SOME NOTES ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGICAL LEVEL:
- swords and the like are swords, but are flavored to be sufficiently advanced given that we're in the 30th century or whatever. i'm giving you full freedom to style them however you please, and they deal a damage type as appropriate to your choice. examples include high frequency nanotube-reinforced tungsten carbide (slashing damage) to straight-up controlled plasma-emission lightsaber things (radiant damage). subject to DM approval, but just don't be too silly and you're good.
- bows, same deal. think the heavy bowguns from monster hunter, or the laser bows from EDF 4.1. combustion is an outdated chemical process, so no classical firearms, and you're again free to choose what sort of damage you want to deal with them, i'm not your mom.
- you guys have an infobot on you, which is basically a pokedex or whatever on your person. that's how i'm explaining making your History/etc checks- rather than gauge your specific knowledge level, it's how well you're able to structure a query such that the device can return relevant information. it can also be used to attempt to translate alien languages (eg., Elven...) but obviously it's not perfect.
- arcana also applies to technological knowhow given that magic in this universe is advanced science.
- we'll be using the "understanding alien technology" rules from the DMG, which are basically INT checks to see if you can determine how certain bits of technology work. in this case, it's to figure out if you can suss out how, say, older computers and vehicles function. these do not rely on a skill, and you can't be proficient in this specific check.