ZeroSpace 3e EN:Aliens

Contents

At its height, the Imperium encompassed millions of populated worlds, and that is just a fraction of the populated worlds in the galaxy. Across these worlds is scattered a variety of sentient life forms, the diversity of which beggars the imagination. Rather than provide a comprehensive list of alien species, ZeroSpace provides you with a toolbox of alien traits, with which you can build any alien species you can think of (or nearly so).

That being said, the aliens in ZeroSpace can generally be categorized as one of three types: humanoid, android, or exotic.

Would you like to create a random alien? You can!

Table: Random alien type

Roll 3d6	Type
3-13	Humanoid alien
14-15	Android
16-18	Exotic alien

Humanoid Aliens

Humanoid aliens are the most common, and resemble humans in size and physique. They may differ cosmetically (skin color, eye color, hair color, etc.), but they typically have the same number of arms and legs, the same facial features, and so on. A humanoid alien species might have pointed ears, exaggerated brow ridges, or they might have tentacles or horns instead of cranial hair (or in addition to hair).

Would you like to create a random humanoid alien? You can!

Table: Random humanoid alien, skin

Roll 1d6 Saturation 1 Pale 2 Light 3 Medium 4 Deep 5 Dark 6 Patterned (roll twice!)

Roll 1d6 Color 1 Blue 2 Brown 3 Green 4 Grey 5 Red 6 Yellow

Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".

Table: Random humanoid alien, eyes

Roll 1d6 Type 1 Circular pupil 2 Horizontally slit pupil 3 Vertically slit pupil 4 Pupilless 5 Solid color 6 Compound

Roll 1d6 Saturation 1 Pale 2 Light 3 Medium 4 Deep 5 Dark 6 Glowing

Roll 1d6 Color 1 Blue 2 Brown 3 Green 4 Grey 5 Red 6 Yellow

Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".

Table: Random humanoid alien, head

Roll 1d6 Type 1 Hairless 2 Hair (normal) 3 Structure, hairless 4 Structure, hairless (roll twice!) 5 Structure, with hair 6 Structure, with hair (roll twice!)

Roll 1d6 Structure 1 Antennae 2 Brow ridges 3 Cranial ridges 4 Horns 5 Pointed ears 6 Tentacles

Roll 1d6 Hair Saturation 1 Pale 2 Light 3 Medium 4 Deep 5 Dark 6 Bright

Roll 1d6 Hair Color 1 Blue 2 Brown 3 Green 4 Grey 5 Red 6 Yellow

Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".

Skin color and eye color here are those of an individual, of course. An alien species may have lighter or darker tones among the population, or even a range of colors.

Androids

Androids are artificial beings designed to interact with biological sentients using ordinary conversation and social cues. Androids are usually constructed to serve a particular purpose. Whether androids are sentient is a subject of some controversy. On some worlds, androids are considered to be no more than ambulatory tools, while on other worlds they have the same rights and privileges as any other sentient. On worlds where androids are considered property, there are usually restrictions on how advanced their behavioural heuristics are permitted to be, while on worlds where androids have the rights of sentients, there are usually limitations on their manufacture. Androids might be humanoid in shape, or they might be shaped completely unlike humans, depending on their original purpose and the whims of the maker. Androids might be obviously artificial, or they may be lifelike and virtually indistinguishable from the species they have been constructed to resemble. Lifelike androids are illegal on some worlds. A prohibition against harming biological life is the most common directive hard-wired into androids during manufacture, and removing that prohibition is among the most common modifications made to them afterward.

While androids are inorganic, and thus do not "eat", "sleep", or "heal" in the biological sense, they have functional requirements that serve the same purposes -- recharging, "powering down", "auto repair", and so on. As with exotic aliens, these requirements can be removed with the purchase of a suitable alien trait.

However, all androids must purchase the following alien traits:

• Immunity To Suffocation
• Immunity To Poison

Some alien traits which are common for androids, but not required, are:

• Armor
• Data Jack
• Immortality
• Mental Calculator
• Perfect Recall
• Self-sustaining

Exotic Aliens

Exotic aliens might superficially resemble humans, or they might be utterly alien. What makes them a distinct group is that they possess traits beyond those possessed by humans and humanoid aliens. The line between humanoid alien and exotic alien is an arbitrary one.

Would you like to create a random exotic alien? You can!

Table: Random exotic alien type

Roll 1d6	Type
1	Animal-headed humanoid
2	Anthropomorphic animal
3	Anthropomorphic plant
4	Insectoid
5	Symmetrical organism
6	Weird biology

Table: Random exotic alien details

Roll 1d6 Animal Type 1 Avian 2 Canine 3 Cephalopod 4 Feline 5 Mustelid 6 Reptilian

Roll 1d6 Symmetry Type 1 Dendriform with bilateral symmetry 2 Dendriform with radial symmetry 3 Globular with bilateral symmetry 4 Globular with radial symmetry 5 Serpentine with bilateral symmetry 6 Serpentine with radial symmetry

Roll 1d6 Weird Biology 1 Colonial organism (roll for Symmetry Type) 2 Crystalline (roll for Symmetry Type) 3 Cybernetic non-humanoid (roll for Symmetry Type) 4 Gaseous 5 Myconoid (roll for Symmetry Type) 6 Viscous fluid

Alien Traits

This is a list of typical alien traits found in a ZeroSpace game. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have a trait not listed here, subject to GM approval. However, any new traits should be approximately as useful as these traits, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters. Each alien trait costs one character point. We suggest spending no more than 5 character points total on alien traits, gifts, and esoteric powers.

Would you like to randomly generate a character's alien traits? You can! If the character is a humanoid alien, randomly roll one alien trait. Otherwise, consult the "Number of alien traits" table.

Table: Random alien traits

Roll 1d6	Traits
1	Roll once on Typical alien traits
2-5	Roll twice on Typical alien traits
6	Roll three times on Typical alien traits

Count the number of alien traits, and subtract that number from your pool of character points. If the character is an android, they must also purchase the two required traits, Immunity To Suffocation and Immunity To Poison.

Table: Typical alien traits

Roll 1d6	Roll 1d6	Trait	Benefit
1	1	360° Vision	Can see equally well in every direction simultaneously
	2	Aerial	Winged or floating, the character can fly at their ground speed
	3	Aquatic	Can breathe water and survive in environments of extremely high pressure, such as in the ocean depths
	4	Camouflage	Blend into surroundings and become difficult to perceive
	5	Clinging	Can move at normal ground speed along walls, ceilings, and other surfaces
	6	Data Jack	Can connect to and communicate with computers
2	1	Energy Shield	A force field or deflector shield protects the character from attacks
	2	Fascinating	Get attention, and perhaps favors, from admirers
	3	Frigian	Can breathe methane or ammonia, and comfortable in environments of extreme cold
	4	Gelatinous	An undifferentiated mass, able to squeeze through a hole the size of a tennis ball
	5	Healing	Revitalize a character who has lost Endurance in combat
	6	Heavyworlder	Stronger and more massive than typical humanoids
3	1	Hyperacuity	Can sense details far too small or faint for ordinary human senses to detect
	2	Huge	Larger and stronger than typical humanoids
	3	Immortality	Never grow old nor die from "natural causes"
	4	Immunity To Poison	Unaffected by pathogens and poisons
	5	Immunity To Suffocation	Does not need to breathe, and can survive in a vacuum
	6	Infernal	Immune to the effects of environmental ionizing radiation, and comfortable in environments of extreme heat
4	1	Intangibility	Move through solid matter as though through water
	2	Life Drain	A Hand-to-hand Combat attack which ignores all normal forms of protection
	3	Linguist	Learn new languages with minimal effort
	4	Mental Calculator	Solve complex mathematical operations by thinking about them
	5	Mental Resistance	Resistant to mental attacks and unnatural coercion
	6	Multitasking	Take additional actions during a round
5	1	Natural Armor	Chitin, scales, fur, or exceptionally tough skin protects the character from attacks
	2	Natural Weaponry	Claws, fangs, spines, or some other natural Hand-to-hand Combat weaponry
	3	Night Vision	Can see in the dark with infrared, ultraviolet, or low-light vision
	4	Perfect Recall	Remember something perfectly with a Reason roll
	5	Regeneration	Heals much faster than the typical humanoid
	6	Self-sustaining	Can survive without eating through photosynthesis or some other metabolic process
6	1	Shapeshifter	Can change shape and appearance
	2	Shock	Blast a target with electrical energy
	3	Subterranean	Move through earth and rock as easily as air
	4	Telepathy	Communicate directly with the mind of another person
	5	Tiny	Smaller and harder to hit than typical humanoids
	6	Unsettling	Make people nervous for no real reason

360° Vision

Constant

The character with 360° Vision can see equally well in every direction simultaneously. They probably have very large eyes, or many very small eyes.

Aerial

Constant

Aerial allows a character to fly at their ground speed. They might have wings, or they might be naturally lighter than air.

Aquatic

Constant

An Aquatic character may breathe underwater, and is comfortable in environments of extremely high pressure, such as in the ocean depths. The character can also swim at their ground speed.

Camouflage

Quick action

Camouflage permits the character to become difficult to perceive. For example, the character might become transparent, they might bend light around them, or they may blend into their surroundings by modulating chromatophores in their skin. However the effect is achieved, the character is hidden from normal senses unless someone is actively looking for them or there is some environmental circumstance that might reveal the character's location.

In hand-to-hand combat, a character who can't see their opponent incurs a penalty die on their attack and defense rolls. In ranged combat, a character who can't see their opponent incurs a penalty die on their defense rolls, but they usually fail any ranged attack rolls or mental attack rolls against an invisible character. However, if the invisible character has used an attack during the current or previous rounds, then an attacker may make ranged attack rolls against the invisible character, but they incur a penalty die on their attack rolls.

If someone is actively looking for the character, perhaps by isolating their heat signature or tracking them by scent, the person trying to locate the invisible character must use a quick action to make a successful Perception (Reason) roll against the invisible character's Stealth (Agility + Power Level) roll. A character with Clairvoyance or Hyperacuity may add their Power Level to their Reason when attempting to notice a character using Camouflage. If an environmental circumstance might reveal the character's location, the person trying to locate the invisible character gains a bonus die on their Perception (Reason) roll. For example, fog might reveal an invisible character's outline, or fresh snow might reveal their footprints. If the person trying to locate the invisible character succeeds at this roll, then they may make ranged attack rolls against the invisible character, but they incur a penalty die on their attack rolls.

A character with Camouflage can activate or deactivate the trait once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character becomes visible.

The character may make another person (or person-sized object) invisible by touching the other person, but only as long as the character with Camouflage is touching the second character.

Clinging

Free action

Clinging is a self-only trait which permits the character to move along walls, ceilings, and other surfaces as if they were level. The strength holding the character to the surface is equal to their Brawn. If the surface is slippery or unstable, the GM might require the character to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 3) Athletics (Brawn + Power Level) roll to keep from sliding or falling. If the character is attacked by an attempt to lift them off of the ground or push them backward, they may choose to defend with their Athletics (Brawn + Power Level) roll rather than the usual combat roll.

Data Jack

Constant

A Data Jack is a hand-to-hand trait which permits a character to connect to and communicate with computers, typically at speeds much faster than would otherwise be possible.

It is rare for creatures other than androids and cyborgs to have a Data Jack.

Energy Shield

Quick action

Energy Shield provides protection against normal damage. A character with Energy Shield adds their Power Level to their combat defense rolls. Energy Shield is not effective against mental attacks and alteration attacks. Energy Shield does not stack with conventional armor or powers such as Ward.

A character with an Energy Shield may extend their energy shield to another person (or person-sized object) by touching them. The Energy Shield then protects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Energy Shield is touching the second character.

Unlike Ward, an Energy Shield must be activated: if the character goes unconscious, the Energy Shield turns off. The character may also turn off their Energy Shield voluntarily, of course.

It is rare for creatures other than androids and cyborgs to have an Energy Shield.

Fascinating

Constant

A character with the Fascinating gift is naturally, effortlessly compelling. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances. People who are swayed by their instinctive responses may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favours from admirers. If this is the case, the character gains a bonus die on relevant Presence rolls.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Frigian

Constant

A character with the Frigian trait can breathe a super-cooled atmosphere such as methane or ammonia, and they are comfortable in environments of extreme cold.

The character might require some form of life support, such as a "breather" or an "environment suit", to operate comfortably in an atmosphere that most humanoids consider normal.

Gelatinous

Constant

A character with the Gelatinous trait is an undifferentiated mass, able to squeeze through a hole the size of a keyhole.

Healing

Standard action

Healing is a hand-to-hand alteration trait which restores lost Endurance. The character with Healing may use a standard action to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 3) Medicine (Power Level) roll to heal the victim's injuries. If the character succeeds at this roll, then one Endurance is restored to the victim (or more, if using the optional margin of success rules).

Healing can remove diseases, pathogens, and poisons from the target. The character with Healing may attempt a moderately difficult (DV 3) Medicine (Reason + Power Level) roll to cure a single disease or purge a single toxin from the victim's system.

Heavyworlder

Constant

A character with the Heavyworlder trait is stronger and more massive (but no larger) than a typical humanoid: +1 Brawn and a mass up to 200 kilograms. The character is also comfortable in environments of extremely high pressure, such as might be found on the surface of a heavy-gravity world.

Hyperacuity

Free action

Hyperacuity permits the character to make a moderately difficult (DV 3) Perception (Reason) roll to sense details too small, faint, or distant for ordinary human senses to detect. On a successful roll, the character can taste the number of salt grains on a pretzel, read text on a computer display by touching it, see a license plate clearly from kilometers away, identify a person by the sound of their heartbeat, track someone through a city by their scent, and so on.

Huge

Constant

A character with the Huge trait is larger and stronger than a typical humanoid: +1 Brawn and from 2.5 meters to 4 meters tall.

Immortality

Constant

Immortality grants the character immunity to the ravages of time. An immortal character will never grow old or die from "natural causes". Optionally, the character is never truly "dead" -- they can be re-assembled, repaired, and revived if all of their component parts can be collected or replaced. How long this recovery takes is up to the GM.

It is rare for creatures other than androids to purchase this trait.

Immunity To Poison

Constant

A character with the Immunity To Poison trait is unaffected by chemical and biological poisons, toxins, and venoms. The character is also unaffected by infectious viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.

Immunity To Suffocation

Constant

A character with the Immunity To Suffocation trait does not need to breathe at all, and the character is comfortable in environments of extremely low pressure, such as in outer space.

Infernal

Constant

A character with the Infernal trait is comfortable in superheated environments. They are also immune to the effects of environmental ionizing radiation.

The character might require some form of life support, such as a "breather" or an "environment suit", to operate comfortably in an atmosphere that most humanoids consider normal.

Intangibility

Quick action

Intangibility permits the character to move through solid matter as though through water, leaving no trace of their passage. For example, Intangibility could represent a character who is able to control their molecular density, a character who vibrates at a different frequency, or even a character whose body can turn into radiant energy.

A character with Intangibility can change their state once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal state.

A character using Intangibility cannot pass through a force field or other energy barriers; other than this, physical objects generally have no effect on a character using Intangibility, or vice versa. An intangible character is immune to most attacks, regardless of the source. However, an intangible character is affected normally by mental powers, and they may use mental powers against others. They also might be affected normally by attacks with unusual special effects. For example, if the character can speak and hear while intangible, they should be affected by sonic attacks, or if they can see normally, they should be affected normally by attacks based on light or shadow. Ultimately, what does and does not affect an intangible character is up to the GM.

Life Drain

Standard action

Life Drain is a hand-to-hand alteration attack which inflicts damage to the target's Endurance. Attacking with Life Drain requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Power Level) roll against a Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) roll of the target, or a Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll of the target if the target has Alteration Resistance. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by one (or more, if using the optional margin of success rules). Life Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as armor and energy shields. Life Drain only affects sentient creatures: robots, machinery, and animated objects are unaffected by Life Drain.

The effects of multiple Life Drain attacks are cumulative, but the damage from Life Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate. The damage from Life Drain will also return if the character with Life Drain goes unconscious.

Linguist

Constant

Universe, an artifical language created thousands of years ago, is the official language of the Imperium. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it. Additionally, every alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves: some civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages.

Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know. A character with the Linguist gift is fluent in over six million forms of communication, and is capable of quickly deciphering new forms of communication when they encounter them.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Mental Calculator

Constant

The character with the Mental Calculator trait can perform complex mathematical calculations in their head in the same amount of time that a skilled mathematician could perform the same calculations on a powerful computer. Also, the character has an intuitive understanding of higher mathematics, and is able to comprehend and remember intricate formulae and equations after examining them briefly.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Mental Resistance

Constant

A character with Mental Resistance is resistant to mental attacks and unnatural coercion. A character with Mental Resistance adds their Power Level to their Mental Combat defense rolls.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Multitasking

Quick action

Multitasking permits the character to take one additional move action or standard action during their turn.

The number of additional actions the character may use is equal to their Power Level. Once an additional action has been used, it may not be used again during that scene.

Natural Armor

Constant

Natural Armor makes the character resistant to normal damage. The character may have chitin, thick armor, or just exceptionally tough skin. Alternately, the character may be adept at avoiding attacks, or they might be unnaturally lucky. A character with Natural Armor adds their Power Level to their combat defense rolls. Natural Armor is not effective against mental attacks and alteration attacks. Natural Armor does not stack with conventional armor or powers such as Ward.

Natural Weaponry

Standard action

A character with the Natural Weaponry trait is equipped with claws, fangs, spines, or some other hand-to-hand normal attack which inflicts Endurance damage. These natural weapons are difficult to take away, and will usually re-grow if removed.

Attacking with Strike requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn + Power Level) roll against a Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn) roll of the target. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by one (or more, if using the optional margin of success rules).

Night Vision

Constant

Night Vision permits the character to see in pitch darkness as clearly as in daylight. This capacity could be the result of infrared vision, ultraviolet vision, or simply exceptional low-light vision.

Perfect Recall

Constant

A character with the Perfect Recall trait may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, or picture which the character has taken the effort to study and memorize. The character does not need to understand the items to be memorized, because the information memorized is not stored as text; it is in the character's memory as a picture. As such, the information is not subject to instantaneous retrieval, but the character may mentally "scroll down" or "fast forward" looking for a specific bit of data.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Regeneration

Standard Action

Regeneration accelerates the healing process and allows the character to recover from injury more quickly. Most characters with Regeneration can even regrow lost limbs or damaged organs. A character with Regeneration may use a standard action to attempt a moderately difficult (DV 3) Survival (Power Level) roll. If the character succeeds at this roll, then they regain one point of lost Endurance (or more, if using the optional margin of success rules).

If the character with Regeneration is unconscious, then they regain one lost Endurance per minute. If the character with Regeneration is dead, but they also have the Immortality trait, then they regain one lost Endurance per hour.

Additionally, the maximum Endurance of a character with Regeneration can't be reduced to zero by an environmental hazard such as dehydration, poison, or pressure. The character's maximum Endurance will always be at least one, regardless of the hostile environmental conditions.

Self-sustaining

Constant

A character with the Self-sustaining trait can survive without consuming physical matter. This might be through photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, or some other metabolic process. Alternately, the character can eat anything that will fit into their mouth.

Shapeshifter

Quick action

Shapeshifter permits the character to change their shape, appearance, odor, etc., and they may increase or decrease their size by 50%. The character may re-assign their Brawn and Agility to suit their new shape, as long as the total of Brawn + Agility remains the same or lower, and neither attribute exceeds the character's Power Level. Shapeshifting does not give the character any new traits or powers, such as Night Vision or flight.

A character with Shapeshifting can change shape once per turn, using a quick action. If the character goes unconscious, the character reverts to their normal form.

Assuming the shape of a specific person, creature, or object is more difficult than changing into a generic example of a particular shape. If someone is actively looking at the character, or has any reason to suspect that the character is not the genuine article, the person observing the shapeshifted character may attempt a Perception (Reason) roll against the shapeshifted character's Deception (Presence + Power Level) roll. If the Perception (Reason) roll is successful, the observer can tell that the shapeshifted character is not who or what they appear to be.

Shock

Standard action

Shock is a medium range (100 m) attack of electrical energy which inflicts Endurance damage. Attacking with Shock requires a successful Ranged Combat (Agility + Power Level) roll against a Ranged Combat (Agility) roll of the target. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the target's Endurance is reduced by one (or more, if using the optional margin of success rules).

Subterranean

Constant

A character with the Subterranean trait can move through the earth as easily as other people move through water. However, the character is unable to pass through force fields and other energy barriers. The character can tunnel through earth and rock at their swimming speed, leaving a tunnel behind them.

Telepathy

Standard action

Telepathy is a ranged mental attack which permits a character to communicate directly with the mind of another person. However, if the willing target of Telepathy also has Telepathy, the maximum distance between the two telepaths is effectively unlimited.

To communicate directly with the mind of an unwilling person, the character must succeed at a Mental Combat (Power Level) roll against a Mental Combat (Presence) roll of the target, or a Mental Combat (Presence + Power Level) roll of the target if the target has Mental Resistance. With a successful attack roll, the attacker may mentally communicate with the target and may read their surface thoughts. The attacker may read the target's memories if the attacker achieves a margin of success of 3 or more (each memory viewed requires a separate roll).

To break free of Telepathy, the target must use a standard action to make a successful Mental Combat (Presence) roll against a Mental Combat (Power Level) roll of the attacker. If the target has Mental Resistance, they add their Power Level to their roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the Telepathy. If the target has not broken free of the Telepathy by the end of the scene, then they break free of it shortly thereafter.

To communicate directly with the mind of a willing person, no attack roll is needed. With a willing target, the telepath may mentally communicate with the target and may read their surface thoughts and (if the target consents) their memories. A willing participant may end the telepathic contact at any time. The telepath may also set up a group communication among willing participants. The maximum number of simultaneous willing participants is equal to the telepath's Power Level.

Tiny

Constant

A character with the Tiny trait is smaller and more difficult to hit than a typical humanoid: from 50 centimeters to 100 centimeters tall. Tiny characters are more nimble than larger humanoids (+1 Agility).

Unsettling

Constant

A character with the Unsettling trait puts off a disturbing vibe that makes people nervous for no discernible reason. Strangers will find themselves disliking the character without knowing why, and normal animals will avoid the character unless forced to approach by a trainer or some other circumstance. On the other hand, the character may find it easier to intimidate others, providing a bonus die on relevant Presence rolls.

If the character already has this as a gift, there is no benefit to purchasing this trait: the benefits do not stack.

Alien Motivations

The motivations of individuals are often at odds with the motivations of the culture to which they belong. Individually, a colonist may be kind and compassionate, even as her civilization systematically commits genocide and destroys entire ecosystems in their quest for expansion. This is a paradox; nonetheless it is true.

Would you like to randomly generate the motivations of an alien culture? You can!

Table: Random alien motivations, Table 1

Roll 2d6	Complexity
2	Roll once on Table 2
3-9	Roll twice on Table 2
10-11	Roll three times on Table 2
12	Schism: roll once on table 2, and see the note below

Schism: The species' society is divided into two opposing and mutually antagonistic cultures. Roll on Table 2, and make a note of the roll and its opposite. The majority of the society has the first motivation rolled, but a significant minority has the opposing motivation. For example, the opposing motivation of "adventure" is "security".

Table: Random alien motivations, Table 2

Roll 1d6 Roll 1d6 Motivation 1 1 Adventure 2 Asceticism 3 Audacity 4 Community 5 Compassion 6 Courage 2 1 Curiosity 2 Detachment 3 Enlightenment 4 Exploration 5 Freedom 6 Idealism 3 1 Justice 2 Mercy 3 Nobility 4 Passion 5 Pride 6 Rebellion

Roll 1d6 Roll 1d6 Motivation 4 1 Security 2 Materialism 3 Subtlety 4 Individualism 5 Wrath 6 Fear 5 1 Faith 2 Responsibility 3 Secrecy 4 Isolation 5 Control 6 Pragmatism 6 1 Vengeance 2 Ruthlessness 3 Fellowship 4 Serenity 5 Humility 6 Traditionalism