Planet: Befandefa

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Overview

A tiny, airless planetoid. Once a mining colony, now a world dedicated to the development of advanced technology. The planet’s comfortable city is reserved for the privileged citizens. The non-citizens scrape a living in the old mine tunnels.

Quick Facts

B100458-E

• Starport: B-class (good quality, refined fuel, non-starship construction)
• Naval base and scout base in system
• Diameter: 1,000 miles / 1,600 km (significantly smaller than Earth’s moon)
• Atmosphere: None
• Water coverage: 0%
• Population: 30,000 (3,000 in Upper Befandefa, 27,000 in Lower Befandefa)
• Government: Feudal
• Law level: 8 (all weapons except daggers prohibited)
• Tech level: 14 (interstellar)
• Trade classification: Non-industrial
• Space lanes to: Sheen (jump-1), Tench (jump-1), Gaffa (jump-1), Niedaoida (jump-2)

 

Government, Law, and Diplomacy

Befandefa retains its old Imperial noble hierarchy, ruled by countess Ranathalo. Law in Upper Befandefa is enforced by her knights, who are well trained and equipped with combat armor, laser rifles, and broadswords. Lower Befandefa is lawless.

Befandefa is one of the three allied systems forming the BST Triumvirate, contributing advanced technology expertise. A space station in orbit around Befandefa is the base of the Triumvirate’s navy. A contingent of soldiers are also posted there.

Surface Travel

Starport - Lower Befandefa, by elevator: 5 minutes.

Interstellar Travel

In a given week, ships with the following destinations may be present at the starport:

• Sheen - 4+ chance
• Tench - 4+ chance
• Niedaoida - 6+ chance
• Gaffa - 8+ chance

Gravity

Befandefa’s low gravity lets humans make high jumps or skip across the ground at high speed. But it is also hard to slow down, and a careless person could hurt themselves by slamming into an obstacle.

Firing a gun (other than laser weapons) causes the shooter to be thrown backwards by the recoil. Make a 10+ Endurance roll to just stumble backwards, instead of being thrown to the ground.

The Starport

Befandefa’s starport is located on the surface. Docking tubes attach to visiting ships for the transfer of passengers and cargo. Entrance to the city, Upper Befandefa, is only allowed to citizens and those with a permit. Firearms and long blades are not allowed in the city. Weapons can be kept in storage at the gates, or the knights can be paid a bribe of 1,000 credits.

Elevators descend from the starport to Lower Befandefa.

The Lauper

In geostationary orbit above Befandefa’s starport is the Lauper, a 5,000-ton battleship from the old Imperial navy. Its jump drive no longer functions, but its weapons and shields are fully operational. The gigantic ship ensures Befandefa’s independence, as a powerful deterrent against invaders.

Lower Befandefa

Lower Befandefa is located in the underground tunnels once used to mine for ore. A cramped shantytown is built into the tunnels, lit by neon lights. Many inhabitants of Lower Befandefa do manual labor in Upper Befandefa, entering the city with day permits and returning underground when their shift is done.

In side tunnels, various collectives maintain hardy plants and algae under UV lights. Without these, there would not be enough breathable air in the tunnels.

A group of unnerving fences, who arrived at the planet a year ago, pays well (5x normal price) for prototype technologies stolen from Upper Befandefa. These are in fact robots from Bansko, disguised as humans. They smuggle their wares back to Bansko on regularly visiting ship.

Upper Befandefa

Upper Befandefa is a small city under a glass dome. The dome is tinted to give the appearance of a blue sky when the sun shines through it. The city consists of luxurious white buildings, mostly tech development centers and spacious apartment blocks, with walking paths and lawns in between. Rooftop gardens provide oxygen.

Prototype weapons and armor in development have an advantage and a flaw from the lists below.

1d6 weapon advantages

• 1: More powerful; +1d6 damage.
• 2: Target finder; +1 to hit.
• 3: High rate of fire; shoots twice (at same target).
• 4: Not detected by sensors.
• 5: Small; pistol-sized, or pen-sized if already a pistol.
• 6: Long range; one extra range band.

1d6 weapon flaws

• 1: Less powerful; -1d6 damage.
• 2: Inaccurate; -1 to hit.
• 3: Single shot; must reload after every shot.
• 4: Overheats; 1d6 damage to shooter if they roll doubles to hit. Explodes for 3d6 on double 1.
• 5: Huge and bulky.
• 6: Short range; one range band less.

1d6 armor advantages

• 1: Stronger; -1 to be hit.
• 2: Stealth camo; almost impossible to see while standing still.
• 3: Grav belt.
• 4: Slim; can be worn under normal clothing.
• 5: Inbuilt grappling hooks.
• 6: Bladebreaking; roll 9+ when hit with a blade to break it.

1d6 armor flaws

• 1: Weaker; +1 to be hit.
• 2: Fragile; roll 5+ when hit or the armor breaks.
• 3: Makes a lot of noise when moving.
• 4: Heavy; can’t carry other items heavier than daggers.
• 5: Must be recharged after use, for the same amount of time.
• 6: Chafes; -1 to Dexterity rolls.

Scenarios

- Spies from Bansko plot to board the Lauper, repair its jump drive, and steal it.

- A person from Lower Befandefa didn’t return home from their job as a cleaner in Upper Befandefa, and their family is worried. They were kidnapped to test out a “regenerative” experimental suit of armor.