Jaras System, Andromeda

 

            Jaras System, Andromeda is an RPG based in the imaginary world of Jaras in the Andromeda galaxy.  This is a role playing game where magic is not a reality, although to us it may seem a little too real.  It is a world where natural phenomena, not magic, is apparent.  It is seen in the normal days of the world.  This is what makes this game different than all the other games of this genre out there.  Let me introduce you and welcome you to Jaras System, Andromeda. 

 

            Jaras System, Andromeda is a role playing game for those who already know how to play role playing games and are looking for an alternative to the games that use magic, the forces of the supernatural, as a force to either further arm themselves or weaken their opponents.  In this game, natural forces unlike the earth are at work, making this world like but unlike the earth.  On the main planet, Janus, there are mountains, plains, swamps, forests, jungles, and other different types of lands.  This game will introduce you to where these land formations are.  It is unlike earth in several ways.  In this game, humans are not here.  Humans have never been here, nor will they ever be here.  The human mind could never survive in such a climate.  Their presence was banned from the galaxy of Andromeda in the space-time 07252195:124855.  In this galaxy, though, there are many creatures from all the different planets.  We will get to these planets later in time. 

 

                        There are 8 steps to building a character in this game.  These steps are explained as the following: 

 

Rolling the Attributes-

            There are ten random attributes that a player must roll for this game to determine how he/she will be played.  These are:

ES, Emotional Strength

ML, Mental Logic

MW, Mental Wisdom

PH, Physical Health

PA, Physical Agility

PE, Physical Endurance

PS, Physical Strength

PB, Physical Beauty

UPS, The persons unearned physical speed

PSI, Psychic Ability

 

Roll 3D6 for each of these attributes.  If the roll is 17 or 18, roll one six-sided die and add that to the number for your final attribute number. 

 

Explanation for each of the attributes

 

1.       Emotional Strength (ES)—This attribute determines how strong, emotionally, your character is.  This attribute determines if how much emotional stress a character can withstand before developing insanities.  This attribute also determines how much psychic attack a character can withstand. 

 

2.       Mental Logic (ML)—This attribute determines how “smart” a character is.  This is the attribute that would determine how quick a character would notice a hidden object.  This attribute also determines how methodical or functional a character could be in deductions of information. 

 

3.       Mental Wisdom (MW)—This attribute determines how wise a character is.  This determines how in-depth the character may remember a certain phrase, characteristic, etc.  This attribute is based more on memory than functionality of a character.

 

4.       Physical Health (PH)—This attribute determines how healthy a character can be.  This attribute also determines how many HP a character has. 

 

5.       Physical Agility (PA)—This attribute determines how dexterous a character is, and how well he can work with his hands, as well as body.  This attribute determines how well a character dodges and parries attacks. 

 

6.        Physical Endurance (PE)—This attribute determines how much torture the character’s body can go through.  This attribute is what determines how well the character’s bones hold up, or whether they break.  This attribute also determines the physical resistances to poison, acid, heat, cold, and disease. 

 

7.       Physical Strength (PS)—This attribute determines how much a character can hold, carry, how heavy of a weapon a character can wield, and how hard a character can physically manipulate objects. 

 

8.       Physical Beauty (PB)—This attribute determines how aesthetic a character is.  This attribute also determines how well a character can charm other people. 

 

9.       Unearned Physical Speed (UPS)—This attribute determines how fast a person basically is.  This determines how fast a character can walk and run.  Depending on the skills of the person, this attribute can be increased. 

 

10.   Psychic Ability (PSI)—This attribute determines how psychically aware a character is.  This attribute is used to determine how many psychic abilities a character has.  Depending on the OCC of the character, this attribute can be increased. 

 

Moral Determination

 

            The character’s moral determination is his outlook on morality and ethics.  This determines how a character looks on life and those in it.  It also determines how he reacts, good or bad, to situations depending on the ethics involved with them.  The moral determinations are as follows:

 

Moral Ethical

Moral Neutral

Moral Unethical

Neutral Ethical

True Neutral

Neutral Unethical

Immoral Ethical

Immoral Neutral

Immoral Unethical

 

            These moral determinations describe how a character would react in certain instances.  For example: A woman confronts a character that is married, and asks him to sleep with her. His alignment determines how he reacts to the woman.

 

Moral Ethical—The man explains that he cannot sleep with the lady because he is married.  He feels good that he did not cheat on his wife. 

 

Moral Neutral—The man explains that he cannot sleep with the lady, but does not feel happy or sad for doing so. 

 

Moral Unethical—The man explains that he cannot sleep with the lady, and then later feels upset that he had not done so. 

 

Neutral Ethical—The man may or may not sleep with the lady, depending on how pretty the lady is or how seductive she is.  If he cheats on his wife he will regret doing so.  If he does not, he will feel good that he didn’t. 

 

True Neutral-- The man may or may not sleep with the lady, depending on how pretty the lady is or how seductive she is.  He feels no joy or regret, no matter what the man decides. 

 

Neutral Unethical-- The man may or may not sleep with the lady, depending on how pretty the lady is or how seductive she is.  If the man sleeps with the lady, he feels good that he done so, but if the man does not, he is upset that he had not done so. 

 

Immoral Ethical—The man sleeps with the woman, and then later regrets that he had done so. 

 

Immoral Neutral—The man sleeps with the woman, and has no feelings one way or the other about his actions. 

 

Immoral Unethical—The man sleeps with the woman, and then later is upset that he had ever done so. 

 

Moral people usually pick the right thing to do both lawfully and morally.  Neutral people (moral wise) tend to have selfish tendencies, and will react in whatever way will suit them.  For example, if the man had just had a fight with his wife, he might be more inclined to sleep with the woman.  Neutral people (ethic wise) if faced with a life and death situation would kill an innocent person if it would mean he would get his way. 

 

Picking Character Class and Race 

 

Here are a list of the following Character classes and races.

 

Occupational Character Classes

Jarasian Arms Officer

Jarasian Grunt

Jarasian Scientist

Jarasian Peace Officer

Cardanian Soldier

Cardanian Juggernaut

Cardanian SARAT (Super Armor, robot, and auto technician)

 

            These OCC's are found later on in the book.  These OCC's will tell you what to do next.

 

Racial Character Classes

Jarasians

Cardans

Trimates

Huskites

Truggers

Spiedels

Cardans

 

 

Experience

            When adventuring, exploring, hunting, or doing almost anything on Jaras, a character learns more about himself, others, and his abilities.  These experiences tend to make the character smarter. 

The Story of Jaras World

 

            The story of Jaras World is one of glory, honor, deceit, and heroism.  Much of it begins with the coming of a ruler to a peaceful planet that had reached a utopian society.  This leader, Crem, saw the place and always wondered how easy it would be to take over an entire planet.  What had made the task seem so much easier, is that everyone seemed to be attuned to the nature around it.  There were classes, he had heard, taught in the schools on how to use the energy of Jaras.  Taking his time, for he was young, only 200 in a lifespan of well over 1000 years, he learned the ways of the planet. 

            Crem, who had come over to Jaras from Carda by a space bubble, the form of individual space travel of the time, where one is put into a membranous bubble that travels through space in such a quick time that even humans could never fathom.  This bubble was new on the market and had never been taken as far as Jaras.  In fact, Crem traveled in the bubble for 5 years before he came upon Jaras. 

            Using what he learned from his excursions at Jaras, Crem took a trip back to his home world to bring a legion of soldiers at his command.  Crem, at his home world, was a high ranking military official when he left on the military expedition.  Bringing a legion of 5000 ground troops, 250 airwave troops, and 10 special operation pilot and sniper operators.  Crem, though, did not land on Jaras, but landed on a distant moon, in which Jaras had 3. 

            Within a year, the Cardans were prepared to attack.  Crem finally gave the order to attack, and the bloody slaughter began...

           

            The Cardans invaded the planet of Jaras with veracity.  Many Jarasians were killed in the massacre, and within one of their days, the largest continent of Jaras was at his command.  Later, within one of their weeks, the whole planet had fallen to the Cardans and their ruler.  So began the reign of terror in which Crem had brought to Jaras. 

            Many Jarasians learned of his reign very quickly.  They were forced to do manual labor that would tear up their bodies, and when they could do no more work, Crem invented a device that the Jarasian slaves were made to wear that would force their arms and legs to do work, even when their bodies had no energy.  Such a device made the slaves lives into a living hell.  Even when they didn't want to work, these devices made them, even to such a point that their bodies were literally torn apart...

            The reign of terror that Crem has devised has brought death to millions of Jarasians, and had made him supreme ruler of the planet.  For 1000 years, Crem reigned supreme until the Great Insurrection.  The Great Insurrection took place in the continent of Ewnay, which is the tip of the "thumb" of the tri-continental divide.  On this continent, a group of Ewnayans prepared an overthrow for 200 years.  Slowly, but surely, the Ewnayans built up their forces, and when Crem "the Emperor" came to observe this section of the continent, the Ewnayan slaves broke free of their harnesses and killed Crem after a brutal fight, leaving a planet without any leadership at all. 

            Immediately the Cardans tried to bring order by pronouncing Elorg the new emperor, but by this time it was too late.  Jarasians from around the world revolted and took over some of the continents, but not all.  Of the tri-continental divide, only the "thumb" was taken.  Also, the Bjorn Islands and Diskos were taken.  Because of this, Elorg decided to let them be, for he would be able to take care of them soon enough.  For now, though, it was time for the dead to be buried.  The Cardans found the mangled corpse of Crem, and tried to bury it, but they could not.  For some reason, the ground was always too hard where they dug.  Crem would end up being food for the birds of prey. 

 

            Present day, Elorg rules much of the tri-continental divide.  There are spots, though, that he does not.  First, is the Swamp of the Dead in the middle of their most fertile spot on the continent of Doman.  Then, there is also the continent and country of Ewnay.  The other continents on each of the hemispheres will be discussed in later chapters. 

 

Jarbilities

 

            Jarbilities are the natural abilities that each Jarasian is born with.  These abilities come directly from the planet of Jaras when the Jarasian is hatched.  Normally, these jarbilities reveal themselves during the coming of the Jarasian’s adolescence.  They can be especially varied.  See appendix A for a list of jarbilities that each Jarasian possesses. 

Skills

 

            This section will deal with skills that the Jarasians and Cardans may have.  Each character will specialize somehow in the skills category, but will also be able to gain other skills also.  To see how successful a skill is, roll two ten-sided dice, one color being the high number and the other being the lowest.  If the roll is less than the skill percentage, the skill is successful.  If the roll exceeds the skill percentage, the skill failed.  Skills are determined by using the skills involved with the execution of the skill: 

 

Communications

 

Smoke Signals: This is the extensive knowledge of using fire to create messages by smoke.  Using this skill enables character to understand all smoke signals and what they mean. 

Base Skill: PA+ML. 

Skill Advancement: +5% per level of experience.

 

Basic Radio: This is the basic knowledge of radio transmission and reception and how to operate radios but not how to modify or repair them.  This skill is used to operate familiar radios but not alien forms of communications.  A character can try to operate alien communication forms, but will suffer a penalty of 30% to 50% depending on the difference in communication devices (GM’s, use your discretion). 

Base Skill: ML+MW. 

Skill Advancement: +3% per level of experience.

 

Advanced Radio: Radio knowledge is expanded here with the ability to modify radio transmissions, frequencies, repair, and modify radio communication systems.  This is limited to familiar radio communication devices.  A character can try to use this skill on alien devices or unfamiliar communication systems, but will suffer a penalty of 30% to 50% depending on the difference in communication systems (GM’s, use your discretion).  Must make basic radio skill to use advanced radio skill. 

Prerequisite: Basic Radio

Base Skill: ML+PA

Skill Advancement: +4% per level of experience. 

 

Combat

 

In combat, there are 3 types of weapons: melee, projectile, and firearm.  Melee weapons are those that one must be close to the target.  Knives, swords, and pole-arms are examples of melee weapons.  Projectile weapons are those that are thrown or fired from a non-explosive source, inflicting damage to the target from a short distance.  Firearms are those which are fired from a source in which an explosive reaction causes the projectile to move at great distances and speed.  The following skills are based on that knowledge. 

 

Melee Combat: This is the basic knowledge of melee combat and how to fight with punches or kicks.  Damage of each punch or kick for each creature is explained below. 

Base Skill: PS+PE.

Skill Advancement: +5% per level of experience

 

Those who take the melee combat skill also get the following bonuses:

 

·         +1 to strike with hands/feet at levels 3,6,9,12,15

·         +1 to parry with hands/feet at levels 2,5,8,11,14

·         +1 to initiative at levels 1,4,7,10,13

 

 

Race of Creature	Punch Damage	Kick Damage
Jarasian	1D6+1	2D4+1
Cardanian	1D6	2D4
Trugger	2D4+1	2D4+1
Spiedel	2D4	2D4+2
Trimates	1D4+1	2D4-1
Huskites	1D6-1	2D4-1

 

 

Weapon Combat: This is the basic knowledge of weapons used in melee combat, such as daggers, swords, spears, etc.  Each separate type of weapon is a separate skill.   Therefore, a weapon combat-sword skill and a weapon combat-knife skill are counted as two separate skills. 

Base Skill: PS+PA.

Skill Advancement: +5% per level of experience. 

 

Those who take weapon combat also get the following bonuses:

 

·         +1 to strike with weapon at level 3,6,9,12,15

·         +1 to parry with weapon at level 2,5,8,11,14

·         +1 to initiative at level 1,4,7,10,13

 

Projectile Combat: This is the basic knowledge of the loading and firing of basic projectile weapons such as crossbows, long and short bows, and slings.  Each type of weapon is counted as a separate skill.  Therefore, a projectile combat-short bow skill and a projectile combat-sling skill are counted as two separate skills. 

Base Skill: PA+PE

Skill Advancement: +5% per level of experience. 

 

Those who take weapon combat also get the following bonuses:

 

·         +1 to strike with projectile at level 3,6,9,12,15

 

Firearm Combat: This is the basic knowledge of the loading, firing, and maintenance of firearms weapons such as pistols, rifles, and missile launchers.  Each type of firearm is counted as a separate skill.  Therefore, a firearm combat-pistol and a firearm combat-rifle count as two separate skills. 

Base Skill: PA+ML

Skill Advancement: +4% per level of experience.   

 

Those who take firearm combat also get the following bonuses: 

 

·         +1 to strike with firearm at level 3,6,9,12,15

·         +1 to burst with firearm at level 5,10,15

 

 

 

Character Races

 

Jarasian

            The Jarasian is the main race of people on Jaras.  These people are a proud people.  They look much like that of a human, but have pointed ears, and each Jarasian have at least one Jarbility.  They are 5-6 tall, and weigh between 100-300-lbs., depending on whether they are male or female.  These are the closest to humans on Jaras. 

 

Jarasian:

            Height: 5 feet + 1D12 inches high

            Weight:

                        Males: 100+2D100 lbs.

                        Females: 100+1D100 lbs. 

            Jarbilities:  See Appendix 1

 

Cardanian

            Cardanians are the race of people that invaded Jaras in the service of their leader, Crem.  They come from the distant planet, Carda.  Many of the Cardanians that are on Jaras are there from the war, and have either tried to settle in peace, or in the service of their new leader, Elorg.  They are a dominant race who is bent on conquest.  They are short, stout humanoids with vertically shaped eyes.  They tend to be heavier than the Jarasians, and a little more advanced. 

 

Cardanian:

            Height: 4 feet + 1D6 inches high

            Weight:

                        Males: 150+2D100 lbs.

                        Females: 150+1D100 lbs.

            +5% to all advanced or technical skills

 

Note:  Cardanians normally do not have jarbilities, but can learn a total of 1D6 abilities if able to attend a school.  Learning abilities will take a year to achieve, and even then the abilities have a maximum limit of 50% efficiency. 

 

Combat

 

Initiative

Players roll 1D20 for initiative, where the highest number goes first.  Some weapons may have initiative bonuses, depending on how light or balanced they are. 

 

Strike

The attacker must declare who he is attacking, and the defender must declare whether he is going to parry the attack or dodge.  Attacking players will roll 1D100 for their strike roll, and compare it to their skill roll.  If the dice roll is under the skill percentage, the strike is successful. 

 

Parry

At this point, the defender must parry the attackers hit.  The defender must roll his attack roll for the item he is defending with.  If he is parrying with his hands, he must roll the brawling skill for his parry roll.  If he succeeds, the attack is parried, and damage is dealed if damage is applicable. 

 

Dodge

After the strike phase, the dodge phase also happens.  This is much like the parry phase, but any player who dodges a non-projectile weapon gets a 20% bonus to his dodge. 

 

Damage

Damage is then dealt out.  See the chart on armor damage for any parry conflicts, or see the armor damage resistance on the armor you are wearing. 

 

Combat is run this way until all attacks are used, or the attack round is over.  If combat has not been resolved, re-roll initiative, and begin combat again. 

 

Combat begins with initiative, and then goes into what is called a phase combat system.  After initiative, the phase combat system determines the next person to attack.  Each phase represents one second of combat.  Each combat melee consists of 15 seconds of real time. 

 

Phase Combat (optional)

            Phase combat is a breakdown of combat into seconds.  This is an optional rule and designed to make combat more realistic, and dispels some of the argument as to when damage actually occurs during a melee round.  If damage is acquired on the same second, those with the initiative will attack first.  If their initiative is the same, then the attacks happen at the same exact time. 

 

Phase Combat Chart

 

Phase	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
APM
1	1	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2	1	--	--	--	--	--	--	2	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
3	1	--	--	--	--	2	--	--	--	--	3	--	--	--	--
4	1	--	--	--	2	--	--	--	3	--	--	--	4	--	--
5	1	--	--	2	--	--	3	--	--	4	--	--	5	--	--
6	1	--	--	2	--	3	--	--	4	--	5	--	--	6	--
7	1	--	2	--	--	3	--	4	--	5	--	--	6	--	7
8	1	--	2	--	3	--	4	--	5	--	6	--	7	--	8
9	1	--	2	--	3	--	4	5	6	--	7	--	8	--	9
10	1	--	2	3	--	4	5	--	6	7	--	8	9	--	10
11	1	--	2	3	--	4	5	6	--	7	8	9	--	10	11
12	1	2	3	--	4	5	6	--	7	8	9	--	10	11	12
13	1	2	3	4	--	5	6	7	8	9	--	10	11	12	13
14	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	--	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15