RayGuns and RocketShips

[R n' R] - a Supra Universal/Dimensional Space Opera (SUDSO)

R n'R is a work-in-progress to construct a generic 'Galactic Empire' campaign environment for The Art TM gaming system (Link).
It is hoped that D/Ms of other SF RPGs will find these pages a generic resource for their own Space Operatics.
Naturally to maximise the value of these pages you will need a Tarot Deck!
The Art TMAn  R 'n R  Post History
It is the one hundred and eleventieth millenium since the second Diaspora "II: The Expulsion". During that time the cleansing atomic fires have purified the unfit worlds and unclean places. The Adepts of the Twenty One Aspects sweeping all before them... or so they Believe. But ancient wickedness and corruption lurk in the Voids between the stars.
(And the Deus ex Machina may have other plans.)

"Earth", "Manhome", "Gaia", "The Green Hills" and the 'Cradle of St Tsiolkovski' are half remembered legends. Whilst authorities argue over the exact location of  Sol.

Humanity  has leapt (fled!) across the Cis-Galactic Deeps to explore and settle our satellite (companion) galaxies: The Magellanic Clouds and lesser Dwarfs. The adventurous have commenced the long voyage into the Trans- Galactic Void and the long journey to Andromeda. Meanwhile, spreading around the outer arms of the Galactic Rim: a two wavefronts of disparate Post-Human StarCultures...
What will happen when they meet?

Dei ex Machinae [D/M's] are directed to the glorious but defunct Universe (SPI), Space Opera (Fantasy Games Unlimited) and the 'everything including the kitchen sink' system that is Fading Suns (Holistic Games), Tri-Tac's FTL: 2448 and naturally I.C.E.'s  SpaceMaster, now into its third reprinting! As well as the various gaming spinoffs associated with media SF: notably Farscape and naturally Star Wars; and the other more 'local' campaigns: Star Trek, Babylon 5, etc that provide an excellent setting for our stellar neighbourhood.

Literary sources are many and varied; essentially: E.E. 'Doc' Smith's Lensman series for the purple prose, Asimov's Foundation series for scope; Poul Anderson's Technic stories for the aliens and Frank Herbert's Dune for the psychobabble!

Other Known Spaces naturally include Larry Niven's eponymous setting, H. Beam Piper's Federation/Empire; the Co-Dominium of Jerry Pournelle and the Hub of James H Schmitz. There are others... Although campaigns can be envisaged where humanity is a minor player in galactic politics; or as a primitive, captive or even a slave species; R n'R assumes that your Known Space [KS], of whatever size, is human derived or that humans play a major role in interstellar/intergalactic politics.

* ROTAS *

Adapt: a sophont with adaptive changes to enable them to live in the post- terran Galactic Milieu and environments ranging from pure vacuum to the ocean deeps... and everywhere in between.
Abomination: a sophont with adaptive... (as viewed by superstitious planet bound peasants and their repressive authoritarian masters.)

Ankh Button The Significator and Major Arcana are associated with various 21s (22s!).
For new Adapts and Abominations [AAs] their Significator can indicates their Temporal Origins. Naturally Player's efforts in 'fleshing out' just how they integrate into the D/M's campaign background should be rewarded by attentive D/Ms.
Otherwise, depending on the requirements and scope of the D/M's Campaign, by cross referencing the AA's Significator the Player may attempt to justify applying it to any of the following. Alternatively, the AA's 'Lifepath' - the subsequent MaA drawn from the Player's Destiny Deck obtained during the generation process - can be applied to campaign specific advantages or mere background detail.

Cultural Divisions

Biological Divisions
nominally divided by the D/M into 4 x 14
wand Wands Planet bound 'Protectorates': subject (slave!) races
coin Pentacles
Space going but non FtL capable 'Clients'
cup Cups FtL capable 'Neutrals' (when it suits them!)
sword Swords FTL capable 'Rivals'
plus 21 (22) Exotic Alien species and
Boring D/M's Stuff
The following are provided for a 'quick and dirty' Kosmic Kreation. (Hopefully retaining some scientific credibility in the process):

Habitable World Generation (Introduction)
Comprising
21 Settlement Types:  starting with the lowliest *Outpost  to  planetary Megopoli:  the seven generic Star Settlements (of increasing size) and fourteen specialised urban centres.
21 Habitable planetary types: seven generic habitability levels, seven planetary extremes and seven 'cosmic oddities' that are also habitable as well!
21 Technology levels caused by gradual decivilisation or despotic  repression
21 political systems
additionally
21 levels of Starport from a landing beacon to a hollow world.
21  Planetary Activities Archeic and Low Tech (Native) Crafts; Colonial Support Structures (i.e. Guild Halls) and other Plot Complexities

Plus some specific Campaign Specials
21 Ruined Worlds
21 Lost Worlds, 21 WorldShips, 21 Derelict Hulks, 21 Alien Mega-structures, and other figments of the moment...

Technics
21 Generic Technological Levels
21 types of Interstellar Flight
21 Noomancies (Cybernetic) Enhancements
21 *Craft  Types and Standard Encounters

'Alien' Culture Generation
21 Subject species and their Homeworlds (any resemblance to famous literary species is purely for purposes of satire!)
21 generic Exotics (biochemistries)
21 'Primitive' Crafts Industries and Artisans
21 Political Systems

Ankh Button Minor Arcana
Whilst the Major Arcana (MaA) define a multitude of factors (u.s.), the Minor Arcana (MiA) can also be used to flesh out the AA, NPC and campaign; principally (originally) defining the four classes of any primitive Culture: Peasants, Merchants, Priests, Nobility.
In modern terms: Workers' Collectives; Professional Associations; Religious Faiths; Aristocrats, Plutocrats and Technocrats.
the Minor Arcana can also be used to provide the fine detail of the D/M's campaign.
More...