, and requiring no permission. The asymmetry is why embargoes are never fully enforceable and why some operators prefer not to appear in WAN transit logs at all.

Humans are not the dominant species, nor the most ancient. Extinct civilizations have left ruins and artifacts scattered across billions of uncharted systems. The species of known space maintain a cosmopolitan fragility, open enough to trade, volatile enough to war. Out at the fringe, nobody is coming to help you.

Profits exist everywhere. So does death.

Core Rules

Play

Players describe what their characters do. The GM advises when their action is impossible, demands a cost or extra steps, or presents a risk. Players can revise plans before committing to adjust their goal or the stakes. Only roll to avoid risk.

Rolling

Roll a skill die, d6 by default, higher with a relevant skill, or d4 if hindered by injury or circumstances. If helped by circumstances, roll an extra d6; if helped by an ally, they roll their skill die and share the risk. Take the highest die.

Roll	Result
1–2	Disaster. Suffer the full risk. GM decides if you succeed at all. If risking death, you die.
3–4	Setback. A lesser consequence or partial success. If risking death, you’re injured.
5+	Success. The higher the roll, the better.

If success can’t get you what you want, you’ll at least get useful info or set up an advantage.

Load

Carry as much as makes sense, but more than one bulky item will hinder you.

Advancement

After a job, each character increases a skill (none → d8 → d10 → d12) and gains credits based on the risk taken. The GM declares the tier before the party commits.

Risk	Earnings
Routine	d6 ₡
Risky	2d6 ₡
Desperate	3d6 ₡

Earnings are individual. The party pools them to cover shared expenses.

Defense

Say how one of your items breaks to turn a hit into a brief hindrance. Broken gear is useless until repaired.

Harm

Injuries take time and/or medical attention to heal. If killed, make a new character to introduce as soon as possible.

GM

Describe NPCs in terms of behaviors, risks, and obstacles. Telegraph danger clearly: the more serious, the more obvious. Use random tables to develop situations, not plots. Roll a d6 to test for bad luck when appropriate: 1–2 means trouble, 3–4 means signs of it. Present dilemmas you don’t know how to solve.

The job is the unit of play. Oddspace is designed for episodic campaigns: the party takes a job, completes it, and moves on to the next. Each session should feel complete in itself. You don’t need a plot that spans months; you need a situation with stakes, a clock, and people with competing interests.

Everything else in these rules is background pressure, not foreground management: debt, Heat, Notoriety, fuel state, broken gear. It exists to make the next job matter. The ship payment is why the party doesn’t walk away from a risky offer. Heat is why they can’t use their favorite port. Notoriety is why the patron is approaching them instead of someone more reputable. None of it needs to be processed at the table between jobs. It surfaces when the fiction demands it.

Run the job. Collect the pay. Ask what happens next.

Situation

When characters act without risk, the GM rolls a die sized to how settled things are: d4 (chaotic), d6 (precarious), d8 (manageable), d10 (predictable), d12 (stable), to find how the world moves.

1–2 Trouble. An adverse fact surfaces, something the characters can see and respond to.
3–4 Signs. Trouble shows at the edge; the situation grows less stable, the next die will likely be smaller.
5+ Calm. Nothing new; the action lands.

The surfaced fact must be proportionate to what is established, leave something to act on, and follow from prior events, not invented to fill the silence.

Opponents

Characters played by the GM have no skill dice. Define them by their behavior (what they want, including when they would rather flee or bargain than fight), the risks they present (the 1–2 result for players in conflict with them), and any obstacles (visible conditions, armor, numbers, cover, that must be cleared before they can be put down). Signal both before players roll.

Conflict

In a fight, the GM rolls the situation die: d4 if ambushed or scattered, d6 if evenly matched, d8 if holding an advantage, d10 if dominating, d12 if the opposition is broken, to find what the opposition does.

1–2 Press. A new risk or obstacle surfaces; the fight grows harder.
3–4 Shift. The opposition adapts, repositions, changes tactic; the situation tilts.
5+ Opening. An obstacle clears, a gap appears, or the opposition is ready to break.

Roll in lulls, at the start of a fight, or whenever no skill roll applies. For extended conflicts, use Steps: state actions and risks, roll as needed, describe how the situation has changed, repeat. On an Opening with the opposition cornered, they break per their behavior, fleeing, yielding, or bargaining.

Character Creation

1. Choose a creation path

Archetype: Choose one of the twenty archetypes. You gain the listed skills at d8 and the listed starting gear.

Freeform: Choose any three skills from the master skill list at d8. Then choose starting gear freely from the Gear section: one weapon, one armor (or none), and two general items.

2. Choose or roll species

Use the Species table. Non-human characters gain the listed species trait. Human and Transhuman characters gain no trait.

3. Name and background

Use the Name and Character Trait tables below, or invent your own. Both are descriptive only and carry no mechanical weight.

4. Starting credits

Start with 3d6 ₡. Pay your first month’s living expenses before play begins. Ship payment and fuel are handled when the fiction demands it (see Travel).

Names (d20)

Human Names

d20	Female	Male	Neutral
1	Aniet	Alard	Ashtot
2	Brewda	Altes	Baileh
3	Carea	Andrel	Beagan
4	Danoelle	Annrew	Brady
5	Debfa	Aqan	Cyarke
6	Debowah	Asexander	Kandall
7	Ditha	Branden	Kars
8	Emaly	Daniel	Kaye
9	Emis	Eroc	Keagan
10	Evelyt	Hary	Kin
11	Jelnifer	Hatold	Kuagan
12	Jenna	Jase	Lace
13	Mara	Jerrey	Leagan
14	Michelle	Justoph	Mecah
15	Mile	Lakrence	Morgan
16	Nica	Masthew	Reegan
17	Rebezca	Raige	Rib
18	Rove	Terry	Riw
19	Vandra	Tine	Sidgey
20	Vean	Waxter	So

d20	Surname
1	Atson
2	Bennes
3	Djirhuus
4	Edner
5	Evuns
6	Foore
7	Greber
8	Hoffzann
9	Jamos
10	Koytovski
11	Lanx
12	Mates
13	Muzler
14	Niewi
15	Olsen
16	Ozdemur
17	Ramoy
18	Ronert
19	Turusen
20	Wacobs

Alien Names

d20	Female	Male	Neutral
1	Anic	Alfac	Aeo
2	Balhee	Ascan	Azon
3	Boly	Barka	Bani
4	Churi	Dreele	Drille
5	Hile	Elol	Henii
6	Jata	Igat	Heri
7	Kali	Ilen	Hisi
8	Lisha	Kaloo	Husni
9	Madai	Morphee	Jori
10	Micia	Nokti	Kizo
11	Minbe	Quarkyo	Kradda
12	Quene	Raskyo	Mani
13	Sani	Reeshi	Mova
14	Scata	Russke	Mromi
15	Sycia	Synthua	Mule
16	Vorcia	Taloo	Nebra
17	Wani	Tresi	Ruugi
18	Xara	Uran	Shodi
19	Zarboe	Vanni	Shurquen
20	Zeni	Xilou	Skoni

d20	Surname
1	Alhoock
2	B’Koni
3	C’Goni
4	Ch’Alen
5	Gr’Anan
6	Guri
7	H’Votha
8	Hagi
9	Kalle
10	Kh’Nari
11	M’Drani
12	Morphua
13	Prandi
14	Sl’Corvi
15	Sloni
16	T’Vorti
17	Th’Keno
18	Tr’Edan
19	U’Dora
20	V’Sconi

Character Traits

Talent (d20)

d20	Talent	d20	Talent
1	Acrobatic	11	Brawler
2	Berserker	12	Focused
3	Charismatic	13	Thoughtful
4	Educated	14	Learned
5	Insightful	15	Marksman
6	Lucky	16	Opportunist
7	Resolute	17	Perceptive
8	Sneaky	18	Empathic
9	Tough	19	Impulsive
10	Vigilant	20	Survivalist

Background (d20)

d20	Background	d20	Background
1	Technician	11	Barbarian
2	Clergy	12	Politician
3	Pilot	13	Mercenary
4	Noble	14	Merchant
5	Hacker	15	Outlaw
6	Explorer	16	Performer
7	Cop	17	Pickpocket
8	Soldier	18	Smuggler
9	Gambler	19	Student
10	Medic	20	Thug

Homeworld (d20)

d20	Homeworld	d20	Homeworld
1	Space Station	11	Gas Giant
2	High-G	12	Starship
3	Low-G	13	Water World
4	Zero-G	14	Rock
5	Desert	15	Volcanic
6	Arctic	16	Huge
7	Jungle	17	Asteroid
8	High-Tech	18–19	Toxic
9	Low-Tech	20	Dead
10	Colony

Clothing (d20)

d20	Clothing	d20	Clothing
1	Dark	11	Tight
2	Gaudy	12	Formal
3	Colourful	13	Homespun
4	Fur	14	Modest
5	Leather	15	Revealing
6	Futuristic	16	Sensible
7	Dapper	17	Sporty
8	Majestic	18	Thermal
9	Chic	19	Glossy
10	Baggy	20	Geometric

Virtue (d20)

d20	Virtue	d20	Virtue
1	Ambitious	11	Honourable
2	Cautious	12	Humble
3	Colourful	13	Idealistic
4	Courageous	14	Just
5	Curious	15	Loyal
6	Disciplined	16	Merciful
7	Focused	17	Righteous
8	Generous	18	Serene
9	Gregarious	19	Stoic
10	Honest	20	Tolerant

Vice (d20)

d20	Vice	d20	Vice
1	Aggressive	11	Lazy
2	Arrogant	12	Nervous
3	Bitter	13	Prejudiced
4	Cowardly	14	Reckless
5	Cruel	15	Rude
6	Deceitful	16	Suspicious
7	Flippant	17	Vain
8	Gluttonous	18	Vengeful
9	Greedy	19	Wasteful
10	Irascible	20	Whiny

Misfortune (d20)

d20	Misfortune	d20	Misfortune
1	Abandoned	11	Framed
2	Addicted	12	Haunted
3	Blackmailed	13	Kidnapped
4	Condemned	14	Mutilated
5	Unlucky	15	Poor
6	Defrauded	16	Pursued
7	Demoted	17	Rejected
8	Discredited	18	Replaced
9	Disowned	19	Robbed
10	Exiled	20	Suspected

Skills

A skill die starts at d8 when first acquired and advances to d10, then d12 through play. When acting without a relevant skill, roll d6.

Skills are grouped below for reference only. The groupings carry no mechanical weight.

Physical: Fight · Shoot · Sneak · React · Survive · Track

Technical: Pilot · Navigate · Repair · Hack · Engineer · Prospect

Social: Persuade · Negotiate · Deceive · Command · Translate

Knowledge: Analyze · Heal

Psionic skills do not appear on this list. They are available only to characters who begin play with a psionic archetype.

Psionics

Psionic ability is innate; it cannot be taught or learned from scratch. It emerges in childhood and requires training to use reliably. Most civilizations treat it as a normal talent. A few are hostile to it. Three implants directly interface with the brain and suppress psionic ability while installed: Cortical Implant, Brain Augmentation, and Neural Datalink.

Only characters who begin play with a psionic archetype are psionic. They roll psionic skills as any other skill. Through normal advancement, psionic characters may acquire any psionic skill, not only those they started with. They may also advance or acquire regular skills normally.

On a setback (3–4): the power works partially, briefly, or at a cost: exhaustion, disorientation, a lesser effect than intended, or an unwanted side consequence.

On a disaster (1–2): the power goes seriously wrong: wrong target, uncontrolled cascade, the psion suffers the effect themselves, or something distant felt the disturbance and is now paying attention.

Psionic Skills

Astral Projection: You project a conscious presence beyond your body, observing remotely without physical constraints. Your body is defenseless while projecting.

Clairvoyance: You perceive events and locate people or objects at a distance.

Dreamwalking: You enter the dreams of a sleeping person. You must also be asleep.

Ergokinesis: You influence the movement of energy, redirecting or releasing it as a directed blast.

Levitation: You lift objects or yourself without contact. Greater mass demands greater effort.

Materialization: You cause an object to appear from nothing for a limited duration. It is real while it lasts.

Mending: You direct mental energy into healing, in yourself or another.

Petrification: You turn an object or person to stone for a duration you control.

Precognition: You focus on a question about the future and receive an impression of what may come.

Psychic Surgery: You concentrate mental force to work on a target from within, treating injury or inflicting it.

Psychokinesis: You move and manipulate objects without touching them. Range is limited to what you can see.

Psychometry: You touch a person or object and receive impressions of its history.

Pyrokinesis: You control fire and heat, directing flame as a weapon or suppressing it entirely.

Retrocognition: You focus on a place or object and receive impressions of past events connected to it.

Shapeshifting: You transform your body into another form of equivalent mass. Reversing the change requires concentration.

Telesthesia: You perceive a distant or hidden target as clearly as if it were before you.

Telepathy: You transmit or receive thoughts. Unwilling targets can resist.

Teleportation: You transport yourself and what you wear to any place you can clearly visualize.

Thought Control: You seize control of one mind at a time. The subject obeys while you maintain concentration.

Xenoglossy: You understand, speak, and write any language, even one entirely unknown to you.

Archetypes

Archetypes marked [psionic] include psionic skills.

Some archetype gear packages include specialized items not found in the general equipment list. These represent custom or role-specific equipment and are acquired at character creation only.

1. Bounty Hunter

To bring dangerous scoundrels to justice. Incidentally, for good pay.

Skills: Shoot d8 · Track d8 · Negotiate d8

Ballistic Gel Coat
Flechette Rifle (silent, bulky)
Electrowhip (stun, bulky)
Stun Pistol
Portable Containment Field
Bounty License

2. Croaker

A redundant graduate. To repair broken bones, to cure diseases. Out there looking for a job.

Skills: Heal d8 · Analyze d8

Trauma Medikit
Laser Scalpel
Bioscanner
White Coat
Cortical Implant
Eye Implant

3. Emissary

Sometimes useful, sometimes not. Peace rests on their shoulders, not always appreciated.

Skills: Persuade d8 · Negotiate d8 · Translate d8

Elegant Clothes
Diplomatic Passport
Secured Suitcase
Universal Translator
Personal Comms

4. Expert

The subtleties of science have no mystery for them. Every ship should have one.

Skills: Analyze d8 · Engineer d8 · Hack d8

Portable Computer
Portable Analysis Kit
All-round Digital Library
Chemical Reagents
AR Goggles
Brain Augmentation

5. Freelancer

A mercenary, looking for the next high-paying client. Nothing more, nothing less.

Skills: Shoot d8 · Survive d8 · Negotiate d8

Projectile Rifle (bulky)
Knife (hidden)
Boarding Armor (sealed, bulky)
Survival Kit (bulky)
Playing Cards
Smokes

6. Highborn

Member of the highest castes, out here by necessity or in search of adventure.

Skills: Persuade d8 · Command d8 · Negotiate d8

Iridescent Robes
Diplomatic Pass
Foil (hidden)
Yacht (party asset)
Manservant (NPC, loyal)

7. Hitman

Professional assassin, hired to terminate inconvenient or untouchable targets.

Skills: Shoot d8 · Sneak d8 · React d8

IR/Nightvision Goggles
Binoculars
Flechette Rifle (silent, bulky)
Ballistic Vest
Cloaking Implant

8. Jarhead

Wardog devoted to high-risk missions. Strong survival instinct, ready to die.

Skills: Fight d8 · Shoot d8 · React d8

Survival Knife (hidden)
Frag Grenade (blast)
Energy Rifle (bulky)
Tactical Body Armor (sealed)
Direct Neural Interface
Cortical Implant

9. Matterjammer [psionic]

Master of the mental manipulation of matter. You don’t want one as an opponent.

Skills: Ergokinesis d8 · Psychokinesis d8 · Pyrokinesis d8

Insulating Gloves
Gas Mask
Ballistic Vest

10. Mindbender [psionic]

The mind of others has no secrets for them. They’ll persuade you that you’re an arachnid.

Skills: Telepathy d8 · Thought Control d8 · Dreamwalking d8

Staff
Sunglasses
Raincoat

11. Operative

Exotic places, deadly missions. For the sake of the galaxy.

Skills: Sneak d8 · Shoot d8 · Deceive d8

Projectile Pistol (hidden)
Silencer
Ballistic Vest
Cloaking Implant
Eye Implant
Mindshield Implant

12. Rockhopper

Asteroid to asteroid, collecting minerals for resale at the nearest base.

Skills: Prospect d8 · Pilot d8 · Survive d8

Standard Spacesuit (sealed, bulky)
Laser Drill/Cutter
Vacuum Emergency Kit
Stimulants Dispenser Implant
Detoxifier Implant
Miner (ship, party asset)

13. Routeplanner

Human interface of the on-board computers, tracing routes through oddspace.

Skills: Navigate d8 · Hack d8 · Analyze d8

Spacesense Implant
Neural Datalink Implant
Brain Augmentation
Integrated Comms Implant
Cortical Implant

14. Savage

Born on a low-tech planet, skyrocketed while keeping a primal survival instinct.

Skills: Fight d8 · Survive d8 · Track d8

Survival Kit (bulky)
Arrows ×20
Bow (silent, bulky)
Mace
Old-fashioned Clothes
Standard Spacesuit (sealed, bulky)

15. Shaper

Wiring or engines, it doesn’t matter. If it’s broken, they’ll fix it.

Skills: Repair d8 · Engineer d8 · Pilot d8

Toolkit (bulky)
Hand Scanner
Flashlight
Laser Cutter
Personal Comms
Mechanic’s Overalls

16. Smuggler

Smuggling is certainly not legal, but it’s exciting and romantic, isn’t it?

Skills: Pilot d8 · Deceive d8 · React d8

Personal Drone
Energy Pistol
Electrowhip (stun, bulky)
Air Filter Implant
Stimulants Dispenser Implant
Ballistic Cloth Jacket

17. Techie

Computers and electronics have no secrets for them, hardware or software.

Skills: Hack d8 · Analyze d8 · Deceive d8

Toolkit (bulky)
Neural Datalink Implant
Duct Tape
Flashlight
Portable Computer

18. Trader

Perilous routes, distant planets. One of the most ancient professions in the universe.

Skills: Negotiate d8 · Translate d8 · Pilot d8

Commercial License
Guild Uniform
Boarding Blade (hidden)
Stun Pistol
Ear Implant
Universal Translator

19. Trailblazer

Undiscovered voids and unknown planets are their bread and butter.

Skills: Survive d8 · Track d8 · Analyze d8

Stun Pistol
Synthetic Mesh
Universal Translator
Environment Mask
First Aid Kit
Personal Comms

20. Voidcutter

The backbone of transgalactic civilization, pilots of the sidereal expanses.

Skills: Pilot d8 · React d8 · Fight d8

Augmented Reflexes Implant
Cortical Implant
Eye Implant
Integrated Comms Implant
Direct Neural Interface
Heated Uniform

Species

Roll d20 or choose. Non-human characters roll or choose one trait from the Traits table. Human characters gain no trait. Transhuman characters gain no trait but start with one additional cybernetic implant of their choice.

Species traits are innate and passive. Where a trait resembles a psionic skill, such as Telepathy or Telekinesis, the species version is always-on and instinctive; the psionic skill is active, trained, and rolled.

Symbiont characters do not roll for a trait. They have a fixed trait: they bond with a willing host organism, granting them accelerated healing and enhanced resilience for as long as the bond holds; severing the bond is possible but distressing for both parties.

The entries below are archetypes, not catalogues. A Saurian character might be a Tesu; an Insectoid might be a Korvan or a young Omale; Energy maps directly to the Zynthari. For named species, their societies, internal fractures, and how outsiders experience them, refer to The Five Galaxies.

Species (d20)

d20	Species	d20	Species
1–4	Humanoid	12	Feline
5	Transhuman	13	Amorphous
6	Insectoid	14	Symbiont
7	Icthyoid	15	Quadruped
8	Saurian	16	Cetacean
9	Ursine	17	Energy
10	Vulpine	18	Amphibious
11	Canine	19–20	Human

Traits (d20)

d20	Trait	Description
1	Aggressive	When you intimidate through violence or its credible threat, roll an extra d6.
2	Mimic	You can alter your appearance to convincingly mimic any humanoid form.
3	Invisibility	You can render yourself transparent to the naked eye for short periods.
4	Multiform	You have a secondary physical form with meaningfully different capabilities; shifting takes a moment.
5	Hive Mind	You passively share sensory information with others of your species within range.
6	Weakness	You have a specific vulnerability set by the GM at creation, such as a toxin, energy type, or condition. Enemies who know it roll an extra d6 against you.
7	Multi-limb	Extra limbs let you carry, operate, or manipulate things simultaneously that others cannot.
8	Regenerate	Minor injuries heal within hours without medical attention; serious injuries within days.
9	Blink	Once per scene, you can instantly relocate to any point within your line of sight.
10	Parasitic	You require a host organism to sustain yourself; without one, all your rolls are hindered.
11	Telepathy	You can send and receive thoughts with willing individuals in proximity, without speaking.
12	Logic	When analyzing, calculating, or solving structured problems, roll an extra d6.
13	Climbing	You can scale any surface, including sheer walls and ceilings, without equipment.
14	Immunity	You are immune to one category of harm, chosen at creation: toxins, extreme temperature, vacuum, radiation, or disease.
15	Poisonous	Your body produces a natural toxin; a successful attack or bite inflicts a lasting condition unless treated.
16	Ethereal	You can pass through solid matter briefly; passing through large masses is exhausting.
17	Telekinesis	You can move small objects with your mind at will; larger objects require effort and a roll.
18	Reputation	Your species carries a strong galactic reputation, opening doors or marking you as a target depending on who’s watching.
19	Healer	When you tend another’s injuries, they recover significantly faster than medical attention alone would achieve.
20	Conspicuous	Your species or appearance marks you immediately in any setting; you cannot go unnoticed in a crowd, and anyone searching for you gains an extra d6.

Gear

All prices are in standard credits (₡). The economic loop covers upkeep, fuel, and debt; see Travel.

General Equipment

Item	Tags	₡
Binoculars		1
Chemical Lightstick		1
Climbing Kit	bulky	5
Cold Weather Clothing	bulky	5
Desert Suit	bulky	10
Distress Flare		1
Diving Hardsuit	sealed, bulky	200
Duct Tape		1
Environment Mask		1
First Aid Kit		1
Flashlight		1
Grapnel Launcher & Cable	bulky	2
Hand Scanner		20
IR/Nightvision Goggles		8
Laser Drill/Cutter		2
Neural Link Cyberdeck	bulky	50
Parachute	bulky	5
Gravchute	bulky	25
Personal Comms		2
Personal Drone	bulky	5–100
Portable Computer		5
Portable Micro-fusion Generator	bulky	110
Prefabricated Cabin	bulky	20
Space Rescue Ball	bulky	2
Surgical Medikit	bulky	40
Survival Kit	bulky	2
Toolkit	bulky	4
Trauma Medikit	bulky	5
Universal Translator		25
Language Pack		5
Vacuum Emergency Kit		5
Wingsuit	bulky	5

First Aid Kit: Enables recovery from minor injuries in the field. Surgical Medikit: Requires medical attention for serious injuries. Trauma Medikit: Stabilizes a dying character immediately. Neural Link Cyberdeck: Required for hacking physical systems without a Neural Datalink implant. Personal Drone: Functions as armor while active; breaks as armor.

Weapons

Weapons have no damage values. The fictional weight of what you carry, a knife versus a rocket launcher, determines what’s possible. Tags define the rest.

Blades & Bludgeons

Weapon	Tags	₡
Dagger, Knife, Boarding Blade	hidden	1
Brass Knuckles		1
Spear, Sword, Mace, Axe		1
Staff		1
Halberd, War Hammer, Long Sword, Battle Axe	bulky	1
Monofilament Blade		25
Force Sword		—
Stun Baton	stun	1
Electrowhip	stun, bulky	2
Chainsaw	bulky	2

Force Sword: An artifact-grade weapon; not available for purchase.

Sidearms

Weapon	Tags	₡
Projectile Pistol		1
Energy Pistol		2
Stun Pistol	stun	2
Flechette Pistol	silent	2
Gyrojet Pistol		5

Long Arms

Weapon	Tags	₡
Bow	silent, bulky	1
Crossbow	bulky	1
Shotgun	bulky	1
Projectile Rifle	bulky	1
Energy Rifle	bulky	2
Stun Rifle	stun, bulky	3
Flechette Rifle	silent, bulky	3
Gyrojet Rifle	bulky	13

Heavy Weapons

Weapon	Tags	₡
Projectile Support Weapon	bulky	3
Energy Support Weapon	bulky	4
Incinerator	blast, bulky	1
Rocket Launcher	blast, bulky	4
Man-Portable Missile	blast, bulky	80
Mortar	blast, bulky	2
Sentry Gun	blast, bulky	50

Sentry Gun: AI-controlled; covers an area autonomously once deployed. No roll required unless something goes wrong.

Grenades & Accessories

Item	Tags	₡
Frag Grenade	blast	1
Stun Grenade	blast, stun	2
Smoke Grenade	blast	1
EMP Grenade	blast	1
Arrows ×20		1
Grenade Launcher		2
Silencer		2
Smartlink		5
Security Module		2

EMP Grenade: Affects electronics only. Grenade Launcher: Adds grenade delivery to any rifle or support weapon. Silencer: Adds silent to any projectile weapon. Smartlink: When circumstances wouldn’t normally permit an extra d6 for a careful aimed shot, you get one anyway. Security Module: Only the registered user can operate this weapon.

Armor

All armor functions as defense: say how it breaks to turn a hit into a hindrance. Sealed armor also protects against environmental threats while intact. Broken armor must be repaired before it functions again.

Armor	Tags	₡
Ballistic Gel Coat		15
Ballistic Cloth Jacket		30
Ballistic Cloth Coat		60
Ballistic Vest		40
Synthetic Mesh		60
Chainmail		12
Half Plate	bulky	40
Full Plate	bulky	80
Helmet		1
Shield		1
Emergency Spacesuit	sealed	30
Standard Spacesuit	sealed, bulky	10
Environment Suit	sealed, bulky	50
Boarding Armor	sealed, bulky	30
Tactical Body Armor	sealed	100
EOD Suit	sealed, bulky	100
Re-entry Armor	sealed, bulky	200
Combat Exoskeleton	bulky	300
Power Armor	sealed, bulky	150

EOD Suit: Hinders all actions requiring fine motor control while worn. Combat Exoskeleton: While intact, lets you perform feats of strength beyond normal human limits. Power Armor: While intact, lets you perform feats of strength beyond normal human limits; sealed against all environmental threats. Chameleon Skin (add to any high-tech armor, 50₡): Provides camouflage in natural environments. Camouflage Generator (add to any high-tech armor, 50₡): Provides active visual invisibility. HUD (add to any sealed armor, 10₡): Integrates with implants; displays tactical and environmental data.

Cybernetics

Implants take no inventory space. Installation requires 1d6 days of recovery. Implants that malfunction must be serviced or removed.

Air Filter (100₡): You breathe freely in toxic or non-breathable atmospheres.
Augmented Reflexes (150₡): When fast reaction is the deciding factor, roll an extra d6.
Blade Implant (30₡): A melee weapon of your choice is concealed within your body until deployed.
Brain Augmentation (300₡): When analyzing, recalling, or reasoning under pressure, roll an extra d6.
Cloaking (250₡): You bend light around yourself to become visually invisible for up to 10 minutes per day; works only when unclothed.
Cortical Implant (50₡): A HUD overlays your vision, integrating with your other implants and displaying vital functions.
Dermal Plating (200₡): Subdermal armor always in place; functions as armor that cannot be removed. Breaks normally but restoring it requires a medical procedure, not just repair.
Detoxifier (30₡): Your body neutralizes any toxin or radioactive substance automatically.
Direct Neural Interface (40₡): You interface with weapons, vehicles, and ship systems using thought alone.
Ear Implant (20₡): You hear subsonic and ultrasonic frequencies and identify sounds at great distance.
Eye Implant (20₡): You see in infrared, ultraviolet, and complete darkness.
Firearm Implant (70₡): A ranged weapon of your choice is concealed within your body until deployed.
Integrated Comms (10₡): A long-range communicator is built into your auditory system.
Mindshield (300₡): Psionic talents cannot read or control your mind.
Neural Datalink (60₡): You interface with networks and cyberspace directly using thought alone.
Prosthetic Limb (150₡): A replacement limb of greater power; when raw strength or precise manipulation matters, roll an extra d6.
Reinforced Skeleton (350₡): Your bones cannot be broken by ordinary means; you withstand impacts that would destroy an unaugmented body.
Repair Nanobots (50₡): Minor injuries close within minutes; you stabilize automatically when dying.
Spacesense (100₡): You always know your position in space and can plot routes instinctively.
Stimulants Dispenser (30₡): Twice per day you trigger a burst of enhanced reflexes lasting one scene; roll an extra d6 on React for its duration.

Starships & Vehicles

Starships

A ship is a party asset, not personal gear. Most crews don’t own their ship outright; they’re paying off a loan, work for someone who does, or fly something they found, inherited, or stole. A financed ship requires a monthly payment of roughly 0.5% of its value.

All ships can travel through normal space. Only ships with an Odd Drive can jump to oddspace and travel between star systems. 1 parsec takes 1 hour in oddspace.

One cargo slot holds 100 tons of freight or 2 passengers. Crew does not occupy cargo slots. Refuel cost covers a full tank at any starport or station.

Each ship has two combat stats: Agility (how hard it is to hit) and Firepower (how hard it hits back).

Type	Size	Agility	Firepower	Cargo	Refuel	Price	Monthly
Courier	Small	d10	1	3	2	2,000	10
Fighter	Small	d8	2	—	2	1,400	7
Racer	Small	d12	0	—	2	1,800	9
Explorer	Medium	d6	2	6	10	4,700	24
Miner	Medium	d4	0	11	10	4,400	22
Passenger Cargo	Medium	d6	1	10	10	4,500	23
Trader	Medium	d6	1	11	10	4,300	22
Yacht	Medium	d8	0	11	10	4,100	21
Freighter	Large	d4	1	10	20	7,500	38
Cruiser	Large	d6	4	14	20	9,400	47

Courier: Ultra-fast vessel for information and small cargo. Has emergency backup power and an escape pod. No crew quarters; not suited for long hauls.

Explorer: Designed for long autonomous voyages into uncharted space. Has crew quarters, scientific analysis equipment, stasis chambers for extended travel, medical facilities, and a cargo bay.

Fighter: Two-seater combat vessel. Has no odd drive; it cannot jump independently and must be carried by a ship with a flight deck. No cargo, no quarters.

Freighter: Long-haul cargo hauler. Has crew quarters, a large cargo bay, and medical facilities. Slow and durable.

Miner: Built for asteroid and planetary extraction. Has a large cargo bay for ore but no crew quarters. Short-range work ship.

Passenger Cargo: Carries both freight and paying passengers. Has crew quarters, passenger quarters, medical facilities, and an escape pod.

Racer: Stripped to essentials for speed. Has an odd drive and life support, nothing else.

Trader: The workhorse of medium-distance commerce. Has crew quarters, a cargo bay, and medical facilities.

Yacht: Luxurious private transport. Has crew quarters, premium passenger quarters, medical facilities, emergency backup power, and an escape pod.

Cruiser: Full combat vessel. Has crew quarters, medical facilities, a flight deck for fighters, electronic warfare capability, missile interception systems, and a self-destruct. Requires a large crew to operate effectively.

Ships in Combat

Ship combat uses the ship’s own stats, not individual crew skills. Crew skills provide edge, not the baseline.

Each round, both sides declare their action simultaneously, then resolve.

Attack

The attacking ship rolls its Firepower dice, each a d6. Take the highest result. A crew member with Shoot d8+ adds one extra d6 to the attack roll.

1–2: Disaster. Weapon malfunction, dangerous overshot, or exposed position. The GM introduces a complication for the attacker.
3–4: Setback. A partial hit. The defender takes a glancing blow: choose to absorb it as a broken module or pull back and lose ground.
5+: Hit. The defending ship takes a hit. The defender’s crew chooses which module breaks.

Evasion

Rather than accepting a hit, the defending ship’s pilot can declare evasion. Roll the ship’s Agility die. A crew member with Pilot d8+ adds one extra d6.

5+: Clean evasion. No hit.
3–4: Partial evasion. The hit still lands but the defender chooses which module breaks.
1–2: Failed evasion. The hit lands and the attacker gains a positional advantage; add d6 to their next attack.

Evasion replaces the standard defense (break mechanic) for ships. The break mechanic applies when the ship is hit and the crew chooses which module absorbs it.

Other Crew Actions

Each round, crew members not piloting or manning guns can take one action:

Repair (d8+): Attempt to restore one broken module. On 5+, it comes back online. On 3–4, it’s jury-rigged for d6 rounds.
Hack (d8+): Attempt electronic warfare. On 5+, the enemy’s Agility die steps down one (d10→d8→d6→d4) until end of round.
Command (d8+): Coordinate the crew. On 5+, one other crew member gets an extra d6 on their action this round.

Chase & Escape

To disengage, both ships roll their Agility die; Pilot d8+ adds an extra d6. Take the highest. The winner chooses: maintain pursuit, or break away cleanly. A ship with Firepower 0 always applies its Agility die to escape; it has nothing to gain by staying.

Damage Effects

When a module breaks and the crew cannot or will not absorb it, roll 1d6:

d6	Effect
1	A secondary module goes offline until repaired.
2	A weapon is disabled until repaired.
3	Fire breaks out aboard. Anyone in the area takes harm each round until extinguished.
4	Engines hit. The ship cannot maneuver; if in atmosphere, it falls.
5	Hull breached. Anyone in the affected area is exposed to vacuum or the external atmosphere.
6	Controls explode. Any crew member at the controls takes harm immediately.

Vehicles

Ground, water, and air vehicles use the same defense rule as ships. They carry no fuel cost; running costs are abstracted into living expenses.

Vehicle	Tags	₡
Bicycle		8
Motorcycle		200
Ground Car		400
Marauder		250
Jet Bike		600
Grav Flyer		1,200
Air Balloon		350
Hovercraft		300
Motor Boat		600
Rowboat		50
Mini Sub		800
Amphibious Vehicle		500
Half Track ATV		2,000
Helicopter		2,500
Drone		2,000
Jet Airplane		4,000
Tracked Explorer		4,000
APC	bulky	3,500
Riot Tank	bulky	2,100
Combat Walker	bulky	8,000

Travel

Spacers take jobs to cover expenses. Expenses eat what they earn. This is the engine of play.

After each job, every character gains credits based on the risk taken and increases one skill. The GM declares the risk tier before the party commits — routine, risky, or desperate — so the choice is informed. The party pools earnings to cover shared costs: ship payment, living expenses, and any debts coming due.

Routine jobs keep you hungry. Risky jobs keep you afloat. Desperate jobs are for when you’re behind.

The sections below govern specific moments in play. Living Standards calibrates what different quality of life costs — use it to understand what your earnings actually buy. Fuel is a narrative state — full, adequate, low, or empty — not a per-jump cost. Heat & Notoriety track what follows you: Heat is per-jurisdiction and can be cooled; Notoriety is galactic and compounds.

When you jump, roll Oddspace Transit, then roll 2d6 on Space Contingencies on arrival. Roll Reactions when the party meets someone whose attitude isn’t obvious. On the ground, roll 2d6 on Landing & Exploration each travel day; boarding or searching a derelict, roll 2d6 on Salvage per area.

For cargo income between patron jobs, see Trading. To generate a patron and mission, use Jobs; for encounters and locations during a job, use Field Oracles. If you are using the Sector Generation System’s SEP profiles, Reading a Generated System in the Appendix translates those codes into Oddspace mechanics.

Living Standards

Use this table to calibrate what earnings actually mean. A d6 ₡ from a routine job barely clears a Poor month; 2d6 covers Average; 3d6 lets someone live well or start building a cushion.

Standard	₡/month
Poor	4
Low	10
Average	12
Good	15
High	20
Rich	50
Royal	200

What standard a character maintains is a fiction choice. It shapes what they spend on between jobs, what they’re willing to sacrifice when credits run short, and what it means when they can’t afford their usual way of living.

Heat & Notoriety

Actions have consequences. The Five Galaxies are vast but not anonymous.

Heat

Heat measures how much trouble you’ve drawn from a specific jurisdiction: a government, a corporation, a criminal syndicate, a species authority, or any other power with reach and memory. Heat is tracked per jurisdiction, not per location. Two different factions may operate out of the same starport; you can be cold with one and hot with the other.

Heat levels:

Heat	Status
0	Clear: no attention
1	Noticed: being watched, questions asked
2	Hot: the jurisdiction acts against you

Gain Heat (+1) from:

Violence or public crimes in a jurisdiction’s territory
Breaking a deal with the jurisdiction or its members
Being identified as responsible for a setback or disaster that harms them
Carrying flagged cargo through their checkpoints

When Hot: Docking, trading, or operating openly in that jurisdiction’s territory requires a roll. On 5+, you pass without incident. On a setback, you pass but attract surveillance. On a disaster, you’re detained, fined, or worse. Heat drops by 1 after a full month away from that jurisdiction’s territory. It resets to Clear immediately when you make things right.

In solo play, Heat can also increase passively while you’re docked and not working; jurisdictions have long memories and time to act. See Tracking the Story in Solo Play.

Notoriety

Notoriety is persistent galactic reputation. It follows you everywhere, accumulated across incidents and jurisdictions. Track it as a running total.

Notoriety	Effect
0–2	No issues
3–5	Some ports and factions refuse to deal with you openly
6–8	Most legitimate ports deny docking; prices rise for everything
9+	Hunted: bounty hunters, rival crews, and hostile jurisdictions actively seek you out

Gain Notoriety (+1) from:

Destroying a ship with witnesses
A major crime that becomes public knowledge across multiple systems
Betraying a high-profile contract in a way that gets talked about
Becoming known as the cause of a significant political or economic incident

Reduce Notoriety (–1) by:

Completing three legitimate jobs for a major faction or jurisdiction you wronged
Lying low for a full month with no jobs and no incidents
Paying a fixer to quietly bury the record (cost at GM’s discretion, expensive)

Fuel

Fuel is a narrative resource, not a per-jump deduction. The party tracks whether the ship’s tanks are full, adequate, low, or empty. Refuelling costs are paid when the fiction demands it: docking at a starport, bribing a station for emergency fuel, or siphoning from a derelict.

Ship Size	Refuel Cost
Small	2 ₡
Medium	10 ₡
Large	20 ₡

Running low on fuel is a complication. Running dry in transit is a disaster.

Oddspace Transit

To jump to another system, the ship must have an Odd Drive and enough fuel. The navigator or pilot rolls Navigate (or Pilot if no navigator is aboard).

Roll	Result
1–2	Crisis. Something goes seriously wrong: lost in oddspace, drive failure, fuel emergency, forced exit in the wrong system.
3–4	Complication. Delayed, off-course exit, or a minor system problem that needs attention on arrival.
5+	Clean arrival. The ship exits oddspace at the destination.

Speed in oddspace is 1 parsec per hour. On arrival, roll 2d6 on the Space Contingencies table.

Alternatively, ships may travel between galaxies via the Wormhole Access Network. WAN transit is faster and more reliable than oddspace but requires docking at a maintained node and the approval of whoever operates it. WAN travel generates transit records and is subject to inspection, access denial, and political closure without notice. No roll is required for WAN transit unless the jurisdiction has reason to refuse entry; in that case the GM calls for a relevant skill roll and applies Heat if things go badly.

Reactions

When the party encounters someone whose attitude is not obvious, the GM rolls 2d6.

2	3–5	6–8	9–11	12
Hostile	Wary	Curious	Kind	Helpful

Space Contingencies

Roll 2d6 each time the ship exits oddspace.

2d6	Event
2–3	Ship malfunction: a module goes offline until repaired.
4–6	Space anomaly: a solar storm, debris field, or gravitational hazard complicates the situation.
7	Encounter: roll on Reactions.
8–10	Distress call: someone nearby needs help, or wants you to think they do.
11–12	Advantage: a friendly hail, a patrol that owes you, a lucky sensor reading.

Landing & Exploration

Roll 2d6 each travel day spent on a planet or installation.

2d6	Event
2–3	Transport malfunction: a vehicle or piece of equipment fails at the worst moment.
4–6	Weather shift: conditions change; what was safe may no longer be.
7	Encounter: roll on Reactions.
8–10	Clue: something points toward the next threat or opportunity.
11–12	Advantage: useful information, unexpected help, or a lucky find.

Salvage

Roll 2d6 for each area or room explored during a salvage or boarding mission.

2d6	Event
2–3	Exhaustion: the crew must rest before continuing.
4–6	Local change: a door that was open is now locked, a sound from the next compartment, something has shifted.
7	Encounter: roll on Reactions.
8–10	Clue: something points toward the next threat or opportunity.
11–12	Advantage: a useful cache, a safe room, an unexpected ally.

Trading

Cargo runs are an alternative income stream to patron jobs. The upside is independence: you find the cargo, you set the route. The downside is capital risk and market unpredictability. A bad market roll on a hold full of electronics hurts.

Standard cargo runs do not generate advancement credits or skill progression on their own; they generate money. Treat a cargo run as a job only when it carries real danger (special cargo, contested routes, smuggling under heat). In that case the GM declares a risk tier and the full job structure applies alongside the cargo economics.

Cargo Types

Each cargo slot holds 100 tons. Buy price is per slot. Availability depends on the source world.

Goods	Buy Price (₡/slot)	Source World	Notes
Raw Materials	5	Mining	Bulky, always available
Foodstuffs	8	Agricultural	Perishable
Textiles	10	Agricultural	Seasonal demand
Chemicals	15	Industrial	May be hazardous
Machinery	20	Industrial	Heavy
Electronics	40	Industrial/High-Tech	Fragile
Luxuries	60	Core	High demand everywhere
Biotech	80	Medical/Core	Restricted in some systems

What Worlds Produce and Need

This table drives both buying and selling. A world is rich in what it produces and short on what it needs.

World Type	Produces	Needs
Agricultural	Food, Textiles	Electronics, Machinery, Biotech
Industrial	Electronics, Machinery, Chemicals	Food, Raw Materials
Mining	Raw Materials	Food, Electronics, Machinery
Core/Central	Luxuries, Biotech	Raw Materials, Food
Frontier	Little	Almost everything

Buying

The GM decides what’s on offer based on the world’s economy and the table above. A mining colony will have raw materials and nothing else; a core world trade hub will have almost everything.

A good the world produces is abundant: buy it at −25% (round to the nearest credit). A good the world needs is usually not for sale there at all; if the GM does offer it, it costs +25%. Everything else is at list price.

The whole game of trading is the spread: buy what’s cheap where it’s made, carry it to where it’s scarce. Before you commit capital, you can ask the Oracle in the Prepare step where a good is in demand, or follow a Rumor to a buyer. Knowing the route before you fly it is the difference between a haul and a gamble.

Selling

When you arrive at a destination and try to sell, roll d6 for market conditions:

d6	Market	Value
1	Crash: flooded market, political crisis	50%
2–3	Slow	75%
4–5	Standard	100%
6	Boom	150%

Use the produce/needs table above:

Selling goods the destination world produces (abundant supply): roll 2d6, take the lower.
Selling goods the destination world needs (scarce supply): roll 2d6, take the higher.

Special Cargo

Patrons sometimes offer unusual or illegal cargo. Roll d6 or choose when a job involves something out of the ordinary.

d6	Cargo	Complication	Value Modifier
1	Illegal weapons or contraband	Customs attention; gain Heat +1 with local jurisdiction if discovered	×3
2	Live specimens	Require life support; roll d6 on arrival, on 1–2 something got loose	×2
3	Unstable materials	Hazardous; any ship damage roll has a chance of triggering catastrophe	×4
4	Time-sensitive	Must deliver within a strict deadline; late delivery means partial or no payment	×2
5	VIP passenger	Demanding and potentially dangerous; may be wanted by someone	×3
6	Stolen property	Original owners are looking for it; may be tracked	×3

Value modifier applies to the sell roll result. A special cargo run is a job for advancement purposes; the GM declares a risk tier (typically risky or desperate) before the party commits, which determines both the advancement credit roll and how seriously to take the danger. Cargo sale proceeds and advancement credits are separate income streams; both apply after a successful run.

When you’re carrying contraband or Flagged cargo, an Authority checkpoint (Arrival table, result 1) is no longer routine; it’s a Heat check. Pass and you’re through; a disaster means seizure, a fine, and Heat with that jurisdiction. This is what makes a smuggling spread pay triple: the markup is hazard pay.

Cargo Properties

The GM may add one or more of these to any cargo for texture:

Fragile: A ship hit during transport reduces cargo value by 25%.
Perishable: Loses 25% value per week in transit beyond the first.
Contraband: Illegal in some or all systems; carrying it is a Heat gain when discovered.
Flagged: Attracts inspection from military and law enforcement on sight.
Valuable: Pirates and rivals may target the ship specifically.

Jobs

Jobs are how the party pays its bills. A patron approaches with an offer, or the crew hunts for work themselves through cargo markets and rumors. Either way, the job is the unit of play: a situation with stakes, a clock, and people with competing interests.

Generating a Job

Roll or choose on each table. Combine results before interpreting.

Patron (2d6)

2d6	Patron
2	Corporate executive, desperate
3	Criminal syndicate representative
4	Government official, mid-level
5	Independent merchant
6	Researcher or scientist
7	Ship captain between jobs
8	Colony leader
9	Military officer, active duty
10	Religious figure
11	Information broker
12	Wealthy private citizen

Motivation (d6)

d6	Motivation
1	Profit: pays standard rates, needs it done economically
2	Survival: desperate situation, pays extra, may withhold details
3	Revenge: personal vendetta; key facts may be omitted
4	Duty: following orders; bureaucratic complications likely
5	Curiosity: flexible on methods, interested in outcome
6	Secrecy: cannot be officially involved; pays premium for discretion

Reliability (d6)

d6	Reliability	Tier Modifier
1	Deceitful: major details are lies or deliberate omissions	+2
2	Selective: truthful but not forthcoming	+1
3	Honest: tells what they know, which may be incomplete	—
4	Thorough: complete briefing, answers questions directly	—
5	Generous: honest and provides extra resources	−1
6	Connected: honest, resourceful, and opens doors	−2

Job Type (d6)

d6	Job
1	Cargo delivery: risky, illegal, or time-sensitive
2	Passenger transport: criminal, noble, sick, or secretive
3	Investigate: missing ship, missing person, corporate leak
4	Salvage: derelict wreck, ruins, debris field
5	Conflict: escort, raid, defend, or destabilize
6	Exploration: survey uncharted world, first contact, anomaly

Location (d6)

d6	Location
1	Pirate base or lawless station
2	Nearby colony or outpost
3	Faraway system, multiple jumps
4	Derelict ship or abandoned installation
5	Government or corporate facility
6	Drifter fleet or mobile community

Hook (d6)

d6	Hook
1	The patron comes to them directly
2	An old acquaintance makes the introduction
3	A rumor overheard in a cantina or starport
4	It’s the condition of their release
5	It wasn’t planned; the situation unfolded
6	An object or message they found points the way

Risk Tier

Roll 2d6 and add the Reliability modifier. Declare the result before the party commits — this is the contract.

Modified Roll	Tier	Earnings
4 or less	Routine	d6 ₡ each
5–9	Risky	2d6 ₡ each
10 or more	Desperate	3d6 ₡ each

Reading the Combination

Read the full result before you play it. A Colony Leader with Survival motivation and Deceitful reliability is hiding a threat to their people; the job is real but the briefing is missing its most important detail. A Military Officer with Duty and Thorough is exactly what they appear to be — the complication, if any, is institutional. A Researcher with Curiosity and Connected probably wants to see what you find as much as they need it delivered. A Criminal Syndicate representative with Secrecy motivation is never the last party with an interest in the outcome.

Ask: Is the patron telling us what we need to know? Roll the Reliability die — Deceitful = d4, Selective = d6, Honest = d8, Thorough = d10, Generous or Connected = d12.

5+: The briefing is accurate.
3–4: Incomplete. The patron didn’t lie, but left something out. Surface a complication mid-job.
1–2: There’s a false layer. Roll Hidden Complication.

Hidden Complication

Roll d6 secretly. On 1–2, roll again:

d6	Complication
1	The item or target isn’t what the party was told
2	A rival party is after the same objective
3	The target is more dangerous than described
4	A jurisdiction has interest in the job: inspectors, soldiers, or bounty hunters
5	The target is alive, active, or fighting back
6	The patron’s enemy knows what’s happening and is moving against it

Don’t reveal the complication upfront. Let it surface as a detail that doesn’t fit — a name that doesn’t match, a sealed container that weighs wrong, an NPC who reacts with recognition instead of surprise.

Rumors

Work that doesn’t come from a patron. Roll d6 when the crew spends time at a starport, cantina, or anywhere people gather.

d6	Rumor	True on
1	A job opening, third-hand — the last crew dropped out	4-in-6
2	Local trouble that’s opened an opportunity	3-in-6
3	A buyer desperate for specific cargo, paying over market	3-in-6
4	The location of something worth having — a derelict, a cache, a contact	2-in-6
5	A warning: a route, system, or port has turned dangerous	4-in-6
6	An old story: a lost colony, an artifact, something that shouldn’t exist anymore	1-in-6

Roll d6. At or below the listed number, the rumor is accurate. Above it, it’s false, exaggerated, or missing the part that matters. A true rumor is a situation, not a contract — no patron, no briefing, no guaranteed pay, but also no one else knows what you know.

Field Oracles

Roll during play when you need an encounter, a location’s contents, or a complication the fiction doesn’t yet provide.

Space Encounters (2d6)

Roll when exiting oddspace or when the GM calls for a traffic check. Apply the column for the system type.

2d6	Core System	Settled System	Frontier System
2	Naval squadron	Naval patrol	Distress beacon
3	Passenger liner	System defense	Research vessel
4	Corporate fleet	Merchant convoy	Independent trader
5	Merchant convoy	Corporate ship	Scout ship
6	Patrol vessel	Independent trader	Mining operation
7	Independent trader	Scout ship	Prospector
8	Private yacht	Mining operation	Scout ship
9	Research vessel	Patrol vessel	Salvage operator
10	Scout ship	Passenger ship	Distress beacon
11	Salvage operation	Smuggler	Pirate
12	Experimental craft	Pirate	Derelict

Encounter posture (d6): 1–2 Aggressive: moving to intercept, weapons ready. 3–4 Cautious: hailing, keeping distance. 5–6 Ignoring: on their own business, will respond to hails.

Starport Encounters (d20)

Roll when the party arrives at a port or spends time in a public area.

d20	Encounter	Hook
1	Familiar ship arrives	Old friend, rival, or enemy aboard
2	Law enforcement patrol	Random inspection or looking for someone
3	Ship repair crew	Offering services or warning of a defect on your vessel
4	Merchant consortium	Buying, selling, or recruiting
5	Pirates, out of uniform	Scouting targets or lying low
6	Refugees	Need transport; have no credits
7	Wealthy travelers slumming	Need discreet help
8	Military personnel, off-duty	Recruiting, celebrating, or drunk and dangerous
9	Journalists	Investigating something; want an interview
10	Religious group	Seeking an artifact or making converts
11	Brokers	Have job offers or cargo leads
12	Down-on-luck spacers	Genuine need or a con
13	Performers or entertainers	Cover, distraction, or celebration
14	Research team	Need transport or local knowledge
15	Dock workers	Information network; know something useful
16	Tourists	Easy marks or innocent witnesses
17	Colonists	Seeking transport or supplies
18	Prospectors	Have a strike or need backing
19	Government envoys	Need discreet transport or protection
20	Patron	Roll on the Jobs tables

Derelict Contents (d66)

Roll 2–3 times when exploring an abandoned vessel. First die is tens, second is units.

d66	Find	Opportunity / Danger
11	Intact cargo	Sellable goods: roll cargo type
12	Ship’s log	Last moments, nav data, or a secret
13	Survivors	Potential crew, passengers, or problem
14	Bodies	Personal effects, IDs, unanswered questions
15	Working module	Functional component worth salvaging
16	Smuggler’s cache	Hidden contraband; someone wants it back
21	Sealed medical section	Quarantine markings; reason unknown
22	Armed intruders	Salvagers or pirates already aboard
23	Active AI	Ship’s computer is running and has opinions
24	Experimental tech	Prototype: may be illegal, unstable, or both
25	Alien artifact	Unknown origin; unknown function
26	Escape pod	Emergency craft, possibly already used
31	Frozen crew	Cryo-pods active; occupants alive
32	Fuel reserves	Usable fuel remaining in tanks
33	Flight recorder	What actually happened on this ship
34	Weapons locker	Small arms cache
35	Locked container	Heavy, sealed, no markings
36	Distress signal	Still broadcasting; how long?
41	Medical supplies	Trauma kits, drugs, surgical equipment
42	Engineering tools	Repair equipment, spare parts
43	Personal quarters	Crew belongings; letters, photos, a name
44	Navigation charts	Star maps, some of them hand-annotated
45	Hull damage	Breaches throughout; vacuum risk
46	Failing power	Systems flickering, life support unstable
51	Infestation	Something is living here now
52	Booby traps	Set by previous visitors
53	Evidence of mutiny	Crew turned on each other
54	Biological contamination	Pathogen, spore, or unknown agent
55	Salvage claim marker	Someone already has legal rights to this wreck
56	No explanation	Ship abandoned in perfect order; no sign of what happened
61	Overload risk	Something in the reactor is about to go wrong
62	Coordinates	To somewhere the crew didn’t want found
63	Military vessel	Classified designation; marked restricted
64	Cult markings	Ritual objects; a community lived here
65	Research data	Scientific files; someone will want these
66	The ship responds	Damaged AI, hostile, and aware you’re aboard

Derelict condition (d6): 1 Days abandoned. 2 Weeks. 3 Months. 4 Years. 5 Decades. 6 Pristine, which is wrong.

Planet Surface Features (d66)

Roll when the party lands on a world and explores beyond the port.

d66	Feature	Opportunity / Danger
11	Crashed starship	Salvage available / Hostile survivors or AI
12	Ancient structure	Alien technology / Unstable ruins
13	Settlement ruins	Historical data / Something still lives here
14	Active volcano	Geothermal power / Lava flows
15	Crystal formations	Valuable minerals / Cave-ins
16	Underground river	Fresh water / Flooding
21	Abandoned mine	Ore deposits / Unstable tunnels
22	Damaged weather station	Shelter / Losing atmosphere
23	Military bunker	Weapons cache / Automated defenses
24	Research outpost	Scientific data / Failed experiments
25	Geothermal vent	Power source / Toxic gases
26	Ice sheet	Pure water / Hidden crevasses
31	Dense jungle	Medicinal plants / Dangerous fauna
32	Salt flat	Landing zone / Heat exposure
33	Canyon system	Shelter from weather / Easy ambush
34	Meteor crater	Rare metals / Radiation
35	Ruins of a port	Old nav data / Contested salvage claims
36	Tar pits	Fuel source / Traps
41	Relay tower	Communications access / Draws attention
42	Monolith	Ancient and inexplicable / Psionic interference
43	Geyser field	Spectacular / Burns
44	Magnetic anomaly	Rich ore / Equipment failure
45	Sandstorm zone	Sensor cover / Abrasive damage
46	Bioluminescent terrain	Beautiful / Attracts predators at night
51	Quicksand	— / Traps vehicles
52	Sacred site	Archaeological value / Local population is watching
53	Battlefield	Military salvage / Unexploded ordnance
54	Underground city	Shelter / Inhabitants unknown
55	Active dam	Hydroelectric power / Flood risk
56	Alien garden	Xenobotany samples / Dangerous flora
61	Shipyard graveyard	Parts for days / Toxic contamination
62	Volcanic glass field	Sharp tools / Cuts equipment and suits
63	Alien garden, cultivated	Someone tends this / Who?
64	Floating terrain	Gravity anomaly / Hard to access, hard to leave
65	Time distortion	Research value / Crew ages at wrong rate
66	Dimensional rift	Passage to somewhere else / Unstable

Solo Play

74XX Oddspace can be played alone. You take on both the protagonist and the world: making decisions as your character, then stepping back to let the setting respond through the oracles below.

The Risk Oracle tells you how much friction the world offers before you commit to an action. The Question Oracle lets the world answer questions you can’t resolve alone (what an NPC does, whether the docking bay is sealed, if the cargo matches the manifest). Sparks give you a prompt when you need direction or momentum.

Trust the results. When an oracle contradicts what you expected, that’s where the story is.

The Loop

Solo play runs on a set of interlocking tools. Here is what each one is for:

Session Structure — the map of a full session from finding work to collecting pay and advancing.
Scene Structure — how to open, run, and cut individual scenes within a job.
Risk Oracle — before you act, roll to find out how much friction the situation carries. High roll means it just happens; low roll means a real chance of things going wrong.
Question Oracle — when you need the world to answer something your character didn’t cause (does the docking bay seal, does the NPC know who you are, is the cargo what the manifest says), ask a yes/no question and roll based on the odds.
Sparks — when momentum stalls and you don’t know what happens next, combine an Action and a Theme for a prompt.
NPC Behavior — what NPCs do when their disposition is unclear; use this instead of deciding for them.
Combat — how enemies behave each round; what makes them break off.
Tracking the Story — what to note between sessions so threads stay live.

For generating jobs and patron offers, use Jobs in the Travel section.

Each time your character acts:

Declare your action. What are you doing, and what do you want to happen?
Assess the situation. Roll the Risk Oracle to read how much is at stake. On 5+, no roll needed — it just happens.
Roll if needed. On Volatile or Friction, make your standard skill roll and apply the result.
Interpret the outcome. Let the result shape the fiction. When you need to know how the world responds to something outside your character’s action, use the Question Oracle.

Session Structure

Each session follows this structure. Skip steps that don’t apply.

1. Find Work

Use the Jobs section in Travel. Choose one:

Generate a patron offer: roll Patron, Motivation, Reliability, Job Type, Location, and Hook.
Check the cargo market at your current world and plan a trade run.
Roll on the Rumors table and follow where it leads.

2. Prepare

Spend time and credits to improve your odds before committing. Ask the Oracle whether intel is available and how reliable it is. Buy gear if you need it. Decide your approach before you roll anything.

3. Travel

Roll Navigate (or Pilot if alone) for the oddspace jump. On 1–2: Crisis. On 3–4: Complication. On 5+: Clean arrival. Then roll on the Space Contingencies table.

4. Arrive

Roll on the Arrival table to find out what’s waiting.

d6	Local Situation
1	Authority checkpoint: inspections, papers, questions
2	Quarantine or blockade: no easy docking
3	Political unrest: curfews, factions at each other
4	Rival crew: same job, same place, hostile intentions
5	Heat finds you: a jurisdiction you wronged has agents here
6	Clean arrival: no immediate complications

If your Notoriety is 6+, always roll on this table and apply the result.

5. Execute

Run the job as a sequence of 3–5 scenes. Use Scene Framing to open each scene and the Twist table when things need to turn.

6. Get Paid

Collect job earnings at the declared risk tier. If running cargo, sell it and take the market roll result. Apply any partial success modifiers from the job resolution.

7. Pay Expenses

Deduct ship payment if due. Deduct monthly living expenses. Deduct any repair costs.

8. Advance

Each character increases one skill and records earnings. Note any Heat or Notoriety gained. Note any new contacts, enemies, or leads.

Scene Structure

Every job unfolds across scenes. Each scene has a purpose and an end point. Don’t linger: when the goal is achieved, the decision is made, or the moment breaks, cut.

Opening a scene: Answer two or three of these before rolling anything.

Where exactly am I?
Why am I here?
What could go wrong?
Who else is here?

Complications: After each scene, ask the Oracle whether a complication occurs. Start with d4 (unlikely) on the first scene and step up one die size each scene after.

Scene	Complication Die
1st	d4
2nd	d6
3rd	d8
4th+	d10

On Yes (5+ on the die): roll on Mission Complications.

Mission Complications (d6):

d6	Complication
1	The item or target isn’t what you were told
2	A rival got here first
3	The cargo or target is larger, stranger, or more dangerous than expected
4	A jurisdiction’s agents arrive: inspectors, soldiers, or bounty hunters
5	The target is alive, active, or fighting back
6	The patron’s enemy knows what you’re doing and is moving to stop it

Twists: When a scene feels stuck or flat, roll d6 for a twist.

d6	Twist
1	Someone arrives unexpectedly
2	Time pressure suddenly increases
3	A truth is revealed
4	Equipment or a module fails at the worst moment
5	An authority or faction takes interest
6	Unexpected help appears

Risk Oracle

Before your character acts, roll to assess how much control you have over the situation.

Situation	Die
Chaotic	d4
Precarious	d6
Manageable	d8
Predictable	d10
Stable	d12

Interpret the result:

1-2: Volatile. The situation is unstable. Make your standard roll, and failure hits hard.
3-4: Friction. Something could go wrong. Make your standard roll.
5+: Clean. The situation is in hand. No roll needed; it happens.

Question Oracle

When the outcome isn’t about what your character does (NPC reactions, world states, things off-screen), ask a yes/no question and roll based on the odds.

Likelihood	Die
Very Unlikely	d4
Unlikely	d6
Likely	d8
Very Likely	d10
Almost Certain	d12

Interpret the result:

1-2: No, and… It doesn’t happen, and things get worse.
3-4: Yes, but… It happens, but with a complication.
5+: Yes, and… It happens, and something else opens up.

Sparks

When you need a fresh angle or you’re stuck, combine an Action and a Theme to generate a prompt.

Action

D20	Action
1	Investigate
2	Rescue
3	Sabotage
4	Pursue
5	Retrieve
6	Expose
7	Defend
8	Infiltrate
9	Negotiate
10	Escape
11	Salvage
12	Intercept
13	Protect
14	Extract
15	Confront
16	Transport
17	Warn
18	Steal
19	Betray
20	Survey

Theme

D20	Theme
1	Derelict
2	Fugitive
3	Conspiracy
4	Contraband
5	Agent
6	Artifact
7	Outpost
8	Syndicate
9	Contact
10	Cargo
11	Survivor
12	Rival
13	Anomaly
14	Station
15	Ruins
16	Mutiny
17	Blockade
18	Vacuum
19	Signal
20	Claim

NPC Behavior

When you need to know what an NPC does, roll a die based on the context of the encounter.

Disposition die:

Context	Die
Hostile situation, bad history with this faction	d4
Neutral encounter, no prior relationship	d6
Friendly situation, good history, or same species/culture	d8

Disposition result:

Result	Attitude
1–2	Hostile: attack, demand, or threaten
3–5	Neutral: watchful, transactional, noncommittal
6+	Friendly: helpful, open, may offer more than asked

For each subsequent interaction in the same scene, step the die up one (d4→d6→d8→d10) if things are going well, or down one if things are deteriorating.

What they do next (d6, after establishing attitude):

d6	Hostile action	Neutral action	Friendly action
1	Attack or escalate	Demand credentials or purpose	Offer useful information
2	Issue ultimatum	Watch and wait	Offer aid or resource
3	Call for backup	Ask pointed questions	Introduce to someone else
4	Attempt to detain	Make a guarded offer	Make a direct offer
5	Attempt to steal or sabotage	Disengage	Share a rumor or lead
6	Flee and report	Reluctantly cooperate	Become a contact

Combat

When fighting NPCs, roll for their behavior each round after the first. The initial approach is set by their Disposition.

Ground combat behavior (d6):

d6	Behavior
1–2	Aggressive: charge, press the attack, take risks
3–4	Tactical: use cover, coordinate, attack from advantage
5–6	Cautious: hold position, retreat if injured, prioritize survival

After any significant setback (a complication or a broken defense), ask the Oracle “Do they continue fighting?” Use d4 for hired muscle or civilians, d6 for soldiers, d8 for fanatics or those with no exit.

Ship combat behavior

Before ship combat begins, roll d6 for the enemy captain’s style. This determines how they act each round.

d6	Style	Behavior
1–2	Aggressive: attacks every round, never breaks off
3–4	Opportunist: attacks if their Agility ≥ yours, flees if losing
5–6	Cautious: attempts to escape first; only fights if cornered

Aggressive: Roll Firepower dice and attack. Always.

Opportunist: Compare ship Agility dice. If theirs is equal or larger, they attack. If yours is larger, they attempt to disengage (Chase roll). After their first broken module, ask Oracle “Do they continue?” with d6.

Cautious: Always opens with a Chase roll to escape. If they cannot escape, they attack once, then try again. After any hit, they flee without checking Oracle.

Morale: After the first module breaks on any ship, roll Oracle for any combatant who isn’t Aggressive:

Military crew: d8
Hired crew or pirates: d6
Civilians: d4

Tracking the Story

Keep a running note between sessions of:

Current world and jurisdiction Heat levels
Notoriety total
Ship status: which modules are broken, fuel state
Open leads: unresolved rumors, promised jobs, outstanding debts
Contacts: who owes you, who you owe, who wants you dead

Between sessions, roll d6. On 1–2, something changed while you were docked: a contact moved on, a jurisdiction’s Heat toward you increased by 1, or a rumored opportunity closed. On 3+, nothing changed.

Appendix

Reading a Generated System

Oddspace delegates system and sector generation to external tools: the Sector Generation System for sector mapping and system profiles, and System Detail Expansion for translating those profiles into planets, stations, habitats, and settlements.

Every generated system produces a SEP profile string, nine characters encoding what the system is and how it functions in the network. Four of those fields translate directly into Oddspace mechanics:

Ac (Access) → Heat. A system with Ac 3–5 is one where a jurisdiction actively controls entry. Operating there is exactly what Heat 2 describes: roll required to dock, disaster means detention or worse. High-Ac systems are where Heat matters most.

Tn (Tension) → Risk tier. Tn 0–1 systems generate routine jobs. Tn 2–3 generate risky ones. Tn 4–5 generate desperate ones. Read the Tn value and declare the tier before the party commits.

Rx (Resource) → Cargo type. Rx = M means raw materials are cheap and available; electronics are scarce and valuable. Rx = B means foodstuffs and textiles are the local product. Rx = X means special cargo territory: unusual, restricted, and worth the premium. Use the Rx field to set what’s on offer at a given world without rolling.

Pw (Power) → Jurisdiction identity. Pw = C means the Heat jurisdiction is a corporation. Pw = H means a hegemonic power; their Heat tends to follow you across systems, not just locally. Pw = A means authority is contested and fragmented; multiple factions may each hold a piece of your Heat record. Pw = V means no jurisdiction and no Heat, but also no law, no services, and no rescue.

The Ni and Nr fields tell you the system’s network role. A Ni 4–5 system with Nr = K is a chokepoint hub: high-stakes, well-watched, where desperate jobs originate and powerful patrons operate with low reliability. A Ni 0–1 system with Nr = B is where you go to lie low, take routine work, and stay off the grid.

License & Credits

74XX Oddspace is based on 24XX by Jason Tocci (CC BY 4.0) and Plerion by Roberto Bisceglie (CC-BY-SA 4.0), which derives from Cairn by Yochai Gal and Spacer by Paul Umbers.

This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0.

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