Brewist Tabletop

Trashtronautica

Brewist Tabletop | Trashtronautica 1

Trashtronautica
Garbage. Trash. Junk. Waste. Scrap. Rubbish. bunch of ragtag animals with varied diets and
Mankind made a lot of it. They littered the motivations. But here in the vastness of space,
Earth—and then, when it was full, they began everything just seems different. So maybe we
to litter the stars. But in the wake of this mess, should roll with it.
there have always been those who don’t see it
In Trashtronautica, players take the role of urban
as useless.
animals in the distant future who have taken to
It’s amazing what some humans have left space. Suitable for 1-5 players and 1 Narrator.
behind. Chinese dumplings? A little frozen and Characters in Trashtronautica aren't fully
probably irradiated, but still good. Now that anthropomorphic by default, but you can play
we’ve made it to space, the universe is our that way if you'd like. They are able to manipulate
dodgy oyster. technologies, wear space suits, and do things of
Now our crew is out here looking for anything that nature. If it works with the genre and makes a
useful. On Earth, we’d never cooperate. A better story, lean into it.

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Set Up caught up in the minutiae of what’s possible.
Mysticism: Create a sense of awe and mystery.

Safety Tools
Emphasize beauty and enigma.
Lightheartedness: Aim for joy, happy endings,
Safety tools are techniques groups can employ and success over negativity.
to ensure all players are aware of the boundaries
Openness: Be receptive to players’ feelings. Listen
and expectations of the other players. Although
to wishes and concerns without judgment.
Trashtronautica is designed with lighthearted
games in mind, we always recommend discussing
safety tools with your group. Lines and Veils, movie Setting
ratings, or the X card are all examples of safety Trashtronautica takes place in the distant future,
tools you can employ during your own games. as humanity has forged its way through space,
abandoning earth and the nearby solar systems.
Materials Without humans around, some animals have
found their way into space, and away from the
Trashtronautica uses a standard deck of playing
poisoned planet. Trashtronautica lends itself well
cards, jokers included, as well as 2 six sided dice.
to stories of whimsy, awe, and discovery as well as
Each player draws 5 cards. Always draw up to 5
occasionally more serious themes such as isolation
after resolving a skill challenge. Shuffle in spent
and survival.
cards when the deck is depleted.

Technobabble
Player Principles
Trashtronautica relies on the ‘yes, and’ principle
Cooperation: Work together collaboratively to
of improv. To that end, technobabble is a great
solve problems.
cover for explaining how or why things work. If
Curiosity: Look for interesting things in every the crew wants to build something, or asks if
corner of space. they have access to something, your best fallback
Boldness: Take risks! Be heroic! is always technobabble. A common trope of
Sci-Fi, the easiest way to utilize it is to combine
Support: Show empathy and care toward other
jargon or pseudoscientific terms in whatever way
players and NPCs.
sounds appealing and reasonably sensible at a
Playfulness: Engage with the universe! It’s all glance. These terms won’t hold up under close
there to make an experience for you. examination, so if there are any questions, assure
Creativity: Think outside the box. Try to create them that it works, but they don’t fully understand
interesting moments and memories. the principles. Some great technobabble words
to combine are: Crystals, Radiation, Gamma, Ion,

Narrator Principles
Encouragement: Foster your players’ ideas,
theories, and engagements with the universe.
Reward: Allow creative solutions to problems, say
‘yes’ to new directions, and don’t roadblock.
Reverie: Give space for flights of fancy. Don’t get

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Displacer, Fractal, Coiling, Particle, Accelerator, personality and honest spirit.
Laser, Spectrum, Monitor, Meter, Long-Range, Ace Ability: Make up to three organic enemies
Quantum, Shielding, Material, Matter, Vacuum, flee, if able.
Drive, Alpha, Teleporter, Quadruple, etc. Species Benefit: Ignore harsher penalties for
failing push on SOCIAL checks.
Gameplay Opossum
Players will create their animals and draw their Incredibly hearty creatures, opossums are able to
cards, and The Narrator will set the scene. Often, take a hit and keep moving with ease.
the players will roleplay with one another aboard
Ace Ability: When receiving a second or third
their ship to establish relationships and playstyles.
wound, they can ignore it.
When players or The Narrator are ready for the Species Benefit: Immune to disease and poison.
next scene, the Narrator will describe a new scene
unfolding. This will often involve a hook or other Rat
motivator, such as an abandoned spaceship or
Small and nimble, rats specialize in stealth and
potential hazard. Players will describe how they their ability to find anything.
collaborate to navigate these challenges and work
Ace Ability: Move up one success tier on a SNEAK
together to solve them.
or SALVAGE check.
Eventually, the players or Narrator may call for a Species Benefit: Can discard one card to draw
specific skill challenge to completely or partially one card after every skill check.
resolve a conflict. When this happens, the narrator
will flip 3 cards onto the table, and the acting Raccoon
player will play cards from their hand, choosing Raccoons are resourceful and cunning, and thrive
which cards will create their results. wherever there's scrap.
Consult the scoring table to determine the point Ace Ability: When Salvaging, gain 3 additional
value of the cards. Then roll two 6-sided dice, scrap.
adding the total to the value from the cards. Species Benefit: SCRAPCRAFT requires one less
Compare the results to the skill challenge chart to scrap, minimum of one.
determine the degree of success.
Coyote
Characters Cunning creatures that excel at combat, coyotes
are clever and incredibly versatile, easily adapting
Pigeon to their surroundings.

Adept at flying, these avian explorers are intelligent Ace Ability: Deal an additional wound when using
and social individuals. a STRIKE check.
Species Benefit: Can push STRIKE checks twice.
Ace Ability: Gain +4 to STEER on a check.
Species Benefit: If doubles are rolled on the 2d6
Ships and Movement
roll, add one more d6
Ships can take damage just like Trashtronauts. At 3
Skunk wounds, your ship is disabled, unable to function,
Curious and friendly, skunks possess a unique and drifting at the mercy of gravity currents. Repair
biological weapon complimented by their outgoing often takes scrap, and a SCRAPCRAFT check, but

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will remove wounds and restore functionality. for a ship, but otherwise, the animals are floating
Distance is measured in LS, or Light-Seconds. Time freely within their vessel.
is abstracted in Trashtronautica, but often traveling
a single LS will afford opportunities for roleplay. Salvaging and Scrap
Directions are measured in 180 degree arcs either
Scrap is often the main objective in Trashtro-
Starboard or Port, and a 90 degree High or Low.
nautica. Littering the stars, there are numerous
For instance: something on your left side, below
satellites, stations, ships, and outposts ripe for
you, and behind you, might be 125 degrees Port,
salvaging. Salvaging will often give you numerous
45 Low.
pieces of inorganic materials you can use to create
While many technologies exist in Trashtronautica new equipment, upgrade your ship or gear, trade
that are common in sci-if media, the universe with other trashtronauts, or maintain your ship.
of Trashtronautica does not, by default, feature Occasionally, you’ll find organic materials which can
artificial gravity. This could be a possible upgrade serve as food.

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Combat to cards in their hand, then roll 2d6. Gain points
based on the highest card set you can make, then
Occasionally, your characters may be involved in add the total on the dice.
hostile conflict with other creatures. When this
NPC Skill Challenges: NPCs play 5 off the top and
happens, all combatants use STRIKE moves against
use their best cards +2d6.
their chosen targets. Moving in zero gravity under
stress will require STEER moves. Cooperation: If two or more Trashtronauts are
cooperating on a task, they can Push the check,
Each round, have everyone declare actions. Then
but will usually share the consequences—success
resolve the order of actions by whichever player or
or failure.
NPC had the single highest card value in their hand
before new cards are drawn. Push: The Narrator will allow you the option to flip
an additional card from the deck onto the table,

Skill Challenges but haphazard or mixed failure may result in more

dire consequences.
Conflict resolution uses a standard deck of playing Wildcard: Jokers are considered wildcards.
cards and 2d6. At the start of the game, each
Ace Abilities: Discard an Ace or Wildcard to draw
player draws 5 cards. Shuffle in all spent cards
a card and add the species ability.
when the deck is depleted.
Only Left Socks: If a player has no hand to play,
When a skill is used during a challenge, The
use only the dice roll.
Narrator will reveal 3 cards. Players match them

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Point Allocation HF: You injure yourself instead. Take one wound.
MF: You deal no damage, but buy yourself a
Pair
+2 second to think. Discard a card and draw one.
Two of the same number
PS: You deal one wound, but your next Strike roll
Two Pair
+3 has -2 to its total.
Two sets of two of the same number
CS: You deal one wound. You may discard a card
Three of a Kind
+4 to draw one.
Three of the same number
RS: A decisive blow! You deal two wounds.
Straight
+5
Five cards in ascending numerical order ES: You immediately strike down your foe. They
receive three wounds.
Flush
+6
Five cards of the same suit
Sneak
Four of a Kind
+7 The preferred method of many animals.
Four of the same number
HF: Your subtlety isn’t enough. You’re spotted!
Full House
+8
A three of a kind and a pair MF: You almost blew the whole thing. Something
Five of a Kind or someone is alerted that you’re nearby.
+9
Five of the same number PS: You stay relatively hidden. But someone gets
Straight Flush the feeling you’re close.
Five cards in ascending numerical order of the +10 CS: Nobody is any the wiser. You’re hidden.
same suit
RS: You meld with the void. You can discard up to
Royal Flush
two cards to draw the same.
Five highest cards in ascending numerical +12
order of the same suit ES: Not even you know where you are. One of your
cards is a Wildcard on your next action.

Point Values Salvage

2-5 Haphazard Failure The ability to appraise and recover useful
items from junk.
6-8 Mixed Failure
9-11 Partial Success HF: A complication occurs, no scrap value.

12-14 Complete Success MF: No scrap value. It’s all worthless.

15-17 Resounding Success PS: Small scrap value. +2 scrap

18+ Extraordinary Success CS: Bingo! That’s the stuff. +3 scrap
RS: Jackpot! +4 scrap

Skill Outcomes
ES: The Holy Grail. Scrapcrafted Item and +5 scrap

Scrapcraft
Strike
Turn trash into tech.
All out fighting skill. Your least subtle, and
most dangerous option. HF: A complication occurs. Unsalvageable scrap.

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MF: You lose half the scrap, rounded down. Social
Nothing of value is created.
Charisma, good words, and je ne sais quoi.
PS: You create an unstable version. Consume the
scrap, and it lasts for a few minutes. HF: Flubbed it. Chances are, they hate you for that.
Oh, the embarrassment...
CS: Eureka! You create your vision.
MF: A little rough, and they aren’t buying it. Discard
RS: You create the item at half cost.
a random card and draw a card.
ES: You create an upgraded version of the tech, for
PS: I think they got the idea.
only 1 scrap.
CS: Well received.
Steer RS: You’ve got ‘em right where you want ‘em. You
Piloting a ship, but also required for moving can discard two to draw the same.
in zero gravity under stress. ES: Hook, line, and sinker. You can discard up to
HF: You bump some space debris. Add a five to draw the same.
complication.
MF: You’re a sitting duck. No movement.
Sample Complications
PS: Zero gravity is wacky. You barely make it. Wound: Can be caused intentionally or by
Discard five and draw five. accident. At three wounds, you're debilitated
until you can be healed with medical tech. Your
CS: Right on target. You travel exactly as you need
character can't make any moves or meaningful
to. You may discard a card to draw one.
actions, and consciousness fades in and out.
RS: Gravity tricks. You travel even more efficiently.
Damaged Life Support: Causes one wound
You may discard two to draw two.
every check until repaired. Requires 3 scrap and a
ES: That doesn’t seem possible! One of your cards successful SCRAPCRAFT skill challenge.
is a Wildcard on your next action.
Ship Damage: Could be thrusters, could be the
hull. SCRAPCRAFT skill challenge and 4 scrap to
repair.
Damaged Tech: Lose one Scrapcraft item.
Alien Sickness: Mysterious effects. Becomes a
wound that cannot be healed.

Sample Anomalies
Clone: A perfect temporary clone of a
Trashtronaut.
Jelly Crystals: Floating through space. Has an odd
squishy feel to it. Might be useful for power.
Gravity Well: Pulls everything towards it. Requires
STEER checks to escape.
Space Worm: Will chase the ship, and possibly
inflict wounds upon it.

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Ion Storm: Cuts power, or may amplify strange
signals. Hairs stand on end while in it.
Expeditions
Another Day
Sentient Nebula: It vibes ominously in the
distance. What does it want?
Space Barge: It floats off to the starboard side.
Day 27. You've finally made it to the small
Looks like there’ll be plenty to salvage.
system Nigel's Asteroid Mine is located in. There's
Friendly asteroid miners: Signal beacons blink still a ways to go, but if you're lucky you'll be
to mark the way. Maybe they’d be willing to barter. able to make it there in the next day.
Time loop: I think we woke up here yesterday.
How do we break it? It's a quiet morning on the ship. Let the players get
Ghost ship: G-g-g-g-ghosts!? comfortable at the table before introducing the
first skill check: There's a shudder that shakes the
Small planetoid: It's a blip on the info-dar.
ship. It's brief, but a STEER check will be required
Anything could be on the surface.
to make sure the pilot stays in control, as well as
Alien life: Hopefully it’s friendly! introduce the resolution system.

Scrapcraft Items
There are five blips on the long range scan, but
the one approximately 2 LS out from the current
Laser (6 scrap) Useful for inflicting STRIKE over position is where you're headed: Nigel's Asteroid
distance, or breaking up debris. Can be ship or Mine. With your current speed, you should reach
personal. your destination tomorrow.

Food Replicator (4 scrap) Makes simple, but If the players wish to do some adventuring on
unappealing meals from scavenged scrap. Costs 1 their way, and want to check out other points on
scrap per use. the long range scan, roll on the table below.

Scrap Armor (6 scrap) Personal, and very stylish. Storming Ions

First wound goes to the armor.
The Info-Dar picks up a wave of energy heading
Ship Armor (5 scrap) Scrap armor for your ship. towards the ship. The pilot can attempt to make a
Grants one additional wound limit. STEER check to dodge it, but the field is massive
Ship Booster (8 scrap) Allows faster travel. and most likely hits the ship.

Escape Pod (3 scrap) Continue in the event of If the wave hits, it scrambles all radars and commu-
tragedy. nication, setting off bells and whistles the crew has
never heard. Hair stands on end, and most of the
Holding Cell (10 scrap) Can hold up to 3
players look like pompoms.
prisoners, if you need.
A STEER check can be used to investigate the ship
Medical Tech (4 scrap) A useful tool to stay
to see what's wrong. The players find that the
healthy. Can be used to heal wounds or alien
central brains of the ship are on the fritz and need
sickness. Costs 2 scrap per use.
to be repaired or reset.

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• A SCRAPCRAFT check can patch the system.
1 Storming Ions (above)
• Alternately, a successful STRIKE check can be 2 Purple Crystal Eater
used to reset the system.
3 Drifting Alone
• A failed STRIKE check may require a SCRAP-
4 Seeing Green
CRAFT check and 2 scrap to fix.
5 Ghost Town
Time Loop 6 Narrator's Pick
Without warning the ship goes dark, thrusters cut
out, and scanners and heads-up displays go black.
After a few moments, the power returns, and the Head On Problem Solving
ship slowly comes back to life. If the players wish to attack the problem head on,
• If they check the Info-Dar, they will be in the they are limited only by their imagination.
same place they were that morning. • A STEER check and spacegear are required if
• They will feel the shudder that shakes the ship, they want to inspect the outside of the ship.
at the same time. • A STEER check can be used to examine the
• Upon further inspection, they will find that they inside of the ship and its components.
appear to be repeating their day. • A SCRAPCRAFT check could be used to create
The players can choose to do whatever they wish, a multitude of scrapcrafted items that could
such as head for the asteroid mine again, inspect help.
the problem, or check out one of the other blips • If the players do not have enough scrap to
on the Info-Dar. Roll on the table for random create items, encourage them to explore the
destination results. area and use SALVAGE checks to find more.

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There is no right answer to this scenario. Seeing Green
Reward innovative thinking, out of the box
An abundance of organic readings come from the
approaches, and encourage the players to interact
planetoid up ahead. The surface of the planet is
with the environment around them.
covered in plants and fruits in a rainbow of colors.
Purple Crystal Eater • The red and orange fruit seem to be edible,
The Info-Dar shows a large, scattered array of and have a sour, bitter taste.
organic material. Some of the blobs appear to be • The scans show that the green fruit is safe to
moving. eat, but causes a player's mouth to go numb.
As the ship gets closer, the glittering field of purple • The purple fruit is sweet and stains fur and
crystals come into view. They reflect the starlight, spacegear with neon purple color.
creating a cascade of purple light that coats every-
thing in sight. Ghost Town
• Use a STEER check and spacegear to try to There's a mid-size station on the planetoid up
examine the field and collect a sample. (It's ahead. A scan on the Info-Dar reveals no organic
frozen grape jelly!) forms, but something does appear to be moving
around. Anyone who wants to try to enter the
• Upon closer investigation, there are blobs
station will need to make a STEER check.
moving between the crystals. They are small,
amorphous, and are passive. They seem to be • Occasional bumps can be heard in the
eating the crystals. distance. A SNEAK check can be used to avoid
detection by whatever is here.
• A successful SOCIAL check will allow the
players to pet the blobs, and potentially take • Several rooms are empty and full of junk. A
one as a pet. SALVAGE check can be used to look for scrap.

• If a player makes a successful STRIKE check • The source of the sounds can be found farther
against the creatures, they will split into two in the station. Four robotic janitors sweep
new creatures, and continue eating the crystals. the floors, using shoulder mounted lasers to
remove debris.
Drifting Alone • A successful SNEAK check can be used to
A large ship is drifting through space up ahead. remove the lasers without alerting the janitors.
The Info-Dar doesn't read any life signals. It looks Alternately, a few STRIKE attacks should easily
like it might be abandoned. take one out.
• A STEER check and spacegear can be used to
End of the Road
explore the ship.
The time loop can continue as long as you wish.
• The ship is a good source of scrap, and
However, the expedition does eventually have to
a SALVAGE check can be used to collect
come to an end.
components.
• If you want to set a limit on how many times
• A thorough inspection of the ship reveals
the cycle resets, roll a d6 to determine how
blueprints for an escape pod, as well as a pod
many times it happens.
that is partially constructed. A SCRAPCRAFT
check should be able to finish putting it When the time loop ends, the players will start
together. the cycle again. This time, the shudder does not
happen.

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Food Run No Sign of Life
A small planetoid is along the way. Info-Dar
Local system. No earthlikes, but a blip on your displays no organic material. Players can explore
staticky Info-Dar screen shows a derelict vessel the surface, but this planetoid is empty.
at point eight LS from your position, roughly 15
degrees starboard, and 25 degrees low. Sounds
Strange Energy
like exactly what you’re here for. A strange energy reading sets off some ship
alarms.
Small debris on the incoming. Let the players After traveling for a while in the direction of the
roleplay a little bit before you ask for a STEER food station, a wave of energy wracks the ship.
check from the pilot, introducing the resolution Power goes out.
system. Afterward, try to get STEER checks from • Use SCRAPCRAFT and 1 scrap to restart the
everyone opting to board the vessel. A clanking systems.
sound comes from further in. It echoes through
• If the players need scrap, have them search
the dark of the vessel. The hull is intact. Air is
outside with a STEER and SALVAGE check.
breathable past the airlock.
When the lights come up, there is a perfect
Meet the Crew duplicate of one of the crewmembers. Let the
Even the slightest bit of exploration reveals that player control both.
a coyote is aboard… He’s friendly, but in a tight • After a little bit of roleplay (or combat!), they
position. He explains his name is Nickel. He’s the meld back into each other as the ship passes
captain of this vessel (the Tubular Tin Titan), and completely through the strange energy.
his ship has been damaged. Power is out. His
crewmates are a pigeon named Nifty (their pilot) Green Thumb
and a raccoon named Shawarma (their engineer). A larger planetoid shows organic readings.
Nickel pleads for help from the party, teasing he • On the surface are strange vegetables.
has something valuable to give in exchange. They’re bright blue, and shaped like squash or
• A SCRAPCRAFT check will potentially restore eggplant. Scans determine these are edible.
the ship’s power, but in the event of a failure, • If eaten, they taste vaguely spicy, and stain your
the party will need to introduce a new element. mouths.
• Some nearby floating scrap can be gathered • Otherwise, this planetoid is empty.
with more STEER and SALVAGE checks.
• If the party continues to fail, Nickel will thank
Jelly Fields Forever
them, and assure them that Shawarma can fix Jelly Purple crystals in a massive field. The starlight
it eventually. He’ll hand over a USB drive with a hits them and everything sparkles with a beautiful
set of coordinates. purple sheen. Info-Dar says it’s organic.
• On a successful SOCIAL check, he’ll also give • Gathering a sample requires STEER checks and
them a blueprint for scrap armor. spacegear. (It’s frozen grape jelly!)
The coordinates: Local system. 5 LS out. 150
Last Stop
degrees port, 55 degrees low from current coordi-
nates. An abandoned food station. A small station is set up on this next planetoid. It
looks abandoned.

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• There is a safe inside. Cracking it requires a
code, which can be found with some searching. • Four wounds from the lasers should repel it, or
if they’ve built ship boosters, they can outrun it.
• In the safe, there are enough handheld lasers
for everyone. • Alternatively, a skunk’s Species Ability should
repel the creature.
Hidden Dangers
Savory Rewards
An asteroid field between you and the food station.
Give them 3 STEER checks to avoid incoming You make it through the asteroids, but barely. In
asteroids, and SCRAPCRAFT checks to repair any the aftermath, you see it… Glimmering like a jewel
wounds the ship receives. among the faint starlight.

Within the asteroid field, a massive alien worm of The Gourmet Chinese Restaurant Outpost
some kind begins chasing the ship! More STEER Noodles, dumplings, the holy grail. At least for
checks! today.

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An Afterword
Trash animals are lovely, but trash is not. While the archetype of mischief critters going through your
garbage brings many of us great joy, we should all do our best to build a more sustainable world. There are
certain societal factors that make this difficult, but I still encourage you to do your best to clean and care
for this one earth we have. Because we may not find another. Thank you for supporting Trashtronautica
and what it stands for.

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Credits

Moss "Daggәr" Powers Kaye "Pip" Mahoney

Game Design, Writing Writing, Layout, Art Direction

Illustrators

Carmen Stevens, David Tzur, Nataly Anderson, Tony Girard

Proofreading

Chloe Austin, Nolan Heath

A Brewist Tabletop Publication

brewisttabletopgames.itch.io · brewisttabletopgames@gmail.com · facebook.com/brewisttabletop

Trashtronautica
Copyright © 2021 Moss Powers
All rights reserved.

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Published using Adobe Creative Suite.

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Brewist Tabletop | Trashtronautica 15

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