RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 6 - REACH

REACH

Going through the Space Opera Heroes RPG, I'm just getting to the Space Opera Master's section on Villains and this makes me I think its only appropriate that this entry should be focused on our first bady guy for the campaign.

Known throughout the Galactic Underworld as 'Big Red', this interstellar Crime Boss also goes by Mister Crimson. Dressed in what has been identified as a Pre-Galactic Federation model of Armored Powersuit favored by the old Martian Marines, the true identity and appearance of the person within is a mystery. 

According to the Galaxy Police's extensive files, Mr. Crimson runs the Red Reach Galactic Crime Syndicate. He and his veritable army of henchmen and thugs are wanted in over 25 star systems [and the space in between] for a litany of illegal activities ranging from extortion to spice smuggling to murder! 

A reward of 50,000 Credits is being offered by the Galactic Federation for any information that might lead to Big Red's whereabouts or his identity. Do not attempt to apprehend him yourself! Mr. Crimson should be considered armed and extremely dangerous!

The truth beneath the armored exterior is that Big Red is 'Crimson-1', a young boy who was [at perhaps 12 years of age] subjected to illegal experiments by an evil Megacorporation. The intention was to induce artificial Psychic Powers but instead it they gave him incredibly high intelligence and unbridled bitterness.

 

He used his genius to escape the facility that held him and two other surviving companions, Scarlet-2, and Vermilion-3. They were separated and the current whereabouts of the others are unknown. If Crimson has any sentimentality left, it lies with his desire to reunite with them, particularly Scarlet-2.

Crimson took to crime to survive but with his amazing Intellect he took over in no time. He was able to purchase his Powersuit from a collector. While the exterior appearance is that of a vintage model, Crimson modified the interior components to match those of a xx type Powersuit, one of the latest and most advanced on the market.  

Villians in Space Opera Heroes are very special NPCs and in fact, the game focuses more on the minions, lieutenants, and other antagonists more than it does 'the Big Bad'. This is because in Golden and Silver Age Space Opera, the main antagonist rarely appears, preferring to send expendables or their trusted Second-in-Command instead of confronting the hero themselves.

This is very obvious in early Anime and Manga stories as well, not to mention Tokusatsu shows. The Leader of the Evil Organization sits in his secret lair watching the heroes defeat his latest Monster-of-the-Week right before cursing them with his first raised, "I'll get you next time!"

As far as Villain Archetypes, Mr. Crimson fits several of them but is closed to the Evil Genius. It has a bit of the Hardboiled and Musclehead when in the Big Red suit. Overall I'd write him up as follows:

Ability Scores: As Crimson-1: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Agility 2, Intellect 4, Luck 1, Size 0.

As Big Red: Strength 4, Dexterity 1, Agility 1, Intellect -, Luck -, Size 2.

Big Red's Intellect and Luck are the same as Crimson's obviously.

Skills: Close Combat 2, Commerce 2, Engineering-Electronics 2, Engineering-Mechanical 4, Evasion 2, Law 2, Tactics 4.

Crimson's Durability is 2 vs. Type A. With the Big Red Suit it's 5 vs. A, 3 vs. B.

The Powersuit also grants Increased Strength and Stamina (noted above), Sensors, a built-in Communicator, and Rockets in the boots for a quick escape. 

Mr. Crimson is only 21 years of age now despite his outward appearance. Although generally in excellent physical condition, he does suffer bouts of extreme fatigue, some nearsightedness, and mildly impaired hearing. The Big Red suit compensates for these issues.

His Reach is long and broad, his reputation infamous, but within him is an angry little boy who feels his life was taken from him and he's determined to get everything back and then some!

AD

Barking Alien

*The Powersuit is based on a reported Close Encounter in Cádiz Province, Spain in 1960. A school teacher named Don Miguel Timermans Ceballos claimed he'd seen two beings whose descriptions made them seem like the 'Michelin Man' painted red. The visual appearance of the 'aliens' in Ceballos' story always stood out to me.

I added to that aspects of what I think is one of the most terrifying robots in Science Fiction film history, Maximilian from Disney's Black Hole

As for Crimson, the man within the suit, I pictured Takashi / Esper No. 26 from the Anime and Manga Akira.

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 5 - BURDEN

BURDEN

Today marks the release of the Japanese Animated Star Wars series, 'Star Was Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi', the first such endeavor of its kind for the venerable franchise. I will be making a post dedicated to it once I have watched the show in its entirety.

I've long wondered what a 'Star Wars Visions' TRPG would be like and how it would differ from simply running Star Wars. I may have my answer with The Ninth Jedi. We shall see.

Inspired by this series, I thought I would introduce a Jedi-like character to my Space Opera Heroes campaign, one saddled with a heavy Burden. 

Sir Onus, Psy-Knight of Excellion, has protected the Galactic Federation since its inception over 300 years ago. In fact, he played a vital role in the final battle against the , whose attacks against the Earth Federation and its alien allies united them all under one banner that still stands today.

Now, in similar times of great need, Sir Onus appears once again to vanquish the forces of evil with the power of Excellion! 

While all true...it isn't the whole story.

Sir Onus, that is THIS Sir Onus, has not been alive for 300 years. He is in fact the 7th or 8th Sir to carry the mantle and be bestowed the power of the Excellion Crystal which enhances the wielder's Psychic Powers and bestows a few other benefits all its own. 

The thing is, the Crystal is kind of alive. It is unclear if it is a true life form, an artificial intelligence, or something unique that changes the definition of life as we understand it. Whatever it is, it extends the bearers life span (though not indefinitely), makes them aware of where and when they're needed (based on its own opinion it seems), and compels the wielder to go to that location. 

Attempting to ignore the 'Call to Action' from the Crystal can result in difficulty sleeping, muscle pain and headaches, or even finding yourself walking towards your starship without your control or consent! This is one bossy Crystal! 

Another issue should be obvious from the fact that an item that extends your life has had 8 hosts in 300 years. Being the Psy-Knight of Excellion is a dangerous occupation and most don't get to benefit all that much from the additional years granted to them. Usually, it is a dying Sir Onus who passes on the Excellion Crystal to the next Sir Onus.

Finally, though there is much honor, prestige, and appreciation for what you do, it isn't exactly a high paying job these days. The current Sir Onus' Starfighter is not in top condition and his 300 year old armor could definitely do with some repairs. He' on his third cloak for Star's Sake! 

Excellion-One!

An interesting thing to note about Sir Onus' Starfighter, a GP SF-11 'Dirk', is not capable of Jump travel. Ships of this size do not have Jumpdrives in this setting. An odd choice for the Psy-Knight's profession one might say. Except...it has excellent speed and maneuverability, impressive armaments, and shields. To get from system to system Sir Onus must reply on JumpGates or a lift from a larger vessel.  

Such is the Burden of the chosen Psy-Knight of Excellion...

AD

Barking Alien

*This character was inspired first and foremost by the Jedi Knights of Star Wars. In addition, there is a little Lensman thrown in, a major reference point for the Space Opera Heroes RPG and for the Jedi themselves. Finally, I added in a touch of Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride, 'cause I could.

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 4 - CHARM

CHARM

For some reason I can not quite articulate, the prompts thus far have all made me think of Female characters. I read the prompt and (hopefully) a character comes to mind and that's the one I write-up. It just so happens that none of these words have made me think of characters that 'had to be' guys.

Until now that is. 

Chase Varlet is, in many ways, your typical lovable Space Scoundrel; a Gambler, Pirate, Smuggler, and general galactic ne'er do well but with a heart of gold. At the very leadt gold plated.

He does have his principles you see, mostly, preferring to focus his less-than-scrupulous activities on greedy Megacorporations, the tyrannical Imperium, and on occasion, criminals far worse than himself.

He won't blast anyone who hasn't (or wouldn't have) blasted him first, never pirates from 'working class freighters captains', and will always lend a hand to another independent adventurer in need. After all, you never know when you might need to call in a favor, so its good to have a few extra favors in your pocket. 

What makes this fella 'special' though? How has he lasted so long living this kind of life? Why isn't he lying in a ditch on some unnamed rock or locked away on the prison planet Catacomb? Charm baby. *Wink*.

Chase is a terrible flirt.

Gidget is TERRIBLE at flirting.

Chase Varlet is one incredibly Charming individual. It's more than just good looks, a cool attitude, and a lot of confidence. No, Chase is just really good at reading people. He's a good actor. He knows what to say, who to say it to, how, and when.

 

Varlet's mouth and mannerisms have gotten him out of far more scraps than his starship piloting or marksmanship ever could or likely ever will to be honest. When all is said and done, Chase is a 'people person'; he knows and understands people and how they think. 

Another custom Archetype; yes I know but I just can't help it. They're so easy to make and when I can't find one that fits perfectly, creating what you need is a snap. Anyway, this one started as the Lucky Hero but it didn't have the Interpersonal Skills I needed for the Charm focus I wanted to give him. In the end, instead of combining Lucky Hero with another provided Archetype, I decided to break down the numbers/points that build a character in the game and just construct an Archetype that fit my goal. 

Varlet owns a customized GS GSS-2 Boomerang Class vessel, the smallest type of Jumpship currently in production. Dubbed 'The Skylark Dandy', it is a decent ship perfectly suited one person in Chase's particular line of work. The vessel is outfitted with two special modifications: Powerful Engines and Maneuvering Thrusters. A post focusing on Starships for Space Opera Heroes, which as I've mentioned in the past I'm basing on the game Space Ship Story, is definitely near the top of my list of things I HAVE to do.

Sorry I've been slow with this Challenge this week. Business is finally picking up after the Summer lull its been necessary to focus on that. 

More to come very soon,

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Barking Alien

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 3 - POISE

POISE

Poise isn't a word that commonly appears in my vocabularly, either written or spoken. It isn't something I think about and few of my characters are ever developed with their 'Poise' in mind. How does Poise even apply to RPGs Let's see if we can get an idea from the definition...

According to Merriam-Webster it means 'to hold or carry in equilibrium'. Isn't that balance? Are they synonymous? Hmm. Turns out they are in fact synonyms. That doesn't really help me though and it isn't what I think of what I think of Poise. What else is there?

Ah, Google has the definition of 'graceful and elegant bearing in a person'. OK, yes, that's more what I was thinking of. Like a princess. Like a Space Princess? A Psychic Space Princess!

YES!

I'm going with a Space Princess with Psychic Powers for this one. With that in mind, it is my honor to introduce her highness, Princess Yume Nebular of the Miraisekai Empire.

As lovely, charming, and diplomatic as she is enigmatic and, if rumors are true, dangerous, Princess Yume is the youngest member of the Nebular Royal Family and the heir to the Throne of Visions. Her elder cousin Kowai is next in line should something 'happen' to her. 

While accidents and direct attempts on her life have been made by forces unknown (shhyeah, right) none have been even remotely successful. Like many members of the Nebular Royal Family, the Princess possesses Psychic Abilities, one of which appears to be Precognition, the power to see the future. It is very difficult to rid yourself of a target who knows when, where, and how a threat to them is coming. 

Unbeknownst to all but the closest of family members, Princess Yume's personal scepter, the Infinity Stave, is an ancient artifact from a highly advanced though long extinct civilization that enhances her powers while she's in contact with it. 

Princess Yume always goes about with an air of Poise and a sense of calm confidence that can only come with being able to see events that have not yet occurred. This does not make the young royal invincible of course. Just because you know a catastrophe is coming doesn't mean you can stop it.

Luckily, she has the forces of the Miraisekai Empire at her disposal and a lot of friends who can help her escape a potentially deadly situation, including the Alien Explorer Gidget Starseeker and Asatira the Space Amazon.

Yume Nebular is built on another custom/combo Archetype, this one merging Princess and Esper into my own creation, Psychic Princess. I know, I know, we're workshopping the name. 

With this entry I focused on how she might function in an adventure or overarching plot, so things like Weapons and Adventure Gear and the like were kept to a minimum; I only gave her what I thought she needed her potential role. In an ongoing campaign I might flesh her out further if my players and their PCs responded well to her. 

AD

Barking Alien

Looking ahead, some of the future prompts, those towards the later half of the month, are little lacking in 'energy'. Few of them are, how shall I put it, 'action' words. Still and all, better than previous years. I may have to get creative. We'll see how it goes.  

*The name Yume isn't a name per se but a word; it means 'Dream' in Japanese. Her rival cousin Kowai's name mean 'Scary' or 'Frightening'

Likewise, the 'Miraisekai' Empire uses the Japanese words for 'Future' and 'World/Society/Civilization' to form the Future Society Empire. Is their Precognition that powerful or could they actually be from the future? Don't know yet but its fun to imagine the possibilities.

This character, her Empire, and many other aspects were inspired by the Jurai Empire and related characters in the Japanese Anime Franchise 'Tenchi Muyo'. 

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 2 - STATURE

STATURE

The word Stature implies prominent and even imposing physical size. It also related to importance or perceived important due to ability and achievements. The word makes me think of something Science Fiction is noticably lacking in these days...Space Amazons!

Asatira 176 is an Amazon Warrior Woman from the planet Astart (Astart Sagitarri II) and a renowned interstellar adventurer. Like all the women of her world, Asatira is descended from a group of genetically engineered super soldiers who colonized the planet a few centuries back. 

Not long after arriving on the planet a terrible plague wiped out the Male population and only the Females survived. Now, over 300 years later, their society thrives as a Matriarchal Direct Democracy - One Woman, One Vote! The Astartians are much sought after as allies because of their martial prowess but are not yet members of the Galactic Federation, prefering their independant status.

Elena 225 and Asatira 176 showing variants in Astartian Battle Armor aesthetics. 

Asatira is, as you can imagine, a big woman. She stands just over 7 feet tall and weighs roughly 250 lbs. The gravity of Astart is heavier than Earth-Galactic Standard and the people are adapted to such conditions. In addition, her Stamina and Speed are as impressive as her Physical Strength; her enemies sometimes succumb to fatigue before she even breaks a sweat.

While skilled with various weapons, her favorite is a Plasma Energy based 'Ray Sword', seen here being used against a Robot Commando of the Ares Battalion, a renegade military organization originally from Mars in the Sol System. The Battalion and the Amazons of Astart are bitter rivals. 

I love this character. She just came to me upon reading today's prompt and I had to write her up. I gave her a Hoverbike and Special Gauntlets to show her people are technologically advanced and not just big barbarians. The number after her name is a hold over from the distant past when her people, being genetically engineered, were given a batch number or other such designation. Maybe they were clones? Who knows! That was a long time ago. How do they reproduce now? Hmm. Good question...

Here's her Character Sheet:

Instead of using the Amazon Archetype, I decided to do another custom one combining the Amazon and the Muscle, resulting in what I refer to as 'The Amazon Warrior'. 

I am really looking forward to running this game sometime soon and I am still considering do a Solo campaign as well. It's just a really functional system that emulates the genre of Space Opera particularly well and that is one of my favorite types of Science Fiction after all. 

I see Asatira as a sort of 'Big Sister' figure for Gidget, the latter wishing she was half as cool as this badass Space Amazon. Meanwhile Asatira is well aware Gidget is good at things she herself is not, like piloting Starships and understanding complex Sciences like Biology. 

What a team they'd make, right!

Where to next - or is it who to next - as we explore the denizens of Frontier Sector Zeta and the universe of Space Opera Heroes!

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Barking Alien

*Asatira is a Female name of Swahili origin meaning 'History' or 'Legend'. Quite fitting if I do say so myself. 

Asatira's homeworld of Astart (Astart Sagitarri II) is named for Astarte, the Hellenized form of the name of the ancient Near Eastern goddess, Attart. Attart is a counterpart to Ishtar and a female diety connected to Beauty, Sexuality, Royal Power, Healing, and War.