Battlefield Earth RPG

The Psychlos are a race as old as at least 305,000 years. They were originally peaceful miners until the population fell under the sway of the Catrists, a shadowey elite of evil charlatans who used mind-control and emotional exaggeration drugs to keep them in line. The Psychlos became very militaristic and ambitious in their desire to have total dominion over the universe.

The exact date that the Psychlos invented teleportation is unclear; however, it was at least as long as 302,000 years ago—but may have been much earlier. The Psychlos employed teleportation to transport ore and run their mining business, which the Selachees, a race of renowned intellectuals of many different fields and disciplines, helped them build through their banking network.

Approximately a hundred thousand years after the Psychlos established a market for the metals they mined, all was progressing along. Then, suddenly, another race stole or invented teleportation. That race was the Boxnards.

Although records regarding the matter are unclear and incomplete, it appears that about two hundred thousand years ago, immediately after the Boxnards stole or invented teleportation, they attempted to put it to military use.

Psychlo’s response was swift and lethal—every single Boxnard and their seven planets were completely wiped out. The Psychlos even went so far as to slaughter other peoples and races that had been allied or associated with the Boxnards.

In the years following the extermination of the Boxnards, the Psychlos’ economy did very poorly. Their population was bursting and they were in economic chaos, with nine parts in eleven unemployed. The royal house was terrified of revolution and had experienced nine assassinations of royalty-seven princes and two queens.

The Psychlos went to the Gredides System to ask the Selachees for help. They were referred by the Selachee government to the Galactic Bank, which then gave them a large loan and took over many financial and political functions—in return for protection for the Selachees and the use of the Psychlos’ teleportation network.

In the fall of 1977 (Earth time) the two spacecrafts were launched—Voyager I and II—to explore some of the outer planets in the solar system. In the 1980s, after accomplishing their intended missions, they began drifting off in different directions into space.

Universe 16 (the one Earth is in) was the last of the universes to be discovered by the Psychlos. As the solar system containing Earth is what could be called a “rim star system,” it might have been completely missed during the Psychlos’ exploration of their new universe, if not for the probe sent from Earth. The probe was retrieved in July 1999 (Earth time); according to the Psychlo history books, it contained metals that were rare in many places throughout the galaxies and had pictures of Earth and its inhabitants with the exact coordinates of the planet listed.

As soon as the Psychlos found the probe sent by Earth, Intergalactic Mining paid the Psychlo governors sixty trillion Galactic credits for the directions and the concession.

Intergalactic Mining’s next move was simple; on September 29th, 1999, they teleported a huge and almost impenetrable gas drone to Earth, followed by Psychlo battle planes to help kill off the population. The gas drone, first appearing over London, was intercepted by a squadron of fighter planes from the Royal Norwegian Air Force; they were destroyed in the ensuing five-minute dogfight, along with the rest of the city.

The drone toured the nations of the planet, dumping gas bombs upon cities and killing off billions of people in what came to be known as "the Holocaust of Man." The governments of Earth tried desperately to fend off the invasion and fight back, launching attacks against the drone with first conventional—and then nuclear—weapons, but the drone was unharmed thanks to its shielding to avoid the pressures of space. Eventually, the last of the human leaders suffocated inside bunkers, the air vents sealed to prevent poison gas from entering.

With over 99 percent of the population of Earth wiped out, the Psychlos moved in and began mining, unbothered by the planet’s former inhabitants. Tiny enclaves of surviving humans, numbering about 35,000 total, lingered in wilderness areas, harried by Psychlos only to "keep them out of the way" of their operations. Sadistic hunters by nature, Psychlos would often enjoy safaris after humans.

As a result of their routing by the initial invasion at the end of the 20th century, humanity devolved to pre-technological, superstitious primitives over the span of a thousand years, surviving only by living in irradiated areas which were slowly driving the species to extinction; these areas were unsafe and off-limits to Psychlos since their breathe-gas explodes from contact with radioactive material.

The Psychlos have ruled and ruined sixteen universes for over a period of 302,000 years. They have the monopoly on teleportation across all universes and thus economic control. Their main industry is mining and they do this by taking over planets, wiping out the indigenous population and then mining out the precious metals for themselves. Their home planet’s atmosphere is breathe-gas, with a heavy gravity, where everything is a shade of purple. As a race, they are vicious, sadistic, and devious, and get pleasure from pain and torture.

The Psychlos are physically large—about nine feet tall, weighing somewhere near a ton—and have the strength to kill a man with just one blow, making them a force to be reckoned with. The face of a Psychlo is composed of amber-colored eyes, fanged teeth and a series of shifting bony plates with a limited range of expression. The entire body is hairy and they have paws with sharp talons instead of fingers, with a sixth talon in their right paw.

In order to survive in Earth’s atmosphere, Psychlos have to wear special, bulky breathe-masks over their faces.

For fear of revolt, the Psychlos refrain from creating colonies, and planet Psychlo, or “home planet” as it is called, runs all of the Psychlo operations, including those of Intergalactic Mining and other large companies.

The Catrists, which means “mental doctors” came to power over 250,000 years ago on Psychlo. They took charge of all the schools and medical centers and controlled who could be trained on teleportation.

The people specially trained under them are called “brain-brains” and are sent to planets as the security chief. The security chiefs are then the only person on a planet with the knowledge to build a teleportation rig.

Before the Catrists, the Psychlos were a different, more benevolent people. When the Catrists assumed power they became the real, but hidden government and ruled by spying on and controlling what the Psychlos population thought.

Then suddenly, from the Psychlo point of view, an awful thing happened—another race stole or invented teleportation. It terrified them. It is unclear what happened next; however, it seems that this other race (Boxnards, Universe 6) tried to put teleportation to military use. The Psychlos got there first and the entire seven planets of the Boxnards, and every single Boxnard and races associated or allied with the Boxnards, were wiped out. It took the Psychlos years to execute it, but no one ever found any trace of the Boxnards after that.

After about half a century of reclusion following this event, the Psychlos reemerged as the cruelest, most sadistic oppressors any universe had ever seen. However, they were in deep internal trouble again and went to the Gredides System and actually begged the Selachees for help. They wanted money to hire soldiers and buy arms. Of course, the Selachee government (and every other race in sixteen universes) wanted nothing to do with them and it looked like outright war.

They were then turned over to Lord Loonger (a Selachee) of the Galactic Bank and a deal was made—the Galactic Bank would handle all economic concerns and peace conferences for the Psychlos in exchange for teleportation services and protection. It was because of this deal that the Psychlos were able to stabilize and become the strongest force across the universes.

Over a thousand years ago members of humanity sent a probe out that wandered aimlessly through space until it was intercepted by the Psychlos. Containing precious metals and directions to Earth, it was practically an open invitation to rape and plunder the planet, an invitation that the Intergalactic Mining Company accepted.

The Psychlos then teleported a gas drone to Earth, which circled the entire planet, gassing each city as it went along.

Psychlo battle planes and tanks were sent in as a clean-up crew, and shortly thereafter business was set up with mining staff and equipment in full operation—gutting Earth of its precious metals, no longer bothered by its previous owners.

What remained of the human race spent the next ten centuries evading the Psychlos. Finding shelter in high mountains and other places that were of little use to Psychlo miners, the human race teetered on the edge of extinction.

The Bolbods are plain plug-ugly creatures, larger than Psychlos, but sort of shapeless, and with what one could call their “hands” always clenched into fists.

They have a reputation for being a bit stupid and arrogant, and it is rumored that the Bolbods intend a conquest of the galaxies and will be choosing certain Psychlo stations as their next targets.

The Bolbod military does not wear insignia, a practice they consider below their dignity.

Their crafts are generally large and cylindrical and have considerable firepower. A large Bolbod ship could easily take out any defenses established from existing resources on Earth. The Bolbod military operates primarily by radio.

209,462 years ago, while inhabiting their seven planets somewhere in Universe 6, the Boxnards developed a form of teleportation. This event terrified the Psychlos.

It is thought that the Boxnards tried to put teleportation to military use, but the Psychlos got there first and completely obliterated them, along with all of their planets and anyone associated with them. The Boxnards were effectively driven to extinction.

The Chatovarians have the reputation of being the best defense builders. It is their boast that no Psychlo attack has ever broken through in their entire seven-hundred-planet empire. They have even shot down gas drones.

Chatovarians love to work with stone: they have small beam tools, like swords, and they cut stone with splice notches so it hangs together with no mortar. They then anneal the stone and make it join molecularly so it is armor-hard. As a result, the whole grain of the stone comes out in bright, glossy colors.

Known to be nice people, they stand about five feet tall, have somewhat flat heads and big buck teeth. Physically, they are a bright orange-tan with hands that are a trifle webbed but very nimble. They are also very strong; they are fast workers and prefer to eat wood for food.

The Chinkos were an old race that came from Galaxy 2. Physically they were as tall as Psychlos but thread-thin and delicate.

They had considerable knowledge, and experience of the cultural arts and many members of the race were captured by the Psychlos and used for cultural posts on planets where there was air; the Psychlos didn’t like to admit they had learned what they knew of cultural arts from them. The Psychlos found them easy to transport as they were feather-light.

Chinkos served for many years in the culture and ethnology department of the Intergalactic Mining Company’s station on Earth.

The Chinkos eventually initiated a strike against the Psychlos, which resulted in their complete extermination.

During their time on Earth, they did do quite a bit of research on man as could be seen in hundreds of yards of cabinets and books.

The Chinkos also created instruction discs for their learning machine, teaching all about the languages, cultures, and sciences of Earth.

With an oval-shaped head, antennae for ears and a blade-gummed mouth, the Hawvin is an interesting-looking creature. When provoked they turn a light violet color.

One of the Hawvin planets is Balor, just a ring away from the planet Tolnep, and conflicts with the Hawvins have been reported by both the Tolneps and the Hockners.

Coming from the Duraleb System, a Hockner probe ship has been sent to Earth, manned by a noseless, overly ornamented crew that is in search of a teleportation system somewhere on the planet.

Behind all the pomp, circumstance and gold braid is a sophisticated military race, posing a great danger to humanity.

The Jambitchows have an interesting appearance, with eyes where their mouths should be and glittering gold scales.

In search of the teleportation system on Earth, the Jambitchows band together with the Hawvins, Bolbods, and Hockners. Although natively hostile to these other races, the Jambitchows temporarily put aside their differences to accomplish their ends.

Affiliated with the Galactic Bank, the small, gray Selachees are ideal bankers, as they can eat anything, breathe almost any atmosphere and live on almost any gravity. They come from the three habitable planets of the Gredides System. Somewhat similar to Earth, the planets contain nine surface parts of water to only two parts of land on the average.

With about five billion inhabitants on each planet, it is quite a busy population. Although mostly devoted to banking, they have engineers and specialists and, naturally, lots of mathematicians.

About three hundred thousand years ago the Selachee ran into the Psychlos. They were not conquered; in fact, they didn’t even fight a war. In those days the Psychlos were not as bad as they became about a hundred thousand years later. The Psychlos were actually under economic stress and severe unemployment due to their rocketing breeding count. The Selachees helped bring stability to the Psychlos by introducing computer technologies for handling their financial systems.

As time went on, the Psychlos got into additional troubles and begged the Galactic Bank for more help. They were brought to the bargaining table and it was negotiated that the bank would handle all economic connections they had with other races, handle all transfers of Psychlos funds, handle all peace conferences. And in return every Selachee would be held inviolate, the Selachee planets and the Gredides System were totally hands-off, and the Psychlos would furnish teleportation facilities throughout the universes for the bank. They signed, got their money, and they stabilized. As a result, the Selachees gained economic control over all known universes, galaxies and planets.

The stated purpose of the Galactic Bank is to bring economic stability to the universes and galaxies through loans and interest. However, their true intentions and ambitions, while appearing to be altruistic, are suspect.

Having mastered time control, so they could hold it frozen, the Tolneps send their war vessels (Vulcor class) on long piratical voyages to raid other planets and enslave them.

Known for their technically advanced weapons, the Tolneps can breathe just about anything, see in infrared only (requiring a special filter plate face mask) and have a body density comparable to iron that makes them immune to Psychlo gas. They also have a bite that is a deadly poison.

Creeth is the capital of Tolnep and is known for its distinctive architectural style with streets and sections of buildings that wind and intertwine. Also located there is the famous combined public park and slave auction center (slave trading has become a popular activity and industry among Tolneps). Tolnep is located in the Batafor System (known as Sirius in ancient man-constellation maps), which has only three inhabited planets—the seventh, eighth and ninth. The Tolnep homeland is located on the ninth.

Surrounding the ninth planet are five moons, one of which is named “Asart,” which secretly holds the crews, hangars, and shops of the entire Tolnep navy. On the back of Asart is a huge diamond with a slash, done with hyperband nullifying material to act as a navigation and identification marker. It is unknown to practically everyone except a fleet officer, and the marker will not show up on standard recorders.

Asart is used for the launching of major war vessels because Tolnep vessels can’t operate in a planetary atmosphere due to the great inefficiency of their star energy drives, which, being essentially reaction engines, use up too much of their power. After construction, such vessels are based on Asart and their crews and material are ferried to them from the planet’s surface.

The navy base on Asart is Tolnep’s dearest and most hard-kept secret.