Last updated October 21st, 1997
Fading Suns is a science fiction and fantasy roleplaying game that has a few intrinsic differences from a lot of the other sf rpgs out there these days. It has some rather unique building blocks to it, but what is it really all about? Here is a basic overview of the Fading Suns roleplaying game, that may (or may not) provide you with a good idea of what this game is all about.
Once the suns shone brightly, beacons in the vast night of space, calling humanity onward. The stars were symbols of humanity's vast potential, a purpose and destiny revealed in progress, inciting an exodus of unlimited growth to the distant stars. Once people looked to the heavens with hope and longing in their eyes.
Then the suns -- and hope -- began to fade.
It is the beginning of the sixth millennium after Christ and history has come to an end. Humanity's greatest civilization has fallen, leaving ignorance and fear scattered among the ruins of many worlds. A new Dark Age is upon humanity and few believe in renewal and progress anymore. Now there is only waiting. Waiting for a slow death as the age-old stars fade to cinders and the souls of the sinful are called to Final Judgment.
But not all believe in this destiny. A leader has arisen, an Emperor sworn to unite the worlds of Human Space under one banner. To ignite hope once more.
It is a monumental task, for most people have already given up and fallen into the ways of the past, playing serfs to feudal lords. What is hope to them now but a falsehood which leads to pain? Better to leave the hard decisions to their masters and let the Church console their souls.
There are enemies everywhere, those who seek to selfishly profit from humanity's demise: vain nobles ruling far-flung worlds, power-hungry priests who seek dominion over the lives of men, and greedy merchant guilds growing rich from bartering humanity's needs and wants. They are not alone. Others are out there among the darkening stars, alien races angry with humankind for age-old slavery, and enigmatic alien empires with agendas too paradoxical to fathom.
It is in such a universe that individual men and women must live. Only a few of them will question. Fewer still will act on their questions and seek answers, ways to break the grip of custom and law. To free themselves and once more seize the stars...
...and their destiny.
This is the world of Fading Suns, a universe where a variety of forces and factions vie for control of the region of Human Space; a place where religion and science often come into conflict, where aliens have not forgiven man for his transgressions centuries earlier, and a place where even the most ordinary person may hide something rather extraordinary.
Some of the material that you'll find on these pages dedicated to this rather unique science fiction and fantasy roleplaying game are, to say the least, unique and may seem to...jar...or be at odds with what one knows about "traditional" science fiction roleplaying games and environments. Fading Suns is different, refreshingly so, and the material that you'll find on these pages is very much representative of this fact. I have designed this page, and the ones that follow and link off it, to focus on the game system of Fading Suns, and to provide some information and background material about the universe in which this roleplaying game is set. I hope this material proves of interest to you.
Like all roleplaying games, Fading Suns is no exception to the rule in that it has an extensive series of rules that allow the GamesMaster to arbitrate the actions of the players and their characters. While it is beyond the scope of this book to provide more than an overview of the 200+ pages of rules that make up Fading Suns Rulesbook, you will find a good introduction to the Fading Suns Game System/Rules here as well.
One of the elements that makes the Fading Suns universe so unique and so interesting to game in is the fact that there is a detailed history about this universe. You can get a taste of the Fading Suns History here. Be warned that there is a lot of spoiler information included on this page, so it might be advised for those would-be players of the system not to read everything that is here.
No one stands alone in the war-torn and superstitious universe of the Fading Suns; to go alone is to ask for trouble. He who has no one to guard his back is not long for life. Everybody need allies, and for that reason denizens of the Known Worlds join together in groups, gangs and cliques. There are many such groups vying for power in the Fading Suns universe.
But making allies is sure to make you enemies also...
Suffice it to say, there are a variety of factions and forces, both opposed and in some cases working together, in the Fading Suns universe. You can find out more about the various factions as follows:
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This page first went on-line October 2nd, 1997