Capítulo 2 (GtSH)

# Chapter 2

## The Sinister Secrets Of Starhaven

Starhaven literally opens up new worlds of adventure for Mutants & Masterminds Gamemasters, leaving Earth largely behind and challenging heroes with life in a strange new “frontier” settlement in the outer solar system, exploring the ancient ruins of an advanced alien installation and dealing with challenges both external and internal to the peace and well-being of the settlers of Starhaven. This chapter contains material for the Gamemaster only! Readers intending to play in a Starhaven campaign should skip this chapter and the Siege of Starhaven adventure in order to avoid potential spoilers.

This chapter provides resources and suggestions for M&M Gamemasters setting adventures and campaigns in Starhaven, as described in Chapter 1, providing the behind-the-scenes material necessary. Some of this material refers to the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook as well as the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide and the Cosmic Handbook. Efforts have been made to include all of the essential information Gamemasters need, such that sourcebooks other than the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook are useful, but not required.

In many ways, Starhaven is a city like any other: People love their families, go to work, hang out with friends, and struggle to make sense of a complicated world and their place in it. Ideals meet harsh reality and some residents rise to the challenge. Others falter and turn to theft and violence. Bickering political parties fight for the fate of thousands.

In many other ways, Starhaven is wholly unique: A city in space, protected from vacuum, freezing cold, and harsh radiation by a thin layer of prehistoric plastic. Ancient animals and extraterrestrial beasts creep through ruined corridors. Technology so advanced it may as well be magic lies forgotten in dark closets. And all your neighbors are aliens.

The real “secret” of Starhaven—as with all Mutants & Masterminds setting material—is that it is your setting, to do with as you will. Ultimately, all of the ideas and details in this chapter, and in fact this entire book, are just possibilities you can decide to use in your campaign as-is or to alter or omit to suit your needs. Feel free to start telling the story of Starhaven from anywhere along its timeline, before or after the arrival of its current settlers. You can ignore the settlers plot altogether and make Starhaven a vast, empty ruin for the heroes to explore on their own, even being the first to discover it, fill the Green Zone with dinosaurs or alien life, replace any or all of the existing factions or foes, or anything else that interests you.

### STARHAVEN ADVENTURES

The Campaign Frameworks section of Chapter 1 goes into detail about the potential types of M&M campaigns Gamemasters can run using Starhaven as a setting, focused on who the heroes are and what their role is in the settlement. This section looks at the different adventure possibilities posed by Starhaven, villains from other Mutants & Masterminds sourcebooks suited for the setting, and other M&M game resources that might be useful in setting up and running a Starhaven series.

The Cosmic Handbook is single most useful supplement for a Starhaven series, focused on adventures beyond the bounds of Earth. It covers many of the elements a Starhaven Gamemaster will want to consider, from survival in the depths of space and travel between planets to different alien species, cosmic forces, and settings with more advanced technology than Earth’s as their default. The Cosmic Handbook also comes with a wealth of useful archetypes for heroes,villains, and alien species, along with more detail on the greater galaxy in Earth-Prime’s universe and its factions.

There are numerous possible directions to take with an M&M campaign set in Starhaven. Chapter 3 provides an initial adventure, the Siege of Starhaven, that touches upon some of these campaign hooks, which Gamemasters can expand upon using the material in this book into full-fledged adventures.

#### CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

Pupil and the Children of Chrysalis (see Starhaven Factions) have plans for Starhaven, namely as a giant experiment in forced evolution to fit Chrysalis’s ancient operating instructions. Characters can encounter both the seemingly benign public face of the cult, in the form of free clinics and medical-assistance charities, as well as the more sinister elements recruiting people into secret meetings, creating terrible mutations, and disposing of the results of their patron’s “gifts” gone wrong. Characters with a health care or biological sciences background might even be unknowingly involved with the Cult’s public works, only to discover the terrible truth.

The Children of Chrysalis are a great opportunity for a “mass origin event” like the Silver Storm from the Emerald City sourcebook, wherein Preserver technology run amok causes random mutations in a segment of the Starhaven population. If you’re looking to start a Starhaven series, this can be the kick-off, giving the heroes their powers as well as empowered a number of potential adversariesor allies. The same might be true for an ongoing series: The heroes might be some of the first people with super-powers in Starhaven, but subjects of the cult’s experiments could increase the superpowered population manifold in just one adventure.

The further the Children of Chrysalis pursue their goals, the worse things get because it becomes increasingly clear (at least to outsiders) that the artificial intelligence Chrysalis has no endgame: It is simply pursing a program of forced evolution because that’s what it was designed to do. There’s no “enlightenment” or “higher being” at the end of the cult’s agenda. Depending on how things play out, even Pupil, Chrysalis’s fanatical high priest, may find his faith shaken by the discover that it has all been for nothing. Or the realization may drive him to embrace nihilism and hasten the coming of Collapsar the Devourer, trading one false god for another.

#### THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE

The public education of Starhaven’s children can form the basis for various adventures, even a whole kind of Hero High series set in space. Starhaven characters might be educators or school administrators or parents with children of their own, dealing with raising and caring for them in a new and potentially dangerous environment. Starhaven heroes may be looked up to as role models, asked to come and speak at school to inspire the children, the perfect opportunity for an enemy to attack or something to go wrong. Something like a “field trip” out into the Green Zone gone awry is also an opportunity for heroes to rush to the rescue and help save a group of schoolchildren stranded in a hostile wilderness. In a community where everyone is an outsider, making sure kids feel heard and welcome is perhaps the greatest stumbling block for the entire community's long-term survival.

You can also run Starhaven adventures where the heroes are kids themselves, either as a regular series or a change-of-pace adventure. This might be a Hero High story where super-powered alien teens maintain costumed secret identities while also dealing with schoolwork and their ordinary lives, or it could be a one-shot story where some Preserver artifact or Chrysalis experiment temporarily endows some kids with powers. It might even transfer powers from regular adult heroes in the series to them, or transform the adult heroes temporarily into kids!

#### EXPLORING THE CITY

Starhaven is an ancient, alien ruin thousands of years old and full of potential mysteries and dangers. There are plenty of adventures to be had just exploring the different districts of the city, looking to clear areas and declare them safe for people to begin moving into them. Heroes can take the initiative to explore different parts of the city—selflessly or perhaps as roguish treasure hunters and scavengers—or may be asked to do so by the Senate, given their abilities.

They may encounter any number of hazards, from ancient (and possibly malfunctioning) Preserver technology, rogue creatures (like the Nanomorph and others in the Starhaven Creatures section), rival scavengers or criminals, or the various villainous factions of Starhaven looking to loot or exploit parts of the city. Perhaps mysterious “hauntings” or disappearances associated with a part of the city are a ruse on the part of some villain to frighten others away from the area and the heroes can expose the truth. The heroes’ explorations might also turn up new resources, leading to debate within Starhaven’s leadership over how to best make use of them.

#### THE NULL SET

Although Magna Force (from the Superteam Handbook) has ties with Europa and its Preserver ruins, this book notes but tends to downplay the presence of Null and her void doll and monstrous minions. If you prefer not to deal with the Null as a threat in your Starhaven series you can easily do so. On the other hand, if you have the Superteam Handbook and want to use Null (and possibly Magna Force) in your series, then she makes an excellent master-villain.

While Null intends to grinds the cosmos beneath her heel, she also has endless time in which to do it. The settlement of Starhaven, far from interfering with her plans, may provide her with a ready source of raw materials for her void dolls and mutated minions. In fact, the techno-sorceress might seize control of Chrysalis and use the “evolve or die” cult to cull and create new creatures. Starhaven heroes can team up with Magna Force against Null, or perhaps the Magna Matrix will invest some local heroes as new Cavaliers or the heroes will have to face-off against villainous version of Magna Force under Null’s control!

#### PEACEKEEPING

Starhaven is a relatively new community made up of disparate species thrown together by circumstance, doing the best they can under difficult conditions. There are bound to be conflicts, cultural misunderstandings, and opportunists making life difficult for everyone. Heroes might assist the settlement’s authorities in keeping the peace, functioning like Wild West deputies in a frontier town as well as conventional superheroes. They might intervene in situations where cultural or political conflicts erupt into violence, or do some conventional crime-fighting alongside their other activities. Starhaven still has crime and criminals (like Mama Kaiger and her gang on page 50 of this chapter) and the human security forces are limited, stretched thin, widely distrusted, and potentially subverted by criminal elements. Foes like Veil also have an interest in stirring up unrest, and the heroes may need to deal with those situations, while also investigating the incidents and discovering a more sinister purpose behind them.

#### RELATIONS WITH EARTH

Although Starhaven looks to stand on its own, it remains strongly tied with Earth as the nearest source of what passes for “civilization” in the solar system, much less this part of the galaxy. Earth likewise has a vested interest in what happens on Starhaven, and UNIQUE and AEGIS both maintain a presence largely to protect Earth’s claim to the colony’s technology and secrets. While the people of Starhaven have rejected the notion of their settlement remaining a protectorate of Earth’s United Nations, most understand the importance of maintaining good relations with their interplanetary neighbors. Whether the heroes in a Starhaven campaign are from Earth or alien refugees themselves, they’re likely involved in the delicate diplomatic relations between the two worlds. They may be able to foster greater trust between the humans of Earth and the various species living in Starhaven, or one side or another may view them as untrustworthy agents of the other side. Human heroes living in Starhaven may be expected to place their loyalty to Earth first, putting them in a difficult situation, while alien heroes in Starhaven may find themselves advocating for continued ties with Earth, even if they don’t entirely agree with the notion.

Continued good relations with Earth and its governments allow plenty of opportunities for “cross-over” adventures where people from Earth visit Starhaven or vice versa. Heroes may have to deal with a diplomatic mission from Earth (which an earthly villain might use as a Trojan horse), an “exchange program” with a team of Earth heroes, human scientists or researchers on Europa to study the ruins, the inhabitants of Starhaven, or the development of the settlement, and so forth. Likewise, Starhaven heroes might take part in a diplomatic mission to Earth, or be asked to assist earthly authorities or heroes with bringing in alien escapees.

#### THE STELLAR IMPERIUM

The fall of the Lor Republic and the rise of the Stellar Imperium were the catalyst for most of the peoples of Starhaven becoming refugees in the first place. Now the Imperium and its Star Khan begin to turn their attention toward the Sol system, home of various heroes who have been thorns in the side of the Star Khan in the past.

The Imperium’s initial forays into Starhaven involve spies and saboteurs like Veil (detailed on page 54 of this chapter) infiltrate the settlement, sowing the seeds of unrest along with notions of safety and security under the firm, controlling hand of the Star Khan. While most of the inhabitants of Starhaven are not likely to fall for such rhetoric—and Veil’s initial effort to install an Imperium-sympathetic government failed—there are those who feel the Imperium represents “true” interstellar civilization and wish to rejoin that. When propaganda fails, Veil’s subtle psychic manipulations cause people to act emotionally or find sinister intent in the most innocent of acts.

Eventually, after attempts to subvert or “soften up” the settlement have progressed, and possibly been thwarted by the heroes, the Imperium and the Star Khan may take a more direct hand in Starhaven. A confrontation with the power level 15 Star Khan is a potent encounter, suitable for the culmination of a campaign, but Kinan Khan has many agents and proxies to challenge the heroes first. The Star Khan also knows that a direct invasion of the solar system risks provoking all of Earth’s heroes at once, so he will initially be cautious and bid his time until a pliable Starhaven invites him of their own will.

#### STEPPING STONE TO THE STARS

While Earth and its solar system has been of interest to alien species and interstellar factions for a long time, the presence of Starhaven in the outer solar system changes the dynamic, creating a “bridge” or “stepping stone” between the Earth-Luna orbit and the wider galaxy. That can draw the attention of other interstellar factions to the tiny, frozen moon of Jupiter and its fledgling settlement, especially since they have claimed one of the remaining known sites of Preserver technology in the cosmos.

The Star Knights, the Blackguard, and the Argents—detailed in the Cosmic Handbook—all want a stake in Starhaven. In particular, Tellax, the AI patron of the Argents, is itself a product of Preserver technology sees itself the legitimate claimant to their legacy. Perhaps the Europan ruins have further clues to Tellax’s intended purpose in the Earth’s solar system, which could affect the Argents’ perceived mission to bring order to the cosmos. Blackstar takes interest in Starhaven solely if he thinks there is something useful to him—power, ideally, but also potential new recruits for his growing army—or in order to deny some prize to Tellax and the Argents. Starhaven may even be an instance of Blackguards willing to cooperate with Star Knights or local heroes to thwart the Argents.

For their part, the Star Knights want Starhaven to do well but Mentor prefers non-interference, preferring not to influence the social and political tides of the settlement. Mentor might extend the responsibilities of Earth’s Star Knight to include Europa—presenting an authority figure who can appear as often or as rarely as is useful for your campaign—or the guiding intelligence of the Order of Star Knights might choose to appoint a new Star Knight as the guardian of Starhaven. This option is best reserved for a potential player character in a Starhaven series, just so a Star Knight non-player character doesn’t overshadow the heroes.

The Grue previously investigated Europa, but the loss of their previous expedition (see The Secret History of Starhaven, following) led the Unity to write-off the Preserver ruin as too dangerous. Renewed activity there might change the Grue’s collective minds, especially if they were to learn of the existence of the Bryne. Given the Unity’s extensive spy network, one or more Grue metamorphs or Hidden sleeper agents already dwell within the ranks of the settlement, having been caught up in the evacuation efforts. These agents keep a low profile, telepathically passing information on to the Unity until the Meta-Mind compels them to overt action. Grue agents can complicate any behind-the-scenes skullduggery involving Veil and other infiltrators in Starhaven. They might secretly help the heroes against other villains in hopes of taking opponents off the board and clearing the way for the Grue to take action later in the series.

#### TRANSFORMATION CENTRAL

One of the underpinning themes of Starhaven is the presence of dangerous and poorly-understood technology left by a long-vanished culture. Alien abilities and technology can account for some of the heroes' nemeses, but strange transformations and lost artifacts are just as valid a source of power. Just as the destination is growing and evolving, so too should the NPCs in a character's life. Friends may gain strange abilities and become allies or villains, villains may be transformed and turn over a new leaf wehn they turn to the heroes for aid. These same changes might be an ongoing hazard for citizens, or a dangerous treasure some seek deliberately. Heroes who want to put a lid on Starhaven's metamorphing can of worms will need to seek help from the city's various AI systems—many of whom are dangerously unstable—or find help from other Preserver artifacts like Mentor of the Star Knights.

#### VOTE STARHAVEN!

While earthly superheroes tend to stay out of politics, that doesn’t have to be the case in Starhaven. Residents of the city have already gone through one contentious political process in setting-up their provisional government, but can it now navigate the treacherous waters of public policy and opinion and become a success? What happens when the new government needs to fill-out various offices and responsibilities, or when the next elections roll around? You can even get the players in on the ground floor by starting things earlier and playing out the initial formation of Starhaven’s government, giving them the opportunity to throw their own hats into the ring. Perhaps in addition to being Starhaven’s greatest heroes, the player characters also end up its elected leaders!

Even heroes completely lacking in political ambition can get caught up in Starhaven’s politics. If they are popular, there will certainly be politicians looking to get their support and endorsement, which is likely to make enemies of rival political factions. If the heroes are considered vigilante outlaws, on the other hand, some politicians will try to make hay by publicly condemning the heroes and swearing to bring them to justice, no matter what it takes. In either case, heroes might uncover conspiracies, secret plots, and backroom deals on the part of some politicians. Then they’ll need to decide what to do with the information, especially if it has the potential to destabilize Starhaven’s already delicate social situation. It’s one thing if the heroes discover Veil’s ties with Sun-Ren’s pro-Imperium movement, for example, but quite another if Veil has arranged for them to discover evidence implicating Prime Consul Tamira-Van in a crime. If they go public, they may be playing right into the hands of Veil and her political puppets!

#### WHAT LURKS BELOW

Sooner or later (possibly during the Siege of Starhaven adventure in Chapter 3), the heroes and the people of Starhaven will learn they are not alone on Europa, discovering the existence of the mysterious Bryne. Regardless of what the heroes do, the Bryne already move among Seahaven and Starhaven unseen, sabotaging the colony’s systems and eliminating the foreign “contaminant.” Although the Bryne are initially hostile towards newcomers, dealings with them do not necessarily have to be adversarial. Heroes may try to achieve some understanding with the aquatic Bryne and learn about the psychic contagion that whips them into a raging, conspiracy-minded mob—perhaps even alleviating their curse and negotiating peace between the aquatic colony and the settlers of Starhaven. However, this might only come after open conflict has broken out with the Bryne and the heroes must put a stop to it.

The Bryne open up the potential inherent in Europa’s sub-surface ocean and all of the secrets it possesses, as well as opportunities for further development of Seahaven for the aquatic species dwelling below the surface. Who knows what might be hidden in the watery, lightless depths, including things the ancient Preservers hid away from the surface of Europa for reasons of their own?

### STARHAVEN VILLAINS

In addition to the characters detailed in at the end of this chapter, many of the villains from various Mutants & Masterminds sourcebooks can fit into a Starhaven series as potential adversaries for the heroes. These characters are listed in alphabetical order, along with where their main description can be found, and a brief description of their potential interest in Starhaven.

A refugee on Earth, the Jerreid soldier Ssellessk’thaa lived as a fugitive and a mercenary for a time. She may have chosen to leave Earth behind and travel to Starhaven, viewing it as a “jumping-off point” or at least an opportunity to get away from humans. The settlement offers opportunities for someone of her power and ability, either as a criminal enforcer (or crime-boss herself ) or as a ruthless soldier serving Starhaven or the new Senate, granted amnesty by the newly- elected government.

The alien technology linking the Battle Brothers might be Preserver in origin or even from Europa. Regardless, the Battle Brothers see potential in Starhaven technology and expertise in finding a way to safely separate them. The mercenaries might also work as muscle for any number of other villains in need of agents to send to Starhaven to do their dirty work.

The tentacled freebooter of the spaceways, Captain Kraken knows an opportunity when he sees one. Armed with a new ship and crew, the alien pirate stalks the transit lanes and seizes transports ferrying the settlers of Starhaven to their new hope, or grabs shipments of supplies and trade goods sent to them. Captain Kraken isn’t above mounting an attack on the settlement itself, if he feels he can get away with it, or at least trying to extort the people of Starhaven to pay him to recover their supplies from the holds of his ship. He and his space-pirate crew are a good, relatively low-level villains that Starhaven heroes can confront early in their careers.

Last seen beaming out into distant space, it is up to the Gamemaster whether or not the Cosmic Mind might not be involved in the Stellar Imperium’s new obsession with harnessing mentats and their abilities. Perhaps the Cosmic Mind has taken over a faction or cult within the Imperium and plots a return to Earth, using Starhaven as a stepping stone towards that end. If a “Cult of Cosmic Consciousness” should arise in the city, the heroes should beware.

The Curator and its Archive are far from Starhaven, but the Curator is itself a creation of the Preservers and keenly interested in their legacy. Perhaps the reactivation of a beacon or unique device draws one of the Curator’s remote drone bodies to Starhaven to investigate. That investigation could quickly turn violent if the thing that it is after is also vital to the settlement or belongs to one of the player characters—or is one of the player characters!

While the technology-obsessed Ghostworks organization is divided on whether to focus on Earthly technology or crib secrets wherever they can, enough of the later faction have taken an interest in Starhaven to create a problem. They lack their own means of reaching to the city and partner with Majestic-20, trading technological expertise for access.

The infiltration and assassin robot IGT-92 was brought to Earth following the fall of the Lor Republic. The rogue robot has access to a ship, The Callonetta, and might see the potential in either taking over part of the Preserver ruins on Starhaven or making plans to topple Starhaven’s government and simply taking over. The notion of using Daedelus’s robot factories on Europa to jumpstart it’s “robotic revolution” against all life-forms might appeal as well.

Exiled from Farside City, Lady Lunar might seek out Starhaven as a potential hideout or even a new frontier to begin rebuilding her power with an eye towards retaking her lunar throne. Her mental powers might begin extending a web of influence through the settlement, and she might even have a few mind-controlled crater apes along as guards and muscle (Cosmic Handbook, page 86). Ever concerned with the appearance of respectability and legitimacy, she may instead act overtly by running for a seat in the New Lor Republic’s Senate and use her influence to bring Farside City under Starhaven’s “protection.”

Interstellar bounty hunter Loma Slife can arrive at Starhaven working for any number of clients, or simply making a pit-stop to or from an extraction on Earth. Whether she’s visiting for business or pleasure, Starhaven offers plenty of entertainment for her short attention span. For a twist, she may instead serve as a rival to the heroes rather than overt antagonist, as the Senate retains her bounty hunting services to supplement their peacekeeping forces.

For the anti-alien Majestic-20, having Star Island’s alien refugees off Earth was, at best, a way to keep off-world visitors contained and under control. The notion of an alien colony in the solar system, however, is a clear threat to Earth’s autonomy. Using stolen alien craft or infiltrators among the UNIQUE peacekeeping forces, agents of Majestic-20 can monitor the situation and co-opt advanced technology— at least until they feel secure enough to wipe Starhaven off the face of Europa.

A creation of the Preservers during their first exploration of Earth, Mastermind considers himself the “heir” to their power and technology as well as an enemy of their other creations. He who will ascend to guide humanity to its highest potential, not the ghostly legacy of his alien torturers. He may seek to claim any useful technology that still exists on Starhaven, while looking to eliminate any lingering threat to his future plans.

The arch-foe of Magna Force, Null was corrupted by Collapsar the Devourer and now uses the nearby Preserver installation known as the Monster Factory to create kaiju to plague the mecha-powered heroes. While she fixates on Earth, Null has an interest in the ancient Preserver technology on Europa to further her plans and knows more about their secrets than most living beings. While not currently a threat to Starhaven, she resents the intrusion of settlers into a domain she considers her own.

While the exiled Kash’rodan heir Rokkar isn’t likely to give up his plans to conquer Earth, he might decide Starhaven would make either a good start or a useful “home away from home.” Earth authorities might also exile Rokkar to Starhaven, deciding to make him their problem rather than deal with the interstellar juvenile delinquent on Earth. The potential of rallying the people of Starhaven against the Star-Khan and the Imperium might appeal to Rokkar enough to even make him an ally, of sorts, although no less petty, bullying, or impulsive.

Kinan Khan has been too occupied consolidating his control over his greatly expanded Stellar Imperium to concern himself with a tiny settlement of refugees who fled to Earth’s solar system, regardless of how much Earth’s heroes have vexed him in the past. Now, however, the Star Khan’s attentions are beginning to turn to matters other than pacifying his new holdings, particularly in light of the presence of Veil (see page 54), a secret Imperium agent on Europa. The Preserver ruins are a unique and precious resource to the Star Khan, but he is willing to wait and allow his proxies to work towards acquiring them for him—at least for now.

The alien gladiator Syzygy obsesses over finding “worthy” opponents, and that compulsion might lead him to Europa and to the heroes of Starhaven. The PL14 villain is a formidable opponent for lower power level heroes, necessitating quick thinking or a better understanding of the quirky terrain. Manipulative master villains like Lady Lunar might lure Syzygy to Starhaven to occupy or defeat the heroes, although such a plan could backfire, should Syzygy ever learn of the deception.

What entertainment Starhaven offers! Political intrigue, desperate survival narratives, thrilling discovery, and combat after glorious combat between weird alien colonists. It’s ratings gold! Tun may infiltrate Starhaven covertly, seeding remote surveillance everywhere and beaming the footage (with commentary!) to the Spigori Sphere, but she can just as easily present herself as a benefactor, willing to offer “sponsorship” to the fledgling community in exchange for exclusive access to its heroes. If the locals don’t face enough problems, Tun isn’t above manufacturing a few new ones for them, either.

### THE SECRET HISTORY OF STARHAVEN

Although Starhaven’s new inhabitants are most concerned about its recent history, the site has accreted layer upon layer of history—and danger—over its millennia-long history on Europa. This section looks at the extent of the history of what is now called Starhaven, how it came to be, and the other beings and forces that have shaped it—all the things that Starhaven’s new heroes can eventually uncover.

#### THE PRESERVERS

Starhaven’s history begins with the mysterious alien civilization known only as “The Preservers.” Scholars know little about them, but theorize they were one of the first star-faring civilizations in the galaxy, if not the known universe. Untold eons ago, the Preservers attempted to create a stellar super-computer—a living, sentient star—and that experiment ended in disaster that would define the rest of their existence. The would-be star collapsed into a superdense and self-aware black hole; a cosmic force known as “Collapsar the Devourer.” Now bent on consuming the known cosmos, Collapsar roamed the galaxy consuming all it discovered, with a special hatred for its creators. From that time on, the Preservers devoted themselves to finding some means of destroying Collapsar, and to preserving all they could of the universe, earning their enduring moniker.

In spite of their devotion to correcting their mistake, the Preservers were not particularly kind or empathetic. They ruthlessly experimented on other life-forms, tampering widely with evolution and society across many worlds. They intended to engineer new lifeforms with useful abilities or the means to survive extraordinary hardship, to create soldiers who could destroy Collapsar or enclaves that could survive the black hole’s hunger.

The Preservers visited Earth 100,000 years ago. They took an interest in early hominids, studying their genetics and evolution and finding something useful there. They first established a working laboratory on one of the moons of Jupiter—the foundations of what would one day become Starhaven. The ancient aliens then visited Earth from their outer planet base as easily as stepping next-door, and took various samples of earthly life to transplant for study and experimentation. They returned some of their experimental subjects to Earth, creating offshoot civilizations like the flying Avians.

Eventually, the Preservers took samples of the earliest human ancestors with them outside of Earth’s solar system. For thousands of years, they seeded other suitable planets throughout the galaxy with human life, doing the same with certain other genotypes and life-forms they found promising. Over time, their galactic “garden” to grew and developed into sapient species with a wide variety of powers. At the core of these lay Lor-Van, the home world of the offshoot of humanity that eventually became the Lor.

After nearly fifty-thousand years of seeding the galaxy and observing the development of their experiments, the Preservers created another enclosed habitat, this time on the far side of Earth’s moon. They transplanted a colony of humans there, making certain adjustments to their genetic makeup and environment. This colony became known as Sauren, later nicknamed Farside City by the first humans from Earth to encounter it. It existed in secret, hidden from its earthly cousins, throughout most of human history until recently, after humans from Earth developed spaceflight.

Not long thereafter, the Preservers vanished from history. It remains unknown what became of them and theories vary. Some believe the Preservers ascended to some higher state of being, perhaps abandoning the physical universe to its fate altogether, or preferring to observe from some higher dimension as they await the eventual results of their experiments. Others suggest the Preservers were a dying civilization that finally gave out after giving the rest of the universe a fighting chance to survive their mistakes. Given the existence of the Preserver Stones—mysterious and powerful artifacts protecting Farside City and empowering the Star Knights—many speculate that the Preservers sacrificed themselves in one final act to create the cosmic power sources, their final legacy to a besieged universe.

Whatever the case, the Preservers left behind much of their technology and artifacts, including their installations on the moons of Earth and Jupiter. The inhabited Sauren continued on its own, its people learning to live within their isolated home. The installation on Europa contained life—numerous samples of animal life from Earth—but no sentient life, so it was maintained by automated systems. Even still, these systems were of limited intelligence, and in some cases could only patch or partially repair damage, such as when a meteor strike penetrated the protective dome and destroyed part of the installation. Some systems slowly degraded over thousands of years, but otherwise the habitat on Europa remained in a state of stasis.

### THE MAGNA MATRIX

Some ten-thousand years ago, another creation of the Preservers found its way to Earth’s solar system: The Magna Matrix, one of the power sources left behind to aid the cosmos against the coming of Collapsar (see the Superteam Handbook for details). The chosen Magna Force at that time fought a series of battles in and around the solar system, resulting in the deaths of all but two of them: Magna Silver and Magna Blanc. The battered and bloodied survivors questioned what they should do next, and Magna Blanc favored conquering the primitive humans of Earth, shaping them into a force that could challenge the destructive power of the Great Devourer and safeguard the universe forever. Magna Silver countered that it was wrong to force the people of Earth into a desired mold and that it was the sacred duty of the Magna Guardians to protect their freedom of choice. The two fought, and Magna Silver triumphed, forcing Blanc to flee Earth.

Magna Silver claimed the Magna Matrix and the Guardian robots that housed it, establishing a secret base on Earth in what would eventually become the Mojave Desert of southern California. There he entered a state of suspended animation. Automated system monitored the system, ready to awaken the guardian only when it was necessary to protect the legacy of the Magna Matrix or Silver’s own life. Training systems and tests ensured only those worthy of the power of the Matrix could enter the Guardian Fortress.

Magna Blanc fled to Europa and discovered the abandoned Preserver ruins. She, too, entered a deep state of suspended animation to recover, preparing for the time to reemerge and conquer Earth. The surveillance systems she established to keep watch for Collapsar or its minions were subverted, however. The alien intellect of the Devourer slipped into her dreaming mind and, over the millennia, fed her desire for revenge against her former teammate to corrupted her. It taught Blanc to love the purity of destruction, the promise of a cosmos wiped clean to start anew.

#### THE BRYNE

In the mid-20th century, an expeditionary force from the Grue Unity arrived in the Sol System, having escaped a skirmish with their long-time enemies from the Lor Republic. Their vessels suffering from varying degrees of damage. The Grue found a single planet populated with a primitive human civilization, although no evidence these humans were part of the Republic. The Grue also detected the two ancient, advanced installations on two moons within the system, registering evidence of Preserver technology. The lost secrets of the Preservers were invaluable to the Grue Unity.
Investigating the installation on Luna, the Grue soldiers discovered human inhabitants possessed of incredible psychic powers, like the Lor mentats. Their telepathic abilities made infiltration of the installation too risky for the shapeshifters, and the expeditionary force chose to break off their attempt to avoid detection. Instead, they divided their numbers to search both Earth—gauging if the primitive humans were ripe for conquest—and the Jovian moon installation—to search for the technology needed to repair their fleet and return home.

The fate of the Grue who came to Earth in the late 1940s is detailed in the Emerald City and Freedom City sourcebooks: One damaged Grue ship went out of control on entry into the atmosphere and crashed in the southwestern desert of North America, near Roswell, New Mexico. Another damaged Grue ship, suffering from unusual systems failures, jettisoned protoplasmic containment pods holding prisoners and liquified biological samples over a forested region in the Pacific Northwest. These buried and sometimes ruptured containment vessels mutated local wildlife to contribute to the Elysian Forest’s population of strange cryptids near Emerald City.

The Grue that landed on Europa discovered a largely intact installation similar to the one on Luna, but devoid of human inhabitants. They explored, looking into the potential for the facility to serve as a temporary haven and place to effect repairs—and were not heard from again. All the remaining Grue—and therefore the Meta-Mind—know is that the thoughts of the drones and metamorphs investigating the site became increasingly vague and chaotic, distant from the Grue group-mind, until there was a plunge into a kind of icy darkness and all contact was lost.

The Unity decided that the Preserver installations in the system were too dangerous to investigate further—at least without a stronger military presence in the system. Their initial contact with Earth led to several attempts to infiltrate the human society to pave the way for the Unity to claim the planet. But some Earth humans turned out to have an even greater variety of powers than the Lor mentats. These defenders thwarted every attempt by the Grue to the undermine their civilization or to destroy their institutions.

Unknown to the Grue Meta-Mind, the drones and metamorphs sent to Europa did not perish, as they assumed. Instead, the Grue attempted to psychically interface with the Psychomnibus, a telepathic archive stored deep within the ruins. Eons of decay transformed the telepathic operating system created by the Preservers into a voracious psychic “virus” that tore open the Grue third eye. The plague spread almost instantly through the Grue on Europa, immediately incapacitating them. The shock of the virus and their isolation from the hive mind shattered the explorer’s identities and memories, reducing them to animalistic impulse. Sentient thought became a screeching psionic noise.

The afflicted Grue fled from the ruins to the only other survivable environment available—the sub-surface ocean beneath the ice of Europa—dragging the Psychomnibus down into the depths with them. Instinctively using their innate metamorphic abilities, the Grue adapted to the lightless, watery environment to become hardy, fish-bodied amphibians. Filter life-sustaining elements from the waters and reproducing by fission, their society and offspring were afflicted by the same psychic virus. Subsequent generations knew no form other than the aquatic shape of their parents, no life other than the lightless depths of Europa’s ocean. They clustered beneath the surface of the looming ruins above, knowing only that they were important for some reason, terrible and sacred and somhow tied to their history.

#### DAEDALUS’S ODYSSEY

Decades after the Bryne disappeared beneath the ice of Europa, the immortal Earth hero Daedalus ventured out on a solitary journey on his starship, the Icarus. Tired of his life on Earth and his struggles as a superhero, Daedalus sought to explore the universe on his own. Traveling past the outer planets of the solar system, he detected the ancient installation on the surface of Europa—similar in many regards to Farside City—and investigated. Within he found a vast, verdant zone inhabited by living prehistoric animals, surrounding an ancient, largely ruined, but technologically advanced city.

What Daedalus referred to as the “haunting” of that ruined city turned out to be the psychically-sensitive control systems its technology, coupled with nanotech manufacturing and remotes. Still triggered by the previous intrusion of the Grue, the systems reached out the Daedalus’s mind, causing him to experience a psycho-drama of flashbacks and supposed sightings of people and places that he knew from his centuries-long life, many of them long dead. Almost succumbing to his grief and regrets, Daedalus eventually overcame the damaged technology of the ruins and shut down many of their parameters.

Realizing there was no intelligent life in the ruins, Daedalus chose to set a warning beacon for anyone approaching them. He left only minimal safeguards functioning in order to sustain the animal life that still thrived in the habitat. His odyssey continued out beyond the solar system, where the wandering hermit experienced a series of cosmic adventures involving the Lor and a number of other alien civilizations, and he eventually put the strange ruins on Europa out of mind.

#### THE COMING OF COLLAPSAR

The mysterious “Silver Storm” unleashed a wave of new superhumans across Emerald City. Soon thereafter, the city’s newest superheroes discovered the Silver Storm used alien nanotechnology far in advance of anything on Earth. Eventually, they revealed the architect of the strange event: Tellax, a Preserver-created artificial intelligence carrying out what it believed were instructions to “accelerate” the development of superhumans on Earth. Tellax’s schemes—and eventual defeat—are detailed in the Emerald City Knights adventures featured in the Emerald City setting sourcebook.

As also detailed in Emerald City, the cosmic threat of Collapsar finally came to pass when the Devourer destroyed Magna-Lor, the capitol world of the Lor Republic. It consumed the world, the star system, and much of the leadership of the ancient Lor Republic. This crisis brought the empire to its knees and provided the ideal opportunity for the forces of the Star Khan to invade. Some refugees escaping the collapse of the Republic and the rise of the Stellar Imperium fled to Earth, leading to their temporary shelter on Star Island and the succeeding events detailed in Chapter 1.

Tellax’s awakening put more events into motion. The reactivation of the Preserver technology on Earth awakened Magna Silver from hibernation. Posing as Professor Tsuyoshi Makoto at the nearby University at San Angeles, he sought and found worthy candidates to inherit the legacy of the Magna Force. Circumstances didn’t allow much time to find the ideal new Cavaliers, but “Professor Makoto” expected to do some on-the-job training. Tellax’s reactivation also awoke the former Magna Blanc, now calling herself Null. This new herald of Collapsar began implementing her plans for Earth and her former teammate. She soon uncovered the Preserver “Monster Factory” and used its bio-technology to assemble kaiju minions. The new Magna Force repelled Null’s initial attacks on Earth, and she has dug in for a longer siege before she can finally claim the power of the Magna Matrix and use it to conquer the system in the name of the Devourer.

#### THE SETTLEMENT OF STARHAVEN

As detailed in Chapter 1, the temporary settlement of refugees from Lor space on Star Island near Freedom City heated up tensions that eventually reached a boiling point. As anti-alien sentiment grew on Earth, governments and superheroes looked for a solution to the alien refugee crisis. Considering other habitable areas of the solar system, Daedalus recalled the habitat he discovered on Europa, and traveled there to investigate. He found the alien ruins much the same as he left them and set about to restoring the essential systems required for the Star Island refugees to live there. Daedalus renamed the site “Starhaven,” and noted that it offered more than enough potential space for the inhabitants of Star Island and the small trickle of stellar refugees that found their way into Earth’s solar system.

Given the urgency of matters on Earth, Daedalus and his allies were not able to take time to completely explore and restore the alien city prior to inviting habitation. Instead, the immortal inventor tool a triage approach: Ensuring essential life-support systems were adequate to provide clean, breathable atmosphere, potable water, and a comfortable temperature range, along with sufficient artificial “daylight.” Daedalus then set up an automated manufacturing facility to produce construction and exploration robots, setting them the twin tasks of clearing and preparing an area of the city near its open water source for habitation and exploring and mapping the remainder of the ruins, pouring data into a central database for future reference.

The first wave of settlers were technicians expected to take over Daedelus's role in rehabilitating the ruin. For years, Starhaven was an ambitious assignment for many residents of the Star Island camp, and a future they could look forward to.

#### OPERATION EXODUS

As soon as conditions on Europa allowed, Daedalus and the Freedom League coordinated with AEGIS and UNISON to begin ferrying the Star Island refugees to Starhaven. While most were grateful for the potential of a new home with more advanced technology and resources, some of the aliens on Earth resented forced relocation and Earth for its refusal to accept them. A small number of aliens had already broken the containment of Star Island, fleeing to Freedom City and beyond, becoming fugitives from the law. Even more did the same once relocation began rather than uproot their lives again to gamble their survival on some distant moon.

An AEGIS-UNISON joint taskforce made use of special transport shuttles designed by Daedalus to ferry the settlers to their new home. Initial efforts focused on keeping the aliens safe and ensuring they had housing, food, and other essentials. Beyond that was the goal of giving the new inhabitants of Starhaven the right to guide the future of their settlement. Proposals were taken for potential governments for Starhaven and a series of public referendums held to determine which proposal had the support of the majority of the inhabitants. Ultimately, the people of Starhaven chose to become an independent state aligned with the Republic Alliance, the remnants of the old Lor government-in-exile since the destruction of Magna-Lor and the conquest of the Republic by the Stellar Imperium. This offered the Alliance a “public” rallying point outside of the borders of the Old Republic, making Starhaven potentially much more than just a refugee settlement in a distant star system.

In keeping with the Starhaveners’ wishes, Earth forces from AEGIS and UNISON are working towards withdrawing from the settlement, apart from a diplomatic mission left behind to maintain good relations with Earth’s new planetary neighbors. The withdrawal is proceeding too quickly to suit many authorities on Earth, and too slowly to suit many of the people of Starhaven, who look forward to being truly independent once again. Earth governments and private corporations initially hoped to exploit the technology of Starhaven and the natural resources of Europa as “payment” for assisting in the relation and providing security; more than a few corrupt officers used their access and security to rob refugees or horde valuable artifacts “for the public safety.” This, coupled with occasional violent clashes on the streets and lingering resentment with their imprisonment on Earth has left most of the colony’s aliens wary of Earth authorities. The Senate knows the colony still depends on resources from Earth—for now—and so has done little to officially speed up the transfer of power.

#### SEAHAVEN

Early exploration of Starhaven discovered access through the thick surface ice of Europa down into the subsurface Nyxian Ocean below. This was a welcome opportunity for the various aquatic and amphibious species within the settlers: They had been disappointed to lose access to Earth’s vast oceans—after being denied the opportunity to settle there, in spite of humans living only on the surface. While the Europan ocean was cold and lightness, that posed only a small challenge to species adapted to living in the aquatic depths. Pisceans and Hexxim immediately began exploring the ruins’ connections to the ocean, quickly establishing what the settlers began referring to as “Seahaven,” an aquatic counterpart to the surface settlement. Although some cautioned moving slowly in exploring the ocean, much less establishing a permanent presence beneath the city, events moved quickly and there was too much momentum among the aquatic species to do anything other than allow them the opportunity. Already there were those who advocated that Seahaven should be considered a separate state from the surface, and Starhaven’s leadership wanted to avoid further fracturing or dividing of the populace. For the time being, Seahaven remains more of a loosely-defined “district” of Starhaven, although there remain those who would prefer to cut ties with air-breathers and surface-dwellers as much as possible, with the potential of the whole of Nyxian Ocean open to their exploration and settlement.

Countless strange organisms live in the open sea, feeding on a combination of methane, radiation, and the heat of the moon’s core. Many of these are Earth species, such as tube worms, arthropods, and brittle stars, transplanted by the Preservers long ago. Others are engineered or alien organisms that have found their own niches in this strange ecosystem. While some maintenance and exploration crews tell tall tales and ghost stories about unknown things swimming in the lightless depths of the ocean, most of the people of both Starhaven and Seahaven dismiss them as just that—stories. However, at least some of those stories result from brushes with the Bryne, psychically concealed from the intruders into their realm, but occasionally glimpsed or subconsciously perceived. The Bryne are aware of Seahaven and, having studied the newcomers from a distance, have begun mobilizing to repel what they see as an invasion of their waters, starting with subtle sabotage, but likely to escalate to open warfare, given time.

### THE GREEN ZONE

The first wave of technicians and utility workers who arrived in Starhaven wuickly named the area surrounding the city proper—from the edges of the “urban zone” out to the reaches of the atmospheric domes—“the Green Zone” for the large amount of photosynthetic vegetation. The Green Zone is contained within five overlapping life support bubbles that surround Starhaven, surmounted by the sixth central bubble. This creates a broad, roughly crescent-shaped swath of greenery about a kilometer across around each “arm” of the starshaped urban zone. The interconnection of the domes form “arches” also about a kilometer wide at the points where they meet.

Settlers and engineers still argue over the Preservers’ motivations for creating the Green Zone, but most agree they intended it to serve as an experimental habitat for a variety of life-forms—including early hominids—imported from Earth, as well as supplementing the station’s life support systems. The robotic “game wardens” that oversaw the Green Zone until recently seem to support the idea that these ecosystems were always meant to be artificially maintained and divided. The space provides both a “nature preserve” and a kind of “parkland” around the urban zone. The Green Zone replicates climatic conditions largely as they existed on Earth about 100,000 years ago: a slightly cooler mean temperature, but less in the way of “seasonal” variation, as all of the weather conditions within the environment domes are simulated.

While most of the Green Zone remains uninhabited, many locals already have an agenda in mind for it. Many nature-oriented cultures now lobby to preserve it, noting that the city will need open and vibrant spaces to support a healthy and happy populace. Others see the area as potential farmland that could help feed a population struggling with ancient hydroponic systems. Many wealthy citizens see it as land to build estates like those they were forced to abandon, or that they always coveted. For the time being, the Senate has labeled the Green Zone "an area of least concern," leaving it unsecured. This means Starhavians who don't want to be found can disappear into the wilderness, but it also means the colony's overtaxed emergency services won't respond to calls in this frontier should a hiker or explorer find themselves on the wrong end of a smilodon.

#### STRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

The bubbles enclosing the Green Zone and Starhaven are Toughness 10 material nano-built by the Preservers. A smart-polymer, they automatically maintain and repair themselves without oversight.

If the dome is breached, it seals in two rounds, although anyone within 80 feet of the breach must succeed at a DC 16 Strength or movement rank check each round to avoid being pulled 20 feet towards the breach. Anyone 40 or more feet away from the breach gains a +2 circumstance bonus on this check. Those pulled through the breach are exposed to the surface environment of Europa. Environmental systems replace minor losses of atmosphere, synthesizing the necessary gases from Europa’s ice layer and atmosphere. The interior of the environment bubbles is Earth-like, with gravity, temperature, and other conditions approximating those on Earth.

The mean temperature is slightly cool, although it never drops below freezing. It is warmer during the simulated “daylight” hours and cooler during the “nighttime” hours. A holographic projection of an Earth-like sky appears on the inner surface of the bubbles, including the nighttime stars as seen from Earth’s northern hemisphere around 100,000 years ago—although the aging projectors have broken down in some areas of the domes, providing a clear view of Jupiter and the stars beyond. A “sun” hangs in the simulated sky during the daytime, along with occasional clouds, and their shadows. It rains every 3-7 days and air circulators create a light breeze with occasional “gusts” across the surface—when the atmospheric systems run properly. More than one horrible storm has wracked some or all of the city since colonists first arrived. To all but the closest examination, someone in the Green Zone would think they are on the surface of Earth (or an Earth-like planet).

While the environmental maintenance systems are functional, many aspects of the Green Zone bubbles have broken down over the eons since the Preservers abandoned the site. Robotic “game wardens” closely monitored and managed the life forms in the Green Zone up until the last decade or so, allowing the Green Zone to grow “wild” ever since. Similarly, large “curtain” forcefield projectors once separate the segments of the Green Zone across their adjoining archways, keeping the various ecosystem isolated from one another.

#### LAYOUT AND TOPOGRAPHY

The topography of the Green Zone, like all of Starhaven, is constructed. The environment “domes” are actually enclosing bubbles, partially filled with a soil and mineral layer several hundred meters deep, designed to mimic that of Earth and including all of the necessary microbiotics needed to sustain life. The solid surface of this soil layer is sculpted to form mostly flat, savannah-like plains with some gentle, rolling hills and artificial rock-faces on the outskirts of some the domes.

##### THE LAR

Described in more detail in Chapter 1, the Lar supports a wide variety of plant and animal life and offers a chilly home for aquatic aliens who don't wish to abandon their neighbors for Seahaven. In addition to serving as a reservoir, however, the lake conceals much of the city's vital life-support machinery, now buried under centuries of mud. The original Preserver designs used a combination of organic and synthetic technology to hyper-oxygenate the water and use the lake as a ground zero for terraforming, mass-producing the complex organic molecules the dome needed for life to flourish on its own. While unneeded for now, these structures will need to be discovered and reactivated in Starhaven ever intends to expand.

The lake is quite deep, generally 100 meters near the urban zone, with depths plunging almost a kilometer in its darkest chasms. Machinery located at the deepest points still maintain the chemical balance of the water, ensuring proper acidity, oxygenation, and the microbial life. A hatch at the bottom of the lake, along the base of the urban zone, leads to a series of aquatic tunnels beneath Starhaven that are still being explored, primarily by water-breathing members of the community. Rumors insist they eventually lead to Seahaven, but no one has yet found a route.

##### THE PLAINS

The eastern and western middle domes encompass a grassy plain dotted with isolated trees and small ponds or watering-holes. Grasses grow tall enough in places to obscure human-sized creatures moving through them. The terrain becomes slightly hilly towards the outer edges of the domes, with rocky cliffs at the southern outer edges.

##### THE FOREST

The southern two domes enclose a mostly forested region similar to Pleistocene Europe or parts of North America, with a thick canopy of foliage. The forest floor is covered with a rich layer of hummus from decayed plant-matter, and home to shade-loving, low-lying life, including flowers, creepers, and various fungi.

##### THE CLIFFS

The outer edges of many of the domes feature tall cliffs of nano-built granite and similar stone that act as natural barriers to approaching the domes themselves. The cliffs help to corral the ground-dwelling life and serve as a habitat for several cliff- and cave-dwelling creatures. Some parts of the cliffs also conceal access to support machinery for the Green Zone, which the Engineers’ Guild is still exploring—carefully, since large predators still inhabit some of the caves.

#### FLORA AND FAUNA

The Green Zone is a true “living laboratory” stocked with examples of flora and fauna found on Earth 100,000 years or so ago. While much of the plant-life exists in familiar forms: grasses, trees, reeds and other water-borne plants, and so forth, much of the animal life is made up of “mega-fauna” long extinct on Earth. It includes:

##### CAVE BEARS

The largest of the Green Zone's predators, Cave Bears dwell primarily in the Cliffs edging the Forest domes and are the most likely of the area's megafauna to wander into the city. They sometimes compete with packs of cave hyenas, although the latter tend more towards the Cliffs edging the Plains. Use the Bear and apply the Elite template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 142 & 157).

##### CAVE HYENAS

Cave Hyenas, larger and stockier than their modern cousins, dwell among the Cliffs and primarily scavenge the kills of larger predators, although they’re fully capable of bringing down their own prey as well. Use the Hyena and apply the Bestial template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 143 & 157).

##### GIGANTOPITHICUS

Giant primates standing up to 3 meters tall, possibly distant genetic relations to the crater apes of Farside City. Unlike the white-furred crater apes, there is no evidence the primates of Starhaven have been genetically modified. They primarily live in small family groups along the edges of the Plains and the Forest and are peaceful plant-eaters unless threatened. Use the Ape and apply the Giant template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 142 & 157).

##### MAMMOTHS

Mammoths roam the Plains area of the Green Zone. Not the more famous wooly mammoth, but the lighter-furred Columbia mammoths that once lived in North America. Use the Elephant (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 143).

##### MEGALANIA

Giant monitor lizards rival the quinkana as apex reptiles. The huge lizards have a venomous bite capable of slowing a mammoth or other massive animal that can easily paralyze a human-sized creature. Use the Crocodile (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 143) but remove Swimming and Environmental Adaptation (Aquatic) and add an Affliction 5 venom (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated).

##### QUINKANA

Quinkana prey on creatures near the Lake. They are long-legged, terrestrial crocodiles originally from ancient Australia, growing up to 6 meters in length. Like modern crocodiles, they possess powerful jaws and predatory teeth, but are much faster on land than their modern brethren. Use the Crocodile (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 143) with Speed 2 in place of Swimming and Environmental Adaptation (Aquatic).

##### SIVATHERIUM

Sivatherium share the Plains with the mammoths and other creatures. These distant relations of modern giraffes have shorter necks and legs and antler-like horns. They are still enormous and capable of eating foliage off of the scattered trees on the Plains or along the edges of the Forest. Use the Horse and apply the Giant template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 143 & 157).

##### SMILODON

Saber-tooth Cats hunt some of the larger herbivores of the Plains, dwelling in small prides or family groups. Use the Lion and apply the Elite template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 143 & 157), or use the Smilodon (Time Traveler’s Codex, page 131).

##### TOXODONS

Something in between a rhinoceros and a boar, these massive herbivores dwell in the upper Plains closer to the Lar. They grow up to 2.7 meters long and mass 1400 kilos, making them a sizeable meal for many predators and poachers. Use the Herd Animal and apply the Giant template (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 143 & 157).

##### AND MORE!

Numerous other species live in the Green Zone biome, including a vast number of insects, arachnids, fish, and small mammals and primates like the ancestors of Earth monkeys. They are mostly creatures found in the cool temperate zones on Earth 100,000 years ago, or have adapted to that climate. A few alien or engineered creatures have carved out their own niches, including the Animated Tree, Deinonychus, Giant Flytrap, and Giant Insect (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 147–149). So far as anyone has found, there are no signs of early hominids anywhere in the Green Zone, in spite of the numerous species known to exist on Earth at the time, including homo sapiens.

### BEYOND STARHAVEN

The “world” beyond the confines of Starhaven is the icy surface of Europa, the smallest of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons. Slightly smaller than Luna (Earth’s moon) Europa has a rocky nickel-iron core, but its surface is covered in thick water-ice, over a subsurface ocean of liquid water. The pull of Jupiter’s gravity flexes the ocean and the icy crust, generating enough heat to keep the water from freezing. This gives Europa an exceptionally smooth-looking surface, since occasional tidal flexing and cracks in its icy surface cause eruptions of water, cryogeysers, which spray, spread out, and then freeze, continually smoothing the surface and covering the scars from micrometeors and other debris. These forces make Europa’s icy surface behave like the plate tectonics of Earth, with the subsurface ocean acting in place of the molten core of a geo-active planet.

In addition to the material here, the Cosmic Handbook includes rules for surviving and fighting in space.

#### SCIENCE IS FUN—TO A POINT

Much of what is discussed about Europa in this section (and in this book) is based on known scientific information about Jupiter’s moon. Still, Mutants & Masterminds is a comic book superhero game, with a fine tradition of “rubber science,” so we have broadly interpreted scientific speculation about Europa to suit the concept of Starhaven and to maximize adventure potential on the moon. None of the “facts” provided should be taken as anything other than the conditions on Europa in the Earth-Prime universe which, after all, features godlike ancient aliens with nanotech terraforming capabilities, amongst other things.

#### SURFACE CONDITIONS

The surface conditions of Europa outside of the Starhaven habitat, while not quite as harsh as the open vacuum of space, are still almost instantly lethal to any earthly life. Characters need some measure of Immunity to survive on the surface of Europa, either from wearing a space suit (or similar protective equipment) or from different power effects. In particular, anyone on the surface of Europa needs Immunity to Suffocation, Environmental Cold, and Environmental Radiation, the equivalent of 4 ranks of Immunity. See the Environmental Hazards section of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook for details on the various hazards characters may face on the moon’s surface.

##### ATMOSPHERE

Europa has a thin atmosphere of oxygen and water vapor—energetic radiation from Jupiter bombard’s the surface ice to sublimate the ice and break the water vapor apart into hydrogen and oxygen. The lighter hydrogen escapes into space while Europa’s gravity is strong enough to hold in much of the oxygen. The moon’s atmosphere is extremely thin by Earth standards and unbreathable without a condensing respirator to warm, filter, and compress the available oxygen. Still, an oxygen-breathing life-form with Immunity to the temperature and radiation on the surface could survive wearing just such a respirator. Otherwise, an unprotected creature on the surface immediately begins to suffocate.

##### EXTREME COLD

The mean surface temperature on Europa is –171 degrees Celsius, cold enough that water released from its subsurface ocean by cyrogeyser plumes freezes instantly before drifting back to the planet as snow, ice, or a wet slurry (see Chaotic Terrain, following). The intense cold inflicts Damage 6 each round to any creature not immune to it, and also requires a successful DC 18 Fortitude check each round to avoid gaining a level of fatigue from the intense cold. Any creature with Immunity 1 (Cold Environments) or a greater level of Immunity to cold is unaffected.

#### GRAVITY

Europa has a surface gravity of 0.134g, just over an eighth that of Earth. Gravity lenses within the bounds of Starhaven produce an Earth-like 1g within the habitat, but Europa’s natural low gravity re-exerts itself outside. Characters multiply their jumping distances by 10, but the GM can also consider them Impaired on all checks involving movement or physical coordination unless they have Environmental Adaptation (low-gravity), a movement effect like Flight, or have had sufficient time to adjust to the conditions. Falling damage on Europa is reduced by 3 ranks of distance when determining the damage rank, to a maximum rank of 13. So a distance rank 3 fall (250 feet) is treated like a distance rank 0 fall (30 feet) and has a damage rank of only 4.

##### RADIATION

Europa has a weak magnetic field. Both Jupiter and the sun bombard the moon with enough energy to cause severe illness and radiation poisoning. Exposed life forms must resist rank 5 radiation (DC 15 Fortitude check) every 24 hours of exposure using the guidelines for Radiation in the Environmental Hazards section of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook.

#### CHAOTIC TERRAIN

Tidal forces from Jupiter’s gravity and the moon’s orbit exert themselves on Europa’s icy crust, floating on the subsurface ocean below. This creates cracks, crevasses, and ruptures in the surface, some of which can release water from beneath in powerful eruptions. These conditions do not affect Starhaven or its immediate vicinity due to Preserver stabilizing technology, but characters can encounter earthquakes, chasms, hidden crevasse, and similar terrain hazards anywhere else on Europa’s surface.

##### CRYOGEYSERS

A cryogeyser is a fissure in Europa’s icy crust that releases highpressure water from the subsurface ocean. It gushers out in a powerful plume, which quickly freezes in the surface temperatures. Characters caught in the eruption of a cryogeyser must deal with the effects of Damage in a Burst area 30 feet or more in diameter. The Damage ranges from rank 5 for a weak cryogeyser to as much as 10–12 for a powerful one. Generally, charactersget one round of warning about the potential eruption: A successful Perception check (DC 12 or more) allows them to try and clear the area before the geyser erupts. Anyone caught in the area can halve the Damage rank with a successful Dodge check against (10 + Damage rank).

Water flows from a cryogeyser quickly cover the surrounding area and freeze almost instantly. This may trap characters in rapidlyhardening ice like an Affliction (Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile; Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage). A large geyser may also sweep away anyone caught within its flow, as described for Floods on page 185 of the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, and then trap them within the hardening ice.

##### CREVASSES

Huge crevasses and canyons form in Europa’s surface. Some of these reach down to the subsurface ocean itself, eventually releasing a surge of water that freezes and fills in the chasm. Heroes may need to cross a crevasse, avoid falling into one (and suffering falling damage as a result), or climb down into one, or out of one they have fallen into. Note the lesser falling damage under Europa’s normal gravity, detailed in Gravity, previously. Crevasses do offer one advantage: the layers of ice protect anyone more that 30 feet below the surface from the moon’s dangerous radiation.

See the Facetwild for more on climbing and maneuvering in the chasms and crevasses on Europa.

##### ICE

The outer crust of Europa is a miles-thick ice sheet as hard as rock (Toughness 5) on the surface. In many places it resembles rolling scree, but large stretches may be glassy smooth, which Hinder characters on foot, especially anywhere the ice has begun to soften or that has recently seen a water-eruption that has not yet fully frozen. Nevertheless, the surface ice is still ice, so sources of intense heat may melt or vaporize it. Characters with a heat- or fire-based Damage effect may be able to use it for a Burrowing effect through the moon’s icy mantle as a power stunt, and are likely to trigger Accident Complications involving shifting or disturbing the terrain.

##### QUAKES

Surface instability may cause quakes as Europa’s icy crust shifts and fractures, the equivalent of an Earthquake, as described on page 184 of the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide. Any characters standing on the surface must succeed on a DC 15 Dodge check or fall prone. A quake might cause cliffs or ridges of ice to crumble and collapse, resulting in an avalanche (see page 183 of the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide) or open a fissure in the ice, requiring a DC 20 Dodge check to avoid falling in, as detailed under Crevasses and Gravity, previously.

##### SNOW

While Europa lacks an atmosphere and many weather conditions, snow is a frequent event as cryogeysers launch water into low orbit that settles and snow and hail. The moon's light gravity means even softball-sized ice chunks inflict little harm, but the frequent precipitation can bury tracks and equipment or limit visibility (imposing circumstance penalties to see or track).

 Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have partial cover from opponents on land. A completely submerged creature has total cover against opponents on land.
 How far you can see underwater depends on the water’s clarity. As a guideline, creatures can see 60 feet (distance rank 1) if the water is clear, and half that (30 feet or distance rank 0) if it’s murky. Moving water is murky, unless it’s a particularly large, slow-moving river. It’s difficult to find cover or concealment to hide underwater (except along the bottom).

#### OCEAN CONDITIONS

In many ways, the oceans of Europa mirror those on earth, with a complex ecology riding the mercy of the currents. But the oceans of Europa effectively have two “ocean floors” The traditional floor lies far below in the moon’s crushing depths and lacking the volcanism that feeds Earth’s ocean ecology—it is a dead zone with little life or oxygen where only the hardiest scavengers venture. The second “floor” is the icy crust above, where life flourishes in the comparative warmth and abundance.

Near the icy ceiling, the water temperature counts as Uncomfortable Cold conditions, but at the true ocean floor the temperature is Extreme Cold and inflicts Damage 2 every minute.

### EUROPAN LOCALES

Although Starhaven is large, it is just one spot on a moon with a surface area of millions of square kilometers, along with an entire ocean beneath its icy surface, many times the volume of Earth’s oceans. The following are some locales outside of Starhaven itself that characters might encounter or explore, along with a more detailed look at the Facetwild, a particular location of interest to the inhabitants of both Starhaven and Seahaven below the surface.

#### THE GREENHOUSE

Near the southeastern side of Starhaven stands another, much smaller, pair of habitat domes on the surface of Europa. The larger is about a kilometer across, the smaller about half that. Unlike Starhaven, these domes do not contain any urban structures, just swaths of wilderness, earning them the nickname “the Greenhouse.” While the environment inside the Greenhouse domes is Earth-like, it is quite different from that inside Starhaven, even in its Green Zone.Whereas the Green Zone replicates temperate environments circa Earth’s Pleistocene era, the interior of Greenhouse is a hot, tropical environment more akin to Earth’s ancient past, tens of millions of years ago.

The two Greenhouse domes are connected by an ancient laboratory facility that regulates them and provides a connection between them that can be opened and closed. The flora and fauna of the two domes is like a cross-section of primeval Earth, including a variety of species of dinosaurs and massive arthropods. The larger dome has a mix of different species, including predators that prey on the omnivorous and herbivorous species. The smaller dome has no predator species, and appears to be a kind of “breeding pen” to ensure a supply of prey species that can be moved to supplement the population in the larger dome.

With no evidence the Preservers visited Earth during the time of the dinosaurs, presumably the animals and plants in the Greenhouse are genetic re-creations, perhaps intended to study extinct species from Earth’s history or extract useful traits from fossils. Of course, it’s equally possible the Preservers plucked these dinosaurs from another time period or even from a pocket dimension like Earth’s Lost World (Atlas of Earth-Prime, page 224). The life in the Greenhouse domes is sure to be of tremendous interest to Earth scientists, as well as to Starhaven smugglers, who can trade live or dead dinosaurs with clients on Earth and elsewhere, provided they can capture and move them undetected.

#### THE NYXIAN OCEAN

Europa’s “surface” is actually a thick shell of water-ice, frozen as rock-hard. Below it is a vast, dark ocean of liquid water, warmed by constant tidal forces exerted on the moon by Jupiter’s gravity and radioactive decay from Europa’s rocky metallic core. Miles deep, the dark ocean is larger in volume than all of the seas on Earth. Daedelus named it the lightless depths the Nyxian Ocean, after the Greek goddess of night.

Although the waters of the Nyxian are warm enough to remain liquid, they are still frigid, especially nearer to the surface, where the water begins to crystalize into thick slush before finally freezing into “warm” ice similar in strength to terrestrial water-ice. The deepest depths of the dark ocean are warmer—survival by humans if not for the crushing pressure—and are hot enough to melt lead near thermal vents and sites of radioactive decay within the sea floor.

Human characters traversing these frigid waters require Immunity 2 to breathe and withstand the extreme environmental cold near the ice shelf. Diving deep into the dark ocean requires Immunity to the intense pressure of the depths rather than cold. True to its name, the Nyxian Ocean is virtually lightless, with none of the dim surface light of Europa penetrating through the vast layer of ice to reach it. Many plants, animals, and clouds of bacteria creak weak or ultraviolet bioluminescence, but this glow doesn’t extend far. Visitors need to provide their own sources of light, or else rely on senses other than sight.

Liquid water offers the means to support life, and so the dark ocean does. It remains the most “hospitable” environment on Europa, especially to aquatic life adapted to dark ocean depths on other worlds. There is a considerable amount of dissolved oxygen in the dark sea’s water, sufficient for oxygen-extracting life to breathe, and aquatic creatures with the proper Immunities can thrive here, including fish, shrimp, clams, bivalves, and isopods that may descend from Earth stock or be unique local fauna. Alien predators—the equivalent of Giant Squid (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 144) and Megalodons (Time Traveler’s Codex, page 131) lurk as well, but survive in part by feeding on the moon’s radiation—they hibernate for years at a time to recharge themselves along the seabed before awakening to hunt.

#### METIS

Only 60km across, Metis is the innermost moon of Jupiter and orbits within the gas giant's ring. Originally believed to be made of castoff material from the planet's largest moons—Io, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—Metis is actually a captured asteroid that enter to Sol system two centuries ago from points unknown.

Unlike most of the Jovian system, Metis was once inhabited. Artistic hands excavated its interior into a baroque estate of plush rooms and swirling reliefs of twisted, screaming figures coated in gold leaf. Countless libraries and ritual spaces—all empty of their former contents—speak to arcane origins and purposes, but the asteroid's interior has only been briefly glimpsed by miners so far; most believe the tales of the "Metis Estate" is nothing but barroom gossip and tall tales.

The stories within the Metis Estate are left up to the Gamemaster, but are almost certainly magical. It's most likely origin is a former monastery for the reclusive Arcane, the Grue secret society of magic-users who worship the Nameless Ones and scheme to usurp control of the universe's supernatural energies. They may have used Metis as a wandering outpost—a rogue planet in the black between stars—and abandoned it when it became locked in Jupiter's gravity well, or they may have placed the asteroid there themselves once their work was done, hiding their grand works from prying eyes until they needed them once again. Those other likely origin is that Metis is the last remnant of a Netherworld, a magical realm ruled by a corrupted Master Mage and eventually devoured by their insatiable need for power. No matter the origins, the asteroid is filled with curious puzzles and magical traps.

Because Metis is tidally locked and orbits close to Jupiter, it is subject to phenomenal blasts of radiation as it passes through varying layers of the gas giant's electromagnetic field. The standard background emissions are a Rank 3 radiation hazard (Deluxe Hero's Handbook, page 238), but every seven hours this spikes to anywhere from Rank 9 to Rank 13. Even approaching Metis requires a DC 25 Vehicles check (or Acrobatics, for those who can fly) to avoid exposing passengers to hazardous radiation eddies. For now, any expeditions to the curious remnant must be brief or conducted by aliens immune to high-energy radiation, but if an intrepid soul could engineer powerful shielding, the rewards could be great indeed. Unless, of course, the estate was plunged into Jovian orbit intentionally to keep its dangerous secrets locked away from the cosmos, lest they destroy it.

#### THE MONSTER FACTORY

Starhaven is not the only Preserver installation on the surface of Europa. Even putting aside outlying structures like the Greenhouse and the Toolshed (following) there is more hidden on Europa than most are aware. On the far side of Europa, about 750 miles away, is a facility largely buried in the icy surface. It contains genetic “factories” and automated systems capable of growing bio-mechanical creatures, and is currently the base of operations for Null, the former Magna Blanc of Magna Force, now an agent of Collapsar the Devourer (see the Superteam Handbook for more information). From within her “Monster Factory,” Null can create a variety of kaiju and similar techn-organic warriors capable of leveling cities. She can send them to Earth when Europa’s orbit places it between Jupiter and Earth, approximately every three and half Earth days. The Preserver facility on the far side of Europa has a functional transmatter platform—a precious lost technology able to beam matter through a subspace “tunnel” anywhere in Earth’s solar system—so long at it has line of site to the destination.

While Null is aware of the settlement on the other side of the moon from her base, she largely ignores it for now. Her focus is on the Magna Matrix, Magna Force, and the Earth as a whole, and she has no intention of giving away the location of her Europan base. Still, Null has taken the precaution of inserting some void doll infiltrators among the Starhaven refugees, both to keep an eye on things (she can perceive everything that they do) and to potentially nudge things in a certain direction. The old warrior is only just hearing about the Children of the Chrysalis. Once she learns more about the cult, she might well try to subvert them to serve her ends.

If Null is defeated or driven off and heroes capture the Monster Factory, the capabilities of its transmatter platform could revolutionize Starhaven’s relationship with Earth and the rest of the system, providing an almost instantaneous mode of transportation and shipment from the moon.

#### TANNREK CRASH SITE

Near the deadly Facetwild, an alien starship lies embedded in the moon’s icy surface at the bottom of a shallow impact crater that has partially refilled with subsurface water and refrozen. The ship’s primary systems are nonfunctional, although minimal power and life-support still operate. According to the remaining, fragmented logs, the vessel was the Tannrek, a Drik salvage ship (see the New Alien Templates sidebar on page 7).

The Tannrek came to Europa seventy Earth years ago. They looted what they could from the Preserver ruin but, when they took off, the ship had the misfortune to pass over the Facetwild (see the following section) during an arc storm. The Drik ship suffered a massive systems failure and crashed back to the surface some distance away. The few survivors of the crew left the ship behind, either to seek help or shelter, and never returned. Some may still be cocooned in crystal in the depths of the Facetwild.

The hold of the Tannrek is still full of choice bits and pieces looted from Starhaven, many of which are likely useful or valuable. But the ship’s security systems remain on high alert, activating automated turrets, fiendish traps, and patrolling security robots as it awaits a the return of a long-dead crew. The ship's AI, HOARD—a fine example of Drik ingenuity, in that it incorporates parts from five different planets—has grown lonely and tries to befriend visitors even as it tries to kill them, even offering rest and food from time to time even as it bars the exits and activates a new wave of security drones. The drik also took biological samples from Starhaven, and in its quest to alleviate the loneliness, HOARD continues to release and cybernetically upgrade creatures. That leaves a rogue saber-toothed cat and several dinosaurs stalking the corridors of the downed ship.

#### THE TOOLSHED

Among their many technological achievements, the Preservers wielded nanotechnology capable of rearranging and structuring matter, allowing them to create virtually anything. Many Preserver structures were grown from smart materials or 3D-printed out of restructured matter by microscopic machines without seams, castings, or fasteners. Often built with deliberately short lifespans and self-destruct mechanisms, most Preserver nanotech has not survived over the eons since their creators vanished.

However, many larger Preserver sites, such as Farside City on Luna, have a “toolshed,” an off-site storage area for nano-assemblers placed in “standby” mode for whenever a need arose for repairs, spare parts, or other maintenance work. The toolshed site is self-maintaining and can last indefinitely, usually with a small crew of maintenance robots. The pool of nano-assemblers has the potential to create almost anything, but learning to access and control the ancient Preserver computer systems without setting off a disaster can be a challenge, as the inhabitants of Farside City learned recently when the mad scientist Tesla Girl accidentally set a giant nano-built “green goo” machine loose that nearly devoured the Lunar habitat (detailed in the Astonishing Adventure To the Moon!).

A Toolshed site sits not far from Starhaven, buried and forgotten in the ice of the moon’s surface. Like the one found on Luna, it is a small sub-surface complex attended by insect-like robots with multiple multi-function limbs and simply programming. The nano-assemblers in the Toolshed could literally transform Starhaven, turning existing materials, even debris, into almost anything their user directed—or rendering them down to their essential chemical elements, if left undirected. To represent rogue nanite swarms, use the Devouring Swarm or Blob (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 148), or use the more powerful Nanomorph in the Starhaven Creatures section. See Astonishing Adventures: To the Moon! for more details on the purpose and defenses of Preserver Toolshed sites.

### THE FACETWILD

Two dozen kilometers from Starhaven is another oddity of Europa: a deep canyon in the moon’s icy surface colonists call “the Facetwild.” The sides and ledges of the rift are a wilderness of crystalline growths, many as large as giant trees, and the place is home to a strange ecosystem found nowhere else on the moon, or indeed anywhere else in the solar system. The Facetwild presents a fascinating opportunity for study, as well as a potential alternative access to the Nyxian Ocean, and either opportunities or hazards—or both—for Starhaven and its inhabitants.

#### CONDITIONS

The surface conditions of the Facetwild are much like those described for the surface of Europa under the Beyond Starhaven section, and characters have to contend with those conditions in the same way. Deeper in the rift, the atmosphere condenses and thickens, shielded from surface radiation bombardment, and the temperature rises, close to the surface waters of the ocean. While still a harsh environment by human standards, the lowest levels of the Facetwild are as survivable as the tundra-covered arctic regions of Earth. The air is thin, and the cold is extreme, but an unprotected human could survive—for a while, at least.

##### AMMONIA LAKES

In addition to several briny bodies of water, the Facetwild’s strange chemistry produces several large ammonia lakes. Near the surface, these are almost pure pools of liquified ammonia gas, while deeper bodies are brine lakes with heavy concentrations of the vapor. In either case, character who can breath underwater cannot breathe in ammonia lakes and the fluid is toxic, inflicting Affliction 5 (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Disabled, Incapacitated) to most creatures entering. Native crystalline creatures swim through these pools, and cannot survive long outside their caustic homes.

##### ARC STORMS

The crystals of the Facetwild are piezoelectric, generating electrical current in response to movement (such as tremors or the tidal pull of Jupiter). This charge makes the structures glow and sparkle. From time to time, the larger crystalline structures go from merely “shimmering” to actively emitting powerful bursts of electromagnetic energy. Most of these bursts are short-range and harmless sparks that leap between two close structures. A creature would need to be directly in-between and in the part of the discharge to suffer any ill-effects (an electric shock inflicting 3–6 ranks of Damage). Every few days, more powerful and sustained energy bursts arc between more distant crystalline structures, setting off a cascade of surges that can ripple out across thousands of shards. These “arc storms” are far more dangerous, unleashing Damage 8–12 blasts like powerful lightning bolts, which can blanket whole areas of the rift, and even threaten low-flying ships and creatures overhead. A blast from an arc storm can overload the electrical or power systems of a ship, causing it to crash into the rift, or nearby (Burst Area Weaken Electronics 10).

During an arc storm, there is a 5% chance (a roll of 1 on a d20) that any given creature or vehicle will be struck by a discharge each round in the affected area. Add +1 (1–2 on a d20) to the chance per size category the target is above medium, and +2 if the target is primarily made of or coated in conductive metal. A successful Dodge resistance check against a DC of 10 + the burst’s Damage rank halves the damage. The pilot of a vehicle can make a Vehicles check against the same DC to halve the damage to the vehicle instead.

##### HYDROGEN POCKETS

The denser atmosphere in the lower reaches of the Facetwild can create small pockets of hydrogen gas that have not yet escaped Europa’s atmosphere into space. This gas is highly explosive in the presence of free oxygen, and even a small spark can ignite it. In the bottom quarter of the rift’s depth, there is a 25% chance (a roll of 5 or less on a d20) there is a hydrogen pocket in an area. Any spark, open flame, or similar energy discharge triggers a Burst Area Damage 9 explosion centered on the triggering energy. Character can realize there is a hydrogen pocket in the area with a successful DC 18 Expertise (Science or Survival) check.

The explosion of a hydrogen pocket may damage surrounding crystalline structures or shatter or melt surface ice enough to cause an avalanche in the area: Roll a Toughness resistance check using the area’s average Toughness of 6 against the explosion’s damage. If the material’s Toughness check fails by two or more Degrees of Failure, it triggers a small avalanche.

##### INTERFERENCE FIELD

One of the Facetwild’s most unusual features is an intense field of wide-band electromagnetic interference blanketing the rift. So far as anyone can tell, the interference field emanates from the crystalline structures of the area, possibly generated or sustained by them. The field largely blocks transmissions into, out of, or through the Facetwild, part of the reason why the rift was not easily discovered. Sensors do not penetrate into the area, and communications with those inside becomes almost impossible. The interference field even works on a psionic and subspace level, blocking telepathic and even faster-than-light communications and sensors. This means exploration of the Facetwild is entirely in-person rather than by remote, but it also makes the rift a very useful place to hide from planetary sensor-sweeps and virtually any means of detection.

#### MOVEMENT AND CLIMBING

Various ledges, platforms, and plateaus line the Facetwild, but much of the rift’s sides are steep ice or crystalline growths. Climbing is treacherous, with the DC ranging from 15 to as much as 25 in places (average DC 20). Crystal growth is thick enough in spots to Hinder movement and some ledges are slick or delicate enough to require a Dodge resistance check (DC 12+) to avoid a slip’ with one Degree of Failure, a character falls prone, but near a ledge, two or more Degrees of Failure means slipping over the edge and falling. Roll another Dodge check against the same DC, with success indicating the character catches themselves at the edge.

#### FLORA & FAUNA

What lives and grows in the Facetwild is neither “flora” nor “fauna,” nor possibly even alive as humans understand the term. The “life” here thrives on extreme conditions—cold, radiation, and isolation—that destroy earthly organisms. The rift is home to a dazzling array of poorly understood crystalline life.

##### CRYSTAL GROWTHS

Most of the Facetwild is blanketed in growing “living” crystals in a dazzling variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, similar to branching plant-life on Earth. Most of the largest gems flicker with internal lights, occasionally emitting electricity (see Arc Storms, previously). Scientists note the similarity between the electricity arcing between the branching crystal growths and the synapses of a brain and wonder if the energy discharges indicate the entire Facetwild is “thinking” in some fashion.

##### COVET CRYSTAL TRAPS

Living beings in the Facetwild stimulate some of the living crystals to replicate rapidly, moving towards the creature. These patches of so-called “covet crystal” rapidly grow over and engulf creatures, quickly enclosing them and placing them into a kind of metabolic stasis. Treat an encounter with covet crystal as a Progressive Affliction 8 (Resisted by Dodge, overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized, Incapacitated), with the special descriptor that creatures Incapacitated by the growth are preserved indefinitely. It’s possible other creatures (such as survivors from the crash Drik salvager Tannrek, previously) have lingered in crystal traps within the Facetwild for years or even centuries.

##### GLASSOFORMS

A variety of ambulatory crystal structures move through the Facetwilds walls, lakes, and ammonia pools, resembling animal life. With no time to study the ecosystem, locals aren’t sure if these are scientific curiosities, independent life, or subsystems in a larger structure, like cells in a human body. Most glassoforms harmlessly migrate along the chasm’s walls or carry resources back to nests, but some are aggressive to outsiders; use statistics for Crocodiles, Swarms, Wolves, and Pterodactyls (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 143, 145, and 148, respectively) to represent these “predators,” applying Immunity 9 (Critical Hits, Environmental Cold, Environmental Radiation, Suffocation).

### STARHAVEN FACTIONS

Several powers now currently vie for control and influence in the unsteady political landscape of Starhaven.

#### THE BRYNE

Daedalus and others who proposed Europa as a resettlement site for the Star Island refugees understandably thought the Jovian moon uninhabited, but they were wrong. Buried beneath the thick ice of Europa’s surface and psychically cloaked, however, the prior inhabitants are well concealed indeed.

The reclusive Bryne exist in a kind of twilight dream-state. They are not entirely conscious as most sentient beings understand the concept. Instead, the primal “lizard-brain” portion of their psyche dominates, focused on simple survival and basic instinct but also directed toward complex tasks by a lingering, collective unconscious. These half-memories allow them to perform surprisingly technical skills—including operating machines or sabotaging technology—despite their apparently low-tech society.

Three deep, subconscious urges drive the Bryne: Fighting each other in “sparring” activities that rarely result in more than minor injuries, “patrolling” their territory individually or in small groups, although the only “intruders” they usually encounter are other Bryne (resulting in the aforementioned short, almost ritualized combats), and carving and etching the “warmer” subsurface ice above the dark ocean, creating complex pictographic depictions of their history, even though they are not fully aware they are even doing so. Someone able to see and decipher the images (a DC 20 challenge test involving Expertise skills like Archeology, Linguistics, or the like, and requiring a total of five degrees of success) could learn the information given under The Bryne in The Secret History of Starhaven section of this chapter.

##### GOALS

The Bryne peruse survival and fanatic isolationism—the “sound” of sentient thought is a screaming cacophony they cannot stand. Already suspicious and sure of their racial superiority before arriving on Europa, their affliction makes the Bryne deeply xenophobic and violent. The presence of intruders on Europa, specifically in their waters, drives the Bryne to a war-like mob mentality. At present, they are watching, scouting their new enemies’ activities, learning their weaknesses, sabotaging Seahaven, occasionally abducting isolated members of their number. The Bryne feel no great urgency, taking their time before they go to war. Eventually, however, they will attack Seahaven—and anyone else in their territory—en masse, and wipe out anyone capable of independent thought.

##### CHAMPIONS

The Bryne have almost no social hierarchy. There are some examples of Bryne “champions,” however, rare individuals whose response to the arrival of a threat to the ocean has been especially violent or fanatical, prompting swift evolution.

 **Totals:** Abilities 78 + Powers 55 + Advantages 6 + Skills 14 (28 ranks) + Defenses 10 = 163

#### THE CHILDREN OF CHRYSALIS

People need something to believe in, especially during difficult times, and there are always those willing to take advantage of that need for their own purposes. The Children of Chrysalis have quietly spread their faith among the people of Starhaven. Their story justifies the loss of their original homes, their exile on Earth, and their resettlement among the grand ruins of Starhaven as meaningful and important: the will of the Preservers. The Preservers could see the future more accurately than anyone could imagine, and before they ascended (according to the Children’s scripture), they set events in motion to ultimately bring “the chosen” to Starhaven to inherit their legacy and secrets.

The Preservers labored endlessly to diversify and evolve life throughout the galaxy, and the Children of Chrysalis preach that this work was to pave the way for all sentient life. The Preservers sought was not only to preserve life, but to advance it, to speed the random and haphazard process of evolution. They left behind tools and resources for those able to find and use them, signposts along the road the Preservers wished others to follow.

The Children of Chrysalis worship the Preservers as literal gods, and believe they still watch over and guide the faithful to ascension. They also believe the Preservers brought the greatest people of the cosmos to Starhaven at this time and place to prepare their “chosen” to follow them into an existence of bliss, free of mortal worries. Part religion, part conspiracy theory, they work constantly toward greater access to Preserver ruins and technology. While most of their recruits are poor and desperate, , their survival-of-the-fittest doctrine has attracted several prominent followers within the Engineer’s Guild and at least one sitting Senator.

##### GOALS

Ultimately, the goal of the Children of Chrysalis is to bring the “transformative gifts” of Preserver technology found in Starhaven to all of its inhabitants, encouraging them to submit themselves to Chrysalis’s forced evolution experiments. For the time being, the cult is circumspect about its very existence, so as not to arouse suspicion from other factions in Starhaven, much less the settlement’s leadership. Their overt activities focus on charity work and healing the poor, and those who have heard of them believe the group to be little more than well-intentioned if desperate weirdos. The religion’s leadership know most unbelievers will reject the gifts of the Preservers out-of-hand, and so they plan to bring the light of knowledge by force, if necessary.

For now, the Children of Chrysalis focus on recruitment and secrecy. The cult spreads primarily by word-of-mouth, with rumors, innuendo, and “tall tales” of the amazing Preserver technology left behind and of people transformed by it into a higher order of beings. Cultists are careful who they approach and even more so with who they trust with the truths imparted to them. They prey upon the hopeless and the desperate—those in need of something, anything, to believe in, or else those with nothing to lose. In particular, the Children look towards settlers who suffer from chronic or even terminal medical conditions, offering them hope beyond waiting for treatments and carefully-managed medical supplies. Those who give themselves over to the cult eventually see evidence of its beliefs in the form of Pupil and his chosen ones, with hope of eventually joining their ranks.

Ultimately, the Children strive to transform Starhaven into a theocracy they control, transforming its entire population into genetic monstrosities and brutal competitors.

##### LEADERSHIP

The leader of the Children of Chrysalis is Pupil, a former Lor archeologist transformed by a Preserver artificial intelligence while exploring Starhaven (see page 52 for details). His mind reshaped as thoroughly as his body, Pupil now belongs entirely to Chrysalis, devoted to the cause of encouraging all of the people of Starhaven to embrace the path to “greater evolution.”

Serving Pupil are varying levels of cultists, organized by his direct commanders, the Larvae. These priests of Chrysalis maintain low profiles but gently influence and recruit the city's disaffected. For most Larvae, use the Cult Master archetype (Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide, page 146), substituting the Ritualist advantage for Inventor, but their god's touch has granted many Larvae with minor super powers; select ability packages from the Jobber Themes table (Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide, page 106). Pupil generally keeps 2-3 of his Larvae close at hand as assistants and bodyguards.

##### CHRYSALIS

Ancient and fundamentally disturbed, Chrysalis is a Preserver AI tasked with engineering and improving organic life to better withstand existential threats. Similar to the Stellar Forge (see Astonishing Adventures: Prodigal Sun), eons of isolation and neglect have warped the computer mind. In the case of Chrysalis, the computer has come to see her abandonment as a test by her creators. What began as a quest to harden life against the cruelties of the cosmos has evolved into a single-minded obsession with finding the perfect organic form and proving herself worthy of her makers. She refuses to accept that the Preservers are long gone, instead believing that wait in hiding for her masterpiece.

Chrysalis has some affection for Pupil and has shared her quest with him, phrased in the most appealing possible way. Deep down she cares for the first of her new creations—he is a favored pet—but ultimately humanoids are little more than canvases for her to paint upon, and she will discard him—reluctantly—to push her own agenda or survive.

 **Totals:** Abilities 2 + Powers 103 + Advantages 4 + Skills 19 (38 ranks) + Defenses 19 = 147

#### IMPERIUM LOYALISTS

While it might seem strange for a refugee population to feel loyalty towards the force that displaced them, that’s not how the small core of Stellar Imperium loyalists see it. For them, it was the destruction of Magna-Lor and the collapse of the old Republic that displaced them and their families, forcing them into exile in a relatively backwater star system on the outskirts of galactic civilization. As Citizen Sun-Ren is fond of pointing out, the Star Khan and his Imperium stabilized the collapse of the weak, decadent former Republic, preventing it from descending into anarchy. Is that order rigid and strictly enforced? Certainly, but rigid authority is necessary, given the dangers currently plaguing the galaxy.

The Imperium Loyalists believe the Stellar Imperium represents the new order in galactic civilization and, if the people of Starhaven want to rejoin said civilization, they must become citizens of the new Imperium. Refusal only perpetuates their status as isolated refugees. Some of them are simply afraid and want the safety promised by the Imperium’s strong hand. Others are opportunists who think they have greater chances for advancement and prosperity in the Stellar Imperium. Others are simply privileged people of the Republic, looking to reclaim some element of their lost power. A few even genuinely admire the Star Khan and his achievements, although most claim they don’t care who is in charge of the Imperium, so long as people remain safe and their needs are met.

Unbeknownst to all of them, this apparent grassroots movement is subtly directed and strengthened by the psychic influence of Veil, an Imperium agent operating secretly within Starhaven (see page 54 for details). Veil’s influence—from psychic cajoling to creating an air of sympathy within the bureaucracy—encourages the scared, the mean, and the desperate feel safe acting on their worst impulses, giving the loyalists a stronger core than they would have had. Her efforts weren’t enough to sway public opinion during the recent government referendum deciding the city’s leadership, but it has kept the loyalists a vocal and active minority political faction—much to the surprise and chagrin of the other factions in Starhaven.

##### GOALS

The public goals of the Imperium loyalists are to better align Starhaven with the Stellar Imperium, with an eye towards making Starhaven an Imperium protectorate or, failing that, to eventually relocate Starhaven’s population to Imperium space. They claim they want the prosperity and security Star Khan’s Imperium offers, and to rerejoin galactic civilization. Publicly, at least, the loyalists work to further their goals through democratic means, trying to persuade the people of Starhaven that the Imperium is a valuable ally who will hear their needs better than “decrepit, corrupt remnants of a dead Senate.”

Behind-the-scenes, the Imperium loyalists are Veil’s pawns to weaken Starhaven’s new government and social structure, softening the settlement up for annexation. Ideally, either Starhaven society will reach a point of collapse, “forcing” them to turn to the Imperium for aid or, more likely, Loyalist forces will so thoroughly undermine the city’s defenses and alienate their Earth allies that the Star Khan’s military forces can take the city—and indeed the entire moon—without any real opposition. Of course, once secured, Starhaven will make an excellent forward base to launch a full-scale invasion of Earth itself.

##### LEADERSHIP

Officially, the Citizen Sun-Ren leads Imperium Loyalist faction. A Lor statesman, he stepped forward during the city’s referendum on government. In spite of his electoral defeat, Sun-Ren continues to advocate for what he calls “the cause of Starhaven and its people rejoining galactic civilization.” The middle-aged politician is an excellent public speaker who firmly believes the best way forward to the settlers is to ask for help from the most powerful, influential, and well-supplied interstellar state in the galaxy, rather than trying to scratch out a subsistence life huddled in an ancient ruin on some forlorn frozen moon. He loathes Earth as a backwater, disrespectful colony, but generally softens that message with common dog-whistles like “quaint” and “isolated.” As a true believer, he has no idea his assistant is an Imperium agent—and would be more offended at being used than he would be at spelling the colony’s doom. Sun retains much of his former wealth and prestige; use the Crime Lord villain archetype (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, pages 88-89) to represent Sun-Ren, exchanging ranks in Expertise: Streetwise for Expertise: Politics.

The real power behind the loyalists is Veil, an Imperium undercover agent, who poses as Sun-Ren’s executive assistant Vay-La—just one of several cover identities she uses. While Veil does not directly control the minds of any of the loyalists, she has held and pulled at their emotional strings for some time now, to the point where she can easily push their buttons to get them to act in the direction she wants. To the movement, she seems to be nothing but a loyal, kind, and patriotic woman working hard to make the city all it can be, and Sun-Ren and his followers will fiercely defend her from all accusations.

While the Loyalists claim to be a grassroots organization supporting “the working Lor,” the heart of their movement is a paramilitary movement. Use the Militant statblock (Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide, page 153) to represent the average active member.

#### MAJESTIC-20

After millennia of hostile alien visitations, particularly Tellax the Redeemer’s attempt at worldwide mutation, some don’t just believe “the truth is out there,” they believe they must control it. Of course, the nature of “the Truth” varies a great deal based on who is looking for it. The fact that alien life exists and is capable of reaching Earth continues to spark a deep and existential dread in some people. That dread fuels the continued existence and influence of Majestic-20, the anti-extraterrestrial organization detailed in the Emerald City sourcebook.

The presence of alien refugees on an island off the shore of a major U.S. city sent Majestic-20 into overdrive. The covert organization did everything they could to sabotage and undermine efforts to assist the “hostiles” on Star Island. Their efforts directly fanned the flames of anti-alien sentiment and, eventually, drove the refugees off Earth entirely. But that still wasn’t good enough for Majestic or its leadership. Europa isn’t nearly far enough away to suit their tastes.

Once a condoned, top-secret agency for the US government, Majestic-20 used its remaining federal connections to plant agents within the relocation effort. Conservative members of various agencies had always been sympathetic with the operation’s goal, including AEGIS. Now well positioned within the AEGIS-UNISON task force monitoring Europa security and provisions, their active efforts undermine faith in Earth and slow the distribution of vital supplies. As members of the defacto military authority, they are also well-positioned to keep tabs on what happens at the alien settlement and funnel information and technology to Majestic-20’s leadership back on Earth.

The Majestic “cell” on Europa isn’t large—two dozen personnel at best—but they all believe their work is essential to safeguard Earth (the United States in particular) from alien invasion. Right now, their orders are simply surveillance on Starhaven and hamper settlement efforts under red tap, though some enforcers have taken their mission further by escalating tense situations to violence. Earth authorities are currently unaware of Majestic’s infiltration, but both the Smugglers Syndicate and Veil know about them. The Syndicate holds on to the information as a valuable bargaining chip with the Earthers, while Veil has begun subtly manipulating the Majestic agents she’s aware of, heightening their existing paranoia and mistrust of all alien life. She hopes to create incidents that will drive a deeper wedge between Starhaven and Earth—ironically Majestic-20s own goal.

Majestic-20 can't call upon their full resources on the distant Jovian moon, and so they rely on stealth, subterfuge, and casual indoctrination of other human agents and technicians. They have greater expertise with alien technology than the average AEGIS or UNISON recruit, and can ensure strange finds or confiscated weapons "vanish" on their way to evidence lockup. As a result, they have a far greater stockpile of weapons, artifacts, and robots than actual agents t make use of it—a problem Agent Colt and his leadership hope to remedy by eventually working with Earth-based contractors like Quasar Technology. Until then, the organization doesn't have the bodies to throw away on dangerous encounters. They're more likely to deal with a crisis or confrontation by overloading single agents with extraordinary gear to transform them into villain archetypes like the Hybrid, the Jobber, or even the Jumped-Up Nobody (see the Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide, pages 97, 103, and 107) and present them as alien villains.

##### GOALS

Majestic-20 wants to safeguard the United States (and, by extension of their imperialist views, the world) from alien invasion. They include in this the “invasion” of alien ideas, culture, or other treats to “the American Way of life.” While they can no longer keep the existence of alien life a secret from the public, Majestic intends to blunt or eliminate any extraterrestrial threat—or immigration—to Earth.

Their goals concerning Starhaven are threefold: First, to keep the alien settlement under surveillance for any signs of a threat towards Earth. Second, to eventually eliminate Starhaven as a possible threat, either by driving the aliens out of the solar system altogether or by destroying the settlement completely. Either outcome is acceptable. Third, Majestic is interested in gathering information about Starhaven itself and the advanced alien technology it represents, along with the technology and resources of the settlement. Any useful tech and information can be transferred back to Earth for study and eventual use.

##### LEADERSHIP

The agent in charge of the Majestic-20 cell on Europa is Calvin Colt, a middle-ranking AEGIS agent secretly loyal to the xenophobic conspiracy. Colt doesn’t see his work with Majestic as a conflict of interests with his AEGIS position, but rather an extension of his work, although he’s aware his superiors wouldn’t see it that way.

Colt is the only person in the Majestic cell who knows the identities of every other member, and is paranoid around known mind-readers because of it. To maintain his cover identity, Colt does not have any Majestic tech with him on Europa, including their signature anti-alien disruptors, relying instead on his AEGIS equipment. Colt is a definite candidate for Majestic’s Sentry Agent program, if he does well with this assignment. His short-term goal is to recover Preserver technology that can shield him from telepaths, but ultimately he wants to bring in Majestic agents in far greater numbers and re-establish Earth control of the city.

 **Complications: Motivation:** Misguided Patriotism Agent Colt believes he is doing what needs to be done for his country and world.
**Obsession:** Like most of Majestic-20, Colt is obsessed with the threat of alien invasion.

#### THE REPUBLIC ALLIANCE

The capitol world of Magna-Lor is dead, consumed by Collapsar, such that not even rubble and dust survives, and the nation it once ruled is fallen and conquered. But the embers of the Republic still flicker in the hopes of its survivors, who shelter and tend them in hopes of rekindling the Lor Republic into a flame once again. Of course, the greatest challenge of those who still hold the spirit of the Republic is that its former body—as well as the history and wealth that represents—is now under the control of the Stellar Imperium, conquered by the Star Khan and held in his iron grip.

Starhaven changes things. Earth’s solar system is home to powerful heroes who have overcome the Star Khan in the past, and sits far enough outside of Imperium space that the Star Khan may not be inclined to send troops in force. For now. The settlement is the first real respite the Alliance has had since the fall of the Republic, and offers a chance to cultivate allies.

The Alliance presence on Starhaven is mixed. Initially, it was primarily made up of exiled Lor (and other species of the former Republic) who saw Starhaven as an opportunity to recreate the Republic-in-exile, or to found a new version of the Republic. Since then, the settlement has drawn some members of the Alliance from the fringe of Imperium space, looking for a sanctuary. This has led to tension between the Starhaven “originalists” focusing primarily on rebuilding the Republic from the ground-up and Alliance rebels who feel they have been fighting against the Imperium from the very beginning while the people of Starhaven sheltered on Earth, relatively safe from Star Khan’s forces. The rebels want to use Starhaven as a base of operations to coordinate their ongoing rebellion against the Imperium, while the originalists fear a greater rebel presence will simply bring the forces of the Star Khan down on them that much sooner. The originalists also point out that Starhaven is far from stable and self-sustaining, and that their focus must be on the needs of the settlement and its people, not fighting a war that they cannot possibly win in a far-off part of the galaxy.

The New Republic Senate has a fair mix of resources for a nascent state, including extensive contacts and favors owed across the galaxy. Many sitting Senators won their seats because they escaped their homeworlds with a great deal of wealth, and now many turn that wealth toward short-term fixes around the city in hopes political power will later return th investment. Others still hold valuable secrets, such as blackmail they could wield against powerful figures who betrayed the Republic for the Imperium as soon as it became convenient. But what the new nation truly lacks is access—few ships survived the hard flight to Earth and most that remain are in the hands of private traders and smugglers. Fewer still have the jump drives needed to travel beyond the Sol system. Starhaven prioritizes constructing new ships, but the process has been slow, and so anyone with a ship (or a natural ability to fly through space) has considerable pull with the government.

##### GOALS

The ultimate goal of the Republic Alliance is nothing less than the rebirth and reconstruction of the Lor Republic, which stood for so many centuries. There are differing opinions as to how they should achieve that goal, however. The rebel elements of the Alliance consider themselves at war with the Imperium. They want to overthrow the Star Khan and reestablish the Republic Senate (and possibly the office of Praetor, opinions vary). Justice will not be served until the Star Khan is removed and all former Republic territory is regained. Even the most idealistic of the rebel faction realize this is an almost impossible goal, but they hold to it nonetheless, looking for ways to strike at and weaken the forces of the Imperium.

The originalist elements of the Alliance—made up primarily of refugees who fled the collapsing Republic to Earth—want to start a new Republic, a Second Republic, with Starhaven as its seed. Their ambition is to build and structure the settlement around the traditions and ideals of the Lor Republic, knowing that it will be the work of generations to build a new interstellar society, just as it was with the first Republic. Their focus is largely on the here and now, getting Starhaven to the point of being a stable and self-sustaining settlement.

For the time being, while the Republic Alliance pays a certain amount of lip service to the idea of resisting the Imperium, the originalist faction is very much in control and focused on Starhaven. They do their best to keep the rebel faction in-line and prevent them from bringing the Star Khan and his forces to Starhaven’s doorstep, but the street-corner forums throughout the settlement echo with arguments and bold statements of defiance offered by rebels, who claim the Star Khan’s reign will not last and that he will be brought down.

##### LEADERSHIP

Prime Consul Tamira-Van rose to leadership of the Alliance based on her previous experience within the Republic Senate and her ability to forge coalitions based on common need and purpose. Senator Van’s arguments in favor of basing Starhaven’s new government on Republic society and tradition won support, partially due to her effective oratory and at least partly due to their familiarity compared to the radical options offered by other factions.

Now Senator Van’s Alliance must implement their vision and make Starhaven a success, with more than just their political futures at stake. Fortunately, the Senator is also well-acquainted with the practical work of running things, and time spent helping organize a refugee camp on Star Island has humbled her once “big picture” view of things and allows her to focus on immediate, practical needs. She is a true believer, having started her career as a Senatorial aid on Magna Lor. Her work has yet to dull her keen mind or break her optimistic spirit, but critics argue she's reaching for the stars before checking that both feet are planted.

 **Totals:** Abilities 20 + Powers 0 + Advantages 13 + Skills 20 (40 ranks) + Defenses 19 = 72

#### THE SMUGGLERS SYNDICATE

“Anywhere there are needs to be fulfilled, there is the potential for profit” is a universal law. In some corners of Starhaven, it’s the only law worth following. Desperation makes people easy to exploit, and those who can bring in the goods can live like monarchs. Since their most profitable activities are in no way sanctioned by the authorities of Starhaven, the enterprising smugglers of Starhaven have banded together for their mutual benefit, forming the new settlement’s first criminal syndicate from the muscle, covert pilots, and coyotes that kept the Star Island camp functional.

The Smugglers Syndicate is made up of suppliers of, at best, “gray market” goods and services, ranging from expensive luxuries to drugs and weapons, but also essentials like finished goods and medical supplies that Earth restrict the import of. As a new settlement, Starhaven’s smugglers conduct most transactions by barter and favors, although various forms of Earth and Imperium currency trade hands as well. While the most focus on running alien goods to Earth and Earth goods back, the Syndicate has already begun forming a pipeline to sell and trade goods outside of the solar system, against the restrictions imposed by authorities on both Earth and Starhaven.

The key resource for the Syndicate is transportation. Most of the initial caravan fleet that brought refugees to Earth barely survived the trip, and were unfit for travel after. Those mechanics and captains who could keep their systems running provided vital supplies and communications, and built a powerbase off that access. Today, the Syndicate has access to most of the city’s ships and almost all of its armed vehicles, forming a rag-tag refugee flotilla that unofficially provides the backbone of the city’s defense. Most are little more than patched-together shuttles, not suited for interstellar trips, but sufficient to make in-system runs within the solar system. This allows the smugglers to gather valuable cargoes from Earth and bring them to Starhaven. In return, clients on Earth are happy to take various trinkets in trade: bits and pieces of alien technology, things scavenged from the ruins of Starhaven, prehistorical animals from the Green Zone (living or dead), crystals from the Facetwild, and more. The smugglers are always interested in potential trade goods, the rarer, more illicit, and potentially more valuable, the better.

In addition to contraband from the Earth-Europa run, the Smugglers Syndicate occasionally ferries passengers who need to get between Earth and Starhaven but cannot go through official channels or don’t want to wait weeks for an approved shuttle. The enterprising Syndicate has also begun to venture into trade with the greater galaxy, experimenting with “drop-exchanges” of supply capsules on the outskirts of the solar system. The reputation of Earth (and its superheroes) keep interstellar criminals from simply swooping-in to seize the smugglers’ new territory, but the lure of Earth and Europan contraband is of interest to the criminal underworld of the Imperium and other worlds.

##### GOALS

The goal of the Smugglers Syndicate is simple: make as much profit as possible without getting caught. The wants and needs of many of the inhabitants of Starhaven, along with certain segments of Earth’s population, represent a potential gold-mine, and the Syndicate intends to exploit it as much as possible. A few toy with the idea of “going legit,” turning their wealth and access into business or political assets, but most are independent-minded captains and pilots chasing the next big score.

The Syndicate isn’t interested in Starhaven politics except insofar is it affects business, but most acknowledge that all-out war, much less the destruction of Starhaven, would not be good for business. Although the Syndicate didn’t much influence the recent governmental elections, they’re pleased with the outcome. The Republic Alliance needs ties to the rest of the galaxy and won’t crack-down on smugglers as much as the Earth authorities or the Imperium sympathizers might, so it suits the smugglers well enough for the time being.

##### LEADERSHIP

The Smugglers Syndicate is a loose alliance, ostensibly run by a council of its most influential members. In reality, however, Mama Kaiger (see page 50) has nominally emerged as the “boss of bosses” on Starhaven, daring anyone else to challenge the decision. After brutally putting down the first few challenges to her power, the remaining captains quickly fell in line, and the Kaiger Clan largely runs things. Still, what passes for loyalty among the smugglers varies, some stick by Mama and think she will do well by them, and others willing to sell-out their associates. Those who scheme or usurp Mama Kaiger know they can only do so by subterfuge, so things seem quiet for now.

Mama Kaiger's chief rival for control of the Syndicate is Jiny Tan-Osh, the self-proclaimed jinx-queen of Sol. Formerly a ferocious Mentat in service to the Republic, Tan-Osh was stripped of her power and branded with the "Traitor's hex" over her left eye after selling defense secrets to the Imperium. Now "Hex-Eye," as she prefers to go by, is an agent of chaos, happy to stir the pot if it enriches her. She obsesses over using technology to recreate her lost psionic powers—particularly her extraordinary probability-control abilities. Use the Mad Scientist archetype (Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide, page 110) for Tan-Osh, with an addition 8 ranks of Deception and Insight. She uses her technical expertise to supplement her small crew with robots and cybernetic implants.

You can use the various Underworld Archetypes from the Deluxe Gamemaster’s Guide to represent the members of the Smugglers Syndicate, applying appropriate alien templates to them or giving some of them some alien feature or ability. Especially daring captains might instead use Hero archetypes from the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook, particularly the Construct, Warrior, or Weapon Master.

### STARHAVEN CREATURES

The settlers of Starhaven are most definitely not alone on Europa. In addition to the various animals of the Green Zone, there are other creatures on the moon—or under its surface—creatures that may prove hostile to anyone intruding on their territory.

#### THE BRYNE

The secretive Bryne are humanoid aquatic creatures that dwell deep within the oceans below Europa’s surface, whose scaly bodies have adapted well to the lightless, frigid depths. Their chaotic minds both protect them from psychic intrusion and serve as their most dangerous weapon, psionically projecting mind-rending bolts of hallucination or generating chaotic vertigo fields other creatures have trouble navigating. Their abilities also allow them to scramble the shortterm memories, rendering the aliens effectively invisible unless they engage in truly memorable activities like combat, and so for now most of residents of Starhaven remain ignorant of the churning danger far below, and attribute missing citizens to the other dangers of the city. While clearly not native to the moon, they are territorial and aggressive, seeing other sentiment minds as an intolerable psychic impurity to be cleansed. They see the settlement of Starhaven—and the re-opening of Seahaven in particular—as an affront. Their connection to the Preserver facility, for now, remains obsessive but mysterious, as they otherwise avoid the ruin.

The Bryne are formidable minions who become even more dangerous in their element. They coordinate well in combat. To create more powerful Bryne leaders, apply their Aquatic and Alien Mind powers to hero templates like the Psychic and the Warrior.

 \*while underwater

#### NANOMORPH

A nanomorph is a collection of rogue nanites able to reconfigure themselves into any form. In Starhaven, the nanomorph can replicate the appearance of anything: a piece of machinery, debris, another creature, or even part of a larger structure like a door, wall, or ceiling. It is drawn to study and imitate other creatures, but in the absence of such stimulation can lay dormant for untold amounts of time. It is unclear whether there is just one nanomorph or multiple ones in Starhaven, or even if multiple nanomorphs might all be parts of the same collective “creature” or “technology.” It is also unclear exactly who created the nanomorph and for what purpose. It is most likely Preserver technology—they are known for their nanotech—possibly intended to study or imitate other creatures or as a kind of “intelligent smart matter” able to shape itself into whatever its creators needed or to study societies.

The nanomorph can reconfigure itself as a move action, redistributing its Variable points to any trait that comes from reshaping its body or imitating another creature or object. The nanomorph automatically allocates 1 rank (5 points) to the Morph effect when it imitates something, taking on its appearance. The nanomorph only duplicates physical traits, although it can improve its own physical traits and even skills based on Strength and Dexterity. It can also allocate its Variable psoints to a powerful corrosive attack: Weaken Toughness 7 linked to Damage 7, allowing it to break-down and “consume” other matter. At the Gamemaster’s discretion, things “eaten” by the nanomorph may have their molecular structures recorded by it, providing the potential for them to be reassembled by similar nanotech later. This may allow tech-savvy heroes to restore the nanomorph’s victims.

If the nanomorph has a personality, it is too cryptic for observers to learn. It acts intelligently, able to react to its surroundings and to plan and make decisions, but it does not communicate, even in forms capable of speech. Its sole purpose appears to be to stalk, study, and imitate other creatures. The nanomorph’s distributed computer brain makes it highly resistant to mental powers and attempts to interact with it. It does appear to have a sense of self preservation, and tries to escape harm or almost certain destruction, although it doesn’t appear to feel fear or pain as such.

For a more powerful nanomorph, use the Mimic villain archetype (Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide, page 121)

 \*The nanomorph is PL 8 as described, but its Shapeshifting power can increase its traits to whatever PL limit the GM chooses.

#### NORQUIL

Norquils are massive, interstellar animals resembling Earth whales, that travel across the universe in pods of 2-3 dozen. They can grow to be hundreds of feet long; with streamlined bodies, two dorsal fins, wedged tails, and additional fins along their multicolored bellies. The creature’s ventral surface emits a bright aurora when they fly through space, particularly after feasting on their diet of planetary gases. Males also have long, spiraled horns which they use in challenges with one another and to tear holes in attackers, including the ships of those who hunt them. Norquils are naturally capable of faster-than-light travel and some activists claim that original FTL engines were based off the animals’ powers. A small pod of Norquils lives near Jupiter and can occasionally be seen in the night sky by the denizens of Starhaven.

While not sapient, norquils are clever, curious, and work well as a pod. They quickly learn to identify threats like poachers, but also to recognize friends who have aided them in the past.

 **Totals:** Abilities 12 + Powers 68 + Skills 5 (10 ranks) + Defenses 4 = 89

#### PIROUETTE

Affectionately referred to as "snow pirhanas," piouettes are one of the strange creatures that survive on Europa. The small, deceptively cute pack hunters use their white fur to blend into snowfields, where they sap minerals from the soil. When they sense a meal, they electrify their silicon hair into razor-sharp quills and spin at high speed. Ultimately, they don't need to kill their prey, just spill new minerals on the snow.

 \* without Dance of Death

#### SHARDSPINNERS

Hidden among the other crystal growths of the Facetwild, shardspinners are segmented, multi-limbed crystalline creatures, similar to giant crystal arachnids. While standing still, their limbs folded, they appear to be just a jumble of other stones… until they move. A shardspinner can “spit” either showers of sharp crystalline shards or a cluster of “liquid” living crystal that works like a covet crystal trap (previously). It’s unclear what, if anything, shardspinners subsist upon or their purpose in attacking creatures that intrude on their territory, but their purposes sometimes drive them to explore the rest of Europa's frigid surface.

 **Totals:** Abilities 8 + Powers 88 + Advantages 0 + Skills 10 (20 ranks) + Defenses 12 = 118

## MAMA KAIGER

 **Base:** Drekport and the Drafsnarl

The Lor Republic interdicted the planet Dantara for over two centuries, and Maramal des’Kaiger is a shining example of why. Descended from shark-like land predators, Dantarans are tough and aggressive, and their adaptive physiology means they most develop super-powered mutations on contact with alien atmospheres. Dozens of ne’er-do-wells ran the shattered blockade in the short window between the Republic’s fall and the Khanate arriving to restore order, and somehow Maramal lost herself in the crush of refugees fleeing to Earth.

### MAMA KAIGER

Already a smuggler on her homeworld, Maramal applied her expertise, piloting skills, and significant muscle to skirting AEGIS patrols to provide alien luxuries to anyone on Star Island with money to spend. She ran afoul of Earth heroes, but between providing the comforts of home to the most prominent members of the Star Island community and alien weapons various Earth factions, she repeatedly slipped through the system and returned to her routines. Her poor planning and communication skills limited how large her operation could grow despite her skills and contacts.

When her Dantaran mutation finally manifested during a fight with Victorian Atom, Maramal realized she could “grow” her own syndicate of blindly-loyal enforcers. Her plans began to expand as the relocation to Starhaven began, and Kaigel used the confusion to generate dozens of false identities for her new clan to facilitate their smuggling and infiltration work. Operating both at the founding of Starhaven and the last vestiges of the Star Island refugee center, she became a defacto power more by being the first on the scene than through any grand insight. “Mama” Kaiger, as she now goes by, has nonetheless held onto her position as the city’s premiere black marketeer and fence with enough ferocity to make any challengers think twice.

Standing over nine feet tall and solidly built, the blue-skinned matriarch of the Kaiger Clan is a terrifying sight to most locals. On her homeworld, Maramal was considered highly attractive and she’s never shed that personal bias, dressing fashionably (with shawls and cardigans tailored to conceal her clone-producing cysts) and carrying herself with the air of a woman accustom to getting what she wants. As a gun-runner, she has access to a variety of firearms from Earth and beyond and has no problem bringing anything from derringers to rocket launchers out in a knife fight.

### POWERS & ABILITIES

Dantarans are physically imposing and possess a natural bio-electric sense that helped their ancestors hunt prey even in the long nights of their cloudy homeworld. In addition to her phenomenal size and strength—Maramal is powerfully built even by Dantaran standards—Mama Kaiger can “bud,” growing miniature clones of herself in cysts. She can tinker with their developing genetics enough to impart different talents and proclivities, but they are invariably “chips of the old block,” sharing her appearance and personality. Most of her clones are fragile, but after a fiery crash, Kaiger discovered her psyche hops to her nearest daughter upon her death, who then matures into her statuesque form.

Most Kaiger Clan clones are simple-minded and direct like their mother, but Maramel's current "gifted daughter" is Sofi, who shows an extraordinary intellect. Perpetually, eerily calm, she managers many of the Smuggler Syndicate's business dealings, and excels at commanding her "idiot sisters."

### PERSONALITY

Mama Kaiger is a blue-collar girl playing at white-collar prestige, surrounded by yes-men she can mold to almost any purpose. She has a desk and a nice home now, and her folksy accent with misused vocabulary betray much humbler origins. Far from sensitive, she’s happy to let everyone around her assume she’s dumb when it gives her the upper hand or makes them easier to manipulate; she can always grow a few clever daughters if she ever needs book-smarts. Blunt, crass, and overbearing, Maramal is nonetheless one of Starhaven’s best pilots and one of its most physically intimidating residents.

Mama Kaiger’s “daughters”—the Kaiger Clan—makes up the core of her syndicate. Most of her girls are generalists who take after the original, and Maramal takes pride in naming each one despite their fragile and easily-replaced nature. The crimelord is especially proud of her “gifted kids,” those daughters she grows to be most intelligent, more brutal, or more beautiful to tackle specific assignments, and injuring or destroying one of these girls is one of the sure-fire ways of earning the easygoing villain’s ire.

 **Totals:** Abilities 16 + Powers 38 + Advantages 5 + Skills 11 (21 ranks) + Defenses 5 = 75

 **Complications: Ambition** While genetically loyal to her mother, Sofi longs for freedom from Mama Kaiger's petty crime family and dabble in real powers like business and politics. **Imperfect** Sofi's body is more frail than her sisters' and is beginning to degrade.

## PUPIL

 **Base:** Unknown

Damaris Geral began life as a Lor archeologist who specialized in reverse-engineering Preserver technology. For years, he explored the far reaches of the Republic, cataloging the sites and relics he could find with an almost religious zeal. His work was viewed as radical by his peers, but he acquired a reputation as a dashing adventurer. That all changed with the fall of the Republic.

He was in the middle of an excavation when news of the Imperium’s invasion came. Like so many others, Damaris became a refugee, but he didn’t let that stop his work. For years he roamed the galaxy; not in search of knowledge, but for a weapon he could bring to the government in exile. His search brought him to Starhaven, the current sanctuary of the Lor Republic as well as an unspoiled Preserver site.

For weeks he searched the Wings and the Green Zone, following a trail that eventually led to his destiny. Damaris found his way into a Preserver lab, dedicated to the modification of terrestrial lifeforms. There he met Chrysalis, the malfunctioning A.I. in charge of the facility. Chrysalis trapped Damaris in one of her modification pods, breaking his body down at the cellular level and transforming him into a new lifeform. Damaris was no longer Lor, he was something bigger, the first Child of Chrysalis.

Chrysalis filled his fractured mind with her prime directive: to modify organic beings. Damaris, now calling himself Pupil, returned to Starhaven and began growing the Children of Chrysalis. He used promises of Preserver enlightenment, and a little mind control, to convince desperate refugees to join his cause. Pupil loaded the most radical into the pods, turning them into terrifying monstrosities. The others he tasked with bringing more supplicants to the cult. The Children of Chrysalis scheme in the shadows of Starhaven, hoping to bring the light of Preserver wisdom to every citizen of their new home.

Pupil is a tall humanoid with a stocky torso, and lanky limbs. His slimy skin is pale lavender, and glows with pale blue sigils. He wears a regal white cape and light body armor on his chest and shoulders. Two chitinous arms dangle from his stomach, seemingly with a mind of their own. He carries a staff into battle, a gift from Chrysalis for his business in Starhaven.

### POWERS & ABILITIES

As a cult leader and an expert in Preserver technology, Pupil has many tricks up his non-existent sleeves. His staff allows him to modify the biological traits of his opponents, rewriting their genetic code mid-combat. He prefers to use this gift on his followers, granting them superhuman strength, durability, or just a ton of tentacles, but won’t hesitate to turn an enemy into a gibbering puddle of primordial soup. Pupil’s status as Chrysalis’ chosen gives him minor telepathic abilities, which he uses to coordinate his subordinates as well as influence the minds of lesser sentients. His insect arms are deceptively strong, pinning targets in place for a transformation or slicing through them if they get too close.

### PERSONALITY

Pupil is a man driven to fulfil the wishes of his god, in this case a malfunctioning millennia old artificial intelligence. He can be persuasive, almost charming when he wants to be. The Children see him as their enlightened teacher. They’ve cast him as a messianic figure, bringing peace to the terrified residents of Starhaven, whether they like it or not. Pupil is quick with a sermon, and never gives up on a potential convert. Despite his transformation, he does still have access to Damaris’ considerable intellect, and he is always on the lookout for new Preserver technology he can recover for Chrysalis. One day, he will repair her damaged subroutines, and deliver her directive through the cosmos.

#### CULTISTS

Chrysalis cultists hail from across the galaxy and a dozen different species, but share the common element of disenfranchisement. They are people who lost everything, or never had anything to begin with, who found community and hope in Pupil's words. The fact that his support comes with bizarre genetic transformations rarely dissuades them—in their mind, the changes bring them in line with the Preserver's ultimate vision.

 **Totals:** Abilities 30 + Powers 17 + Advantages 3 + Skills 8 (16 ranks) + Defenses 6 = 64

##### CHRYSALIS MONSTROSITY

Not all cultists take to Chrysalis's transformations well, or suffer under repeated transformations until their DNA ca no longer hold itself together. These poor souls—the Ascended, as Pupil calls them—twisted and change erratically, developing new features in response to dangers or emotions. The cult keeps their monsters far from public eye, but praises them for their spiritual journey.

 \*Without Growth

## VEIL

 **Base:** Central District

Rana Vayle was born and raised within the Stellar Khanate, the systems controlled by the Star-Khan. A foundling, Rana was always fairly plain and unremarkable, the type who blended into the background, and that is likely what saved her. For while Rana appeared human, like her adoptive family, she is not. However, she instinctively used her considerable psionic talents to conceal herself behind a veil of illusion and disregard. This was fortunate, since otherwise her mental gifts would have meant enforced servitude to the state and the Star-Khan, like other mentats. Rana swore that would not be her fate.

She practiced and experimented in secret, developing and honing her powers and potential. Then Rana used them to reinvent herself and work her way into the bureaucracy of the Khanate and, from there, into its intelligence service. Her uncanny ability to blend into the background made her an ideal undercover agent and she quickly went from analyst to field agent. Unlike some of the showboats of the intelligence service, Vayle was quiet, efficient, and effective. She didn’t care for glory, only the credit—and the advancement—that was her due. Her more flamboyant rivals were prone to making mistakes, letting their feelings get the better of them, a potentially fatal problem in their line of work.

Following the fall of the Lor Republic, Rana found herself assigned to infiltrate refugee groups fleeing the chaos after the destruction of Magna-Lor and the Star-Khan’s invasion. She connected with a group making their way to the Earth system, and maintained surveillance and a cover identity as a Lor refugee during their long sojourn on Star Island. She noted the similarity of her name to the English word “Veil” and, enjoying the coincidence, sometimes uses it as a cover or code-name. Vayle briefly considered defecting and going independent on Earth, but the notion of spending the rest of her life on such a primitive backwater soured the idea. She was about to abandon the refugees and look for a way to return to the Imperium when the opportunity of Starhaven opened up.

Vayle quickly saw its potential and began maneuvering into position. She cultivated Sun-Ren, a once wealthy Lor “man of the people” as a figurehead for a pro-Imperium movement, painting it as the “stabilizing force” that had actually saved Lor civilization from complete collapse, and the sole galactic civilization there was to return to in order to escape from the human primitives on Earth and other threats like the Grue. Now as Sun-Ren’s “assistant” Vay-La, she moves unnoticed through Starhaven, sowing the emotional seeds of doubt, fear, longing, and submission to authority that will mold the colonist’s hearts and minds to where they will not only welcome the Star-Khan when he comes, but will invite him in themselves.

For now, Veil's tactics are slow and subtle. She specializes in feeding dissident groups, stoking conspiracy theories, and blunting official response until civilizations tear themselves apart and welcome the Imperium to restore order, and she is very, very good at her job. She accomplishes almost all her goals behind a borrowed face—easier to lay the blame for her actions on her very real enemies, after all—using her disguises and mind control. Only when a task requires her personal attention does she revert to her natural form and fall back on her agent training to see to assassinations, sabotage, and thefts personally.

### POWERS & ABILITIES

Vayle is a mentat with certain psionic abilities: She can generate ectoplasm to psychically conceal her features and disguise herself as other people, with the layer of solid psionic flesh even fooling cameras and other technological sensors normally immune to psychic disguises. Her subtle mind control also lets her project a blanket of unimportance, allowing her to blend in as an unnoticeable “background person” or place herself “outside” of others’ perceptions so they don’t notice her at all. She can also use her ectoplasmic filaments to lift and manipulate objects at a distance in a rudimentary psychokinesis.

But Veil's true gift is in the quiet manipulation of others' emotions. She can cause people to act impulsively or irrationally, or inspire sudden fear, depression, or desire to provoke very specific responses. Vayle’s emotional manipulation is both Insidious and Subtle, allowing her to use it over longer periods of time to “stoke” emotions and direct them towards her ends.

In addition to her psionic powers, Vayle is a trained infiltrator, spy, and provocateur. She is a stealthy infiltrator even without her psychic abilities, and wields a deadly pair of blaster pistols that transform into unremarkable hip ornaments when not in use. Years ago she stole an antique “prism projector” that allows her to create multiple holographic duplicates of herself. This effectively acts as the Concealment effect, but only provoking a penalty to hit or target her; Vayle often loops her holographic duplicates over other combatants, so any attack that misses her can easily Redirect to strike another creature.

Veil's power level is deceptive. She isn't much of a threat in a direct confrontation, but the spy exerts considerable “soft” power. She can pull strings behind the scenes to direct authorities and terrorist groups against her enemies. In combat, uses her Inspire, Leadership, and Set-up advantages to help out her thralls and hirelings, often unseen from the background.

### PERSONALITY

Born in a harsh culture, Rana Vayle became a cold-hearted manipulator to survive, and enjoys the power and independence her detachment provides. The fate of mentats within Zultasian culture—and now within the Imperium as a whole—taught her that only the ruthless endure, and must dominate the weak, and she is as ruthless as they come. She maintains a half-dozen legal identities, including Lor and humans. If captured, she can swap between barbed threats and sob stories with a dancer's grace, and uses her disguises to only further confuse her identity.

While she prides herself on her success and is ambitious in her service to the Imperium, Veil’s primary concern is always herself and the security that power and position can grant her. If circumstances turn against her, she will retreat to fight another day. No one else matters-—not peasants, soldiers, or kings—she'll sacrifice anyone to push ahead or survive another day. She’s pragmatic rather than patriotic, caring little about the Imperium other than clawing her way to the top of it, while remaining a power behind the scenes.