Gravestar: Cowboy Ghostbusters in Space!

“The dead don’t rest easy on the world of Perdition. Ain't nobody exactly sure why that might be, but folks got a few ideas. Some think the ghosts were always here. This world was right an’ proper dead an’ we damned fools had to go an’ wake it up again. If that don’t make the lot of us necromancers, not sure what would. Now other folks say the ghosts an’ spirits an’ whatnot followed us here from Old Earth. A few billion hungry ghosts none too happy to watch the lot of us flyin’ off into the black as they starved on a dying world. A few folks think we just picked ‘em up out in the void. Passed through some nebula of ectoplasm an’ picked up some right nasty hitchhikers. Engine knows I ain't got a clue. All I know is bein’ an undertaker sure as shit ain’t as easy as it used to be, but it damn well pays good!”
-Ol’ Jim

Extremely Self Indulgent Introduction
Alright, so what in several dozen hells am I doing here? As those who know me will attest, world building is a serious addiction for me. Note how I do not do the standard AA style “Hello, I am Dasaria and I have a problem.” Because I insist on wallowing in this addiction to sweet creative juices. They sustain my wretched meat form! Lately those sweet brain juices had been flowing and converged with one of my other terrible debilitating habits of mine: Anime. Specifically I was watching the reboot of Trigun and remembering a very important fact. I. Love. Space Westerns. So I started making one! So, I’m gonna share it online for people to enjoy!

What will I do with this? I don’t know. I might write stories about it, which could be cool. That said, I bet this would make a kickass RPG setting. Probably it could work in a lot of systems. However, since I recently got my hands on a beta copy of BREAK!! (yes the exclamations are obligatory) and it has become one of my hands down favorite systems. I think I’ll be releasing conversion suggestions and rules for BREAK!! This will probably be a fun learning experience. Of course, I also love the default setting for that system but as mentioned I have a problem. So, let's dive in!

The Setting Synopsis
The Solus system is our primary setting here. Why am I focusing on a single star system rather than a galaxy or something? Because as Douglas Adams said “space is big.” It can be a bit unwieldy in how big it is. So, we’ll be limiting ourselves to one star system. Indeed, most of the action will be taking place on the miserable desert planet of Perdition as mentioned by Ol’ Jim above.

What will our players be doing here on Perdition and the related worlds? They’ll be undertakers. The Solus system is, of course, haunted! Because space ghosts can do more than host late night television shows. Undertakers make it their job to take care of the restless dead and put them down where they belong.

Meanwhile, the Company who owns all the land is aggressively encouraging colonists to mine a new “Black Gold” called ectonite which has mysterious supernatural properties. All while they try to dispossess the first wave colonists, and literally suck the population dry. Because, obviously, they are literally vampires. Why? Because who doesn’t want to fight a rich railroad man vampire monopoly owner in space? That sounds awesome.

There will be ghosts, magic guns, vampires, space ships, cowbowys, robots, and genetically altered animal people. Major inspirations include Trigun, Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, Wildstar, Ghostbusters, Firefly, Hadestown, No Evil, and every single thing set in the old west and featuring ghosts ever.

Baseline Mechanical Conceits
Plan is to write up some fun enemies, maybe customize some callings, and write up new species for players to be while fleshing out the setting.

Besides that though the following baseline rules alterations to the setting are being considered:

1- Combination Weapons which feature mechanical missile weapons combined with a melee weapon will only cost what it would to have the two weapons, the double cost is not incurred. Why? Because it’s the wild west in space and guns are awesome! Gunswords are also awesome. The people of Solus can and will strap guns to anything and everything.

2- Small mechanical missile weapons have 6 shots before needing to reload. Large mechanical missile weapons have 2 shots before needing to reload. Does this make pistols stronger? Yes. Is this on theme? Yes. Do I want everyone and their mother to have a pistol? Yes. Do I want them to have two? Even better, yes.

Y'know what? They ride genetically engineered dinosaurs too because why not?