Honored Pilot R.C.C.

The Children of Cha’Kran

Every spacefaring race venerates its first flights into the stars as a historic step forward. But none do so, nor have the reason to do so, as much as the Mogg’Theran. When they first ventured forward into space it was not simply for exploration, it was for survival.

The Mogg’Theran homeworld was scarred from pollution and the planet had always been short on a variety of metals. To save the planet, and to save a stagnating economy, they had to look to space for resources. The Prospectors, astronauts and miners, led the way, charting the Gargannau-Prime star system and the neighboring stars once wormhole technology was developed from a wrecked Vorhasi ship.

The greatest prospector and navigator was Cha’Kran. He developed the mathematics of interstellar navigation into an artform, one he passed on to people with both the reflexes and intellect to comprehend and use them.

The Honored Pilots, also known as the Children of Cha’Kran, are the Mogg’Theran who follow in his footsteps. These are not just pilots, every Child of Cha’Kran has absorbed an understanding of space and interstellar navigation to such a degree that it has become nearly mystical or psychic. It is none of those things. It is a training of the mind in one specific direction to an extreme degree.

Honored pilots are charged with flying all large Mogg’Theran warships or any ship larger than a shuttle or fighter. None would fly anything smaller than a pinnace or light transport. While other Mogg’Theran often fly transports and occasionally fly ships as large as a frigate, no one but an Honored Pilot is allowed to fly a ship-of-the-line or Mogg’Theran capital ship.

Honored Pilots hold an honorary rank of Commander, and are usually the third-ranking member of a ship’s crew, under the Captain and his First. This rank is generally respected by other alien races when dealing with the Mogg’Theran.

In their own culture, they are treated like lesser nobility, granted favors and comforts that typical officers do not warrant. Their quarters are larger, their food is better and their captains are a bit more lenient with them than with other officers. However, they are still expected to perform and observe military etiquette and to remember who is boss.

Special Skills

Honored Pilots are able to use their extensive knowledge of ships and space to get much better performance than most other pilots. They can plot more efficient and exact courses, and coax engines and power systems to new heights.

Superior Stellar Navigation: Without the use of a computer or calculating device of any kind, Honored Pilots can chart courses through space when traveling by FTL or by Sublight engine that is more efficient than a course plotted by another pilot. On a successful roll, a course set by an Honored Pilot is a 10% faster trip and uses 25% less fuel and consumables. They can also roll to avoid engaging with an enemy who is more than 1 million miles away or roll to catch or engage an enemy who is less than 1 million miles away that is trying to escape (unless they go faster-than-light to escape). In addition, an Honored Pilot only needs to be able to have a clear view of the stars to have the chance to roll and determine their current position in our section of the Milky Way Galaxy. Base skill: 50%+5% per each additional level of experience. This replaces the skill Navigation: Space.

Superior Flight Performance: When an Honored Pilot takes the helm, he or she can make the ship go 10% faster than its maximum speed. The ship is also +2 to initiative and +2 to dodge in combat situations.

Alignment: Any, but most are Scrupulous, Unprincipled or Aberrant.

Gender: Any

Attribute Requirements: An I.Q. and P.P. of 14 or higher is required.

Starting S.D.C.: 15

Racial Restrictions: Mogg’Theran only.

O.C.C. Skills

Speak and Read Mogtu 98%

Two languages of choice (+15%)

Literacy: One of choice (+10%)

Astronomy 98%

Astrophysics (+15%)

Advanced Math (+15%)

Basic Math (+15%)

Pilot Small Starship (+20%)

Pilot Large Starship (+20%)

Sensory Equipment (+10%)

Space War Tactics (+10%)

Weapon Systems (10%)

W.P. Energy Pistol

W.P. Blunt

Hand-to-Hand: Expert, can be upgraded to martial arts or assassin at the cost of one O.C.C. Related skill.

O.C.C. Related Skills: Six other skills are selected at level one, plus one skill at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 14.

Communications: Any (+5%)

Cowboy: None

Domestic: Any

Electrical: Basic Electronics only.

Mechanical: Basic Mechanics Only

Medical: First Aid only.

Military: Any (+5%)

Physical: Any (+10%)

Pilot: Any except Robot, Power Armor and Star fighter. (+10%)

Pilot Related: None (start with all of them)

Rogue: None.

Science: None.

Technical: Any (+10%).

W.P. Ancient: Any.

W.P. Modern: Any.

Wilderness Skills: None.

Secondary Skills: Select four Secondary Skill at first level from the Secondary Skill Section of Rifts Ultimate Edition. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not get any bonuses, other than any possible bonus for having a high I.Q. All Secondary Skills start at the base skill level.

Standard Equipment: Several casual duty uniforms, formal dress uniform, light body armor of choice, one energy pistol of choice, four spare energy clips, Audio/Visual Datalink Headset, the Book of Cha’Kran, Ship-to-Shore Uplink, utility knife (1D4 S.D.C.), wrist computer, backpack, personal effects.

Vehicle of Note: Honored Pilots who have left the Armada (the player character, unless the campaign is set in a Mogg’Theran fleet), will have a light transport as a personal ship. It is fully paid for.

Starting Money: 1D10x10,000 credits.

Cybernetics: None, and would not consider getting any.

Experience Table: Use the Operator experience table.