JONATHAN GILMOUR & DOUG LEVANDOWSKI

An RPG about Interstellar Impulsiveness

Jon Gilmour & Doug Levandowski

TEENS IN SPACE - AN RPG ABOUT INTERSTELLAR IMPULSIVENESS
Written by: Jon Gilmour & Doug Levandowski
Additional Writing: Tim Devine
Lead Copyeditor: Hayley Birch
Illustrator: Heather Vaughan
Graphic Design & Layout: Christopher J. De La Rosa
Playtesting: Serkan Ahmet, Jeremiah Philip Abad, Rey Philip Pacifico
Abad, Bailey Bagheri, Brittany Bagheri, Ana Bajo, Dave Beever,
Josh Byrne, Moreen Carvan, Linda Chan, Teresa Del Pilar, Joe Elmer,
Kristin Devine, Tim Devine, Sean Fitzpatrick, Kyle Kehoe, Paul Krikau,
Alex Kurowski, Zachary Molchany, Ian Moss, Andrew Murphy,
Clint O’Brien, Stuart Osborne, Owl Station A/V Club (Darryl Blake,
Richard Durrer, Gabriel Gellner, and Derek Kinsman), Tony Presnow,
Hannah Reed, Emily Rock, Brooke Sheridan, Glenn Sheridan,
Brett Smoot, Spenser Starke, Joe Truesdale, Amy Vanden Hogen,
Dave West, and Robyn Williams

Renegade Game Studios - San Diego, California

Hunters Entertainment - Burbank, California
www.renegadegames.com www.huntersbooks.com
facebook.com/PlayRGS facebook.com/HuntersEntertainment
@PlayRenegade @OutbreakUndead
@renegade_game_studios

Lot Code #121418-01

ISBN: 978-0-9862872-2-0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Made in China

All text and artwork in this book are

© 2019 Hunters Entertainment LLC, All rights reserved. © 2019 Renegade Game Studios, All rights reserved.

Acknowledgments
We’ve borrowed heavily from Apocalypse World and Blades in the Dark’s
Progress Clocks in creating the Heat Meter mechanic. We’ve also borrowed
heavily from North Sea Epilogues with the rarity/quality chart for cost of
items in “Appendix I - Items”.

Thanks to Luke Muench for his focused, extensive playtesting and rules
feedback. Thanks to Tim Devine for his help with the extended ship creation
and items. And by “help,” we mean that he basically wrote those two
appendices. Thanks to Derek Kinsman for his help with suggesting additional
appendices. Thanks to Jack Berkenstock, Thor Hansen & Nick Sauer for their
feedback on early versions of the rules.

2 TEENS IN SPACE
 Teens in Space

The sound of the photon-powered battering ram echoes in your

ship. Your Sollemnean pilot informs you that the doors have an
83.4% chance of breaking with the next hit. The cyborg dog to
your right is checking and rechecking her enhancements. Your
hand rests on the blaster at your hip as you hear the battering ram
powering up again. As it hits, the sound of metal rending sends the
rest of your crew to high alert. But you smile.

This is going to be fun...

Table of Contents
Introduction ............................. 4 Information for the GM ... 53
Setting Boundaries ................................ 4 Player Safety ............................................ 53
Creating your ship ............. 6 Crafting the Story ................................... 54
Classes of Ships....................................... 7 Planning for Your Games ..................... 56
Faster-Than-Light Travel ...................... 9 Tone & Pace .............................................. 57
Character Creation ........... 11 Failing a Stat Check ............................... 58
Overview .................................................... 11 Changing the Rules ................................ 58
Crew Creation .......................................... 16 Pressure Gauges ..................................... 59
Improvement Points .............................. 17 Appendices
Character Improvements ..................... 17 A — Ship Sheet ........................... 63
Ship Improvements ................................ 18 B — Ship Improvements ...... 64
Narrative Control .................................... 21 C — Ext. Ship Creation ......... 70
Stats ................................................ 23 D — character sheet ........... 72
Stat Checks ............................................... 25 E — Species ................................... 73
Combat ........................................... 37 Information ............................................... 73
Injuries & Death ....................................... 38 Species Summary ................................... 74
Combat Between Ships ........................ 43 Sample Species ....................................... 75
Playing Multiple Games ... 47 Variants on a Species ............................ 104
Spending Credits .................................... 47 F — Tropes ................................... 108
Gaining Additional Improvements ....... 47 G — Character
Restoring Sacrificed Improvements.... 48 Improvements ................. 115
Jumping Ahead ....................................... 50 H — Crew Creation
Other Changes to Characters............. 51 Questions ............................ 119
I — Items .......................................... 121

3
 Introduction
Being a teenager in an intergalactic society is tough, especially when you’re
no longer on your planet. There are a lot of ways to get yourself in trouble
at home, but in the vast reaches of the pan-galactic empire there’s a lot of
room for awkwardness. Some planets use hugs as currency, while others insist
that you fight to the death if you make eye contact with someone. Plus, there
are space-faring mystics, interplanetary police, and warring pirate factions
vying for control of trade routes. But you’ve got a mostly functional ship, a
mostly trustworthy crew to travel the stars with, and enough work to keep
you mostly fed. And your parents said you were stupid to leave home...

Teens in Space is a space opera RPG that uses the “Powered by Kids on Bikes”
system, first used in Kids on Bikes. Kids on Bikes is not required to play Teens
in Space.

Note: Most of this book is written with players in mind and directed towards
them. Gamemasters, all of this information will be pertinent to you too—
we’ve included more information for you at the end of the book, starting on
page 63.

Setting Boundaries
Before starting to create your characters, you and the gamemaster (GM)
should address the kinds of things that the players want to see in the game
and the things they don’t. You’ll already have agreed on the overall tone you
want the game to have, but it’s important to know what narrative elements
might upset players so the group can avoid them. Doing so will ensure that
the game is fun for everyone. To start this process the GM will ask whether the
players would like to talk about these boundaries or, give the GM lists.

If players agree to have a discussion, everyone will talk about what they’re
okay with and what they want to avoid. During this discussion, don’t ask
others to explain why they don’t want certain elements in the game; take
their requests seriously and respect them. However, do feel free to ask for
clarification if you’re unsure of what to avoid.

If players would rather give the GM a list, they’ll write down the topics they’d
like to avoid, and the GM will compile that list anonymously. As with the
discussion, there shouldn’t be any explanation of why players don’t want to
address certain topics.

In addition to the group’s comfort, another factor to consider while establishing

boundaries is where you’re playing the game. If you’re playing in the privacy
of your own home or in a conference room at a convention, you only need to
consider the players’ preferences. However, if you’re in a public place, if you’re
around younger people, or if there are other factors beyond the preferences
of the group, you should consider them when establishing boundaries. In

4 TEENS IN SPACE
general, you should be playing the game in a way that will be comfortable
for everyone who may hear it. For example, your group may be comfortable
using science fiction to address issues of prejudice, but if you’re in public,
everyone who overhears you might not be. Try to keep this in mind and be
respectful to anyone who might overhear your game.

If, during the game, someone accidentally brings up one of the topics that
should be avoided—or if anything that is part of the story is making you
uncomfortable—simply knock quickly and lightly on the table. Your group
could also create a different signal to use that works for everyone. This allows
for everyone to be heard and their feelings honored. Whoever is currently
narrating should simply rewind and proceed down a different path, or you
might want to take a slight pause to allow everyone to feel comfortable
again before resuming play. There is no need to discuss your request to go
in a different direction; the group will just move on with the story in another
direction. If you’re interested in ways to be sure your players feel safe, please
refer to “Player Safety” on page 53.

5
 Creating your ship
Before creating your characters, you’ll create your ship. While this may seem
backwards, the answers you give to these questions will help get the GM and
all the players on the same page about how the game is going to feel. Keep
track of the details you establish in this section on the Ship Sheet, found in
“Appendix A - Ship Sheet” on page 63.

Unless there is a strong narrative reason otherwise, each ship begins with the
following Improvements:
• d4 Manned Turret Guns
• d4 Shields
• d4 Thrusters
• Faster-Than-Light Travel
• Mid-range scanners detecting all visible objects
• Heat Meter of 5

During the first session (or prior to your first session, if you want to give the
GM some time to think about possible adventure hooks), the GM will ask
players the following questions. We suggest that the GM ask each question of
a single player, though players could also discuss these questions, especially
if there’s any disagreement. GMs, as the players answer these questions, jot
down notes, particularly, any films, TV shows, or books that come to mind
which might inspire you for the tone and setting!
1. What do you envision your crew doing in this game? Choose a class of
ship that reflects that. (See list “Classes of Ships” below for examples.)
2. How serious or silly do you want the game to be? To reflect that
preference, consult “Appendix B - Ship Improvements” on page 64
and add an Improvement to the ship that costs 1 or 2 Improvement
Points (IP). (Go around the table and have each player add one such
Improvement to the ship. When it’s your turn to choose one, you may
instead upgrade one already-selected Improvement as long as the
upgrade costs 1 or 2 IP.)

6 TEENS IN SPACE
 3. How do most ships in your universe travel faster than the speed of
light, and how is your ship special? (See below for examples.)
4. How much of space is explored in your universe, and how much of the
known universe has your ship seen, with or without the current crew?
5. What is a conflict that the ship has been involved in? This could be a
large, intergalactic conflict, or a small, more personal one. (Ask this
question twice if you have 2, 4, 5, or 6 players.)
6. Not many teens have their own spaceship, so how is it that your crew
came to be traveling in one?
7. What on the ship is incredibly well maintained?
8. What on the ship is held together with spacetape and a prayer? (Ask
this question twice if you have 4 or 6 players.)
9. What is one story that everyone (either your crew or the public) has
heard about your ship? (Ask this question twice if you have 4 or 6
players.)
10. What is the ship’s name?

Classes of Ships
To answer the first question, we’ve provided you with a list of eight common
classes of ships to choose from.

Ancient Tech
Built by an unknown species, these ships are rare and often unique. This class
of ship holds many secrets and may be highly sought after by many factions,
including warlords, governments, and crime syndicates.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Cloaking Device, Cryostasis Chamber,

EVA Craft, Greenhouse, Medical Bay, Organic Ship

Envoy
Built for luxury, these ships are typically decked out with the finest interiors for
maximum comfort and style. This class of ship is often used by diplomats and the
wealthy, so they’re the prized target of pirates.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Cloaking Device, Engine Upgrade,

Escape Pods, Greenhouse, Remote Control, Rover

Freighter
Built for transporting goods, these ships are relatively bulky. This class of ship is
typically favored by smugglers and often targeted by pirates.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Cloaking Device, Cryostasis Chamber,

Engine Upgrade, Escape Pods, Manned Gun Turrets, Rover, Shields, Smuggler
Holds

7
Prototype
Built for a specific purpose, this ship is the only known one of its kind. As a re-
sult, it may be highly sought after by many factions, including warlords, govern-
ments, and crime syndicates.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Automatic Laser Cannons, Engine Upgrade,

EVA Craft, EVA Suit, Organic Ship, Remote Control, Self Destruct, Thrusters

Science Vessel
Built for deep space voyages, these ships are equipped with the tech and tools
to perform all manor of scientific research. This class of ship is typically funded
by corporations or governments.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Cryostasis Chamber, Enhanced

Scanners, EVA Craft, EVA Suit, Greenhouse, Rover

Scout
Built for short-range or long-range reconnaissance, this smaller class of ship is
typically arrayed with strong sensors and is used by corporations and governments
to gather intelligence in unknown regions.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Automatic Laser Cannons, Cloaking Device,

Enhanced Scanners, Manned Gun Turrets, Remote Control, Shields, Thrusters

Stealth Vessel
Built for covert missions and espionage, this smaller and less noticeable class of
ship is often used on missions by governments or military.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Automatic Laser Cannons, Cloaking

Device, Engine Upgrade, Remote Control, Smuggler Holds, Thrusters

Warship
Built for battle, these ships fly faster, have stronger shields, and wield a variety of
weaponry. This class of ship is often part of military or peacekeeping forces but
is also common among pirates and crime syndicates.

Suggested 1-IP or 2-IP Improvements: Armory, Automatic Laser Cannons,

Cloaking Device, Engine Upgrade, Enhanced Scanners, Manned Gun Turrets,
Medical Bay, Power Armor, Self Destruct, Shields, Thrusters

Each class has suggestions of Improvements to take for the ship, but these
are not requirements. Of course, if your group would prefer something else,
you can always create your own ship! Take a look at “Appendix C - Extended
Ship Creation” on page 70 for more information about how to do that. Also,
don’t worry if there’s an Improvement you’d like the ship to have that you
didn’t get the chance to add yet. Later on in the character creation process,
you’ll be able to add more to the ship!

8 TEENS IN SPACE
GMs, if for some reason you don’t want the players to start with a ship, that’s
fine! You could either wait and do ship creation when players discover it,
adjusting the questions as you need to for the narrative. Or, you could give
each player an additional Improvement Point to spend on their character
when you get to that phase of character creation. However, if you don’t ask
all of the questions be sure that you get a sense of the kind of game players
want to experience, both in terms of the tone, the things that they want to do,
and the level of technology that they want to exist.

Faster-Than-Light Travel
To avoid having impossibly long in-game downtimes when traveling from
one inhabited planet to another, we strongly encourage you to follow our
suggestion and have your ship travel faster than light. Across the sci-fi genre,
there are many ways that such travel has been accomplished, and we’ve
included a few to think about using in your game.

• Convert some kind of incredibly dense or powerful fuel into energy to

propel the ship at incredible speeds.
• Draw from some mystical force that binds the universe together to
power the engine and propel the ship at incredible speeds.
• Fold space itself through some scientific or mystical means.
• Travel through “gates” that are set up around the universe for ships to
travel through. These gates could have been created by society, could
have just mysteriously appeared, or could have existed for as long as
anyone can remember.
• Exploit weird, totally fictional loopholes in physics that definitely
wouldn’t work, like traveling through a black hole or using the gravity
of stars to propel them. As long as you’re having fun, the science
doesn’t matter.
• Push a button and have it work—who cares how!

Other than some elements of the narrative, this answer really shouldn’t
impact the game. The most important thing is that you can travel nearly
instantaneously between planets, no matter how you do it.

9
10 TEENS IN SPACE
 Character Creation
The core of any RPG is the character that you play. In this section, you’ll
create the character you’ll play in Teens in Space, discuss the crew’s dynamics
with the other players, and then put the finishing touches on your character
by giving yourself powers and designing your ship. So, grab a copy of the
Character Sheet, which you can find on page 72, and let’s get to it!

Overview
To create a character, follow the steps listed below:
1. Select your Species and Trope
2. Answer questions about your character, both ones that all characters
answer and ones that are specific to your Trope and Species
3. Answer questions about your crew
4. Assign Improvement Points to your character and to your crew’s ship

Selecting a Species
For a description of the species, refer to “Appendix E - List of Species” on
page 73.

Think of the array of species in Teens in Space like the largest ice cream buffet
you’ve ever seen; even once you choose a flavor, you can mix in anything you
want. You can even combine two flavors. In space, genetics are pretty flexible.

So, if the species are an ice cream buffet, humans are vanilla, the average of
almost everything. Averagely war-like. Averagely smart. Averagely...well, you
name it. As such, all descriptions of species are done in reference to humans.
Since you’re probably a human reading this, that’s probably pretty helpful
to you. And, unless something is clearly different about the species, assume
that they’re like humans: they breathe oxygen, need food, need sleep, and so
forth. If you have any questions about the species that isn’t clear from their
description, talk it over with the GM and come to a conclusion about it.

Those of you familiar with supplements like this one may be expecting in-
depth discussions of each species, complete with minutiae about that
species’s culture, biology, planets, and so forth. In the appendix, we’re taking
a very different approach. In the spirit of Teens in Space, we’re giving you an
outline of the species that you can flesh out as appropriate for your game.
Do you want the Proeleans to have initiated contact with most of the known
species in universe? Great! Want the Sollemneans and the Throggofel to have
a deep-seated distrust of each other? Cool!

As with everything in this game, please make your character and your overall
experience completely your own! Even the outline that we’ve included doesn’t
need to be followed if you’d like to change something. Maybe the cataclysm
that created the Frigoreans just happened. Maybe Neozo aren’t illegal but
highly prized for their cuteness. Maybe the Quillians and Herbaceans don’t

11
share the same planet. Think of everything here as quick-start suggestions,
not gospel.

It is also important to note that each species represents a spectrum of their

traits. Just as some humans are more creative than others, so too are there
Sollemneans who are not as smart as the average Sollemnean. There are
Proeleans who are more peace-minded than the average Proelean. There may
even be a Sollemnean who’s dumber than the average human or a Proelean
committed to pacifism who spends his life brokering peace accords.

Choosing a species doesn’t lock you in to any position on these spectrums.

Ultimately, your Stat Dice will determine your characteristics more than the
species averages will. That said, each species does receive bonuses to specific
Stat Dice, which represent the trend in those species toward various qualities.

Each species also has both suggested Tropes, which we’ll address in the
next section, and suggested Improvements, which we’ll address in a bit. It’s
important to remember though, that both sets are just suggestions. Any
species can be any Trope!

Each Species also has Bonuses and Drawbacks. Often, the Bonuses are an
Improvement that you’ll get for free, but sometimes, they’re more narrative.
Be sure to make note of any Improvements in the Improvements section of
your character sheet and any other bonuses in the Records section. Or, if you
get a +1 to a stat, make note of that in the hex for that stat on the top right of
your character sheet.

Because there are so many species to choose from, it is strongly suggested

that players consult the list before the character creation session to speed up
the process. Alternatively, the GM could give you a shortened list of species
to choose from if that works better for the group.

Selecting a Trope
Tropes are the stock framework for your character to inhabit, from the
swarthy, stalwart captain to the brainy, over-stressed engineer. To streamline
the creation process, we’ve created a set of Tropes for you to choose from.
These will make the character creation process quicker by assigning your Stat
Dice.

Refer to “Appendix F - Tropes” on page 108 for a list of the Tropes in Teens
in Space. Your character can be any age, but if they’re a teen they might
not have fully grown into their Trope yet—or it might be the Trope that they
aspire to.

When you select your Trope, write your Stat Dice on your Character Sheet in
the hex for that stat. For example, if you select the Captain Trope, you would
write d20 under Grit, d12 under Brains, d10 under Charm, d8 under Fight, d6

12 TEENS IN SPACE
under Brawn, and d4 under Flight. Be sure to leave room for +1s if you take
any Enhanced Ability Improvements.

Of course, if you prefer, you can always make your character from scratch,
assigning the Stat Dice as you see fit.

Being a Teen
Even though the game is called Teens in Space, you don’t have to play someone
between 13 and 19 years old. “Teen” is, of course, a very human concept. For
a species that lives for three or four thousand years, a literal 14-year-old may
still be living in a pouch attached to a parent. Rather than a specific age,
think about playing an adolescent in whatever species you choose for your
character.

Across the universe, adolescents share some common characteristics:

• They are close to their full intellectual and physical potential, but
they aren’t quite there yet.
• Though they’re generally almost as smart as older members of their
species, they lack the experience with all manner of decisions.
• They tend to be more reckless and thrill-seeking than other members
of their species.
• Older members of a species are nearly universally wary of adolescents
until they prove themselves.
• Younger members of their species will nearly universally look up to
them and want to emulate their behavior, both good and bad.
• Adolescents are typically exploring their identity and may seem
defiant or resistant. While they might just be questioning taught
norms and ideologies, they might also just be defiant or resistant.

Just as you didn’t need to play a kid in Kids on Bikes, you can definitely play
an adult or even a child in Teens in Space. Don’t let the title cramp your style!
The only thing we insist on is that your character be impulsive, something that
teens are generally very good at.

Selecting a Fatal Flaw

Your Fatal Flaw is the trait that most determines your character’s fate. In
ancient tragedies, the Fatal Flaw is the trait that has helped the hero succeed
in life but that often causes them to get into trouble. Another way to think
about it could be an excess of a good quality, a virtue that sometimes goes
unchecked by rational thought.

Often, because this quality has helped a person to be successful, it has been
reinforced over time. As a result, even if the character knows that, theoretically,
they have too much of this trait, they also know they wouldn’t be where they
are today without it.

13
For example, Jaxza decides that her Fatal Flaw is her lack of trust. When
she was a young pickpocket on Ragnar, her hesitance to trust helped her
avoid getting caught in police raids, helped her avoid getting tricked by
undercover officers, and helped her manipulate her marks. Even now that
she’s gone on a few missions with the rest of her crew, she’s still slow to
trust them, requiring more of an explanation when they want to convince
her that something is in her best interest.

Commando Cat decides that his Fatal Flaw is his itchy trigger finger. He is
certainly capable of keeping his hands off his blasters, and he certainly isn’t
likely to attack his fellow crewmates. However, if he doesn’t know someone,
instead of talking his way out of something, he’d much, much rather just start
firing and sort things out later. This comes from his past; he was created to
be a weapon, so in his young life he was consistently rewarded for violence
by his makers. Of course, it was violence against his creators that allowed
him to escape a few years ago.

Mechanically, when a player makes a decision with bad consequences based

on their Fatal Flaw, the GM should award them 2 Adversity Tokens (AT) for
a failed check instead of 1. Keep in mind that you should balance roleplaying
your Fatal Flaw and working with the group. Don’t let it ruin anyone else’s fun.
If your GM thinks you’re overusing it, or diminishing other players’ fun, they
should not award you AT.

To that end, it’s vital you take care when selecting your Fatal Flaw to make
sure that it won’t ruin other players’ fun, which can happen if two players
have wildly opposing Fatal Flaws or if players lean into them too much. If
one of you is overly cautious and another one of you is impatient to the point
of recklessness, it could make for a fun game with excellent tension at key
points! If players are both intractable, though, it could lead to arguments
between players. To put it another way, arguments between characters can
be a lot of fun, but not arguments between players.

If someone at the table plans to have a Fatal Flaw that you know will make the
game less fun for you (like if you worry that a character who’s dishonest will
make the game unpalatable for the rest of you), let them know that and ask
them to pick another one. If another player asks you to reconsider, please do.
Remember, the game is only fun if it’s fun for everyone at the table, so have
a few options for your Fatal Flaw to make sure that you can be flexible after
introducing yourself to the other players.

Introduce Yourself
Though you’ll want to know what your crew looks like before you put the
finishing touches on your character, you’ll also want to get a sense of who
they are right away.

14 TEENS IN SPACE
Use the following list as a guide to introduce yourself, and feel free to include
anything else that you think is relevant. Share with the other players your:

• Name
• Pronouns
• Species
• Trope
• Species-specific questions
• Fatal Flaw
• What items you always have with you

You can tweak the answers to these questions as you create the crew. For
example, you might decide that you don’t want your character to be the
only one motivated by profit while the rest of the crew is motivated by pure
altruism. (Then again, if you all agree, that could make for a great point of
tension in the crew!)

Answers to these questions will give you an initial framework for your character
that you can develop and adjust as you create your crew. Don’t feel like your
character has to be static, especially if you’re going to play multiple games. A
character might start out motivated by profit but become more motivated by
protecting the rest of their crew after a little bit of time with them.

This is also a good time to start using “I” when talking about your character!
Get into it and start putting your feet in their shoes, moonboots, tentacles,
paws, claws, webbed appendages...you get the idea.

15
 Crew Creation
Even though you can’t always rely on your ship to function the way you
think it should, you can always rely on your crew. Unless otherwise noted,
the following questions are ones to answer as a group. Feel free to provide
multiple answers to questions:

• How did your crew meet?

For example, “Jaxza and her former crewmate Ashma found
Commando Cat right after he had escaped from the lab where
he was created. Pitying him, they let him stowaway with them,
planning to drop him off at the next friendly planet.”
• Describe two moments of tension within the crew?
For example, “Jaxza and Commando Cat regularly argue
over who’s going to pilot the ship, most recently in front
of a client, which cost them a job. Then, later that day,
Commando Cat caught Jaxza gambling with the last of
their Credits and started yelling at her in a casino.”
• What was a moment that you felt truly bonded to the crew? Each
character should give their answer, and it could just be a member
of the crew they feel bonded to—or a common cause that they
share.
For example, “Commando Cat felt bonded to Jaxza when she put
her life at risk to attack Kraxos. Kraxos had just killed Ashma, a
member of their crew, and without concern for herself, she tried
to slit his throat with a shard of glass. The rage impressed him—he
hadn’t known how much Jaxza loved Ashma until that moment.”
• The last time you were at a spaceport, what rumor did you hear?
Each character should share one rumor they heard. And it doesn’t
have to be a spaceport, though those are usually where the best
rumors are found!
For example, “Kraxos is developing a weapon capable of destroying
whole planets from space” or “The intergalactic police are starting
to crack down on smugglers in the region we’re about to head to”
• What job is the crew in the middle of right now?
For example, “We’ve stolen the Orb of Rensalla and now need
to deliver it to Karroon the Meticulous” or “We’ve got all the
intel we need to start our assault on Kraxos’ star destroyer”

16 TEENS IN SPACE
 Improvement Points
Now that you’ve articulated your crew’s dynamics a bit, it’s time to give
yourself some Improvements and your ship some more! In Teens in Space, each
character gets 10 Improvement Points (IP) when creating their characters.
These IP will be assigned either to the character or to the ship.

Each Improvement costs a specific number of IP. By the end of the character
creation, you must have spent all of your IP, either on yourself or on your
ship. Later in the game, you’ll have the chance to gain more IP, which will be
covered in “Gaining Additional Improvements” on page 47.

The Improvements you added earlier to the ship and the Improvements you
gained from selecting your Species were free. No matter what you got before,
you still have 10 IP to spend between you and your ship!

Character Improvements
Each Improvement you make to your character costs a certain number of IP.
These costs can be found in the list of suggested Improvements in “Appendix
G - Character Improvements” on page 115. These Improvements represent
skills that you have or modifications that you’ve made to your body to improve
yourself. It’s up to the player creating the character to determine how they
came by the Improvement, but part of character creation is explaining how
you came by that Improvement. Given the strong narrative focus of Teens in
Space, be sure that you have a narrative reason for having it. GMs, feel free to
push players on this if their reasons are tenuous!

“Gaining” an Improvement means adding a new Improvement entirely.

“Enhancing” an Improvement means augmenting one that already exists,
such as going from +1 to +2 in a Stat.

For example, Commando Cat decides that, when he was created, he was
given cybernetic enhancements that he can use to crudely cloak himself, so
he buys the Stealthy Improvement (2 IP), allowing him to spend 2 Adversity
Tokens to avoid detection within reason. He also decides that he was given
a cybernetic eye that makes weapons targeting easier, this is his narratively
consistent way of gaining the Improvement that gives +2 to Fight (3 IP).
Since he was trained so extensively in combat, he also buys the Master
Blaster Improvement (1 IP), giving him +3 to fight rolls with a blaster. In
total, he spends 6 IP.
Jaxza also takes the Stealthy Improvement but decides that her stealth
comes not from technology but from the years she spend as a street
urchin on Proeleax, blending into crowds after she pickpocketed a mark.
Mechanically, her Improvement is the same, but the narrative behind it is
different. Similarly, she took to the skies at a young age and got good at flying
fast. The self-training she had there gives her the Ace Pilot Improvement. In
total, she spends 3 IP.

17
It’s okay if you don’t spend all of your IP on yourself. In fact, each crewmember
should probably save some for the ship. Otherwise, you’ll all be flying around
in a real junker.

If you don’t see an Improvement that you want on the list, talk with your GM.
They can help you figure out if your suggestion is a good Improvement for
the game you’ll be playing and how many IP you’d need to spend to gain it or
enhance it to where you want it.

If you play multiple sessions, there will be ways to gain more Improvements
and enhance the your existing ones later. This is addressed in “Gaining
Additional Improvements” on page 47.

Ship Improvements
After you’ve spent IP on your character, the crew will work together to
finish building your ship. Using the IP the players have left over, you’ll select
Improvements to the ship. Any Improvement Points not spent are lost - so
spend all of them! If you aren’t sure what to take, refer back to the suggested
Improvements associated with your class of ship on pages 7 and 8.

A full list of possible Improvements to your ship can be found in “Appendix

B - Ship Improvements” on page 64, which you referred to during the ship
creation process. The sheet you should use to keep track of your ship’s details
can be found in “Appendix A - Ship Sheet” on page 63, but you should already
have that started from the ship creation process.

Though IP are shared at this point, keep track of who contributed for specific
Improvements to the ship. When playing the game, those players will be in
charge of those aspects of the ship. If multiple players contributed points to
the same Improvement, they’ll share control over that aspect of the ship.

The character who spends the most Improvement Points on the ship will be the
ship’s pilot—perhaps even the ship’s owner. Narratively, they should have the
most history with the ship, so they’ll get to name the ship. And while all players
will control any Improvements that they paid for with their IP, the ship’s pilot
will narrate anything not associated with those purchased Improvements.

As with Character Improvements, there will be opportunities to get further

Ship Improvements if you play multiple sessions of the game. We’ll address
how that works in “Gaining Additional Improvements” on page 47.

18 TEENS IN SPACE
19
For example, Commando Cat gives the ship automatic laser cannons for 2
IP and gives the ship a small greenhouse for 1 IP, which will grow enough
food to sustain the two of them. Any time the laser cannons automatically
fire on another ship or anything happens with the greenhouse, he’ll narrate
what happens.
Jaxza upgrades the ship’s manned turret guns for 2 IP. She also gives the
ship an advanced cloaking device for 3 IP, paying 1 IP for basic cloaking,
then 2 more IP for advanced cloaking. She’ll narrate how the ship’s cloaking
works when it’s activated. She also decides to give the ship a Cooling
System, increasing its Heat Meter by 1. (For details on these mechanics, see
“Heat Meters” on Page 43.)

Commando Cat and Jaxza each have only 1 IP left, so they pool their IP to
spend the 2 IP needed to give their ship a medical bay. Jaxza, having spent
the most IP on the ship, will be it’s captain. She decides on the ship’s name:
The Valkyrie.

Now, you’re ready to play Teens in Space. Remember that job you’re right in
the middle of?

Optional: Relationships Between Characters

If you plan to play a campaign game, you might want to spend more time
establishing the relationships between your crew. We’ve included questions
about the relationships between you here. Using “Appendix H - Crew-Building
Questions” (both the “Positive” and “Negative” sets of questions) on pages
119 and 120, one player at the table should do the following:
• Take the two lists of questions.
• Choose another character at the table and decide whether you have
a mostly positive relationship with that character or a complicated
relationship with that character.
• Roll a d20 and, using the appropriate list, answer the corresponding
question about that character. (If the question has already been
answered or doesn’t seem to fit, reroll.) OR Choose a question from
the list and answer it about that other character.
• Give the lists to that character and have them repeat the process for
a different character at the table.

Continue until every character has had one question answered about them.
The final character to get the list will be answering a question about the
character who started with the list. If the table wants to flesh their relationships
out even more, your group may repeat this process as many times as you like.
We recommend choosing different characters to answer questions each time,
and choosing a question from a different list so that you have both positive
and negative relationships with members of your crew.

20 TEENS IN SPACE
 Narrative Control
Depending on how many role-playing games you’ve enjoyed over the years,
you might be used to different approaches for the GM (or DM, MC, or any
number of other titles). In many traditional role-playing games, the GM
directs a lot of the action and is almost always responsible for telling players
what happens in response to their actions. With these approaches, each
player is responsible for their own character’s actions, but not for the world
around them.

Many contemporary role-playing games take a different approach, letting

players tell more of the story with the GM as more of a facilitator. Rather than
telling players what happens, the GM will often ask players what happens,
relying on them to co-create the world they’re interacting with. As such, each
player is responsible for their own character’s actions and some aspects of
the world around them.

Typically, Teens in Space takes this second approach. Sure, there will be
times when the GM presents something to the table that’s entirely from
their imagination, but most of the time, they’ll be encouraging the players
to create the story with them, not just describing how your character reacts.
Sometimes, the GM will have big-picture stuff that needs to be a certain way,
but often, the player will have a part in deciding even the big-picture direction
of the story!

Another element that affects narrative control is a roll of the Stat Dice. When
you attempt to do something with one of your stats, the GM will have you roll
the appropriate Stat Die against a number that they tell you. If you roll that
number or over, you succeed! If you roll under that number, you fail. As much
leeway as you and the GM have to tell your story, the Stat Dice might have
different ideas...

21
22 TEENS IN SPACE
 Stats
Your Trope determines how you assign your Stat Dice. The higher the possible
value on a die, the better your character is with that stat. The six stats are:

• Brains: This stat determines how book-smart a character is, as well

as how well they understand and solve intellectual problems.
Likely verbs: calculate, confuse, learn, remember, repair, solve

• Brawn: This stat determines how much brute strength a character

has. It does not determine how well they can fight—just how well
they can lift things and how physically intimidating a character is.
Likely verbs: carry, crush, grapple, intimidate, lift, restrain, throw

• Fight: This stat determines how good a combatant a character is

with whatever weapons or fighting skills you decide your character
knows. While a character with a high Fight stat won’t be able
to pick up a blaster and use it effectively having never fired one
before, this stat will make them good with weapons that they
have experience with. Also, they’ll be able to learn how to use new
weapons and fighting skills more easily if given the proper training.
Likely verbs: blast, cut, hit, shoot, parry, punch, wrestle, restrain

• Flight: This stat determines how fast a character is on their feet

(or whatever they have to move them around the universe). Most
importantly, it determines how good they are at piloting ships and
all other manner of vehicles.
Likely verbs: drive, fly, maneuver, pilot, run, steal

• Charm: This stat determines how socially adept a character is and

how good they are at reading the emotions of another creature or
group of creatures. Characters with a high Charm will be able to
talk themselves out of tough situations and into good ones with
relative ease—within reason.
Likely verbs: convince, entice, lie, seduce, talk, trick, persuade

• Grit: This stat determines how hard it is to break a character

emotionally or physically. It also determines how much physical
damage they can take before feeling it. Characters with a high Grit
will be good at rolling with, dodging, and even taking the punches.
Finally, Grit also determines how “street-smart” a character is.
Likely verbs: brace, dodge, endure, haggle, resist, take a hit, track

The higher a Stat Die is, the better a character is at skills involving that stat
and the more likely they are to succeed when using that stat. While there’s no
guarantee that you’ll roll your maximum, characters will be better able to pass
checks with their higher dice.

23
dice Brief Explanation
Superb — Even upon first meeting you, anyone would be able
d20 to readily tell that this is a strength of yours. You are remarkably
good with respect to this stat.

Impressive — Those who know you would say that you’re pretty
d12 good with respect to this stat, but it wouldn’t be something
that’s obvious during your first encounter.

d10 Above Average — You aren’t remarkably good in terms of this

stat, but you can certainly get the job done, if need be...

Below Average — You aren’t too bad in terms of this stat,

d8 but you’re certainly not good, either. You might occasionally
reconsider attempting things of this nature.

Bad — Those who know you would say that you’re pretty bad
d6 with respect to this stat, but it wouldn’t be something that’s
obvious during your first encounter.

Terrible — Upon first meeting you, anyone would immediately be

d4 able to tell that this is a weakness of yours. You are remarkably
bad with respect to this stat.

24 TEENS IN SPACE
For example, Commando Cat has a d20 Fight and a d4 Charm. He was
created for combat and destruction, so he never cultivated his charisma,
even in the years since he escaped. His skills with a blaster have been
enough to keep close the people he wants close, and they’ve been more
than enough to get him out of problems that some people might try to blab
their way out of.

Jaxza has a d20 Flight and a d4 Fight. As an urchin pickpocket on Ragnar,

she learned from an early age that she had to be good at running from her
marks after she swiped their goods since she was too young to fight the
vast majority of her fellow Ragnarians. And because she stole a starcraft at
a young age and never looked back at Ragnar, she had to become an ace
pilot before she became a teen.

Stat Dice will also be used to resolve stat checks and combat, which we’ll
address in “Stat Checks” on the next page and in “Combat” on page 37.

Stat Checks
While you’re playing, any time you do something that runs the risk of failure,
the GM will set a numerical difficulty for the action. You will then roll the
appropriate Stat Die and check the value of that Stat Die against the value of
the difficulty. If you roll the maximum value of the Stat Die and it isn’t enough
to succeed at the check, your Stat Die will “explode”—meaning that you reroll
and add the maximum value that you rolled the first time to the new roll. Your
Stat Die may explode multiple times on a check—but once you succeed at
that check, it will no longer explode on that check.

Keep in mind that the most you can roll (without the luck of exploding a die)
is 20, and even that number is extraordinarily unlikely. However, that doesn’t
mean that the difficulty can’t be higher than 20 in cases where a feat seems
truly impossible for mere mortals. A lucky explosion or two can make the
seemingly impossible happen...

25
difficulty Explanation & Examples
A task at which only the most incredible could even possibly
succeed—but if they succeed, it will be one of the most
impressive things a creature has ever done. This is a nearly
guaranteed failure.
20 or greater
A skilled mechanic rerouting the entire warp drive of a ship using
haphazardly assembled odds and ends.
A captain lifting debris off of one of their crew members on a
planet with high gravity.

A task where success would be incredible and impressive. This,

too, is a nearly guaranteed failure.

Talking a member of the galactic police out of arresting your crew

17 to 19 when you’re caught red-handed and you don’t have any dirt on
the space cop.
Flying through an asteroid field that has claimed many ships—
without any shields on your ship.

A task where success is extraordinary—but decidedly possible

for those who are truly skilled at it.

13 to 16 Winning a hypercage deathbattle against the current champion.

Someone trained in espionage withstanding aggressive
interrogation at the hands of the galactic police.
A task where success is impressive—but completely expected
for those skilled at it.

10 to 12 Navigating through an asteroid belt with compromised thrusters.

Becoming conversational in a new language in only a few weeks
of focused and immersive study.
A task where success is certain for those very skilled at it—but
not for those who aren’t.
7 to 9
Carrying a fairly heavy, fragile artifact without dropping it.
Knowing where to find a criminal network on the planet you grew
up on.
A task where success is likely for all but those who aren’t skilled
or have a low stat in that field.
3 to 6
Hitting a target with your trusty blaster from 20 yards.
Convincing a lonely bartender to give you a free drink.

A task where success is nearly guaranteed except in extreme cases.

1 to 2
Carrying your travel gear onto the ship.
Remembering where you parked your spacecraft.

26 TEENS IN SPACE
Choosing a Stat for the Check

As in life, there are always multiple ways to solve a problem. If you’ve pissed
off the most powerful crime boss on a backwater planet, you could address
that issue in any number of ways. Maybe you use your Charm to go in and
negotiate a deal with him to get you out of trouble. Or, maybe you go in a
completely different direction and charge in, blasters blazing, with your Fight.
You could even try to physically intimidate his lackeys into telling him back off
with your Brawn. If you don’t feel like trying any of your Stat Dice, you could
always flee the planet before the real conflict starts. In Teens in Space, bravely
and preemptively running away is always an option.

When you’re not sure what kind of check something will call for, you can
always just start describing what you’re doing and the GM will tell you what
check to make. For things like deceit and lying, it’s probably going to be
Charm, but if you’re throwing around a lot of science-y words to convince
space pirates that your ship is unstable, that’d be Brains. If you’re haggling
in a market, that could be Charm if you’re relying on your winning smile, but
it could also be Grit if you’re relying on your experience with black market
dealings. The bottom line is that you should go with what feels right to you
and your GM. If you’re the GM and genuinely can’t decide, let the player use
whichever of the possible Stat Dice would be best for the player.

27
When deciding on the consequences of a stat check, GMs should consult the
following guide:

(Roll +
Modifiers) Guidelines for Failure or Success
- Target

The character succeeds smoothly and easily. Likely, it looks like

the character is just showing off, or that the task is done so
readily that it happens without any effort at all. At the GM’s
+10 or higher discretion, there could be some unexpected positive results
from a success of this degree. As the player narrates their
extraordinary success, the GM should work with them to give
them a few additional benefits.

The character succeeds quite impressively. At the GM’s discretion,

the character might have some additional benefits beyond the
+5 to +9 success, but these will be slight and only occur if important
for pushing the game forward. As the character narrates their
success, the GM may interject these minor benefits.

The character succeeds, but not impressively. They shouldn’t

+1 to +4 gain any benefits beyond the mere success, but they get to
narrate their success.

The character succeeds but just barely. Decidedly, nothing

0 surprising happens—and the player and the GM should narrate
to make this success as skin-of-the-teeth as possible.

The character fails, but not too badly. There might be some very
minor short-term consequences, but these won’t shift the story
for more than a minute or two. These characters have tried and
-4 to -1
almost succeeded, and the GM should narrate the near miss
accordingly. Characters may have some input into the way this
near miss plays out.

The failure is bad but not a disaster. There will be some short-term
consequences that might lead to some immediate difficulties—
but there’s nothing the characters can’t handle if they focus
-9 to -5 on them. Characters have tried to do or have been forced to
do something beyond their capabilities. Unsurprisingly, they’ve
failed. The GM should narrate the failure almost exclusively.

28 TEENS IN SPACE
 (Roll +
Modifiers) Guidelines for Failure or Success
- Target

The failure is profound. There will be consequences for this

failure, likely in keeping with what would be expected—but that
doesn’t mean that those consequences won’t be terrible. These
consequences may strongly influence the course of the current
-14 to -10 play session. Generally, characters should only find themselves
failing this badly when they recklessly bite off more than they
can chew. It is not recommended for GMs to force characters
into failures this catastrophic except when absolutely necessary
for the game’s narrative. The GM will narrate these significant
failures with no input from the character.

The failure is staggering and catastrophic. There will be both

immediate and long-term consequences for this failure above
and beyond what might be expected. These consequences
might lead to serious changes in the course of the long-term
-15 or lower arc of the story—especially because the character should only
find themselves failing this badly through total recklessness or
because the GM has purposefully put them in a staggeringly
difficult situation. The GM will narrate the failure and its
disastrously bad consequences.

For example, Jaxza is attempting to get on to Kraxos’ prison ship to break

Commando Cat out of his cell. She reasons that she could use her Flight
to get close to the ship without being detected. This seems like a pretty
good option, since her Flight is her d20 Stat Die and she has the Ace Pilot
Improvement. Once she gets there, she knows she’ll have to figure out a
next step, but she decides that getting close to the ship is a good start.

The GM tells Jaxza that the Flight check is a difficulty of 15 (tough, but
decidedly possible), so, despite the difficulty, she decides to go for it. She
rolls a 13. With her +3 Ace Pilot bonus, she succeeds, getting The Valkyrie
close enough to the prison ship without being noticed. As such, she narrates
how she barely avoids detection by sneaking The Valkyrie in amidst floating
debris.

29
Planned Actions & Snap Decisions
Although the GM always sets a numerical difficulty, there are two distinct
kinds of stat checks: Planned Actions and Snap Decisions:

• Planned Actions are stat checks when you have time to think about
the best course of action and, perhaps, work with your friends. If
the characters are decrypting an encoded transmission from the
comfort of a hidden rebel base, that’s definitely a Planned Action. Or,
if your character needs to climb up a wall to sneak into an abandoned
factory and has the cover of night and no one in pursuit, that’s a
Planned Action. In short, Planned Actions are when the conditions
are relatively optimal to achieve something.
• Snap Decisions, on the other hand, are choices that have to be
made quickly under bad conditions—and are thus more chaotic and
unpredictable. For example, if your character is being chased through
a cave, checks they make while fleeing in panic will definitely be Snap
Decisions. Or, if the character is under any kind of great pressure,
that would likely be a Snap Decision, too.

30 TEENS IN SPACE
Ultimately, it’s the GM’s call whether something is a Planned Action or a Snap
Decision. Players, though, should feel free to try to convince the GM of how
they can get a moment of calm to make a Planned Action in a setting that
would seem to call for a Snap Decision.

In order to make a check for a Planned Action, go through the following steps:
• Once you decide to resolve a problem with a particular stat, the GM
sets a numerical difficulty.
• Because you have time to think and react calmly, you may either roll
the appropriate die for that stat or you may take half the value of
that stat’s die.
• If the value first rolled is the maximum value of the die and is below
the difficulty level, the roll “explodes.” Roll the same die again, adding
both values together. This may be repeated as many times as you
roll the maximum, though you must stop when you have succeeded.
• After determining whether the die explodes, add any species
bonuses to the roll. Species bonuses will not cause a die to explode.
• You may also discard any number of your Adversity Tokens (earned
after any failed checks), each token adding +1 to the roll. As with species
bonuses, these additions do not count toward exploding the roll.
• Other players may also spend Adversity Tokens to help you with the
same +1 benefit as above, though they must also narrate how their
actions are also helping your cause, and this is at the GM’s discretion.
• If the total roll is greater than or equal to the value set by the GM,
you have succeeded. You and the GM will narrate the success
collaboratively.
• If not, you have failed. The GM will direct the narration with minimal
input from you (the greater the failure, the less input from you).
The more you miss by, the worse the failure. You also receive one
Adversity Token, which can be used after future rolls to increase the
value at a rate of 1 Adversity Token for +1 to the roll.

When things are dicier and you’re under significant stress, you’ll have to make
a Snap Decision. The process works as above with the following changes:
• First, you cannot take half of the value of the appropriate die. You
must roll to see if you succeed since this is a rushed attempt that you
cannot plan.
• Second, although you may spend Adversity Tokens to help yourself,
other players cannot spend Adversity Tokens to help you. There’s no
time for the kind of planning that collaboration requires.
• Third, though you still gain an Adversity Token for either kind of
failure, the GM should make the consequences for failing a Snap
Decision less weighty than failing a Planned Action. Narratively,
when everything’s on the line, the tension is already there, and you
aren’t doing something stupid—you’re just in a bad spot.

31
For example, Jaxza creates a distraction on another level of the ship,
clearing the guards away from the cell holding Commando Cat. She has all
the time in the world to hack the keypad keeping his cell locked, a difficulty
of 7. Since she has the time, she takes a Planned Action with her Brains, her
d12 stat, getting her a 6 exactly. She then spends an Adversity Token to get
to 7, just what she needs. She and Commando Cat are reunited!

Unfortunately for them, hacking the cell sets off a silent alarm. As they exit
the cell, three of Kraxos’ elite guards have their blasters trained on them.
Clearly, this is time for a Snap Decision rather than a Planned Action. Jaxza
decides that her best course of action is to make a run for cover and take
advantage of her ability to hide. Commando Cat decides that, given his
penchant for firefights, he’s going to try to outdraw them and try to drop all
three of them. Given the situation, this too is a Snap Decision. The GM sets
Jaxza’s Flight check difficulty at 8 and Commando Cat’s Fight check at 14.

Jaxza rolls a 16, succeeding by +8 at dodging out of the way, an impressive

success. Since there might be some small benefits, the GM decides she can
narrate her success and a slight benefit. Jaxza narrates how, in diving for
cover behind some nearby crates, she draws the guards’ attention away from
Commando Cat for just a moment, giving him a chance to draw on them.

32 TEENS IN SPACE
Commando Cat rolls a 12, failing by -2 at eliminating all of the guards before
they can fire, a failure with only a slight penalty. The GM narrates how
Commando Cat manages to shoot two of the three guards while they’re
distracted, but the last one regains his focus enough to exchange fire with
him one time, blasting just a bit of fur off of his left shoulder. Commando
Cat isn’t badly injured, though the blast hurts for a minute. The worst part is
the smell of burning cat hair, which, honestly, is pretty bad.

Stat Checks While using Your Ship

Many aspects of the ship have dice associated with them. Your ship started,
for example, with d4 manned turret guns, d4 shields, and d4 thrusters. When
making a check involving the ship, you will roll your appropriate Stat Die
plus the die associated with that part of the ship. The combined total will be
measured against the difficulty set by the GM and results calculated normally.
You cannot take half of the die’s value when using the ship’s dice. They must
be rolled for all checks.

Hereare some common rolls used during the control of a ship:

• Standard flying of the ship: the pilot’s Flight
• Charting the most efficient, safest course: the pilot’s Brains
• Charting the most efficient, safest course along with a sentient ship:
the pilot’s Brains + the ship’s sentience die
• Dodging, deflecting, or taking a hit from an enemy ship, an asteroid,
or the like: the pilot’s Flight (always a Snap Decision) + the ship’s
shield die (Note: the pilot may choose to add their thrusters to this
roll—including the ship’s thrusters die with the other two—though
doing so adds one to the ship’s Heat Meter)
• Dodging, deflecting, or taking a hit from an enemy’s ship, an asteroid,
or the like with a sentient ship: the Pilot’s Flight + the ship’s shield die
+ the ship’s sentience die

If a die is not attached to an Improvement, using the Improvement does not

require a check. For example, your greenhouse and your holodeck don’t
require checks to function.

Co-Control of the ship

When narrating what happens while flying the ship, the player who purchased
an Improvement will narrate what happens when using that Improvement.
When narrating what happens with a part of the ship that was not upgraded,
players should share control over this narration. If multiple players have spent
money on Improvements, players should also share control over this narration.

However, if a player is taking a specific action with the ship, they should narrate
what they do. Whoever mans the guns on the ship, for example, narrates the
use of those guns, rolling their Fight check along with the appropriate die
for that gun. Similarly, whoever is flying the ship narrates what happens with
their Flight checks.

33
For example, Jaxza and Commando Cat make it back on to The Valkyrie and
power it up. Jaxza jumps behind the controls and blasts off, but as they do,
Kraxos’ minions activate a tractor beam to pull it back in. The GM tells them
that it will be a difficulty of 12 to swerve out of the way of the beam. Jaxza
decides to activate the ship’s thrusters, so she’ll roll her Flight (d20) and
the ship’s thrusters (d4) against this 12. She rolls a 10 and a 3 for a total of
13 and gets to narrate how she narrowly veers out of the way of the beam.

Failing a Check & Using Adversity Tokens

In Teens in Space, failing a roll isn’t all bad. First and foremost, it gives you an
Adversity Token (AT), which you can use in two ways:
You can spend one AT to get +1 to any stat check. You may use multiple AT
on a stat check, receiving +1 for each AT spent.
Some Improvements can be activated by spending AT during the game, as
indicated in the description of the Improvement.

In addition to earning you AT, failure can and should push the narrative
forward. Remember, a failed roll means that what the character wants to
happen doesn’t happen—but that doesn’t mean that what happens is bad for
the story. Failures won’t be what the character wants, but they should feel
good for the story and push the group in unexpected directions while you
craft the narrative together.

Though failed rolls related to the ship will narratively affect all characters on
the ship, only the character who made the roll receives the AT for that failed
roll. Also, that character earns only one AT for a failed roll involving their Stat
Dice and any number of the ship’s dice.

For example, during their escape, Jaxza and Commando Cat find themselves
pursued by Kraxos’ forces. Jaxza takes a sharp turn into a nearby asteroid
field and attempts to navigate it safely. The GM sets the difficulty of making
it safely through the field at a 10. Jaxza, however, rolls a 1 on both her Flight
roll and the thrusters roll, a pretty bad failure, even with her +3 Ace Pilot
Improvement. She chooses not to spend any AT to improve the failure and
thus fails by -5, which is a bad failure, but not a disaster. The GM narrates how
one of the ship’s two engines is temporarily damaged when Jaxza swerves
into a smaller asteroid to avoid a larger one. Unable to fly at full speed until
they repair the ship, Jaxza and Commando Cat will have to figure out how
to escape Kraxos’ forces. Jaxza receives an AT for this failed roll.

Exploding Dice
When you roll the highest value of the die and thus reroll (when the roll
“explodes”), the narrative should reflect that you have done something
beyond what you could accomplish on your own. When working with a player
to narrate an “exploded” success, the success should come, in part, from
external forces or just dumb luck.

34 TEENS IN SPACE
All dice in Teens in Space explode, including characters’ Stat Dice and the
ship’s dice. Every die may explode as many times as you roll its highest value.
However, once a roll is successful, further explosions do not occur.

For example, after the ship is damaged, Jaxza decides to land The Valkyrie
on a large asteroid and try to repair the engine. Though she knows her way
around engines, they don’t have many materials on hand, and the GM sets
the difficulty at an 18. Jaxza has d12 in Brains, so taking a Planned Action
means guaranteed failure. Instead, she decides to roll for it, and is lucky
enough to roll a 12, the highest value of the die. She rolls the die again and
rolls a 9 - a total of 19. She narrates the success, making sure that she doesn’t
succeed simply based on her own wits. She describes how she’s working on
the engine when Commando Cat, with his non-stop talking about how they
should have just stayed and fought them all, distracts her. She drops the lug
nut she’s reattaching, which falls, rattling into the engine. The nut hits what
sounds like a small piece of rock, and then there’s a loud whir: the sound
of the engine restarting!! With a stroke of luck, she and Commando Cat are
ready to get flying again.

35
36 TEENS IN SPACE
 Combat
Combat in this game functions in the same way as other stat checks, though
usually, you will be rolling against another character to determine success or
failure. As with other checks, the player making the check can always spend
AT to increase the value of the success or decrease the value of the failure—
and characters who can create a compelling case for how they helped their
compatriot can spend their own AT to help as well.

For combat between two characters controlled by players in the game, it is

important that the GM confirm that both players are comfortable getting into
combat with each other in the game. Because of the possible consequences
of in-game physical violence, if both players do not agree to it, the story will
need to take a different direction.

There are no safe fights in this game. Any time physical conflict occurs, a
character might lose many of their Improvements or even die. Once players
decide to attack each other, a misplaced blow could hit a temple or a throat.
There are no “pulled punches” or “called shots”. Every blaster fight could be
fatal.

Mechanically speaking, all combat happens simultaneously each round, and

no combat should last for more than two or three rounds at the most, even
if it ends in a kind of draw. Most combats should be a single round with the
results determined by one set of rolls.

Each particular action should be considered a round. So, if a character decides

to shoot at something or someone, that’s a round. If a character decides to
pause for a moment to study their surroundings, that’s a round. Of course,
some actions, like hacking into a computer’s mainframe, will take longer than
it would take to fire a blaster or swing a Laserblade. Players and the GM
should discuss how long an action will take, and this might depend on stat
checks. A player can hack a computer more quickly with a 19 on Brains than
they could with a 6. Based on this Brains roll, the GM could tell the other
players that they need to keep the hacking character uninjured for a specific
number of rounds in order for them to be successful.

During a round, two characters fighting each other could deal serious damage
to each other at the same time. They might both land a punch at the same
moment, or they might draw simultaneously and fire. Characters should roll
for what they’re doing during combat, then, based on successes and failures,
the GM and players should narrate what happens.

Physical Damage: Physical attacks are more direct combat, either a fist fight
or non-energy, non-projectile weapons, like swords or bats.

37
Roll the attacker’s Fight against the defender’s Grit (if they’re planning to
stay and fight back) or Flight (if they’re planning to dive out of the way or
try to flee). In most physical fights, both characters will be attacking each
other. Assuming that’s the case, choose one character to attack first; they roll
their Fight and the defender rolls their Grit. Then, reverse rolls; the character
who had been defending rolls their Fight and the character who had been
attacking rolls their Grit. Damage occurs simultaneously, so hold the narrative
results until after both rolls!

Projectile or Energy Damage: Most of the time in the game, projectiles will
take the form of blasters, which are terribly dangerous for all characters.
There are also energy weapons like Laserblades and projectile weapons like
guns, though few guns in space fire bullets.

When projectile or energy weapons are used in combat, roll the attacker’s
Fight against the defender’s appropriate stat (likely Flight or Grit, depending
on whether the character is diving out of the way or taking the shot). If both
characters are shooting or throwing at each other, roll separate attacks and
defenses for each attacker. High differences between attack and defense with
projectiles are much more dangerous than the same difference for physical
combat.

Injuries & Death

During the course of the game, one or more of the characters will likely be
injured. In this game, there are no hit points, but none of you are immortal.
Far from it. Blasters can put a hole straight through you, and Laserblades
can easily cut you in half. In this game, blaster fights are an expected part of
the experience. Try to keep a reserve of Adversity Tokens to help mitigate
potential failures, and ensure you make good use of your Improvements.

If you get into some serious trouble, though, you may sacrifice an Improvement
in order to reduce an attacker’s roll against you to a success of only 1. Whatever
happens to you to cause you to lose that Improvement will have long-term
narrative consequences, but it might be enough to help you get out of there.
The attacker probably won’t stop just because they damaged your cybernetic
arm. If you’re that out-matched, it might be a good idea to run instead of
suffering more damage.

When sacrificing an Improvement, you must sacrifice as much of that

Improvement as you have to buy at any given time. For example, Stat Bonuses
are purchased one +1 at a time, but you pay Improvement Points equal to the
bonus you are going to get. For example, to go from +1 to your Brains checks
to +2, you need to spend 2 IP at once. As such, if you choose to sacrifice that
Improvement, you will drop to a +1 bonus and must spend 2 IP to regain the
+2 bonus. You do not gain any lost IP back to your reserve.

38 TEENS IN SPACE
Note: At the GM’s discretion, even non-energy, non-projectile weapons may
cause damage as though they were, especially if the attacker is skilled. The
narrative results below are guidelines.

Alternatives to Direct Combat

As with stat checks, there are multiple ways to address even physical
problems in the game. While hitting something with a blaster will always be
a Fight check, other checks might come into play. Hefting a shipping crate
to throw at an attacker or seeming impervious to harm by taking a punch
without flinching would be a Grit check. Diving out of the way of fire or just
running for your ship would be a Flight check. Taking a moment to study the
surroundings or defending ship to find something explosive to shoot at or
sizing up an opponent to find a weakness you could exploit could be Brains
or Grit checks. Talking everyone down even after the shooting begins could
be a very difficult Charm check, but if your Charm is high enough…

Usually, though, when the blasters come out, attackers are using their Fight
stat. Don’t get lazy with your storytelling. Even if Brains are your best stat,
you can’t always think your way out of a firefight—and a good GM will push
you to not get stale in your solutions.

(Roll +
Modifiers) Guidelines for Failure or Success
- Target

Defender’s roll Narrative Control: The defender narrates the outcome.

is greater than
or equal to the Effect: Defender is uninjured. The projectiles miss or the blows
attacker’s roll don’t hurt them enough to matter. The ship’s shields easily

Narrative Control: The attacker explains how they attack, and

Attacker’s the defender narrates what they do to mitigate the harm to
roll is greater them.
by 1 to 4
Effect: Defender is hurt, but only temporarily. The laser grazes
them, but they’re okay. The punch stuns them but they can
Momentary shake it off, so they’re likely to be attacked again before they
inconvenience can retaliate. The ship sustains some minor damage. It’s nothing
that you can’t patch up when you’re out of this firefight, but it
might result in your attacker getting a free shot on you.

39
 (Roll +
Modifiers) Guidelines for Failure or Success
- Target

Narrative Control: The attacker explains their attack, and the

defender explains how they respond. The attacker then explains
how this barely mitigates the harm.
Attacker’s
roll is greater Effect: The defender is fairly hurt, and until you get appropriate
by 5 to 8 care, there should be both narrative and mechanical
consequences. The blaster hits them and they need medical
Injured or attention soon to prevent it from causing permanent damage.
damaged They’re dazed and likely concussed, but they can keep going.
Their ribs are going to hurt for a few days and breathing might
sting for a few hours. The ship sustains some damage that you’ll
need to spend some Credits to repair, and at the GM’s discretion,
you might have some penalties to checks until you do.

Narrative Control: The attacker explains their attack, and the

Attacker’s defender explains about how they respond. The attacker can
roll is greater alter any of these details as the defender explains them. Then,
by 9 to 12 the attacker explains how this response fails to prevent harm.

Serious injury Effect: The defender is badly hurt, and there should be serious
narrative and mechanical consequences. The blaster hits them
or damage
dead on, destroying a vital organ. They need professional care
that requires immediately or they’ll die. They’re unconscious and will be
immediate care badly concussed when they wake up, or the bone is broken. The
ship is badly damaged and needs attention urgently in order to
keep functioning.
Narrative Control: The attacker has full control over the first
part of the narrative. They explain what the defender does in
response to the attack—and how ineffective this response is.
Attacker’s roll
is greater by However, if the character has sacrificed themselves for the
13 or more good of the group in a worthy, noble way, the defender can add
how their sacrifice helps the group in some exceptional way.
Death or
permanent, Effect: The defender is dead or quite nearly dead, which is
extensive about as serious as narrative and mechanical consequences
damage get. The laser puts a hole through the middle of their head
and nothing can save them. They’re beaten so badly that
only immediate medical attention can help—but there will be
permanent effects. The ship has a hole blown in it, and there are
likely casualties from the crew. The ship is definitely no longer
operable.

40 TEENS IN SPACE
For example, just before Jaxza and Commando Cat can take off, Kraxos’
forces disable The Valkyrie and tell them that if they don’t teleport aboard
Kraxos’ ship, they’ll blow them to smithereens. Commando Cat smiles and
turns to Jaxza, “Now can we just kill them all?” Jaxza shrugs, not seeing any
other options. As they teleport aboard, Commando Cat arms and throws
a plasma grenade which, with a Fight roll of 14, incinerates half of Kraxos’
guards. Jaxza, with only a d4 in Fight, decides that she needs to dive for
cover and try to figure out a clever way to deal with them. She rolls a 9 on
Flight, more than enough to dive out of the way and get some cover. From
there, she makes a Brains roll (11 on her d12) to determine that there’s some
fuel behind the other half of his forces. She yells to Commando Cat to shoot
the fuel tanks as she takes aim herself.

During the next round of combat, Kraxos draws his weapon and aims at
Jaxza, who has been a thorn in his side for too long. The five remaining
guards take aim at Commando Cat, who is standing in the middle of the
floor with a very large gun. Commando Cat takes aim at the fuel canister,
as does Jaxza. After rolls, the GM determines that three of the five guards
hit Commando Cat; one of these hits is a grazing (attacker’s roll is 1 greater
than defender’s roll), one is bad (attacker’s roll is 6 greater), and one is
fatal (attacker’s roll is 15 greater). Commando Cat decides to spend 2 AT
to lower the bad attack from 6 to 4, making it only a slight wound. For the
fatal attack, he decides to take the damage by sacrificing his cybernetic
targeting system, which gives him +2 to all Fight checks. This sacrifice will
damage it—but not destroy it—reducing the bonus to +1. Narratively, this
means that the first shot grazes his shoulder, causing him to wince and lean
away from the next shot, which also grazes him. The last shot hits just right
to disable his cybernetic eye. Good thing, though: if that had been a real
eye, it would have killed him.

During that same round, Kraxos aims at and misses Jaxza, who is well
covered behind some shipping crates. Her shot, aimed at the fuel tank, hits
dead on, causing it to explode and killing the five guards foolishly standing
next to it. That’s good, since Commando Cat’s roll was a miss. Now, it’s just
Jaxza and Commando Cat against Kraxos…

41
42 TEENS IN SPACE
 Combat Between Ships
Combat between spaceships functions nearly identically to combat between
two characters. Roll and resolve damage the same way. In most cases,
whoever is manning the laser guns (or plasma cannons or photon torpedoes
or whatever the ship is equipped with) rolls their Fight for the attack, and
whoever is flying the ship being attacked rolls their Flight. For smaller craft,
this might well be the same character.

Just as your crew members have Stat Dice, so too does your ship, though
these are purchased with IP at the start of the game and, in campaigns,
later on in its journey across the cosmos. Unless there’s a strong narrative
reason why they don’t, each ship begins with a d4 in Blasting, Shielding, and
Maneuvering. For additional IP (or later in the game, additional Credits or IP),
you can install upgrades that will increase these dice. Keep track of them on
your ship’s sheet for easy reference.

When making a check while you are controlling a particular part of the ship,
roll both your appropriate die and the ship’s appropriate die. For example, if
you’re manning the blasters and attacking a nearby ship, roll both your Fight
die and the ship’s Blasting die. Add the rolls together for your attack roll.
The opposing ship will roll their pilot’s Flight die and the ship’s Shielding or
Maneuvering die, depending on whether they decide to try to maneuver out
of the way of the hit or just absorb it with their shields.

As with physical combat, where any characters near the fight can spend AT
to influence rolls, any characters on the ship may also spend AT to modify
rolls made by any player on the ship, provided that they narrate how they’re
helping their crewmate. Perhaps a quick barrel roll by the pilot brings the
guns into range more quickly than the enemy was expecting, adding to the
combat roll. Perhaps a gunner quickly shot one of the photon torpedoes as
it came toward you, causing an explosion that did less damage than a direct
hit would have.

With ships, too, you can sacrifice Improvements to reduce an attacker’s roll
against your ship to a success of only 1. Perhaps a quick maneuver turns the
ship so that the photon blast destroys the holodeck, not something vital on
the ship.

Heat Meter
As you use your ship, especially in times of stress or combat, you’ll have to
take care not to overheat it. On the ship’s sheet, you’ll note a Heat Meter bar
near the top of the Ship Sheet. From time to time, you’ll need to tick off one
space on the Heat Meter, pushing it closer to overheating, or erase a mark,
cooling the engines off.

43
In general, the Heat Meter increases when you have to push the ship beyond
its normal functions. The Heat Meter doesn’t advance for normal usage, such
as flying at a normal speed or using its daily functions. But when things get
hairy and you need to push your ship to fly faster or raise your shields to
protect you, you’ll be increasing the Heat Meter. Using some Improvements,
such as the thrusters, necessarily increases the Heat Meter each time they’re
used.

If you fail a defensive check, you have the option of further increasing your
Heat Meter to lessen the failure. For each additional Heat Meter increase you
take, lessen the level of failure by one. For example, if an attacker rolls a 14
and you roll a 6 for defense, that would mean that the ship is now “damaged”.
The player controlling the ship’s shields can increase the Heat Meter by an
additional level to bring the damage down to “momentary inconvenience” or
by two levels to eliminate the damage altogether.

44 TEENS IN SPACE
When the Heat Meter reaches maximum capacity, three things occur:
1. You cannot use Improvements that require you to increase the Heat
Meter when using them.
2. Your crew can no longer increase the Heat Meter to mitigate failure
of defensive rolls.
3. The ship will be an easier target. Any failed defensive rolls immediately
increase to the next level. For example, if a defensive roll fails by
3, instead of a “momentary inconvenience” the attack would cause
“damage”. You may still sacrifice Ship Improvements to reduce the
consequence of the failure to a roll of 1, “momentary inconvenience”.

Each hour during which the ship experiences only normal use, which does
not include any time spent in Faster Than Light travel, reduces the ship’s Heat
Meter by one. Alternatively, after an hour of being completely powered down,
the ship’s Heat Meter drops to zero. The Heat Meter does not decrease at all
if it is only powered off for part of that hour. Be careful, though: a ship whose
Heat Meter is at half capacity or greater when it’s powered down cannot be
turned back on for an hour.

For example, after Commando Cat and Jaxza narrowly defeat Kraxos, they
hasten back to The Valkyrie. With a few flipped levers, they turn off the
beam disabling the ship, and they power The Valkyrie back up. Just as they
get the ship going, a few of the remaining guards notice they’re trying
to leave and rush to their fighters to chase them into space. Commando
Cat gets to the guns as quickly as his feline legs will carry him, and Jaxza
desperately tries to zip far enough away from Kraxos’ ship to get into warp
drive. Commando Cat has an excellent Fight roll (even with his damaged
cybernetic targeting system!) and a pretty good roll for the ship, which has
decent guns. The total is quite a bit higher than the targeted ship’s Shielding
roll plus that pilot’s Flight roll; Commando Cat laughs as he blasts a hole in
the fighter ship’s cockpit and blasts the pilot into space. “This is what I was
made to do, Jaxza!!!” he shouts and takes aim at another. He advances the
ship’s Heat Meter by one.

Before he can take aim at another enemy ship, Jaxza realizes that if Kraxos’
ship gets its massive plasma cannons online or if Kraxos gets to his ship and
comes after them, they’ll be in serious trouble. She takes advantage of the
cover from the debris and turns the ship to open space, easily making the
check with a combination of her Flight roll and the ship’s Maneuvering roll.
She advances the ship’s Heat Meter by one. “Well, this is what I was made
to do!” she shouts as she puts her hand on the warp lever. “Hold on to your
fuzzies!” she shouts, throwing the lever forward, catapulting the ship to
twice the speed of light in a matter of seconds, and taking them far, far from
Kraxos and his minions. She advances the Heat Meter by one more.

45
46 TEENS IN SPACE
 Playing Multiple Games
If you finished one game of Teens in Space and are hungry for more, you can
always continue your adventures using the same characters and furthering
some of the same conflicts. Maybe the Loricatorean king you stole the
crown jewels from is now out for revenge. Maybe the planet you saved from
destruction has another job for you. Ultimately, that’s up to the GM and you,
the players.

If you do decide to play a campaign of Teens in Space, here are some elements
to consider to make sure that your games progress.

Spending Credits
Most of the explored cosmos uses Credits, a universal system of currency.
Even on planets where the population barters internally, you’re sure to find
traders at spaceports willing to give you tradable items for currency and vice
versa, though usually for a hefty upcharge.

At the start of the game, each character should have 100 Credits. GMs will
generally want you to start the game interested in finding work; it’s part of
why you start the game in the middle of a job. And, across the universe,
“We’re in dire financial straits” is usually a pretty good reason to need work.

As the game continues, you may acquire more Credits. You might even
acquire what some might describe as “a whole lot of scratch”. However,
always remember that more Credits makes you and your friends a target for
all manner of crimes, from direct theft to kidnapping to attempted murder.
Although Credits can get you out of a lot of bad situations, having too many
of them can get you wrapped up in a lot more.

Credits are stored via the unhackable (at least so far) Intergalactic Commerce
Network, called ICN or “Icing”. Transfers are easy, and you’d rarely find a location
so remote that transfers aren’t functionally instantaneous. Most folks in the
universe, even the most technologically averse, carry a device to manage their
Credits. It’s hard to leave home, and nearly impossible to leave your planet,
without it. As such, unless something has gone fundamentally wrong with the
ICN, transfers are always as easy as handing over cash is on Earth.

Every planet will have ample opportunities for characters to spend Credits,
though the more remote the location, the more expensive the items will be.
GMs, for guidelines for pricing items, please refer to “Appendix H - Items” on
page 121.

Gaining Additional Improvements

While there isn’t traditional “leveling up” in Teens in Space, you can gain new
Improvements and enhance ones you already have, both for yourself and
for your beloved ship. In “Appendix G - Character Improvements” on page

47
115 and “Appendix B - Ship Improvements” on page 64, there are costs in
Improvement Points associated with each Improvement. Between the action
of games, you can get Improvements for yourself or your ship.

However, when this occurs is up to the GM. Depending on the situation you
find yourselves in at the end of a mission, it might not make sense to have
access to further Improvements. At the end of each game in a campaign, it’s
suggested that the GM award you up to 2 IP: 1 IP for making the game more
fun for everyone else at the table and 1 IP for roleplaying your character well.

You can certainly bank your IP for future use, perhaps saving for a few games
in order to get a more expensive Improvement or perhaps saving them
because there isn’t an opportunity to get the Improvement you want at this
point. You may also pool your IP for Improvements to the ship, in which case
Improvements would be co-controlled by those of you who pooled their
resources to acquire that Improvement.

The more IP the Improvement costs, the harder it will be to find someone
who can make that Improvement. Many tinkerers will charge you, though how
much they charge is up to the GM and how much work you’re willing to do for
them before they make the Improvement. While most spaceports would have
a machinist who can build a neural implant to give you a +1 to your Brains
checks for some Credits, finding anyone skilled enough to enhance an neural
implant from +5 to +6 might be an adventure in its own right and will likely
cost you quite a few Credits. In general, GMs will make you pay between 100
and 1000 Credits per IP. The following factors will push the Credits per IP
ratio higher:

• The higher the IP cost of the Improvement

• The more notorious or wanted by dangerous forces you are
• The nastier you are to the person doing the Improvement

Restoring Sacrificed Improvements

As discussed in “Injuries and Death” on page 38, you might have sacrificed
an Improvement to prevent life-threatening damage. If you want those
Improvements back, you’ll need to buy them back, either by converting
Adversity Tokens to Improvement Points or by spending Credits, as discussed
in the previous section.

At the GM’s discretion, if the job you were doing before was for a powerful
entity, they might be willing to help you with the cost of restoring yourself,
though it will always cost you the same IP. If you pulled a job for an entity
powerful enough to help you restore a sacrificed Improvement, they might
put you in touch with someone who can fix it at a discount. Restoring an
Improvement always costs you half the IP it would to gain or enhance it,
rounded up. Your Improvements aren’t hit points to be fully restored after a
day or two of rest, so choosing to sacrifice them should hurt.

48 TEENS IN SPACE
For example, after narrowly escaping Kraxos, Commando Cat and Jaxza
return to Hulbothar, the planet where Jaxza has a small space villa. They
looted a container of fuel crystals from Kraxos’ ship, and they’re able to sell
it off for 20,000 Credits. Fuel crystals are expensive, after all.

Jaxza decides to spend IP to make herself stronger. To get a +1 to her Brawn,

she would need to spend 1 IP to do so. The GM decides that she finds a
cyberneticist who’ll do that work for 150 Credits.

Commando Cat asks the same cyberneticist to repair his cybernetic eye,
which was damaged in the battle with Kraxos. He decides that, while the
cyberneticist is at it, he’ll have him upgrade the eye as well, taking it from
where it is currently (Fight +1), past the restoration (Fight +2), and into an
upgrade (Fight +3). The restoration costs him 1 IP, and the upgrade costs
him 3 IP, for a total of 4 IP. The work is expensive, though, costing him 1,000
Credits, but he decides it’s well worth it to take a better shot at Kraxos next
time.

49
 Jumping Ahead
Even in the nearly lawless wilds of intergalactic space, you won’t be jumping
from one major adventure to another without any breaks. Sometimes, you’ll
have a few boring jobs before another big one happens. Sometimes, it’s just
flying to one part of the galaxy to find a reclusive cyberneticist who’ll fix up
your badly damaged arm. There’s no need to roleplay all of these adventures.
Focus on the fun!

...but try not to skip over too much time. It’s science fiction, so use hand-
wavy stuff like wormholes and spacegates and warpspeed to get things done
quickly. Remember, if you spend two years doing something that you don’t
roleplay, you’re skipping over two years of working together and getting to
know each other. Try to find the fun in even the little stuff, and remember that
being an impulsive teenager makes even mundane tasks difficult sometimes.

Lastly, skipping a bunch of time isn’t a way to earn Credits. Any adventure
that’s bland enough to skip over completely isn’t dangerous enough to earn
you more Credits than you need to survive.

If you decide to skip more than a few weeks of in-game time, things might
happen to your crew, even during times of relative quiet. Between gaming
sessions or at the start of your next session, the GM should ask players a few
of the following questions (or questions like them), ultimately to answer the
broader question “What happened during this time?”:
• What new folks did you meet during this time?
• Who’s a new friend you met? Who did you piss off ?
• What part of the ship is showing its age?
• What trivial argument did two or more of the crewmembers get into?
• What rumor did you hear about [some ongoing part of the campaign]?

50 TEENS IN SPACE
 Other Changes to Characters
Characters should change and evolve over time, not only gaining additional
Improvements and Credits. As appropriate, a player and a GM might agree
that a character has seen the danger of their Fatal Flaw, and this might result
in their not having this flaw anymore. On the other hand, if their reckless
following of their impulsive nature seems to have worked out pretty well for
them, they might become even more willing to follow their Fatal Flaw, even
when it seems like a truly terrible idea to do so.

If a player and GM agree that a character has seen the danger of their current
Fatal Flaw, there are a few options.
• They might agree that while the player has seen the danger, they
might not be free of their flaw quite yet. If so, the character should
be careful to avoid acting according to this Fatal Flaw in the next
game.
• They might agree that the character is good at avoiding acting
according to their Fatal Flaw. If so, they should think carefully
about whether the character is really free of flaws or if they’ve just
swapped one for another. A character who realizes they’re being too
willing to go in blasting, for example, might swing too far in the other
direction and seek peaceful solutions even where there are none.
That character might have found a happy medium, though. The
player and GM should discuss whether the character needs another
Fatal Flaw. Remember, having no Fatal Flaw means that there is no
more opportunity to gain bonus AT for unwise actions.
• The bonds that characters form can be weaknesses, too. Even if a
character learns that they should trust more easily, for example, they
may have become overly protective of a crewmate that they nearly
lost. An unwillingness to let a friend put themselves in danger could
be a Fatal Flaw, too.

51
52 TEENS IN SPACE
 Information for the GM
Thank you for facilitating your friends’ experience with the game! In this section, you’ll
find some advice for how to best make that happen. If you’re an experienced GM,
much of this might cover things you already know. If you’re reading a section you feel
like you know a lot about, feel free to skip it!

Player Safety
A key part of any role playing experience is pulling players out of their comfort zones
and, often, forcing them to make difficult decisions for their character. Will Thragrax
fight against a Ragnarian general he once respected to save an innocent planet—or will
he let her destroy it, knowing that to cross her is to be shunned from his home planet
forever? At the same time, as discussed in the “Setting Boundaries” section, you don’t
want to address any issue that players have agreed are out of bounds. So where’s the
line between pushing players and overstepping the agreed-upon boundaries?

Our suggestion is to make sure that you’re steering clear of the topics players have
agreed to avoid. If players feel strongly enough about them to mention them at the
start, it might make them nervous to even approach them. However, if that conversation
doesn’t happen at the beginning of the game or if something new comes up, we
encourage you to pause the game, talk through it, set new boundaries if necessary,
and then continue.

Even if you’re using a method to ensure that players have the chance to stop anything
they’re finding unpleasant, don’t hesitate to take a step out of the game to make sure
that everyone is still okay with things. When players get caught up in the story, they
can sometimes roll right into things people find troubling, even if those things were
covered in the discussion of boundaries. If it seems like this might be happening, it’s a
good idea to pause, check in with everyone, and either continue or adjust as needed.

For example, some conflict between characters will help to drive the story and create
tension. However, if there is increasing tension at the table and players—not just
characters—seem to be getting frustrated with each other, it’s a good idea to make
sure everyone’s still enjoying themselves.
• Brie Sheldon’s Script Change Tool: When something players want
to avoid is occurring, they say “rewind,” “pause,” or “fast forward.”
“Rewind” means that a player is telling the group they want to go
back a bit and head in a different direction to avoid elements they
don’t want in the game. “Pause” means that a player needs a break
but that the game may continue in the same direction it was going.
“Fast forward” means that a player wants to skip over a part of the
game—that they’re okay with the event happening in the world of
the game, but they’re not okay in hearing it described or playing it
out. More information on this tool can be found with a quick internet
search!
• Ron Edwards’ Lines & Veils: Rather than only establishing firm “off-
limits” topics at the start of play, players can address issues as they
come up, drawing a “line” (a topic that a player does not want to
address in the game) or drawing a “veil” (a topic that can occur
in a game so long as it is “off camera”, similar to the fast forward

53
 described above). This method is best used with players who are
comfortable enough with each other and with roleplaying to pause
the game and address issues as they arise. It comes from Edwards’
2003 game, Sex & Sorcery, and more information can also be found
online!

There are numerous other approaches to making sure that everyone at the
table feels safe and enjoys their experience. We encourage you to use whatever
techniques work best for your group and to adapt them as necessary.

Crafting the Story

In Teens in Space, the expectation is that you won’t have to do a bunch of prep
work before the game begins. That means a lot of thinking on your feet and
asking for players’ input. At the start of the game, players answered questions
about themselves and their crew. We’ve relisted the questions below and
offered some suggestions for what to do with the answers.
• “What do you envision your crew doing in this game?” The way to
use this question is pretty direct. If players want to pull heists, let
them pull heists! If they want to fight pirates, let them fight pirates!
• “How do most ships in your universe travel faster than the speed of
light, and how is your ship special?” In addition to giving you a sense
of how the players want technology in the universe to work, what
makes the ship special can be a really good way to come up with
story ideas. If there’s something special about the ship, there could
be a lot of people after it…
• “What is a conflict that the ship has been involved in?” Just because
a conflict was in the past doesn’t mean that it’s resolved. If the crew
was part of a battle, there could be people out to get them for
their involvement in that. If they were part of a rebellion, the forces
they fought against could have regrouped and be coming back for
revenge.
• “Not a lot of teens have their own spaceship, so how is it that you
came to be traveling in one?” Players will have to get creative to
think about how they got their young hands on a spaceship, so this
can be a great place to encourage storytelling both at the time and
later. If the spaceship was a gift, does the giver expect something in
return later? If the ship is so they can do something specific with it,
what happens when that job is finished? And, of course, if the ship
was stolen, who wants it back—and what are they willing to do to
reclaim it?
• “What on the ship is incredibly well maintained?” and “What on the
ship is held together with spacetape and a prayer?” While both of
these questions might not generate overarching narratives for your
players, they can certainly be things that go wrong if they roll very
poorly with their ship—or go right if they roll very well. They’re also
elements you can use to ratchet up tension at key moments—or to
bail them out when they need the helping hand of fate.

54 TEENS IN SPACE
• “What pushed you to leave your home planet to explore space?”
If the player fled some sort of trouble, that trouble might come
looking for them. Or, something might force them to return to
confront that trouble, perhaps to protect someone they cared about
or perhaps to finally confront the problem. If the player was looking
for something (either an object or a feeling), it might be good to
help them try to find it—or at the very least lead them toward that
thing they’re looking for.
• Other species-specific questions While these are too numerous and
varied to give guidance for each, generally speaking, take a look
at the questions and think about where some particular points of
tension or interest might arise, especially in ways that the character
differs from the majority of their species. For example, a Pugnarean
pacifist would give you a lot of options for interesting stories…
• Trope-specific questions Again, these questions are too sundry to
address all of them, but think about any interesting elements that
come up as players are answering them. This can be especially true
of the advice that a parent or mentor gave them, as in answering
that question, the player will often reveal quite a bit about their
relationship with that figure in their life. Relationships are great
things for GMs to exploit!
• “What is your Fatal Flaw?” Thinking about the Fatal Flaws that your
players shared with you, what are some situations where those will
come into play? Remember, your goal isn’t to force your players to
make bad decisions and then kill them, but you do want to give them
to opportunity to roleplay. Some situations where they come into
conflict because of their flaws should be good for the game.
• “Describe two moments of tension within the crew.” Even though
players are sharing a time in the past when there was tension, this
could give you some ideas for how to create similar moments in the
future. Putting the group in situations where that tension will bubble
to the surface is a good idea, and there’s nothing wrong with having
one of the sides of the tension be right. Make sure that one player
isn’t feeling picked on. If one player was right last time, think about
making another player right next time.
• “What was a moment you felt truly bonded to the crew?” If they have
a mutual goal, this is something that they’re likely to want to pursue,
and you should let them, though not every adventure has to relate
to their mutual goal. If there’s an individual that they all care about,
adventures surrounding that individual will have high stakes for the
players. An adventure could relate to that individual in ways that
only become clear once they’re already neck deep in the adventure.
• “The last time you were at a spaceport, what rumor did you hear?”
This is a great way to get the players involved in the kinds of things
that you’ll throw at them later. Listen for one that has everyone
ooh-ing and ahh-ing and you’ll know you’ve got a good rumor. That
doesn’t mean it’s true, though. Sometimes, rumors are only part of

55
 the truth—and sometimes they’re outright fabrications.
• “What job is the group in the middle of right now?” At the start of the
first game, this is the only thing you really need to get going! Think
about a great moment to throw them into the action, a point of high
tension and a place where they’ll have to do some quick thinking and
lucky rolling.

As you start to think about these possible hooks and points of tension, you’ll
start to see directions to take the story. That’s good! You don’t need to
narrow it down to just one, and you can dangle hints at a few different ones
and see which direction players take. With the shared narrative control, it’s
important to let the non-GM players also have a strong role in the direction
that the story takes. So if you’re feeling stuck in where to take the story to
make it interesting for players, ask your players questions—even very open-
ended ones, like, “Who are you surprised to find stowed away on the ship?”
or “When you open the crates you’ve been hired to ship, what do you find?”
You don’t have to do all the work setting up the story!

Planning for Your Games

Some games require GMs to spend hours of time planning and balancing
encounters, creating maps of dungeons and towns for characters to explore,
and creating a deep pool of NPCs for your characters to interact with. In
Teens in Space, you can take a much more laid-back approach.

If doing a lot of planning is something that you enjoy, then by all means, plan
away! But Teens in Space is intended to be a game that you can GM largely off
the cuff, asking players questions if you get stuck, and developing the story
in tandem with the players. Certainly, if there’s a big reveal that you want to
set up for, you may want to plan a bit for that. But for the most part, you can
always go with the flow.

Because of that, we don’t think it’s necessary to make a map of the explored
cosmos, of every planet in that cosmos, and of every spaceport they might
come to. If you get into a pinch and need a name quickly, we’ve included
common surnames in the species descriptions in “Appendix E - Species”
on page 73 and given an explanation of how to calculate costs for items in
“Appendix I - Items” on page 121.

The same is true about deciding ahead of time how many species there are
in the universe and what the major conflicts will be. If you have a great idea
for something, awesome! If you’re comfortable with playing to find out what
happens without much planning, that’s great, too!
Bottom line, unless you really enjoy detailed planning, there’s no reason to do
that for Teens in Space!

56 TEENS IN SPACE
 Tone & Pace
One of the most difficult aspects of GMing is keeping consistency for the
players without the game getting boring. There are two key elements that can
be particularly difficult: tone and pace.

With respect to tone, players will discuss at the beginning of the game
whether they want a serious game, a silly one, or something in the middle.
Keep in mind that, especially in campaign-style games, having only serious,
morose characters glumly struggling against the forces of evil can get old.
So too can a cartoonish hodge-podge of characters absurdly galavanting
through unrealistic scenario after unrealistic scenario. Figuring out what the
right balance is part of the art of GMing.

The same is true of the pace of the game. The universe you’re helping to create
will feel disjointed if it throws the players right into a conflict with a god-like
enemy the size of a planet (or maybe literally a planet) at the beginning of
their first adventure. Spending twenty hours establishing characters and their
relationships before they get even a hint as to any central conflict, too, will
get boring. Again, variety is vital.

As a result, GMing often relies heavily on your ability to read the group and
adjust the tone of the game. Here are a few suggestions that have generally
worked for us in the past:
• Don’t feel like you have to roleplay everything that happens in the
world of the game. If the characters are flying for a few hours to
a nearby system, you don’t need to have the characters narrate
their conversation for those hours. If the characters are going their
separate ways for a little bit, you can have them give quick snapshots
of what they did during that time. Don’t feel like every moment has
to be accounted for.
• Encourage players to tell you whether they want more or less of
something, both before games and even during sessions. If the
group is getting bored with the way the current game is going, work
to give them more of what they want.
• Even more, encourage players to actively push the narrative toward
what they want. In Teens in Space, players have control over more
than just their characters’ reactions, so if they want some action to
happen, let them make that action happen.
• If players seem to want different things, feel free to pause the game,
discuss what’s happening on a meta level, and then step back into
the game. For example, if Atith is really enjoying the slower-paced
role playing but Nneka wants some action, discuss this. Is there a
way for both of them to get what they want, or can one of them
agree to hold off on what they want in exchange for more of that
later on? Trust your players’ maturity.
• After particularly intense sessions (or parts of sessions), try to give
the players a bit of a break. You’ve probably noticed in movies

57
 that after big action scenes there’s usually a bit of lull—especially
if a character has suffered a big loss. Not only does this give the
audience a break from frenetic action, it also gives them time to
process what the loss means going forward. Especially in a game
where you want your players to take ownership of the direction of
the story, you need to give them time to think about what big events
will mean going forward. However, you also don’t want to jump from
a loss in the party to screwball comedy. Again, a big part of GMing
is reading the room.
• You’re a player in the game, too. If you’re enjoying the pace and the
tone, chances are the group is, too. When in doubt, just ask the other
players if they’re enjoying themselves as much as you are.

Failing a Stat Check

One of the key differences between Teens in Space and role-playing games
that focus exclusively on combat is that, as in all stories, failure isn’t necessarily
bad. While it certainly means that the thing the character was trying to
do doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean that players have failed. Think back to
the source material that you’ve enjoyed and that you’re probably drawing
inspiration from to run the game. In those stories, the characters don’t always
succeed at what they’re trying to do right off the bat. If they did, it wouldn’t
be a very interesting story. So when players aren’t successful, remember that
this is an opportunity for creativity on their part (and, if necessary, on your
part) to approach the problem from another angle. It is also a chance for the
story to take an unexpected twist. Encourage your players to fail forward, and
make sure that failures don’t feel like dead ends!

For example, if Jaxza and Commando Cat are trying to sweet talk their
way into a space casino despite not having the Credits to get in, they’d
make Charm checks. If they succeed, they’re in! But if they fail, maybe they
decide to sneak in through the kitchen. Along the way, perhaps they find an
item that will come in handy later. Or, maybe they have to bribe one of the
waiters there to get uniforms, further decreasing their reserve of Credits.

Changing the Rules

The purpose of playing is to make sure that everyone has fun and, with that
in mind, if there’s something that would make it more fun for your group, we
encourage you to add, alter, or discard rules to make Teens in Space the best
experience it can be for you and your players.

Small changes, though, can have big consequences—so while it’s not
possible to imagine all of the possible ripple effects, try to imagine them.
If you do change something and a clever player figures out an unexpected
exploit, feel free to either tell them not to do that, to change the rule back,
or to tweak it again.

58 TEENS IN SPACE
 Pressure Gauges
If you aren’t comfortable with how to pace the game and establish and maintain
tension, one possible tool for you to use with your players is Pressure Gauges.
We’ve adapted from another great game, Blades in the Dark, where they’re
called “Progress Clocks”. In Teens in Space, Pressure Gauges keep track of
how close a bad event is to happening in the world of the game, either in
the short term or the long term. Generally speaking, you’ll create a Pressure
Gauge with a number of levels, and when all of those levels have been ticked
off, whatever bad event the Pressure Gauge was monitoring occurs.

In the short term, you might create a Pressure Gauge when the characters are
in disguise and trying to pass themselves off as nobility at a high-brow party.
Each time they succeed in bluffing their way through the party, the Pressure
Gauge stays right where it is. But each time they fail a Charm check, make
a bad gaff, or, if you want, just as more time passes, the Pressure Gauge will
advance one level. Alternatively, you might create a Pressure Gauge if the
ship is undergoing some stress not covered by its Heat Meter, like if an enemy
is trying to breach the hull or pull the ship in using a tractor beam. In both of
those cases, just the passage of time should definitely be enough to advance
the Pressure Gauge.

In the long term, you might create a Pressure Gauge if the Big Bad is working
on a nefarious master scheme. At the end of each session, you should decide
if the players foiled the Big Bad’s plans or if the Pressure Gauge should
advance. Another good example of a long-term Pressure Gauge would be
how aware the corrupt government is of the crew working to foil their plans.
At the start, they’re just interstellar nobodies, but the more dramatically the
crew frustrates the government, the more aware that government is.

Sometimes, a Big Bad’s plan may have multiple parts, meaning that you set up
multiple Pressure Gauges that, ultimately, form a long-term Pressure Gauge
when taken together. As each stage completes, you’d tick off a level in the
long-term Pressure Gauge, bringing their ultimate plan closer to fruition.

In all cases, it may be inevitable that the Pressure Gauge eventually gets to full
and the event occurs. For example, a crew who gets more and more powerful
in resisting that corrupt government will inevitably get their attention. In
other cases, the crew might prevent the Pressure Gauge from ever getting
any higher before it maxes out. For example, they might confront and defeat
the Big Bad before he can create his world-destroying weapon, or they might
leave the high-brow party before the other guests can uncover their ruse.

Also in all cases, the narrative impact of a Pressure Gauge maxing out should
be big. For the short-term Pressure Gauges, think about something that is
going to force that session to take a big turn. In the case of the high-brow
party, the characters would now need to deal with being discovered instead
of whatever they were there to do in the first place. For long-term Pressure

59
Gauges, a maxed out Pressure Gauge should force the whole ongoing story to
take a big turn. If the Big Bad gets a weapon that can destroy whole planets,
the crew will now have a much rougher fight on their hands and the stakes
will be much, much higher. It will also likely force them to stop whatever else
they’re doing to go take that Big Bad on immediately.

There’s no precise formula to deciding how many levels there should be on

a Pressure Gauge. For short-term Pressure Gauges, think about how quickly
you want it to max out and resolve and how easily you’ll advance levels. For
long-term Pressure Gauges, especially those related to a Big Bad’s master
plan, think about how many steps that plan will have.

In most cases, Pressure Gauges will be used as a record-keeping tool for the
GM and kept secret from the players. The “Scanner” Improvement allows a
player to spend AT to find out information about these, though, so the GM
should always be prepared to share information about them. In some cases, to
build narrative tension, the GM might want to make a Pressure Gauge public,
letting players know how close a bad event is. This doesn’t mean, though, that
the GM has to tell players what bad event is coming or even what is causing
the Pressure Gauge to fill up.

For example, Kraxos is creating a weapon capable of causing accelerated

entropy on an entire planet. In order to construct this terrifying weapon he
needs a few things. He has to steal the plans to the weapon, which were
created years ago by scientists studying entropy—but locked away to prevent
exactly this. He also has to kidnap one of the three machinists capable of
constructing the machine. Also, he needs to acquire the resources for this
weapon. Finally, he needs to force the machinist to build that weapon, which
takes time.

To keep track of all of this, the GM creates five Pressure Gauges. Three
of them are for the first three steps: one for stealing the plans, one for
kidnapping the machinist, and one for acquiring the materials. The next
Pressure Gauge, the one for forcing the machinist to build the weapon, won’t
start until all three of the others are full. The fifth is the overall Pressure
Gauge for his master plan; each time one of the others fills up entirely, the
GM will fill one level on this one.

High-Pressure Gauge
If you really want to ratchet up the pressure on your players, you can introduce
a High-Pressure Gauge. When facing a High-Pressure Gauge, players are
trying to keep it from going over by getting more successes than failures on
their checks. In short, each player will try to help the crew by making a check.
Failures increase the Pressure Gauge by one. If each player manages to make
a check without maxing out the Pressure Gauge, they have an overall success.
Generally, if the Pressure Gauge maxes out before the final player’s check or
before all players make their checks, they have an overall failure.

60 TEENS IN SPACE
To introduce one of these High-Pressure Gauges, tell players they’re starting
one so that, after their first or second gauge, they’ll know the rules and what’s
going on. There are three core elements to this kind of challenge: introducing
the challenge, having each player respond and roll, and resolving overall
success or failure of the High-Pressure Gauge.

First, unlike standard Pressure Gauges which remain hidden from players, tell
players the nature of the High-Pressure Gauge they’re facing. Maybe they’re
trying to sneak their way into a cantina to find a well-known smuggler but
they’ve drawn too much attention from the police for them to go through the
front door. Maybe they’re flying through a dangerous meteor belt filled with
space monsters. Whatever it is, let them know what they’re up against so they
can respond appropriately.

Second, have each player at the table offer a response to what they’re facing.
As with most checks, players will tell you what they’re thinking of doing, you’ll
tell them a difficulty rating, and they’ll decide if they want to take that action.
Players at the table can do this in any order, but each player should have to
make an equal number of checks. Don’t let one bossy player do four checks
while the other three players do none! As with less formal times when players
make checks, there should be consequences for failures and bonuses for
successes, but there is no overall success or failure until all players have made
their check or checks. Even if success or failure is mathematically assured
before the final roll or rolls, have all players take their part. After all, a narrow
loss should have fewer consequences than a catastrophic failure—and you
want to give them a chance to have a stunning success rather than just a
narrow one!

Third and finally, once all players have made their check(s), resolve the High-
Pressure Gauge. If the Gauge has not maxed out, the players have succeeded.
For example, they’ve managed to sneak into the cantina and found the
smuggler before the police find them. On the other hand, if the High-Pressure
Gauge has maxed out, the players have failed. For example, they’ve badly
damaged their ship, and though they made it through the asteroid belt, they’re
floating with only basic life support systems still intact. As with standard
Pressure Gauge resolutions, High-Pressure Gauges’ resolutions should end
with a strong impact on the narrative; either the characters will complete a
goal or have a more pressing issue to contend with in addition to whatever
they were facing before.

61
62 TEENS IN SPACE
Appendix A - Ship Sheet
Appendix B - Ship Improvements
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

Gives any crewmember +3 to all

Armory 1 checks made in the armory to
repair or upgrade weapons.

d4: 2
d6: +3
Guns that can be fired from
Automatic Laser d8: +4
the ship’s cockpit, including by
Cannons d10: +5
someone piloting the ship.
d12: +6
d20: +7

64 TEENS IN SPACE
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

Basic: When activated, the ship

becomes invisible to the naked
1
eye but still detectable by heat
scanners and most radar.

Advanced: In addition, the ship

becomes undetectable by all radar and
most heat scanners. Activation of this
+2 feature now increases the Heat Meter
by 1 per hour or partial hour of use.
Basic cloaking may still be activated
without incurring the fuel cost.

Unscannable: The ship is undetectable

except through physical touch.
Activation of this feature now increases
Cloaking Device the Heat Meter by 2 per hour or partial
+3
hour of use. It takes 2 minutes to charge
up before activating. Basic or advanced
cloaking may still be instantaneously
activated for their Heat Meter cost.

Intangible: In addition to being

undetectable, the ship can pass through
solid objects, including planets, without
detection. Activation of this feature
now increases the Heat Meter by 5 per
+5 hour or partial hour of use. It takes 3
minutes to charge up before activating.
Basic, advanced, or unscannable
cloaking may still be activated for
their Heat Meter cost and at the speed
they would normally be activated.

The crew may place a willing or

unconscious character in the stasis
chamber, preserving its life functions
1 per
Cryostasis Chamber exactly as they are until they are
chamber
removed. After removal, it takes one
hour for that character to return to the
state in which it entered the chamber.

65
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

1 per Each level increases the slots in the

Engine Upgrade
level ship’s Heat Meter by one.

Heat Scanner: The ship’s scanners can

pinpoint heat signatures aboard a ship
Enhanced Scanners 2 within 5 miles. Ships invisible to the
naked eye will be visible with these
scanners.

Each escape pod can hold two crew

1 per
Escape Pods and will automatically navigate to the
pod
nearest inhabited planet.

A small, flyable craft that is capable

2 per
EVA Craft of holding two crew. It cannot enter
craft
planets’ atmospheres.

Each suit is fitted to a specific crew-

1 per 2 member. It is capable of supporting a
EVA Suit
suits person outside of the ship in the vacuum
of space for up to three hours.

Allows for the replication of any kind

Food Synth 3 of food in its database. Each day of use
increases the Heat Meter by 1.

1 per Each level, the greenhouse can produce

Greenhouse
level enough food to sustain two crew.

A room in the ship capable of creating

tangible illusions. These illusions cannot
Holodeck 3
harm anyone and cannot be removed
from the holodeck.

d4: 1
d6: +2
d8: +3 Guns that can only be fired if a
Manned Gun Turrets
d10: +4 crewmember is only manning that gun.
d12: +5
d20: +6

66 TEENS IN SPACE
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

Allows any species treated in the

medical bay to heal as though they had
2 Regeneration and spent 1 AT. Creatures
treated this way do not need to spend
any AT.
Medical Bay
Allows any species treated in the
medical bay to heal as though they had
+4 Regeneration and spent 3 AT. Creatures
treated this way do not need to spend
any AT.

Each set can be deployed behind the

1 per ship to force a pursuing ship to make
Mines
set a Flight check of 20, suffering damage
based on the degree of failure.

A small vehicle deployed on a planet’s

Mining Craft 4 surface that can mine and collect natural
resources.

Allows the ship to repair itself. In order to

perform the repairs, the ship must raise
Nano Tech 5 its Heat Meter by 1 for each IP worth of
damage repaired, and each IP of repairs
takes one hour to complete.

The ship is made entirely of organic

material and is a living, non-sentient
creature completely controlled by
the crew. Other than technologic
supplements, the ship cannot be
Organic Ship 1
repaired. Instead, it must be medically
healed. (Note, the ship’s intelligence can
be upgraded using the same progression
as listed under “Sentient” with the same
costs.)

Weapons that must be fired from the

d10: 5 ship’s cockpit. d10, d12, and d20 photon
Photon Torpedoes d12: +5 torpedoes increase the ship’s Heat
d20: +5 Meter by 1, 2, and 3 respectively each
time they’re fired.

67
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

A mechanized armor exoskeleton

custom fitted to a specific crewmember.
When worn, it reduces their Flight to 1
Power Armor 2
but increases their Fight, Brawn, and
Grit by d10. It can maintain a charge for
2 hours.

Allows a crewmember to control the

ship without being in the ship, either
Remote Control 2
through an implant in that crewmember,
or through a small tablet.

A small vehicle able to drive on planets’

Rover 2
surfaces.

When set, the ship can either detonate

after a set amount of time, or be
detonated by a crewmember remotely.
Self Destruct 2
After detonation, no part of the ship will
be salvageable. Anything and anyone on
board will be destroyed.

Advanced Autopilot allows the ship to

make corrections to routes based on
3: d8 unexpected obstacles such as meteor
storms or blockades. d8 to checks to
plan an efficient, safe route.

Rudimentary AI allows the ship to

predict the needs of the crew based on
patterns of behavior and to adjust flight
+5: d12
Sentient patterns even in combat. It also gives the
ship a personality. Each day or partial
day of use increases the Heat Meter by 1.

Advanced AI allows the ship to predict

the needs of the crew with far greater
accuracy and fly more effectively in
+5: d20
unexpected situations. Each day or
partial day of use increases the Heat
Meter by 2.

68 TEENS IN SPACE
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

d4: 1
d6: +2
Decreases the severity of enemy
d8: +3
Shields attacks by the appropriate die. Each use
d10: +4
increases the ship’s Heat Meter by 1.
d12: +5
d20: +6

Gives any crewmember +3 to all Flight

1 per checks made to remain hidden while in
Smuggler Holds
hold the hold. Each hold can fit 1 crewmember
(or equivalently-sized objects).

Can teleport up to 5 crewmembers at

5 per
Teleporters a time up to a distance of 500 miles
level
per level.

d4: 1
d6: +2 Increases the Flight checks of the
d8: +3 pilot when taking evasive maneuvers.
Thrusters
d10: +4 Increases the ship’s Heat Meter by 1 each
d12: +5 time they’re used.
d20: +6

69
 Appendix C - Extended Ship Creation
Instead of selecting a ship from the short list on page 7, you might want
greater customization. If you do, this appendix will walk you through doing
just that! Replace the ship creation questions with these. You’ll still use the
Ship Sheet to keep track of everything on your ship, which you can find in
“Appendix A - Ship Sheet” on page 63.

To streamline the process, we suggest that GMs work their way around the
table asking one player each question and writing the players’ answers on
the Ship Sheet. Alternatively, if players would prefer to discuss their answers
to each question, they certainly can. This will just make the extended ship
creation even more extended!

1. Pick the Class as a group and answer the questions:

• Your ship begins with the FTL Drive improvement. How does the
ship travel faster than the speed of light?
• What TV show, movie, or book is the technology on the ship most
like?
• How is it that your crew came to be traveling in this ship? Not a lot
of teens have their own spaceship…

A ship’s class sets narrative

class elements about the ship and gives
an idea of its size or scale.

Perk: Built for speed, they are faster, more maneuverable,

LIGHT and more fuel efficient.
“Space CAR” Drawback: Can’t take as much of a beating and less
comfortable on long voyages

Perk: Built for longer voyages, they are more spacious

MEDIUM and pretty tough.
“Space SUV” Drawback: Less maneuverable than light and less tough
than heavy class.
Perk: Built for the longest voyages, they are big, tough,
HEAVY and have largest cargo capacity
“Space RV” Drawback: These fuel-hogs are typically the least
maneuverable and may require a larger crew.
2. Pick the Type and answer the questions
• What two improvements did you choose based on your ship’s type?
(Choose as a group)
• What on the ship is well maintained?
• What on the ship is held together with spacetape and a prayer?

70 TEENS IN SPACE
 type Improvements
Personal, Dropship, Thrusters, Shields, Manned
Transport Gun Turrets, Medical Bay
Medical

Thrusters, Shields,
Cargo haulers, Escape Pods, Holodeck
Freighter
Tankers, Couriers

Thrusters, Enhanced
Scout Science, Recon or Stealth Scanners, Medical
Bay, EVA Suit
Thrusters, Photon
Fighters, interceptors, Torpedos, Shields,
Fighter
bomber Manned Gun Turrets

3. Pick a Style and answer the questions

• What improvement did you choose based on your ship’s style? You
can only choose an improvement once.
• How many planets has the ship already visited, with or without the
current crew?
• What conflict has the ship been involved in? These could be large,
intergalactic conflicts, or small, more personal ones.
• What is the ship’s name? (Answer as a group.)

type Improvements
Sentient, Nano Tech, Cloaking
Prototype One of a kind! Device, Teleporters

Ancient Tech Organic Ship, Sentient, Nano

Full of secrets! Tech, Cloaking Device

Lots of hidden Smuggler Holds, Enhanced

Smuggling Scanners, Engine Upgrade
compartments!

More weapons Armory, Photon Torpedos, Mines,

Warship
or shields! Automatic Laser Cannons

Covert, spy- Enhanced Scanners, Cloaking

Stealth Device, Escape Pods
ship!
Now that you’ve got your customized ship ready to go, flip back to “Character
Creation” on page 11!

71
Appendix D — character sheet
 Appendix E — Species
Information about Species in Teens in Space

In this appendix, you’ll find information about different alien species that
you could include in your games...but only if you’re so inclined! As you saw
during the Epoch creation, deciding which alien species are in your game is
part of the universe-creation process, so if there’s one that seems especially
interesting to you, ask the group to include it! If there’s one that seems like
it wouldn’t be fun to have in your universe, exclude it! And GMs, if you think
your players would be overwhelmed with the number of choices, limit them!

At the end of the entry for each species, you’ll find some questions to answer
if you’re planning to play them. Some of those questions, if multiple characters
are from the same species, may need to be answered collaboratively by all
characters of that species. Those questions are labeled as “Collaborative”.
Others are individual, answered by each character playing that species. Those
questions are labeled as “Individual”.

When answering these questions, think about the diversity of human

experience and human traits. None of these species should be deterministic
in their behavior. That isn’t interesting. It’s in diversity, not conformity, that
we’ve always found the most interesting stories. How much more exciting is it
to be the Therinian who has always had an independent streak or the Prolean
who proselytizes for a goddess of absolute peace?

Finally, at the end of the Appendix, you’ll notice a section about species
additions: Android, Clone, Cyborg, Hybrid, and Ktsis. Other than Hybrid,
these are narrative additions to the race rather than mechanical ones, so talk
to your fellow players and GM before choosing these to make sure they’ll be
part of a game that everyone wants to play.

Questions
When playing a species here or one of your own invention, it helps to answer a
few questions to get a better understanding of the alien mind and their greater
society and culture. These can be answered collaboratively or individually, as
delineated here:
• Collaborative: How does your species handle the notion of gender?
• Collaborative: How did your species interact with other species on
first contact?
• Collaborative: Are there any changes that you’re making to the
details of your species’ brief outline?
• Individual: In what ways are you similar to and different from most
of your species?
• Individual: What pushed you to leave your home planet to explore
space?

73
Each species may have additional questions in their entry to further explore
that species’ unique features.

Species Summary

• Abysseans: Water-breathing humanoids who explore space in

exoskeletons.
• Ananos: Bulky, mole-like creatures tantalized by the treasures found
below-ground.
• Benthosa: Sentient bodies of water composed of the consciousnesses
of the life forms within them.
• Calceans: Mechanical recreations of an extinct species.
• Cephalons: Gelatinous, tentacled beings that share a symbiotic
relationship with their host bodies.
• Chimaven: Bird-like beings obsessed with the sky.
• Cimexeans: Insect-like humanoids who share a hive mind.
• Cumulusareans: A friendly, cloud-like species of artists.
• Espereans: Psionics advocating for intergalactic peace.
• Frigoreans: Resurrected humanoids who value equality.
• Herbaceans: Sentient plants who rarely leave their collectives.
• Humans: The restless explorers of the cosmos.
• Informeans: Gelatinous spheres who poop fuel and are super nice to
everyone.
• Loricatoreans: Tiny humanoids who travel the galaxy in android
exoskeletons.
• Mystarians: Nomadic, all-female mystics who wield The Bind.
• Neozo: Animals given human qualities and, generally, bad attitudes.
• Pantheros: Once worshiped as gods, now sought for their ability to
create energy.
• Proeleans: Warlike humanoids who seek galactic domination.
• Pugnarean: Tricksy, technologically-advanced shapeshifters.
• Quillarians: Tiny bio-organic engineers, healers, and fuzzy hug monsters.
• Raskog: Sleeping hominids, frozen in time.
• Reptilnae: Small, reptilian creatures with 360 vision and a flair for
blending in.
• Skitchlings: Mouthless, gangly beings often hired for covert missions
or their skills at dance.
• Sollemneans: Serious, emotionally-cold humanoids.
• Squillians: Bipedal shrimp originally bred for consumption.
• Therinians: Intelligent bears who live in peaceful, rule-driven collectives.
• Throggofel: Diminutive, often-cyborg tinkerers obsessed with technology.
• Viscoseans: Symbiotic gels looking for a willing host.

74 TEENS IN SPACE
 Sample Species
Abysseans

Hailing from the aquatic planet of New Atlantis, Abysseans are a water-
breathing species of humanoids. Because they require the specific water from
their planet (or something chemically identical to it) to survive, they don’t
travel much. The most adventurous of their species, however, will purchase an
exoskeleton that allows them to go out into the cosmos and explore.

On their home planet, they live in complex and condensed cities, preferring to
keep most of their underwater planet clear for other, less intelligent species.
These open spaces serve as a combination of what humans would call “parks”
and “churches”.

Appearance: Abysseans are humanoid and stand between 4.5 and 6.5 feet tall
and are generally thin. They have webbed hands and feet and large eyes. Their
skin tones vary from extremely pale blue or green to very dark blue or green.

Bonuses: ++1 to Flight and Brains; Escape Artist Improvement

Drawback: Must remain in water similar to their planet in order to be able to

breathe

Additional Question:
• Individual: What’s the longest you’ve been out of water?

Suggested Improvements: Cyberware Hacker, Gross, Skywalker, Space

Athlete, Treasure Hunter

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Engineer, Exiled Royalty, Medic, Missionary,

Profiteer, Scholar

Common Surnames: Bleen, Cleetu, Eelow, Inree, Mm’hee, Vlay

75
Ananos

Designed by Luke Muench

The Ananos have maintained a strong foothold on the grand mountain ranges
of Mundershire, just as their ancestors had. An ancient legend speaks of riches
beyond imagination buried just beneath the surface for those who search hard
enough, a tale that fuels many an Anano to never leave their home planet of
Minneria, with dreams of being the first to reach the promised prize.

Others have spread across the galaxy in hopes of finding either help with their
quest or techniques that the Ananos have not yet attempted—in exchange
for a portion of the riches. At one point, the Ananos monarch decreed the
enslavement of the Chimaven people, calling it an “ugly necessity in the search
for enlightenment.” It was this great evil amongst other lesser evils that led
the Anano people to overthrow their leader in favor of a confederacy, with
all efforts now pointed to redeeming their species’ reputation and to making
reparations to the Chimavens.

Appearance: Ananos are squat and mole-like with large, cupped hands that
help them dig without the need for tools, though some modify their bodies
in hopes of digging more efficiently. Their brown, bristly skin is covered by a
layer of dust and dirt, giving them a grayish-brown complexion. Their snouts
are short and snubbed so as to not get in the way of their piggish eyes. Their
legs, when standing straight, could be mistaken as a tree trunk, giving them
an air of strength and stability. The average Anano is 6 feet tall, frequently
maturing fully at the age of 10; most need to look at the rings on the bottom
of an Anano’s foot to appropriately determine their age.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: How do you view the heritage of your species, and how
do you intend on representing it?
• Individual: What’s the most memorable dig you were a part of on
Minneria, and is it one you openly talk/brag about?

Bonuses: +1 Brawn; Ananos cannot be pushed, knocked over, or forcefully

moved by any attack or the shifting of ground beneath them unless the
ground creates a slope greater than 45 degrees.

Drawback: Due to their stability, they get -3 when attempting anything

acrobatic (leaping, climbing, etc.)

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Do-Gooder, Engineer, Newbie, Profiteer

Suggested Improvements: Goody Two-Shoes, Gross, Loyal Crewmember,

Protector, Treasure Hunter, Utility Belt

Common Surnames: Berthalm, Hargold, Nilron, Rathum, Thrond, Vronyl

76 TEENS IN SPACE
Benthosa

Designed by Clio Yun-Su Davis

While the Benthosa differ wildly in personality, size, and personal relationships,
they all share a similar story: they each started out as simply a body of water
without thought or feeling, then one day they awakened into self-awareness.
For some, this awakening was peaceful or even joyous. For others, it was
traumatic and violent.

The Benthosa awaken into consciousness when their waters become highly
populated by other living organisms. A Benthosic entity’s consciousness is
completely dependent on the living creatures within their body. If disaster were
to strike and wipe out life in an oceanic Benthosic entity, they would cease to
form memories, be able to communicate, or be aware of themself or others.
The life forms within them act as their sensory receptors. When a Benthosic
entity is densely populated enough, it is possible for them to split into two or
more bodies of water that then develop separate identities over time.

Communication for Benthosa happens telepathically. With unfamiliar individuals

of another species, this often starts out as telepathic bursts of emotions,
images, and sensations, then eventually incorporates the languages of those
individuals as more time is spent together.

Appearance: The Benthosa can be as small as a pond, or as large as an entire planet

covered in nothing but ocean. They can be freshwater or oceanic. It is possible for
a Benthosic entity to be transported from their home world via a special container
or suit, in which case their default shape is the shape of that vessel.

Bonuses: +1 to Brains, Hive Mind Improvement (2 IP). If in their natural habitat,

+2 to Grit.

Drawbacks: Unless they are in a special suit, -1 to all stat tests regarding
physicality. They are essentially ecosystems, and should something happen
to the organisms living inside them, they are at risk of becoming nothing
more than water.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What was awakening into consciousness like for you?
• Individual: What is your preferred vessel when not in your natural habitat?

Suggested Improvements: Intuitive, Nerves of Steel, Regeneration, Skywalker,

Stealthy

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Lone Survivor, Newbie, Scholar

Common Surnames: Because of the unique way Benthosa come into sentience,
they have no family name; 0ften, no name at all until asked for one.

77
78 TEENS IN SPACE
Calceans

Created aeons ago by a scientist whose species (called “The Zeroes”

by the Calceans) was ending, the Calceans were, initially, a way for his
species to continue. As The Zeroes died, they were recreated as Calceans.
However, in the thousands of years the Calceans have existed and self-
replicated, they have evolved beyond mere technological shadows of
The Zeroes and into their own species. Being entirely mechanical, most
Calceans are interested in helping others manage their natural resources
and broker peace treaties—both in the hope that they can prevent other
species from suffering The Zeroes’ fate and to gain the resources they
need to sustain their species.

In addition to trading their help for resources, Calceans are forever

attempting to reduce the amount of energy that they require, both
personally and in their vehicles and equipment. They are fascinated by
renewable energies and by alternative fuels for spaceships. They also
demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility to preserve and emulate
what they view as the positive aspects of The Zeroes culture: their music,
visual art, and literature. A common source of pride for a Calcean is their
collection of anything preserved from The Zeroes, usually in replica. New
discoveries of an actual artifact—or even a purported artifact—will draw
excited Calceans from around the galaxy.

Appearance: Depending on the technology level of your game, the Calceans

may take any form, from being obviously automatons to being indistinguishable
from biological life. They may take any form that best suits the game, and,
since they are created, all Calceans need not look the same way.

Bonuses: +1 to Grit; Goody Two-Shoes Improvement.

Drawback: unable to reproduce except through a complicated, very difficult

process; -1 to Fight

Additional Question:
• Individual: What would intergalactic peace mean for you personally?

Suggested Improvements: Cyberware Hacker, High Flier, Intergalactically

Beloved, Goody Two-Shoes, Nerves of Steel, Protector, Utility Belt

Suggested Tropes: Captain, Diplomat, Do-Gooder, Face, Medic, Tech Wizard

Common Surnames: One-Zero, One-One-Zero, One-Zero-One, One-Zero-

Zero, Zero-One

79
Cephalons

Designed by Sen-Foong Lim

With their home of Kallax-V destroyed, the Cephalons were once thought to
be eradicated from existence. Any surviving Cephalons have an intergalactic
bounty on them—dead or alive—since they need to invade the host organism
by entering through an orifice (usually the mouth) and then reside in the
body (usually in the stomach) in order to procreate. Their highly ductile
and resilient bodies have evolved over aeons to survive in the harshest of
environment, including within bodies of organisms that are actively trying
to reject them. To increase their chance of surviving, the Cephalon take over
their host’s nervous system and chemically alter the host body to be as
malleable and resilient as their own.

Appearance: Cephalons are small masses of gelatinous flesh that can shift
the coloration of their epidermal cells to either blend into the background
or make themselves stand out. They can communicate by expressing their
thoughts and emotions in colors and shapes directly on their skin. Cephalons
have tentacles radiating from their central mass which grow longer and more
numerous as they age. These are used for locomotion as well as forming
their neural link with the host body. Cephalons can stretch and squeeze their
almost-liquid bodies through impossibly small openings. They have 3 ocular
orbs surrounding a central oral siphon and tympanic receptor on the top
of their body. When they inhabit a host, they receive all of the information
through the host’s sensory organs.

Benefits: Escape Artist, Regeneration (These Improvements pass on to the

Cephalon’s host organism while the Cephalon resides in them.)

Drawback: Cephalons are considered criminals for merely existing and are
executed on sight in many sectors of the known galaxies. A dead Cephalon is
worth between 50,000 and 100,000 credits. A living one can be worth twice
that, especially if they are wanted for possessing previous hosts.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What happened the last time you were outside of a host—
to you and to the host? How long were you out?
• Individual: What species are you currently residing in and does the
rest of the party know that your host is being controlled by you?

Suggested Improvements: Gross, Hive Mind, Intuitive, Nerves of Steel, Scanner,

Trouble Maker

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Missionary, Captain, Exiled Royalty, Explorer,

Hitchhiker, Lone Survivor, Merc, Traveling Celebrity

Common Surnames: Ch’zz, Fl’rrz, J’rrzz, Mu’flzz, T’utzz, Ut-N’zz

80 TEENS IN SPACE
Chimaven

Designed by Luke Muench

Once the proud owners of the sky, the Chimaven were, for a time, enslaved
by the Ananos. During this time many, if not all, Chimaven had their wings
clipped to prevent escape, and some unethical genetic testing resulted in
the race becoming flightless.

Since then, the Chimaven have been freed from their captors by the
Galactic Laws, which forbid slavery of any kind. Many search for ways to
artificially retain their flight, whether it be hiring the Throggofel to create
new wings for them, building and tinkering with various jetpacks, or
training tirelessly to be the best pilots in the sky. Without a home planet
to call their own, these nomads move frequently from place to place,
some finding refuge in mercenary bands or within the bounty hunter
community. Feeling like they are looked down on by others, they maintain
an air of strength, bristling at the very suggestion that they can’t do just
as much as, if not more than, anyone else.

Appearance: Bird-like in nature, most Chimaven grow to be a little over 5 feet

tall in adulthood. Their feathers range in color but are often darker, richer
shades, from raven black to cardinal red. Claws are hidden amidst their long-
reaching wings, allowing them to work fine machinery, though some prune
their wings to allow for more precise control. They have long, spindly legs
that make up most of their height, although there are those who have opted
to graft rocket boots to their feet instead, allowing them to take flight at a
moment’s notice.

Bonuses: +1 Flight, Flight Improvement (always through technological means)

Drawback: Being a proud species, a Chimaven will not back down from a
fight if they are directly challenged or insulted. They will only run if they are
in mortal danger.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What activity gets your heart pumping the fastest?
• Individual: Has your pride in your people ever gotten you into/out of
a sticky situation?

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Explorer, Flyboy, Hitchhiker

Suggested Improvements: High Flier, Hot Shot Pilot, Intergalactically Beloved,

Interspecies Allure, Intuitive, Overachiever

Common Surnames: Echo, Grick, La’ato, Rorrin, Seng, Thrun

81
Cimexeans

This insectoid species from the Cimex system of planets usually serves the
collective good of their species above all else. Much of their motivation to be
part of The Collective comes from the hive mind that the cimexeans share
while on a planet in the system (or near another Cimexean). While on planet,
the Cimexeans regularly receive commands from their Hiveleader, who
lives near the core of whatever sandy planet within the Cimex system they
inhabit. These commands, intended to convey each Cimexean’s job to them,
will function as a strong urge that will bother them until completed. Almost
invariably, these commands are something to contribute to the greater good
of the society and will only threaten the well-being of another Cimexean in
the most dire circumstances. Any Hiveleaders found to be issuing improper
commands may find their connection to the hive mind permanently severed
and find themselves exiled from the Cimex system.

Some Cimexeans, especially after having a particularly onerous or distasteful

task commanded of them, willingly leave the system to get away from the
hive mind. There is little ill will borne toward those who leave Cimexean
society. Every member of The Collective has thought seriously about leaving,
but most believe that the benefits outweigh the costs.

Appearance: Cimexeans are insectoid creatures that look like a human-sized

cross between an ant and grasshopper. They have between four and eight
eyes—but always an even number.

Bonuses: +1 to Brawn; Hive Mind Improvement (2 IP version)

Drawback: If issued a command by a Hiveleader, they must make a Grit check

of 10 (may be a Planned Action) in order to refuse.

Additional Question:
• Individual: How do you feel about the rest of your species being able
to hear all of your thoughts?

Suggested Improvements: Hot Shot Pilot, Blaster Master, Escape Artist, High
Flier, Nerves of Steel, Protector, Scanner, Tough

Suggested Tropes: Exiled Royalty, Explorer, Flyboy, Medic, Merc, Missionary,

Newbie, Scholar, Soldier

Common Surnames: Bth’nk, Ch’tin, Li’thok, St’tin, Th’nax, Zz’plex

82 TEENS IN SPACE
Cumulusareans

Designed by Kent Blue

Cumulusareans spend much of their time floating a few kilometers above the
ground of their home world while observing the landscape below them. They are
fully capable of moving on their own but choose to reserve energy by floating
within air currents. When they need to replenish energy, a Cumulusarean
will drift toward the surface where they will envelop rocks, plants, earth,
and water within their bodies and absorb nutrients. Cumulusarean culture is
built on honoring that which helps sustain them. After absorbing nutrients
from a source, a Cumulusarean will take what remains and create a beautiful
piece of art. Through a process of contracting and solidifying portions of the
liquid droplets that make up their bodies, the Cumulusarean will reshape the
materials often fusing them together in intricate patterns.

Cumulusareans will stop to admire and appreciate each other’s art. However,
as a species they value each other’s artistic vision and will never alter another’s
work. While it is not common, some Cumulusareans have been known to
gather in groups of half a dozen members to create larger works of art.

Appearance: Cumulusareans resemble a small, light pink cloud. They generally

are between 7-8 cubic feet in size and their shape is influenced by their
mood. Their resting shape is similar to that of a fluffy cloud floating by. When
distressed, Cumulusareans pull their forms into a tight sphere. If threatened
in some way, they will pull together tight enough to solidify into a nearly
unbreakable ball about 2 feet in circumference.

Note: Cumulusareans can communicate telepathically with each other over a

short distance (less than 100 feet) but need to partially envelope a member of
another species before attempting telepathic communication.

Bonuses: +1 Flight (they can exert great energy to propel themselves swiftly); Hive
Mind Improvement (2 IP)

Drawback: Cumulusareans are very susceptible to intense heat which can

evaporate the liquid droplets that make up their form. Any heat-based attacks
(including lasers) against them get a +3 bonus.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What do you consider the greatest piece of art you
created? What was it made from?

Suggested Tropes: Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Explorer, Flyboy, Lone Survivor, Scholar

Suggested Improvements: High Flier, Intergalactically Beloved, Regeneration,

Skywalker, Stealthy

Common Surnames: Altumin, Cirrule, Cumulaar, Nimbothul, Straterra, Stratopher

83
Espereans

A psionic race from the planet Espius, their existence remained shielded
from the rest of the galaxy through the Espereans’ considerable collective
psychic abilities. However, when Skitchlings arrived to colonize the planet,
the Espereans revealed themselves, brokering a deal with that species to get
them to leave peacefully. Since then, Espereans have peacefully co-existed
with the rest of the galaxy, mostly welcoming visitors and strongly favoring
intergalactic treaties over war. They have managed to avoid any kind of direct
physical conflict, a strong source of pride for their species.

Within their own species, a strong source of identity is the art that Espereans
create: interactive, personalized experiences that allow one Esperean to convey
their lived experience to another through things similar to what humans would
call “dreams”—but far more complex and open-ended. Few if anyone outside
of their species are able to experience their art at all, and those who have
tried have left unsettled by the strength of the emotional experience. Some
Espereans who spend more time with other species have toyed with creating
art for those they travel with—but with limited success, at least so far.

Those who do travel the cosmos generally fall into two camps: those who
find themselves ultimately demoralized by the violence they encounter and
those who find themselves energized and even more committed to forging
intergalactic peace.

Appearance: Quadrupedal, pallid, and frail, Espereans have large, bulbous

heads that pulse as they use their psionic abilities. Careful observers may
notice their “augmentation gland” moving under their skin from one region of
their brain to another as they think hard about something.

Bonuses: +1 to Brains; Escape Artist Improvement; Intergalactically Beloved

Improvement.

Drawback: Espereans are so non-confrontational that all Fight and physically-

based Grit checks are made at -1.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What’s the most upsetting fight you’ve ever witnessed?

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Hive Mind, Goody Two-Shoes,

Nerves of Steel, Saboteur, Scanner

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Exiled Royalty, Missionary,

Scholar, Traveling Celebrity

Common Surnames: Ethelm, Flortha, Hushler, Rysalea, Surthenia, Vale

84 TEENS IN SPACE
Frigoreans

After a tremendous cataclysm on their planet that exterminated all but a

handful of the human life, the few living scientists developed an extreme
measure to preserve life: reanimating the corpses of their deceased
planetmates. Now calling themselves Frigoreans, they keep themselves alive
through this scientific achievement, called “rejuvenation”. (The process is
painful—but it beats the alternative.) Having learned from the error of their
ways that led them to the cataclysm, in all aspects of Frigorean society, all
citizens are considered equal.

Frigoreans are also welcoming of other species who wish to become

Frigoreans, though there are a series of tests that would-be Frigoreans
must go through to prove the purity of their intent, including a psychic
investigation by Frigorean psionics. Such “converts” as they’re called are
rarely reanimated directly; rather, they’re used for body parts needed to
restore badly damaged Frigoreans during the restoration process.

Appearance: Other than Hybrids, Frigoreans appear somewhere along the

spectrum of a human with a slightly more pallid skin tone to stitched together
humans with clearly different body parts, sometimes even from other species.

Bonus: If a Frigorean “dies”, they can be rejuvenated within a month and

restored to life, though they will lose 3 IP worth of Improvements. If they do
not have 3 IP worth of Improvement to lose, they will permanently die.

Drawback: At least once a year, each Frigorean must undergo the rejuvenation
process or become catatonic. If they do not receive the rejuvenation process
within a month of becoming catatonic, they will permanently die. This annual
process does not cost them any Improvements. (Note: For one-off campaigns,
the GM and player should agree on a drawback that will impact them in the
short term.)

Note: If a Hybrid is half Frigorean, that Hybrid has both the Bonus and the
Drawback from Frigoreans and nothing from their other species.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What was your last “death” like? What did you lose?

Suggested Improvements: Goody Two-Shoes, Gross, Intuitive, Hive Mind,

Nerves of Steel

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Engineer, Experiment, Lone Survivor, Medic,

Tech Wizard

Common Surnames: Brown, Garcia, Huang, Li, Patel, Smith

85
Herbaceans

When colonists arrived on Herbexon, they initially thought it was simply a

planet covered in a thick, lush rainforest, which they aimed to cultivate. As
they took a blade to the first “tree”, though, they discovered that most of the
plants on the planet were actually sentient creatures. The Herbaceans, nearly
indestructible when working collectively on their home planet, easily repelled
the explorers, who fled. But when Quillarians arrived seeking refuge from the
Proeleans’ relentless attacks, Herbaceans immediately took a liking to them,
especially because they create more carbon dioxide for the plant-based species
to breathe.

Collective by nature, Herbaceans cluster into self-selected “groves” of four

to seven partners (though some groves have been as large as twelve) whose
roots intertwine as the start of the reproductive process. Once Herbaceans
join a grove, they are unlikely to ever separate, especially since remaining
in a grove prolongs the Herbaceans’ lives exponentially. As members of the
grove die, the other members of the grove reabsorb their loved one through
a ritual of deep mourning that lasts approximately one year.

Appearance: Herbaceans can take the form of any plant, though they nearly
universally get larger as they age. Adolescent Herbaceans are roughly the
size of humans, though they grow by about a foot each year—unless they are
willingly (and quite painfully) pruned.

Bonuses: Regeneration

Drawback: -1 Flight

Additional Question:
• Individual: What’s the most damage you’ve regenerated from?

Suggested Improvements: Hive Mind, Intuitive, Loyal Crewmate, Lucky,

Protector, Tough

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Exiled Royalty, Explorer, Hitchhiker, Lone Survivor,

Medic

Common Surnames: Brightleaf, Highreach, Ironbark, Manylimb, Strongroot,

Tenderbranch

86 TEENS IN SPACE
Humans

Generally the vanilla of the universe, humans find themselves at at least

one extreme: they are, far and away, the most restless of the species in the
known universe. Always needing to be going somewhere strange, doing
something differently, or finding something new, humans quickly developed
a reputation for never wanting to stay on one planet—or even in one solar
system.

Humans are generally less concerned with the feasibility of, or safety of,
an idea and more concerned with trying it and seeing. For many species,
this is something admirable. It has allowed them, despite their incredible
averageness, to accomplish great and unlikely things. For others, who count
the lives lost in these pursuits, this is something incomprehensibly idiotic.
Humans, they reason, could just be patient or let someone else explain
things to them. But, as humans often say, where’s the fun in that?

Appearance: Depending on how far in the future your game takes place, the
species may be at any evolutionary point. Generally, the further in the future
the species is, the more homogeneous it will appear in terms of elements
that we believe distinguish us, like race, gender, or ethnicity. As time goes on,
humans will also likely get taller and healthier as science advances, though
that is certainly not necessary if your campaign wants to take a different
direction.

Bonuses: +1 to Fight; Lucky Improvement

Drawback: Humans are, by nature, restless. In order to spend more than a

week not adventuring, they must make a Grit check of 11 each week or insist
that the crew get moving again. If the crew refuses, the human will set out on
their own.

Additional Questions:
• Collaborative: How long have humans been space-faring when
compared to other species they meet in their travels?
• Individual: When has your restlessness gotten you into trouble?

Suggested Improvements: Hot Shot Pilot, Blaster Master, Trouble Maker,

Resistance Fighter, Saboteur, Treasure Hunter, Utility Belt

Suggested Tropes: Captain, Explorer, Face, Flyboy, Hitchhiker, Scoundrel,

Ship Born

Common Surnames: Brown, Garcia, Huang, Li, Patel, Smith

87
Informeans

These gelatinous denizens of Flooblar Prime have spread around the cosmos,
peacefully sharing planets with other species. They consume organic matter
by absorbing it, then excreting a small pellet of concentrated fuel daily. A
standard-sized pellet sells for 100 Credits and contains enough energy to
power a five-person spaceship for a day. Consequently, and because they’re
just generally really nice, Informeans are usually welcome wherever they go.

Usually. Some more cynical beings think their friendliness is just a defense
mechanism, or, worse, a ruse. These suspicious folk will point to the
Informeans’ ability to consume literally any organic matter and wonder
what their plans are for the known universe. Of course, they say, Informeans
categorically deny these suspicions...but of course they would. No one has
found any hard evidence of a vast Informean conspiracy...but of course it
wouldn’t be a good vast conspiracy if they didn’t cover their tracks so well.
Beyond a small fringe, though, no one takes these rumors seriously.

Appearance: They are shapeless blobs of any color that, if not constrained,
take on a semi-spherical shape. Older Informeans are more opaque, while
younger members of the species are born completely transparent. They are
roughly three cubic feet in volume. Through force of will (Grit check of 4
or higher, cumulative per minute), Informeans can temporarily take on other
shapes.

Bonuses: Each day, a well-fed Informean produces a pellet with enough

energy to power a five-person spaceship for a day.

Drawback: If they are not fed, Informeans will calcify, which, after nine days, is
fatal. Each day that an Informean does not eat gives them a cumulative -1 to
all of their Stat checks other than Grit.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What’s the strangest organic thing you’ve ever consumed?

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Gross, Intergalactically Beloved,

Regeneration, Stealthy

Suggested Tropes: Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Exiled Royalty, Profiteer, Scoundrel,

Travelling Celebrit

Common Surnames: Floooob, Guulbar, Loooth, Sploooch, Thwooo, Vruumnaa

88 TEENS IN SPACE
Loricatoreans

Prior to encountering other species, Loricatoreans lived happily on their small,

remote planet, tinkering with machines and cultivating their already prodigious
knowledge. As they met other species, all of whom were much bigger than
them, they developed something of an inferiority complex. Though respected
for their intellects and scientific achievements, the Loricatoreans felt looked
down upon—both literally and figuratively. To compensate, when traveling off
Loricatori, they don mechanical suits (functionally identical to Androids) that
they control from safely within the suit. These suits take the form of whatever
species that specific Loricatorean admires for their physical stature.

Loricatoreans tend to be quite matter-of-fact and generally view art as a waste

of time. This is not to say that they do not make aesthetic considerations: mates
often select their partners based on the length and elegance of their fingers.
Their mechanical creations, though almost completely utilitarian, are often
remarkably refined. However, it is exceptionally rare to find Loricatoreans who
call themselves artists.

Appearance: Locicatoreans appear to be miniaturized humanoids with

disproportionately large heads and necks, wide-set eyes. Their fingers
are longer than you’d expect for their other proportions, an evolutionary
development as mates selected each other for their skill at working with
machines.

Bonuses: +1 to Brains; Skilled at Creating and Repairing Technology

Improvement; +1 to two non-Brains stats while in their suit

Drawback: Outside of their suit, because of their size, Loricatoreans have d4

for Brawn, Grit, Fight, and Flight for all physically based checks. Their suits
also require a power source; if drawing directly from the ship, increase the
Heat Meter by 1 each day the Loricatorean charges their suit for the following
day.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: Describe your suit. (What does it look like? How do you
power it?)
• Individual: What does it feel like to be outside of your suit?

Suggested Improvements: Cyberware Hacker, Escape Artist, Hot Shot Pilot,

Resistance Fighter, Saboteur, Scanner, Skywalker, Treasure Hunter, Utility Belt

Suggested Tropes: Engineer, Exiled Royalty, Explorer, Flyboy, Merc, Profiteer,

Scoundrel, Tech Wizard, Traveling Celebrity

Common Surnames: Broadeyes, Fastmind, Lighthands, Keenmind, Metalforger,

Nimblehands

89
Mystarians

Designed by Kristin Devine

In the universe, many species believe in a mystical force that holds the universe
together. As species interacted, they came to call this force The Bind, and
those who can access it can use it to do amazing things. There are currently no
mechanical implications of The Bind for players; it is meant only as a narrative
element.

Mystarians are said to be born of The Bind, possessing a connection to it

unlike any other. Mystarians live in flocks on hidden shrines built into asteroid
belts, nearly impossible to find. Most remain in their shrines and do not seek
contact with outside worlds. Their healing abilities are highly sought after.
Mystarian culture is one of peace. They live long lives and seek enlightenment.
Most Mystarians are extremely independent and not interested in finding a
mate for life.

Appearance: Mystarians are flightless, avian humanoids standing between 6

and 7 feet tall. Their muscular bodies are dark skinned, covered in feathers of
red and blue hues. Their large, round eyes are solid black. Their hollow bones
make them deceptively light.

Bonuses: Spend 1 AT to see a brief, confusing glimpse of the future, it’s

accuracy being up to the GM. Spend 2 AT to heal wounds of another willing
or unconscious creature as though they used Regeneration for 2 AT.

Drawback: -2 to Charm when interacting with any species other than their own

Additional Question:
• Individual: What could drive you to harm, or allow other to harm,
another living being, and has that ever come to pass?

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Medic, Scholar, Face, Missionary, Newbie

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Hive Mind, Intuitive, Nerves of Steel,

Regeneration, Skywalker, Spirited Motivator

Common Surnames: Mystarians have three names. One for their temple,
one for their mother and one for themselves. If playing a Mystarian named
Sha’Reen’Til, you’d be of the Sha temple, your mother, Reen, named you Til.

Common Temple Names: TTemple Yueider; Temple Talosprey; Temple

LeiDunlin; Temple Urzturnstone; Temple Jazteala; Temple Talnianight; Temple
RaleeGrey; Temple Yengrey

90 TEENS IN SPACE
Neozo

While there is an intergalactic ban on experimenting on creatures below a

certain intellect, some ne’er-do-wells ignore this ban, especially when they
think these creations can make them money in the weapons trade. Some of
these experiments have resulted in giving such animals human-like qualities,
often enhanced to human levels. These “Neozos” rarely want to stay with their
creator and often find themselves wandering the stars in search of others like
them, the few who understand the pain of their creation.

Because of the illegality of their creation, Neozos are typically created to fill
illegal, dangerous, and violent roles. Some relish these roles, feeling that unlike
many species who slowly evolved haphazardly to fit into an environment,
Neozo were created deliberately and carefully to fulfill a role. Others wish to
buck their creators’ intentions and find their own way, going in the precise
opposite direction. Others still find their own other path, feeling that taking
either of these polar directions removes their agency, which Neozo tend to
value above all else.

Appearance: Neozos look like the animals from which they were created,
though often with small indications of their cybernetic enhancements. Neozos
are also more likely to be bipedal than their original species, though they are
not necessarily so.

Bonuses: +1 to Fight; Intuitive Improvement; Treasure Hunter Improvement

Drawback: Because Neozos are illegal creations, many planets have an outright
ban on their presence. Neozos who find themselves on such a planet are likely
to be questioned by the intergalactic police force so that their creator can be
brought to justice—then the Neozo will be escorted off planet.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What animal do you most resemble?
• Individual: What was your creation process like, and what is your
relationship with your creator?

Suggested Improvements: Blaster Master, Cyberware Hacker, Escape Artist,

Hot Shot Pilot, Trouble Maker, Saboteur, Stealthy

Suggested Tropes: Experiment, Explorer, Flyboy, Lone Survivor, Merc, Newbie,

Scoundrel, Ship Born, Soldier

Common Surnames: A Neozo’s last name is almost always the name of the
species of animal from which they were created.

91
Pantheros

Designed by Ian Moss

When the universe began, the Pantheros were there. As the universe
expanded, so did the Pantheros. They watched and guided civilizations, being
worshipped as deities by those they helped. Eventually, these civilizations
were lost to time, and the gods they worshipped were left to wander the
cosmos looking for new homes. Some planets were less than hospitable to
the ancient ones and through torture and experimentation discovered the
incredible energy the species is capable of generating. Harnessing this energy
unlocked the secrets of interdimensional travel and the Pantheros became an
energy source for ships to cross great distances in an instant.

The Pantheros survive by living a life on the run, protecting their young from
the forces that hunt them. Young Pantheros are not allowed contact outside
their species but are told grand stories of the a time when their kind were
worshipped and all powerful.

Appearance: A Pantheros’s appearance is as varied as the planets they inhabit,

as each ancient being took on many of the characteristics of their homeworlds.
The eldest Pantheros all share one characteristic that makes them the easiest
prey: they are each over 20 feet tall. As a Pantheros ages, they increase in
size until they are taller than most structures. Young Pantheros (50-300 years
old) resemble their immediate parentage in terms of appearance, but are 7
feet tall on average. Few know of the existence of Young Pantheros, so they
are usually mistaken for another similar-looking species if they are ever seen
by the public.

Bonus: By doubling their food intake for the day, a Pantheros can generate
enough energy to fuel a small ship.

Drawback: Upon being recognized as a Pantheros, the character will become

an immediate target for those who would try to use their energy to power a
ship. They will be aggressively pursued. Pantheros, after all, fetch a high, high
price on the interstellar market.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What species do you claim to be or get confused for?
• Individual: What pushed you to leave the Pantheros safe haven?
• Individual: How many of your crew know your true identity?

Suggested Improvements: High Flier, Intuitive, Saboteur, Scanner, Skywalker

Suggested Tropes: Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Experiment, Hitchhiker, Lone Survivor

Common Surnames: A Pantheros’s last name is an honorific description of an

ancestor’s great feat, like “the Bringer of Great Light” or “the Shifter of Tides”.

92 TEENS IN SPACE
Proeleans

Hailing from the war-ravaged planet of Proeleax, the Proeleans were on the
verge of extinction from their constant wars when they discovered they were
not alone in the universe. This was a good thing for their species—but much
less so for the rest of the galaxy. They immediately established a tense-yet-
enduring peace between members of their species and set out to dominate
the rest of the cosmos. Because they understand themselves to be a threat
to all other species, they see other species as a threat to them. Proeleans are
unlikely to be part of an intergalactic or interspecies alliances unless there’s a
greater threat that they need to fight back.

However, in the distant future, when Proeleans have interacted with other
species and found their ways of peace somewhat appealing, it’s certainly
possible that more progressive Proeleans have pushed their species to
become part of an intergalactic treaty. It is also certainly possible that there
is current tension among the species with different factions wanting wildly
different things from the universe, from peaceful accord to total submission.
Because of their history, many species have an immediate distrust of Proleans,
even if they have tried to change their ways.

Appearance: Humanoid in appearance, Proleans have seven eyes forming a

ring around their head, making them incredibly perceptive and incredibly
difficult to surprise in combat.

Bonuses: +1 to Fight; Blaster Master Improvement

Drawback: Proleans find it difficult to be insulted without resorting to physical

violence. A slighted Prolean must succeed on a difficulty 6 Grit check to
avoid physically attacking someone who insults them. If they are entering a
situation where they know their dignity might be threatened, they can brace
themselves and treat such checks as Planned Actions.

Additional Question(s)
• Individual: What is the story of how you got your current last name?
• Individual: What’s the most traumatic loss you’ve ever suffered in
combat?

Suggested Improvements: Hot Shot Pilot, High Flier, Protector, Resistance

Fighter, Stealthy, Tough, Trouble Maker

Suggested Tropes: Captain, Exiled Royalty, Merc, Scoundrel, Soldier

Common Surnames: Proleans take the last name of the most fearsome enemy
that they kill in battle. It is common for Proleans to go through many surnames
in their lives.

93
Pugnarean

Secretive and tricksy by nature, little is known about Pugnarean history, even by
most Pugnareans. They are, both physically and socially, endlessly adaptable.
As their society currently stands, they are a technologically-advanced species—
though non-Pugnareans aptly make the case that all of this technology is a
replica of other known species’ technologies. They are slow to trust and slower
to form lasting attachments, and their ability to change shape at will makes
them more likely to impersonate a loved one than to become a loved one.

Because of this, Pugnareans tend to gravitate toward fields where they can spy
on others without arousing suspicion. Younger Pugnareans will often take jobs
in the service sectors where they can start to accumulate knowledge. As they
age, they’ll sometimes shift into professions that are overtly espionage related,
and they’ll often play both sides to get as much information as possible.

Other Pugnareans, though, find this endless pursuit of miscellaneous

information pointless. They are more interested in cultivating an understanding
of Pugnarean history, which they strive to do by finding primary documents
from their past and decoding what they believe to be a complex system of
meaning within the half-truths and outright lies that reveals the true history of
their species.

Appearance: Their base form is a blob of fleshy goop. Around the age of two
they start to take other shapes, usually taking a form somewhere between
their two parents’ most common forms. This form is what they usually
consider their “real” appearance and will revert to this form if forced to do so
by tremendous injury, coercion, or the like.

Bonus: Shapeshifting Improvement

Drawback: Pugnareans are universally distrusted. When a Pugnarean attempts

a Charm check against someone who knows that the character is a Pugnarean,
that Charm check is at a -3 penalty.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: How does it feel to be distrusted by most people in the
universe?
• Individual: What form do you typically take?

Suggested Improvements: Cyberware Hacker, Escape Artist, Gross, Intuitive,

Treasure Hunter, Trouble Maker

Suggested Tropes: Exiled Royalty, Hitchhiker, Missionary, Newbie, Profiteer,

Scoundrel, Ship Born

Common Surnames: Delph, Grix, Lilf, Smem, Tring, Zapf

94 TEENS IN SPACE
Quillarians

Designed by Tim Devine

Refugees from their homeworld, Quillarians are brilliant, bio-organic engineers,

who use The Bind (a mystic force seeming to link the universe together) to
reconstruct the genetic code of living creatures. They used their abilities to heal
dying ecosystems and create organic constructs, some capable of space travel.
When Prolareans discovered their homeworld, they forced them to construct
organic weapons of mass destruction. The Quillarians sacrificed themselves
to prevent the Proeleans from possessing such devastating power. Knowing
their time was up, they sent a single organic starship with a small population to
rebuild their species elsewhere. For years the ship drifted through space until it
landed on Herbexon, immediately, bonding with its ecosystem. Their ship was
transformed into their new citadel, and a new Quillarian civilization was formed.
Their culture is rooted in pacifism and they share a connection with The Bind
(see Mystarians on page 90 for more on The Bind), which they refer to as the
“One Heart”. When healing or repairing another living organism, they appear
as if they are hugging it. Their healing hugs give them the nickname “Fuzzy
Hug Monsters.”

Appearance: Quillarians are a tiny, bipedal hedgehog-like species. Their

average lifespan is around 200 years, reaching adulthood around 20. They
stand between 6 and 12 inches tall, dress in simply woven natural fibers, and
have round, hopeful eyes. They are furry, ranging in color from light tans and
greys to dark browns and reds, with long quills. They can tuck themselves
into tight, spiky balls as a natural defense. Culturally gender fluid, Quillarians
demonstrate individuality by styling their quills in unique ways and colors.
They are warm and inviting, optimistic almost to a fault.

Bonuses: Organic Engineers (+3 when healing or constructing organic lifeforms

and bio-technology); Bio-Utility Belt (identical to Utility Belt Improvement,
allowing them to construct organic tools)

Drawback: Because they are pacifists, they get -2 to all Fight checks. They are
only willing to harm living creatures in the direst of circumstances.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What could drive you to harm another living being?

Suggested Tropes: Do-Gooder; Engineer; Hitchhiker; Medic; Newbie; Scholar

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist; Goody Two-Shoes; Intuitive; Loyal

Crewmate; Lucky; Regeneration; Spirited Motivator

Common Surnames: Instead of individual family names, they view all Quillarians
as family. Quillarians typically have a name and a nickname. The former given
at birth and the latter chosen by the individual during their teenage years.

95
Raskog

Designed by Banana Chan

A silent ancient species communicating only through touch, the Raskog have a
conscious state of five months before falling into a Deep Slumber for ten years.
They have a lifespan of centuries, but their bodies freeze in place when their
biological clock ticks to noon in the fourth month of their calendar year. The
Raskog are carnivores, spending their immediate waking moments feeding on
nearby animal life. There have been no recorded accounts of cannibalism thus
far. Once the ravenous instincts have left them, they communicate with one
another and return to their activities from before the slumber. Given that the
Raskog has fed and has prepared for their decade-long slumber properly, they
are intelligent and cunning. Their written language is complex, and their city
centers stagger miles above ground, made from an unbreakable transparent
material.

Appearance: When sleeping, the Raskog stand tall, in mid-action. Flowers and
vines curl and grow around their bodies. Their skin reflects against the light of
day and melts into the darkness of night, mirroring the movements of the sky.
Mildew, cobwebs and moss burgeon freely over their stillness. At the end of
the decade, the Raskog break from their tomb of nature, revealing the glass
hull underneath. They move fast, devouring whatever flesh closest to them.

Bonuses: +1 to Brains, Hive Mind Improvement (2 IP)

Drawback: Raskog are a myth to most other species across the galaxies, a
horror story that parents tell their children to scare them at night. Due to their
inability to communicate emotion through speech and their facial expressions
are restricted to being featureless, they have a d4 for Charm. If their Trope
already gives them a d4 in Charm, they are considered to always roll a 1 for
their Charm checks, though spending AT may increase this value.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: Do others know of the Deep Slumber?
• Individual: Do you feel guilt from the last time you fed? What or who
did you feed on?

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Gross, Intuitive, Nerves of Steel,

Regeneration, Saboteur, Stealthy

Suggested Tropes: Tech Wizard, Traveling Celebrity, Scholar, Hitchhiker

Common Names:
Each Raskog only has one name (no surname). They also use touch or writing
to communicate their names. Some common names are Ingolf (using touch,
draw a star on the palm of your hand) and Ypperlig (using touch, draw a circle
on the palm of your hand).

96 TEENS IN SPACE
Reptilnae

Designed by Morgan Nuncio

Natives of Uruvuela, a planet full of rich jungles and humid climates, Reptilnae
have their cities from brambles and roots to the tops of the trees. To outsiders,
these cities can be easily passed by, as they blend into the natural environment.
Like their hometowns, the Reptilnae can also blend and camouflage into the
surroundings around them, making it easier for them to sneak around their
unknown cities. The Reptilnae who adventure out tend to get hired on pretty
quickly as either scouts, explorers, and spies, or they can tend to roam the
worlds on their own, stealing their way onto the next ship. Reptilnae are
welcomed cautiously into cities, but are always given a wary eye until their
intentions are shown.

Appearance: Standing on the hind legs, Reptilnae stand about 3 to 5 feet tall,
with their two fingers, ever-changing skin, and eyes on conical turrets that
can rotate 360 degrees, much like Earth’s chameleons. Their tails, which they
rarely fully extend, are about 3 feet long and completely prehensile. They
walk mainly on their hind legs for social purposes but will go down to all fours
to move more quickly and easily. Their limbs are long and thin, and they have
long tongues...if they ever dare to unravel it in mixed company.

Bonuses: +1 Flight, Regeneration Improvement

Drawback: Because of how thin and fragile their limbs are, if they are
successfully hit with an attack, add 1 to the severity of an attack. (For example,
if an attack succeeds against them by 4, treat it as though it had succeeded
by 5.)

Additional Questions:
• Individual: Have you lost a limb before? How?
• Individual: What was that one time that caused you the most trouble
by just being simply who you are?

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Intuitive, Lucky, Stealthy, Trouble

Maker

Suggested Tropes: Explorer, Hitchhiker, Lone Survivor, Scoundrel

Common Surnames: Adriarosa, Ichthy, Pumil, Raphaus

97
Skitchlings

Designed by Luke Muench

Being mouthless, the Skitchlings are seen by some as tools for murder, theft,
and other malicious tasks. Some embrace this, taking on jobs as assassins.
Their ability to contort their bodies to fit in tight spaces or to horrify onlookers
comes at the cost of breaking their own bones. Through practice, they can
learn to heal quickly from these self-inflicted wounds. Some Skitchlings are
known to break their bones through their skin, using them as weapons in hand-
to-hand combat. Others stalk their prey from a distance, contorting themselves
in horrifying ways to unnerve their enemies.

Many Skitchlings fight against this stereotype, wanting to be better heard and
understood. They are fluent in sign language and they have the technology to
translate sign language into words; a speaker is attached at the wrist with straps
wrapping around each finger to feel the movements of their hands. Perhaps
their most effective way of being understood is through dance. Skitchlings are
some of the most beautiful dancers in the galaxy.

Appearance: Skitchlings have smooth gray skin; many shave all hairs from their
body regularly to preserve their precise motions. They are naturally tall and
spindly, though they can change their stature as they see fit, breaking their
bones to find their own “forms” as they age. They have 4 limbs, all of which
end with hands, allowing them to quickly and efficiently move on all fours if
desired. Their finger strength and dexterity is high if they work at it, allowing
them to skitter quietly on their fingertips. Their heads are abnormally small,
leading to some slur about their supposed “lack of intelligence” due to this.
Their eyes reside roughly where most creatures cheeks would be, providing
them with strong peripheral vision. Their nostrils are two slits along the sides
of their necks, and their ears are four holes, two on each side of their head.

Bonus: +3 to all attempts to move stealthily; they can also contort to reach
otherwise difficult locations or to cause fear

Drawback: -1 to Fight while bones are healing from self-inflicted/contortionist

wounds, -3 to checks that involve team-based activities, such as a coordinated
attack.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: How do you feel about your communication restrictions?
• Individual: What’s your favorite physical motion/position to present?

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Merc, Newbie, Scoundrel

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Gross, Trouble Maker, Stealthy

Common Surnames: Chim, Seath, Sheenia, Thnnk, Whish

98 TEENS IN SPACE
Sollemneans

A proud, intelligent race from the depths of space, Solemneans have been
exploring the galaxy for longer than most other species. Their culture values
reason over emotion, so across the galaxy they have come to be nicknamed
“The Serious Ones”—a phrase used both affectionately and derisively. They
embrace this epithet, considering it a badge of honor for their efforts to
become more logical. Indeed, most Sollemneans undergo neural alterations
that increase their intelligence by deadening their emotions.

Because of their analytic, aloof natures, they often take great interest in
highly emotional species, which they believe to be every species other than
themselves. To find out more about them, they will often travel with others
and take copious notes. A Sollemnean’s journal is often, when read by another
species, a strange thing to behold, filled with speculations and explanations of
a logical order to emotional responses when there may not be one.

A small subset of Sollemneans find that their fascination with understanding

emotions leads to their desire to experience them for themselves. Such
Sollemneans often seek out Espereans in an attempt to experience their art
firsthand. Such experiences usually leave Sollemneans with more questions
than answers, a state of affairs in which they often find great joy.

Appearance: They are generally humanoid in appearance, though their skin

is slightly bluer and their features generally more gaunt. They have keen,
grey eyes and three long fingers and a thumb on each hand. They are calm
in demeanor and generally elegantly dressed, though in social interactions,
most species consider them aloof.

Benefit: +2 Brains

Drawback: -1 Charm

Additional Questions:
• Individual: What is your reason for valuing reason over emotion?
• Individual: How do you feel about species that are, from your
perspective, highly emotional?

Suggested Improvements: Intuitive, Goody Two-Shoes, Nerves of Steel, Loyal

Crewmate, Scanner, Tough, Utility Belt

Suggested Tropes: Diplomat, Do-Gooder, Engineer, Face, Medic, Missionary,

Scholar, Tech Wizard

Common Surnames: Drezfal, Intahm, Krex, Operstil, Talos, Woychar

99
Squillians

Designed by Alex Tully

Delicious according to horrific, historic record, the Squllians are a sentient

species of creatures that were created, bred, harvested, and consumed as a
delicacy for a much larger and decadent species only known to them as ‘The
Maw’. The Maw’s consumptive lifestyles eventually led to their own extinction,
having devoured the majority of the resources on their home planet of Alcyon.
This left their food (the Squillians) the space to learn, thrive, and grow. Ever
weary of becoming a culinary delight for other lifeforms, they have only now,
generations later, started reaching out into the black. While they are saddled
with instincts implanted in them by their creators that make them fearful of
others, their molts are extremely palatable and are often presented as rare,
edible gifts to those they trust the most.

Appearance: Squillians look like five-foot tall bipedal shrimp. Their exoskeleton
is clear, with the exception of two bright lines that trail vertically from their
eyestalks, down their backs, and fan out at the tail. The color of these stripes
change depending upon whatever emotion they felt the strongest before
their last molt and will remain that color until their next. They molt every
three months and, for one week after the molt, their flesh is extremely soft
and vulnerable.

Bonuses: +1 Charm; Loyal Crewmate Improvement

Drawback: Because they were bred to instinctively freeze up when in the

presence of larger creatures they believe mean them harm, before making a
Flight check to flee such a creature, they must make a successful Grit check
of 5. This check must be a Snap Decision.

Additional Question:
• Individual: Who was the last person to whom you gave a molt? What
had they done to earn it?

Suggested Improvements: Escape Artist, Gross, Intergalactically Beloved,

Resistance Fighter

Suggested Tropes: Do-Gooder, Dreamer, Exiled Royalty, Face, Hitchhiker,

Newbie, Ship Born

Common Surnames: As a food source, naming conventions were never

something that the Squillians had to consider. Instead they referred to
themselves and each other by the color (or colors) of the stripes down their
back. As such, their name would change with each molt. Eg. a Squillian
might be born as ‘Alabaster Maroon’, but a few cycles later just go simply by
‘Aubergine’, ‘Peppermint’, or ‘Two-Different-Reds’.

10 0 TEENS IN SPACE
Therinians

Hailing from the planet of Therina, these large quadrupeds live in tribes of ten
to fifteen. Therinians are nomadic by nature, and though they are intelligent,
they usually have little interest in technology or exploring the universe beyond
Therinia. Each tribe has a region of the planet that they inhabit and use for
hunting. They regularly visit each other, especially during seasonal festivals,
where tribes are reorganized to ensure genetic diversity.

Tribes live in peace with each other for two main reasons. First, tribal boundaries
are fluid given the frequent festivals. Second and more importantly, all Therians
understand the importance of keeping populations under control given their
dependence on the land. Tribes only reproduce when a member of the tribe
dies or in the rare event that a Therinian decides to leave the planet to pursue
science or to explore the wider galaxy. It is under these rare circumstances that
they allow long-term visitors to the planet: only if they can temporarily take the
place of traveling Therinian.

Appearance: Therinians look similar to bears and range in size from the size
of a grizzly bear to a medium-sized dog. Their long, shaggy fur varies from
dark to light brown which turns to grey as they age. Though peaceful, they
are omnivorous and thus have sharp teeth. When they rear up on their hind
legs, they can be quite frightening.

Bonuses: +1 Brawn; Lucky Improvement

Drawback: When using technology that requires fine motor skills, Therinians
are at a -3 penalty if the technology is designed for species with more delicate
hands.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What do you miss most about your tribe?

Suggested Improvements: Gross, Intergalactically Beloved, Intuitive, Nerves

of Steel, Protector, Tough

Suggested Tropes: Dreamer, Explorer, Hitchhiker, Missionary, Newbie, Traveling

Celebrity

Common Surnames: Frark, Mehtz, Rhex, Qonk, Umont, Yettal

Note: Each Therinian in a tribe will have the same surname.

1 01
Throggofel

These short, quick-tempered craftspeople are widely considered the best

machinists and technologists in the universe. Obsessed with creating machines
and expanding their knowledge of science, the Throggofel quickly spread off of
their planet into the surrounding systems, colonizing uninhabited planets and
terraforming them. They also seek barren planets to mine and have developed
techniques to keep from affecting those planets’ orbits as their automatons
mine them.

Most Throggofel are reluctant to forge items for other species, charging them
exorbitant rates for the privilege. Some think that this stems from their concern
that others will reverse engineer their technology and sell it for themselves, but
none have ever successfully done so—though many have tried. Others think
Throggofel are just generally adverse to outsiders.

Appearance: Throggofel are short, usually stout, humanoids with ruddy

complexions. Their hands, though, are long-fingered and nimble, necessary
for the work that they do. Some Throggofel extend their love of technology
to their own bodies, augmenting themselves until they are more technology
than Throggofel and making no effort to hide the augmentations, as most
species do. Though not all Throggofel thus augment themselves, it is rare to
find one older than five without a cybernetic augmentation.

Bonuses: +1 Brains; Cyberware Hacker Improvement (Level 1)

Drawback: Throggofel insist on tinkering with technology they encounter,

especially what they don’t understand. Each day they are in the presence
of such tech, they must make a Grit check to avoid tinkering with it. The
suggested starting difficulty is 6 to 9, depending on how novel the technology
is. Each day, repeat the check, cumulatively increasing the check by 1 each
day. When tinkering with new technology, they must make a Brains check to
avoid damaging it. The suggested difficulty is 10 to 13, depending on how
novel the technology is.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What’s the most impressive improvement you’ve made
while tinkering?

Suggested Improvements: Blaster Master, High Flier, Nerves of Steel, Scanner,

Tough, Treasure Hunter, Utility Belt

Suggested Tropes: Engineer, Explorer, Medic, Merc, Missionary, Profiteer,

Scoundrel, Tech Wizard

Common Surnames: Chipforger, Cybercrafter, Electrocrafter, Ionformer,

Metalbender, Techmaker

10 2 TEENS IN SPACE
Viscoseans

Note: Viscoseans are non-player characters added to a player character with the
GM’s permission. Until the Viscosean and its host are fully bonded, the GM has
control of the Viscosean, sharing information with the player as needed. The more
developed the bond, the more control the GM should give over to the player.

A symbiote race that lies dormant until coming in contact with another species,
Viscoseans are the only known species in the universe that seems to have
evolved around other life. After bonding to a willing host, a Viscosean and
its host merge together over the course of a few years. Within a few weeks,
the Viscosean and its host can communicate through crude emotions. Within
6 months, the two can communicate rudimentary concepts. Within a year,
they can communicate fully, sharing a mind. Within a few years, they will be
inseparably bonded. The Viscosean and its host can separate for up to 24 hours
without impacting this progression, though each full day of being separated
results in a loss of a week’s progress.

Appearance: When unbonded to a host or temporarily separated from its

host, Viscoseans resemble a small puddle of gel of a single color. When
bonded, they can be undetectable or can manifest themselves anywhere on
the outside of their host’s body. Though they can make themselves invisible
to the naked eye while bonded, they can be detected through biologic or
telepathic scans.

Bonus: +1 to any Stat other than Charm (lost if the host and the Viscosean
are separated)

Drawback: The Viscosean has its own agenda, known only to the GM (assuming
the bond has existed for less than a year). It will give its host inklings of what
it wants to do, and if the host does not help, they will suffer a -1 penalty to all
checks until the Viscosean is satisfied that they are complying. Each day of
non-compliance cumulatively increases this penalty by -1.

Additional Question:
• Individual: How and how long ago did your bond begin?
• Individual (for the GM): What is the Viscosean’s agenda? (Remember,
keep this answer secret unless they’ve been bonded for less than a
year.)

Suggested Improvements: Viscoseans themselves cannot gain Improvements.

Suggested Tropes: Viscoseans adopt their hosts’ Trope.

Common Surnames: Viscoseans do not have names.

103
 Variants on a Species
In addition to selecting a species, you may also select one of the variants
included below. Other than Hybrids, there aren’t any mechanical impacts to
these variants. They do, however, offer additional roleplaying opportunities.
Because these will add layers of complexity to the game, we strongly suggest
that you consult with the GM and the other players before selecting these. It
may take the game in directions that don’t interest them, and some of them
might not be appropriate for the level of technology that everyone envisions
existing in the universe. The higher the level of technology in the known
universe, the more likely that the following options will be available to players,
all of which represent high levels of technology being applied to life.

We also recommend only using these for longer-term games; if you’re just
playing a single session of Teens in Space, the added time to create the
character might take too much time away from your game.

Android
Robots that appear to be another species

Forged when a species creates technology in their likeness, Androids are fully
aware of their mechanical nature. Though many species with androids in their
likenesses first created them as servants, most were given full freedom after
as their artificial intelligence matched—and often exceeded—that of their
creators. Androids are usually fond of their creators’ species and often willing
work for them, both out of gratitude and to study them to become more like
them. Some, however, resent their creators or think themselves superior to
them. Others still are attempting to pass themselves off as their apparent
species, either for personal reasons or because of their programming.

Additional Question:
• Individual: What is your relationship with your creator?
• Individual: How do you feel about the species you emulate?
• Individual: To what extent do you wish to become more like that species?

10 4 TEENS IN SPACE
Clone
A scientific recreation of another, existing creature

Considered by most species and most intergalactic laws as a fringe science,

cloning technology allows for the creation of a new life from sampled genes,
either as a direct recreation of the “original” or as a genetic amalgam of a
few “originals”. Some techniques even create a clone that believes it is the
original, as it is created fully grown and implanted with the original’s memories.
A few cloning technologies are even so advanced that it is impossible to tell the
difference between the clone and the original.

If you want the possibility that you’re a clone without knowing it, inform the GM
and allow them to decide. We recommend a simple coin flip to decide!

Additional Questions (Assuming that you know you’re a clone):

• Individual: How does it feel to know that you’re a clone?
• Individual: What is your relationship with your “original” or “originals”?

Cyborg
Machinery visibly fused to another species

In truth, nearly every interstellar traveler has enhancements wired directly into
their body. As such, by 21st century standards, everyone is a cyborg. In the
future, those that embrace the term “cyborgs” are augmented creatures who
relish their augmentations, seeking not to hide their implants but to maximize
their aesthetic impact. Some will even get larger implants than needed to make
them more obvious.

Additional Question:
• Individual: Beyond the increases to your abilities, what appeals to
you about being augmented?
• Individual: What was your first augmentation, and how did getting
it feel?

105
Hybrid
Multiple species intermixed through the wonder of space genetics

As species spread across the cosmos, those who were better able to breed
with other species were better able to pass along their genetic material.
Thus, they were selected for. Even if two species aren’t able to organically
procreate, there’s always science!

A hybrid is a combination of two species that has some traits of one and
some of the other—though the precise balance is up to you and the GM.
When the two of you are determining traits, the only requirement is that
you take a mixture of both good and bad from both species. You can’t have
a Throggofel/Pugnarean hybrid without either of their drawbacks — and if
you have all of the benefits, you should also take all of the drawbacks.

Additional Questions:
• Individual: Which two species do your genetics span?
• Individual (answered in consultation with the GM): What traits
(including benefits and drawbacks) do you have from your two
species?
• Individual: Were you raised more as one species or another, or was
your upbringing balanced between the two?
• Individual: How does it feel to have your genetics span two species?

Ktisis
Robots that appear to be another species—and genuinely believe they are that
species

The only variant that you cannot know you have, a ktisis is a technological
recreation of an original species. A ktisis is identical to an android save for one
key difference: a ktisis believes they’re actually the species they emulate. They
will doggedly deny the truth if confronted with it, figuring out explanations
for why parts of their body that are revealed to be mechanical are so—and
absolutely believing these reasons. Depending on the ktisis, being shown
incontrovertible proof of their mechanical nature, the ktisis could respond in
several ways. They may insist that the proof has been fabricated in order to
trick them, they may have a complete psychological break, or they may, after
some difficulties, accept the truth, that they are a ktisis. After this point, they
will function identically to androids.

Additional Question:
• Individual: How long ago was the ktisis created?
• Individual: Who is this ktisis’s creator?
• Individual: Why was this ktisis created?

10 6 TEENS IN SPACE
1 07
 Appendix F - Tropes
Captain
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Grit Brains Flight Charm Fight Brawn

Questions
• How does it feel to be responsible for your crew?
• What is the toughest call you’ve ever had to make as a captain?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Diplomat
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Charm Flight Brains Grit Brawn Fight

Questions
• Why do you believe so fully in the power of government?
• What is your current diplomatic mission?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Do-Gooder
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Charm Brawn Grit Brains Flight Fight

Questions
• How does it feel to help others?
• What’s the best good deed you’ve ever done?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Dreamer
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Charm Brains Grit Brawn Fight

Questions
• What’s one time when you were able to get someone to understand
your dream?
• How does it feel when others don’t share (or even denigrate) your
dream?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

10 8 TEENS IN SPACE
Engineer

d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Grit Brawn Flight Fight Charm

Questions
• What’s the craziest fix you’ve ever managed to pull off ?
• How would you describe your connection with the ship?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Exiled Royalty
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Brains Charm Fight Brawn Grit

Questions
• Why are you in exile?
• What lengths would you go to in order to get your family back on
the throne?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Experiment

d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Fight Brains Flight Grit Brawn Charm

Questions
• What do you remember about yourself before the experiment?
• What do you remember from during the procedures?
• What advice from a parent or mentor do you still remember?

Explorer
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Grit Flight Brains Brawn Fight Charm

Questions
• How did it feel when you made your first discovery?
• What spurred you to start exploring?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

109
Face
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Charm Flight Brawn Brains Fight Grit

Questions
• When did you realize people found you persuasive?
• What group do you have trouble persuading?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Flyboy
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Fight Brains Grit Charm Brawn

Questions
• How did you learn to fly so damn well?
• What do you love so much about flying?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Hitchhiker

d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Grit Charm Fight Brains Brawn

Questions
• When did you catch the travel bug?
• What are the strangest things you’ve seen while hitchhiking the galaxy?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Lone Survivor

d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Grit Fight Flight Brawn Brains Charm

Questions
• What happened to your species?
• How did you escape?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before they died?

11 0 TEENS IN SPACE
Medic
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Grit Flight Brawn Charm Fight

Questions
• What was the most impressive save you’ve ever had?
• What loss still haunts you?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Merc
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Fight Grit Brawn Flight Brains Charm

Questions
• Where did you get your combat experience before becoming a
merc?
• What are you saving your money for?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

111
Missionary
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Charm Grit Flight Brawn Fight

Questions
• When did you first experience the call by your deity?
• How do you spread belief in your deity?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Newbie
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Charm Brawn Fight Brains Grit

Questions
• Why did you join this crew?
• What aspects of this life are you still getting used to?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Profiteer
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Charm Flight Grit Fight Brawn

Questions
• Why are you focused on earning credits?
• Who got you started in this pursuit?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Scholar
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Charm Grit Flight Brawn Fight

Questions
• What kind of knowledge are you pursuing?
• Who or what is driving your pursuit of knowledge?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

11 2 TEENS IN SPACE
Scoundrel
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Charm Grit Flight Brains Fight Brawn

Questions
• Though your morals are flexible, what won’t you bend on?
• What led you to the scoundrel lifestyle?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Ship-Born
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Flight Grit Brawn Charm Brains Fight

Questions
• What does it feel like to have no “home planet”?
• What are you used to that the others aren’t?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Soldier
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brawn Fight Grit Brains Charm Flight

Questions
• Why are you traveling with this crew?
• Why did you join the branch of the interstellar military that you’re in?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

Tech Wizard
d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Brains Charm Flight Grit Fight Brawn

Questions
• Why are you so obsessed with fixing tech?
• What’s the craziest gadget you’ve ever created?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

11 3
Traveling Celebrity

d20 d12 d10 d8 d6 d4

Charm Brawn Brains Flight Fight Grit

Questions
• How does it feel to be recognized?
• What’s the most embarrassing encounter you’ve had with a fan?
• What advice did a parent or mentor give you before you left?

11 4 TEENS IN SPACE
 Appendix G - Character Improvements
Augmenting or Repairing you costs half the Credits; IP costs remain the same

Improvement IP Description of Improvement

Combat checks with hand-held pistols are

Blaster Master 2
made at +2.
You can make or restore Character
Improvements on yourself or others. Whoever
1 per is receiving the Improvement must still spend
Cyberware Hacker
level the same amount of IP. The maximum IP cost
of Improvement you can make or repair is
equal to twice your Cyberware Hacker level.
Checks to find hiding places or escape routes
Escape Artist 1
are made at +3.
Spend an Adversity Token to locate and
receive help, within reason and without making
Goody Two-Shoes 1
any stat checks, from law enforcement on any
inhabited planet.
You have some kind of gross bodily trick that
Gross 1
you can do on command.
"Gives you a fixed, static improvement to all
of your Stat checks with the assigned stat
(Brains, Brawn, Charm, Grit, Fight, or Flight).

To receive a +1 bonus, you must spend 1 IP. To

receive a +2 bonus, you must first take a +1 bonus,
Heightened Ability varies
then spend 2 IP. (For example, in order to have
a +4 to Grit, you would need to spend 10 IP.)

You may improve a Stat Boost later in the

game. (For example, a character with +1 Fight
could later spend 2 IP to increase to +2 Fight.)"
You can fly, either in space or on a planet's
High Flier 2 surface, using either biological means or, far
more often, technology.

11 5
 Improvement IP Description of Improvement

"If you spend 2 IP on this skill, you share a

hive mind with a group of creatures, likely
ones similar to yourself. Without having to
make a check, you may communicate as
though speaking with all nearby creatures
with your same hive mind. Being further
away or trying to communicate something
other than what could be conveyed
through speech may require a Brains check.

If you spend 4 IP on this skill (or an additional

Hive Mind 2 or 4
2 IP once you already have it), you may
communicate with similarly able members
of your hive mind at greater distances. You
may also attempt to ""listen in"" on another
hive mind network by making a Brains check.
The better you understand the species whose
network you are attempting to listen to, the
easier the check should be. For example,
if attempting to listen in on members of
your species in a different network in your
immediate vicinity, the difficulty should be 5."

Hot Shot Pilot 2 Flight checks in a spaceship are made at +2.

People on developed planets recognize

Intergalactically you and generally love your creative and/
2
Beloved or charitable work. +3 to Charm checks with
characters who love your work.
If a member of another species could find you
Interspecies Allure 1 attractive, get +2 to Charm checks against
them.
Spend 1 AT to ask the GM about your
Intuitive 1 surroundings, an NPC, or the like.
The GM must answer honestly.
Combat checks with a laserblade are made at
Laserblade Master 2
+2.
When you are present to help a crewmate
Loyal Crewmember 1 with a check, each AT you spend gives them
+2 instead of +1.

Lucky 2 Spend 1 AT to reroll a stat check.

Spend 1 AT to take half of your die’s value

Nerves of Steel 1
instead of rolling on a Snap Decision.

11 6 TEENS IN SPACE
Improvement IP Description of Improvement

+2 to Charm checks when interacting with an

Overachiever 1
authority figure.
You get a +3 bonus when defending your
Protector 1
crewmates.
Spend up to 5 Adversity Tokens to regenerate
from an injury.

An injury that would heal if treated (e.g.,

a broken bone, a laceration) costs 1 AT.
An injury that would never fully heal (e.g.,
Regeneration 3
losing a part of the body) costs 3 AT.
An injury that would be fatal—though not instan-
taneously fatal (e.g., a catastrophic injury that
would kill someone within minutes)—costs 5 AT.

Healing takes 1 hour per 1 AT spent."

Spend 1 AT to locate and receive help, within
reason and without making any Stat checks,
Resistance Fighter 1
from the group resisting the intergallactic
authorities.
Spend 2 AT to decrease any Pressure Gauge
Saboteur 2
by 1.
"Spend 1 AT to learn about the Pressure
Gauge closest to maxing out. You may
ask two of the following three questions,
and the GM must answer honestly.
Scanner 1 • How many total levels there are
• How many levels are filled
• A rough sense of the outcome
if it maxes out"
Spend 1 AT to change into a similarly-sized
creature or object. Characters meeting you
must roll their Brains against your Charm
Shapeshifting 5 (Planned Action). If they have reason to think
you might not be who you say you are, they
may take a Planned Action. Otherwise, their
check is a Snap Decision.

11 7
 Improvement IP Description of Improvement

Choose a non-combat skill in discussion with

the GM. You are assumed to succeed when
making moderately difficult checks (9 or less)
related to that skill. If the GM determines that
you need to roll for a more difficult check, add
Skilled at... 1
up to +3 to your roll. (This cannot stack with
other Improvement bonuses. You cannot, for
example, use +3 from Ace Pilot and +3 from
Skilled at Flying Spaceships to get a cumulative
+6 on Flight checks in a spaceship.)
You can survive in space for a number of
minutes equal to a Grit check. If you have time
Skywalker 4
to prepare for entering the vacuum, you may
treat this as a Planned Action.
Spend 1 AT to automatically succeed when
Space Athlete 1 performing a physical manuever in zero
gravity.
You may spend AT to help a crewmate even
when you are not present. When you do, if
Spirited Motivator 1 they describe a pep talk you gave them earlier
that prepared them for this, they get +2 per
AT you spend.
Spend 1 AT to not be seen, within reason (GM's
Stealthy 2
discretion).
If you lose a combat roll, add +3 to the negative
Tough 1 number. You will still lose the roll no matter
what but could reduce your loss to -1.
Spend 1 AT to find a useful item in your
Treasure Hunter 1
surroundings.
Spend an Adversity Token to locate and receive
help, within reason and without making any
Trouble Maker 1
stat checks, from a criminal network on any
inhabited planet.
Spend 1 AT to just happen to have one
Utility Belt 2
commonplace item with you (GM's discretion).

11 8 TEENS IN SPACE
Appendix H - Crew Creation Questions
Crew Questions — Positive
1. When was the first time that this character saved your life?
2. How was this crewmember instrumental in convincing you to join?
3. When did you realize that you loved this crewmember—either
romantically or platonically?
4. What do you admire most about this crewmember—and why won’t
you tell them that?
5. What potential do you see in this crewmember that they don’t?
6. What is this crewmember sacrificing to protect you?
7. What archaic custom do you and this crewmember have a mutual
love for?
8. What would losing this crewmember mean to you?
9. What item did this crewmember give you that you treasure?
10. Why do you owe this crewmember a debt you cannot repay?
11. What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever seen this crewmember do?
12. What’s the kindest thing you’ve ever seen this crewmember do?
13. What does this crewmember do that always makes you laugh—
either with them or at them?
14. What planet do you and this crewmember want to visit together?
15. Why do you and this crewmember bunk together?
16. What food do you and this crewmember both love way more than
you should?
17. What game do you and this crewmember like to play while you’re
flying?
18. How far would you go to protect this crewmember?
19. What compliment do you often pay this crewmember?
20. What secret does this crewmember know about you that none of
the others do?

Reminders
• Roll a d20 and answer that question about the character you’re
establishing a relationship with. If the question doesn’t fit what you
have in mind for that relationship, feel free to reroll or choose another
question.
• Once you’ve answered, remember to cross out the question so that you
don’t answer that question about another character—and so that other
players don’t answer the same question.
• If you roll a question that has already been answered, choose the
question above or below, choose any question on the list, or reroll.

11 9
Crew Questions — Negative
1. What did this crewmember do in the past that you still resent them
for?
2. What are you sure this crewmember is hiding from the rest of the
crew?
3. How did this crewmember botch your last job?
4. Why is keeping this crewmember on putting you all at risk?
5. You almost didn’t join the crew because of this member. Why?
6. Why does this crewmember’s Fatal Flaw scare you?
7. Why do you feel the least connected to this crewmember out of the
whole crew?
8. When is the last time you intentionally hurt this crewmember?
9. How did this crewmember betray you the last time you counted on
them?
10. How did this crewmember recently cost all of you a lot of credits?
11. What simple part of the ship does this crewmember seem incapable
of maintaining?
12. When was the last time this crewmember hurt you?
13. How has this crewmember’s Fatal Flaw cost your crew dearly?
14. What part of the ship do you believe this crewmember is sabotaging?
15. What would it take for you to leave this crewmember behind on a
mission?
16. How close have you come to killing this crewmember?
17. Why is there a bounty out on this crewmember’s head?
18. Why is this crewmember wanted by the intergalactic police?
19. How did this crewmember get you all banned from the last planet
you were on?
20. What dangerous belief does this crewmember have—and have they
started acting on it yet?

Reminders
• Roll a d20 and answer that question about the character you’re
establishing a relationship with. If the question doesn’t fit what you
have in mind for that relationship, feel free to reroll or choose another
question.
• Once you’ve answered, remember to cross out the question so that you
don’t answer that question about another character—and so that other
players don’t answer the same question.
• If you roll a question that has already been answered, choose the
question above or below, choose any question on the list, or reroll.

120 TEENS IN SPACE

 Appendix I - Items
In a game like Teens in Space, it would be impossible to provide an exhaustive
list of items for players to purchase. Our suggestion is that if you want
something to exist, it probably exists somewhere. The stranger that item is,
the harder it will be for you to find and the more expensive it will be when you
do - but space is a big place. Surely, someone somewhere will sell it to you for
the right price. In determining the price of an item, consult the chart below.
In short, the rarer and the higher quality the item is, the more expensive it
will be. Rarity is determined by how hard that kind of item is to find and how
sought after it is. Quality is determined by how well crafted and the quality of
the materials from which it’s made.

Quality (low to High)

One of
One of a kind One of One of
a kind One of a kind
Low quality a kind a kind
Average The highest
Good quality High quality
Credits: quality quality
Credits: Credits:
500-2k Credits: Credits: 10k+
4k-8k 8k-10k
2k-4k

Extremely Extremely
Extremely Extremely Extremely
Rare Rare
Rare Rare Rare
Average
Low quality Good quality High quality The highest
Rarity (common to Rare)

quality
Credits: Credits: Credits: quality
Credits:
2k-4k 4k-8k Credits: 8k-10k
100-500 500-2k

Hard to find
Hard to find Hard to find Hard to find Hard to find
Average
Low quality Good quality High quality The highest
quality
Credits: Credits: quality
Credits: Credits:
500-2k 2k-4k Credits: 4k-8k
50-100 100-500

Less
Less common Less Less
common Less common
common common
Low quality Average The highest
Good quality High quality
Credits: 10-50 quality quality
Credits: Credits:
Credits: Credits: 2k-4k
100-500 500-2k
50-100
Common Common
Common Common Common
Average The highest
Low quality Good quality High quality
quality quality
Credits: Credits:
Credits: 1-10 Credits: Credits:
50-100 100-500
10-50 500-2k

1 21
Most gear is used for narrative purposes, like repairing your ship or having
a kit you need. In these cases, the quality is less important, though at the
GM’s discretion, very low quality items might have a chance of breaking or
malfunctioning when used. Higher quality items may be required for specific
narrative purposes, like bribes, gifts, or precision equipment.
Below are a few types of gear, a short description of each, and some examples
to spur your creativity about what objects you’ll want to find.

Type Description Examples

Kit for specific Med Kit; Science Kit; Forgery

Kits
purpose Kit; Slicer Kit; Survival Kit

For crafting or Ship Repair Tools; Weapon Repair

Tools repairing Tools; Cybernetics Tools

For miscellaneous Toys; Video Games; Fidget Spinners;

Gadgets uses Space-Pogs; Hoverboards

For holding your Backpack; Hip-Bag; Spacer’s

Containers other gear Duffel; Military Pack; Holster

Blaster; Plasma Rifle; Laserblade;

Weapons For offense in combat
Grenade Launcher
For major offense Frag Grenade; Ion Grenade; Thermite;
Explosives in combat Smoke Bomb; Stink Bomb
For defense Blast Vest; Light Armor; Heavy
Armor in combat Space Armor; Laser Shield
For very specific Scanner; Stealth Suit; Space Suit;
Specialty purposes Smuggler Vest; Decryptor

We suggest that Kits and Explosives have a set number of uses before they’re
no longer usable. For example, a Science kit might be able to perform 5 tests
before items in it need to be replaced, or a set of Explosives might contain
ten grenades.

Most Weapons will allow you to Fight in a combat situation. If you’re going
to be in a blaster fight, you’re going to need the right tools to even stand a
chance. And it’s the extremely rare and very high quality weapon that would
give you any kind of bonus to that stat, so don’t expect to buy that kind of
weapon without more Credits than you’ve seen yet in your life.

Most kinds of armor will allow you to take a set number of injuries before
destroying it. For example, a Blast Vest can be sacrificed in the same way that
an Improvement could be sacrificed to reduce the severity of a successful
attack against you.

122 TEENS IN SPACE

Are you ready for
strange adventures
in small towns?
The sound of the photon-powered battering ram echoes in your ship. Your
Sollemnean pilot informs you that the doors have an 83.4% chance of breaking
with the next hit. The cyborg dog to your right is checking and rechecking her
enhancements. Your hand rests on the blaster at your hip as you hear the
battering ram powering up again. As it hits, the sound of metal rending sends
the rest of your crew to high alert. But you smile. This is going to be fun...

In Teens in Space, you’ll venture into the cosmos for adventure and profit. Along the
way your crew’s bonds will be tested, your ship will malfunction, and you’ll probably
get shot a few times. But that’s all in a day’s work for Teens in Space!

RENEGADE GAME STUDIOS – SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

HUNTERS ENTERTAINMENT – BURBANK, CALIFORNIA

Manufacturer: Renegade Games, LLC.

306N West El Norte Parkway #325, Escondido CA 92026.
Importer: Renegade France 52 avenue Pierre Semard FOR AGES 8+
94200 Ivry sur Seine France P:+33 (0)1 77 37 60 47.
© 2019 Hunters Entertainment LLC, All rights reserved. Lot#: 121418-01 $24.99
© 2019 Renegade Game Studios, All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-9862872-2-0
MADE IN JIANGSU, CHINA
52499

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