RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 11 - TACT

TACT

Some say war is inevitable. A baked in brute fact resulting from nature of the vast majority of intelligent lifeforms. Makes you question the term 'intelligent' doesn't it?

Right now, there are probably dozens of wars going on across our galaxy and that's a conservative estimate. At the same time, there are dozens of battles that have been avoided, dozens of treaties signed, and many, many sophont species shaking hands (or tentacles, or face tendrils, or suction tubes) in favor of a peaceful solution to their predicaments. 

War is easy. Tact...that requires real skill.

Ambassador Oeg Togathi is the Galactic Federation's foremost Diplomat, responsible for negotiating numerous famous trade agreements and cease fires over the course of his very prestigious career. Ambassador Togathi convinced the aggressive Cumopatians to join the Federation. He prevented open war with the Dark Pulsar Imperium, maintaining our current 'cold war' status. Finally, he worked out a deal where the Sunfire Blades, a former Space Pirate fleet, now make a living protecting the Australis-Opiuchi Trade Route. 

How does he do it?

A bit of skill, a bit of talent, and a lot of experience.

Like all members of his species, Oeg Togathi has an extraordinarily long lifespan. Now into 'Middle Age', the Ambassador recently celebrated his 350th birthday. During that long stretch of time, the Ambassador served in the Galactic Federation's Space Forces as a Captain and later Admiral, the Primeminister of his homeworld, and has traveled all over known space.

 

While drawing on his accumulated knowledge of how sentient beings think in times of both war and peace, Togathi also incorporate empathy, an understanding of the emotions of others and how their feelings interact with their reasoning. This is his greatest advantage and the galaxy as a whole is better for it. 

The Ambassador is once again a custom Archetype, 'Alien Ambassador', built on a combination of several Spy Hero variants. Originally I pictured him being a lot like Keith Laumer's Jame Retief, a sort of 'Action Diplomat', but decided he used to be that guy and is now older and wiser. He is intended to be more of a father figure/mentor should he run into Gidget in their travels. 

Flag of the Galactic Federation

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*Oegopsida is one of the four order of Squid's that exist in the world. 

Nematogathi is the old term, no longer used, for fish of the order Siluriformes or more colloquially, Catfish.

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 10 - SECRET

SECRET 

Who is 'The Black Knight of Nebula-X'?

Before I tell you all about her my fellow Space Cadets, I want to address the trope from whence she came - The Masked Mystery Villain!

While the West certainly has its far share of mysterious masked menaces, what were discussing here is a little more specific and particularly, if not uniquely, Japanese. 

In Japanese pop culture media dating back to origins of Kabuki and Noh theatre, where masks represented a particular negative emotion such as anger, greed, or jealousy for example. As these art forms developed there was, on occasion, the idea that a mask of happiness hid sorrow or a mask of rage could be turned to understanding. 

In Japanese Manga and Anime, the trope of the Masked Mystery Villain takes this further with some very specific elements. Usually the Masked Villain isn't THE villain, not the Big Bad. They are the Second-in-Command, right hand 'man' of the leader of the evil organization or power. They are more 'physical' then the Big Bad however, actually going into battle to face off (pun intended) against the heroes while the main antagonist hides in their secret fortress. 

The Masked Villain in many stories is someone the PCs are connected or even related to. They may not know they know them but the writer knows there are ties between the heroes and the villain.

They could just be a well known person in disguise but this is much less common. The cowled antagonist seems to know one or more of the PC heroes as well, occasionally dropping clues to this fact, making the main characters actively wonder who they are. Their identity, their TRUE identity, becomes an important part of the narrative. 

At some point, the moment where the PCs/heroes finally get one up on this villain [who has up until now has seemed unbeatable], their mask cracks, partially revealing their true face. This is often a turning point in the story where the relationship between the heroes and this villain changes. Maybe the Masked Mystery Villain starts to see the era in their ways or redoubles their efforts to destroy the protagnists, embarrased to the point of unrivaled fury!

The perfect version of this character in the West is Darth Vader of course; he is Obi-Wan's former Padawan, Ashoka's former Master, and Luke's Father. His face mask has been damaged to reveal his face in Star Wars REBELS, the [awful] Obi-Wan streaming series, and in Return of the Jedi. He goes to meet the heroes while the Emperor remains an even more mysterious mystery character.

With that...

The Black Knight of Nebula-X, or simply The Black Knight of Space, is a being of unknown origin who occasionally works for the Lord Kowai of the Meraisekai, the Emperor of the Dark Pulsar Imperium, and other interstellar ne'er do wells. At the same time, 'she' (the Black Knight is believed to be female based solely on their appearance - true gender unknown) doesn't take any job she doesn't agree with and it has been theorized her agenda and goals are very much her own.

She possess a suit of Powered Armor of highly advanced design that has capabilities rarely seen in a powersuit of this size. The armor appears essentially unique in that there is no record of any other Powered Armor of the exact same design being identified elsewhere. 

She carries a Ray Sword that is clearly of an older style than the sort seen in modern times. Many believe the Black Knight also has Psychic Abilities but this has not been confirmed at all. A popular theory among the Galaxy Police is that her evidenced supernormal powers can be attributed to her powersuit.

Her starship is as impressive as her skills and armor, being a custom Boomerang Class vessel heavily modified to allow for great speed, maneuverability, and possessing a Cloaking Device! That's right, the Black Knight's ship has an energy shield capable of bending light to appear completely invisible to visual sight and a stealth coating making sensor detection very difficult.  

OK but who is she and what is Nebula-X?

Nebula-X is a common use name given to the Adiaphoron Nebula, a breathtaking but extremely dangerous gaseous nebula roughly 100 light years across. It is a malformed stellar nursery; a region where fluctuating gravitational forces cause stars to form and get pulled apart on a regular basis. Due to the extreme levels of radiation and electro-magnetic discharge, sensors and communications do not function properly, if at all, within the Nebula. Many brave and ambitious explorers have attempted to map the Nebula's interior...never to return.

Somehow, the Black Knight's base of operations is somewhere within Nebula-X. On several occasions, her vessel has been confirmed to be entering or existing the Nebula. In fact, in one notable instance, the Black Knight escaped a squadron of Galaxy Police Patrol Ships by entering the Nebula. How this is accomplished is unknown. 

The Adiaphoron Nebula or 'Nebula-X'

As far as who she is...obviously no one knows. Captain Lacey Pepper of the Galaxy Police of Frontier Sector Zeta has several theories. Based on her technology and previous actions, Capt. Pepper thinks The Black Knight may have adapted artifacts of the ancient Forerunner species that went extinct in our universe many eons ago. Their tech often defies logic when compared to current levels of engineering. It may also be that the Nebula itself is the result of Forerunner experiments and her ship is geared to function within its particular conditions. 

On a few scant occasions The Black Knight has encountered the explorer Gidget Starseeker and refused to attack her or take any action that would caused her serious harm. She has damaged Gidget's ship to slow her down and prevent the Wanderer from giving chase. Capt. Pepper suggests The Black Knight may be of the same Alien Species, one rarely seen in the galaxy. 

The Black Knight of Nebula-X - Masked Myster Villain

Ability Scores: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Agility 3, Intelligence 5, Luck 0, Size 1.

 

Skills: Evasion 3, Firearms-Pistol 3, Melee Combat 3, Powersuit 2, Ray Sword 3, Spaceship Piloting 2, Stealth 3, Tactics 4.

Powered Armor-Unique: Anti-Gravity Assisted Jetpack (Super Leaps, Limited Flight), Built-in Communicator (can summon Starship), Energy Shield (+2 to Durability B), Palm Laser (Damage 4, Skill Dex+Powersuit+1D6), Physical Enhancements (Already Adjusted).

The Ebony Dragon, The Black Knight's Starship

Ability Scores: Structure 8, Size 7, Agility/Maneuverability 3, Armor A 1 and B 1.

Final Hull Durability: Base 15, Durability A 16, B 16. 

Weaponry: Two Particle Beam Cannons Foreward and one rear. Skill: Spaceship Weapons, Damage 17, Damage Type B, Size 4, Rate of Fire 1.

Modifications:

Nebula-X Protective Shield - Enable ship to enter and operate in Nebula-X.

Cloaking Device +2D6 to Avoid Detection or penalize opponent with 2D6 Detection Disadvantage (Attempts to Detect the Ship roll 3 Dice on their Check and take the lowest). 

Cloaking Device can not be maintained for more than 5 rounds. 

There you go, an antagonist with a concealed identity and a hidden agenda! Exploring her and her role in the game would definitely be fun. 

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*Adiaphoron means indifferent or indifference. Nebula-X does not care about you. It is not your friend. 

RPGaDay 2026 - BONUS - DRIVE AND INTELLECT

BONUS

A little extra treat celebrating the first two weeks of the RPGaDay Challenge for 2026 inspired by the weekly prompts Drive and Intellect.

I REALLY enjoyed Star Wars Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi and as I've mentioned already, its recharged my desire to run a 'Star Wars Visions' campaign as opposed to just a Star Wars one. Loving Space Opera Heroes as I am, I thought to myself, 'Why not use Space Opera Heroes to run Star Wars'? They seem to be a perfect match to me so let's have some fun...

Introducing...Bani, Lepi Scout!

Bani (pronounced like Danny but with a 'B') Tuknukchee is a Lepi, a sentient species recognizable for their lanky bodies, long ears, small fluffy tails, and often proportionally large feet. They are covered in soft fur of earth tone colors, though nearly black, white, and even green appear on occasion. Notable members of this species include the smuggler and scoundrel Jaxxon and Lop, a Force wielding young female.

Our Bani here is a freelance Scout, exploring the unknown on behalf of those willing to pay for her services. Maybe the Rebel Alliance is looking for new secret base. Perhaps a Bounty Hunter wants the low down on a planet his target is hiding on. One time, the University of Sanbra hired her to confirm the existence of an alien megafauna on Batuu that had been thought to be extinct. Unfortunately for her Landspeeder, it was not. 

To build a Scout, specifically a Lepi one, I combined the Archetypes 'High-Speed Hero' and 'Lucky Heroine'. She focuses on Agility and Luck, excellent starship skills, decent firearms, and the ability to physical avoid danger using Acrobatics and Evasion. In addition, she can leap exceptionally far (even for an Anime Character!).

As you can see, Bani is similar to Gidget in a number of ways and that's not an accident. If I decide to run a Solo Space Exploration campaign using Space Opera Heroes, I want the option of setting it in my own SOH-inspired universe or the Star Wars universe. If the later I still intend on giving it a strong Anime/Manga vibe. 'Star Wars Visions The RPG' unlocked!

Bani's mission partner and best buddy is RB-EZ1 or 'Easy', an RB Astromech unit she received as payment for one of her first scouting jobs. Easy is laid back and takes even the worst setbacks in stride. Sometimes he's so nonplussed it can be irritating, at least to the very action oriented Bani.

RB-EZ1 is built on the GE MCE Little Boy from Space Opera Heroes (same as Gidget's Robot Companion GUS). Easy's stats are:

RB-EZ 1

Ability Scores: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Agility 1, Intelligence 2, Luck 0, Size 1

Evasion 1, General Engineering 1, Spaceship Engineering 1, Spaceship Navigation 1, 

These droids are really durable (RB units and Little Boys) and have Armor A 2 and B 2. With a Durability Base Value of 3, this gives Easy a final Durability of A 5 and B 5!

. 

Bani's starship is a Corellian ES-125 Long Range Scout, designed and constructed by the shipyards of the Corellian Engineering Corporation. This vessel is modified from its initial rollout to have more Single Barrel Turbo Laser and more Powerful Engines. 

While a GP JS-X Callisto Class is probably the Space Opera Heroes jumpship that best suites 'The Flying Leap ', I don't see this vessel as the same as Gidget Starseeker's 'Wanderer'. That starship is more 'Science/Research', specifically designed and customized to explorer the mysteries of the galaxy. This Long Range Scout is a bit more 'Forward Observer', a 'Combat Scout' if you will. 

As a result, I'm going to modify the stats of the standard GP JS-X and make a new but comparable ship:

The Flying Leap

Ability Scores: Structure 9, Size 8 - Agility/Maneuverability 3, Armor A 2 and B 2.

Final Hull Durability: Base 17, Durability A 19, B 19.

Weaponry: Twin Barrel Blaster Cannon Turret - Dorsal (Topside), Skill: Spaceship Weaponry, Damage 16, Damage Type B, Rate of Fire 2.

Modifications: Single Barrel Turbo Laser: A powerful, turret based energy weapon on the ventral (underside) of the starship. It can only be fired once a round at a cost of one Action Point. To fire a second time in the same round, the follow-up shot would cost two Action Points and take the weapon offline in the next round.

Damage 19, Damage Type B, Rate of Fire 1 (see above).

Powerful Engines: Any roll involving speed due to thrust [in an atmosphere or space] is made at +2.

I think we'll end it there for now. I am actually pretty eager to try playing her and using Space Opera Heroes to explore the Star Wars universe, Anime/Manga Style! 

What do you think? Anybody want to see more of Bani? Let me know.

Later,

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Bani is the Japanese way of saying 'Bunny', a loan word from English. This is instead of Usagi, the Japanese word for Rabbit. 

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 9 - PRIVILEGE

PRIVILEGE

Some of the word prompts this year are difficult for me to come up with a post for.

Mainly its because they just don't inspire any ideas or at least any ideas I'm interested in pursuing. Day 3's POISE was one such word but I'd like to think I made it work. Day 9's word is PRIVILEGE and it's equally hard for me to come up with something, if not more so. Like Poise, I don't tend to use the word very much [if ever] in my gaming notes, character dialog, or blogging. 

Fingers crossed that this entry works. Go easy on me OK?

Lord Kowai Nebular is the first cousin of Princess Yume of the Miraisekai Empire and next in line to the throne should something unfortunate befall her. His father is Duke Fuan, older brother of the current Empress and ruler of the Ashita Region of the Empire. 

Jealous of his cousin's powers, both political and psychic, Kowai is certainly a young man of Privilege and wealth in his own right. Sadly, that's not enough for him. His Privilage has led him believe he deserves it all; all the power and prestige there is to possess should be his.

To that end he plots and schemes, makes and breaks secret alliances, and uses his position and Privilege to stay clear of any major consequences. 

Evil Psychic Lord

Ability Scores: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Agility 2, Intelligence 4, Luck 1, Size 1

Psychic Ability: 3

Skills: Etiquette 1, Evasion = 2, Firearms 2, Melee Combat 3, Telepathy 2, Psychometry 2.

Lord Kowai is absolutely a villain, although the key to the character is that you shouldn't be able to pin anything on him. He is charming, well spoken, well connected, and very clever. His plans are long in the making. He is patient...but not that patient. 

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*As noted in Day 3's entry, the MiraiSekai Empire is named for the Japanese words 'Future' and 'Society'. Ashita, as in the 'Ashita Region', means 'Tomorrow'. 

Kowai's name means 'Frightening'. His father Duke Fuan's name means 'Anxiety'. He is a man with constant worries about his son's true intentions.

RPGaDay 2026 - DAY 8 - RESOLVE

RESOLVE

Space Opera Heroes is a Space Opera game to its very core but it's also a Japanese Science Fiction game and that means it has to include Giant Robots. 

In the Prologue of the Core Rulebook, 1st Edition, it says, 'Incidentally, this space opera, rather shamelessly, even features giant robots.' In an interview with the author, Atsushi Yamakita, the creator himself said, "There are giant robots in my game because I like giant robots and this is my game so I'm allowed to include them".

Now that's Resolve! Now then...

Throughout the Galactic Federation but especially on its Coreward and Trailing Frontiers, there are Star Systems rich in Odyssecine, a gaseous substance vital to the Federation's continuing operations and prosperity. Is the key component in fueling starship Thruster Drives, the engines that move vessels through normal space (in others words, not Jump Drives). 

Odyssecine Gas Mining by Megacorporations is a lucrative though dangerous endeavor, completely necessary for maintaining the needs of an interstellar power. If the process weren't hazardous enough on its own, Gas Miners have to watch out for Space Pirates, Cosmic Lifeforms, and other astronomical obstacles. This is where the Promethean Guard comes in.

A Promethean Guard Mecha Pilot

Originally a Mercenary Organization hired to protect mining and shipping for one particular company, the Promethean Guard dove head first into their niche and before long they were viewed as the preeminent security force for defending the starship fuel industry. Today they're treated like an order of knights whose unwavering Resolve keeps the galaxy moving. 

The Promethean Guard's primary weapon is the Argonaut Class Mecha, a 14 meter tall, military-grade, humanoid robot constructed by the Mitsumoto Engineering Megacorp, each piloted by one of the Guard's highly trained personnel. 

These units come standardly equipped with decent armor, good physical strength accuators, a Laser Pistol, and Jump Jets allowing for distance 8 leaps (roughly 188 meters) in 1G. In addition to their standard rollout, specific missions and specialist pilots may be equipped with one or more of the following systems and components:

• Arm Mounted Shield x1
• Back Mounted Sensor Array
• Back Mounted Wing and Thruster Array
• Handheld Plasma Rifle x1
• Handheld Ray Sword x1
• Leg Mounted Missile Pods x2
• Shoulder Mounted Laser Cannon x1
• Shoulder Mounted Missile Pods x2
• Shoulder Mounted Gatling Guns x2

Additional add-on gear is always in development by the Promethean Guard and the various Megacorporations that produce weaponry and equipment for Giant Robots. Promethean Guard Inc. has contracts with a wide range of these companies and Guard members are often employeed to test experimental attachments. 

Argonaut Class Giant Robot (Standard Version):

Skill: Robot Pilot

Size: 4 (14 Meters)

Strength: 7

Durability: A 3 / B 2

Weapon: Laser Pistol - Size: 2, Damage Type B, Damage Value: 12, Rate of Fire: 3. No Ammo.

Just to balance things out here is an enemy Mecha often employed by the Gas Pirates that the Promethean Guard goes up against.

Nemesis Class Giant Robot (Standard Version): 

Skill: Robot Pilot

Size: 4 (15 meters)

Strength: 6

Durability: A 3 / B 1

Weapon: Pulse Rifle Machine Gun - Size: 2, Damage Type A, Damage Value: 9, Rate of Fire: 4. Ammo 100.

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*The Promethean Guards' 'Argonaut' Mech is based on a Science Fiction painted illustration from the 1970s that was done by artist Angus McKie (I believe). 

The enemy Nemesis robots design combines a late 70s battery-powered robot with the head of Microtron from the Micronauts toy franchise.