Known officially as Karbarrans , these large, furred humanoids are a proud, industrial race who were one of the earliest clients states of the Robotech Masters and rose as high in the Robotech Masters empire as a vassal state was likely to climb. They are respected for their engineering prowess, craftsmanship, strength and honor, and often worked as arbiters between species in conflict with on another when the empire was flourishing.
Unfortunately, their strong alliance with the Robotech Masters, and their dependence on the Masters’ technology and mercantile empire, blinded them to the Master’s true nature. Thus they were one of the first targets to suffer under the Invid’s vicious assault on the Robotech Masters’ empire.
It was not until the Zentraedi fleets arrived, not to liberate, but to destroy the Invid no matter where they stood, that the Karbarrans realized that they had been little more than pawns. The Zentraedi had been seen as saviors, sent by their “allies” the Robotech Masters. But the Zentraedi attacked the Invid entrenched on Karbarra with a ferocity and viciousness that left little room for protecting the planet’s already abused ecosystem. What’s more, the Zentraedi were eventually ordered to pull back and let Karbarran population’s partisan militia forces continue to bleed the Invid while the Robotech Masters protected “more important assets.” This left the Bear Men at the Invid’s mercy and they have fought an asymmetrical war against their oppressors for so long that it has nearly become the whole of their history and culture.
Besides their engineering prowess, great strength and honor, the Karbarran Bear Men also possess a unique energy source called Sekitan. While it is not as powerful as Protoculture, Sekitan still enables them to construct interstellar vehicles and engage in high-tech combat.
When the Robotech Masters first defoliated Optera, they thought it would be easy to breed the Flower of Life on just about any planet that could sustain life. They found themselves woefully in error. The Flower of Life has only ever grown naturally on Optera and Earth, and the Empire lay in shambles and their last mighty fleet was broken over earth. But, in those early heady days, they seeded multiple worlds with the Flower of Life, and when they failed to flourish, they tried genetically engineering the plants. This resulted in numerous variants, some of which were not viable, and none of which created a plant that could be used to harvest Protoculture.
On Karbarra, the first planet to be seeded, the fields of Flower of Life variants were vast. Using a significant number of real Flower of Life as a starting point, the Masters covered huge wetland areas with the plants, genetically manipulating them to seed and grow. While those plants did not create a version that could be used for Protoculture, they were able to sustain the Invid’s need for food, dooming the planet to invasion.
The Karbarrans had their own special power-supplying ore, Sekitan. When Sekitan is burned at high temperature, it gives off an isotope of Ununpentium. More commonly known as Element 115. Element 115 last only nanoseconds in a reactor, but when it breaks down it actually releases small amounts of anti-matter, which then reacts with other particles around them, causing an extremely high powered form of combustion, about five times the output of a fusion reactor of similar mass and fuel requirements. This Sekitan does not allow space folding or some other miracles of Protoculture, but it does allow the Karbarrans to build spacecraft that travel much faster than the speed of light (about one light year per week) and can be used to power advanced weaponry, but not reflex weaponry.
The Planet Karbarra
Karbarra is a large, terrestrial world in the Merak star system about 80 light years away from Earth. The Bear Men are, in fact Earth’s closest known extraterrestrial neighbors. The Star itself is more than twice as large as the sun and 60 times as bright. Because of the size and heat of Merak, Karbarra orbits at about the same distance from its primary star as Jupiter orbits from the Sun. Any closer and it would not support life.
Merak has several asteroid belts, suggesting it is an overall young star system whose planets have not finished forming. The planet Karbarrahas plenty of volcanoes and tectonic activity to suggest it is overall fairly young, and there is little fossil record. The other two planets include a “hot Jupiter” orbiting just a few million miles from the star itself, and cold, rocky world at the edge of the system. Everything else is in the Bands; rocky dust clouds that circle Merak like the rings of Saturn.
Karbarra itself is a scarred, battered world. Still capable of supporting life, it is heavily polluted by the constant Sekitan mining operations and the burning of the Sekitan. The air is filled with heavy black smog clouds, and through them one can often see the glint of metal off an Invid patrol.
Every major city is dominated by a giant Invid hive in the center of the city. Residents, faces and eyes protected against the constant soot and acid rain, do not linger in the streets for long, hoping not to be noticed.
Outside of the cities are the massive Sekitan mines, often strip-mined until all that remained was ugly, scarred earth. This process was started by the Robotech Masters and continued under the order of the Invid, who use the peat for auxiliary energy sources for side projects (it is rumored to be a major component in the creation of the Regent’s Inorganics). All of the basic Inorganics are here, and there are large number of Invid Soldiers and Invid Scientist here as well. The Karbarran orbital ship yard has been melded with a hike-like Invid space station, and it is here where the large Invid starships are constructed.
While it is obviously a goal of the UEEF to free the Karbarran people and liberate the planet from the grip of the Invid, capturing or destroying the shipyard is also a major priority and likely to be the subject of a special operation.
Karbarran Bear Man R.C.C
The average Karbarran Man stands about 8 feet tall and weighs between 500 and 800 pounds. They are covered in thick fur ranging in color from tan to rust to black. They also have small, mushroom shaped horns that are a sort of sensory organ that allow them to detect motion and navigate through dark places, like caves and mines. They have extremely long life spans, living for more than 1,500 Earth years.
They are also incredibly strong and resilient and favor heavy mecha, weaponry and armor.
Note: The Term “Bear Man” is a misnomer. There are just as many females as males. Karbarrans do favor what some human would say are old fashioned gender roles with females taking a large portion of caretaking and healing professions and raising children, while the males lean toward more martial and physical professions.
Karbarran Bear Man R.C.C.
Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 4D6, P.S. 4D6+10, P.P. 2D6+3, P.E. 3D6+10, P.B. 2D6, Spd 2D6+3 Strength is considered augmented.
Hit Points: P.E. +2D6 per level
S.D.C.: 4D4 X 10
M.D.C.: By armor only
Height: 7 feet +5D6 inches (2.1 to ***m)
Weight: 400 +1D4X100 pounds (180-360kg)
Natural Abilities: Engineering Aptitude: All Karbarrans get a +10% to all mechanical and engineering skills, regardless of O.C.C. They can also always pick at least Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Engineering regardless of O.C.C. restrictions.
Motion Detecting: The ears of the Karbarrans’ head are covered in sensitive cells and hairs which detect minute changes in wind and air pressure, working like natural motion sensors. Penalties are half when blind or in the dark.
Bonuses: +1 to Perception Rolls, +2 to save vs. poisons, toxins and gases (their breathing masks make them impervious to inhaled toxins gases and pathogens), +2 to roll with impact. These are in addition to bonuses from high attributes.
Combat: As per O.C.C., but remember that their strength is considered Augmented, allowing the stronger members of the species to deliver low Mega-Damage power punches and kicks. This has led to a very polite society, since strong members can kill even a Karbarran with a single power punch.
Available O.C.C.s: Most choose combat or Engineering professions, but their massive physique prevents them from using most human made mecha. Only Destroids or non-transformable shuttles and similar spacecraft have the room for Karbarrans to even board, let alone pilot. Most will be the Karbarran Combat Laborer (see below).
Karbarran Combat Laborer R.C.C.
This is a racial class specific to the Karabarran player characters. It is similar to combat engineer with heavier emphasis on starship engineering and construction. The Karbarran Combat Laborer is just as proud of an engine that he built or repaired as he is of his prowess in combat, and sees very little difference between the two. In Karbarrn culture, the bear man who keeps a war machine fine-tuned and running shares just as much glory as the warrior who pilots it into battle, and often the two are one and the same.
Rank: Combat Laborers who join the UEEF marines or Fleet are generally given the rank of Warrant Officer, giving them the respect and latitude of low-ranking officer, but they lack command authority except over lower-ranked command a particular mission or engineering project.
Alignment: Mostly Principled, Scrupulous or Unprincipled. Karbarran society tends to be highly social and the individual is expected to serve the betterment of the community, making selfish and evil alignments far more rare than among humanity. Anarchist, Diabolic and evil individuals are generally outcasts and and extroverts who re shunned by Karbarran society as a whole, especially if their actions have shown them to be dishonorable or, Justas bad, lazy.
Bonuses: +1D4 to P.S., +20 to SDC these are in addition to the natural bonuses possessed by species as a whole.
O.C.C. Skills
Speak and Read Karbarran: 98%
Language: Tirolian (+20%)
Language: One of Choice (+15%)
Literacy: Tirolian (+15%)
Advance Mathematics (+10%)
Astrophysics
Carpentry (+10%)
Computer Operation (+10%)
Damage Control & Disaster Response (+5%)
Electrical Engineer (+15%)
One Electrical Skill of Choice (+15%)
Field Armorer & Munitions Expect (+10%)
Mechanical Engineering (+15%)
Radio Basic: (+10%)
Military Fortification (+15%)
Starship Engineering (+10%)
Wresting
W.P. Axe
W.P. Blunt
W.P. Energy Rifle
Hand to Hand; Expert
O.C.C. Related Skills: These are additional skill choices related to the character’s training and Background. Select one other skill at level 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12.
Communications: Any
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Any (+10%)
Espionage: Wilderness Survival Only
Mechanical: Any (+10%)
Medical: None
Military: Any
Physical: Any except Acrobatics, Gymnastics or Hand to Hand.
Pilot: Any, except Mecha piloting
Pilot Related: Any (+5%)
Science: Any
Technical: Any (+5%)
W.P. Any
Wilderness: Any
Secondary Skills: Select one skill from the secondary Skill list in the Skills section of the Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPG at levels 2, 8, 12. These are additional areas of knowledge and do not get any bonuses other than possible bonuses for having a high I.Q.. All Secondary skill start at base skill level.
Standard Equipment: An extensive portable tool kit, Ursa Armor, Rebreather, Karraban Ion Rifle with five additional Sekitan power clips, a powered war shovel, one weapon of choice, goggles and personal belongings. Karbarrans prefer to have little beyond what they can carry with them at any given time.
Equipment Available on Assignment: Depending on the Game Master, the mission and the characters skills, the character can be assigned any mission specific weapons, explosive ordinance, armor, vehicles and equipment necessary to complete their mission.
Monthly Wages: Karbarran Combat Laborers who join the UEEF receive a warrant officer’s monthly wage of about 3800 credits per month. Those who stay independent earn nothing beyond what they receive from doing engineering and repair jobs. Mot just fight for the freedom of their people
Experience Table: Use the Military Specialist and Technical Officer Experience Chart in the Robotech The Shadow Chronicles RPG.
GM Note: Due to the new look of the Bear Men by Harmony Gold, the motion sensor nob things are gone. It is replaced by the sensitive ears cells and ears.
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