Sampvari

The **Sampvari** are a cunning species native to the arid planet of Sanvat.

## History

Sampvari civilization was discovered towards the end of the GP Era on Sanvat. At the time they were organized into feudal kingdoms fighting each other with primitive metal armor and weapons. At that point in GP history, it had become common practice to make first contact via an identified mythic or religious figure in order to make the transition more culturally palatable. Spies were sent to the planet's surface to do cultural probing in stealth, and they soon returned with troubling information. The Sampvari had numerous religions, mythologies, and ideologies that differed amongst their feudal nations. No one figure could unite them all. This was not unheard of, as similar situations had been identified on various non-space-faring Thean worlds including the Gorax penal colony of Terra. So it was that the GP tried a new tactic. Over several months of study, they identified the nation that most closely matched their own interests and set out to help it win the ongoing multi-national war. This nation, called Sampvar, was an economically prosperous nation of traders and merchants. They had gained their wealth mining and selling "wizard stones", whose stored energy could power a steel forge for months on end.

First contact was made with the Emperor of Sampvar one year after the discovery of the planet, and it was not subtle. GP battle suits made planetfall five miles from the capital city and strode through its streets spewing GP propaganda. The native population had been exposed to translation microbes several months before, so all understood what was being preached. After the initial shock of seeing the "great warrior beasts", the Emperor of Sampvar gleefully excepted their help in destroying the opposing kingdoms. Over a ten year campaign, the entire planet was unified and all the natives (previously called Mure) took the family name of Sampvari in honor of the victorious nation. The GP introduced manufacturing technology and Vanon diplomats began negotiating what resource export the Sampvari would produce. Eventually, it was decided that they would produce raw ore, and the planet was largely left to its own devices save for the occasional GP pickup craft.

Towards the end of the GP era, the proletariat lost control of Sanvat to the emerging power of the Gorax. At that point, Sampvari society had become grotesquely polarized with a massive poor population living under a new set of noble houses. It was around this time that the truth of the wizard stones was discovered. Unbeknownst to the proletariat, the Emperor of Sampvar's palace had been built atop a vast Progenitor ruin which was filled with protean data crystals. Over the centuries, these had been broken apart and used to power the primitive machines of the feudal kingdoms. The pirate gang that discovered this soon brought the news to the Gorax, who soon arrived on the planet with an ultimatum, offering the government several billion credits for the contents of the temple. Having heard tell of the Gorax's dirty trade in slaves, the Sampvari emperor accepted the terms, but on one condition. They must also be paid an additional three billion credits for every Sampvari worker on the planet. The Gorax accepted the offer and sent an invasion force to Sanvat. Over the next decade, the entire non-noble population was cleared off the planet and delivered to the vast slave markets on Goron. Almost all were purchased by the Coreshar, leaving only a few to fade into the patchwork of the Gorax black market machine.

In the LEX Era, every Sampvari can track their heritage back to one of the noble houses. The only Sampvari that do not live in preposterous luxury are exiles, mutants, or those that willfully give up the petty snivelings of the court to explore the galaxy beyond.

## Abilities

Strange Biology

Cunning: +2 to diplomacy rolls when lying or bribing.

Calculating Fighter: Critical hit rating in melee is increased by one.

Pick one of the following lineages during character creation:

* Purebred: +1 Int, +1 Psi. Start with an extra 50 credits that can only be used for bribery
* Mutant: Gain extra eyes (+1 Per), +2 basic melee damage, Stigma 4, and Psi Blink (instantly move up to R5 for 1 action). Mutants also lose the “Cunning” and “Calculating Fighter” abilities, but gain Mutant Kinship

## Homeworld

Sanvat is a dry desert planet pocketed with small oases around which the old feudal kingdoms of the Sampvari were built. There are patches of mountains in the northern hemisphere, and animal life is mostly small and unobtrusive.

## Faction

Sampvari can be found in all major factions.

## Biology

Sampvari are tentacled beings with segmented tendril fingers and thick, dark red hides. They are well adapted for a lifestyle in arid environments, but most acclimate well to a space-faring lifestyle. They evolved as ambush predators and have thus developed a good instinct for where to strike with the most lethality.

## Culture

Sampvari born out of the noble houses are raised to trust no one and to be overwhelmingly self-interested. A few manage to break these cultural bonds after opening their eyes to the rest of the galaxy, but an air of superiority often remains in even the most enlightened individuals. Court culture has taught Sampvari to be incredibly quick-witted and silver-tongued. Most are such natural liars that they become highly valued black market merchants.