The universe is a big place, full of all kinds of different worlds but some are far more interesting than others. There’s a tendency in a lot of science fiction to create mono- worlds, that is worlds that only have a single, planet-wide environment. Across science- fiction media you’ll find desert worlds, jungle worlds, island worlds, ocean planets and artificial planets of blinking lights and metal panels.
These kinds of worlds are far more interesting to the kinds of games that take place in Machinations of the Space Princess than an endless procession of hard-science star systems empty of life or interest - save a particular type of mineral or an esoteric orbital peculiarity.
In Machinations of the Space Princess sophont species tend to seek out and inhabit planets that are habitable and/or interesting in some way. You can, of course, feel free to ignore this advice as you please and to use other rules or ideas to make up and fill-out your star system but this section is written from this point of view.
Worlds of Adventure
The absolute and most important thing about any world you create for Machinations of the Space Princess is that it be somewhere that interesting adventures can take place. Adventures need hooks and while you’ll find hundreds of little plot seeds at the bottom of the page throughout this book, sometimes you’ll just want to make up a world randomly for your players to interact with. So here’s a table you can roll on to get an instant, planetary, adventure hook for your game.
In one section of space every planet is inhabitable, engineered to be that way. Why?
Besides all these planets, star- systems and stellar phenomena there’s also the possibility of exploring other times and dimensions. When exploring in time it’s probably best to ‘coincidentally’ make it relevant to known Earth history, so that people can relate, or to their own adventures. That’s why TV series do it, so people can get a handle on where - and when - they are.
Other dimensions are more fun. You can do whatever the hell you want with them, even apply cartoon physics. If anyone complains just shout “Quantum!” at them loudly and wave your hand around in the air.
If you fancy a more mystical bent they can explore the collective unconcious, the world of dreams or even the many heavens and hells of the gods.
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Roll d100 Plot Hook
1 The planet is ravaged by disease and under a limited quarantine while they sort it out.
2 Zombies.
3 A comet is on a collision course with the world, which is desperately trying to find a way to prevent it striking.
4 There is a revolution (robotlution?) amongst the planet’s mechanoids.
5 The planet is in the middle of a massive election process with all the divisiveness and angst that entails.
6 A war between two planetary factions provides plenty of mercenary opportunities. 7 Spacelanes to and from the planet are plagued by pirates.
8 A powerful, intergalactic, corporation is exploiting workers on the planet. 9 The planet produces a unique mineral/resource/drug.
10 The planet is corrupt, insular, xenophobic and authoritarian. Smuggling is potentially very lucrative. 11 ‘Mars’ needs (1d6) 1-2: Men, 3-4: Women, 5-6: Other.
12 A huge intergalactic media star is present on the planet at the moment. 13 The planet is a staging post for one of the Space Princesses. 14 The planet is under occupation by an alien force.
15 The planet is struggling to deal with an infestation from an invasive species. 16 The planet is under military blockade.
17 The planet is surrounded by a refugee fleet who are demanding safe haven. 18 The planet plays host to ancient relics and tombs.
19 A rare cosmological event is happening near the planet. 20 According to local legends, the end is nigh.
21 Archaeologists on the planet have uncovered a space ark. They’re not natives! 22 During a rare conjunction an ancient ruin opens up - what lies beneath? 23 The planet is host to an extremist faction of terrorists that keep blowing shit up. 24 The planet is a tax haven and safe retirement location for space criminals. 25 Pirates use the planet as their base of operations.
26 Duels are common practice for settling disputes - outside the law.
27 The planet has made all manner of drug use and sexual commerce completely legal. 28 The planet has made all manner of drug use and sexual interaction almost completely illegal. 29 A powerful religious body holds sway over the planet and is more than a little oppressive. 30 The planet is a suspiciously calm and gentle utopia. What’s going on?
31 Everyone here is very, very rich by galactic standards. Why? 32 Everyone here is very, very poor by galactic standards. Why?
33 The planet is playing host to gladiatorial games championships between several worlds. 34 The charismatic planetary leader has just been assassinated.
35 A revolutionary body has just overthrown the planetary generalissimo.
36 It is the time of a significant planetary holiday, like Christmas, Easter and Burning Man rolled into one.
37 The population of the planet is kept tranquil by gas/psi-waves/drugged food.
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38 The planet is in a post-apocalyptic state of survival.
39 The planet is a colonial, wild frontier with little law and little civilisation to speak of. 40 A notorious criminal has made the planet their hideout.
41 A terrible beast roams the wilder parts of the planet, preying on the populace. 42 A postphysical entity on the world demands sacrifices.
43 Mutants and psionics are persecuted on this world. 44 Mutants and psionics are treated like gods here.
45 Secretive cults of a dark god run this world from behind the scenes. 46 A planet-wide music festival is being held.
47 Total crop failure means there’s widespread starvation.
48 A massive solar flare has wiped out most of the planet’s electronics. 49 A goldrush is taking place in the system’s asteroid belt.
50 A planetary pogrom is removing non-natives from it, sometimes with extreme prejudice. 51 The planet is at war with another world.
52 An important treaty signing is taking place at the planetary capital soon.
53 The planet is only just making first contact with greater galactic society. Hijinx ensure. 54 The planet is in the grips of anti-technology riots.
55 The population of the world is at the very cusp of going post-physical.
56 A massive Starliner has crashed in-system and rescue (and blaming) is underway. 57 Natural disasters - earthquakes and supervolcanoes - shake the planet to the core. 58 A massive construction project (a beanstalk perhaps?) is completed on the planet. 59 The space navy is in ‘town’ with thousands of astronauts and space marines on leave on the
planet.
60 A new phase of exploration on the planet or in the system is about to get underway. 61 Criminal gangs run the world under a thin veneer of respectability.
62 The planetary government, or a force that has paid them off, is conducting experiments on intelligent beings on this world.
63 Mysterious saucer-craft have appeared all around the planet but - for now - remain inscrutable. 64 Financial inequality on the world has lead to massive protests and riots.
65 An imperial force is trying to levy taxes on the planet.
66 The planet is extremely sexist, perhaps with reason - for this species - but they apply it to everyone.
67 The planet has just declared independence from whatever grouping it was part of.
68 The planet has a host of ancient, outdated and peculiar laws which it nonetheless enforces with great vigour.
69 The planet suffers from periodic, planet-wide storms. This is one of those times.
70 The government of the planet has just successfully tested a doomsday weapon of some kind. 71 A new religion, philosophy or ideology set to take the universe by storm is starting here. 72 A ruined hulk of some gigantic hulk has just drifted into the system.
73 The planet is in mourning for a much loved public figure.
74 The presence of an artistic exhibit offers the opportunity for the heist of the millennium.
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75 The remains of a gigantic and non-native beast are found in the system.
76 Look out! Space locusts!
77 The planet is undergoing rapid and massive industrialisation with lots of social upheaval. 78 Miracles and other strangeness are being reported across the planet.
79 The planet has become a pilgrimage destination due to some big, alleged, supernatural event. 80 Strict new laws and standards have come into place and the planetary authority demands to look
over all incoming ships to ensure they’re up to code. 81 The planet has descended into lawless anarchy. 82 A new wormhole has been discovered close to the planet.
83 Technology that helps keep the planet stable is under threat and if it goes, so does the planet. 84 A strident prohibition movement is trying to ban flarns. They’re making a lot of progress despite
entrenched opposition. What the hell flarns are is up to you.
85 After a string of incidents paranoid conspiracy theories run rife on this planet and any outsiders are likely suspects.
86 The planet has a lot of nefarious slaving operations and visitors are prime targets. 87 The planetary government is engaged in a protracted ‘war’ with drug producing cartels. 88 The system has a particularly zealous customs agency that works hard to prevent the ‘moral
degeneracy’ of the wider universe from infecting their planet. 89 An aging population fetishises and is fascinated by youth and naivety. 90 A young population fetishises and is fascinated by age and experience.
91 The planet is virtually abandoned for some reason and its population choose - instead - to live in a number of space stations.
92 A particular alien race finds the planet to be an irresistible tourist destination - for reasons that aren’t readily apparent to other species.
93 The planet’s population have mysteriously vanished, leaving the planet intact - for the most part. 94 Time-locked vaults from the founding of the colony are about to open giving everyone an insight
into the deep past of their world.
95 Galactic media attention is focussed on the world due to a huge scandal. 96 The characters’ reputation 1-2 good, 3-4 bad, 5-6 bizarre has preceded them. 97 The planet is very, very keen to attract new settlers.
98 The world is home to a large dissident-in-exile movement from a neighbouring system. 99 A game-changing technological advance has been made on this world, but not all the kinks and
drawbacks have been worked out.
100 Roll Twice