Deck of Fridays 5: Bewildered

Welcome back to DECK OF FRIDAYS, our weekly feature here at FATE SF. We make a draw from the Deck of Fate, RPG Inspiration Cards, or another Aspect-generative randomizer. Then we do something interesting with it, using the Aspect as inspiration for a campaign or scenario seed, a situation, scene, location, NPC, thingie, etc.  

This week's draw from the Deck of Fate is a card with the Aspect: Bewildered.

A Table For The Bewildered

It's a confusing Galaxy out there. Here's why!

Roll 1d6-1d6.

RESULTS:

• -5: Anyone who is NOT a local is totally bewildered. This world has experienced a singularity since your last visit. None of the locals seem to understand, well... language any more.

• -4:  Yes, that was a blind hyperspace jump. Or a navigational error. The bridge crew seems a little bewildered about where exactly you are. The computer isn't being much help either.

• -3: The contract language seemed straightforward. I mean you have someone on your team who reads Urdu. But who knew the individual clauses were only in effect under a bewilderingly variable and contingent set of circumstances. As it happens, you'll need an astrologer as well as a lawyer to make heads or tails out of this contract.

• -2: The locals take offence at a bewildering variety of perceived slights. Then they demand compensation. If you don't pay up, you will have to participate in a duel.

• -1: There's too many factions at war on this world. Splits within splits. No groups without dissidents. This is heaven for an arms dealer or a political consultant, but hell for anyone who needs to get things done.

• 0: The marriage, clan, religious, gender (etc., etc.) system on this world is entirely too complex and convoluted. Just like anywhere, but different than what you know.

• +1: A number of the people around you here seem to be stoned. Permanently.

• +2: This planet has multiple internets that don't talk to each other. Multiple, competing operating systems for factories, androids and robots, and computers. It's a wonder all these machines ever talk to each other. They wouldn't be able to, if it weren't for the Church of Big Data. Their temple's right over there.

• +3: Genetic analysis reveals that almost everyone on this planet is a genetic mosaic of different species. People only appear to be the same species. Medicine is very complex and expensive. This means that interstellar pharma and tissue sample runs can be very lucrative. Finally, somebody with a Beowulf-class ship has a chance to break even (or better).

• +4: This world was settled by about 30 different intelligent species, each with their own distinct languages and customs. Conflicts are resolved and resources are allocated through a series of complex and highly stylized competitive games. You too can play, although the rules will take months to learn. If you win, you might end up running the place!  

• +5:  This system has a slipknot that cycles through 30 different Clusters with 5-6 individual systems each. You think. It's going to take a while to map all the potential places you can get to through this Supercluster. Once you figure it all out you'll be rich!