HALO Fan Themes for the Genesys RPG

I think we’re just getting started.

Master Chief Petty Officer John-117.

In the time of the Human-Covenant War, the United Nations Space Command is fighting a desperate retreating action to protect humanity from the inexorable advance of the alien Covenant Hegemony. As hundreds of worlds are glassed with energy bombardments from orbit, growing discontent among the Covenant’s leadership threatens to sunder an alliance that has stood for three thousand years. Both sides are on an unswerving path of fate that winds through the shadow of the Forerunners, but it also hides a plague with monstrous intent that has waited a hundred millennia for the chance to once again spread across the stars.

What side will you take? What story will you tell?

Presenting two fan-made themes for the Genesys roleplaying game set in the HALO universe: WINTER CONTINGENCY and STATION & SALVATION. Choose to take up arms against the Covenant menace or the specter of heresy by building your very own character: a scrappy human, a cunning Artificial Intelligence, a mighty Spartan, or one of four Covenant client species; then pick from a multitude of careers that define your role in the ongoing war. Then steel yourself for the battles ahead with a range of weapons, armor, gear, vehicles, and starships to outfit your missions.

You can find the PDF rulebooks and character sheets here.

Theme I: Winter Contingency

The Office of Naval Intelligence believes deployment of a Spartan team is a gross misallocation of valuable resources. I disagree.

Colonel Urban Holland.

By the year 2551, twenty-six years of brutal war have taken their toll on humanity. The United Earth Government is a shell of its former self, having ceded its authority under martial law to the UNSC which is currently trying to hold the line. The Outer Colonies have fallen, the Inner Colonies are in ruin, and Reach is the only military stronghold remaining. The UNSC must rely on all its dwindling options, from the regular forces of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines to the clandestine yet effective efforts of the Office of Naval Intelligence, to buy time for their survival.

But in addition to their conventional forces, the UNSC also has its secret weapons: Artificial Intelligences and Spartans. As computerized beings, AIs control critical functions in the war with the Covenant, such as enhancing naval vessels and coordinating interstellar battle strategies, and they give the UNSC an insurmountable advantage in electronic warfare. Yet when it comes to achieving tactical victories, there are none better than the Spartans, augmented supersoldiers in powered armor who can single-handedly turn the tide of battle. Both AIs and Spartans are few in number, however, and they depend on the service of the many dedicated and versatile people of the UNSC to capitalize on their successes.

This fan-made theme for the Genesys roleplaying includes:

  • Character creation options for the UNSC, including archetypes, careers, skills, and talents appropriate for the HALO universe. Whether you’re thinking of playing a driven and capable human, a savvy and technical AI, or a lethal and iconic Spartan, you’ll find plenty of options to make yourself a unique part of the galaxy.
  • Weapons, armor, vehicles, and other equipment you’ll need to root out the Insurrectionists, defeat the Covenant, and explore the enigmatic Forerunner ruins across the galaxy. Get behind the wheel of a Warthog, jump into hell in an orbital drop pod, or take command of a Halcyon-class cruiser and bring the fight to the enemy.
  • An overview of the human side of the Great War, including the history of the United Earth Government, details on the UNSC’s branches and organization, and information on running network encounters in HALO. Discover the origins of the mysterious SPARTAN-II program and prepare your AI to infiltrate the Covenant battlenet.
  • Dozens of stat blocks covering the many adversaries and allies you might encounter in your campaign to save humanity and stop the genocidal Covenant. Only you hold the key to our salvation…

Download the WINTER CONTINGENCY PDF rulebook and character sheet here.

Theme II: Station & Salvation

You are one of our most treasured instruments. Long have you led your fleet with honor and distinction.

The Prophet of Truth.

In the Ninth Age of Reclamation, the Covenant Hegemony’s victory over the accursed humans is imminent, but an unthinkable tragedy threatens to destroy three thousand years of progress. After fleeing the destruction of their last fortress world, the humans found and destroyed one of the Sacred Rings, annihilating an entire Covenant armada in the process. With the blame laid squarely at the Sangheili commander’s feet and tensions rising among the other species, conspiracies are being put into motion by schemers and heretics in order to seize or maintain their control.

This period of strife puts the burden on four Covenant client species in particular. The Sangheili have long held the favor of the San’Shyuum as military leaders, but now their reputation is at risk from the Jiralhanae, relative newcomers to the Covenant who have shown great loyalty and reverence to the Forerunners. Meanwhile, the Kig-Yar and Unggoy continue their lower caste squabbles while keeping a sharp eye on the developing situation. Should the time come, they will have to decide whether to support the Sangheili or the Jiralhanae… or even if they should make their own play for power.

This fan-made theme for the Genesys roleplaying includes:

  • Character creation options for the aliens within the Covenant, such as the noble Sangheili, the comical Unggoy, the shrewd Kig-Yar, and the fearsome Jiralhanae. Choose your career, skills, and talents to forge your own Covenant warrior and decide the path you walk to attain the Great Journey.
  • Weapons, armor, vehicles, and the equipment you will wield in your quest to burn out heresy across the galaxy. Whether it’s at the controls of a nimble Banshee flyer or with an energy sword in your hand, what you choose to bring with you into battle will be essential in deciding the fate of the Covenant.
  • A look at the history of the Covenant, from the War of Beginnings to the discovery of the humans and the declaration that they are the ancient enemy of the Forerunners. You will also find a breakdown of Covenant governance, military authority, and religious orders, as well as information on notable heretic groups that seek to undermine the faith.
  • Dozens of stat blocks detailing the adversaries and allies you may encounter in your travels. Whether it’s the humans themselves, heretics hiding within the clergy, or the sinister and virulent Flood organism, you must know your enemy if you hope to prevail.

Download the STATION & SALVATION PDF rulebook and character sheet here.

Want to help?

If you play using these themes and want to give us some feedback:

  • send an email to feedback (at) jamestaber (dot) com,
  • fill out a Google Form for WINTER CONTINGENCY and STATION & SALVATION (links in the PDFs),
  • or drop us a line using the contact form below.