Statistics for Delta Quadrant Species

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Originally posted by mactavish:
Is there a Treacherous (or similar) Disadvantage? If so, I'd slap that one onto the Trabe Template as well.

I'd also provide them with either some more Skills (can't think of any in particular) or a new Advantage or two, though I'm not sure what would be appropriate.

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Well, I went back and looked it over. There isn't a treacherous disadvantage, But I felt that their ability to overlook civil rights and doublcross is amply represented in the negative edge to the modifier.

As for extra skills, I really couldn't justify the addition of anything else without going over budget or drawing fire for skills they wouldn't have brigade.

As it is, they need some further development for their history and background, but mostly they are simply there to dovetail around the Kazon...

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DanG.

"Hi, I'm Commander Troy McClure, you might remember me from other academy training holo-simulations as, Abandon Ship, the quickest way out, and I sense danger, 101 things you dont need a Betazoid to know..."

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I've been thinking about a race that 7 of 9 spoke of, refering to them as an "omnichordial lifeform" and stating that they existed in another dimension/timeline/subspace realm. It was from that species that the Borg acquired self-regenerating technologies.

Does anyone have any ideas for this race? While not specifically deemed a Delta Quadrant race, I'm curious what others think is meant by "omnichordial."

Oh yeah, what about the Devore Imperium? The anti-psionic millitary regime that kept searching Voyager for suspected harboring of telepaths. What would they look like? I think that they'd be fun as a recurring adversary... particularly if the PCs included a psychic (i.e. Vulcan, Betazoid, Cairn, etc.).

The other race that interests me is the one that gave Captain Ransom the device for calling the super-charged aliens from their subspace realm (I can't remember their name). Not the flittering aliens themselves, but the ones that gave them the machine to call the flittering aliens.

mactavish out.

Because I found this and it applies to a recent query.


BUMP.

Well, well, well... here we are again.

Okay, a Delta Quadrant species. Here's one from some of my recently rediscovered notes...

“We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.”

There are few words that inspire such terror in intelligent species throughout the galaxy as these. This is the standard “greeting” given by the Collective before its drones begin the assimilation of those not already of the Borg.

As anyone familiar with the Collective can attest, assimilation by the Borg is unpleasant to say the least. Millions of tiny nanoprobes course through your body replacing your blood, altering your endocrine system, and even rewriting your very DNA. The process transforms you into a biomechanical part of the Collective. Small cybernetic enhancements produced by the nanoprobes sprout from your body. Later, once in a Borg assimilation chamber, other drones attach other cybernetic devices suited to your new function and bring you up to your full cybernetic-organic potential.

Assimilation occurs in three distinct and separate stages. Listed here are the changes that an individual goes through, from infection to completion, in case you want to assimilate existing player characters or NPCs.

Initial Assimilation Procedure (Stage I): This stage occurs when the individual is injected with the assimilation nanoprobes. Once infected, an individual is able to maintain his individuality for a number of rounds equal to his Fitness score (plus or minus any Vitality Edges); once that time has expired his identity is completely subsumed and suppressed by the Collective.

Attribute Changes:

·Add 2 to Fitness. Strength +1. Vitality +1.

·Intellect changes to 3 regardless of previous score. Logic +1.

·Presence reduced to 1 regardless of previous score. Empathy -2.

·Any psionic ability is lost (reduce to Psi 0), subsumed by the Collective.

Borg Collective Advantages and Disadvantages:

·Ageless (+3)
·Borg Adaptability (+8)
·Computer Interface (+3)
·Cyborg (+2)
·Eidetic Memory (+3)
·Excellent Metabolism (+4)
·High Pain Threshold (+2)
·Hive Mind (+10)
·Mathematical Ability (+3)
·Multitasking (+2)
·Rapid Healing (Borg medical nanites) (+3)
·Sense of Direction (+1)
·Synergy (other Borg only) (+3)
·Toughness (+2)

·Arrogant (-1)
·Collective Will (-2)
·Fanatic (Borg goals) (-3)
·Emotionless (-3)
·Intolerant (all non-Borg life) (-3)
·Obsessive Tendencies (Bog goals) (-3)
·Species Enemy (all non-Borg life) (-5)

Total Points: +30 (approximately)

The following Advantages and Disadvantages are lost by individuals assimilated by the Borg:

Ally, Athletic Ability, Bold, Contact, Curious, Engineering Aptitude, Favor Owed, Innovative, Patron, Promotion, Resolute, Sexy, Shrewd, Species Friend, Telepathic Resistance, Argumentative, Bloodlust, Chronic Pain, Code of Honor, Greedy, Hypochondria, Impulsive, Intolerant, Low Pain Threshold, Medical Problem, Obligation, Pacifism, Phobia, Poor Chemoreception, Poor Hearing, Poor Sight, Promotion, Slow Healing, Vengeful, Weakness, Zero-G Intolerance

Furthermore any Courage Points, political or religious ranks, and ranks in Starfleet or other military or paramilitary organizations are lost as well.

Physical impairments are usually rectified, though the assimilation process introduces many, many new ones.

Drones use any necessary skills or specializations available through the Collective at 3 (4) and transmit Borg machine language at skill 4.

All new Borg receive cranial implants that function both as subspace communicators and computer implants. It is this implant that receives subspace communication from the Collective, and that is the actual substance of the assimilation process. Further, Borg medical nanoprobes rewrite DNA and alter body chemistry, reinforcing muscle, bone, and sinew with ceramet compounds for extra strength and resistance.

Borg Adaptability (+8): All Borg drones (except those disconnected from the hive mind) have the exceptional benefit of adapting to nearly any situation faced by any other member of the Collective. Whenever a drone faces a hostile situation of any kind, make an Intellect + Logic roll against a Difficulty of 12. This Difficulty is reduced by one for each unit subjected to the event (whether the unit survives or not).

If, or rather when the roll is successful, that drone (assuming it survives) and all other drones belonging to the same sub-collective (i.e. vessel, uni-matrix, etc.) become completely immune to that hazard.

This could represent a specific mode of attack, an environmental danger, or whatever. This adaptability extends to Borg vessels as well; assume an Intellect of 4 and a Logic of +2 for a Borg ship for the aforementioned roll.

Whenever the drone (or vessel) in questions uploads its memory through the vinculum, the resistance acquired by that drone (or vessel) is integrated by the rest of the Collective. While there are not hard and fast rules for this, assume that (if successful) the upload will reach the center of the Collective and be disbursed within 3d6 days.

Note that an attack specifically designed to work against the Borg (i.e. high-energy phasers, cybernetic viruses, etc.) is a different situation altogether. The Difficulties for such rolls should remain in the Very Difficult to Nearly Impossible range.

Routine situations faced by drones, such as the vacuum of space or temperature extremes, are automatic adaptations.

Secondary Assimilation Procedure (Stage II): Once a Borg drone has received its initial connection to the hive mind, it is directed to a Borg primary assimilation chamber aboard a cube or other vessel as soon as is feasible. Once in the assimilation chamber, larger and more complex cybernetic implants are installed by other drones.

·All drones receive full body armor plating which provides a Resistance of 5 against physical and energy attacks. If a drone is not completely deactivated by an attack, its armor regenerates at a rate of 1 Resistance point per round.

·Borg drones also possess self-activating force screens as a defense against projectile and energy weapon attacks. Activated after an initial attack, the force screen is capable of dissipating up to 40 points of damage per round. The mechanic regarding Borg adaptation is explained above.

It is after the secondary assimilation procedure that the drone receives the adaptation abilities for which the Borg are known and feared. This Advantage can only be possessed by active members of the Collective; once a drone is separated from the hive mind, this ability is lost.

Each drone also receives additional implants, depending on its new function. The three primary types of drones are communication drones, navigation drones, and defense drones. Each type has its own function and its own specific alterations, listed hereafter.

Communications: These drones receive optical and auditory implants providing Enhanced Hearing and Enhanced Vision. Further, they function as interlinks, or “boosters” of the Collective’s subspace signals; all drones within range of a communications drone receive an additional die to any Intellect-based action in any given round. Biomedical drones also fall under the heading of Communications; they are fitted with a Technology Link (Medical Tricorder/Dermal Regenerator) (+2) rather than the advanced optical and auditory implants.

In addition to the cost of the “Borg package” presented above, Communications drones cost another 4 points to play. Biomedical drones cost an additional 2 points (rather than the normal 4 for standard Communications drones).

Navigation: Navigational drones are those primarily designated to vessel logistics and movement. They are responsible for directing the movement of all Borg ships; navigational drones provide an additional die to all rolls related to ship operations. They receive no special enhancements beyond those of a standard drone.

Defense: The bulk of Borg drones are for defensive action and assimilation. They are responsible for defense of the Collective and its holdings (i.e. ships, bases, planets, etc.) as well as the acquisition of new drones. Defense drones receive an additional die to all personal combat-related actions. Defense drones all possess the Technology Link (Disruptor) (+4) Advantage and possibly other integrated melee weapon implements.

Defense drones cost an additional 4 points beyond the cost of the “Borg package” presented above.

Tertiary (Final) Assimilation Procedure (Stage III): Once a drone has finally been rebuilt according to its new purpose, it is assigned an regeneration alcove. At this point the drone proceeds to its alcove to regenerate and to receive its new programming. While the implants created by the nanoprobes connect the drone to the hive mind, it is in its alcove that the drone receives enormous informational downloads and new programming routines, including the history of the Borg Collective and its new designation.

Once a drone regenerates in its alcove, it is essentially impossible to save it from the Collective, though there are cases when this has happened. The drone is now merely a miniscule cog in the massive engine of destruction that is the Borg Collective.

mactavish out.

Injection Tubules

All drones possess injection tubules located in their forearms or the backs of their hand(s). These tubules are the avenue by which nanoprobes are released into a victim’s body. The tubules themselves cause no damage, but they are able to penetrate all known physical and energy barriers.

Once a living being is injected with nanoprobes via the injection tubules his transformation begins. The affected individual loses control of his own body and though processes in a number of rounds equal to his Fitness score modified by his Vitality Edge. Once this time has passed the individual is irrevocably altered to serve the Collective. Only Species 8472 has proven impervious to the assimilation process and immune to attempts at genocide; members of all other species known to the Borg Collective (organic or otherwise) have been successfully assimilated and eradicated.

A drone can also use these injection tubules to directly interface with a computer system. Borg systems are designed for this method of interaction, but it is also effective with all other known computer systems. These allows the drone and, in effect, the Collective, to navigate a computer’s memory and stored files. Additionally the interfaced drone can alter any data in the affected system as well as any other system networked to that computer.

The interface also adds two dice to the drone’s Dice Pool for all actions targeted at that system (as per the Computer Interface Advantage) as well as allowing all tasks to be completed in a fraction of the normal time. Examples of such interference and alteration include reconfiguration of key systems, locking out other authorized users, encryption/decryption of files, and so forth.

The Borg are quite possibly the most dangerous and destructive adversary ever faced by the United Federation of Planets, indeed by the Alpha and Beta Quadrants as well. The Borg are ruthless, with pity or mercy. They are best destroyed at a distance or, better still, avoided altogether.

Separation Anxiety

In the unlikely event that a drone’s connection to the Collective is severed (intentionally or otherwise), his individuality will begin to return. For most individuals, this sudden devolution into a “smaller lifeform” is maddening and completely unbearable. Most attempt to return to the Collective for reassimilation, or, barring that, simply end their own lives.

Former drones that are able to overcome the silence of their own minds have yet another set of difficulties to face. Once a drone’s connection to the hive is terminated, his humanoid physiology begins to reassert itself, rejecting most of the Borg cybernetic implants. This process is exceptionally painful and, without proper medical assistance, usually fatal, too.

The rejection process lasts for d6+2 days. Each day the ex-drone suffers a single die of damage as his body expels the various pieces of technology. If the implants are successfully removed by a skilled physician (Surgery [4] or higher; Difficulty of Nearly Impossible [12]), then no damage is suffered. Medical removal of the implants also ends the rejection process once the surgery is completed. Otherwise the drones takes the damage every day until the rejection procedure has ceased.

A drone that has survived disconnection and cybernetic rejection loses most Advantages conferred by his Borg status. All Skill bonuses are lost as are the vast resources of information available through the hive mind. All of the Disadvantages caused by Borg status are lost once the drone is freed from the Collective’s yoke. Additionally, the following Advantages are also lost once the drone’s link is severed:

·Ageless* (+3)
·Borg Adaptability* (+8)
·Computer Interface (+3)
·Excellent Metabolism (+4)
·High Pain Threshold (+2)
·Hive Mind* (+10)
·Mathematical Ability (+3)
·Multitasking (+2)
·Sense of Direction (+1)
·Synergy (other Borg only)* (+3)
·Toughness (+2)

Due to the nature of the Borg implants, some cannot be expelled or removed. Consequently the Advantages of Rapid Healing (Borg medical nanites) (+3), Eidetic Memory (+3) and Cyborg (+2) remain. Sometimes other traits are retained as well, such as certain Skills (Referee’s option), Technology Links, or enhanced senses. For example, if the ex-drone’s mathematical subprocessor could not be removed, then he retains the Mathematical Ability (+3). Those Traits marked with an asterisk (*) cannot be retained once the drone is removed from the Collective.

While all of the Borg Disadvantages are likewise removed, former drones suffer from a whole new set of flaws. Former drones all possess either a Dark Secret (former Borg drone) (-3) if their former Borg status is kept quiet or Species Enemy (Borg victim races) (-3) if they are known to be former drones; one of these Disadvantages is mandatory. They are often Argumentative (-1), Arrogant (-1), Callous (-1), Cold (-1), Hides Emotions (-2), Intolerant of “inferior” races (-3), Stubborn (-1), and/or Vengeful (Borg Collective) (-2). They also sometimes suffer from Chronic Pain (-2), some sort of Medical Problem (-1 or -3), or a Physical Impairment (-2). Most have a severe Phobia (Reassimilation) (-3 to -5).

Former drones must choose at least 8 points worth of these Disadvantages to offset the remaining Advantages mentioned above. More Disadvantages should be taken if other Advantages or Skills are retained.

The Psychology of the Collective

The Borg Collective is an entity of singular purpose and determination. There is no individual that directs the activities of the Collective, though at times the Borg have chosen to speak through an individual drone. The Borg exist only to better themselves through the active acquisition and assimilation of new sentient races and technologies.

Examples of drones used by the Collective to communicate directly with humanity include the various incarnations of the Borg Queen, Locutus (a.k.a. Jean-Luc Picard), and 7 of 9. In each instance, the Borg in question were not independently self-aware. Instead they were “spoken through” by the hive mind. It has been speculated that any drone could serve as a conduit for the Collective to communicate with those not yet one with the Borg.

Some Federation scientists and xenoanthropologists have reasoned that the Collective initially consisted of a group of individuals linked via a powerful computer system. Further, they believe that, over time, the computer system took over all decision-making abilities from its “drones,” assimilating and synthesizing their collective knowledge, using that information to further its own goals.

It is reasonable to assume that the Collective maintains a number of Queens to direct its will throughout the galaxy, though the Queens themselves have thus far only been encountered individually. Studies indicate that the Queen is a specific drone, designed by the Collective to present a common appearance to the leadership of the Collective. It has been shown that the Queens are not necessarily taken from the race that eventually become the Borg but are instead chosen from any number of assimilated species.

The Queen is a template consisting of specific skills and attitudes. Apparently the Collective merely uploads the template into a new Queen whenever its precursor is deactivated or destroyed. This accounts for a Queen’s memories of previous incarnations as well as its identical personality. The Queen itself is not an individual but instead an avatar of the Collective itself.

At times the Collective creates unique drones, based on the Queen template, to facilitate the assimilation of a particular species. This occurred when the Collective abducted and assimilated Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 2367, transforming him into Locutus. The Collective believed that humanity would be less resistant to assimilation if it was directed by a member of its own species. In the end this proved an untenable situation and Picard was saved from the Collective and restored to normal.

Species-specific drones created by the Collective to facilitate the assimilation of a race are often high-ranking individuals such as military or political leaders. These drones often retain the memories of their lives but are controlled by the Collective, Such drones often possess a marked tactical advantage when dealing with others of their “birth race.” In game terms, such drones retain their Skills and any Advantages not specifically removed by the hive mind. They usually also receive fewer implants and cosmetic changes in order to leave them with the general appearance of their species.

The Borg use their overwhelming numbers to their advantage. When confronting an enemy, whether technologically inferior or otherwise, the Borg simply attack repeatedly until resistance is nullified. The Collective does not consider an individual drone of any consequence. Neither does it consider the loss of a drone (or a hundred thousand drones) with any greater regard. While an enemy may be tactically superior, technologically advanced, or brutally warlike, the Borg number in the trillions, and that simple fact is enough to allow the Collective to essentially defeat any foe given enough time. Only two species have even disproved this: humanity and Species 8472.

mactavish out.

Excellent Smithers... er I mean Mac.

I was always looking forward to your Borg stuff after the skill you put into the AI document.

Can I take another oppertunity to rebuild your Borg PDF sourcebook???

That's already underway, Dan. :)

I've taken up the pen... uh, keyboard... once again. I've been gathering material for some time and think that I'll be able to crank something out in fairly short order.

I'll let you know when I've got it together.

mactavish out.