Unisystem Fringeworthy

Since 2005

These are quick and dirty conversion rules for Fringeworthy, a RPG of inter-dimensional travel created in 1982 by Richard Tucholka (1954-2017).The characters in the game are the 1-in-100,000 people capable of crossing the portals created by an ancient alien race, the Tehrmelern, into the ‘Fringes’ and explore alternate worlds and distant star systems. The game was published by Tri Tac Systems and had a second edition in 1992.

This work is far from complete. As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

UPDATES

April 23th, 2020
I realized this page was missing and put it up again

Added ID Number

Unisystem Flavor

Fringeworthy is mainly a Classic Unisystem setting. Use that version’s skill list and Secondary Attributes. This might result in high character lethality, but that is in line with the game. If you want a more cinematic game,it should be easy to adapt the cinematic Unisystem conventions.

Character Creation

Since one of the main themes of Fringeworthy was that the heroes were basically regular people, I would suggest using the Survivor character type (70 points), form All Flesh Must Be Eaten. Although the Norm type would be more in line with the first statement, the characters are still supposed to be heroes.

Attributes

Qualities

No Supernatural Qualities are available except Fringeworthy (free) and Alien. Since all of the characters will most likely be fringeworthy (a pre-requisite for most games), the player characters get it for free. Alternate humans or near-humans are just a special effect, so in this case, the Alien Quality has a zero-point cost.

In order to play more exotic aliens, like the Slarg or the Spiders, the player will have to buy the specific species Quality. No one can start the game with psionic powers, unless they are a part of an alien package, but a character may start with the Psionic Quality (1 point) to indicate his potential and develop it during the campaign.

IDET training teaches the characters the basics of a few skills. This package Quality costs 5 points, but you can grant it for free too. This should be the case if you are using the Norm Type. If the characters are Survivors, you may charge for it in order to soak a few Quality points and prevent all your ‘regular’ characters loading up on Fast Reaction Time, Situational Awareness etc.

IDET Operative
5-point Quality
Obligation (UNISS) [-3]
+1 Brawling, +1 First Aid, +1 Guns (SMG), +1 Survival (Type), +1 Driving (Type)
3 points to distribute in any of the following skills:
Humanities (Type), Science (Type), Demolitions, Stealth, Swimming, Tactics (Type)

Since the fringeworthy are a very scarce resource, IDET tolerates a little weirdness in its ranks. However, they will not send raving lunatics, the elderly, children, or people with severe physical disability into the Fringes.

Skills

Skills work normally. To convert them from Fringeworthy, divide the skill levels by 2, round up. Then, subtract the appropriate Unisystem Attribute level from it. For example, a character with Computer Operation 8 and Intelligence 14 in Fringeworthy, would have Computers 1 (8/2=4 – 3 (Int) = 1) in Unisystem.

Crystal Use is a Special skill that can only be learned by the fringeworthy, but no character may start the game with it.

Mellor

Here's a simple conversion system for Mellors.

ID number

This is an optional way to simulate the feel of working for a large organization with a well-developed bureaucracy. Characters get an eleven-digit ID nunber when they join IDET. To generate the identification, follow these guidelines:

1: Fringeworthiness. N for non-fringeworthy, F for fringeworthy, A for alien human fringeworthy and X for exotic alien or paranormal human fringeworthy.
2: Last digit of the century. Ex.: 0 for 20th, 1 for 21st.
3-4: Year. Ex.: 94 for 1994, 00 for 2000.
5-8: Number of recruitment for a specific year.
9: Physical fitness (average of STR, DEX and CON).
10: Mental fitness (average of INT, PER and WIL).
11: Function. 1 for field agent, 2 for field support, 3 for base ops/logistics, 4 science departments, 5 for for recruitment, 6 for administration and 7 for command.

The only number that will ever change is the last one, which varies according to the character's current department.

Example: Can Li, a cook from Hong Kong, joined IDET this year. He is fringeworthy and was the 30th recruit of the year. His physical- and mental-Attribute averages are 3 and 2, and he has been assigned to field support. His ID number is F1.20.0030.3.2/2.

Back to Unisystem

Well, enjoy it! And if you want, you can drop me a line at fred at patchlord dot com.