STIRRING '6IANT

First published June MMXX.
“This edition published September MMXXII

To geta fre paperback copy to an inmate,
email their full government name,

current facility, and IDF 0
requests@bullpress.orz

468109753

ISBN:979-89859561-2:2
Ao,

AV,

AR
‘Table of Contents
Introduction

Stiring Gant

Chapter 1: Itro Scenes

Chapter 2: Chasing Leads.

Chapter 3: Bagging Hatchet Lécuyer
Chapter 4 Ploting on the Warchouse
Chapter 5 Final Fight & Outro
Bump Scenes

Closing Ceremanics

Groups & Factions

Main Character Creation

Specials

Customizing Specials

Effeet List

Fight Scene Rules

Weapons & Armor

Gioods & Services

Example Gameplay

How to Runa Game

Side Character Generator

Spinning for It

Designing Your Own Games.

Main Character Sheets

‘What the Fuck Is This Book

B
36
2
4
4
02
55
o
n
104
106
1o
12
ns
19
[
125
127
176
EVERYTHING YOU NEEP TO KNOW .

* Gameplay s conversational & cooperative. ¢ 4 layers s ideal, but 3 10 6 s ine 100
One player i the Key Narrator Everybody else creates a main character
they run the game for the other players & controls them n the game
HOW PO 10O THINGS?

Yousay it For example, 1 look into theally, whtdo I see?” IFi's believable, you do it

163 challenging (* jump the huge gap?), the Key Narrator il tll you to SFIN FOR T
and you'll Tk the 6 spinse on the back of your book:

6. Finessed 3. Notrelly
. Success 2. Failure
. Barely . Faceplant

I cquipmen,expeience, distactions,genetal il e skew your chances
EASY: the Key Narrator will ave you spin s6 twice, taking the highest resull
PAPIULT: spin $6 twice, take the loest,

SFINNING

The back of the book is a spinner. Create an arm by looping one end of a paperclp or guitar
siring trimming. Fasten the loop over the spinner’s center-do.

“36" means a random sumber from 1 1o 6. Flick the spinner arm: wherever it lands
in the 56 ring i the resull. 510" i & random mumber from | (0 10,54 means | 04, e

MAIN CHARACTERS.

The stars of the show. Everybody who isn'tthe Key Narmtor creates a main character, and
the Key runs interesting seenarios for them. Any main charactr concept goes as long 35 it
s the setting, and starts humble (no superbeings or millionaies cc)

SPECIALS: povcers and unique shilies for your main charscter.

S “Special Points”, what you buy and upgrade Specials wi
+ Character creation quick guide on page 2.
KEY NARRATOR
You run scenes fo the main characters — interesting side characters for them to talk 1,

fights, problem-solving scenarios etc. The
eady'1o-run seenes leading 10 3 narrative goal

CLOSING CEREMOMIES: o the end of cach session, the Key awards SP for best
performances etc (page 4 for allcategories).

re” starting on the next page is 4 series of

THEAMBITION
This is the common goal tha keeps the main characters all pushing the plot in the same

dirction. The Ambiton is set at the beginning of a game, and always has & large reward
atached o1t

Al his i kown s POMEFIECETV, a conversational
ames system that can run any setting and any genre

STIRRING GIANT
A Conversational Game in Five Parts
Bull Press MMXXIIL

Summary: a near-future are racking down a depraved patician in a lawless metropolis.

How to Run This: the Key Narmator just reads ahead a few pages and gets familias with
the approaching scenes (page 11 plenty fur (o start). The other players (“actors”) don't
e 10 read anything: they just show up and the Key runs the game for them. Doesn't
hurt 0 keep a sheet of general notes to mark your place in the arc. Page 112 for example
gameplay.

Length: sessions usually last 1 to:3 hours but you can end it whenever you want. Fill out
sessions that went 100 fast with insertable bump scenes (page 42, go dogear quick).

Closing Ceremonies: run these at the end of each session, awarding SP for best
performances etc. Al caegories on page 4.

Soundtrack: cach scene has a single track you can throw on loop. If playing on the
outside, o loading up a mp3 player for somebody inside, all tracks are on bullpress.org

First Time Key Narrators: fuck nerves. The friends are getng together 1o riff and
bullhit with cach othr. They're going o have a good tme no matter what.

1 your firs session fels S, don't sweat i, s ot because you dropped the ball,
it because things are sl developing - the main characers don't really have
personaliies yt, crew dynarmic s sl brewing, and the scttng docsn’t feel lived-in
yet. The pilot session is sl a good tme, but where the hobby goes from good to reat is
o o three sessions in when the seting and characters st feling fmilsr, start
coming to ife a lite, and start relating o each other n interesting ways. There’s @
reason it akes a couple pisodes 0 ge hooked on a TV shor, you know?

Besides that, Keying s casy:just give the main chasactes engaging shit t do, sec
what gets people stoked, and find ineresting ways to give your actors what they want.
Setting: Saint Disma RES., 2140 AD
A neon-soaked megametzopols of nearly 20 million built on an artificil island in the
South China Sea. The main characters are all from Municipal Zone 3, a working class
neighborhood of migrants mostly from the decaying US empire.

Tech: what you'd expect for 21005 technology, except

1) Fircarms weak: the development of veleity-tiggersd bose fields, calld
paraficds”, have made fircarm technology fa Iess devastating (but il dangerous),
ushering i & new renaisance of hand-to-hand wesponry.

2.) Space unexplored: just a few astroid mining opeatons, obsevatoics,rescarch
Stations, and pessonal placesofthe ula-ich.

3) No internet: the era of quantum computing snd o cenury of cyberwarfre have
endered most network protocols impossble. Vestigalcsbervwespons that ijack device
processors o recursively sel-improve and then sclfransenit have seded thee slecper.
ash throughaut any device with more than a few KB of stoage, like undeteeable,
ypermutting DNA that kil its host aflr ransmisson. Recent generstions of digital
devices have thus becn iherenty irgapped (built unabl o ntrface with thee devices
in any way) and communication devieesbuilt withou storage.

4) Phones minimal: unable 10 eceiv texs or voicemai, or ven store phone numbers
(sec above itm). Busially just sophisicated walki-alkics.

Plutocracy: Saint Disma (Région Economique Souveraing) was conceived by
intermational financiers a a civic project 0 vacuum up regional trade revenues and juke
just about every law transnational corporations find inconvenient. Standard government
services are almostall privatized, elies mainain legal teams that make them effectively
above the law, and the few organs of stat only do the bidding of their lobbyists.

Language: mass immigration and a privatized education system has wned the island
o a Tower of Babel. French and Mandarin Chinese are dominant, but English, Hindi
Russian, Japanese, and Indonesian are also common. The language | cultural proclivities
of the ruling class s French.

The Cladogenic Population: about .01% of humans are now being born wilh pioric
viablity (able 10 manipulate eality with the mind), or other polyploidal mutations, very
probably as an unforescen aflerclap of the carly days of genetic engincering.

o police in St Disma. Instead, well-hecled citizens and
businesses keep security frms on retaner, hire private detectve agencies, and occasionally
contract interational mercenry corps

This tangled web of scurity insttutions reduces response time and force, & major
fctor in the lawlessness and pervasive crme of the city. Zero civiian oversight ensures
security contractors can b bibed or bought, and their ranks are ull of pathological assholes
whose dream job i having bsolute power over any civlia they encountr.

Big names include Paladin Group, Secom Global, Crown Holdings, and Tengpai
Consolidated. Sl usually caled cops, hooks, heat, fuz et

Gritty: 1ife s hard in St Disma. Workers toil long hours with no meaningful protections,
sign thei paychecks over to unworking rent-seckers, and regularly die from preventable
disease. An expression of resignation you'll oflen hear is “C'est la monde” (sa-la-
mohnd, “that’s the World"). A popular response from political adicals is “a better world
s possible,” often used as a sublle dentifier among one another.

Neighborhoods page 45 / Major groups page 46

3
Premise
After a partial high-rise collapse in their neighborhood kill dozens, the main characters
Volunteer 10 hunt down the man responsible — Etienne “Lobster” Mercier, prominent
socialite and notorious slumlord - and bring him before a citizens" trbunal instead of the

fucked St. Disma couts.

Storyline Flow: progresses downward, whether as a relatively staight line or zig-
Zagging to scenes of inerest

Opening Scenes
+ Main character introductions
ion (Suterlock Bridge)
+ Arms dealer (Indonesiatown)

From here, the main characters
can freely follow leads . ..

CourthouseRecords Wtasie Jip-off
Ve SN

“The Mises, Zone 10 Mercier's Mansion
(ke Merirs och) MO0 P o4 T, Zone 1

e Key Noi€

ord Azalée, Lobster Mercier's mistress.
oo, (Heron Tower Luxury Apartmens, Zone §)

She wanis Mercier out of the picture, so poinis
the main characters to his lawyer and confidant
Gregroire "Hatchet” Lécuyer.

Vsins Tower:
“The Jewels of Ebb & Flow and a fight
atthe top o a hlf-complted tower.

Hatehet Licuyer:
‘Canbe bageed at Le Cyene chess club o his penthouse in
the Kagemusha Megatower (boh in Fog Hill,Zone ).
Says Lobster Mercer s hiding out in 3 heavily
‘arded warchouse inthe Flats, Municipal Zone 2.
1 1
Optional: Optional:
Recruit Black Chlice Recritthe Endless Wound
(political inurgents) (tombdwellr gang)

/ \

criminal network Lobster Mercier contracted for protecton.

Arc Intro
Soundirack: Bones - HDMI Instrumental

—» Read italiczed sections of text out loud, starting with:
This joints settng is the grimy megametropolis of St Disma, 2140 AD. Spanning an
artificial island in the South Chin sea, it was founded last century by French oligarchs

1o circumvent just about every law the ulira-wealthy and transnational corporations find
distasteful,

St Disma i a cit of profound tensions: parapolitical insurgencies, eriminal syndicates
‘and the privatized police forces of the city’ robber barons are all actvely at war with
cach oher, shooting it out in the slums and boulevards. An emerging cladogenic minority
born with composite. mutations — an unforeseen_ consequence of ancestral genetic
engineering — have become the perfect scapegoat for a siting government hoping o
distract from itslegitimacy crisis.

The founding logic of the city has reached its natural conclusion: from the penthouse
boardrooms of multinationalcorporations 1o the crews of small-timers. batling for
control of a dozen different dope trades, the criminal ccosysiem is lluminated equally by

sula chandeliers and the neon signage set in the permanent shade of a thowsand
Styserapers.

Now — this is important - each of you create, then play a main character i this shov: the
tpe of character that would volunteer for a probably violent, defnitly dangerous job
defending the neighborhood they grew up i, the stums of Municipal Zone 3
Main Character Creation
Soundirack: Craig Mack - Flava in Ya Ear Instrumental

Each actor creates a main character Since you'l be Key Narrator this aee, do not make @
main character:

QUICKLIST
(i it sl o page 52:send everybody there ifthey have their own book)

1. Snatch o main character sheet rom page 127
2. Concept: name, appearance, background elc
3. Pick Specials: page 55 - 69, sart with 10 SP's worth (you can start here if
‘you're sill thinking on a concept)
Start with merk 10
Start with 0 defense (top number is justall lower numbers added together)
Start with a move score of 5
Main eharacters fluent in English (spoken by the mostly-American migrants of
Zone 3). Spend a free b in any additional lnguage (St Disma multlingual)
8. Spend a bar in any major skill or anguage (1o bars is luent)
9. Put one point in any primary
10. Check page 53 for the bonus thatprimary gives you, write it down

4
s
6
7

» The Key Narrator has veto power over corny shit,but don’t be a tyrant.

Start humble: main characters start a level 1, which is just the average nobody with
Few SP (s0 10 experimental supersoldiers or millionaire recording artists etc).

The Glue: whatever the main characters” histories and relations, bad blood is 100% off
the table: the main characters must trust and back cach other for the show’s duration. If
anybody's ever about to fuck anybody else over jus say “Nah you don't do that” since it
‘oes against the Gilue

Possessions: everybody starts with ¥500 (5 yuan - about 1 modern American dolla), a
phone (voice call only; no itemet n this seting), and a place they stay a.

Time Limit: clearly set ane before starting. Don'tLet one indecisive actor hold the
first session up. An hour is plenty of time 10 create main characters.

‘Optional Development Questions
Help get a crew dynamic going and develop main characters by aski
especially if somebady is done carly. Some ideas
- How do they spend ther rce time? * What rumor precedes themm? s it truc?.
+ Why did they take the job? Money, poitcs, ove of community, redemption?
* What do they respect most i & person’” * Who do they run with?
+ Are they more often called by & nickname? What's the story on how they ot it?
+Do any of them know each other from around the neighborhood? Cousins, same job oF
hustle, shared hobby or ereative scene, same church, underground contacts, drinking
buddies, gym parners e1e?
Ask questions on anything interestng they bring up. Write down any material you might
Wanna use later o

questions,

Intros
Soundirack: Alchemist - Tery Instrumental

(Remembe o ead aics text blocks out lowd)
Here’ the shows: premise: each of vour main characters has accepted a job offered by
your associate from the neighborhood, Saotome Katsumoto, better known as “Blackout
Jor causing one as a young boy: Whether for pay; justice, or fove of community, you ve
signed on 1o hunt down the shulord responsibie for the collapse of Seilla Hills 10304, a
igirise tenement in the heart of Zone 3. While the papers and TV stations have
downplayed the incident, a neighborhood ihatss long ago learned to fook out for their
o is organizing 10 bring those responsible 1o justice. Katsunioto mentioned he didn ¥
ave many details, b you kow you're geting picked up at noon today 10 talk 10 the
people who do.

Alright, we're gonna o around and have each of vou describe where your
main character lives and what their morning was like — training, working on projects
taking care of a bizarre pet etc — take a second 1o build up your character fike that.
Whose trying 1o go first?

Lt cach actor flesh out their intro scene. Ask questions about anything interesting
they mention. Once theie scene feels done, tell them they hear a hom honk twice,
and jump 10 the next actor’s scene.

Hangover Spot
Right before the most party-minded main character goes (deally s, el

You, actually, wake up feelng like you been struck by ightning: your evelds are dry as
bone, and your head is tormented by the searing halo of dehydration. The ringing in
your ears gives way to a voice saying “you sleep in gorgeous, I'm just gonna make us
some breakfast,” and it aaaaall comes flooding back 1o you. You fucked up. Oh fuck
you did you fuck up last night ... the apartment of an unfortunate acquaintance of
ours, an absolute psychopath, svims into your vision. Describe psycho or us

(Let therm spit who they ae /how they look /any quick detils)

Foul. Now, sneak the fuck outta there.

Psyeho's Apartment; the apartment s shaped like a P. The exit is the foot of the P,
and the stem is the Kitchen. Psycho is making breakfast and loudly singing Toto's
“Could This Be Love”.
The main character’s belongings are scattered throughout the living room and
bathroom. There’s a fie escape ou the bedroom window, but i stops 20 feet off the
ground (ifthey Just jump they take s8 offense and probably puke).
“There are two ltl dogs, a fire alarm, and enough sheets 1ot together nto rope.
There's no way to sneak through the Kitchen without Psycho noticing. IF the main
characte just talks to them, Psycho demands hey stay and plan their fture together

I they try and bolt through the Kichen, i takes a minute 1o undo all the nside
ocks, so Psycho lights them up with egg afer egg from an open carton o the counter
while cursing them out (they might sl take revenge latet in the storyline)
Once they successfully escape, quickly montage theie wretched tain ride home, and
have them describe the restof thir short morning belore getting picked up.
‘Tagalong Side character: Saotome “Blackout” Katsumoto
Voice: slight Japanese accent

(Probably lghtly rossts the hungover main characer)

Rides with the main characters for the duration of the arc unless killed. Has fully
eyberneic legs (lost originals in the 2133 Acéphale bombings). Decenly connected.
well-respected, drves a dead clean 1966 Lincoln Continental convertible. Speaks
luent English and Japanese.

« Optional character-building: got bis nickname from causing o blackout a5 @ young
boy by shittng off a building into the turbine of a power station and never lived it
down (not fortheoming about the second half of that story). Came up rough in west
central Zone 3. Runs an ilegal bookies on Chrysanthemum st and has a 5/ year old
daughter named Shko (ate his grandmother) wha's with her mom this week.

* How to play: keep him in the background. He's a safety net, not a main character
for the Key. He should only ever offer guidance when the actors are completely
stumped or about to fuck themselves. Ifthe main characters are ever getting smashed
out in a fight, have the enemes beat up on Katsumoto: he should never e the last
one standing.

STATS
Offense $6 & 54 / Defense 3 / Merk 30 / Move §
(Dust wields haca 159 longsword & mate lack dager; 56 kick if unarmed)

‘Specals: Gun I (extza move action once per fight)

o ox

Voice Acting is Optional: if you aren’t good at voices or just think the concept is
comy, don’t sweat i, you can just say “Katsumoto reminds you there’s stll the spare.
Keys lead to check out” and it gets the point across

That said, voice acting side characters in the first person is powerfully
immersive, makes them feel more present, and leis you just sar talking in ther voice.
without ever having to say who's speaking. You don't have to overdo it 4 minar accent
or change in tone s enough.

The Exposition: Sutterlock Bridge
Soundirack: Q No Rap Narme - Suterlock Bridge

You glde along the teeming boulevards in @ massive black brick of a clasic Lincoln, op
dropped 0 the summer breezes and speakers bumping oldies. Parking at a cafe, you head
towards Sutterlock Bridge, bellowing gulls riding the seavinds above and container
ships passing a hundred fee below:

You approach two figures looking out over the glistening waters of the bay. the
colossal towers of downtown looming in the distance — Katsumoto claps hands with a big
diade i a Saints jersey, and hugs a siender woman, clearly an old friend.

Katsumoto intrduces each of the main characters to his o contacts,

‘Waudasie: dark skin, bid-boned, colorful headscarf. Voice: educated, no-nonsense.

Salvatore / “Big Man” refrigerstor sized white dude with o south Jersey accent.
‘Anybody with o security or stret background can el he has a pistol i bis waistband.

Salvatore discreetly sets down a backpack on the sidewalk. Wudasie hands the main
characters a piture of fa, beady-eyed man with pinkish skin

CONVERSATION POINTS
‘Wudasie does mostof the talking, explaining al the details of the job
* The picture is of Etenne Mausras Mercier et-yen ma-saw mer-sec-ay], bom 319,97,
better known as Lobster Merier for obvious reasons. This is the owner of Scilla Hills
10304, the tenement tha collapsed eacly yesterday morning, so fo killing 21

+ The main characters willrecognize his name as one of the most hated shumlords in the
ity with over-priced neglected shithol tenements throughout Municipal Zonie 3

+ Lobster Mersier is currently wanted for questioning, but even if he got charged by an
onest prosecutor and faced an honest judge, the worst he would ever s is probation —
same oldstory. 1 more likely he'lljust ind a way (0 sneak off the island (0 resume his
i of luxary elsewhere.

Find Mercier before he skips town, bag him, and bring him around for a itizens” rbunal.
When they do theres another ¥20,000 waiting for each of them.

Reasonable Questions
© Any Leads? The Lobster has mansion in OId Town (Zone 1) that was busted up
yesterday by a vengeful mob. Might be worth checking out.

+"Any Evidence? Wadasie's people have already talked 1o a few ex Scilla ills tenats
with copies of formal complaints submitied for integral spalling snd signs of rebar
corrosion, one dated as far back as the carly 30s. Merciers properties being unsafe has
been common knowledge for a while now, but evidence is indispensable o justice

- In the backpack: ¥3000 for cach min character.

+Crew Ambition Established: Deliver the Lobster
‘Snatch up Lobster Mercier before he sneaks out of town and hand him over for
a citizens’ wial. (Have your actors write “Deliver the Lobster” onto. their
haracter sheets under “Crew Ambition”)

‘Completion Value: +1 level and ¥20k each
Tooling Up

Soundirack: Volume Ten - Pistolgrip Pump Instrumental
e headed o Indonesiatown 1o get set up with some weaponry.

Plotting: Katsumoto asks about leads on the drve there. His st thoughts are A.) Lobster
Mercier’s mansion or B.)checking if he has any records at the distiet courthouse

Katsumoto says they’

Cove Street Music (Indonesiatown, Zone 4)
You park the Line and cross the street towards a shop with "Cove Street Music” on the
door: Katsumoto talks briely with a tech behind the counter before she leads you througih
some backooms flled with megalithic amplifier siacks, and buzzes you through a couple
bomib-proof lookin doors. You step into a huge workshop bristling with every ype of
weapon imaginable. At the far end is @ makeshift firing range with paper targets and
rubber curtain backstops. A stocky asian man arises from a workbench full of partly-
constructed stringed instruments. Dusting his hands off on a canvas shop apron he walks
over o greet you

Side character: Gao the Luthier Noice: Cold Chillin
Chainsmoking arms dealer If the erew talk among themselves at any point, he
fips through a box of floppy disks, pulls one out labeled “Beretia P-24
Asehead” and slots it into a 3d printer, gently tuming a dial s it lights up.

The Lutbier grects Katsumoto ike an old frend, and invites the main characters o try out
anyihing that catches their eye on the fange or some wooden practice dummics along the
wall,then fres up @ bunt while he chaps it p with Katsumoto

For cach main character, the job’s advance covers:
1) A parafield (concealable device that proiects against fircarms and shrgpel)
2.) One two-handed weapon OR two one-handed weapons
3 An X-Stat pplicator (heals 10, single use, move action 0 apply)

The Luthier's Stock

« Al classical weaponry on . 106 » Al firearms (except ntitank ils)on . 107

« Hoth types of nstrument on p. 108 (shidaTes bissing orbs. Hover sround user when
ot controlled by ther gstues). Counts astwo-and weapon; flly covered by advance.

« All armor & shieldson . 109 (can sub shiek for weapon,butmust by own )

Exit:the Luthier packs all thir purchases into locking instrument cases (speass telescope
0 thied their size, shields fold in halfor quarters).

He tells the main charactes to bang his ine if they ever have any weaponry to
sell, or need upgrades.

‘This Is Where We Cut the Main Characters Loose
The fist few scenes were linear 0 make it easy on new Key Narrator, but now the main
characters will be running free chasing leads. Blackout Katsumoto should fade into the
background at this point.

Stay ready 10 make up unexpected side characters (page 119, go dogear quick)
and scenes (page 116) on the spol.

When you end a session, i's useful 0 ask whi
50 you know what o prep for nex session.

Tead your actors are headed to

P
Lobster Mercier’s Mansion (0ld Town Zone 1)
Soundirack: Madillain - Sickfit

You roll along the winding cobble avenues that thread through old-world neighborhoods of
baroque mansions, past sculpture-ornamented parks with pairols of armed sccuris, and
into the heart of OLd Town, where Lobster Mercier s four-story chateau looms al the more
obvious for its damage: the courtyard garden is all tore up, some of the windows busied
ot the front gates ripped off, and “GUILLOTINE” is spraxpainted on the gantovle-
capped front wall Pairs of Tengpai private securis, called greencaps because of their
emerald:green feld hats, now patrol the area. What do you do?

Laying on em quickly reveas cght ota guards on ptrol, mostly outside the mansion.
Angles on Getting Inside
+ Amgjor distaction +Giaffing / social engineering +Just fight all eight greencaps

+Clocking the spot for more than 10 minutes proves a hole i their patrol pattern: once
every few minutes, a door alongside the house goes unmonitored for full 10 seconds

Fight: Greencaps
Soundirack: Harm's Way - Human Carrying Capacity
Eight Tengpai guards with green armored vests,rot shields, and electroshock batons

attheir belis. You can force the fight scene by having a greencap come i o take a shit
or whatever and stamble o the main characers.

Stats
X Offense 58 // Defense 4/ Merk 1/ Move §

Tactics immedistely callfor backup on thei radios. Since they're spaced out they Il
arive in waves of two. Safe 1o expeet trucks full of veteran greencaps with heavy
weaponry to show up afie about ten minutcs.

Paion: ane guard i o pion. He spends his main action cach tum sust
{hat causes -2 move to the main characers. 1 ruptured, he canno use it g

Merked: for these entry-level guards, merked just means & minor injury before
they'se KO'd, un off,or play dead.

ing a Special

Mansion Interior: luminous liguid graphone pillars rise fory feet 0 the ceiling; split
levels of hand-carved balconies interlock all the way up the open fover. Every hallway
and chamber you glance into is lined with priceless classical paintings, sculptures, and
artifacs [100 big 10 pocket, i anybody asks| — just unimaginable wealth, each square
foot costing more than what somhody from Zone 3 makes in'a year. What do you do?

Rooms: indoor movie theater, basement garage with dozen luxury vehicles (mostly
ingerprint ignitions), sub-basement tennis cout, sauna, libray, etc. Anything of value is
100 lage 10 swipe, except for a collector’s case of antique cullnks (¥9000 if fenced) in
the master bedsoom on the fourth foor

—» Maiin characters merked: if the main characters
ever all get merked, they wake up on page 43.
cLuEs

+Documents: file cabinets and a few desk dravers ae alteady thrown open and empiy:
the fine ashes of torched paper overflow from several fireplaces.

+ Mal: very obvious pile on an ivory table in the dining room. Mostly junkmail and
domesic bills, but also A.) mooring fees for a class B yacht called the Mises in the
Hemlock Point Marina, and B.) an envelope with hand-written addresses containing a
few temized receipts and a note: “Etienne, the super stys he needs these receipts signed
for the new addition. Been missing you, Azalée” The return address is unit 1818, Heron
Tower, Municipal Zone § (downiown).

s ox o

“Tail picked up: the main characters now followed by cuty figure keeping poin on the
mansion from 2 gray Mazda, Undetectable unless actor specifically mentions they're
looking for tils.

I you ever have a low-action session,the tal cals in a ca full of hiters (0 ke
out the main charactes. It can jump off as a firefight on the highway, sneak atack when
they rest, or the goons can just run up on them as they follow leads (*Hey Mickey Mouse
club, why don't you mind yous fuckin business) etc

Bump Fight I (options) Soundirack: Incendioy The Power Process
Car full of goons sent by the til picked up at Lobster Mercier's mansion
sTATS

50 Offense 54 (machetes) /| Defense 0/ Merk 7 // Move §
X2: Offense 5§ (MP-5 SMGs,range 8) /Defense 0 // Merk 5/ Move §

Tactics: one_goon's machete is costed in ctorphine. Each landed stike causes a
stacking -2 offense and defense tothetargt for the durston of the figh scene.

Merked: idesly dead. bt iftaken liv they s cluclss contractors. Chesking a pager
one of them is holding confims they were hired anonymously and sent updates on main
haracter locations. (Remembe pagers only one-way). About ¥7000inthie pockets.

Balane: the fighs i this arc were designed easy enough for 3 newjack actors to
handle. I playing with more (or more experienced) actors,increase diffculty
by increasing number of enemmies ot just amping up thei merk.
District Courthouse: Searching for Records (Cherry By, Zone 4)
Soundirack: Blackalicious - Swan Lake nsirumental

A dull concrete pillar of a tower fooms at the fur side of a busiling courtvard with
drid-up fountain. Underfunded enougth 10 lack security guards who give a shit, a knot of
bunmy fookin skate kids take s hiting the fountain's wased ledge, their boonbox
pumping outthat first Bone Sickness album, an all-time classic. You clinb the wide entry
stairvay and pass into a lobby bustling with legal professionals and the occasional low-
level offender headed 1o court. The unibrowed. comic-reading clerk behind the reception
desk doesn t seem to notice you

The unibrowed elerk dryly answers any questions without looking up

+ The only publicly availble records on citizens are credit scores, formal crinyinal
charges, and convictions. Detainment records have 1o be run through the comms
department ofa licensed security agercy.

+ Fees (administrative, processing, and copying) total ¥1204 per request

+ As e tms the page of his comic he says the waitng lst is about a month since iU’s
their busy scason,

Clerk bribed: once Y3000 reached, he's their best frend (but still needs to narrow down
the many Etienne Merciers on the island with a DOB o middle nam).

“The clerk pulls out a clipboard and asks them to fill out & few request forms
while e fetches thei records. Katsumoto signs one with Hans Sumfela, 420 Dickslinger
Street. Specifically ask what the main characters sign (useful for below bump scene).

Lobster Mercier’s Legal Record: a dozen DULs, a few sexual assault complaints,
criminal neglect for a tenement e — unsurprisingly al dismissed, stted out of court,
o only senenced o fines he probiably considers pocket-change.

Case of Interest: 4 dismissed mayhem charge for operating a bost while
intoxicated. The brief explins Mercier maimed a tourist in & paddlchoat while
piloting his yacht ouisde the Hemlock Point Marina with a 21% BAC. Included are
risly medical photographs, a shot of the snmihilated paddicbost, snd 3 photo of
class B yacht with “the Mises” painted on the prow.

LEAD: i your actos don't catch t, use Katsumoto to prod ther t search
the Hemmlock Point Marina fo yacht named th Mies

s ox o

“Tail picked up: black Honda. Goes undetected unless actor specifically mentions
they're looking for a il I you ever have 2 low-action session, the tail calls in a ca full
of muscle to take out the main characters. Crucially, have the goons try to intimidate
them, but fail hilariously by using the joke names from the forms above.

Bump Fight I (opions) Soundurack: Xibalba - Cold
Three goons. Sent by tail who was sold nfo on main charactrs by corrupt clerk
sTATE
2 Offense 58 (handaxes) /| Defense 1/ Merk 10/ Move
X1: Offense $10 (psonic csbolt, ange 6) / Defense 0/ Merk 10/ Move S

Merked: ideslly dead, but if taken alive they're clucless contractors. Checking o
pager ane of them is holding confirms they were hired anonymously, bag-of-moriey-
Teftin-locker styl. (Remermber pagers ony aneway). About Y5000 in their pockets.

1
The Mises, a Yacht in the Hemlock Point Marina (Zose 10)
Soundirack: Jedi Mind Tricks - Three Immortals Insirumental

Seabinds wheel and dive along; the bursting reef breaks, supermassive gantry cranes loom
over the seaports that bite into the sapphire waters, and the low horns of a hulking
Container ship drone in the distance. Along.the shore you spot the bristling masts of
Iundreds of sloops and yachis, swaying in the lazy waves along the docks o the Hemlock
Point Marina. What do you do?

“The marina has one guard on duty. He patrols ance an hour i he feels like i

The Mises: moored toward the back of the labyrinthine marina, name cleasly painted on
the prow and stem. Upper, lower, and foredeck. Loud music and raucous laughter can be
eard within.

+ Goon: Before the main characters can act, a big thumbhead lookin dude steps onto the
upper deck and pisses out nto the wate. Standard spin t0 sncak up on him, casy spin if &
bar or higher in steath. If questioned he just says (French accen) shit ike “T work for
Deez" before grabbing somebody's weapon or jumping into the waler (can’t be taken
alive)

* Interior: only unlocked enty is on the uppe deck, leading (0 an innes balcony. Looking
over the balcony: three goons lounge in the TV room belovw you their weapons witlin
arm’s reach. The space s richly oramened with historical memorabilia and Art Nowseat
antiues. Enpty champagne botles are scatered along the bur, and a depleed eigh ball
sits on the coffee table, about halfa gram rasled up on the glass of an Ayn Rand portrai

Fight: Yacht Goons
Four soccer hooligan lookin knuckledraggers. Differentate by descrption: tll, fat,
face tattoos, Fred Perry pol.
sTATS
3 Offnse 56 miliary grad longswords) / Defense 1 // Merk §
X1 Offense 56 (sawed ot range 4. 54 afe 2 srides) / Defense 0./ Merk §

Surprise Attack: jumping over the balcony causes 54 offense from fllng, but will
surprise the goons (s0 they set st and have zero defense unti they do)

Brute: i the fight is looking too casy, a huge inked up wigsplitter comes down the
north hall Offense s$+1 (axe) & s (uz) / Defense 0/ Meek 20

Merked: desd. If parslyzed, they fll on ther wespon and pierce o vial organ,
immediately dying. I resrained, they'r domed by a wild spray of fiendly fie, or die
before anybady notices the dark ateria blaod pouring from 2 wound to the back of
theirthigh. However you spin it none of these dudes are taken alive for questioning.

Exit

from TV room thereis a hallway (north), and an ext 1o the uter deck (sout).

—» Healing: main charscters fully el after a night's rest.
“They are also fee to buy HOTrods on page 111
The Rest of the Yacht: a luxurious kitchen and dining room, spa. exit to the foredeck,
w0 guest bedrooms, and a master bedroom. Lobster Mereier is not on the Mises.

The master bedroom: clearly belonged t0 Mercier, niven there are photos of
him with famous people on the wall. There s also a huge bed. fet-op card table, French
historical memorabilia, and a walk-in closet with a safe i the back.

Clue A: Personal Safe
Hal-hidden behind rows of old money duds in a massive walk-n closet. Securely
bolied to the floor.

soLuTIoNS

« Remember Lobster's DOB (3/19/97) A rar-carth magnet to elease inernal lock

« Ten loud minutes with ramset, anglegrnder, or prybar » Speci

« Flour from the kitchen blown onto the keypad: more stcks to the
code (kin's natura il rubs offon the carler numbers)

THE SAFE CONTAINS

+ Dope black pistol with gold grip-plats engraved with a lion rampnt. Hs an inerent
+1 offense bonus (52 +1 +fast, range 6, ¥8000 i sold)

+ The Mises title & landing permit: diffcult 1o fence, asy to hire document forger 1o
sign over to main characters “¥2400

+ Severalerotic novels: “Punted i the Balls by Merciless Soccer Starkts”, “The Mal
Clamped a Car Batery to My Balsack (Joke's on Them)” & “Stomped in the Bals o
Death by o Sexy Lady Exceutionee”

© A pair of keys on a ring with a cicular rd tag. Front is @ graphic reading “Heron
Tower", on the back s scrawled “#1818”

with unseal efect
st numbers of the

Looking up “Heron Tower” in a phonebook: (there’s one on the Mises) lands them the.
address downtown. The Heron Tower thread starts on page 20.

Clue B: Photograph of Restaurant Grand Opening
1 the master bedroom there are photos of Lobster Mercier with a few famous figures
(opera star, prince of Thailand, b fm producer etc), but most notably one of him
cattng the ibbon t a festaurant grand opening, fine dining s assembled bencath
Signage reading -3 17 The Jewels of Ebb & Flow” Looking up s estaurant i a
phonchaok gives the addres for the Sundaland Common, a well-known mallin Zone 1.
Theead stats next page.
False Lead: The Jewels of Ebb & Flow (zene 11)
Sounducck. 51 2 Corp- Paen Mall o sibum]

(Clus leading her: 1) photo on the Mises, 2) Azaée mentions Lobser Mercir’s he wner

“This thread can be quick dead end to add realism i you only run tis page). o
an entir side-mission ending in a batle on tap of & partly-consiucied skyscraper,
complte with worthwile lot. o be clear thi theead s optional,

Sundaland Common
The Jewels of Ebb & Flow is located i the Sundaland Common (Zone 11), luxury mall
famous for extending out nto the St Disma Reef, s 0p domed in glass 50 you can watch
all the teopical oceanlife.

Security: the main characters know a tourist spot ike the Common doesn’t allow
(unconcealed) weapons, and are crawling with securty 1o back that up (armed with
arcguns, page 107, since firearms could damage the glass domenays).

Grand staircases descend into a eeming enty plaza. I ts cente looms a colosal e, an
extinet wisteria with fong vines of canary-sellow flowers, once native 10 the sutken
Sundaland continent and cloned from fossils at unimaginable expense. Through the entry
e the famed palladiun-glass domevays, evers inch of their arched ceilngs transparent,
nots of gem-colored fish gliding lazily through the crystal waters and nearby reeficape.
What do you do?

Goods & Supplies: the Common has almost anyihing the main characters would wanna
buy. Most things cost wha they would in our time; just rememmber | yuan is worth about 5
modern American dollrs.

“The Jewels of Ebb & Flows a five string quartet plays 10 extravagantly dressed diners
under the o light of paper lanterns. A hosi approaches you, poliely greeting
“lrasshaimase. Table for [numbes of main characters]?

Any restaurant staff the main characters talk fo cither don’t want any
trouble or don’t remember sceing Lobster Mercier.

On their way out of the Common, the main characters hear a whistle behind them. When
they look over they see a teenager with a black apron over his shoulde

Side Character: Lou Voice: brash, Ausrlian sccent
Inpoverished immigrant tecnager, busboy at the Jewels of Ebb & Flow. White
skin and tanned os shit, blown out tick-and-poke of a rose covering the back of
Hhis Iefl hand, thorns stabbing out at its comers. Personalty s jagged but ikable
(lightly roasts ne of the i characters).

Lou says they were geting stonewald: everybody in the restaurant knows Mercier (*He's
like a part-owner or something”) but nobody wil say anything because they e ot rying (0
Tose their job. Lou says he hasn’t seen Mercier for weeks, but if somebody gives him their
sumber and o liule compensation for his risk (¥1000), he'll o some digging and report
back.

‘This s where the trap begins. 105 2 good e, lots of ot e, butskip t0
“Heron Tower” on page 20 i you're rying (o keep the are shorl.

Lou calls later that day: apparently somebody is sl ordering Lobster Mercier's exact
same off-menu usual (a ¥600 oyster grinder with beluga caviar), and getting it delivered
by a third-party courier. The delivery address is 1597 Airrdichi, Zone 7: the Vs
[“veh-sehn”) Tower

Vésins Tower (Zone 7)

Soundirack: Benny the Butcher - Griselda Strong Instrumental

—» O the drive there, dark clouds slowly oll n, threatening rain

As the main characters get near the tower they sce it's a construction site surrounded by
10" chainlink

A unfinished tower looms over you, is skeletal form o eris-crossing beams raking;

e sk 500 feet above. As the sky continues to darken with brooding rainclouds, you

notce windows in the opmost partly-fnished story are lluminated. What do you do?
Ifthey lay on the spot,a big guy sing-mumbling a soccer chant comes out the building and
pulls half a dozen takeout bags from the dropbox at the chainlik roll gte. To be clear
e's on the other side of the fence so can't be snatched up unless the main characters
aleady climbed over.

INTERIOR
A colossal, unlit marble lobby. The main characters will need a source of light

+ Partial power: most lightswitches dor't work, except for those around the receptionist’s
desk and express clevator (below). Power can be supplicd by entering the sub-basement
bencath the parking garage where there’ alarge circut breaker panel,

+ Ascent: lobby elevators are unpowered and unfinished. Stairs stop at 427 flor; the main
characters can spin (casy spin if srong 1) to climb a few levels of H-section steel
columas from the op of the stairs t the open loor. Failure: all back (o stairs, 8 offense.

+ Express elevators down a wing past the reception desk. “Going up” button is backlit,
showing it receiving power. The luxurious express elevator’s lights are on, and its
console has only two buttons: “Lobby” and “Exceutive Suite™

+ Tracks: if somebady’s looking for it dust from the gravel outside s obviously tracked
toward the express elevator and mare sublly into the sub-basement.

Pinhole cameras: th size of a pinky nail. One 20" direely sbove lobby entrance,
‘another behind ventlation slits in express clevator. Four thers hidden around.

Open Floor: you step out onto an unfinished floor; open 1o the siching winds, the
peeking lights of the cty spravling i every direction. 4 massive lattcework of columns
and beams rise up around you another sisty fee, lacing into several stories of mostly-
finished rooms on the eastern side. AL its height are a fow rooms whose windows glow
fainty old with interior lights. What do you do?

—+ The only way 10 get 0 the finished ooms is by climbing some.
scaffolding and erossing 0 stretch of naked beams.

18
The call: if the msin characters wer
beams. Lou, out o breath and spesking fast says something like

71 assholes 10 Lou, he calls as they're crossing the

T called you as soon as I could, they made me set you up and [ couldn’ get aveay until
o do you understand? I’ a fucking trap, stay the FUCK outta that ower —
and the first shots ring out. A i character’s parafield Mlashes as they e hammered by
a5pray oTSMG fire for 5.

Fight: Spider’s Web
Soundirack: Animals as Leaders - Thoroughly at Home
Abatle sl e beams against 1 atacken. It s o lighly aning.
ENEMIES
(7) Goons: Offense 4 (machetes) / Defense 4/ Merk 11/ Move 5
(x2) Shooters: Offense s8 (SMGs, ange 8)/ Defense 0/ Merk 5 / Move 5
(x1) Brute: Offense s8 (chainblade,range 2) / Defense 2./ Merk 15 / Move 6
(Yoked, chemica bums, heavy armored vt Can'tbe pushed)

these dudes, merked means dead: i ke slive they I
i out Lobstor Mercir & skip halfthe re.

. For.

+Surprise: encmy gocs first, but mostly just move into attack rnge thei first tur,

+ Pushing: for this scene only, main characters (but not the enemy) can trade the
move acton to push o trip a target. On a 6 they push an enemy’into another and.
they both full. On o 1 the main characte cither drops their weapon, or loses their
balance and precariously hangs from the beam.

« Falling: instantly merked from plumimeting 40° o the nearest completed floor.
Enemies are instantly killed.

Fall State: if main charactersall merked, they wake up on page 43.

+ End: once there are only two enemies left they each pull a case with ramborn
handles off ther backs and jump off the side of the buikding: pair of &-foot SMP.
textile wings deplay from each case and the goons sail down into the cityscape.

Heavy vest from brute: +2 defense (¥9,000) = ¥3,000 cash from goon pockets
= Two microgliders busted from fulling (¥0), and an unharmed microglider (¥12.000)

— Retum soundirack o Benny the Butche - Griselda Strong Inscumental

Lit-up eastern rooms: empty except for takeout trash, spent coke baggies and botdles of
booe, a pocket projector plugaed into a Sega Genesis, and a receiver displaying the six
shole cameras hidden throughout the tower.

If the main characters come back on Lou

A) I they never did anything t carn his respec, he's nowhere o be found (sfe ©©
assume e sold them o)

B)IFthey treated Lou with respect: e says one of the prep cooks snched him out —
afer he got snatshed up,the ook s there 1o posively 1D b fo a ol ofcash and
an ounce of powder Lou raises his right hand, two bandaged stumps whers fingers
Should be, and sys “These cunts were serious.” Kastumaro tls him no 1 g0 back
intothe resturan, gives him a wad ofc3sh n says o call i ifhe necds work.

19
Heron Tower Luxury Apartments, Downtown Zone )
Soundirack: SpaceCGhostPur - Peto Instruental

Clues lading here: 1.) mail from Lobster Mericr's mansion, 2. keys in he Mises”safe

You roll dovn the wide streets of downtown under a tempest of neon hologram signage,
ants in the supermassive corridors of dizzving meatowers. You park and head through @
busy plaza hung with long strings of paper lanterns marking the approaching Chinese
new year: At s far end fooms a white high-rise in the Post-Deco sivl, set with an emblem
matching the keychain in your palm — Heron Tower: What do you do?

GETTING IN
+Can just use spare keys from the Mises, but concierge doesn'trecognize main characters
+ Bribe concierge or security (¥2000) + Sneak in behind car n parking garage

+Pose as courier o delivery driver, et everybody else in through a side entrance

*+Glide down onto 15" loor balcony from neighboring tower using Special o

*+ Disable lock of side door with rare-earth magnet or lockpicking set, etc

Unit 1818 top flocr. Both balcony and front door unlocked. No respanse o knocking.

Apartment Interior: a brass statue of he Nemean Lion loons in the middie of a dim fover.
a raised bed of blood:ed poppies grown up around is pedestal. Incense smoke curls from
an aniique marble censer, drifting. invitngly through msewood colunns and a trefil

archway where colorful bids sing from ornate cages. What do you do?
“The inside of the apartmes
* Dining room with a e hal-
© Spa bathroom of god-flecked marble © High-ceilinged library (excellent collecton)

is caked in wealth, comort, and fine art. Areas of nterest

nished meals on the able © Dusty home gym

Final room: At the end ofa long, windowless dravwing room crackles an ornate freplace,
its golden glow washing over a lounging figure in a fine dress petting a large black dog.
She looks over, not even a litle concerned by the rougi-looking strangers in her house,
and wordiessly invites you 10 come sit by the fire with a gesturing hand. On the lable
beside her is a decanter of blood.red wine and a dozen bars of xanax. A masterful
reproduction of Henrsk Siemirad=Ai’s “Phryne” hangs on the wall behind her. barely
visible in the room s somber lighting. Do you sit?

Side character: Azale (‘sha-a-ei) Vice:gacil
A sender Lati woman with caseading midight ba Srung out o apiates and
xanas, but el educated wit can be glimpsed behind thei bluning nllence,
She's the ony side carmeer tat reurs o the Lobetr by his st e, Esenn,
Spesks Lao French, English, and some Mandarn.

— Throws a couple xanax tab i the s for her dog t cach throughou the conversation,

Tiberius, Azalée’s Dog: a large black akita with ecrily intellige
characters over with the scrutiny you'd expect of a human.
‘Anybody with a background in secuity or biotech can tel from his obsidian-like

teeth that he’s a high-grade engineered attack dog: near-human ntelligence, augmented
strength, implanted plating over vita organs, SEN-encased teth are all standard.

Stats: Offense s8+6 (bie) // Defense: 5/ Merk 30/ Move: 10

it eyes that look the main

20
Conversation With Azal

- Unconcerned: reminds the main characters i'sa polite thing to introduce thermselves

- Whereabouts: she has o idea whe

1 tested: reminds them she would be reasonabie 10 have her technologically perfcted
ack dog murder these armed strangers in her house

- Azalée says they should be friends since they all want the same thing

* Why she wants Mercier gone: he se up a lasge weekly annuity for her when they first

became involved; if he goes away now, that money faucetstays on orever. She knows she
was anly ever a means to an end, shame on Etienne ifhe didn’ think he was o. Thus

e Etienne s. Calls to his phone aren' going through

Azalie Offers up Lobster Mercier’s Lawyer: the one associate she always saw.
with Etienne, and the one man who definiely knows where he is: Gregoire
“Hatchet” Lécuyer (Gregwabr LeKOOyair). She gives the location of his
© Law firm (Tabouret & Lécuyer) © Hangout (Le Cygne Chess Club)
© Penthouse (the entire 111* loor of Kagemusha Tower. She knows for certain
since she atiended a party there once with Etienne)
She also warns them that since he makes his money getting horrible people out
of well-deserved sentences, Hatchet Lécuyer has two elite bodyguards with
him atal times

Backtracking: f you want the main characters 1o check out a previous scene (the Mises
the mansion, the False Lead thread et thisis the spot 0 do i.

Give the time to kill: Azalée says she called Hatchet Lécuyer afler the Scilla
Hills collapse and he mentioned he s in China for a deposition - he won't be back unil
tomormow evening. She can give leads as well, telling them about Mercier’s yacht o
restaurant.

2
Bagging Hatchet Lécuyer
Soundirack: Mobb Deep - Give Up the Goods Instrumental

— Starts lghtly raining on the drive to Fog Hill

Gregoire “Hatchet” Lécuyer is the only one who knows where Lobser Mercier
is hiding out. Pearlsays Hatchet i only ever at

A. Le Cygne Chess Club, on the roof of the Magnolia Tower
B His law fim in the Jean Boyd Building.
C. His massive penthouse n the Kagemusha Megatower

all of which are on Fog Hillin Zone 9: boojie, megatowers, heavy trafTic.

Chapter Intro,
Once the main characters make their way to Fog Hill ead this out loud:
The downpour casts a subile halo around the lighis of Fog Fill. The ruby siren of a
security chopper strobes above you as it glides between buildings, flushing over the
jeering faces o gutterspout gargoyles,ther jaws exhaling unending streams of water far
above the teeming streets. Two Zono 9 hooks leer from a passing cruiser, one’ fuce
briely luminated as he drags on a cigarete. The soft whoosh of olled-through puddies
punciuates the conversation that's wmed 10 coming up in Zone 3, trading stories about
how you made ends meetand the shitest job you ever had to work:

Go around and get a story from each actor. Katsumoto stars it by saying he was o
tsimmer at a fish processing plant and the owner, some dude who lived in Saudi Arabia,
was pushing managerment to getrevenes up. Quoias were high enough there was a piss jus
under the line, and once when it was Katusmolo's tum to cmpty it he just sortof ealized *
will do_lterally anyihing bt this bullsit” and dumped the jug on the supervisor's
convertble. Since then he'srun an illegal bookies and made a decent living.

‘When that conversation fades:

The camera cuts 1o a closeup on Katsumoto, his brow furrowed in thought. As he
monologues, we see various scenic shots of Fog Hill n the rain

1 don t know man, 1've struggled t0 put my finger on something for a while now: Anybody
who works long enough starts to realie how much their work s worth — you kmow the
showroom price of what you made on the factory floor. you see how much the shop made
when you count dovn the register at night. You factor i the overhead. and still wonder
where all this value vou created s going. Most of us ealize it when the factory owner rolls
wp in a different sports car every month — and once you realize it you siart o se it
exverphere:

Say my work creates, don't know, 300 yuan i value each hou: The owner is
going 1o take 200 of it so he docsn't have to work. He gives the sharcholders and franchise
owners a Kickback, so they don’ have 1o work cither. Then when I take home wha fitle
they leave me, my landlond takes the rest of t o she *also® doesn’ have to work. There's
this whole chain of parasites; they do nothing of salue, but somehow get all his money for
ice. Think about allthe richest people in the world. You look up what they actually do and.
ey ust *onn shit%. They just have their nae on a deed, or a share, and tha enttles them
1o insane amounts of free money every monih. And where docs that money come from? Us
the people who do the wortk

2
They've done, I gotta admit, an ineredible job of Kecping it ow: If1 was robbing;
working people | also wouldn’ g0 rubbing it in their face. 1 would do everyihing | could 1o
ke it quiet, 10 insulate myself. 10 only run with other people like me: other landionds
bosses, bankers, sharcholders. But 1 would also live i fear. 1 would fnow 1 was
outnumbered 100 t0 1 by the people I legally stealfrom every month. I would know that the
people 1 rob, someday they'll realize eerything shity in their 1 high rent, long shifs
Tow pay the misers of poverty — all these things are created by people lke me waning:
more and more. squeezing evers last penny out of their existence. Dread of that day would
Keep me up at night. and 1 would do everything within my power — immoral, illegal.
depraved, and worse — anything and everything 10 make sure that giant stayed asleep.

—» Close the scene with
Otdies eroon under the drumming of rain on the raised op. A shot of the Lincolns side
captures reflections of neon signage in every shape and color gliding by hyporicall.
You stop at alight and dozens of people under umbrellas flood the crosswalks. All around

you the brooding tovwers seem 10 rise forever, their soaring lightsfuding up into the rainy
haze of Fog Hill

Angles on Lécuyer

A Le Cygne Chess Club 2
B. Kagemusha Tower Penthouse. 526
€. Tabouret & Lécuyer p27

Side character: Gregoire “Hatchet” Lécuyer (Gregwabr Le-foo-yair
Noice: stern,educated, French accent
Nicknamed for his narrow, sharp-featurd ace. Thin, 505, dresed in. fne okd-world suit.
(Cold-blooded: will immediaely give up Lobster Mercier once snatched. Speaks French
and pssable English, Rides in an unmistakable maroon 1949 Bentley Mark V1.
Since he makes millons geting trust fund kids out of vehicular manslaughtcr
and rape convictions, he keeps two stacked bodyguards with him st ol times

Hatchet Lécuyer's Bodyguards
foativs & Calder
(red hin tie) (blue bowtie)
High-end private security: about 62", 230 lbs, stonefaced etc. Weapons are augmented
Knckles that emita low hum and make a small shockwave of concussive force on impact

(1w attacks per tur with these)
Disciplined spacial awareness and threat assessment. One stays with Lécuyer at
lltmes while the other brings the car around or searches o questionsble ara before entry

- Stas / tactcs listed over next fow pages

E
Angle A: Le Cygne Chess Club (Lécuyer's angou)
Soundirack: Louise Troter - Malaguea y Bésame Mucho

A boojie open-air chess hall for French-speaking businessmen. On the toof of the
Magnolia Tower: 22 stories of Nouseau-Revivalist arhiteeture with cablecar station on
the highest floor giving access (0 nearby towers. French-speaking main characters: Le
Cygne means “the sw

Getting Up: the

iy entrance / exit o this roofiop elub i an elevator.

Le Cygne: the elevator doors open 1o eveal a mofiop covered in fush gardens of Gascon
plant lfe. Boughs of fruit-bearing trees siretch out above knots of pensive chess players
hewing on cigars and thoughtflly trning glasses of bourbon. Looming in the center is
a white marble fountain of three daughters of Danaus eternally pouring out vessels of
water. and a haspist strums sofily on a tiny sdestage half-swallowed by flowering pear
trees. s you approach, the host returns 1o his podium, politely greeting, “Bonsoir:
Comment puis-je tre ile?” [barely speaks English]

Entrance fee for non-members is ¥400 each. Once inside, Hatchet Lécuyer and his
w0 bodyguards are visible, inishing a game against a les-skilled younger man

Optional Chess Mateh
14 main character challenges Lécuyer (0 a game of chess, they get +3 SP (but wait untl
closing ceremonies). Hatchet insists on making things interestng by betting personal items.
(e bets an antique ltter-opence with omate brasswork and a tiny ruby pommel. ¥5000).

Have the actor spin against Lécuyer three times (o represent the beginning,
middle, and end of the chess maich. Afler each one, have them describe their syle and
tactics: fortres-lke, rap-laden, rutbless, piescing, slow tde of ageession, patient counter-
fghting, relentlessly sniping for the King, ec

Spin is +4 + chess experience (amateur +1, enthusiast +2, expert +3), with
Hatchet's bonus being +2. Remember 1o ¢l the tory of the resultng spins. At the end, add
all points together for the victor

Busheraft 1 or Higher: notce in the Le Cygne garden some decp purpl atropa
belladonna flovers with berris like drops of biack nk. Al known as deadly
nighishade, this plant i extremely poisonous and a pavwerfl hallucinogen at sub-
poisonous doses

Moving on Hatchet Lécuyer
Soundirack: Art Blakey & the Juzz Messengers - A Night i Tunisia

Lécuyer's tableis few strides away from a large skylight, which Calder blows out with a
thrown chair, jumping down into the cablecar station, and catching Lécuyer when he
follows. They then enter a departing (empty) cablecar right as ts doors close. Ignatius
atacks the main characters.

Optional: high-rsk arapple. His frst turn, Ignatius prabs & main character, and they both
spin s10 + srong or fast (+3 for Ignatius). Whoever lands highest (respin ies) pivors and
throws the other through the skylight’s remaining las (o the station floor below for s§
offense.

En
Cablecar Fight
+Jumping 0 he eablecar station below has no acton cost.

+New cablecars arrive every 20 seconds. There are about 20 sirides between cars.

+Cables are in a cluster of 4, so safe 10 shimmy across them at a rate of move score
s 1. IF the main characters approach this way, Calder takes shots at them from his
cablecar, then climbs oo it roof 10 get the drop on the fiest maiin character 1o ariv.
Cablecars are 2 x 6 strides
+Jumping from tower roof 1o top of Hatchet Lécuyer's departing cablecar: casy spin, but
i you fail, you full 1o 4 different cablecar far below, automatically merked, prisnary
Weapon gone, and headed in the opposite diection.
+ Lécuyer and Calder’s cablecar rrives ot a neighboring tower in a fow wrneycles
(whenever it would be most cinemati). I able, they hop out into the sation, and run
down a grand staircase that Lts out nto the massive, empty lobby of a luxury shopping
all bviously being renovated: the shops are all closed up, and towering bloodstone
pillas reach up 1o ceiling full of bl installed chandelers. The exits are al gated shut
1 still unmerked,this dead end is where Calder makes his last stand.

+ Page 28 for what Hatchet Lécuyer knows

Hatchet Lécuyer’s Bodyguards
Stats: Offense 56 & s6 (concussive knuckles)/ Defense 0 / Merk 80/ Move T
ot of range, il st supprssive v withpisiol: 2 1)

Ignatius (redte) & Calder (blue bowtie)

Atacksand obsiructs Retests with Lécuyer

OFFENSE TAKEN:
Angle B: Kagemusha Megatower (Licuyer's penthouse)
Soundirack: DITC - Digified Sodies Inseumental

Hatchet

cuyer lives in unit 1101 eatir 111" floo near the ower's tapring peak).

Megatowers: the main characters will know cach megatower is like its own
mictonation, complete with its own bylaws, private police, and emergent
culure. Stark austerity on the lower levels slowly give way to more and more
outtandish luxury and exclusion as one ascends, a perfeet encapsulation of St
Disma’s culturaly pervasive hierarchics.

Megatowers usualy contain grocery stores, clincs, parks, greenhouse
ardens, and various sporting areas depending on the intended. residens.
Hypothetically, one could live a long lfe without ever leaving the megatower
they were born in.

GETTING UP

* Hundred Plus Lobby: the lobby 1o aceess higher floors oozes luxury — courtcous
doorman, concierge, and a fow Crown Security guards visible. IF the main characters
manage 1o actually gaflle their way into the glass tube elevator, they take in a visual
feast of the megatower's interior gardens and shopping centers as they glide up to the
111 loor.

« General Lobby: the much more austere lobby for access to lower floors has no sceurity,
just an underpaid seceptionist who can easily be slcked or bribed (¥200).

+The tower’s shopping center (0" floor) s 4 busling mini-mall and rocery store. From
Here there are only two Crown Security guards attending the clevator to the higher floors.
They sk “Visitor orresident?” and verify, but can asily be pulled away by a distracton.

+ Access rooflop or neighboring tower and glide / rappel down 10 Lécuyer’s balcons.

+Pose as leal courier or delivery di +Pose as technician or custodian.

Inside the Penthouse
Soundirack: Mario Lanza - Nessun Dorma

A small palace: three split-levels of a dozen lavish rooms, the outermost with walls of
slass and an incredibl view of th city sillng over the teraced hills of the island.
Lécuyer, who wears a fez and antique smoking jacket around the house, s a
prolific colletor of 16" century Ottoman arms and armor, suits of plae mail and omate
medieval weapons adorming nearly every room.
The main characters fistencounter [gnatus, who is exactly 0% alarmed by their
i calling out “Calder old boy. put on your dancing shoes won't you

Fighting the bodyguards: Calder’s tactic is 10 atack while obstructing the mai
characters from pursuing Lécuyer, who retreats deeper int the penthouse. Ignatius just
atacks relentlessly.

For this scenaio only, the bodyguards’ augmented knuckles also throw targets
2 trides (sideways for hooks, back forjabs and crosses). Season up the fight by having it
move between rooms, and g0 over balconies or down stairs. The bodyguards may also
grab medieval weaponry offthe wals,

- Page 28 for what Hatchet Lécuyer knows

%
Angle C: Tabouret & Lécuyer (Licuyer' ofice)
Soundirack: Convay - Rex Ryan Insteumental

Tabouret & Lécuyer is an opulent la firm on the 48ih story of the Jean Boyd Building.
Mostly legal and finance, this ower is dimed to the gills The main characters recognize
securit i so tight tha his would be a nightmare Staging ground.

Stealthing in or soclal engincering: almost immediately foiled by well-
disciplined security patrolling hallways, monitoring entrances, and checking IDs.

Secking a consultation: receptionist (French accent) says consulttions stat at
¥10,000. Lécuyer's booked out seven months, but they could see & junior partne in as
litle s three weeks.

Hatchet Lécuyer’s Bodyguards
Offense s6 & 56 (coneussive knuckles) / Defense 0/ Merk 80 / Move 7
ot f range, will st sppresive v with pisiol: 2 1)
Ignatius (e ) & Calder (blue bowte)
Pure gression, Atacksand obsiructs

Stats

OFFENSE TAKEN:
Hatchet Lécuyer Gives up Lobster Mercier
Lécuyer says Lobster Mercie is hiding out in a warchouse on the corner of Plénum &
Talaireport n the Flais Zone 2. The warchouse is owned by an organization knows as the
Oxheads, who Mercier hashited or securty unil he can leave the sk

During his visits thee, he saw 10 or 20 armed Osheads at any given time. They
appear 1o run a chop shop, smugeling, and pill operation around the clock. A “maser
bedroom” has been set up for Mercie in what used to be the office area. To prove he's
ot ying, Hatchet shows them old pager messages which give the addres. (Remember
pagers only work one way).

‘The Oxheads: at least one of the main characers know about the, or maybe even
had dealings with the. The Oxheads starid as he Oxhead Firm, loose ssociaton
of coked up French soccer hooligans that graduated to kilos, car theft, and weapons
smuggling. Local to Oxhead Point in Le Miroi, Zone 2. Their leader, Kncecapper
Doriot (door-yo)is curretly locked up in SDCC.

Kingshit:parsphrase the sbove parsgrsphs on not and s i 0 the sctr
' the mostSrct-oriented main characte before he Session stars.

Pockets: Hatchet Lécuyers holding ¥720 cash, 420,000 timepiece and a ¥5,000 antigue
lettr-opene with tiny ruby pommel (ifnot already won from carlcr chess match).

— Level Up
n charactrs all gain a level for
their progressin the story

The m

EY
Plotting on the Oxhead HQ
Soundirack: DJ Krush - 3d Eye

Lobster Mercieris hidden inside a warehouse (the Flats, Zone 2) controlled by the Oxheads
(@ network of ex-hooligans tht burgeoned into a heavily armed, serous criminal enterprise)

Additional Firepower: Hatchet Lécuyer reported between 10 and 20 goons at
the warchouse any given hour. Additional muscle is needed:

RECRUITABLE GROUPS
Each recruitable group has & contact that Ieads 1o then, This contact i known by &
main character, and listed a th strtof each group’s secton.

“The Endless Wound: a tombdeller gang in the undercity Page 30
Back Chalice: cel of politcal insurgents Page 32
PKC: a militan anti-trafficante network Page 34

(Al these groups ar opiona, buta good tme o recrui)

Clocking the Warchouse
“The Oxhead warehouse is surrounded on all sides by streets and sidewalks. Botiom 10
feetof the wall are masonry, top 10 are corrugated plastics. Massive takeout orders arrive
about once every 6 hours. No notceable shit paterns. Long strings of red lanterns
along some neighboring sreets for the approaching Chinese New Year.

Entrances: metal door with high-grade lock out front. Large loa
be opened from inside). Only windows are skylights (plentifu).

bay door (can only

Exit Plan
Katsumoto can optionally remind everybody the Chinese New Year parades wil be
jumping off in two days — the chaos of the crowds can be used 1o their advantuge,
especially with a quick outfit change or by hopping in a floa.

1fthe main characters get laced with the undercity (next page), hopping down o
storm drain or into a manhole would be abou the casist exit phase possibl.

1 the actors e lazy cnough to just ry “Ubh hop back in my car and hope for
the best,” punish then in some way that won't spol the arc’s ending.

+ The Battle for the Oxhead Warchouse i on page 36
+The Endless Wound (Recruitable Tombdweller Gang)

‘Wit this on a note, and before the session stats slp it 10 the actor whose main
character would most likely know Belly:

“You know dude from way back, completely unhinged character called Bely for a
massive surgical scar up his gut. Last you heard he was running with o tombdeller
ang. @ source of serious fireposeer and potential mercenaries i your plo 1o take the
Oxhead warchouse. You're prety sure you sl have Belly’s nurmber somewhere.”

Linking Up With Belly
Soundirack: Corrupted - La Victima es tw Mismo
Belly says to meet him t an oogle bar called the Rat's Nest in o cuter stetch of Zone 3. A
dude ina studded up vest nods ofTout front, Disjawn blasts on massive speakers inside, and
pichers of Sewage Brew (16%) are on special for ¥20. Good time for a drnking contest
Belly shows up an hour late, skeed out 4nd rolling balls, his already-ermatic
personality turned up way 100 high. He wears an armored vest with 4 tac-light and masg
pouches,is covered in stick-und-pokes, and has a busted nose mashed o one sde. He says
they's

running lte, slams hei pitcher, and jogs out.

As he hoofs it he puts his phone and 8-ball in a ziplock bag, and coming 10 &
ridge hops over the rail, fallng 30 fet nto the canal below. He dives under and switches
on his tac-light, swimming fully submerped down a drainway for an alarming full minute
before emenging into an open air tunnel. Puling out some loose bricks, he rerieves a trench
Kenife and bullpup, yelling snd spraying off few rounds or no real regson.

The Tombs
Soundirack: Xavier Wl - Thunder Man Instrumental

Belly brings vou down a long, zagging, crudely excavated tunnel of improvised framing
and rock bolls. Brushing the loose cart from your clothes, you siep into a colossal surge
chamber; a concrete tank the size of a cits block used 1o control flooding during monsoon
season. Walking among the S0-foot-tall pillars streaked with long. patinas of mincral
residue, you enter a draimway channel. pass through another narrow excavation, and
finally emerge into a large,dusty catacomb.

Eiectric lanterns are scatiered through the ornate burial chamber, casting
angular shadovs across ornate stonework relefs. A crew of tombdwellers covered in shity
stick-and-pokes, wearing paiched-up back armored vests with a curling centipede painted
on the back, alldrink around the vault stone sarcophagus, velling over a forest of liguor
bottes and lile trays of drugs strewn over its Lid. A big dude with cerie, prosthetic
ightision eves notices you, and muters in the ear of a small albino woma who prompily
vels a everybody o shut the ick up.

‘The Undercity.
Colloguially called “the Tombs", the underciy is a massive network of illegal
excavations connecting subway utlity tunnels, catacombs, sewers, and the calossal
drainage system that prevents flooding during monsoons (similar to the G-Cans in
“Tokyo). This abyrinth of downward sprawl was frs oceupied by junkies and oogles
living rent free, but over the years these tombdwellers developed lucrative drug
manufuctuing and smuggling routes. Now heavily armed and more fucked up than
ever, these tombxiwellr gangs kil each other non-st0p over the invaluable real estate
of the lawless undecity. The main characters will know the common sense in St
Disma i to never, for any fucking reason at al, ener the Torbs.

30
n With the Endless Wound
Woman, leads the Endless Wound. She does most of

Snow, a cruel and humorles albi

the talking.

+Asks operation detals: who they'd be Killing, where the warehouse s, what i’ used for

+ When chop shop mentioned, one of the Wound says they would have had to install
industeial trench drains for their spray booth, 5o there should be easy access for a
surprise attack from below.

~Snow sweeps a dozen botles aside and places a heavily notated map. I’ concluded the
area beneaththe Oxhead warehouse is curently contrlled by the Filth Coven

+A Deal is Struck: help the Endless Wound seize that stretch of Filth Coven teiory, and
the main characters g underground access 10 the warehouse, plus a cut of Coven loot

Hiring the Wound t0 actually help storm the Oxhead wasehouse costs ¥250,000

Fight: Storming the Pillbox
“The Filh Coven have an outpost that holds he teriory bencath the Oxhead warchouse,
a crudely welded pilbox at the bottom of a waterfall juncton. Snow’s rght-hand man
(voice: baso) draws baule plans with chalk on the floor: the main characters are a B
team that will run inafer the spearhcad and hold the southern tunnel
Traversing catacombs, surge chambers, and half & mile of crude tneling.
they take inflatable, motorized boats down a huge drainway before ariving near Filh
Coven trritory. They come up on a decapiated body hung from the ceiling, its
Corpsefuckers SC backpatch crossd out n red spraypain. Belly explain the Coven
mark their territory with enemsics s he jumps up and high-fives the corpse, seying
ang i there buddy.” The Wound stat uning up with entie 7505 of whiskey and hall-
rams of blow s th frst shots ring out up ahead.

Fight Soundtrack: Vermin Wornb - Decline LP [wholc slbun]

Map: the main characters run through the large waterfll junction where the initial
fighting’s happening, one taking 310 offense from the pillbox's heavy machine gun.
They reach the mouth of the south tunnel (3 x 12, knee-deep water) just i time 10 50p
Filth Coven reinforcements from fucking thei fank.

TUNNEL ENEMIES
(x3) Fighters: Offense 56 & s# (sword & SMG, range 4) /| Defense 0./ Merk S
(x1) Brute: Offnse s8+2 (concussive momingstar) // Defense 2 / Merk 20

(x1) Pslon: Offense 56 (psionic acidbalt, range 12) / Defense 0 / Merk 20
(Spends first u giving all llics 1 defense with Durtion Combat)

Gruesome: describe the chaos of the unlit tunnel, the siobing flash of automatic
unfire castng silhouettes of decapitations and brutal maulings. Out in he junction the
Endless Wound get chewed up by a heavy machine gun nest on top of the pillbox.
before overrunning it and hacking apart everybody inside.

Fail State: lose the below loot except for ¥3000.

Loots heavy armor vest (+2 defense), +2 concussive augmentation (can be equipped to
any blunt orce instrument o give it 12 ofense), ¥6000.

Pillbox: rough-hewn siairs lead down o an excavated living space whose luxurious
fumiture clashes with walls of raw carth and shoddy framing. I the stash room, among
crats of stolen goods are cages with exotic genetially engincered animals: the main
haracters can take one and decide what it looks like (ky's the limi).

31
#The Black Chalice (Recruitable Political Cell)

Wit this on a note, and before the session starts slp it o the actor of the main
character who i either the most poitically radical, Eastern Orthodos, o has boxing
‘martial ars experience:

“You have an old friend and sparring partner from Napoleon Steet Boxing Gym
called No-Lobe, a wild Lithuanian with a long scar racing above where the botiom
Balf of his car should be. When last you talked he was running with a call of
Christan Orthodox Anarchists called the Black Chalie, allegedly involved with a
Seris of banker kidnappings and human trafTcker executions. You know they could
be a valuableally in a situation requiring exta frepower.™
— Reminder having an acto present e exclusive nfo ke this s
a good changeup o the Key just eling everybody lke sual

Setting up the Meet: No-Lobe (Lithuanian accent) maybe pretends to be pissed at the
main characte, leading them on for 4 second before saying he’s fucking with them,. He
chats them up and says he can make the meet happen todsy.

Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Seraphim (Slay City, Municipal Zone 4)
Soundirack: Zdravko Mihaylov - We Sing for You, Lord

The cathedral s briliant with the light of towering stained glass windows. A priest talks
with two laborers near the bapiisty, thir quiel voices echoing massively in the silence
betteen liurgies. Near the front of this tranguil microcosm, in a pew beneath an
engraving of Saint Alice Domon, sit a knot of black-clad figures. The nearest stands 1o
greet you

Cultural Shifi: Christan Orthodoxy has become a bastion of radicalism. The
teachings of Yeshua the Chrst (using restrained violence and property destruction
1o drive profiteers from the Temple, Matthew 1924, Acts 4:32, Luke 16:13, etc)
that would have many from the global north denouncing him a a crazed extremist
f they didn’t know who said it are actually being practiced in the ranks of the
broader religious populous, ereating condiions for o new breed of highly
motivated religio-politcal_insurgent, Along with older movements like the
Liberation Theologians, Catholic Workers, Plowshares, Confessing Church,
Protodo, and New Taborites, they form an invisible network of safchouses and
operative cells across the island of SL. Disma

‘While religio-poliical radicaliss filed o regroup in the 20° century after
assassinations of leaders ik the Reverend King, Minister Malcolm X, and Bishop
‘Oscar Romero, the 21° century saw not only 4 significant return o relgious
practice, but a resurgence in religiously motivated iberation movemenis across
major fuith traditions. The radicalzed within these movees are noted fo their
uncommon effectveness as they are A) galvanized by sincere belief in a cosmic
valence 1o their struggle, B.) fearless in the face of eternal reward for self-
saceifice, C) believe they will be judged for any moral filings, and D) resp all
the benefis of sirong leadership in the form of scripture and a higher power,
without the draswbacks of ssassinatable or corruptible human leadership.

Conversation With the Black Chalice
“The most respected member of the Black Chalice scems 1o be Brother Yusuf (Syrian,
black beard, discerning eyes, maybe thumbing through a knotted prayer rope). He does
mostof the falking

+ Ask sbout the operation. Their rules are no innocents, no chance of bystanders, and
that all adversaries be given a chance to surrender and repen. (At the final fight this
il work against them as the Oxheads ignore them and open fire

+16s obvious thei prioriy isn't moncy, just waging war on the owning clas, the
overnment that props it up, and “other malevolent elements” like cartels and human
raflckers.

+Ask the main character’s names and about their backgrounds. Tnquire i any potenial
connections o law enforcement, banks and finance, human exploitation, the stat etc

+Katsumoto asks about their name, why Black Chalice? One responds that black is the
historical color of anarchist lags from the Zapatistas to the Makhnovshching armies.
“The ehalice symbolizes the most precious blood of the isen Mashiach.

+Onee the conversation stats 10 feel done, one of the Black Chalice checks their watch
and says “We're about 40 out. Any closing thoughts?” They tell the main characters
they Il be in touch.

Pass / Fail: Black Chalice aren't hard-up for allies — if the main characters came off as
elass trators or idolators, no phone call.

1 the two crews seemed sympathetic
gets call telling the they re down.

the main character who knows No-Lobe

» Return soundirack to DJ Krush - 3nd Eye

HOQ Package: when the main charactes return to their HO, they find a package
with a black chalice sharpicd on it The doors of the HQ are al locked and there
are no signs of forced entry.

“The package coniains a stucco replica of the Palas de 'Autorité Civique
(capitol building of the St Disma government): 10 tall, heavy, but clearly hollow
i inspected. When smashed open, illegal Weapon enhancements (harmonic
oscillators and concussion hammers) wrapped in cloth tumble out, along with a
ote that reads “good instinci. see you soon.”

Harmonic oscillators and coneussion hammers ore small enhancements
casily un/installed on hand-to-hand weapons. Putting a harmonic oscillator on a
cuting weapon causes ts blade to vibrate at S6KI1z, increasing it slicing ability
and giving it +1 offense. Putting a concussion hammer on 4 crushing weapon
induces 4 splitmicrosecond gaseous. cavitation bencath ambient saturation
pressut, the immediate collapse of surounding air generating o few hundred
kilopascals of acoustic energy, giving that weapon +1 offense.

There's one harmonic oscillator or concussion hammer for cach main
‘character, matching to their preferred weapon type.

B
*Anquan xVx & the PKC (Recritable Side Character & Gang)

Weite this on a note, and before the session stats slp i 10 the actor whose main
character would most likely know Anquan:

“You're acquainted with Anguan xV, & wigspliter from Municipal Zone 5. He's
sraight edge (sober, hates drugs), and a shotcaller for PKC (o gang that preys on
drugrumners and drafts from the island's straight edge subculture) Has @ prtemmatural
talent for violence. You've worked with himm before, and thik you could gt him to bring
some PKC eads sround to take the warchouse. A real public type figure, Anquan's
almost ahvays.

Morning: training a VI Limbs fight gym (Zone 5)
Afternoon: reading ot Grindeore House cafe, usualy history (Zone 5)
Nights 1 Hardeore show

Scene: VI Limbs Fight Gym (Morning)
Soundirack: Black Thought - Making a Murderer Insteumental

s you open the doors of the gym you're greeted by the din of open mat: the echoing
WATOOMs of kick shields and Thai bags gettng i up, the percussive thud of focus mitts

and double-tether bags, and the chatter of students bulshiting between rounds of

sparring. Your man Anguan sits a the for wall, towel over his shoulders, siretching out
witha couple other rainees. What do you do?

Scene: Grindeore House Cafe (Afternoon)
Soundirack: Fiend - Derailed EP

Heavil tattooed old heads si in the sun out front an old-world, dilapidated building,
Shooting the brecze about new records and how much bettr the scene used 10 be. Inside,
a strange mis of actvisi-looking types and carjacker-looking types mingle under visibly

shaking sterco speakers. An wmistakable figure hulks on worn couch. reading o

volume enitled “Medieval Persia 1040 - 1797 and pensively urning a mug of coffe.
What do you do?

Side character: Anquan xVx oice: Baitone
62" and yoked, tattooed up to the chin, typical fighter scas (sl cuts around
brows and cheeks, busted nose, caulflower ear) today wearing an XREPRISALX
longsleeve.

‘Good-humored, but a capacity for violence comes off him like smoke. PKC

shotealler, makes his living robbing dopeboys; neighborhood willactvely protect
him and PKC.

I asked why he hates drugs: cven though he saw how they fucked up eversthing in
the shums he grew upin he st el into using as kid he thought if he couldn't have.
happiness, at least he could have pleasure. He watched as opists hijacked his reward
systmn, robbing i of the cndorphin rush that comes from personal sccomplishment
or elping somebody out, watched his tolerance catch up every time he ncreased his
dose s0 he was burning through cash just to ot get dopesick. It only made his shity
life even worse, so now h takes his evenge by destroying their cancerous spread.

34
Finding a Hardeore Show (Nigh)
Searching the billboard of a punk / metal / hardore record shop, skate shop, venue, of
Grindeore House produces a photocopied flyer with amateurish art of two crust punks
robbing a garbage tuck at gunpoint_ Fatalism and four other bands are playing tonight at
the Merzbowl: ¥25, doors at 7, bands a .

Any main characters who came up skating or playing music know the Merzbowl
s an llegal skate park and DIY space hidden inside a warchouse in the Industrial Quarter
(Municipal Zone ).

Scene: The Merzbowl
Soundirack: Trapped Under lee - Reality Unifolds [demo version]
— Strtrack extemely quictand um up s hey nter warchouse

A sliver-thin moon hangs in the light polluted sky above the Industrial Quarter. Distant
unshots crack in the night. As you rol up on a non-descript warchouse you can feel as
much as hear muffled soundaves from within. What do you do?

Front doors locked. Behind the warehous, showsoers loudly talk, sip on 405, and pass
around a blunt. A dude with face tatoos and a Shugfest shit puts ¥25 from ¢ach main
character into a ile strongbox and stamps the back of their hands.

Inside: You're hit with a tangible wall of sound that resonates through your limbs and
lungs. A three-piece plays on the back of a squat quarter-pipe while young heads run
across the makeshit stage and flip back into the roiling crowd. Big goons in bluc
GeAxMx CREW hoodies break up fights and kecp point for bad falls. An Indian dude
with a black beard and cybernetic eves hops on the stage with a guest mic right before a
breakdown and the kids lose their fucking minds. What do you do?

Anguan is standing in the back by the Death Rites merch table. Some wobs in front of an
IWW banner hand out pamphilets on industrial sabotage and insurgent labor organizing,
their able crowded with literature,

s ox o

Conversation With Anquan xVx
« Asks about detils of operation, how far along their planning i et.

+Ifthe Oxhead drug operation is mentioned, Anqu is down, no charge, but
only on the condition that all drugs on site flushed or torched.

*If drug angle not mentioned, his fee s ¥10,000.

+ PKC i red hot since allegedly disappearing a local crew of meth caoks. While
Anguan's interested, he won'tbe bringing any soldiers with him.

« Declines if any of the main characters seem lke addiets or dealers.

GreTs
1t Anquan successfully recruited, he shows up with a HOTrod for cach main character
when they link forthe aperation (write down)

HOTrod (hemostatic osteablast & thrombin rod): the pinnacle of combat medical
devices, this red S-inch rod with a button on top delivers a compound of thrombin-
mimicking nanites and synthetc osteoblasts. Heals 20, costs @ move action.

35
The Battle of the Oxhead Warehouse
Soundirack: Aniomals as Leaders - CAFO [only once fight begins]

Entry: skylights, loading bay door (only openable from inside), a large trench draimway i
the center of the floor Front daor (south) is heavily reinforced.

— Remembersurpisd combatants g0 ast, and have O defense il her frst .

Battleground & Setup

Strategie Cover: heavy racking full of car doors and other parts.

+Starting Position: half the sarting poons are within attack /charging range s0 the main
charactes can take advantage of thir surprise atack.

+Two Doors: on noth wal, lead to rest of warehouse. More goons come out o these.

+ Map Style: mecharmor marker is 2 x 2. On numbered goon markess, s helpful 1 write
R (for ranged) or H (for hand-to-hand). Flip when merked. Map s 12 x 18 grid. Optional:
add second level 1o map with a 2 x 12 mezzaine.

+No Fight Map: helpful 0 chunk enemies up into squads, eferring to them by location
(eastern squad, chop shop fireteam etc)

ALLIES

«Anquan xVx (only if recrited)

Stats: Offens s14+2 (arge ammer with Judge sicke) // Defense 3 / Merk 40/ Move 7

‘Specals: Worldbeater (e 58-2 unarmed atack when 10,20, and 30 merk reached)
Mizucorp Fibroblasic Applicator (fulyrestores one merked charseer 1 0 affensc

Taken. N scton cost: nasal spay deploys nnites simight nto bloodstram)
OFFENSE TAKEN:

#The Black Chalice (only if ecruited) Al Black Chalice have Move 5

Brother Yusuf: bearded man, besrded sxe Offense Taken:
Offense s14 +1 1/ Defense 3 1 Merk 10

Medha Tal: ndian woman withsick icon-engraved sword Offense Taken:
Offense $12+2 / Defense 2/ Merk 20

Bulganin stocky marksman, combat knife on vest Offese Taken:
Offense s16 (rnge 40) / Defense 1 // Merk 10

No-Lobe: buckvild Lithusnian with a shotgun Offnse Taken:
Offense s10 (rnge 2) / Defense 1/ Merk 20

Chaplain Volkov: psionic spabily, SMG Offense Taken:
Offense s (range )/ Defense 1 // Merk 10

Revive o half merk range I, sngle use)

36
ENEMIES

Tactics: spread atacks out evenly (don't instantly merk the weaker main haracters).
+ Goons: warchouse starts with 5 goons (+9 if Black Hand recruited, +3 if Anquan
recruited). 2 additional goons arive from back rooms every tumcycle or three tums.
[

2/ /7

3/

vy

Py

Stats: Offense 56 ranged (8 sides)or 56 hand-to-hand / Defense 1/ Merk 3 // Move 5

+Brute: on the frst Oxhead turn a brute arrives from the back rooms. Ifimmobilized
or disarmed, e fires a sawed-ofT (56, range 4/ 4 afte 2 sirdes).

ats: Offense s12+1 (-1 harmonic swrd) / Defense 1/ Merk 10 // Move 7
OFFENSE TAKEN

— 1 the main characters s under-chalenged, send out mors brtes.

+Mecharmor: there’s an older model of light mecharmor (basically an armored pod
with mounted guns mechanized lgs; used for diffcull mountain of jungle terrain) in the
chop shop. Biometri lock requires registered handprint to access. Boss of the fight, but
akes time o activat:

1 1Turn 1 Goon sprints to mesharmor, locks himselfin | | Turn 2 Fires up engines
1 1 Turn 3: Calbrtes wespons sysems, sands 11 Turn 4 Tokesfrst um
Stats: Offense $12 (50 cal HMG, range 30) / Defense 3 // Merk _/ Move 3

(Base merk i 50, +10 f Anquan V' reruited, +60 if Biack Hand recruited)
OFFENSE TAKEN:

When alle sid charaters esliz the mesharmor i scualy in working condion they'rc
noticeably ratled (imagine reaizing you's about o fight Sherman tank).

Fail State
It Tooks like the main characters wil get wiped out, It the last main character sanding.
merk the mecharmor (even f i’ not close 0 being merked). As a far trade, inflit loss:

“The
+The second m;

haracter merked has mild amnesia and loses ther next level

n character merked loses an arm (a prosthetc is ¥20,0004)

3
The Rest of the Warehouse & Loot

I Anquan xVx survives, he smashes the pill press and theows the captagon g-packs into a

wilty sink, leaving the water on. IF Chaplain Volko survives they administer last rites,
luding t0 Oxheads.

A) Chop Shop: in a stationary vice, parly sripped for cleaning is an H&K Deposer, a
high-grade automatic rifle that can immediately make another atack (can be different
target) when it lands an 8. (s8 + fast, ange 20. Worth ¥15,000.)

B) Warchouse Floor: a mastersork MDS sawed-off with raptor grip and modified gas
displacement system hat attenuates recoil. Respins 15 (86 +£ast,range 4, 54 afler 2 strides.
Worth ¥8,000). Any 1 harmonic oscilltors (worth ¥5,000 each) from meked brutes.

€ Pill Labs chemistry equipment, pill press, 14 g-packs of captagon (worth ¥10k
Wholesale). ¥12,000 n small bill are packed inside a suitcase.

D) Lobster’s Room: an ad hoc luury suite. Door is locked but fimsy (0 strong to kick
open). Lobster Mercier is hiding behind the bed. and immediately takes a shot at the
breacher (s2), but is easily overpowered (merk 2). Uness somebody stops him,
Katsumoto takes Mersier' parafield and pops him in the thigh so he can't run off.

EXIT PHASE
1 the ms exit plan was “Ubh gucss DIl ust head back to my car and hope for
the best?” punish them with a close call as the hooks pull over the car in front of then, oF
‘with the Oxheads catching their plates and taking revenge next season o something.

charact

After the Operation

Soundirack: Quasimoto - Boom Music Instrumental

Wadasie starts coordinating the teibunal (takes about 12 hours) a5 soon as she’s contacted
101 take place at the Hourglass Ballroom, an abandoned music venue in Sewerd Park,
Zone 3. The main characters need to b there 1o tetify and receive payment.

—» Montage through however the main characters choose 10 spend the net 12 hours.
(I they try and alk to Mercie he says he s above speaking with terorists)

“The Childerie Bee: while lesving for the tribunal, somebaxly notices glnt under Lobster

Mercier’ collar, puling out a gold curb chain with 4 gamet-nset golden bee pendant

Anybody with Worldliness 1+ recognizes it as o Childeric Bee replics, symbol of French

monarchic power. This can be used as blank (0 st up future storylings (page 41) or justa
i reward for a suceessful operation (worth ¥50,00).

B
Outro: The Trial of Lobster Mercier
Soundirack: Pete Rock - Mind Frame Instrumental

Gauge Interests if the actors just wanna se the Labster's end, quickly summarize. I they
Wanna ge involved with the tial's discourse,thei opinion is valued by everybody present.

‘The Hourglass, an Abandoned Venue in Zone 3
Ouside,the Yordbastards (s working class suedehead gang usually holding a picket line in
the shipyards or fighting Sang et Tere in the stadium distric) are working scurity and
keeping 3 perimeter. The Bastards receive the main characters with triumphal stadium
chants 15 they roll into the Hourglass’ oading-vard and present the Lobster

Inside, the negected venue is it with portable floodlights. Friends and families
of the vietims plus a dozen community members setle in. Wudasie spols the main
characters and gestures them over. Salvatore i with her, shakes all theie hands, and gives
them a backpack filed with cash: ¥20,000 for each main character

Etienne Mercier, hands bound, stands on the stage in front of pictures of all 27
vietims of the Scilla Hills collapse. A Black Panther attorey named (Albertna) Sostre
represents the prosecution. An activist lawyer and restorative justice advocate named
(Shouyi) Mo represents Mercier. The gathered people will srve as en han judiciary.

Citizens’ Tribunal

~Opening arguments: Mazi argues nothing done to M
arguing in favor ofsrct pacifism and forgiveness

Sostre responds that indeed one should always forgive, but the workd must also
be proteeted from sociopaths like Mercier: while he has the pomp of iches to end him a
sense of decency, in terms of human ham he is worse than several seral killers. He
cannot be le fee to continue bis depravity.

+Evidence: presented documents and winess testimony show Etenne Mercier repeatedly
ignored or downplayed reports of structural compromise in the Scilla Hills 10304
building, while stillpulling about ten million yuan ayear from that property alone.

+ Mercier Pops OfF: he says (French accent) something like “This is a circus, an
absundity — a rabble of churehmice and hooligans lashing out in emvy at someone who
actually made something of themselves.

+Sentencing: euilt now established, Mozt proposes only seizing the entirty of Mercier's
assets, and redistributing it (0 the workers and tenants he stole it from. Sostee says they
should take everything and execute Mercier for crimes against humanity. Lobster
Mercier,sealizing this trial i more than symbolic, starls 0 sweat.

+ The Debate: many still areving the loss of loved ones demand exeeution or worse.
Others argue it would be better optcs and perhaps a better moral lesson o strip
everyihing he owas butlet himlive. Counterarguments abound.

+ The Compromise: someboy brings up that the ltimate nightemare of soft-handed twb
of guis like Mercier is work. Why not send him over 1o Malaysia (officilly “The
Malayan Worker's Confederation) where he can spend the res of his ife in & labor
camp? People quiekly warm to the idea.

+ Resolution: 4 Malayan ambassador is rached on a scrambled line, and gets the green
light from his colleagues: the MWC formally offes to rehabilitate the criminal Etienne
Mersier in their most high-profile reeducation faclity. The ambassadr gives his word
hat Mercierwill pay his debt o humanity i full, and his t0il will be wel-documented as
an admonition o th global owning class and other cconomic criminals.

A dogerate is fetched from o nearby pet supply store and Lobster Mercier
St in. Trusted seafaring contacts are already on their Way to a nearby dock. A squad
of armed Bastards throw Mercier i the back of a van and roll out of the Hourglass's
loading-yard o raucous celebration,

e will bring back the vietims,

£
+Crew Ambition Complete: “Deliver the Lobster”
Lobster Mercier found, snathed, and brought o justice
Reward: +1 lovel and ¥20,000 each

Naming of the Crew
A Tamous arist who attended the tribunal catches up with the main charactes, showing
Sketches of them handing over Mercier. She'll be turning these sudis into o large oil
painting, and wants (0 tte it with whatever they call themselves.

Optional: for the best crew name, tell everybody 10 bring a few at the 1op of next
session — whoever brings the avorite by vote wins 3 SP

Close the seene with: the main characters are widely congratulated. Somebody gives
them a nugget of asteroidal platinum that belonged to their son (crewman on 4 sort
station) who was Killed in the collapse, a mourning Muslim couple press onyx misbaa
beads into one of their hands, a gravelly old head says they al drnk for frce at his bar for
life ete. While tomorrow the for-profit media networks will wail about containing one’s
anger 0 voting booth, the peaple of St Disma celebrate the unlikely tumph of justice
a their community.

Coda

Soundirack: Denzel Curry - Zone 3 {start el qict]

S night fals the news spreads and the celebrations gain momentum. Every block of
Municipal Zone 3 slowls roils into a party is residents in disbelif they e brought an
untouchable member of the ruling elite 0 real and lusting justice. Doors are lft open 10
neighbors, people empiy into the sireets, music exudes from every speaker and rival
cligues save drama for another day. More and more people begin 1o recognize you,
onking horns and popping.off bottlerockess, offering drinks and joints, enraptured by
the story of how a fex no-name volunteers dogwalked a mid-level gang; and snatched
away one of the island's most vile shunlords. As you slow roll down the jumping main
drag of Zone 3. the closing shot slowls cranes up, rising above the grime, summer
breees, and sky-piercing towers of St Disma.

—» Blast the rack.
Keep it Rolling
1 everybody likes the show and wanis o keep meeting for sessions,here ae a few ideas
for season two's Crew Ambition (remember to otate Key Narators)

+Guts of the City: some major players got waxed, and a eiabl source seys theie massve.
stash s sl hidden sommewhere in catacomb bencath Gascany Park.

+ Decapitate the Serpent: a woman calling herself “Mirror” meets wilh the main
‘haracers. She says her people ar posting bounies on vory v zakone eadership (page 47).
and offers then ntel on the vor captins: cach contols a“pleasure house” in Slav City and
as elite psionic security. They can work ther way up the foodchain 0 the pekhan (boss), o
take out a few and frame the others, leaving them 1o desroy themselves. Unclar if she's
from a rval nganization, he govermment, rogue security i, jus out fo revenge elc.

e Lobster's Childeric Bee pendant is actualy an orginal (worth about ¥25,000.000
but extemely difficult o fence) and word' gotien out who has it. French ulranaionalists
and old fushioned jockers like come gunning for the main characters

+ Marching on the Bastions of the Morningstar: the Black Chalice call in o well-
deserved favor. A medical manufucture called Scepte Holdings has bought a seled patent
o a treatment that keeps Mesothelions in remission, but are charging several thousand
times its manufacturing cost, eaving patiens t somehow gt the funds or dic. A couliton
assault squad is ploting to eter their Zone § tower disguised as custodial S, fight their
way theoush heavy mercenary presence and cybermetc arca denial systems, jack the patent
OfFthe highest loor, nd bailusing microgliders to iy down into the city.

+Cleaning House: the main charsetes investigat a series of bormbings across St. Disma, A
string of clues brings the to an ccofascist safehouse in th city, and then poins them to &
IEcephale (page 46) compound out in the Teardrops, a decent recration of Lubart Castle.
After bulldozing the heavly armed inbabitants and burning thei fucked up natue temple
where they sacrifice animals and shil, they find evidence of collaboraton with the siting
government — weapons shipments, ntel on tival poliical groups, and bomb-making
materal.

Creating a New Show

I everybody wants o keep meeting for sesions, but un a different seting or genre, just
bang out the below seps.

1. Agtee on a show concept: something with a ot of namative potental like uncovering
supernatural secrets in the thrivng cites o the Bronze Age, or exploring & smal planet of
destroyed civilizations now nfesed with stange lfeforms.

2. First Key Narrator steps up: since they I be running the shar, they now have creative
conrol over the setting. Key, its your job to come to that frt sesson with an cpisode that
introduces the main charactrs and sets the Crew Ambition in motion. If you're @ irst-imer,
check out page 15 for cash course.

3. Aptee on a Crew Ambition: can be something immediate like repeling the riders
boarding the ship you're all passengers on (*Merk the Raiders”). Can be something open-
ended like & crew of longtime associstes stating private detective agency and waiting for
their first case to walk in the door (il First Case”). Can be something longform like finding
alost map and then pillging the torb of the tyrant Kashif Sultan (-Into the Crypt

4. Actorsereate & crew of main characters: castyou'd wanna watch an actusl show about
interesting group dymamics, believable for the seting, and sl driven o move the show's plot
Torward.

. Lock ina time for that firs session: seriously. do this sep now. 1 you kik that can down
the rosd everybuods's schedsle s gonna fill up and your game probably won't happen.

a1
Bump Scenes
Scenes thatcan be dropped int the middie ofasesion. Use them o change up gameplay
o nject acton.

sociaL
~ Psycho shows up: idealy at the worst time possible. Just 2o buckowild with this one.

* Revolver: while traveling, laying on a building, or wailing for & meet the main
charactrs sart tlking about thir favorie spots around the city. Go around and get an
answer from each main character —a dive bar, DIY space, athlete club, shooting range,
pool hall, union hall, party headqurers, soup Kitchen, record shop, secret spot in 4
bando or out in the Teardrops ctc. Ask about anything intcresting hey bring up, and write
down anything you might want to use lter.

+Point of Contention ing, locking a building, or waiting for & meet the main

characters get in a straight up shouting match bul over something absurd. What s i€”
Emphasize it can't be Serious, but completely inconscquential shit like whether it's OK to
put noodls in chill, if water can be wel, grape s orange soda etc. Egg them o with
Katsumoto caling one a depraved pervert and another “lterally Hil

while trav

FlGuts
~ Bump Fight I: squad of goons sent by tail picked up at the Lobster's mansion. Page 13,

~ Bump Fight I: squad o goons sent by ail nformed by sheisty clerk. Page 14.

+Advanced Combat: 4 contract kille with an invi
surprise attack (arget’s defense doesn’t apply).

ity mutaion. Set it off with

— Stats: Offense s10+1 (spear) / Defense 2 / Merk 20 / Move 6

Tacties: stick and move. Will use spear to strike from a swide away. svoiding
counterattacks and making his positon diflicul 10 determin.

‘Solutions: have something n the scene to deop o top of im — bags of cement or flour,

cans of paint, large banners etc. A nearby puddie or pool would allow the main
charactes to sée where he's standing. Also the Anniilate Psionics premade Specil.

Merked: dead. Skin continues to show distortions of nearby scenery like a bizarre,
elitching out chamelcon.

Loot: dope Yoshida Armory speas.Inherent +1 offense (s10 +1 +strong, range 2, lock 1).
Telescopes to 24 for storage.

If pockets gone through (multi-tool, petty cash) an unsigned note says “double rate,
Royal Barbell 732, confirm at second spot”. There is also a small key in the assassin’s
pocket. Looking in a phonebook identifis a Royal Barbell powerlftng gym in Od
Town; the key fits locker 732 which contains ¥10,000

PuzZLE
+ The Mierosafe: contacts of Katsumoto link up. They'se having trouble with a high-end
model of microsafe that most likely conting some real incriminating shil, but will
incinerate its contents if tampered with, I's tubular, just over a foot long, and has @
combination lock of 3 rings around the lid, each mumbered 1 10 100. 1t was allegedl
scored in bank job targeing the strongbos of Li Xiang Vu, one of the politicans leading

the fearmongering campaigas agains people with advanced bioactive mulations.
Solution: 50, 10, 5 (Vs ntals a5 roman numerals).
Loot: 2 SP and ¥2,000 for cach main character. Contacts say they defowe them a favor.

2
If the Entire Crew Gets Merked
Soundirack: GZA - Queen’s Gambit Insteumental
The first pangs of consciousness are the pains of ifuries: cracked ribs, cut lips, yawning.

gashes and aching bruises. One by one you sir back 10 the world of the lising, wrisis bound
ehind you, and the lastdreanike haze of a heay sedative fling. What do you do?

The main characters wake up in the guts of a mid-sized ship; weapons, parafields, pho
and valuables gone. Their wrists are bound with cord (tzong 4 o bust ou),

+ The lengthy sopor they just woke from counts as a full i
them and restoring their once per day Specials.

s skep, healing

Other Prisoners: there are three other people in the hold. One came aboard willingly
(poor bastand volunteered himself into savery 10 pay ofT his family’s debis). so knows the
ship is currenty loading up in the Teardrops, a chain of smal slands in intermational
waters just off the St Disma coast. They're headed for an underground slave market in
Laos where they'll ll be auctioned off

Hold: there’s & heavy watertight door (strong 15 to kick open), a large cargo hatch n he
celing (strong 2 1o 0l but must have unbound wrists), and & bundle of wires in the
celing's corner held in place by metal zip-ies with poorly rimmed jagged edes.

Possible Solutions

* Cut bonds on jagged metal zp-tie edge (set high enough by sitting on comrade’s
shoulders) or another believable sharp implern

*Make a racket unil one of the smugglers angrily osses a tar gas
Hold, but quickly wedge something in the door.

*Tear out the wires. In about five minutes angry exclamations can be heard and the.
armed crew enter the hold to ix the wires.
Strong main character just lifts cargo hatch for everybody els to craw out,

ade inside the

Once the main characters leave the hold they were locked i
smuglers who p

they

counter one of the

s and runs off o get the ret of the crew

Thee drunk assholes that oy speak French. All have a move score of 5.
sTATS
Shortstack Offense 54 (24" pipe wrench) // Defense 0./ Merk 5
Big Guy Offense s4 (machets) / Defense 0/ Merk 5
Beard Offense 5242 (Glock 31/ Defense 0/ Merk 2
(remermber firsarm offense doubled agsins target with no parsfied)

ion ofkiling save traffickers. ftaken alive snd
asked sbout who sold the main charscters to them, the smugelers just describe
whoever merked the main characers (never g0t real names of conlact nfo) showing
up at thei boathouse since they have a reputation for sllng humans in Lsos,

Stash: rows of stolen flatsereens, dozens of crates of knock-ofT designer goods. The main
characters phones are in & duffel bag of boosted phones and tablets. Main characters”
Weapons are sewn up into a large commercial canopy tent with a few AK—47s and a Gall
ACE 52 (rifle with inherent +1 1o offense: $§ +1 +fast, range 20. Worth ¥10.000). Eight
brand nenw je skis are double-stacked up on the deck. In the cabin, a fourth smuggler is
passed out on a bunk with a half-fnished 750 of Monar

a
+On Last Week’s Episode
Soundirack: NAH - Be Cool Fucker

Start each new session by going over the events of last session, ending by setting the
scene where you left of.

*Closing Ceremonies
Soundicack: MF DOOM - Atrow Roat

End cach session by running through three categorics
1. Tha Golden Domez: 20 around the circle and award each player 2 SP. As i’ avarded
the group gets (0 decide what s for (1 present 0 you tha Golden Dome award for Worst
Plan Humanly Possible” etc).

2.Key's Cholce Award: favorite performance of the session (2 more SP 1o that actor).

3. Completed Ambitions: give SP for any Ambitions wrapped up.

ZONE CHECK

“The istand of St. Disma s sectioned into twelve municipal zones.

Zone 1: O1d Town. Heavy with the Neo-Barogue architecture popular during the mid

21" cntury: Mosty i lames,politcans,and celebits.

Zone 2: Le Miroi (old work, middle income), The Flts brickwark neghborhood
alons scenc canah), Woodshrine Beach (dunes and goons. this cuty seaside
neighborhood is seeing severe overcrowding and property values i freeall as more
impovershel American enigrants move in).

Zone 3: where the main charactrs are from: mostly populated by poor English-
speakers from the presenty collapsing American empire. Home 10 the city's most
volent shums, Zone 3 is ofen derided as “Disney Land" and is residents mocked as
American pop culture figures (John Wayne etc).

Major neihborhoods: Sewerd Pk, Barrio Tres Santos, Cannery Disrct, The
Yards, Wharton (“Wartora™ Heighs, Rosewood, Dithiow:

Zone 4: Cherry Bay (hills, rowhouses, light industey), Slav City (emigants ranging
from Sczecin o Viadivosiock), Indonesiatown (mostly climate refugees from
sgriculturally oblitrated Southeast Asia. Large Thai and Filipino populations as ell,

Zone 5: The Industrial Quarter (ports and factories), The Gash (teraced slum in a
stcep valley).

Zone 6: Mosty Little Bombay (wealth disparity about as insane as the old country
tech billionaire skyserapers near the tower distriets give way to labyrinthine shanty
towns rife with hunger, sweatshops, and Naxalites killing sweatshop owners).

Zone 7: Tower disrcts. Business District (mostly finance and elobal 500, basically
the Lower Manhattan of St. Disma).

Zone 8: Tower disricts Downtown (commeree and offce megatowers, many private
muscums,extravagant heaer,fouist pots)

Zone 9: Tower districts. Fog Hill (sn extravagant playground of the international rich).
Jewelers' Row (high-end recail), Gaseony Park.

Zone 10: Gestas Heights (megamansions and private forests of intemnational bankers),
Maplegate (sweatshop owners that scream and shit their pants if you don't call them
“job creators”, their rophy wives), Les Machoires (Ich masi-wah / “the jaws”, &
long cape of pristine private beaches and gorgeous terraced neighborhoads)

Zone 11: Seawinds (contins the world-fomous Sundaland Common, & mall with
palladiun-glass domenways extending out nto he waters of the ncarby reef).

- Stadium Distriet (Muay Thai, Lethwei, and boxing all huge: the Reapers are at the
bottom of the Big3 basketbal eague, the Sharks are rushing their divison in Kabaddi
the St. Disma Saints are actually doing half-decent in the National Rugby League).

Zone 12: The Teardrops (4 chain of islands fom the S Disma coast wel o
intcrnational wotrs, autioned off by the St. Disma goveenment i the previous centry
intrnationl criminal, local crminals, e shelers and money launderrs, Corporate
exlaves operating ouside the aw, and mysteious palace-compounds of billonares
withespecilly llgal vices Al fortied and craning with private securiy).

» The city's name derives from the reef he sland was buill over.“Saint Disma’
s the antiquated French form of Saint Dismas, the good thief.

s
GROUPS & FACTIONS

Social tectonics and endless plot il for ongoing games.

Political: when a government s to serve ts constituency, it fuces a crisis of legtinacy.
Generatons of poverty and frusration with a political body that oly legislates on beblf of
lobibyists bas made St. Disma a hotbed of increasingl radical parspolitical insttutons and
multple insurgencies. Here are the most poverful poliical entitcs in St. Disma

+ Zaishen Monarchists: sbsoltist monarchists from the mainland who belicve in Han Chinese
e supremacy, and the subjugation of all ther chnieities. They e soslesced around 3n
obscurc descendant of the Ming dynastc lincage named Zhu Zaiji wha they claim is lcral
celestal ensy, the biologcally supreme of the biologically supreme. Goals: drive “clhnic

Disema and the South China Sea, atack the siting government,sterlize
anybody with advanced mutation, establish Han Chinese arisocrac.

+ Ecofascisti really love naure, and really want race war. Starid s stree gangs like Sccond
Sicge, Butcherbinds, and I'Eccphale. Like most reactionary groups, the ccofasciti angue those
bom with composit mutations are an antifiilly divergent specics, making them genctc
Campettors and thas 8 longerm existential threat to humns. Goal: atack corporations who.
degrad the natural envisonment, atack non-whitcs, attack egaltarian groups, aack psions and
anybedy cle with composite mutations, atack cybernetc suons and genciic engincers.

+ Masculofuturists: well-sroomed, over-educaed fascists whe only allow gay male membersip.
They belicve wormen are underdeveloped subhumans and should not be permited citizenship or
uman rights The Fuurists have a big thing for the “classcal canon' of ar and heraure,
Russll Veh, Ernst Rk, philosophy, and anique status ofjacked dudes. Gaals: extrminaton
of non-whits, subjugaton of women and hterosexaals, amed strugale for s own sake.

Sang et Terre: French ulranatonalist movement that propounds stcep and very complicated
clhic_hierarchy. with (suprise) Frenchmen on top. Weirded out by the ccofascisi and
masculofuturists, but will work with them 1o arget the siting government, non-whics,
cxaliarian groups,ctc. Goal: kick out the non-whites, dominate the other while cthnicites,
xterminate anyhody withadvanced mutatons, make St. Disma @ protectorate of France.

+ Nasalites: @ type of Maoism tha merged in India's ulra-impovcrished red coridor. Huge
presence in Litle Bombay (Zone 6). Usual subfactions of Leninists, Trotskyiss, Hoaxists,
Crthodox Marists ctc. Goals total war sgainst private orporations and any zovernment which
supports them, requistion of producton facors from private contrl o worker coniol, foment
revalutionary Sentiment,mplement new goverment managed by Naxalite vanguard pary

~ Eastern Orthodox Anarchists operse i small cels and “study groups” acros the sland. The
most moivated are in Sav City, where several prominent priests and monastics preach Yeshua
the Chiist using violence on the money changers i 3 clea call for war against the worlds
ovwning class. Common graffi: Luke 16:13, Matthew 20:25.28, Pralm 146, Acts 432, Matthew
19:24, Acts 5:20, “fuck the state, no king but Chris” etc. Goals: war agains the marmon
worshipers (1 ula-wealthy and private corporations) crush the idol of the state, serve the
poor sick. exploited, and hungry.

ufi Mystic Zakatists (The Waisi: rdical Muslm socialists who conside jhad 3 righteous
strugale 1o liberate the poor and subjugated. Currealy gining scrous momentum a5 thei
ighters retan from coalition operstons wiping u the 1st o the Wabbabists n Southwest
China snd the Arab Peninsula. Known for ther small wrs sgainst the St. Disma drug carcls.
Goals: uplif the poor and oppressed, atack private corporations and dug cartels, retur their
profisto the neighborhoods they preyed on, bolsh et drugs.

+ The St. Disma Government, RES: the urren St Disima goverment exiss almost exclusively
10 serv privae intees, their lobbyiss, and the wealthy. While the last decade has been 4 non.
stop legitimacy i, th sat docs have the abilty o pint infiite money, and also i private
detective agencie, sccurity firms, and even intemational mescenarics {0 subdue the above
insurgences. A recen, closely-guirded tactic has been coverly funding and training various
organized crminals and parapaliical roups (cheap to mobilze, don't have o amswe for uman
vights violaions) 1o atack the government’ poiical competitors, o iniliate them and become
wicckers from within. Goals: subsume moderate political altrnatives, discredit and disble
parapolitical competitors, manufacure public approval o e state, keep the money flovwing.

6
Criminal: acevites range from husmble operations like bookics, smuggling, and moving soft
drugs o st evil sit ke human trafficking and hard drug distribution. Sze fanges from
imtemnatonal cartels o strect-level small-timers

* Yakuza: the smallest of the major criminal organizstons but hokding their own mostly by
Clevely framing piting ther cnemics against cach othe and maintaining a rulhss monopoly
o importng weapons. Specialize in gambling,sugling, save ralicking, and kidnapp

+Vory v Zakone: “theves in lan”, Russian mob. The vary sse mostly uaning amphetamines,
pary drugs, sex slaves, and extoting smalles operaions. Known fo their Zone 4
ouses”, palatial mansionsof drus, gambling, prostitution clc caering (0 wealthy eles. Have a
weid ting for making captured enemics Gght 1 the death a5 gambling spectace

Triad: ethnic Chinese organized by family and sccret socicty. They move huge amounts of
opiates from the poppy fekds of Southeas Asia, manufacture counles tons of caplagon, and
control the most eritory o th island, aking cuts from very small-time operation n thei url

+ The Fuyant ("fui-yohn") Cartel: leadership are French ex-military and ex-inllgence.
Operating in an impenciable covert netwok, even the sitting government and more tradional
crminal insituions are hesitan to fuck with than, Currntly hav the wildly lucrative cocaine
marketon lock, and sxe umored t have mermbership in high finance and world banks.

+The Daskn Cartel: recently unifcd Indian criminal syndicates. The worst of the human
irafickers in St Disma, and have a ncar monopoly on the Afghani poppy ficlds so are usually
ightng the triad forshareof the sland'sopiste market.

fombiwelles: caacomibs were created last centry to accommodale the island's skyrocketing
population. Together with 3 massve. ant-flood drinage sysim they form sn underground
network that has slowly becn overrun by dozens of fucked up criminal gangs tha frecly move:
bencath the iy since the governmen,sccurky frms, and otherciminals are ffaid 0 cotcr.

Small Timers & Contractors: hard drug manufocir. soft deug manufacture, st evel drug.

disrbution, bookies, sport and fght fixing, loansharking, extorton, Kidhapping. opposition
escarch (stalking) and blackmail, assassinations, strongarm robbery, scamming, high-level
specalistburglary, ca thef, fencing, gambling dens, prosttion houses, human traficking and
slavery, weapons smuggling, bengn commodiy smuggling, money laundering.

— Universal goas fo il the above are &) corner thei curent specialty markets, B) expand.
o e markets, € donninate snd extortsmaller operstions, . kil comptiors.
. politick, scheme, and backsta 1o make any of the bove happen

Philosophical: highly motivated mass moverments that mansged to cohere ouside politcsl
or criminal organizing frmeworks

+ The Jinrui Koken: milltarized technopessimists. Simply cal themscives “pro-uman’”. They
beleve A technology hasn' made people happie, ust nereased the speed of thei hedonic
neadmil,snd B the consequences of new techaoiogy are unforesecsble. For example, the
wniversally owered 10 scores from leaded gasoline, the universal endocrine mutlations rom
endemic microplastcs, the mass atomization and suicde ersis of the intemet ea, the structural
uncrmployment and cconomic.collapss of the aulomation cra, tc. Subgroups vary, but &
unifying convition is 10 prevent new technologies from emerging by destroying rescarch
infiasucure snd dissbling ressarch. experts. More radical cells work to undo. currnt
technologies, regularly causing blackouts and atacking industial production factors.

« Nibilist Accelerationists: belicve that consciousness is a curse, and lfe is 3 vile contagion
Sounds like something 4 depressed tcenager would think, but 4 fow decades of neo-
hopenbauerist philosophers loaned a sense o scademic seiousness to the Nilist Rencws
the imelcctual movement the NiilisiAceeleratiomists emerged from. Moderate groups mercly
disrbute fee bielh control and anti-natlist erature, where the radical majorty coordinate
igh-casualty ttacks on civlan fargets. Their uniying goal i to worsen mateial condiions
sparking war, conflt, and ~existenta realization”. Currently, the NiblistAcseleratonist
movemen is n unorganized kalidoscope of ammed clls perpetatng a ot of sabotage, a few
Shootings, an the occasional suiide bombing, but if a highly capable, centalizing figure were

1o cmerge they could become an stuslexistental hcat.

a7
[Key Narrator Notes]
[Key Narrator Notes]

“
[Key Narrator Notes]

50
IKey Narrator Notes]

st
Main Character Creation
Each actor creates and controls a main character in the game. As long as they fit the
show’s concept and start at level 1, anything goes.

+Quicklist ...
1. Snatch a main character sheet from page 127
2. Concept: name, appearance, background e
3. Pick Specials: page 55 - 69, start with 10 SP's worth (you can starthere if

you're sl thinking on a concept)
4 Start with merk 10

. Start with 0 defense (top number s just all lower numbers added together)
6. Start with a move score of
7. Main characters fluent in English (spoken by the mostly-American migrants of
Zone 3). Spend a fre b in any additonal lnguage (St Disma multilingual)
8. Spend a bar in any major killor anguage (1o barsis fluent)
9. Put one point in any primary
10. Check opposite page for the bonus that primary gives you, write it down

- Ready to play

Start undeveloped: you mostly figure out who you main characte i 25 you play them,
& with the other main characters and interacting with the settng. Leave mad room to

remember you'te sartng ot level 1. You're basically the average person
with a e SP so forget about any master swordsmman shit.

Meet your Key at least halfway: they put together game for you 1o enjoy so don't
make 3 main character named Fred Shitbreath or whatever. The show is only as good as
everybody's level of buy-in

Build your cast cooperatively. Cres chemistry is what really makes @ show jumnp. Try to
think of yourselves not s a proup of individuals, but a a crew, a cast of main characters
you'd wanna watch an actual show abou. You wanna be able 1o have a slamning pait-off
Scene with any two main characters.

Two of us play in the same jazz combo” is good, but o really juice a cast, fuck
around with dynamics and archetypes — Seinfeld with four Jerrys never would have
worked, you know?

Background: defines your main character, sure, but also use it 10 seed your future
storylines and tie yourself to the setting. Some prompt ideas
+ Where and how you grewup A group you belong to % A comrade or contact
+ Yourart /crestive expertise % Your tade vocational expertise % Arival
+Culure / subculure | chicity A nickname title and how you got it
+ Towo ramorsthe other main charsctrs have heard sbout you

don'specity e e, or exagserted i comes u o )

Don't bother writing beyond the background box: no amount of backstory will make your
main character fel like lving person (that only happens as you play ther).
Levels
Levels represent a main character’s power. Afler overcoming significant challenge in the
show, all main characters gain a level. Leveling up about once every 3 sessions i normal.

Start at level 1 with

10,1 Primary P, 10 Special Points, | Knowledge Bar

Leve2 1 Primary Pois, 10 Special Points
Leva3 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Leveld 1 Primary Pois, 10 Special Points
Leve 5 +1t0all Pimaries, 10 Special Points, | Knowledge Bar
Level 6 1 Primary Pois, 10 Special Points
Leve 7 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Level 8 1 Primary Pois, 10 Special Points
Leve9 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Level 10 +110 al Primaries, 10 Special Poiats
Lot 11 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, | Knowledge Bar
Leve 12 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Points
Leve 13 1 Prmary Pois, 10 Special Points, 1 Knowledge Bar
Level 14 1 Primary Poiat, 10 Special Points
Level 15 +110 all rimaries, 10 Special Poins, | Knowledge Bar

Andsoon

Primaries

“The core stats of a character. Each primary amps up secondary features, like so

sTrRONG
© Every 1 point: +1 offense on all hand-to-hand attacks and throwing atacks

© Every 2 poinis: +1 defense (put under parry) Every 3 poinis: +1 move score:
FAST
+ Every 1 point: +1 offense on all ranged atacks and light weapon attacks
* Every 2 poinis: +1 defense (put under dodge) * Every 3 poinis: +1 move score
HARD
© Every 1 point: +10 merk * Every 2 poinis: +1 defense (put under gri)
= Exery 3 points: heal 1 point of offense taken each turm

SMART
* Every 1 point: +5 Special poiats (SP) » Every 2 poinis: +1 knowledge bar

Your main characte starts at level 1 with a point in any primary (ze10 n the est). Sat-vise
this represents the average person. Narratively, primaries are open (o interpreation: smart
can mean wise o witt or booksmar,srength can be as-twitch or slow-twitch tc.

5
Major Skills
A marative touchpoint for what your main character can casily do. Examples lsted below
ae sl subject 0 your Key Narator’ judzmen of the situation, so don'tbe like “do this
immediately and eToresly and the book said | can so suck i

Automotive
Examples 1 bar t0 hotwire an oudted model of car or ot brakelines, 2 o outdrive & pursuing.
policecrse o estore a small cngine, 3 o hotwie recent modelsafcar, 4 10 be bl 1 deduce how
10 operate a tank, o outdrive fll-sale olice pusuit with el support

Busheraft
Examples: 1 bar 1 build a i with no tls o forage caough foo for ne persn, 2 0 forage for a
sroup or extmet and braid fiber, 3 1o rack 4 survivalist ying (0 evade you o safcy weaponize
Venoms (4 undefendable offnse per tum ith Duraion: Combat, single 1), 410 knap and bind it
or osidan weapons rom scatch (2 offnse since made ofsone, bul can crate any §pe of hand-to-
Hand wespon or bow) 0 crets & comiortabe setlement withlov-maintenance permacuture

Chemistry
Examples: 1 bar o flly desroy fingerprinis, 2 to"trace ovigin of 8 sret drug by extracting
addiives, 3 to discretly syniesize buiches of mid-grade recreational drgs (¥2.000 worth per
weck) 4 to cxtrct posan (6 undefendable ofense pr tum vith Darston: Combat,single use)
rom [redacid household product, S 0 make a fag grenade (page 107) it an hour'slabor 1nd
¥100 worth of [edactedindusirial prodics]

Electronics
Examples: 1 bar to disble & sccuity camera or chesp alarm, 2 to safly disam o homemade.
explosiv or defeat a mid-grade sk system, 3 o projet pirse radio n 8 |-l adius or 19 &
Specifc newhy trget, 4 to make 3 pulc-swithing EMP device (tmporanly disables nerby
lctroncs)outof garbage with thee days abor, t knock out city's powergid with access 0.4
transmission ln, or a specific neighborbood with scces 10 3 substation

Gunsmithing,
Examples: 1 bar 1o clear jam or assemible your own ammo (S0% discount), 2 10 sabotage a ircarm.
with spiked ammo o it cxplodes when next usd (frarm destoyed, cauies irsarm's offnse 1o
user. 3 1o sally make your own gunpowder (even n the wilderess) 4 1o make advanced
ammunition (automatically espin 1), § 10 machine firarm from meta stock (weck ofabor)

Medicine
Examples: 1 bar for CPR or 1o stop arial blcding, 2 o idendy a common poscn venom / oxin
or resetand splin & compound facture, 3 0 be abe o deduce @ corpacs cause of deth or seal o
Sucking chest wound, 4 o reatch 3 severed hand or ientfy 8 e poison / venom / toin, o
safely grafteybernetic rostheses

Metalworking
Examples: 1 bar 1o make a dagger out of scap or defeat a cheap lock, 2 to weld bulleproof
armorng onio avehile. 3 to make ny hand-o-hand weapon out of srap, 4 o defeat the door of o
ank vaul, 0 make @ hand-to-hand weapan with permanent +1 offene (week of libor)

Nanotech
Each bar is 2 10% cash discount o nanite based tch (eprsentsbeing able o just creae your o)
Stealth
Examples: 1 bar o creep past a security guard scrolling through bis phone, 2 0 piekpocket the
average person. 3 tocree p behind s seninl and remove the magzine rom hei rifle, 4 1 defcat

art museum moton sensars 0 evade & tcam o mercensries rained and cauipped for pursit
Worldliness

Examples: 1 bar 1 know who pullsthe strings inyour locsl criminal underwarld, 2 (0 know th datc

of most major historica events o the seting, 3 o have fricndly conact i every majr city, 4 1o

know so many people in bands and abels that you can et on the st of any show on the planct, § 10
Know the names and adessesofthe people who scualy killd JFK.

st
Specials

Powers and unique abiltis. Feel free to char

character. Here's how they work

#Special’s Name [oal P cos]
Acsthetic How it looks
Summary: What it docs
Effect: The base meshanie (5P cos]

any Special's appears

e o fit your main

Modifers: Opionalupgrades to range/ ara/ duration et [SP cost behind cach]

Soure

psionics, mutations, genetic engi

ering, cybernetic augmentat

. nanotech

ete. We made it a wide and ambiguous spread so anybody could realize whatever main

character concept they had in mind.

Premade Specials

Even if you know how 1o create your own
this book is complted.

s

Specials already, stick to these until the are in

A T s

Some Real Basic Premade Stat Specials

+CAIL30 Plating [10 sv]

Acsthetc: You've had_high-gradecarbide
ting sugically mplanicd over your vial

organs

Summarys +2 defease (permancnt)

Effect: Defense Up 2 (2]

Modifiers: Duation: Permaneat cffet 15]

#Yoked [7 se]

Aesthtic You st lf or work fora lving
Summarys 1 srong (permancnt).

Eftect: Primary U (srong) (151
Modifiers: X

+Durable [7 se]

Acstheic: Bone density substantally incressed
rom genedcally engincered LRPS co-rcepior
Summary: 1 har (permancn).

Eftect: Primary Up hard) 7 2]

Modifiers: X

«Motorhead [3 s¥]

Acsthete: You grew up in Zone 3 poppin
e car e

Summary: You ko the basics of sutomotive

cepuir, maintenance, nd can drive ik pro.

Effect: Knowedge Bar (automotve)[3 51

Modifiers X

«“With the Quickness [7 se]

Acsthete: Surogate alpha moto neurons have
een injcted into your spinal column,
Summary: -1 fst (permanen)

Efect: Prinary Up (s [750]

Modifie

«Cerebral [7 5¢]

Acsthete: You're quick sudy.
‘Summary: 1 smar (permanca).
Efect: rimary Up smar) (7]
Modifie

55
s

N s E

Premade Sensory-Based Specials

+Optical Prosthesis Type IV [3 se]
Acsthetic: You have prostctic cycs, and ot
Yuppy ones that rscable the el hing.
Sumimary: Permanentabily 1 s i the dark
in addiion o your ormal vision

Effect: Night Vsion (3]

Modifiers: X

+Sonie Recall 3 sr]
Acstheic: Your it s always reconting and
archiving audo

Summary: A will,petecly reall anything
previously heard

Eftect: Phonographic Menory (3]
Modifiers: X

+Long-Range Monitoring [2 se]
Acsthetic: Remate cctv softvare for you e
and dispossble monitoring devicss.

Summary: You can place a tny. magneized
camera )/ microphne(elctively infnie
Supply. butanly one acive at 3 i) onto any
metal surface. 1t wil se the meal surface 35 3
ransmission antenna, sending you sudio and
video feed you can view a1 will Each purchase
of this Speial s snother monitoring device hat
can b sstive simulaneously.

Effect: CCTV [351]
Modifers: Scectvity: Metal
115 ol cost].

«Augmented Vision [3 s7]
Acsthete: Yous PDEILA gene has beea edicd
o make your vision on par with the sve
pair of binoculars.

Summary: Vision permancaty s good as an
Effct: Distance Viion 3]

Modifie

«Blometric Ping 2 sr]
Acsthetie: lnica ardware for an_energy-
expensive san of th sumounding aea or sgns
of e

Summary: Geta good ideaofall ncaby
lfetorms.

Effect: Deec Lifform (2]

Modifie

«Microalarm [3 sr]

Acsthetcs Adbesive-backed motion sensors (30
tiny they'e cffectively undetetabl) functon
a5 an alarm system

Summary: You have an cllively infintc
supply of disposabe movement sensors. Each
can'rse an udible sl or prvately notify
your ntes, but oy one can be activ at tm.
No lmiton ange.

Effect: Alarn (3]

Modifierss X

Integ(rated computers: one of the more sophistiated cybernetc prostheics,
an integ is an sirgapped computer built ino the subjec’s body tha iterfaces
diretly with thei senses. Many Specials are just expensive software for o
i charscters existng integ (costs nothing 1o start with one).

s6
s o ¢

1AL

Premade Identity & Ineraction Specials

+Bouncer [4)
Acstheic: You'ee u smilegendary St Disma
bouncer with both the scars and somscs o
show orit.

Summary: You knove and sr respected by just
about very bouneer inthe ciy.

Effect: Munor Celebriy [45¢]

Modifiers: X

+Feel Deception [12 s¢]
Acstheic: You's psionically atuned o sense
nubfulnss

Summary: You can immedistely check any
atementmade within crsht for deception (10
action cost,unlimited scs).

Effect: Derect Lic (451
Modifers: Use: Unlimitd [x3

+Problems -3 sr]
Acsthtic For whateverreasn, you'e terifed
of beautitul women,

Summary: You have an oxerpowering fes of
conventonslly good-loking women. Gain 3
i SP for having (o put up with your
Cxtremelysrange phobia

Effect: Phobia (eausitul women) 351
Modifiers: X

«Nobelsoft Linguacore [5 se]
Aesthetc:_Encrgy-<xpensive inicg software
{hat amps up the language and speceh centers of
yourbrin

Summary: You'r sbi to Nuenty comprehend
and spea an and al language for two minucs.
Effect: Speak Ay Language (51)

Modifie

«Vocoder [3s¢]
Acsthetie: A small prosthesis i your aryn
ivesyou exceptional vocalability.

Summary: You can peteetly imitte any voice
vouhear dozen words from. Unlimited uses.
Effect: imitae Soie (351]

Modifiers X

«Fuck Integ [2 sv]
Aesthetie: Drop a polymorphic vins o &
ncarby e

Summary: Casss o arget withan ntg and 0
o smart seor to st compleely nsane for
atleasta few minutes.

Effect: isaniy (350]

Modiffers: Range 6 (4 5]/ Selctviey: Ince
fonly 14 total cos since ly sbout 14 of s
characers have inegraed computers]

How many times can 1 use each Special? The defult mumber s once per

day. For upgrades, check out page 71

Some Specials ave automatcally permaneat, like Bouncer. Others have had
their use number upgraded, ke Feel Deception, but most of these presmade
Special are still a ther defaul of one per day.

57
M 0 vV E

M E N T

Premade Specials That Move & Alter How You Move

+Shock Absorption [4:7]
Acsthetcs You have proshetc
ydraulic shock sbsorbers.
Summary: Can't be hur by fillng any
disance (sutomaticlly permancat,

Eftect: Fallroof 451]

Modifiers: X

legs with

*Telekinetic Field [3 sv]

Aesthtic: You have minor elckineis.
Summary: You can leviate and manipulate
small objcts within reach weitbout touching
them, Unlimited uses, can't case ofense.
Effect: Microkineis [351)

Modifiers: X

+Ragdoll [15 se]
Acstheics You levite the target snd. then
violealy throw them through spce.

Summary: Targe i thrown 2 suides in any
diretion. 1 they collde it anothe charater,
ihey bol take 56 offense. No action cost (bt
mustbe sed on yourtun).

Effct: Push (cxra. swide, any dieetion,
collision s6)[1050]

Modifers: Speed: Immediat [+112 et cost].

+The Spark [20 sr]
Acstheic: You're pionically atuned to e,
contollng it with hought

Summary: You can move sny fire witkin 3
irides, and it only coss 4 move ation. O
own, this Special can't cause more than 3 +
leveloffense (bonuses fom efees e Engine
of Run, Hear, Death Dealer ci sill apply).
Can't affet more than one square stride at &
time witou buying Area upgrade (page 71)
Unlmited wes

Effects Xbiesi (fre)[13 5]

Modiflers: Range 6 (3571 / Specd: Move-
Equivlent[+1/4efec cos]

s

«Jump Augmentation 9 ]
Aesthetc: You have cyberneic leg prosieses
{hat et you double the versge NEA serial
Summary: You can jump up o e fulldistance
of your move score or on turn. No acton cost.
Effect i Junper (355]

‘Modifirs: Use: Unlimited [x3]

{hrough carhen subsiances.
‘Summary: You can levitate through sone, di,
e, concree, brik ee for 3 urncyele.

Effect: Pass Through X () [1055]
Modifiers X

«Grapnel Prosthsis [10 sr]
Acsthete: Your prosihtic hand folds away
revealing a pacumatc rspael .

ummary: Vou can fir & grapocl wp 1o 30
irdes and bave it scure 0 @ surfce or object
(vithout_ damaging 1. Grapnel line is fine
catbon fibr b sbl f refaby hold just ver

your bodyueight. Unlimited uses, elfct
uparadeae

Effect: Grapnel-Sho (+25 stdes) [10 ]
Modifierss X

«Metallic Reorientation [S sv]

Acsthetics Prionic resonsnce with. metallic
clements les you surally run round on metal
suraces.

ummary: You're sble o run / walk / sid |
stand o metal sursces s if they were the
rowd. Metl sufice must be subsuntal
can'tuse this Specal o smtch people’s metal
weaponry or sand around on fine. wire
Unlimitd uses.

Efect: Alluoface ($57)

Modifirss Duration: Permanca [cfet x5] /
Sclestivity: Meta Surfaces Only [ony S ttsl
costsine only about 1S surfaces metal]

AL T E R

Premade Specials That Change up Form & Fu

*Asomia [S s7]

Acstheti: Your BDEC2 gone hus_been
engincered 1o give you an shways-pesking
cicadian chythn,

Summary: No necd for slesp (ssomatially
permanert).

Eftect: Elminate Bological Ned (Secp) (3]
Modifiers: X

+Giant [14 s¢]
Acsthetie: A complex replicaive mutaton
within the Xa26 shromosome et you suddealy
become fucking huge.

Summary: You grow twice your normal size
You gain 2 swong and you respend you fast
scor into cither strong or hard. Lasis @ fight
Eftect: Enlarge Oharacter (+2 song) [149]
Modifiers: X

+Psionic Supercaoling [10 57|
Acsthetics You've honed the prioic sbiiy to
compress velcity disibution in non-orzanic
Summary: You can fiecze objects — tum o
amall amountofiquid nt ce, suprcoal cheap
lectronics into dysfuntion, or make iems so
‘cold anybody holding them takes 6 offnse per
Turneycle (strting t the beginning of your next
). Weapons and implements can be thrown
down focly, but srmr takes a fll wm 1o
remove. Eifect uparadeabe

Effect: Frecze s [351]

Modifiers: Duration: Combat (ffct 3]/
Range 2 (1]

“The back of the book is a spinner.

AT

«SVS Nanites [3 sv]

Acsthetcs Your eybermetc forcam generates
and houses adaptive piczoclctric nantes that
can conform to and mintain simple paters.
‘Summary: Repair a simpl abject door, whesl,
machete) wih anitcs.

Efect: Repair [359]

Modifie

«Streteh Armstrong [15 s7]
Acsthetie: A complexmutation of several
eactic markers manifests i bormal
musculoskeletal pibily.

ummary: Vour body s unnaturaly sttchy.
and conorable You can resch e siides
wih sny limb. Cant ffectively use weapons
‘whil setching (but this i upgradesble). This
Special s aways acive can us at il

Effect: Body Elasicy (+2 ange) [155]
Modifierss X

«Heavily Modified [10 sr]
Acsthetics You're so extensively bionic that
you don' ncd human sustnanee, butyou slsa
Tace the hatrd of the technologially wry.
Summary: You dont need o bresth,
drink, or slecp, and are immune 1o dicase
Howeer, you gota deal with peope who think
extensive cybemetic prosthesis crodes your
umanity and makes you dangerous:some side
characers wil kecp. you 3t 3 disance, and
coofiscist groupslike Second Sicse o
T Acéphale ctvely hun and atack you.

Efect: Non-Living (hunted) [105])

Modifie

56 means a spner from 110 6, 512"

‘means spinner from 1 10 12 ec. To use t, hld the oaped end of a paper cip
or guitar sring trimming on the center dot with a pen. Flick the other cnd
Wherever it lands n the ring you're spinnin for i the result.

Bl
G E N E R

A T 1 0 N

Premade Specials That Conjure & Create Shit

+The Frozen Tomb 7 sr
Acsthetc: Vapor from the surrounding air
s o 4 dope to-handed sword made.

Summary: You can psioncally mteralize
sword of supermaural ice atwill Offene s12 +
trong, block 2. No acton cost o mateilze,
unlimied uses (bat only one manifesation of
the sword o a time),

Eftect; Supernatural Weapon: Two-Handed
Sword [759]

Modifiers: X

+Liquid Graphene Shield [10 se]
Acstheti: An inky black disc_of liquid

eraphene, strong cnough 10 siop bullets, forms
around 3 magneic node on the back of your
prostctic wrist

Summary: You can materialize a shild at
Specd: Intcmupt (can b i e midele o others
urns). Gives 43 dense (or +56), but can't
wield anything with that hand. nlimited scs.
Eftect: Supernatural Weapon. Shickd (at Spec:
terrap) [1059]

Modifiers: X

+PFG-3 Salamander [7 sr]

Acstheti: Hand prostheses are open
revealing flamcthrowers n you pls,
Summary: Yoo have PFG3 model

famethrowers i your hands. Offense 3§ -
smar, range 2 (burt nsiument; single atiack
per tu, can't wield snything in your hands),
No action cost 10 cquip PFC-3s,unlimited ses.
Eftect: Supernatural Weapon: Burst Insiument
70

«Psionic Lantern [3 se]

Acsthete: A shape of photokinede lght hovers
nyour wake,

Summary: Vowre sble to diret 4 frecly

Hoating light anywhers within sevenl fet of
you Can summon and extinguish a wil

Effect: Call Light dim) (259]

Modiffrs: Range 2 (151

«Rare-Earth Magnet [1 s7]

Acsthetic: An inangible <lowd of SA

{anthanide naits fllows you sround, éady
snap ino & massively powerfl disc-shaped
magne.

Summary: You can materilize a rrc-carth
magnet (povertul exiemely hard o g6t off 3
metl object Can be used o sabotage
weapans, scal doueways, defeat some locks cc
1616 Behind or destoyed, will reform as
normal vhen Specil next used. Defaul
duraion s igh sccne o bout five minutes
outside of combat,

Efect: Calllem (posketsized) [151]

Modifie

«Modular Cover Unit 6 sr]
Aesthete: One of your prosheses is consantly
eplenishing an invisible cloud of nanites hat
can flash nto a gian shicd.

wmmary: You can meterislize s lorze
bulltroof plate. Can cither be a sngle square
e with merk 20, o cover two square sindes
csch with merk 10, Immovable, but must be
ouching the ground (can be wsed for cover,
cimbing. achokepoint bari ctc).
Effect: Guwark 2 (251]

S s Modifirs: Specd:Immedise [+112 efct cos]
Modifiers: X 1 Us: Onee per Fight [toal cost 2]
Clades i pions and mutants el to played out, you can nsiad cal them “clde’

e s e
Ceporting on the stcady ncrase of composite muttions in newborns, began desc
EEE s e e e e
whena population plis o a new spcies trough selction, gentic dril, o intis

Clade st the rsult of an ncesto receiving cary genetc engncering, befors it
{rans-gencrationally cascading ffcts were fully understood. Pionic vabilty is most
likely an aferlap of the MARA sequence, ne ofthe firs and most popular gene cdits
meant o precud cognitiv decline and Alzheimer's discase.

L1

s 1 0 N

Premade Specials That Twist up Perception

— Tlusions last about 5 minutes cach befoe staring o glich out. lusions that don't
speifcally Lrge the user sar with range of 5 trides; any range modifice upgrades il cost

the same but add up rom ther.

+Cloaking [10 s¢]
Acsthtic: A lsent mutstion in yous skin s
dipolr scatering canelaton

Summary: You can tum invisibe (o about fve
minutes 3¢ 4 time. You can sull be heard,
smeled, e and are slightly visibe when
moving (spgradesbl).

Effect Iy (105

Modifiers: X

+Full Modality Fecdback [10 7]
Aesthetic: Psonicall juke the hippocammpi of
ncatby observers into perceiving some sort of
il sensory

Summary: Creste a very basic llusion that
fecls real to any observer: sound effcts, an
atered oad sign, 3 calling voiee 3 bouncing
arenade ctc

Eftects Minor llusion (10

Modifiers: X

D E

A

«Shroud of Quiet [3 sv]

Aesthete: You psionically suppres the audivle
Spectrum in a smal area You could seiously
fun a et engine in there without the slightst
“ound,

ummary: Make one squar stride perfcty
silent fo about fve minutes.

Effect: Sienee (3]

Modifiers: X

«Acute Feedback [13 se]
Acstheti: You've | developed worldclass
peionic specily n sensory ecdback.

Sammary: Crese & robust ilasion tat fecls
cal 1o sy observer —an all-bie 1968 Charger
Sonorously revving s slantsix under a bood
ot toth touch, thin-voied guard that writes
out and hands over a very ral-fecling secu
pass, et
et ajor sion [135¢)

Modifiers; X

T o

Premade Death & Undead Specials

+Command the Dead [15 s7]
Acstheic: You've spent years wacking down
Somebody 1o tach you the mos fucked up and
revild form ofpsonic: the conduction o dead
bodic.

Summary: A corpse arises t do your bidding
Corpse. maintanssats, but loses Specal,
intllct, and fne coondinaion (no. ranged
atacks) Lass until destoyed, can't be rised
again.

Eftect: Aninare Corpse [1551]

Modifiers: X

61

Vile Axis [15 se]
Aesthetc: From your poincd figer s bam of
{orid enegy rips heough the fight, foul heat
disorions slowly disipatng n s wake.

Summary: Affcts all tagets i 15 pah: 5§
offcae to the living, § healing to animatcd
corpses. No action cos, but must be used on

vourum.
Efect: Nerore Enerey Blast s [59)
Modiffers: Range 12 4 se] / Area: Ray [+172
elfct cos] / Spesd: Immediate [+172 effct
cost)
M E

T A

Premade Specials That Deal with Specials

Discount: both thesc meta premades only apply to psionic-based Specials. They cost 113 of
their norml P price, since only sbout 13 of Specials are psinic n this sttng.

+Psionic Resonance [1 s¢]

Acsthetics You're sble o recognize prianic
Summary: mmedisely know whether
something_within cycsight s peionic
propertics, and get a least some dea of Bow it
orks,

Eftect: denify Specal [31]

Modifiers: X

uos

A

«Annibilate Psionics 2 se]
Acsthetc: You'v trsined i undoing pionics.
Summary: Siop any. occuring / ongons
peionic Special. The Key Narttor will judge
dificuly, and give you an cqual mumber of
cands off shaffld deck; as soun 25 you sort
e cards in numeri onler by sui, the rgeted
Special stops. Number of cards is detemined
5 the power level of the psion whose Special
you're undoing. No action cost and can b used
uringothers” s

Effect: Rupnre (351

Modiffrs: Specc: nierup 2]

G E

Premade Specials That Alier Modifiers & SP Costs

+Eye of Desolation [1 7]
Acsthetc: You pour out
desuctve fore,

Summary: Secrifice an unspent Speialfor the

sour il into

day: convert s SP value ino poins of ffense
added 1o the Special you use this
Unlimited uses. No acion 6ost,and canbe used
o others s,

Eftect: Burm Special 11 5v]

Modifiers: X

Acstheic: A supermaal wind secms o rise
around you

Summary: Sacriie an unspent Speialfor the
day: i SP vale can buy additional wses of &
onceper-day or onceper-fight Special that
you've aleady used up. Unlianed uses. No
action cost,an can be e on tbers” s,
Effect: Sub (251

Modifiers: X

&2

«Eye of Restoration [1 s¢]
Acsthete: You siphon your energies into
caling the wounded

Summary: Sacrifice an unspent Spcial for he
day: conver it SP valu into points of hesling
added 1o the Special you'use ths tum.
Unlimitd uses. No action ost, nd can b used
on others” ums.

Efect: um Special 1155]

Modifie

«Sublimated Suffering 2 sr]
Acsthetcs Panful bum marks bloom on your
ki a5 you push past your pionic lmis.
Summary: You can buy addidonal wses of a
spent Spcial by puting offense on yourell.
You choose the smount: 1 offene for 1 SP's
worth of Special Uslimited uses. No acton
cost,and can be s on thers tms.

Effct: Blood Sub [255]

Modifirs:

o F F

E

N s E

Premade Specials to Fuck up Enerics

+Blood Psychosis [5 se]
Acstheic: You gain momentum in violene.
Summary: Every me you mek an cnceny.
g +1 offense 1 allatcks and Specils for
the et of the fgh,

Effect: Death Decier (35

Modifiers: X

+Flashout [10 s¢]
Acsthetic: You psionically
Surrounding sir

Summary: $§ offense 1o all_susrounding
encmics. No acton cost, but must be used on
your m

Eftect: Svaight Offnse 55 457

Modifers: Arca: Radius 1 [effct x2] / Specc:
Immediat [+12 eféct ost]

detonsethe

*Electroshock Spindle [15 sr]
Acsthetic: You firc

it

targer’ ey lghting them up with 1 480 4C
Summary: Tuget kes 56 oflene and is
compltey immobile (no actons, 8o defensc)
unil theand oftei et furm.

Eftect: Superlock 3551

Modifers: Range 12 [£ 1)/ Offnse 6 3.5¢]

+Entropic Flare [14 sr]
Acstheic: Unstabe psione encrgy radiaing
offyour hnd bursts o contact with the trget.
Summary: o4 adacentoffense. 16 you land a4,
double oifense o taret, and al ncenics n 2
iride radis ks take 14 offnse 1you lnd s 4
o sny secondary emics, they ke double
offense,and anothr 4 offnse blas with adivs
4 gocs ol ctc. This can continue for 15 long as
you keep fanding 45 Ths Special can be used
once perfight

Eftect: Svaight Offnse 4 (2]

Modifers: Chapce: 1in 4 chance of radis 454
poverchain [ 5]/ Use: Once per Fght tol
catx2]

«Cast Down 14 sr]

Acsthetc: Pionic chokeslam,

ummary: Targt thrown 1o the ground. (i
takes 2 move acton o sand). This Special has
0 acioncost and an be sed on oers” tus

Effct: Knockdonn (151
Modiffrs: Range 3 (2]
(<2 effctcos]

Specd: Intemupt

wAcid Wave [10 sr]
Acsthetic: You materisize 5 wave of slfuric
scidontoa target,

‘Summary: Ranged s12 offense, 512 offnse if

Effect: Mop Up [259]
Modiffrs: Offense 12 6¢] / Range 3 (2]

«Freezing Impalement [10 s7]
Acsthetcs You freeze moisturs n the tasget's
blood ntolong spus o e, pecing thei flesh
i cvery diccion

Summary: Ranged 54 ofease, and 54 more
offense st the sart of your every tum for the
st of the fght. No acton cos (but must be
sed on your ).

Effect: Sraight Offense 4 (255]

Modifiers: Duntion: Combat [efet x3] 1/
Range o 3 5]/ Speed: Inmediat [+112 effct
cost]

lmmolated [14 5¢]
Acsthete: A chan of psionic fire lashes
{hroush yourcnemics.

Summary: Ranged 54 offense, jumps o two
addiional arges itin 2 stides of cach other
ealing o410 cach;alltarges take an addiional
54t the start of your next two tims. [ oy one
arget avaiable they ake the full 354, and 354
more forthe nesttwo umns.

Effct: Sagger Offense (3 tums) -3 offense

ense 354 [6 )/ Range 21551
Asea: Chain w 3 Torets (ofense x3] can funp
Turde [157)

Advanced Shit: some of these Specials have the cffect “Straigh Offese’.
This can instead be moved to modifies (since sraght offense can be an
effct ora moifer) with the price remaining the same.

&
+Sonic Rupturing [13 sr
Acstheic: The air volenly distorts a you bast.
Soundwaves from your palm 50 powerful they
can shred o centrs nervos sysim,
Summary: 512 ofens ol argets in .
Eftect: Syaight Offnse 12 6]

Modifier: Range 12 [4 5]/ Area: Ray [+172
fect cost]

+Ghostbolt 15 7]
Acstheti: You blast the trget with
Superphysical encrsy that can sclectively pass
through matice.

Summary: Ranged 512 undefendable offnse
(surpasss target’s defense score). Also passes
through cover

Effect: o Cover 2]

Modifers: Offense 512 65¢] / Range 12 (4]
/ Undelendable [+112 offnse cos]

+Adrenal Augmentation [9 sv]

Acstheic: Your intg doses Smg of afical
cpinephrine dieely into your caroid arery:
ealty begins 1o slow and your instinet for
violence bgins 0 sharpen

Summary: 56 offeme o all stacks and
Specialsfo est of ight. Costs a move action
Effect: Offnse Up s6 (351

Modifier: Durtion: Carsbat [x3]

*Needle Spray [10 sr]
Acsthetics Hundosds of valatie, luminous
el o pionic cncrgy bust rom your hnd.
Summary? Ranged 516 ofense. Cuuses 54
undefendable offense o wser. Only costs &
Effect: Recoil 54 [25]

Modifers: Ofense 516 8 5]/ Spesd: Move-
Equivalent[+1/4 offense cost] | Range 3 (25

«Decimation [5 sr]

Aesthetc: Youreyes laze withpionic ocrgy.
Summary: Any time you des offens rom &
(non-attack)Specil, addyour smat score
Effect: Engine o Ruin (5]

Modifiers X

«Cooked 4 5¢]
Acsthetics You oblierte s
confidence, making them casy prey
Summary: Actor must sctully roast cnerny.
‘Anyibody puting offense on the roased target
‘wihi the nexttumeyele adds +56 ofense. This
‘Specialony coss move action.

Effct: Defense Down 6 (3 5] (Instead of
owering defnse, ll atackers ust add ffense)
Modiffrs: Range 2 (151

«Mind Ripper [11 s¢]
Acsthetcs You touch the buck of the arger's
ead: their body seizes up and eyes glow as
hei brain i hammered withpeionic fore.
Summary: Target takes 512 oflnse, 2412 if
you cccupy the sguare disctly behind them. No
action cost, but must be usd on your tum
Effect: Back Atack 11512 75]

‘Modifirs: Specd: Immedite [+112effect cost]

«Proximity Mine [6 s7]
Acsthete: You produce asmall proximity mine
from one of your cybemeti prosteses and
sccure i o any suface.

Summary, ¥ offewe that cn be set o
detonste when movement detccted, o riggered
Cemotl Mine can be diseretly sccured t any
surace (moving, organic ctc).

Effect: Mine (2]

Modifirs: Offnse 8 451]

“Square” jus means square strde. Think of the combat map divided up like &
chesshoard of squar srides: this makes messuring out range, moverment, and

area Specials way easer
AT T

A

c K

Premade Specials That Modify or Evoke Attacks

Qi What's th diffrence between Attack Speeials and Offensive Specials?

Attacking is what you do with a weapon: swinging a sword or shooting @ gun,

~ Atack Specials modify o trger atacks.
~ Offensive Specials (prvious section)sre any ofer way you damage sn cnermy,
ke prionic lightning orenergy beas.

+Relentless Aggressor 13 sv]
Acstheic: You pour i on, breaking down an
encmy one atack ata time.

Summary: Fsch time you stack sn cnemy i
o (withoutatacking another enemy) you ain
110 atacks againt them. This incles Special
attacks ke any i this section.

Effect: Hound 30)

Modifiers: X

*Trade Shots [6 7]

Acsthete: The pain barcly reisers before
dy biting bk

Summary: Free atack on an cacmy in range

that lands an atack on you (can be used on

others”unns with o sction cos)

Effect: Bust Back 655]

Modifiers: X

wskewer [2.5¢]
Acsthetcs Your resch wespon tags
enemies with single stack.

Summary: Atack o aracs in a e with &
reach weapon (spars, chainblades ).

Eftect: Reach Weapon Tofer (151

Modifers: Use: Once per Fight [x2)

*Pervasive Reaper [8 ]
Acstheic: You rapidly sske at every encany
eseting you

Summary: Make an atack on all adjacent
encmics. I dual-wiclding, make an asack with
cach weapon (but remermber they aply dcir
deense to both atacks). Efect upgradeabe.
Eftect: Spinming Auack 35

Modifiers: X

*Your Bad |4 ]
Acstheic: An cnemy lowers thei defenscs in
aening sway from you.

Summary: Free hand-to-hand atick on an
adjacent cnemy moving avay from you (can be
uscd o others' urns with o action ost)
Eftect: Chasing Atack [450]

Modifiers: X

65

«Enfilading Fire [4 7]
Acsthetics You fire 3 mound through the soft
isue ofone target and nto anothe.

Summary: 1 you wound inial target with @
fircarm, make second attack on a et direaly
chind hem for fee. Effsc upgrdeabe

Effct: ircethrough (257]
Modifirs: Use: O per Fight [

«Fire Through Traffic [3 sr]
Aesthede: You caruly place a shot witbout
hiing any comrades.

Summary: Safely make o runged atack
hroush spce oceupied by comrades.

Effect: Cautous Sho 3.1

Modifie

#No Weapon No Problem [3 sr]
Acsthete: Growing up slapboxing and
Scrpping in Zone 3, you knaw your way
around a fstfight jus e

ummary: Whenever _ stacking _ snsrmcd,
tak. twice. Default unsemed oftense is 52
sicong or st (upsradeable with Specials from
e ek cfetssection).

Effect: Unarmed Fighing 3]

Modifiers: X

«Vicious Are [10 s¢]
Acsthetics You tm with the momentum of
your st srke, iping an aditonalcnemy.
Summary: Whenever you land @ hand-to-hand
atack on a arget, you can make an aditional
Atk on a diflerent adjacent tanget (w0
Stacking the same target twice). Effst
uparadeable. Unlimited uses

Effect: Follouthagh [1057)

Modifie

«Scissors Beats Paper [5 se]
Acsthetcs This mothefucker rally brought &
zunto o swond fight

Summary: Free sscond stack on o target
wiclding oly (bayoncles) frcam.

Effect: Shooter Persecutor (3]

Modifie

+Hummingbird Style 3 sr]
Acstheic: Your blade moves fstr and faster,
blood racing s wak.

Summary: Get 2 bonus 54 spin whenever you
land o 4 with @ light sword (machet, wrench
e, smallabr, cc). As many times s you
land & 3, gt anothr frs spin BUT you don't
et 1o ad a primary score 1o ny of fhe bonus
spins.

Eftect: Criical Hit (ght sword 4): 4 offense
250] powershained 1]

Modifiers: X

+Punctuated Cut 4 sr
Acstheic: You follow up a slash with a foul
ide ik

Summary: Wheaever you land 3 6 aacking
with one-handed sword, target s pushed bck.
IF they collde with snother snem, they both
sk ¥ offense.

Eftect: Criical Hi (o0
(coliion ) (4 1]
Modifiers: X

#Severe Blecding [6 5¢]
Acsthtic: Siiccopen a majo atry

Summary: Whenever you land a 12 atacking
with 5 two-banded sword, target takes 512
ongoing offnse at the beginning of your every
turn for the et of the figh.

Effect: Crical Hir (swo-hand sward 12) 512
offense with Dursion: Combat (6 57)
Modifiers: X

+Hit the Loop 4 sr]
Acstheic: Swinging your flx weapon you rip
an cnemy with 3 ltle orbit, then go for the
double g arbit

Summary: Whenever you land an § atacking
with 4 two-handed fle weapon. (chainblade,
metcorhammmer,cc), 258 offense (0 all adjcent
encmics (ncluding inital arge), BUT don't
40 4 primary score 1o any of the bonus spins.
Eftect: Criical it (nwo-hand flx weapon 8
258 offense [49]

Modifiers: X

«Arm's Length [6 57]
Acsthete: You use e length of your paearm
defensively.

Summary: Whenever you land & 1 avacking
il polcarm (spears i) ain +5 defene for
the rest of the fight (cven if you land 3 15 in 8
o that’s +15 defnse)

Effect: Criical it (polearm 1): Defnse Up 5
‘with Duration: Comba (691

Modifierss X

Lucky Stun [4 57]
Acsthete: You whiff by bt dome m on the
backswing.

Summary: Whenever you land & 1 atacking
‘with 2 n-anded haflarm, taret can'tsct and
s er defense sl the end of thi next turn,
Efect: Criical it (one-band hafam 1)
Superiock [43¢)

Modifie

«Violent Euphoria [3 sr]
Acsthetics Sow mation blood sprays and
sical msic

ummary: Whenever you land a 13 stacking.
‘with o handed hatarm, you hes 21 offense
Effect: Crical Hir (swo-hand hatarm 14):
Stvaigh Heal 21 [3 )

Modifie

«lnstrument Surge [4 ]
Acsthetc: You push your nstrment past is
ostensibe limitations

ummary: Whenexer you land a 6 atcking
il a nstrument, dea an exta 26 ofense
Effect: Criical i (nsrument 6): 256 offease
s
Modifie

«Aberrant Blast [10 s¢]
Acsthetie: A blast of psione force flashes
outwardfrom. your buet instrument

ummary: Whenever you land an § stcking.
il a burst instrument, deal $10 ofense o
encaics withina 3-sride s
Effct: Criica Hir (burst. insument 8 510
offese with Radius 3 [1031]
Modifie

“The only modifiers Attack Specials are allowed to have are Use and Duration.

* Use: Once per Fight i total SP 2.

* Use: Unlimited s totl SP x3

+ Duration: Combat i ttal SP 3 (can use any nummber of times in one fight)
* Duration Permanent is total SP x5 (unlimited uses and any mumbe of usesper furn)
4BLAO [10 sv]
Acstheic: The rason you id with shotgun.
Summary: Whenever you land s 10 aiacking
with a shotgun, the trget has 8 50% chance of
immediaely dying

Effect: Crical Hit (shotgun 10): Death 507
{10

Modifiers: X

*Targeted Blastback [6 571
Acsthetc: Encmy’s weapon flies vilently
bockards.

Summary: Wheacever you lnd 3 6 atacking
With & sawed-olf, arge is disarmed and teir
weapon flies backward, i€ 3 hand-to-hand
‘wespon, it ffense s dest 0 anyone n s ph.
Eftect: Criical i (sawed-oll 6): Disarm
aunch) [650]

Modifiers: X

+Dynamic Calibration [6 571

Acsthetic: A cybernetc amay in your ams
fanes up as you pocess dataon ive argets.
Summary: Whenever you land a 2 firig o
handgun, gain an sddionsl 1 offense that
laststhe st of the fght.

Eftect: Cruical it (handgun 2): Offense Up |
with Durstion: Combat 651

Modifiers: X

«Kinetic Transfer 14 sr]

Acsthete: Encmy badly dazed trom the shecr
forceof a igh-powered ik

ummary: Whenever you land an § with o
e, cverybody gets +8 ofease against that
{arge for one mcyele.

Effect: Crcal Hi sl 8 Defense Down §
s
Modifie

«GIRIRIRIREAH [3 5
Acsthete: Empty mag o an cnemy.
Summary: Get o bonus 54 spin whenever you
land 2 4 with a0 SMG. As many times 35 you
and 2 4. gt snother fce spin BUT sou don't
et 0 50 your fst score £ e bonus spins.
Effect: Criical i (SNG 4 offense [2 1]
powerchained [151]

Nodifier

«Up in Flame [15 sv]
Acsthete: Encmy caches e

Summary: Wheneter you land s 4 atacking
wilh 2 flamedhrower, rget akes 510 ongoing
offase atth beginning of al your trmsfo the
st ofthe fight

Effect: Criical i (Rametrover 4
offease with Dursion: Combat (1557
Modifie

10

Advanced Shit: most of these premade atack Specials are critcal hits. You
can make your own using the Critcal Hit effect at the bottom of the atack.

effetssecton. The math s simple:

[SP cost of efft] x the chance of it happening] x 4 = tota SP cost

&
D E ¥

E N S E

Premade Protective Specials

+Thread the Needle [2 sr]

Acstheic: You slckly dodae, causing your
encmy’s aack 10 pass 0 anoher cacmy behind
you,

Summary: Atk rediect. 1 an enceny atacks
you when another encmy is on your cxact
opposi side, use this Special 1o immediately
et the iack o the Second cnemy instcad
of you (oo action cos).

Effeet: S 1[250]

Modifiers: X

+Paranid [3 sr]
Acstheics You's
combat ki
Summary: Never suprised (your fl
applicsduring surpise aacks).
Effect Abways Ready (357]
Modifiers: X

e type 1o slecp with o

detense

+Tron Mantis Sty [1 sp]
Acsthetic: That kung fu shi.

Summary: crease your defense p 10 3 per
level, but decrease your offense the same
amount. Can't exceed max offene you can
el Lasts exacly one rrmeyele (so if wsed 3t
the end of your wa, defase bonus ass unc
i cnd of your next tam) No acton cost

Eftect: Trade Offensefor Defense 1 5]
Modifiers: X

«Congenital Analgesia [S sv]
Acsthetics A minor SCNOA mutation <auses
youto felno pin.

Summary: Permanent 1 10 deense.

Effect: Defense Up 1 [159]

‘Modifirs: Dusation: Permanent [efct 5]

«Cycloid Sealing [10 sv
Acstheti: Vou have reddish scales rom
expensive gencic enginceing.

Summary: Incrocking seales sve you an
exta S defense against sharp traum. (lshing
and stabbing weaponry). While they'c casy 10
cover up it 3 hoodie, revesling them might
6t you_ some bad reactions since gentic
engineering of this degre s still experimentl.
Effect: Resistan 0 Offnse Tpe (sarp rauma)
spos)
Modifiers:

«Kinetic Availment [9 57|
Acsthetics The il of psonic foree
Surounding you s iered wit luminous trals
of balistic eney.

Summary: Whenexer you take offense fiom o
fircarn, 2 points of i s sctualy healing intcad
of affnse.

Effect: Resisian 10 Offense Tpe (bullss 2,
hestng) [95°]

Modifie

Acstheties: you're free to change the name and acsthetc of any of these
Specils to it your min character. For example, if you wanted s muation that
e your skin to meta, just gank Cycloid Sealing (sbove) and change the

name ta Alloed Skin or whatever,

68
HoOE A

L

1 N G

Premade Specials to Reduce Offense Taken

+Psionic Healing [10 sp]
Acstheic: Your cyes become fanty Tuminous
s restorative encrgy courses theough the el
Summary: Heal 3 charsctr within 3 srides for
12, Can be usedonce per it

Eftect: Svaight Hoal 512 355]

Modiflers: nge 3 (2] Use: Once per Fight
totalcostx2)

+Platelet Hyperactivation [9 se]
Acsthetics A red flush of activated theombin
dowly. radistes from sny. point your hands
Touch lving skin, wounds ménding in its wake.
(How did beaing this rae muation affect your
e il now?)

Summary: Heal an_ adjacent characer (or
yourscf for 58 No acton cos. Unlimited wses
{but not more tha once per tur).

Eftect: Svaight Heal 5 (257

Modifiers: Speed: Immediat [+112 et cost]
! Use: Unlmited ot ost 3]

*Practiced Hand [3 sv]

Acstheic: You've goten prety fucking good ot
Kkecping humans fom dying.

Summary: Whenewer you wse a_healing
Special, add your smart score 1o the ol
amount hesed. Unlimited uses

Eftect: Engine of Mending [3 7]

Modifiers: X

Advanced Shi

“Wake [14 5]
Acsthetc: Tusget hums with vy,

Summary: Heal | adjacent charactr(or
yoursely for 16. 7 r s landed. they alo
44316 offnse ontheie next turm. This Special
only costs a move action. Can be used once per
fight

Efect: Sraigh Heal 316 [45¢]

Modifiers: Spesd: Move-Equivsient_[+1/4
elfct cost] / Chance: 25% chance of 516
offease [255]/Use: Once pr Figh [x2]

«DrezekCorp Praliferator X1 S sv]
Acsthetic: A small, prosheic_pseudo-organ
{hat keeps your ety system Tl of NIR
nanoshll that apily repair s damage.
Summary: Redce your offcase taken by 1 3¢
the stat o your every trn

Effect: Regeneraion 55¢]

Modifiers X

«Exogenous Negation [3 se]
Acsthetics An soteric muttion allows 3o t0
etum a person’sbiochemisty o sisis.
Summary: Sclectively climinate subsance’s
from the targeCs body poison, venom,
toxicans, but_also mediine or healing
substanes f desrd.

Effect: Neuraliz Bioactve Substance 3 5]
Modifie

e of these Specils have the effct “Sraight Heal". This

can instead be maved o modifies (since straight healing can be an effect or
modifer) with the price emaining the same.
Building Your Own Specials
Pick outan effect(pages 72 to 103), and give it a name / aesthetic. That's t.

Upgrading Specials
Just add modifiers (opposite page) o give your Special longer range, more uses, bigger
offense ctc.

o
Modifiers

‘These upgrade Specials.
<USE

Once per Day defuult

Once per Fight ‘otal Special cost x2

Unlimited’ total Special cost x3

(bt ot more than ance per tum)

*RANGE
1 stride: default /2 strides: +1 SP // 3 strides: +2 P
6strides: +3SP /1 12 strdes: +4 SP /1 20 strdes: +5 SP

+SPEED
‘Main (costs your main acton) defuult
Move (costs your move action) . . _effect, healing and offense cost x1.25
Imanediate (n0 action cost) “xis
Interrupt (no action cost & usablc on others” wis) “x2

#OFFENSE: 1 SP per +1 offense
Spinner 1 SP per half the spinner’s max. (Example: 5§ of offense would cost 4 SP)

#HEALING: 1 SP per +2 healing.

Spinner: | SP per quarter the spinner's max. (Example: 8 of healing would cost 2 SP)

*AREA
Radius 1 stride effect, healing, and offense X2
Radius 2 strides,| 0
Radius 3 strides, x4
Al encmics or comrades in fight scene “x8
Ray (all enemies in Special’s path afected) effect, healing, and offense xL.S

Chaiin (effect jumps through multiple targets): effect, healing, and offense x maximum
number of targets + 1 SP per sride between. 1 no additional targets, final taget takes ll

«DURATION
Turneyele defuult
Combat (o sbout S minues owtsideof combay) . effect, healing, offense, and area x3
Permanent “x8

#SELECTIVITY: Reduce Special price by condition. Only at night (half the time)
Would cost 50%. Only on the undead (sbout 10% of your enemies) would cost 10% e

+DEFENDABILITY
Undefendable (surpasses all defense) offense x1.5
+10% offense cost per cach of the below defense factors ignored:
Armor /1 Shield // Block // Dodge // Parey 1 Grit/ Specials

#CHANCE: add something good, like an extra 20 offense when you land a 10 0n a0 510
spin, which would only cost 2 SP (10% chance means 10% cost” 10% of 20 SP is 2 SP).
You can lso use this modifie o reduce the Specials price by the chance of lure

7
Effects

What a Special does. Newjacks, don't even look at this section. Go on, gt

Attack Effects
Can't have modificrs added except Use and Duration (end of secton). What's the diffrence
between attack effcts and offensive effcts? Attacking s what you do with 8 weapon
(swinging 8 sword, firing pistol. Attack effeets modify or tigser an atack. Offensive efects
(nextsection) are any other way you cause offense, ik psionic lightning or energy bearns.

Spinning Attack: make a hand-to-hand atack on al adjacent enemies in place o your normal
attack this tur. Attck path can't pass through comrades (without attacking them). IF dual-
wielding: you can make an atack with each weapon on all adjacent enemics (but remember
they et 10 apply thei defense o both atacks). § SP.
+Step: youcan move one stride, attacking all enernics adjacent 0 your wo-srde path. +10 SP
+ Bound: you can move two srdes,atacking all ncrmics adjacent 0 your thrc-stride path. +10
P (and musthave previous upgrade)
Followthrough: when you put offse on an encrny with s hand-to-hand sttack, you can make
an_immediate bonus attack (same weapon) on 4 diffeent _enemyadjacent o you
Followthrough path can't pass through comrades (without attacking them). No attacking the
same enemy mare than once. Automatically Duraton: Permanent. 10 SP.
- Step:you can take fre one-stride sep o followhrough on an cnemy: +15 SP
+ Resch: you can followthrough with reach weapons, buf must maintain range (s i intal arget
2 stides away, any subscquent targets must also be 2 trdes away). Can inscad fllowthrough
o' sccond trget direely bhind an nital adjacen arge, but then end tere. Can'tsep (dbave
upgrade) when using this upgrade. 10 SP

Shooter Persccutor: make a free second hand-to-hand sttack on an cnemy that only has @
bayoneiles frcarm or launcher weapon (ke bows, lings, crossbows) equipped. IF the anget
pulls & hanc-t-hand weapon this effect can'tbe used (both dropping and puling 4 weapon has
o acton cost, and can be done at Specd: Interupt). § SP.

Lunge: increase hand-to-hand weapon range by 1 ssde for e atack. You can lunge through
occupied space, unless your Key says otherwise. Can be used in conjunction with any other
attack Special, but only llows one target per use of unge. 2 SP.

Reach Weapon Twafer: when wiclding a reach weapon, you can attack o targets in the
range ofa single thrus for one attack. 1 SP.

Chasing Attack: free hand-to-hand attack on an enemy that's moving out of an adjacent
square. Automatically Spee: Interrupt_ 4 SP.

Intereept: free hand-to-hand attack on an enemy that's moving hrough an adjacent square
(must pass through, not move o). Automatially Specd: Interrupt. 4 SP.

*S1op target i your offcnse i higher than e defense: +3 SP

Punish: when an enermy makes an attck on you and thei offense is lower than your defense,
make one free and immedite ttack on them (i in range of curently equipped weapon). 4 SP.
Bust Back: one frce and immediate atack on an cnermy that manages to hurt you ith an
atack (if n range of currently cquipped weapon). 6 SP.

Riposte: one frce and immedise attack on an cnemy that just atacked you, reg
success only ifin range of currntly cquipped weapon). 8 SP.

dless of

“Square® just means square strde. Think of the combat map a5 @
chessboard of square strides. This mokes measuring out range and
moverment way caser

7
Unarmed Offense Up: increase unarmed offense for one tum (defalt unarmed offense is 52).
sdistSP “sis2SP Cis3sp
Unarmed Defense Up: you have a defense bonus when unarmed. 4 SP per point of defense
Unarmed Fighting: when atacking unarmed you can now make o attacks per tun. You can
attack two different targets, o the same tasge twice (remermber they et 1o apply ther defense
10 both your sirkes). When upgrading unasmed offense (unarmed offense up. weapon
speciais, 1), it applis 10 both unarmed attacks. Your pimary bonus (you can add stong oF
) lso gets ok 0 both atacks. Automatically Durston: Permanen. 3 SP
« Hybrid Style: ifatacking with a one-handed weapon and yous other hand i empty, you can
also make an unarmed attack withthat hand (Automatically Duration: Permanen): +3 SP

Shield Bash Offense: increase offense when atacking with a shicld for one wm (default

shild bash offense is o4) Remerber that shied's defense unusable unil trn afe shield bash.
s6is 1SP “ssis2SP +510is3SP

Shield Push: for ane atack,shield bashing pushes the target back 1 strde. 2 SP.

*2 trides: +2 S+ Knockdown (akes a move action (o stand): +2 SP

« Collson: ifpushed enemy cllides with another enemy, both take offense. 1 SP per point

Thrown Offense Up: increase thrown weapon offense for e turm (defuul is s4).

“sois ISP ~iis2SP C03SP es2isdSP
Thrown Range Up: increase thrown weapon range for one tum (default thrown weapon range
is3 ssdes). 1 SP per +1 range.

Barrage: sacrifice move action to make a second (non-firearm) ranged atack at half offense
(round down). SP.
Distance Shot: increase firearm or launches range for one atack. 1 SP per 3 range.
Beat Cover: this ranged atack supasses any cover the enemy has taken (his includes being
ehind other characters). To b clar, thei defense score st applis. 6 SP.
Cautious Shot: your ranged stack (includes throw) thi tum can safly pass through space
occupied by comrades. 3 SP.
Disarming Shot: instcad of spinning offense for an atack, you can disarm arge in range of
vour currntly held ranged weapon (launcher, fircamm, or thrown). Key decides where
unhanded weapon lands. 1 SP.

+ Trade next main acton for a Speed: Internupt disarming shat (includes shooting down a

thrown weapon aleady mid-sie): +1 SP

« Trade next move ation for s disarming shot: <2 5P

« Trade next move sction fo a Speed: Internpt disarming shot (includes shooting down & mid-

i throwing weapon): 3 SP

Plercethrough if you successfully put offense on a araet with 3 ranged attack, spin 4 free
bonus atack on a target behind them (make sure to maintain lne of fire). Must be a percing
projectie (arrow, aveln, bolt,bullet ctc). 2 SP. + Third arget ina line: +2 5P

+ Overshot: don'thase to actually wound a trget o make & bonus atack on another ar

behind thers: +2 SP

Sipe: target must be unaware of you, and within range of your currntly equipped fiream or
launcher weapon. For every consecutive tum you spend obscrving them, you multply the total
offense of the next shot you take on them. 17 thy take cover or become unobservable in some.
way, the muliplier seses. For exampl: if you spend one tum observing them, the shol you
take' on your second tm will have double offense: if you spend thre ums abscrving them,
the shot you tske on your fourth turn il heve quadrple offense. Limit of x5 offense. S SP.

Weapon Specalist: bonus o offense when atacking with 3 specific type of weapon: sword,
haftrm, polesrm, flex wespon, unarmed, launcher, shortrm (pistols / SMGs), e, shotzun
throvwn, shicld, borst instrament, insrument. 1f duslwielding your chosen weapon type, you
add the offense bomus from thi effct t both atacks. Automatically Duration: Permanent. 4 SP
per 1 offens.

7
Knoekdown Attack: make an atack as normal: it also knocks down the target (it takes an
entre move acton to stand back up). 3 SP.
Roek: make an atack as normal: it lso causes th target (0 lose thei next main action. 6 SP.
Stop-Hit: sacrifce your main acton next tu to imimediately male an atsck on somcone (in
range of your currntly equipped weapon) that i about 0 attack: i your offense s igher than
their defense, they do not atack. Automatcally Speed: nterupt. 3 SP.

+ Only sacrifice move acion: +4 SP
Beat Back: instead of making s hand-to-hand atack, push the target back 1 side. 1 SP.

« Make hand-to-hand attack and push target back: 14 SP

Hound: cach time you atack a particular enemy in a row without atacking another enemy,
you gain +1 atack offense on them, Like this, atack 2 1, atack 3 -2, aack 4 +3, ctc.
Special atacks like harrage, stop-hit,punish, hust back riposte, etc all count towards this
effet. Automatcally Duration: Permanent. 3 SP.

Overwhelms cach fum you sttack o paricelar cnemy in & v, you get a +1 bonus to atack
offense on them. Like thi, turn 2: 1 tum 3: -2, tum 4: +3 ctc. You can taget other encrnis.
it attacks and Specials, just as long as you make at last one attack on the overwhelmed
target per tum. Docs no stack with Hound. Can overwhelm mulsiple targets simultancously.
Automatically Duration: Permancnt. SP.

Hem In: for one atack, gt 4 bonus o offense for cach (combat<apsble) comrade adjscent to
the taget. 1 SP per +1 offense

Surprise Attack Bonus: bonus offense when atiacking an enemy unavae of your presence.
Offense double if attack is hand-o-hand: 1 SP per +1 ranged offense / +2 hand-to-hand
offense

Load Ups skip main setion this urm o double your offense when you attack next turm. § SP.
Blitz: bonus fo hand-o-hand atack’s offens, but you must move in a staight line for your
entre move score. 1 SPper +1 offens.

Encore: after merking an cnemy with an attack (includes counteratacks and other stack
Specials), make an immediate fre atack on an coeny in range. Unlimited uses. 7 SP.

Back Attack I: bonus offense to one attck made 1o an enemy’s back. 1f hand-to-hand: must
e oceupying the square dircety behind the target. If ranged: must be occupying the 1-squire-
‘wide line dirtly bebind the target. 1 SP per | offnse,

Back Attack I: for one tum,atack a econd time for free when sttacking an enermy’s back.If
hand-to-band: must be occupying the square dirccly behind the target. I ranged: must be
occupying the |-square-wide line dirctly behind the target. If you slso use ack atack | he
offense bonus only applies to one of the ttacks. 7 SP.

Shadow Attack: for one atack, attacking someone's shador i the same as atacking their
actual body: 2 SP.

Criical Hit: you have the chance to deal extra offense with 4 specifc type of wespon
(automatically Duraton: Permanent). Pick & number on your chosen weapon's spinaer;
whenever you land that umber, you dish out extra offense. Here's the math:

hons offense] x

hance of it appening] x 4 = total SP cost

Soif your chosen weapon i @ spear (polearm, 510) and you want it to do an extra 20 offense
(20 SP) whenever you land a 3 (10% chance), you're just taking 10% of 20 (3 SP), and
multplying i by 4 total SP cost is . Easy shi. No increasing your critical ange past one-
quarer of the spinner'stotal numbers. Tnstead of offense, you can spark an cffect when you
land o critcal

5P costof effect] x [% chance of it appening] x

Coitical s are ane of th best holers for your dollr: you'se paying almost nothing in SP 0
sive every atack spinthe chance of a massive bons.

"
Charging Bon:
pointof offense
Charge Counter: +1 offense when spinning against charging enemics. Automatially
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP per point of offense.

Ranged Charge Counter: if you're wielding a rnged weapon and spin higher than the cncmy
charging you, they stop & number of sirdes short o you equal 1o the offense you beat them by
“This includes thrown weapons. Automaticaly Duraton: Permarcot. 4 SP.

Shoat Charger: when wilding ranged weapon, pop a charging cnemy (who's charging
someone els) that pases through your ange. Autoratically Specd: Iterrupt 4 SP.

Charge Knockdown: when you spin @ higher offense than an enemny during a charge they
Knocked dovn (it takes move action 0 sand back up). Unlimited uses. 3 SP.

41 offense when charging. Automatically Duration: Permanent. 1 SP p

Grappling Bonus: +1 0 srapple sins. Automatcally Duration: Permancnt. 2 SP pr point.
Cerebral Grappling: add your smart score (insead of your strong or fst) 1 your grapple
spins. Automatically Duration: Permanca. 3 SP.

Grappling Throw: when you win a grapple (does't mater if you iniiated 0, you can theow
hat enemy a square in any diretion (from the square you currently occupy). Target also
knocked prone. If you did iniiate the grapple and choose 1o throw, you can't also hold the
target in place. Unlimited uses. 3 SP.

*Two squares: £3 SP.

« Collson: ifthrovwn cneny colides with another encn, both take offene. 2 SP per point
Grappling Offense: whenever grappling (win or lose, doesn't matte if you nitiated i) you
exert a clinch, choke, lock, or slam that puts offene on the enemy you'ss grappling with
Chosen grappling primary i sdded tottal offense. Unliited uses. 3 SP per point of offense.

“The only modificrs Attack Specials are allowed to have are Use and Duration:

Use: Once perFight total SPx2
Use: Unlimited (but ot more than once pes tum) total SP3
Duration: Combat (can use any numbes of times i one Gight) total SP3

Duration: Permanet (unlimited uses and any number oF wses pes tum) | . total SP xS

75
Offensive Effects

Straight Offense: 1 SP per | offense. Spinner option: | P per half of spnee’s maximurn (s0
3P for 56 offense, 4 SP for s offense et). This effec canalso be made ito & modifesatany

Mop Up: if taet i ad out when this ffec is used o them, double your offense. 2 SP.
Offense if Still: enemy takes offense f they don't move at least one stride their next tum,
Targetwill be e of the ffect. 1 SP per 2 offense.

Offense if Mobile: enemy takes offense if they move even a single stride before the end of
their next turn. Taget il be aware of the efeet. 1 SP per 2 offense

Back Attack I11: double offense when trgeting an cnems’ from beind. For exampl, i you
spend S SP giving this Special S offense, it deals 10 offese when atacking an enemy' back,
but S offense from any other angle. If adjacent: must be occupying the square diectly bekind
the targt I ranged: must be occupying the 1-square-wide line diectly behind the argel Base
effct costis 1 SP (adding offemse is sual price of 1 SP per | offense).

Deluge: tis ffect gives you a bonus for every attack o offensive Special sed o your target
since the end of your st turm. 1 SP per offense. (Exampl: i you spent 4 SP on this effect and
3 of your comrades attacked the targe s your lastturm, you would then deal 12 offense to
the target.)
Stagger Offense: splt offense of Special o tht
‘Oceursat the beginning of your tum. 2 umeyeles: S
-3 wmeyeles: 33.3% lss
No Caver: this Special surpasses any cover the encny has taken (includes being behind other
characers). To be clar,thei defense score sl applics. 2 SP
Power Up the more acion costyou pay, the more powerful this Special gets:
) Speed: Interrapt = 14 this Specials default offense, B.) spend only move sction = 112
offense, C) spend main action = normal offense, D) spend both main action and move action
2 offense, . spend this main action and your next main action = X3 offense, ) spend your
main action and move action this tum and your next tum = x4 offense (eleases on second
um). Always round up offense. 2 SP per 1 default offense.
Chambered: wser can divide up this Special’s total offense however you want. Using o
emaining porton of offense has no acion cost, nd can be done i the middle of others” urns.
For cxample. after you pay the action cost o & chanbered Special with 10 offense, you can
nail a target with 3 offense ight away (no acton cost), then blas a differnt targt for 2
offense (a0 action cost), then use that remaining 3 offense on another target (sl 1o action
cost), or it until afer your turn and intermpt an cnemy with that emaining 3 offene. To
reiteate: A) you only pay the action cost of this Special once, B.) using any amount of
remaining offense has Speed: Interrupt, and C.) vou can use as ltle or as much of he
Special’s offense cach time, unil you've expended the entirety of the Specia’sotal offense. A
chambered Special lasts until the end of the fight scene, or about five minutes outside of
Combt 15 SP per | offens.
+ Fixed divisions: chambered offense divided into predetermined amounts (For exampl, 9
offense manifested as 3 blasts of 3 very fime, or § offense divided ito 4 jots of 4 every
time,et): -25% offense cost

happens equally over muliple tumeyeles

“The back of the book is @ spinner. 6" means a spinner from 1 1o 6, 512"
mcans spinner from 1 0 12 ee. To use it hld the loaped end of paper cip
or guita sring trimming on the center dot with & pen. Flick the other cnd
Wherever it ands n the ring you're spinning for is the resul.

7
Bloodlusts this offensive Special can be used a no sction cost immedisely afer merking an
cnemy. 3SP.
Death Dealer: cach time you merk an enemy, you ge astacking +1 bonus 1 al offense. This
bonus luss the estofthe fight sceme. Automatically Duraton: Permacat. S SP.

you heal the same amount ofoffense you ol on an enemy with this efect. 3 SP per

« Siphon healing 0 selfor any comade in range: +3 SP.
Recail: also deals offense to user (surpasses defense). Subtract Specials offense cost by the
offense caused to the user

Mine: ance you pay this Special’ action cost, is locked onto s location or object ithin
range. You can detonate i at will, or assign it 1o trigaer when here’s movement within a
certain prosimity. You can detonaté the mine from any distance. A placed mine lasts about &
day. 2P

Mine undetectabl to cnemics: 2 SP « Mine doesn'texpire: 2 SP
Trade Defense for Offenses lower your defense score, and increase your offense by the same
nusber. Must be in sctual combat: targt shooting or kicking down a door won't he affcted.
Capped a1 3 defenseloffnse per level. Offense bonus applics to sl offense for cxactly one
wmeyele (so. both. strikes iF dual-wiclding, counteratacks, all offensive Specals_etc).
Remember negative defense score does tha much exta offense t you. No acion cost. 2 SP.
Kinetic Charge: give an everyday item the offense of a classical weapon. Reach weapans
must_actally have reach (lke a broom) and two-handed weapons must actally be
functionally two-handed (ke a guitar). Kinetic charge lasts fo a fight scene (or about five
minutes outside of combat). Weapon speciaist doesn't apply to kineically charged weapans,
but efects like thrown offense up and reach weapon nwofer do. No acton cost o kinctically
chasge an obect. § SP.

Knoekdowns knock down an enemy (i takes an entire move action 0 stand back up). 1 SP.
Lock: arget moves zero stides next tur. Taret can stll rface, move the rest of thei body
normally, and use their move action for something else (lke a Special with Speed: Move-
Equivalent) 1 SP.
* Can't refce: <3 5P,
+ Superlock: taret is compleely immobile uni the end of thet next tum (no defense, no
actons): 47 SP
Deny X Action: targetloses ther next move action: 1SP.
* Targe loses thei next main action: 2. SP
+ Targe loses al ation: unable 0 act untl the end of theis next tum (no main action, move
action,or Specials with no action cost): 4 SP

Porcupine: whenever an encmy maves into a square adjacent (0 you, they instantly ke
offense. Automatically Duraton: Permancat. 2 SP per | offense.

Reactive Offense: whenever an encmy puts offense on you, you instantly deal this ffects
offense o them. Automaticaly Duraion: Permanent. 2 SP per 1 offense.

+ A enemy within 2 sirdes (maximum upgradeabl range): +2 SP

Defense Down: decrease defense in taget for | urneyele. Defuul is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and all speed modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. 1 SP per 1 defense. (You can
instead have this effect give an offense borus of the same number 0 anyore attacking or using
offensive Specials on the target, since the resul is the same either way. Choice mustbe locked
in before Special finalized.)

Offense Down: decrease ffense in target for | tumeyele. Defiultis Spesd: Move-Equivalent,
and sl speed modifiers cost 25% les than thei usualprice. 1 SP e | offnse.

Move Score Down: decrease target’s move score. Defuul s Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Auomatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
per stride

id
sarm: currntly held weapon's (includes instruments) of arget are dropped. 3 SP.
« Weapon stripped (and immediately wickdable: +2 SP.
« Launch: target’s weapn gocs fying S strides dircly back. 1 hand-o-hand weapon,
it offense iscaused to the frst character i s path: +5 SP
Deshield: currntly held shield oftarget isdropped. 2 SP.
Disarm Punish: when an enemy makes a hand-to-hand atack on you and thei offense is
lower than your defense, disarm them of whatever they attack with (Key decides where
weapon lands). Automaticlly Specd: Interrupt 2 SP.
« Can sep then immediately wieldtargets weapon: +1 SP
+ Targe’s weapon goes fying 5 stsdes directy back. 12 hand-to-hand weapen, s offense is
caused toanyone i ts traectory: +3 SP.

Siek Move: fo one atack or offensive Special, gin an offense bonus o 2 per level, but you
must specifically namate how you gain it — clever use of the cnvironment, wedkness you
clocked in arge,jus acinematic surge of pawer . Aulomaically ance per fight (can'thave.
umber of uses ugraded, o buy multples f his cffct). SP.

Burn Special I sacrifce an unspent Special's fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of offense o the offenive Special you use his tum. No action cost Unlmited uses. 1 SP.
Swap Offense Type: pick an offense type (e, cold, electricity, acid, psionic, explosive,
blunt, shar, void tc). You can now change the offense type of any olher Special You have (0
this offense type. Bach time you buy tis effect is for a different offense type. Unlimited
number of swaps, no action cost 2 SPper offense type.

Engine of Ruin: whenever you use a Special that causes offens, add your smat sore (0 he
offense caused. Doesn't apply o Specials that use atack effects. For effcts thal cause
recuring offense (chambered, stagger offense, offensive Specials with Duraton: Comba, etc)
add your smart score every time offense s deat. Automatically Duration: Permanent, SP.

Defense still applics to Specials.

Specil’s offense - targets deense

Mense put on target

7%
Defensive Effects

if uscr atacked by an enemy flanking them direcly opposite another cncmy,
mmediaely using this Special will edirct the atack.from th user 1o he encmy flanking
opposite. 2SP.
Slip 1: if user attacked hand-to-hand by an enemy adjacent 1o another enemy, immediately
using this Special will redirct the attack 1 the enemy adjacent o the attacker. Automatically
Specd: Interupt. 2 SP.
Projectle Shell: make one square invulnerable to all incoming projectle, physical or
supernatural. Can uncomfortbly squecze two average-sized characters i this shell (possible
actons probably resicted) 3 SP.
Perfect Shel: arget s sumounded by a forcefield that prevents any force of matter from
enteing or exitng. Target can be a fxed areo. I targe i imstead an object or characte, the
Shell will move with the target. 1 used with Duration: Combat during a fight,the sbsolute shell
instead lasts about five minutes (lss if the user wants). Can uncomforably squeeze two
average.sized characters n this shel (possible actons probably resricted). 3 SP.
Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce / shicld shout one square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk isspread evenly (example i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk. B. a wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
planted on the round (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i xS instad of usual 2.

+ Bulwark can be suspended n the ar: 4 SP

+ All offense from the attack or Special that merks the bubvark is compleely absorbed

(remaining offense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

Fallproof: you aren't hurt by falling anyhing less than 3 stories. Automatically Duration:
Permaneat. 1SP.

Uslust by a ful of any distance: +3 5P
Immovable: target can' be moved against thei wil or 1 tumeyele. No oction cost 2 SP.
Move Frealy: taser's movement / posiion not affeced by Speeials (unless they want it 10 be)
for I tumeyele. No acton cost. 3 SP. Any SP spent o immonabie can be respent on his cict
Juggernaut: arget can't have their move action or theis main acton taken from them for |
fumeyele. No action cost. 1P,

you are permanenly unable o be knocked prone. 4 SP.

‘when knocked down, o acton cost {0 retum (0 standing on your um. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP.

uring surpis atacks, use yous fll defense. 3 SP.
o can'tbe disarmed. Automtically permanent. 2 SP.

Immune to Deshicld: you can'tbe deshielded. Automaticaly permanent. 1 SP.

Immune to Stat Altration: you can't have your stats alered by anything except your own

Specials, o leveling up. Automaticaly pesmanent. 4 SP.

Immune to Mental Intrusion: social effcts from the maripulation block (insaniy 1o plant

memory) don't work on you. Automatically Duration: Permancnd. 4 SP.

" Ko when someone ties o use one of these effects on you, and who it was: +2 SP

Deteet Mental Intrusion: user knows wilh certainty ifa social effct rom the manipulation

block (nsaniny to plant memors) has been used on the target. 2 SP

« Know identity of mentaliteuder: +2 SP.

Rupture Shapechanging: tarset stays in thei orignal form for one tumeyele (also protects

from shrinking and enlarzing). 1 this ffect used on & target whose form has been changed by

someone lower level than the user, they immedistely revert to their natual form. Default is

Speed: Move-Equivalent, and allspeed maifcrs cost 25% lessthan ther usualprice. 2 SP.

Rupture Stat Alteration: within the targt aca,al stat aheratons that re less than Duratior:

Permanent are ngted. 2 SP.

i
Intereept Arrow: wsget breaks or snaches one arrow; blt, o similar ammunition they re he
targetof, o that passs through their occupied square. Automaticaly Speed: Interupt. 2 SP.

+ Cument square or adjcent square: +2 5P

Divert Arrow: arzel ediects the ajectory of one artow; bolt, or similar ammuniton they're
the targt of, o that passs through their occupied square. The line of fire can be moved on
siride o s I o ight, and maintais s normal offens. Automaticaly Speed: nterupt. 4 SP.

« Curtent square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Intereept Bullet: target stops one bulll, photonic bol or similar ammuniton they're the
tangetof, o that passs throush their occupied square. Automatcaly Speed: Interupt. 7 SP.

« Curment square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Divert Bullet: target redisects the trajectory of one bullet, photonic bolt, or similar
ammonition they'e the targe of, o tha passes through ther occupied square - he tectory
ca be redircted one stride (0 is e or right, and mainains it normal offense. Automatially
Speed: Interrupt. 10 SP-

- Current square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Divert Speclal: target redieets the trajectory of one Specialthy'e the targetof, o tht passes
through thei aceupied square, up 0 a certan offense amount — the line of ir can be moved
ome stride 0 is el or right. Automaticlly Speed: Intrrupt. 1 SP per 1 offeas rediected.

« Curtent square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Reflect Special: target rellecs offense from a Special they were the target of back 1o the
Characer that targeted them, up to the offense cap of this efec; the remaining offense s taken
a5 normal. Effect not reflected. Automatically Speed: Inerrupt. Base cost: 3 SP, +1 SP per
offense eflcted instead oftaken.

* Mimor a Specialtageting currnt square o adjacent square: 2 SP

« Mimor to snotherencimy in Special's isted range: -3 SP

Store miored offense until atr tum, targeting any encrmy within the Special'slisted range

(sputtes out by end of igh: 4 P

- Will miror back any effet's as well s the Specials offense: 5 SP

Absorb Offensive Special: when tarzeted by a Specil that deals offense (including atack
Specals), tha offense instead heals you up 1 the imit of this effct the remaining offens is
taken as normal Automatcally Speed: nterupt. 1 SP per | offense healed

« Cursent square or adjacent square: +3 SP.

Bail Artst: give up nexttum to completely dodige an attack. Must decide to use this Special
efore enemy offense s spun. Automaticaly Speed: Intrrupt. 2 SP.

* Dodae atack or Special: -1 SP

Dive for Cover: rade your entire next move acton (o immediaely (Speed: Interrupt) throw
yourslprone. 2 SP

+ Also move one st

e 25P

Fuckwithme I an enemy within sight takes a penalty that lasts unil they attack you No
acton cost. 1 SP per -2 defense /1 SP per -2 offens.

Fuckwithme I1 al enemies in the fight scenc face a penalty unil they attack you. No action
cost. 1 SP per-2 defense/ 1 SP per -2 offens.
Take One for Yas user tkes the offensc hat was dirceted tovards & comrade. Automatically
Speed: Interrpt. Adjacent comrades: 2 SP.

"+ Any comrade in sight: 3 SP

Delay Wounds: use tis effect immedisely aftr the targ
one wmeyele. Auomatcally Speed: nterrupt. 3 SP.

"+ Two tums: +4 5P

Blood Buddies: two consenting tagets split all offense aken equaly between them
Automatically Duration Combat. 2 SP.

+ Every additional blood buddy: +2 SP

takes offense t0 dely that offense

50
Cryopilics you handle the cold well. ou A. aren't affected by the effet ieese, B take half.
offense from any cold-based Specias (round down), C. aren't affcted by cold weather, cold
water, or anything less than about -80 degeecs Fahrenheit, and D. can't take thermophilc.
Auormaticallypermanent. S SP.
Thermophilic you dig the hat. You A. aren't affected by the ffect hea, B take half offense
rom any heat-based Specials (round down), C. aren't afected by ot weathe, scalding water,
o anyibing less than about 200 degrees Fahvesheit, and D. can't take eryophilic
Automatically permancat. S SP.

Immune (0 Offense Type: for one tumeyele the target (and ther gear) are immune (0 o
predetermined offense type. Snce every seting is differet n offense ype commonness, Key
approval is required. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifies cost 25%
less than their sl price. Pried by commonness of affense ype.

« Dominant (ncaly all enermics i the seting use 0): § SP

« Common (sbout halfofal enermis se 0): 3 P

« Uncommon (a minority of all enemics use i) 2 SP

« Rare (sce it in maybe | outof 10 fghts) 1 SP

Resistant o Offense Type: you have a permancnt rsistance (0 @ predetermined offense type.
Since every seting s different in offense type commonness, Key spproval i required. Every
point spent on resistance 1o on offense type can be put towards purchasing immunity 1o it
{above effct). Prices by commonness of offense type (examples are if our workd was the
settng).

« Dorminant lke bullts: 3 SPper | defense

« Common (ike shar trauma: Knives | arows | machetes etc: 2 SPper | defense

« Rare ke clecticty): 1 SP pr | defense

- Offense you resist withthis ffec s turned o healing, 1t 1: 1S total SP

Defense Ups increase defensc in tarzet for 1 sumeyele. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modifiers cost 25% les tha ther usual price. 1 SP per | defens.
Trade Offense for Defense: for every point you lower your offense, you increase your
defense by a point. Must be in combal. Capped at 3 offenseidefense per level or maximum
offense you can deal in a single acton (whichever lower). Lasts one tmeyele exacly (s0 if
used at the startof your trn, it Lsts until the tat of yous nxt ur; if usd at the end of your
turn,Lsts until the end of yous next turn) No action cost. 1 SP.
Offense Ups increase offense in targe for | torncycle. Defaulis Speed: Move-Equivaleat, and
ll speed modificrscost 25% less than their wsul price. 1 SPper 1 offense.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Defult is Speedt: Move Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

« Permanently increase move score: 3 SP per stride

Extra Move Action: give an extra move action (Largel can only use it on ther ). Must be
wsed 1o move - no substituting Speed: Move-cquivalent Specias. Auomatically Speed:
Inermupt. § SP.

81
Healing Effects

Straight Heal: 1 SP per 2 points healed. Spinner option: 1 SP per quarter of spinner’s
maximum (s0 2 SP for 8 of haling, 3 SP for 12 of healing etc). This efectcan also be made
into s modific o any tine.

Stagger Heallng: split Special’s haling s0 it happens equally over multple tumneyeles (tarts
immediaely). 2 tumeyeles: SP costof healing is 25% lss

3 meyeles: 33.3% less
Transfer Wounds: user akes on any amount of th trget’s offense taken. 3 SP.
Lifejack: you healthe same amount of offense you pu on an enemy with this efect. 3 SP per
2offense.
Siphon healing 0 elf or any comrade in range: 43 SP.
Regeneration: you automatically heal ot the start of your every tum (no action cost).
Automatically Duration: Permancnt. SP per | heling
Fount:divide up this Specials otal healing however vou want. Using a remaining porton of
ealing has no action cost, and can be used in the middle o others tums. For example, ater
vou pay the action cost of a fount Special with 10 healing, you can heal taret for S right
away (o action cost),then hel a different arget for 2 (n0 action cost), hen use hat emaining
3 healing on another target (st no action cost),or even wait ntil afer your turn and heal
Yoursll right before an ncoming attack, etc. To eiterate: A.) you only pay the action cost
once, B) using any remaining healing has Speed: Interrupt, and C.) you can use a litle or a5
much of the Special’ healing cach time, unil you've expended the entirey of the Special’s
total healng. A fount Special lsts until the end of the fsht scene, or sbout five minutes
outside of combal - if unused at the end of the durtion, the remaining healng fust goes
owands the user 1 P per | point of healing.

+ Healing divided into predetermined amounts (For example, 9 healing manifested as 3 blasts

3 every time, o § healing divided into 4 jols of s every time,etc): 25% healing cost

Cure Contagion: you fully il any non-supernatural sickness form the target. 1 SP.
Neutralze Bioactive Substance: a poison, oxin, venom, hallucinogen, ntoxicant, medicine,
et is rendered inert, even IF alrcdy ingested (user can choose a specific substance if they
want). Doesn't reverse the substance’s past effecs ([ke offense taken or healed ete). 3 SP.
Bring Back From Death: flly restore somcanc (o theie pre-death condition. The detals of
the effect — whethera itual, consersation with Death, or verturing into an afeife —are up (o
the Key. One-time use. 10 SP.

Burn Special I1: sacrifice an unspent Specials fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of healing o the healing Special you use this tum. No action cost. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.
Engine of Mending: whenever you use a Special with healing, add your smart score 10 how
much it heals. For effects that cause recursing healing (foun,stagger healing, healing Specials
wilh Duration: Comba, tc — but not regeneration) add yous smat score every time healing
occurs. Automatially Duration: Permaner. 3 SP.

0
Stat Effects

Primary Up: permancntly increase a primary by 1 poiat. (If increasing smart, don colect on
the S bonus SP) 7 SP.

Merk Up: permancntly increase merk. 1 SP per +1 merk.
Knowledge Bar: permancntly purchase a knowledge bar. 3 SP cach.

Offense Ups increase offense in targe for | turncycle. Defaulis Speed: Move-Equivaleat, and
ll speed madifierscost 25% less than their wsul price. 1 SPper 1 offense.

« Permanent increas: § SP per point of offense

Offense Down: decrease offense in target for | tumeyel. Defiltis Spesd: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modifirs cost 25% les thanthei usualprice. 1 SP e | offnse

Defense Ups increase defensc in targe for | tumeyele. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modificrs cost 25% less tha ther usual price. 1 SP e | defens.

* Permanent increase: S SP per point of defense

Defense Down: decrease defense in taget for | wrneyele. Defuul s Sy
and all speed modifies cost 25% less than their usual prce. 1 SP pe
instead have this effec give an offense borus of the same number 0 anyone attacking or using
offensive Specials on the targe,snce the resul is the same either way. Choice mustbe locked
in before Special finalized.)

Trade Offense for Defense: for every point you lower your offense, you increase your
defense by a point. Must be in combat. Capped at 3 offenseidefense per level or maximum
offense you can deal in single acton (whichever lower). Lasts one tmeyele exacly (50 if
used at the startof your trn, it Lsts until the tae f yous next ur if usd at the end of your
turm,Lsts until the end o yous next turn) No action cost. 1 SP.

“Trade Defense for Offenses lower your defense score,and incrcsse your offense by the same
number. Must be in sctual combat: taret shooting or kicking down a door won' be affcted.
Capped 1 3 defenselofense per level. Offense bonus applis 1o al offense for cxaclly one
wmeyele (so. both surkes if dual-wiclding, counteratacks, all offensive Specials etc).
Remember negative defense score does that much extra offense t you. No acion cost 2 SP.

cd: Move-Equivalent,
1 defense. (You can.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Deful is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

- Permanent increase: 3 SP per siride
Move Score Down: decrease target’s move score. Defaul is Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Auomatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
per sride.

Ruptare Stat Alteration: within the target aea, al stat leratons that re less than Duration:
Permanent are ngted. 2 SP.

Randomization: bow much a stat is altered docsn't have to be a fixed
sumber. To randomize, the SP cost is just half the spinner's highest number.
Example: to increase your offense by 312 for a urncyele, the cos is 6 SP. To
permancatly incresse you merk by 10, pay 5 SP, et

5
Movement Effects

Extra Move Action: give an extra move action (Larget can only use it on ther ). Must be
wsed 1o move - no substituting Speed: Move-cquivalent Specias. Auomatically Speed:
Interrupt. S SP.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Deful is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

« Permanently increase move score: 3 SP per stride

Split Move: for one tum you can move, use a main sction, then move agsin, not exceeding
vourtotal move score. No ation cost 2 SP.

Pushs taret moves one stide dircctly awy from user. 2 SP.
* Target pushed an exrnstide: 3 SP
« Push moves arget in any dirction (ot just away from user): +2 SP.
+Collision: if targe is pushed into another charsctr,they both take offense (Key decides
where second enemy moves). | SP per pointof ffense
+ Tarzet also knocked prone (akes & move action 0 get back up) +2 SP
Switch: switch places with a comrade (remember default range is | stide). Auomatcally
Specd: Interupt. 4 SP.
" Can target non-comrades: +4 5P
+ Switch two characters: +4 SP
Comoke: you and a target move o the o, centermst squares between youse (can failin rare
instances of etraheavy orsccured tangets). 2 SP.
- Can choose which of the two centermost squares you land on: +2 SP
Slide: you move slde / step/pivot/ i) one stride afer a crtain rgger, not more than once
per tumeycle. Automatically Speed: Interrupt.
« Afte attacking (svoids counterattacks): 3 SP
Afte enemy moves into an adjscent square: 4 SP
ive for Cover: trade your entire next move action to immedisely (Spesd: Iterrupt) throvw
vourselprone. 2 SP.
+ Also move one s

e 25P

Lock: arget moves zero strides next turm, Target can stll reface, move the rest of thei body
normally, and use their move action for something else (lke a Special with Speed: Move-
Equivalent). 1 SP. - Can't efsce: 43 5P
+ Superlock: taget is compleely immobile unti the end of thee next tum (1o defense, no
actons): 47 SP
Deny X Action: targetloses ther next move action: 1 SP.
* Targe loses thei next main action: 2.SP
*+ Targe loses al ation: undble 0 act untl the end of theis next tum (no main action, move
acion,or Specials with no action cost): 4 SP

Fallproof: you aren't hurt by falling anyhing less than 3 stories. Automatically Duration:
Permaneat. 1SP.

« Uslurt by a al of any distance: +3 5P
Immovable: target can' b moved against thei will for 1 tumeyele. No oction cost 2 SP.
Move Frecly: taget's movemment / positon not affected by Specials (unlessthey want it o be:
can pick and choose) or | tumcyele. No action cost 3 SP. Any SP spent on inmovable can be
respent on this et
Knockdown Immuni

o sk permanently unsble o be knacked prore. 4 SP.

Knoekdown: knock down an enemy (i takes an entire move action 0 sand back up). 1 SP.
Kip-Up: when knocked down, no action cost 0 eturn 0 standing on your tum. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP.

8
L sumper: ump up o the full disance of your move score for one tum. 3 SP.
« Jump the entirty of how fr you move in atur (50 also covers double-moving): +3 SP
I Climber: climb on any surface untl the strt of your next tum, movin up to your total
move score. Can use ane hand for non-climbing shit. 3 SP.
I Swimmer: swim as fist g5 your move score (defuult s half your move speed for
swimming). 3 SP.
Allsurface: vk and function on any surfoce ik i’ the ground unsil the sart of your next
um. 5 SP.
Grapnel-Shot: launch a rope lne / tether and have it securely atach (0 a surface or object
(vithoot harming it From there you can swing, hang, yank shi towards you, and detach the
rabbing end at will Lines length i fxed once grapnel secured (upgradeable). Line can hold
just e your weight. Automatically Use: Unlimited. Base ange: § scides. § SP.
« Can shoot and hold i lines simulancously: -3 SP
« Every addition] § srides of ength: +1 SP Gfyou have two lncs,applics to both)
+ Freely detractor extend the line,recling yourslf up or down i or recling n out a grabbed
obiect) with pefect control: +5 SP.
« Line can hold twice your weight: 2 SP
« Line can bold 1000 s (only +3 fprevious sub-effctslrady boughty: +5 SP

Glide: slde at will. I this ffec is active you can't be hust by falling. Automatially Duration:
Permaneat. 10 SP.
Qing-Gong: also called wire-fu. You can jump like you have il fumper (sbove) and glide
around ke vou're in low zravity. Can o longer be hurt by falling. Automatcally Dursion
Permancnt. 15 SP. (Any SP spent n gl can be respent buying this cfcr),

ight starts liited: you gota begin and end every tum on slid ground. Defult fight speed
is your move score. Automatically Durtion: Permancnt. 15 SP. (Any SP spent on gl or
ing-gong can b respent on this efect and issub-cflects)

« Unlimited figh / leviaton: +10 SP

« Can fy carrying another average-sized charscte or equal weight: +5

« Faster fight -3 SP per stride (permanent)

Projection: enter 5 rance-like stte to move and sense through an inangible phantom of
yourell Projection can speak, and appears s f the user i acualy there. Projection has merk |
Projection lass until destroyed o user cnds. Nothing suffered by projecton passes to user
Physical body incapacitatd and unpetceiving fo projecton’s duraton. 8 SP.
« Projection invisible when unmoving: +3 SP
« Projection can manifest anywhee you've been before: +8 SP.
« Projection ca very lightly afect the physical world (exert 2 Ib of force): +4 SP
« Projection can use asingle Special before mmediaely vanishing: +5 SP.
Projection can have any appearance or identity (deceives identificaion Specials, but can be.
defated with unseramble n the social ffectssection): +3 SP
Sense Projection: within your nommal range of sght / hearing you can detect any projection
wilh cerany. 1 SP.
Banish Projection: projection destroyed,consciousness retumed 1 projectors body. 1 SP.
+ Create a projection-banishing 7one up o about the sze of a chamber (endures unil sed o0
another area: +2 5P

Pass Through X: you (and your gear)ar able o move through a sold substance. You're fully
intangible to that substance, o i will also pass through you. Remember default duraion s one
meyel.

«Metal 15SP + Earth (stone /soil/conerete): 10SP+ Wood (lving or dead): 5P
“Glass:SSP « Textle (natural clothor synthetic abricsy 2SP - 1SP

85
Teleport: you (and your gear) are insantly tansported anywhere you can see. Defuult is
Speed: Move-Eauivalent, and all specd modifers cost 25% less than their usual price. I you
add offense o his effct it can happen from the point you teleport o or the point you eleport
rom; same with added healing. 14 SP.

« Anywhere you've been befurs (10 sightreqired): +7 SP

* Transdimensional: +5 SP

* Telepor ober. +1SP

« Bring an adjacent charactr: +4 SP

+ Teleport small group (vous crew plus two; must be adjacent): +12 SP (only +8 SP if you

already have e previous sub-effect)

Teleport Between X's: you (and your gear)ars instanly transported from an X 1o another X
within sght Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,and all speed modifers cost 25% less than

their usual pric. « Trees (lving and plated inthe cart): 7 S
« Flowses (lving and plated in the cart): 6 SP
« Radio anteanac: § SP « Shadows (wide enough to it your body): 10 SP

« Bodics of wate at least s wide as your shoulders: 6 SP
« Bodics of water at last the size of eacups 11 SP (5 SP i you have the previous sub-effect
« Corpses larger than a bouse caty: 6SP » Fire (o east orch-sized): 6 SP
+ Between any curently It forges, firelaces, or ieepits you've seen before: 11 SP only 5 P
i you alscady have the previous sub-cffct)
« Mimors o least as wide a5 your body: 6 SP.
« Asigl that takes a tum 0 inscrbe (no defense that tuneyele though: 10 SP.
« A complex sealthat takes 10 minuts o nscrbe: § SP
No-Teleport Zone: create a zone up 10 about the size of @ chamber in which telepartaton is
mpossible (endures until used on another area): 2 SP.
+ Create a zone up t0 about the size of chamber in which teleportation and portal formation
are impossible (endures ntil usd on another arca) +2 P
Portal: two portals manifest snywhere within sight. Porials last untl wer decides o close
them or create a new pair. Defuul is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifirs cost
259% less than thir usul price. Fissized: 10 SP. ~Persan-sized: 45 SP
+ Portalcan lead amywhere you've been before: <10 SP + Transdimensionl: +5 SP

Microkinesis: you have a permancnt (but minor) elekinetc field around you, active only
within arm's reach. You can leviate small objects, move them around nimbly, but not wi
enoush force o damage anything. 3 SP.
Telekinesis: you permanently have the abilty to move small obiects (within sight) around
wilhouttouching them: 12 SP (only 9 SP i you alrady have microkinesis)
* Megakinesis: human-sized items and human-sized chaacters (o7 a ower level). Can't case
more than 3 + your level's worth of offense et tum: +10 SP
kinesis: you permanenily have the abilty 1o move a specfic substance without touching it.
Can'tcause more than 3 = your levels worth ofoffense per turn.
“Wood: 12 SP +Gold: §SP »Any metal: 30 P +Fire: 13 SP Gluss § SP. Paper: 4 SP

square within range takes teo strides to pas throvgh, Automatically Durstion:

Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce shickd shoutone square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk is spread evenly (example: i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk, B. 3 wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
plantd o the ground (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i x5 instead of usual 2

« Bulwvark can be suspended inthe air +4 SP.

+ All offense from the atack or Special that merks the bulwark is completly absorbed

(remaining offense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

86
Inerease Gravity: up to tipl graviy in one square. Moving through a square with doubled
graviy takes the equivalentof 2 strdes moved; hrough wipled, the quivalent of 3 strides. 2. 5P
persiride.

Decrease Gravi aviy i one square. 2 SP per sside.

Call Wind: a lasge area surrounding the uses i subject 0 @ wind tha blows in a fixed
dinccion. Any charactes moving with the wind gets 2 on stride bonus to movement, and any.
against takes a one siside penalty. Fiing lancher weapons any direction but with the wind
causes half offense. The wind will also speed along ying and sailing vessels, power wind
tarbines, blow away gas, fog, clouds, swarms, eal ligh objects etc. Automaically Duration:
Combat. SSP.

Solidify Air: you crate an unmavable solid shape that defis graviy and can beas about 1000
Tbs forevery level the user has. This shape can take any form (a plte, ring, bar etc), and can
only be destroyed by passing it weight limit the uscr ending i, merking the use, o using
rupture. The shape ofthe soldified ai i visibe, and can have any (predetermined) acshetic
Default duraton is about fve minutes (Duration: Combat). Priced by sie limit. Max size
aboutaverage human hand: § SP.

« Max size about an average human body: +7 SP

« Max size abouta chamber: 5 SP

Ambiguously outlined effects (“the size of & chamber”, “Key's call” tc)
ke the game moving and gloss over unineresting detils. Remersber that
stopping gameflow to get ino glasses-adjusting mmm-well-did-you-calculte-
the-radius type discussionis ot fucking fun.

8
Social Effects

Walkie-Talkie: creste o 2-way telepathi link wil sny one consenting character. Lusts untl
you create a new ane, or one of you ends it Target must be in sight at use, but once link
established it has no ange limit. Unlimited uscs. Automatically Specd: nterrup. § SP.

« Target docsa't have to be i sght (but you must know then personally): <2 SP.

- Additional characters: 1 cach « Transcends language barsiers: +10 SP

Misive: you send 2 short, spoken message (0 anyone you know. Automatially Specd:
ntcrrupt. 1SP.

« rivat telepathic messase only the ntended ecipient will perceive: +1 SP

- Visual clement addable: +1 SP ~ Anyone atal: 12 SP

Trace missive: know location of sender (a ime of missive being sen). 1 SP.
« Know idenity of sender: +1 SP

Imitate Voiee: replicate any voice you've heard at least doen words froms docsn' include.
vocabulary, personalty, or oher non-soic characteistics. No limit 1 use. 3 SP.

Instantly Learn Language: you are immediately and permanently flueat (1o bars) in o
language of your hoice. One-ime use. 6 SP.

Speak any Language: for about 2 minutes you can flunly spesk any lunguage. § SP.
“Talk With Non-Human Animal: ffect lss s lons s the conversaton. 2 SP.

“Talk With Corpse: taret no gusranteed to be cooperstive though. 3 SP.

“Talk With Ghost: chop it up with someone wha's passed on, no body required. I long dead,
valued possession o the deceased or presence in & place they'd most ikely haunt may be
reqired.§ SP (only 2 SPif upgrading talk with corpsc).

Tlk With Statuc: ISP Talk With Gemstone: 2SP. Talk With Buildings 5 SP.
Talk With Tree: 3P Talk With Body of Water: 3SP. Tk With Cloud: § SP

Unbreakable Oath: the oatiake will know hat they Il e physically unabl to break the oath
they are shout o make. One-time use, o lesst some el rquired. 1 SP,

Deteet Lie: know when a specific statement made within carshot was deliberately misleading
Can detect something said 3 few seconds in he past Automatically Specd: Intrrupt. 4 SP.

Deteet Malevolence: ping the nearby area for anyone that means you harm. 3 SP.
+ Know exact location o charsctr'stht mean you harm: +2 5P

Trackings plant an inangible tracker. Exiss unsil ruptured o wser crestes another tracker
Tracker can only be sensed with i viewing, detec Special, and the next effect 3 SP.

Deteet Tracking: ping the nearby area for he above effect 1 SP.

Move Tracker: discretl relocatea supernatualtrscker. 1 SP.

Good-Looking: you probably et hit on a lot (fo beter o worse), and end (0 get you way a
litle mors than the average person. 3 SP.

Ugly: not even close o taditionally good-looking, but somcbods' thing no doubt. Good luck
ot here. -3 SP (that's 3 extra P to spend on any other Special, since you actualy had to work.
ard and develop a personality — good on you)

Phobia: you have _an irational and overwhelming aversion to something. Requires Key
approval. -1 SP 1o -5 SP depending on commonncss: -1 would be something like doctors, a-3
something like dogs, nd 2 -5 somelhing ik bodis of water.

Minor Celebrity: you'e a biz deal in 3 small community: the neizhborhood you came up in,
or maybe a small scene no a lot of people follow (ke a world-famous powersiolence
musician, a legendary graf aris, a national handball champion, a local folk hero o rightcaus
gangstr ec). 4 SP.

8
make o side charactr with 3 lower smart score temporariy insane. Key decides
nature and duration of insanity. Smarter characters will sl eperience minor symploms. 4 SP.
Notion: you pive a side character with a lower smart score v desire or inclinatin. S SP.
Sympatico: muke the araet more fiendly tovards you than they currently are. The less
intelligent the tanget the mre they1l be influcnced (1his includes non-humans). Key decides
duration (usually onger th Les ntellgent hey are). § SP.
No Sympatico: make the target less Tiendly lowards another side character The less
intellizent the target, the more they'Il be influnced (his includes non-humans). Key decides
duation (usually longer th Les ntellgent hey are). § SP.
Wimp'd: seciously dial down the courage and mental foritude of the arget Less ineligent
targetsalmostalways runin feas, but ulimate evel of effectand duration is Key's call. §SP.
No Filter: make the araetobliviously blun, just saying whatever comes to mind. Key decides
duration the lower their smart scor the onger tlsts). 3 SP.
Read Mind: momentasily observe surface thonghts of target: 3 SP.

+ Ascertin specifc memry or knowldge (asget will be aware of this sub-ffect being used

on them): +12 SP

Plant Memory: creae o alte one memory in & target with s lower st score. 10 SP,

Immune to Mental Intrusions the previous 14 effcts (insaniy o plant memory) don't work.
on you. Automatcally Duration: Permancnt. 4 SP.

Ko when someone tie use one of these effects on you, and who i was: +2 SP

Deteet Mental Intrasion: user knows with certinty if an effect from the previous block
(insaninyto plan memors) has been used on th target. 2 SP.

« Know identity of mental iteuder: +2 SP.

Read Character: know ifa charactr within sight i higher o lower level than you, and get a
vague idea of their stats. No action cost 1 SP.

Ldenify Object: gain detaled knowledze of an tem within eyesight. Key Narmator must
describe the make-up, unction, and some recent history of the object. SP.

Ldentify Character: zin some knowledge of a characte within eyesight: Key Narator must
el you hei name and short descripton of what thei i islke. S SP.

Seramble Identty: give tarzet a bullshi identit that will be fd 1o anyone tying to dentify
the tanget through supernatural means. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.

Unseramble: you re pesmanently able (0 deect scrambling. Key must offeryou some type of
purre to decode that represent the scramble (includes projection and inhabi corpse sub-
effcts). When puzzle defeated, Key must reveal the information hidden on the other sde of
the scrambling. 2 SP.

5
Sense Effects

Photographic Memory: perfectly recall any image or sight you've witnessed. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 4 SP.
Phonographic Memory: perfectl recall ny sound. Automstically Dursion: Permaneat, 3 SP.

: s aboutas far s a falcon (automatically permanca). 3 SP.
Sec bt signatures for one umneycle. 3 SP.

seectively see hrough mater for one turneycle. 3 SP.
- automatically Durtion: Permanent. 3 SP.

Echolocation: Like a bat. You have an understanding of the surrounding area a5 if you had
one around feeling out and knocking on every inch of it Always acive 10 SP.

Acute Hearing: your snse of hearng i (permancatly) s keen as the sverage ca’s 4 SP,
Scent: your sense of smell s (permanently) as powerful as the average dog's. 8 SP.

Remote Viewins

v your visusl vantage point anywhere your setual physical eyes can sce.
Target can be an area or characte. Once vantage point s set, it an rotate but is otherwise
locked onto tanet (10 be clea, will ollow mobile tasgets around). Can be sensed with e
viewing, detect Special. etc. No action cost, default duration is about five minutes (Duration:
Combat). 3 SP.

« Anywhere you've been before: +5 SP

« Vaniage not fixed; can move around at use's base move specd: +7

Remote Hearin

move your sonic vantage point amywhere you can currently see. Targt can
e an area or characte. Vantage locked on once used (1o be clear, will follow mobile asgels
around). Can be sensed with irue iewing, deect Specia, etc. No action cost, default duraton
is bout five minutes (Duraton: Comba). 2 SP.

« Anywhere you've been before: +3 SP

+ Vaniage not fixed; can move around at use's base move specd: +2
(CCTV: creae a fived vantage point (boh visualand sonic) you can check a any time, and will
rernain unil you crate snother ane. Can b sensed with e viewing, deteet Special et 3 SP.
Unsurveillable: reate 2 zone up 10 about the size of a chamber that nobody can remolcly
observe through the previaus 3 efeets. Endurcs il used on another arca. 3 SP.

Blind: take away a characters sight for 8 tumeycl. IF used doring a fght scenc, hey cither
attack random squares,run off, o attack the source ofany teling sound. 3 SP.
Deafen: take away s character' hearin for o tumeycle. 1 SP.

True Viewiag: for one turneycle you're immune to visual lusion, invisibilty, blinding, and
can see supermaturaly concealed phenomena. § SP.

“True Hearing: for one tumeycle you're immune o sonic illasions and deafening. 2 SP.
Anti-llusion Zone: create a zone up to about the size of 4 chamber where illusions don't
work propesly, ideally malfunctioning hilasiously. Endures until sed on another arca. 10 SP.
Deteet Lifeforms: gt an idea of sl narby biological 1. 2 SP.

Alarm: create an inangible tipwire tha can range from the width of a single stride (0 the
perimete of a chamber-sized area. Alarm signal can be visual o sonic, ranging from loud-
ass cacophony 10 @ sol chime private (o he user's mind. IF offense s added o this effect it
will be rigacred when the alarm s tripped, and only applies t the square tht was breached
“The alarm iself can be sensed with true viewing, detect Special, and the nex! ffec. Lusts until
ispped, user negate, o use creaes a new alarm. 3 SP.

Deteet Alarm: automatically Duration: Permanert. 1 SP.

Juke Alarm: discreetly relocat, pass by, or otherwise alter a supernatural alarm. 2 SP.

%
Ilusion Effects.

—lusions last bout § minutes, and start with a ange of S stvides (can be upgraded from
here). Size / areaare limitd by complexity and the Key's good judgment.

Minor Hlusion: vessatie but weak. Create soft music, a spring brceze, a pleasant fragrance, hot
garbage reck, a fake wound, a single minor facial feature altraton, confet burting around a
basner that reads “his i e, tc. Unlimited uss, bt only one llusion at tme. 10 SP.
Create Sound: any iteration of a sound the user has heard. Can accuraely rcreate a voic,
evea holding an enireconversation (mus have heard voiee of original speaker). § SP-

(Create Visage: any sght the user can imagine. Docs not gencrate sound or othessensory. The
larger and more animated th visage the more diffcul i i o pull off. Forcxample, i the usr
ires o maintain an claborate disguise while concentratng on a task,or project a whle brigade
of charging cavaly,there may be glitchy inconsistncies viewers can spol. § SP.

Major Hlusion: combines various complex sensory input. You can create an illusory chest of
silvr that is beavy and clinks snd shimmers and i cool to the touch, conjure a well-spoken
customs officer that smell fainly of temple incense and has a firn handshake, project a
sturdy-looking rope bridge over the perilous gorge ele. As abways, the more camplex the
illusion the more diffcul it is o maintan. 13 SP (any SP aleady spent on create sound or
create visage can be respent buying thiscffct).

Gotchacopies: a fllllsion of the target appeaes ex o them, indeciphersble from the target
I the insant this Special is used,the targe may choose o switch places with thir gotchacopy
for free. The gotchacopy simultancously imittes whatever hei orginal i doing,only slightly
diffrently (sometimes bizrrely), and says in an adjacent square. A gotchacopy ill 20 up in
smoke when ssuck, and won't stop (o even slow) projectles or sinning attacks. To be clear,
gotchacopies are intangible, have 0 ofense, and can'talfetthe warld. 3 SP per gotchacopy:

Counter alter somcone else's llusion i a small way. To be clear, his efect works on
any other llusion effect. Automatcally Speed: Intcrrupt. The character that initlly conjured
the illusion mintains ulimate control nd is fre to disppear your counterilusion 8 so0n a5
they notice. 1 SP.

Countercounterillusion: instant and undefendsble offense towards any character tying 1o
‘counteillusion any of your illusions. 1 SP pe 3 offense.

Know Iocaton of counterllusionis +2 5P

Ant-llusion Zone: create a zone up to about the size of 4 chamber where illusions don't
work properly, ideally malfunctioning hilariously. Endures until used on anothe arca. 10 SP.

Invisibilty: other characters can sill hear the tasget, smell them, see how they affect the
environment, see shit thrown on top of them ctc. Slightly visble when moving. Targets
cquipment lso invisible, but not anything they hokd or equip affer becoming invisible. 10 SP.

« Invisble even when moving (-3 (0 offense and defense): +15 SP

Melt Into Shadows: you et 3 bonus to stalth whenever you're in shadow. Automatically
Duration: Pemanent. 1 P per +1 o stcalth.

Cloak of Verdancy: you et s bonus 1o stcath whenever you'se in a tre, a bush, tall grass,
seaweed, or ther folage. Automatically Duration: Permancnt. 1 SP per +1 o scalt.

Cloak of Mist: you zet a honus to sicalth whenever you'te in the mist, fog, o clouds.
Autommatically Duration: Permancat. 1 SPper +3 to sealh.

Cloak of Tides: you et a bonus to stealh whenever submerged (314 or more) in water
Autommatically Duration Permancnt. 1 SP per +3 to sealh,

Chameleon Skin: at will your skin changes color to blend into your surroundings. You can
also frecly change it o whatever color/patten you fecl. Automatically Duraton: Permanent.
3 to stalth when sctive. 7 SP.

Silence: all oise in tanset area s compltely suppressed. Area can b fxed on @ character or
location (remember the default area for a Special i | square). 3 SP.

o1
Death Effects

Animate Corpses tum a dead characterinto the undead and put thern immedistely under your
control. Animated corpses use thei pre-death stats, minus Specials. Higher intelligence,
memories, specch, and the coondination required to make ranged attacks are los. Offensc
taken restored to zero. Once destroyed s undead, they con't be reamimated. Corpse must be
reasonably whole: if immolated, disintegrted, vaporized, absolutely buichered etc, they are
unsnimatabl. 15 SP.

Blood Animata: for every | offense you put on yourself,animate 4 merk's worth of corpses.
No mater how many corpses are animated, it's done all i the same action. Corpse must b
reasonably whole (sce animate corpse sbove). 3 SP.

- Don't need 10 ma outcorpse’s merk 1o animate i (bot they start with offense taken): +5 SP
Make Corpse Un-Animatable: automatically Use: Unlimited. Won't un-animate any corpses
that are slready animated. 2 SP.

Steal Control of Undeads 1 SP per 5 merk’s worth of acked undead

Blood Mending: if you have wounded undead under your control, transfer any amount of
offense they v taken to yoursel. 2 SP.

Necrati Energy Blast: heals the undead, wounds the living. § SP per 4 healing / offense.

« Spin-based option: SP per § healing offense
Necratie Energy Well: any encmy you kill immediaely begins t radiate necrotic energy
(heals the undead, wounds the lving) in a one-sride radius. Offense healing oceurs as soon
a5 character entrs that radius, and again at the beginning of ther cvery tum for s long s
they remain. Automatially Duration: Combat 1 SP per 2 offense.

Rattle Undead: any undead in the Special’s area that are belows the user’s level are now
permanently affaid of the wser (il run fom them). 1 SP.
* Larger rudius: +1 SP per srde

ndead Zone: crete an area that undead cannot enter. Maximurm arca s sbout 100 x
100 ssides, lasts one day. 3 SP.
Lasgerarea: +1 SP per additional 100 100 strides
Ant-Living Zone: create an area up 1o he size of a chamber that the iving cannol enter.
Defaultduraton i about ive minutes (Duraion: Combat). 3SP.

Bring Back From Death: flly restore somcanc (o theie pre-death condition. The detals of
the effect — whethera itual, consersation with Death, or venturing into an aferie —are up (o
the Key. One-time use. 10 SP.

Death: you bave a chance of instantly killing the targ
Special issole excepion). 1 SPper 2%

Stash Lifeforee: usr permanently transfers thee merk 10 an object, As this object ukes
offense the wer s wounded. The user can' otherwise ake offense. The user wil stll sge snd
even rot s normal, even i they can't dic. Onetime use. Usage time automatically ot lesst n
hour 30 SP,

« Bvery additonal object: +10 SP. (Can be done any time afler the initial ranspositon, but

ot the orginal and new object must b present)

Halt Aging: can be resumed at user’s will IFundead, prevents decay. One-time use. Usage
time automaticallyat least halan hour. S SP.

rescrve a corpse, severed body part dead plant ec. 1 SP.

Instant Decay: bring corps, severed body. par, dead plant etc (o its final stage of
putselction n a mater o scconds. 1 SP.
Reverse Decay: instanly restore a corpse, severed body part, dead plant etc o pre-
putsefction. Must have majority of trget (even if oy dust o bones) 3 SP.
Kl Plants: end the lfeofall plants n a square. 1 SP.
Revive Plants: resore the lie of allplnts in square. 1 SP.

regandies of level or power (below

%2
“Talk With Corpse: tanget not guaranteed 1o be cooperaive though. 3 SP.
“Talk With Ghost: chop it up with someone wha's passed on, no body required. I long dead,
valued possession of the deceased or presence in a place they'd most likely haunt may be
reqired.§ SP (only 2 SP if upgrading talk with corpse).

Know Mortality Status: detcet if anyone you know (or have leamed a lot about) s alive or
dead. over any disance. 2 SP.
Fake Deaths appear dead to anyone that docsa't have medical expertise, or & Special with an
effct like e viewing o tre hearing; Uses has limited perception and éan't act, butcan also
stop theeffect at il 1 SP per knowledge bas of medicin you can deceive.
Inhabit Corpse: emporarly ranspose your consciousness & compse, which you can actand
perceive through. Corpse retains full mobilty and all pre-death sat, minus Specias, igher
intelligence, and the fine motor skill required to make ranged attacks. Consciousnéss will
retum 10 user once corpe s destroyed or user abandons it Compse must be lasger that @
songbird No limits on corpse’s ange. 6 SP.

+ Use one Special through the corpsc: any backlash, dentifcaton, o tracing of the Special

will spply only tothe nbabited corpse: +5 SP

— Undead (or any other entit) under a character’s control
‘et immedistely oftr that characters turn.

o
Alteration Effects

Repair:restore smple object (u pipe, a guita, a wheel, hull tc) o functionaliy. 3 SP.
+ Or acomplex objec ( car, a house, compute cc): 4 SP

Heat: cause insnimate mater o become 0o o 1 touch safely. Can arget a sngle tem or o
square of ground. A beated object causes offense to anyone touching it at the begioning of
user's next tumn. If Duraton modifir i bought, that offense s taken again every tumeyele

contact is maintained. Weapons and olher implemens can be dropped or thrown frecly, but
armor takes an enire turm o remove. 1 SP e | heat offense.

A taret taking heat offnse from this effct has that offense repeated for every heat and
ire-based Specialthey'r targeted with hattumeycle (does not nclude this ffect): +3 SP
Frecze: cause inanimate matte to become t0o cold o touch safly. Can tanget 8 single item or
a square of ground. A feczing objeet causes offnse to anyone touching it at the beginning of
user's next w1 Duraton modifir i bought, that offense s taken again every tumeyele
contact is maintained. Weapons and olher implemens can be dropped or thrown freely, but

armor takes an enire turm o remove. 1 SP et | freezing ofense

A targt taking freczing offense from this cffct has that offnse. repeated for every cold-

based Special they e argeted with that tuneyele (does not include this efect): -3 SP
Sticks you make o suface slippery and difficlt to zrip. I lat, that surface can be an cntire
square:if o (especaly i moving) that surfuce is saller. 2 SP.
‘ou make a surface highly adbesive and glucy. If lat, that surface can be an cntire
square: if ot (especialy i moving) that surface is smaller. 2 SP.
Bind: atach two non-lving surfuces thatsre currntly touching. Bond unbreaksble as long as
‘Special lasts, but bonded objects maintain thei durabiliy as noral. 2 SP.

Includes living surfuces: +4 SP
Increase or Decrease Item Weights by as much as 1000%. 5 SP.
Shrink Object: imit is 10% its original size. Whether weight or durabiliy is maintained is
subject 0 situational factors the Key'scal. No charactrs o animated objecs. § SP.
Enlarge Object: limit s 1000% is oriinal size. Whether weigh or durabilty is maintained is
subject 0 situational fuctors / the Key's cal. No charactrs o animated objecs. § SP.
Lengthen / Shorten: you cause an object no thicker than 6" to extend its ensth up to 50
stsdes, o shorten is length to | millimeter (lghtly thinner than @ dime). Only length can be
modifed, no other dimensions. Maintains rlative strength and flexibilty of orginal objct.
Some extended objects can be used as a sl (offense: 4 + strong or fus / block 2/ range 2/
2-handed), brace, battring ram, pole vault, staight up elevator et. Each s of this efect
purchased allows both one lenathen and one shoren per day. 14 SP.
Decontaminate: bliterate anything harmfal in food o water 1 SP.

Seal: you lock a door, window, bos, botle, folderet. Seal lasts unil user negats,seal oreed,
or Special used again. Strcngth of seal based on SP spent

- Simple seal (can be forced with s small tool o strong 2 tc): 2 SP

« Heavy seal (can be forced with a lange ol o strong 4 tc): 3 SP

+ Advanced sl can be forced ith demoliion toolsor strong 6 ctc): 4 SP

+ Conditional seal: seal will only open for certain people,fo cerain passphrases, with cetsn

items prest ee. Can alo disply messages orsimple images. +2 5P

Sritchseal: telepaticaly see prson tha fucks with your seal. No rnge limit +1 SP
Unseal: unocks doors,cars, lockers et instantly and slely. Willdefeat any seal effet that
has alower SP value. Unlocking power is based on SP spent

* Defeat simple locks (that would therwise take 2 strong ora smalltool o defea: 3 SP

« Defeat heavy locks (that would otherwise take 4 srong or large tool 10 defcat): 4 SP

« Defeats advanced locks (1at would otherwise take 6 strong or demolition 0ols): § P

: yoursel as small as 10% your orginal size, but also have a
cormelting % of your merk and strong. Lass unél you negate. 4 SP.

Alled characer (they choose when effct i negated): +2 5P

« Non-allied (lwer level) character. +2 5P

+ Shrnk self o alled charscte a smallas & mote of dust: +2.SP
Enlarge Character: enlarge yoursell up o thee times your original size. Your fst score is
reduced 10 and respent between your sirong score and hard score hawever you feel Default
is Duration: Combat, or sbout five minutes outside of combat. 8 SP.

« Unlimited uses per day (can only arpet se): +12 SP

« Every extrapoint ofston o haed (fixed): +3 SP

« Can target other characters (they choose how o respend theie fast score): 6 SP

Breathe Undermate

+ Permanent: +2 5P
Eliminate Biological Need: automatically Duration: Permanen. Your body functions as
normal withoutany of the following (can have more han one in the same Special)

~Food: 25 * Water: 2 5P “Sleep: SSP + Air 6 5P

Non-Living: you're a cybors, undead, aulomata etc. You don't need to breathe, eat, dink or
slcep, and are immune o discas. 15 SP.

Trade-offs: hese i you back some SP. (Can laer be bought back for same SP valuc )

« Pawered by the sun (24 hours with no sun = merked until retuned t0 suslight): 4 SP.

« Merked when submerged in water: 4 SP

« Minor offense from discet sunlight (1 undefendable offense per minute): -3 SP

« Major offense rom discct sunlight (1 undefendable offense pe tumeyele): 5 SP.

« Hated (hunted?) by paricular groups: -5 SP

* Take massive offnse from rare material: -5 SP

« Strugele (0 understand the living,thee emotions, ncentives, tc: -3 SP

«Sill need 0 slecp,recharge,trnce or otherwise be unconscious fo § hours igh: 5 SP.
Immune 0 Disease: avtomatically Duraton: Pesmancat. 2 SP.
Halt Aging: can be resumed at usee’s will IFundead, prevents decay. One-time use. Usage
time automaticallyat least halan hour. S SP.
Prehensile Extension: a til, tendsi, Nloating hand, trunk, tenacle, mid-ving fngers like a
bat's, @ ridiculous tongue like an sntester's, or whatever. Can hold and manipulte light
obiedts, but can't attack or wield shields. Automatially Durstion: Permanent. 5 SP.per
prehensile extension.

« Every additional stride you can ssech your etensions: +3 SP
Body Elastcit: your body is supernaturally stetchy. Your limbs reach an extra stide, but
you can'teffectively attck with weapons while strtching them (upgrade listed below). This
effct docsn't add any inherent defense, offense, or otherwis alter any stats. Weight never
altered by this eflct. 7 SP.

« Every additional stride you can sztch your limbs: +4 SP

« Can squeeze your body through a space the size of your skull: +4 SP

« Can atack with weapons while setching (lmited 10 one ssde of each): +8 SP.

+ breathe underwaterfor sbout 1 hour. 2 SP.

Transpose Consciousness: permaneatly transfer your mind from your current body to another
vessel undead, an animated suit of armor o statue or olher automaton, another animal oF 4
supernatural creature, some kind of Frankenstein’s monster you put together ctc. New form
maintans user'slevel, but respends all primary points and SP. As abways, benefits ave to be
paid for (no free defense bonus for staring as 4 statue). One-time use. Usage time
automatically atleas aday. 15 SP.

95
‘The remaining alteration cffects are automatically Duration: Combat unless
the usercuts them short. I the cffect tums & charocter into another form A. their
equipment gets morphed along with them, and B, they can't et bigger than twice
thir normal size, or smallesthan tenth thei normal sze.

Morph: shift between your normal form and a secondary form. Half your SP and all your
primary points are respent in your secondary form, but once spent they're locked in plce.
User can permanently cansfer SP from their normal form to theis secondary form. Neither
form can access the other's Specials. Form benefits stil zota b paid for: your second form
can have wings,but you sll have 10 buy fight 0 actually fy: you can have rhino skin but you
stll ase o buy the extra defense. Secondary form sarts with mesk 10, move S, and an 2
umarmed attack (lke any other character). Secondary form cant cquip weapons, istruments,
shields or armor (upgrade listed below). Unlimited uses, but can only. morph once. per
wmeyele. 10SP.

« Secondary form can cquip weapons, instruments,shiclds and aror: +15 SP

« Morph t Specd: Move-Equivalent +5 + Morph at Speed: Immediat: 410 SP
Omnimorph: you can take any form, but your stats are imited. You get 1 levels worth of SP
and primary poins (o spend when you shifl ino a new form. Can't access normal form's
Specials from omnimorphed forms. Unlimited uses, but can only omnimorph once. per
meyele. 30 SP.

« Additional levels of SP and primary points: +15 SP cach

« Ormnimorph at Specd: Move-Equivalent: +5 SP

« Ommnimorph at Speed: Immediate: +10 SP

Shapeshift tum nto any entity you can imagine. Can respend all of your SP and primary
points every tme you shift. Can'taccess normal form's Specals when shapeshifed. Can't use
weapons, nsirments, shiclds or armor. Main acton (0 shapeshifl. Use: Unlimited. 80 SP (any.
P spent on omnimorph can b respent buying this cfect),

- Shapeshifta Specd: Move-Equivalent +15 SP

Turn Into Liquid: sbout the sume volume of iquid as your body. Can't access any of your
Specials while in this form, and can s6ll take offense 25 normal. Speed is he same as your
norml form. 7 SP.

Turn Into Smoke: or similar semi-gascous stae (mist, fog, cloud etc). Can't secess any of
vour Specials while i this form, snd can sill tske encrgy offense (immune to physical
offense) Flying speed is your normal move score. 18 SP.

Faster moverment: +2 SP per stide

Body Permutation: aler your body — change bone shape or muscle size, change your hair
color or facial structure etc. A body permutation can also cause one bonus ar penalty o a st
alte offense (up 0 2 poins), altr defense (up o 2 point),aler move score (up o 3 stsides)
cause offense o healing (up 1o 2 points per turmeyele). Can only cause one permutation per use
of this cffect, but remember the defoult durstion of al effects i this secton is Duration:
Combat, 15 SP.

* Double any ofthe dbove stat ranges: +15

« Can target other characters: +10

Rupture Shapechanging: tarzet stays in ther normal form. IF this cffct used on target
whose form has aleeady been changed (by somcone lower level than the use) the target
immediaely reverts o theie naural form. To be clear, this effct also ruptures shrinking,
enlaring, and body permuttions. Default s Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifers
cost 257 less than theirusual price. 5 SP.

Entity Into Entity: turn a lving being into a predetcrmined form (lamingo, bycns, animatcd
football with arms and legs, etc). IF hostle, urget must be lower level. Merk and stzength
decrease to size % of original form. Statscan't b increased by this effect. User can end st
will 10SP.

" Alimmatve forms: 3 SP cach

Eatity Into Object: tum ino a sngle predetermined type of mundane object. Fully maintain
perception. Zero defense and can't take sctions. Merk unchanged despite substance of form.
User can end at will. 4 SP.

« Very limited mosement (half move score): +2 SP

« Can target other charactrs (must be lower level if hostie): 46 SP

« Allemative mundane forms: 12

Obiject Into Entity: must maintain relative size. Can be any enity from cxisting sctin.
Targetcan'tbe langer than user. Key entirly controls (effcts ke sympatico can sl be used).
Can't use weapons, inssuments, shields or armr. Each time this effect used, spn s4: if you
land a4 the transformation is permanent, 6 SP.

Object Into Object: ransform & non-supermatural object. Transformed object keeps same
materal, and volume can't be increased. Can be used to replicate 5 model obiect with o
similar object, but the model object must be present for user (0 observe. Can't form anything
‘complex ke clctronics or machinery. Tange can't be langer than user. User can choose 10
make tronsformation permanent at no extra cost. 6 SP.

Animate Object: targt objeet sprouts arms and legs i it doesn' slrady have them) and
tars moving around. Key controls and determines personality (eTects like symparico can sl
e used). Target can' be lager than user. Move score S, offense can't b higher than user's
level. Can't use weapons, instruments,shilds o armor. 3 SP.

Command Cordage: animate a ength of rope, whip, orcable. It can't levitate, but can slither
around, wrap itself sccurely around object, swing, op, 20 ST as a wooden pole,coil up e
The animated cordsge can also sct independently, lahing an cnemy (54 + user's smart per
um), or grappling an enemy (sraight $10). Acts on user’s tum. Range limited o user’s sight.
Max cordage length 3 stides: 15 SP.

» Or chain (s + smart offense,oso odd user's smart o grapple spin): +15 5P

« Max length 10 strides can grapple two enemics at a me): +10 SP

Recruit Statue: animate a satue from the surrounding scenery 1 fuck up your enermies or just
do chores. Can help with general labor or engage in combat as dirccted. Default merk is 10 x
user' level, defaul offense is o + user's smart per tum, but siats will vary by statue. 3 SP.
Recrait Tree: animat a tree from the surounding scenery. Large deciduous rees can atack
enernies (36 + user's smart per tum). Vines and willows can grapple enemics (510 + user's
smart). Default merk is 100 x usr's vl 7 SP.
Grabby Plans: plan e witin the fght senc grabs at your cncmics. Weak plans ik shrubs
and vy will anly bl movement (costs two sirides 0 move through ther square). Srong plants
Hike vines and surfuce roots will grapple adjacent cncmics 510 + use s smart). 7 SP.
Solidify Air: you create an unmavable sold shape that defis gravity and can bear about 1000
Tbs for every level the user has. This shape can take any form (a plte, ring, bar etc), and can
only be destroyed by passing it weight imit, the user ending it, merking the use, o using
rupture. The shape of the soldified sir i visible, and can have any (predetermined) scstheic
Default duraton is about fve minutes (Duration: Combat). Priced by sie imit. Max size
about average human hand: § SP

« Max size about an average human body: +7 SP

« Max size abouta chamber: 5 SP

o7
Generation Effects

Companions an ety permanently becomes your loyal companion. Stats with move $ and
merk 10. You choose their namative origin and sethetc, but practical benefits gota be pid for
(they can have armored skin, but you have o buy any defense bonuses;they can have wings,
but you have to buy lght cte). You can permanently give them SP from your own pool (1 SP
101 SP), but they can't take any of the effects on this page. Can't se weapons, insruments,
shiclds ar armar (uprade listed below though). Merked usualy just means KO'd, but they're
ot unkilabe like a main characte. 1 a companion dies o is otherwise no longer played, theis
P total beyond the base priceisretuned 1o the main characer. Base companion price: § SP.

* Can use a language or olhenwise communicate comple ideas: +12 SP

« Can make an unarmed atack cach turm (tarts at 2) =5 SP

« Can use weapons, insrumens, shiclds and armor +15 SP

Call Entty: summon fxed, predetemmined enity that obeys your commands. Can frecly
‘communicate in any one of user’s known languages. Stars with move 5, merk 10, and an <2
umarmed attack. Can'tuse weapans, insiumens, shields o armor. User decides acshetic, but
practical bencfits gotia be paid for (they can have armored skin, but you have 1o buy any
defense bonuses; they can have wings, but you have 10 buy flight etc). You can permanently
ive themm SP from your own poal (1 SP o 1 SP), but they can' take any of the effcts on this
page. I merked, called entiy disappears in a cinematic flash (will retun as normal when next
summoncd). Default i Duraton: Combat (o about five minutes outside of combu). 10 SP.

« Can summon acsthetically simlar entity, but with espen stals cach summon: +15 P

+ Can summon and unsummon entity at will: X2 toal SP

Ride: canjure afived, precetermined entity 10 give you a il Can carry cargo equal 10 @ large
uman. Stars with toice the user's move score, half the user’s merk, and can't atack. Usee
decides aesthetic, but practical benefits gota be paid fo (hey can have armored skin, but you
have 1o buy any defense bonuses; they can have wings, bul you have 1o buy the fight sub-
effct below etc). You can permanently give them SP from your own pool (1 SP 1o 1 SP), but
they can't take any of the ffects on this page. If merked, summoned ity disppears i a
cinemaic fash (il retum a5 normal when next summoned). Hangs around il unconjured,
merked, purged, or moved more than a fev srdes from use. § SP.

* Base move score four fimes user's 45 P+ Can el any surfce: 410 SP
« Can swim as fast s move sore (defaul i half): +5 SP
« Jump distance of $ strides: +3 SP “Glide: :SSP_ + Unlimited fight <20 5P

« Ride massive cnough to carry whole squad plus two: +5 SP
* Ride can bring several simslr rids (enough for the whole rew): +10

Helpers conjure s fixcd, predetermined entity 1o help with menial shit. User instructs, Key
contols. User decides adsthetc, but can be o bigger than a small human (ke a stone golem
you raise from the carth), or two small forms (ke pair of spider monkeys in Mels jrseys
hat reck of dich weed), or mess of eal small forms (ke a crew of tny ghosts sepresented
by chief foreghost). Stasts with hlf the user’s merk, move S, and can't attack. Practical
bencfits gota be. paid for (they can have srmored skin, but you have to buy any defense
bonuses; they can hase wings, but you have (o buy fight ct). You can permancatly give them
P from your own pool (1 SP to 1 SP), but they can't take any of the effects on this page. If
merked, helper just pops like @ soap bubble (will etum as normal when next summoned). If
the aesthetc is muliple helpers they each have half the user's merk, but all disappear as soon
a5 e is merked. Helper hangs around until unconjured, merked, purged, bored, or moved out
of user's sight. 5 SP.

Quick reminder: the default mumber of uses for a Special is once per day.
For upgrades,check ou the madifers page (right before his section).

o8
Supernatural Weapon: ot will, materiaize weapon from thi air. Can be cassical weapon,
instrument, shield, or launcher (ke bows and shit, ot fircarms). Weapon can have any
acsheti, cven being formed of destuctive energy (ke blade that's & capturcd lghtning bol).
Can hav its own Special (ertical his tc). To be clea,the same weapon is summoned with
cach use o his efect. User can unconjure t will Speed: mmediate, unlimited uses. 7 SP.

« Can simultancously conjure asecond weapon 1o dual-wield: +3 S

« Conjure supermatural weapon at Specd: Interrupt: =3 SP

+ Unlimited smimo. Amimo simply appears when firing, and can have any appesrance. I used.

o a throwing weapon, it retuns 0 user’s hand afer cach throw: -5 SP
Supernatural Covering: ot will, materalize an tem of clthing from thin air. The covering
can have any appearance (o homed mask that changes color 1 cloak of molcn gold), but is
locked in once the effct is bought The covering can look ke ammor, but ny actual defense
bonus (o other effects) have o be bought like normal. Paies of shoes gloves / tc count as 4
single item ofclothing. 2 SP,
Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce shickd shoutone square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk isspread evenly (example i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk, B. a wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
plantd on the round (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i xS instead of usual 2.

« Bulwvark can be suspended inthe air +4 SP.

+ Al offense from the atack or Special that merks the bulwark is completely absorbed

(remaining ofense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

Create Dimension: gencrate a new dimension of your own design. s form, physics, weather,
flom, e are lacked in once this onetime effct is used. Size abvays upgradeable. Means of
geting o the dimension (satewas, item,just appearing there <1c) up 10 you, but you'l always
etur o the exact spo you lft fom. Usage ime at least an hout Pricing by sze
“Trunk: 4P +Chamher7SP »Estaie: 12SP + sand: 20 SP
* Coninent: 30 SP+ Small planet: 60 S+ Large planet: 90 SP
Starsystem: 240+ Galaxy: 1200+ Nebula: 10000+ Universe: 100,000

Temporary Dimension: entr s microdimension of your own design. Dimension only cxists
‘while user inside. Ofher characters ar fre 1o tag along, but anybody Ief inside when the user
leaves is thrown into another dimension (Key's choice). Means of geting o the dimension
(gateway, iem, just appearing there etc) up 10 you, but you'll always reur 10 the exact spot
you lef from. Can't (via his ffect) add anything sble o leave the dimension, ltr sats, or
provide sustenance. Pricng by size

+Size of s small room: 3SP + Large roor: 4 S+ House: SSP » Estate: 6 5P

Imbue Tattoo: create a tatoo that gives its bearer a Special Costs as much as buying a
Special normally (1 SP to 1 SP) BUT Key Narmtors are requied (o give discouns for sick
‘comcepts. Ths i a mandatory ule, but remember the Key has fnal say on wha they tink is
dope and how much of a discount it carns. One-time use

Imbue Artifact:insill an existing item with a Special That Special costs 75% its normal SP
value. Remember th item you imbuc into can aliways be bartred, solen, destroyed, or even
used against you. One-time use.

Endow Sentience: give an abjector place consciousness. User determines personalty, spesch,
intellect, prnciples ete. Key controls. Can freely communicate, whether through specch or
telepathy. Price can be negotiated with Key given cerain properties. For example: a needy
‘weapon that sarts making trouble when it hasn't killed reccnty should get »big discount, and
an implement that can sprout arms and legs and move around on it own should probably be
double price. One-tim we. 4 SP.
supernaturally inscribe ext or symbols on any surface. Can't be longer than a short
paragraph. Acsthetc is up o the user — mundane, colored, Nashing, invisible etc. Effcts like
e viewing and detect Special are able 1o see past invisiblty. Text lasts unl ruptured,
negated by user, o efect sed again elsewhere. Unlimited uss. 3 SP.

« Can be fxed in the air ncluding the ai around a arge (moves with trget): +2 5P

Call Light: can summon, unsumenon, and dim a supernatural light at wil (limited uses).
Acsthetc up 10 user (held item becomes luminous, handfl of flame, brilliance in your eyes
). Pried by brightness: Dim: 2 SP.

« Thoroughly light up achamber: +1 5P

* Thoroughly light up a villsge: +2 5P

Call Darkness: create an inky blackness about the size of a chamber that overpowers every
non-Special soure of light. 3 SP.

(Call Textiles permanently conjure textile or fibrous objectof your specifcation. Acsthetic up
10 user (spun from nearby raw materals, woven from acther, jus barfed through a one-vay
portal etc). 4 SP.

" Complex clothing or shelter: +2 SP.
Call Wood: permanently coniure a wooden object 3 SP.

* About dozen (identical) wooden implements: +1 SP
Call Stone: permanenly conjure a stone obect. 3 SP.

* About a dozen (identica) stone implements: <1 SP.
Call Metal: permancrily conjure a metal object Must be a sngle picce of metal no complex
items like machinery, fircams, armor ctc 8 SP.

« About dozen (identical) metal implements: 4 SP
Call Fire: about a handful, can't deal more than 1 offense. User has full contol of the
conjured flame within the square they occupy. Flame cndures ss long as ser has free hand.
Acsthetc up o user. 3 SP.
Call Blectrcity: jus & respectabl jo or minor continuous siram. Can't deal more than |
(direet) offense per use of this eflect 2 SP.

Call Water: conjure & small amountof water in any form: 1 SP.
A very large amount of water(can' deal more than $ total offense: +4 5P
Call Liquid: conjure a small amount of any non-water iquid (sulfuri acid, bleach, cooking
ol lemon juce,soda etc). Can'tcase more offense than user' level: 3 SP.

Call Wind: a lasge area surrounding the user s subject 0 a wind that blows in @ fixed
dinccion. Any charactes moving with the wind gets 2 on stride bonus to movement, and any.
against takes a one siside penalty. Fiing lancher weapons any direction but with the wind
causes half offense. The wind will also speed along ying and sailing vesscls, power wind
tarbines, blow away gas, fog, clouds, swarms, eal ligh objects etc. Automaically Duration:
Combat. SSP.

(Call Weather: rain, wind, sun,snow, moderae storms etc. Not enovgh o cause desiruction of
any kind. Lasts at leasta scene. 2SP.

Call Plant: aplant of any varicy erupts form the carth. Can be food, medicine that hels 56,
poison that deals 56, fools or vincs that prevent a targels next move action, o any plant
Comimon to the scting. 6 SP.

Call Food: a stacked meal for one person, 4 few snacks, or 4 single mind-blowing dish
Acsthetc up o user,and mst be described vividly with cach use. 1 SP.

« Enough for all main characters, plus a few joiners: +2 SP

« A maxed-out east with no liiton ingreciens orpresentaion: +2 SP

« Etheral servants to serve and clar dishes: +2 SP

Call tem: make a single existing item permanently summonable. Form s fxed: tem can be
altered or destroyed once called, but will return in ts usual form when effect is next used
Can't summon muliples of the same item: using tis effct within the duraton of 4 previous
use simply resummons the callabl iem. This effctcan never cause more totaloffense than ts
P price (s0 3 SP effect could cause 3 offense once, or | offense three times). Works on
‘consumables (food, drugs, holy oil etc), but they lose their practcal efect (nourishment,
intosication, stt aleration etc). Default is Duration: Combat. Buying Duraion: Permancat
allows you 1o summon and unsummon the item at will Priced by size

+ Pocket-sized: 1S * Deskesized: 8 SP
« Catsized: 3SP « Carsized: 125D
« Average human-sized: § SP * RV-sized: 20 SP.

« Unpurgeable (can'tbe unsummone by the below effcts): =3 SP.

Purge: immediatly vanish anyihing summoned by an effctin the above section (rom script
10 call item) or a summned entity (cal enity, helper, ride). Must match SP cost of purged
effct in bumed Special, which can be sacrificed at no acton cost (simlar o fling mod in
usae effcts) 2SP.

Purging Zone: reate an area up 0 the size of a charmber where i’ impossibe o summon an
object (rom seript o call tem) or being (call enit, helper, ride ). 1 a calld object o ent
rom the above effects cners purging zone, they immediaely vanish. S SP.

Summoned items (supernatural weapon, supernatural covering, call tem
etc) can have effects added (0 them (endow sentence, offense up <tc)
without paying any addiional SP for fusion (bttom of the next section).

101
Meta Effects

Feel Manifestation: keow when someone iniiates o Special nearby (won't deect ongoing.
effets). This doesan' ive any knowledge of the Special tscl,just certainty of where it was
manifested. Automatically Duration: Permanen. 3 SP.

Detect Special: pinpoint active | ongoing Specials anywhere in user'ssght. 2 SP.

Ldeniify Special user knows the function and some mechanical detais of one Special within
st 3SP.

Trace User: know idenity (shortdescription ofthee i at present) of a character who used a
Special. Can be deceived by scrambl idenity, inhabit corpse, nd projecton. 3 SP.

Rupture: undo an ongoing Special. The Key must offer some type of pozzle to decode,
however difficull, 1o represent the complexity of the Special. Time spent on the puzzle
transltes to real fime in-game. Only the sctor of this effets user can work on the puzzle.
Key: ideal pusalesare blls of knotid up sting and stacks of cards sorted by st and nurmber
both make it casy to gauge and deliver diferent levels of diffculy. 3 SP.

Mimic Special temporaily copy another charscters Special that coss equal o or les than
the amount of SP spent on this fect. Must witnes use of Special. No acton cost. User
maintains mimicked Special until this ffectis used again.

Fasion: create Spectal with mre than one effet. Some effect combinations leave space for
interprtation, so make the unction clar on creation. Key spproval i required. I you put two
effcts into the same Special that would work the same £ you just bought heen separately; you
don' e 0 buy tis effect. +25% the base SP costof al effects

102
Usage Effects

Burn Special I sacrifce an unspent Special's fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of offese o the offensive Special you use his tum. No action cost Unlmited uss. 1 SP.
Burn Special 1: sacrifice an unspent Special’s fo the day. For every SP you sacifce, add o
point f healing o e healing Special you use this tum. No action cost. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.
Sub: sacrifice an unspent Specials for the day and put heir SP value tovards addiional wses
of a Special you alrady used up. For example: sacrifce a 4 SP Special and a 3 SP Special
(making them completely unusable untl tomorrow) and you can cop 2 sccond use of an
already-spent 7 SP once-per-day Special. Leflover SP can'tbe saved for late tums. No limit
o uses, but must be uscd on your turn. No action cost. 2 SP.

Blood Sub: put offense on yourselr for an addiional use of a Special you've aleeady used up.
offense per | SP's worth of Specil. You control exaet amount of offense. No limit on uses,
but mustbe used on you tum. No action cost. 2 SP.

Fiying Mods sacrfice an unspent Specials forthe day and then use thir SP value to cahance
the modifiers of another Special. Leflover SP can't be seved for late turns. No limit on uses,
but mustbe used on your tm. No action cost.. 3 SP,

103
Fight Scenes

Where gameplay is normally freeflowing and conversational, fight scenes ae turn-based.

How They Work ...
1. Every combatant gets a
2. Whoever swings first goes first
3. Tum order goes around thecircle (Key decides which way)
‘4. Enemies and side characters go on the Key's turn
5. A tum consists of A.) a move action and B.) a main action
6. Move action: moves your main character. Can be done before or affr
your main action.
7. Main action: atack with weapon, use a Special, ortake another move action
8. Once offense taken i higher than merk, you'te out of the scene (can't act)
9. Fight ends when one side is merked or gives up

Attacking
Costs your main action. Every weapon has an offense spin (lke s8 for handaxe)
‘Weapon Spin + Primary Seore* = Attack's Offense

st for ranged and lght weapons / stron for hand-to-band and trown)
Defense
Reduce all incoming offense by this number. Defense, like all sats, is just an abstraction;
if some nerd s like “Well technically armor can’t realy protect you from ful damage,
the rules allow you to kill them in eal e

Merked
Once offense taken gets higher than your merk, you're KO'd (can't act for the rest of the
scene, even if healed). Start mext scene a point below merked, but able o act. Main

characters can't actually i until their actor wants them (0 (but don'tactlike a0 unkillsble

asshole because you can still get your arms chopped ofF and shi).

‘The Back of the Book is a Spinner: 1o use it bold the looped end of a paperclip
o guitar string trimming on the center-dot it a pen, and fick the other end. The
sl is wherever the arm lands i the s-ring (56, 512, 520 ete) hat you're spnming.
for. You can also install @ spinner arm permanely by holding it in place with
brass fustener: just make sure the fustener head isn' 100 low and pinching the
looped end of the arm.

Distance & Moving
Measured in sirdes. Default move disance is § strides. Half move score (round down) for
swinmming and climbing. Entire mave aetion o stand from prone. Can fefuce at the end of
your turm. Normal-sized characters oceupy one square siride (think of the combat map
ridded up like a chessboard). Can move through comrade’s square but not an enemy’s.

Gameplay Option: Map Style

When a fight scene jumps off, lay out a chessboard and use pieces to mark each

combatant. Each square is one strde x one stride.

© Pros: distance casier to measure, visual representation satisfying, fight scenes.
more tactially interesting

© Cons: needs board and pieces, transitioning into. fight scenes not as smooth
because of set-up ime.

104
Misc Attack Rules
Dual-Wielding: any character can use two one-handed weapons simultaneously, making
an attack with both each tum. (F atacking same character twice, remember they get (0
apply their defense to both atacks).

Light Wea
Shit like un

s: hand-to-hand weapons that let you add your st score instead of strong.
med stikes, daggers, rapirs, staves, chainblades, meteor hammers et

Ranged Weapons: cach ranged weapon has its own listed range. Targeting beyond costs
“50% offense per strde. Reloadi 20 action cost (unless stated otherwise).

Thrown Attacks: thrown weapon offense s 54 + fast o strong. Range is 3 strides. Both
these can be upgraded with ranged attack Specials. Hand-to-hand weapons and shields
can be used as thrown weapons (but base offense sl 4).

Surprise Attacks: if target had no perception of a theat, they have zero defense unil
their first turn.

Attacking Unarmed: default unarmed offense is s2 + stong or fast (once per turn).
Many upgrades in Attack Effects

Charging: an optional ful-tum action that lets you move twice and then hand-to-hand
atack. Target gets to make opposing atack; subiract higher offense from lower and the
loser takes the difference. Charges must move in a relativly straight line and cover more
than the charger's move score.

Attacking With a Shield: sce “shields” i equipment

ext section).

Grappling: main action. You and the target spin $10 + stong or fast. If you have the
higher result you can cither A.disarm o take something clse from target,or B. hold target
i place (they get no move or main action) untl the star of your next wrh. If the character
initatng loses they aren't then grappled, but it sl costs their main action. Respin ties.

“Tell the Story of the Numbers: even a quick 1 slash him for 5 s fucking miles
beter than “uhh I do S offense to this dude.” But ideally go in: “1 spin past his
last attack and slash the side of his head for 5.” Keep it cinematc, you know?

‘Newjacks, use the level of success as a jumping off poiat, like I jump
forward and run my sword through him for 14.” nstead of I attack this dude and
fuck landed 17 ey something like 1 give him a esting jab for 1"

Key Narrator Notes
Keep it moving. Don't et actos wait unil thei turm 1o decide what they're gonna do and
then ubh and umim for 1w minutes. Keep heads in the game with a tight pace and the
renetc feel f a fight

Remember fghts arejust s much a part of the story as any other scene, 50 always narrate
that shit and bring it o lie. Bug your actors 1o narrate their attacks, and prompt them
with “Tell me what that looks like” when they do something ineresting.

How many fights per session? Start with one and experiment from there. Every crew of
actors is different some wil wan just one real meaningful fight every few episodes,
others will wan three squabs a session.

(Check out page 120 for ools and theory on creating gas fight scencs

105
+Classical Weaponry
Everywhere at sireet level since the advent of parafilds (page 109). “s8” means the
Weapon’s offense spinner deals 1 018, 5 i 1 0.4 etc (back cover of book for spnners).

Swords
Light sword 54+ steong or st/ block 1/ 1, Light/ ¥900
(This would be lke a dagger, machet, shortsword, barong, rench knife, smallsabre,eic)
Single-hand sword 56+ strong /block 1/ ¥1,500
(Broadsword,scimitar, Manda, saber, atagan,jian, dao, Katana, messer)
Two-hand sword S12 + strong / block 2/ ¥2,500
(weihander. changdao, famberge, odachi, gofes riegsmesser, geatswond)
Haftarms
Single-hand haftarm 58+ strong / block 0/ ¥1,000
(Warhammer handase, nzappa. doloire, mace, kama, sickle, aven’s beak)
Two-hand haftarm S14 + strong / block 1/¥2,000
(Greathammer;scyhe, warase, morningsta, flal kanabo)

Polearms
sttt 54 + srong or fast / block 2. 2b, Reach, Light/ ¥400
(Or anything staff-ike you can get your hands on)

Halfpole. 54 + strong /block 0 / 1h, Reach / ¥1,100
(Shorspear, javeln, ridens)

Polearm 510+ strong / block 1 /2h, Reach / ¥1,600
(Spear; halberd, naginata, vari parisan. guandao, poleaze)

Flex Weaponry
Single-hand flex weapon 4+ srong or fast/block 0/ Reach, Light/ ¥1,750
(Chain-dagger, kvoketsu-shoge. ijichian, urumi,razorhip)

Two-hand flex weap 58 + strong or fast block 0/ Reach, Light /¥2,500
(Chainblade, kusarigama, daggerhip, scourse, a motherfickin meteor hammer)

Mise
Baseball Bat 54+ strong 1h, 58 when held 2h / block 1/ ¥130
Chainsaw S16 -+ strong/block 1/ requires sron | and gas, loud s fuck /¥3,300

Block: the bonus o defense you get from wielding this weapon.

Light Weapons: hand-to-hand weapons that let you add your strong or st to the
attack spin. (Default i to add your trong score to hand-to-hand atiacks.)

Reach Weapons: hand-to-had weapons with an extra stide of range (like a spear)
1h /2h: & weapon i cither one-handed (1h) o two-handed (2h).

Hand-to-Hand Weapon Augmentations
(Give basic onuses 0 offense. To out st +3. Only one sugmenation at &t
© Concussion hammers: small deachable collr increases blunt force trauma by releasing
concussive cnergy on impact ¥5.000 per +1 offense (double price for cvery additonal +1)

* Harmonic oscillator: a moduisr osclltor that ataches (0 a blade vibrates it around S6
Kz, ncreasing sliing power.¥5,000 pe - offense (double price for every addiional +1)
Electroshock units: pulsc-gencrating catridze that ataches to metal weaponry. 5,000 per
1 offense (double prie for every additional +1). Ulra-are superior unts ct ike arcguns.

once per fight (+430,000)

106
+Firearms
Listed offense is for targets with a parafield equi
on target without one, double tota offense. No ac
interesting)

. (extremely common). When firing
cost o reload (tracking ammo isa’t

Handgun S2+ fast/ range 6/ Th/ ¥2,500
= Supremely concealabl.

Submachine Gun / Machine Pistol S4+ fast/range 4/ 1h/ ¥6,000
~ When used two-handed, offense 8 and double range. Conccalable

Rifle S8+ fast/ range 20 /2h / ¥4.800
. Can vary by range and concealability (carbines vs Sniper rifles ctc).

Anti-Tank / Anti-Material Rifle S16.+ fast/ range 40/ 2h ¥15.000
" Main action to move, move action o reload, cannal be fird standing (bipod attached)
Shotgus $10-+ fast/ range 8 /20 / 3,000
. Offense s afer two srides.

Sawed-OM 56+ fast/range 4/ 2/ ¥3,000

. Offense 4 after two strides. Conceslable.

Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher . 56 in 1-stride radius/ range 10/ mounted ¥5.000

— Single shot, move action o use, main acton (0 rload. Uses 40mm specialty grenades
@200/ca) which must be tracked

Bayonet 54+ strong /range 1/ mounted /¥1,250
= Can be deiached and used s a cormbat knif (s4 + strong or fast/block 1)

Modifications
Sights: handgun range can be doubled with laser sights (¥850). Rifle and SMG range can
e increased with optical sights (¥1,400 for ange X10) but it takes a move acton (0 ine up
a shot past defoult range.

Suppressors: standard issue suppressors (¥1,500) diminish sound from siplane engine.
levels 10 lawnmower engine levels. Spooky-quiet, two-stage suppressors (¥5,000) reduce
noise o the clack of the gun's action (70, about s loud as shorwer running). Suppressor
price doubled for shotgus.

Thrown Weapons
Whether using throwing knives, chakrams, or jus the hand-to-hand weapon you happen
1o be holding, thrown weapon offense is s4 + strong or fast This can be upgraded with
atack Specials. ¥700.

Grenades
Main action t throw: Effectve range S strides + fast

Frag Grenade 56, radius 2/ ¥500

Concussion Grenade S8, radius 1/¥250

Clinger Grenade . . . sticks to
Flashbang . 50% chance blinded (

defonates on your next tum, 56, adius 1/ ¥1,000
sacks random space) for | umeycle. Radis 3/ ¥900

Advanced Ranged Weaponry
Flamethrower 4+ fast o all argets in a line/ range 3./ ¥18,000
Aregun: fires a chain of electriciy. Deals 56, 54, 2 offense (add fastscore 10 eac
series of three targets, can jump up 10 a siride between each target, can’t attack same.
target twice. Only spin once (the spinner’s arm will itersect all thee rings). ¥16,550

107
+Instruments
These are eybernetic / mystc / psychic / superatural weapons: anyhing that would
magnify the offensive powers of the mind — floating orbs, third eyes, wave twisters,
otherworldly devices and ll jewelry et.

Instrument 56+ smart offense /range 5/ 2h/ ¥5,000
Burst nstrument S8+ smartoffense /range 2/ 20 ¥6.100

For this particular setting, you can keep it hard scifi with tech-based instruments (a
prosthetic eye that blasts out a ray of plasma energy, a hovering spike that fles into
enemies you point at, finger prostheses that exude long bolis of electricity from their
tips).

If you're more into a consic book feel go with psionic-based instruments: an
artifcially grown ShingenTee crystal that amplifies psionic force. transphysically
esonant sword that can Somehow slash S sirides away, 3 sentient bolt of psionic enerzy
that seikes where your thoughts dictate, etc

108
*Armor

Only one armor type can be equipped at a time (non-stacki
wearing armor.

). No sat penaltes for

‘arbon Shell Vest concealable, +1 defense / ¥1.200
Heavy Vest 2 defense /49,000
Advanced Armor Array (neck and shoulder protection) 3 defense / ¥23.000
Liquid Armor (dilaant fuid) +4 defense / ¥70,000
*Shields
Nothing can be wielded with the same arm wielding a shield. Two shields can be wielded
at once if that's something you actually want to do. Shields in this seting fold in half or
quarters for porabilty.
Buckler concealable, +2 defense (or +s4 defense) ¥600
Shicld 43 defense (or 136 defense) / ¥500

crifice shield: afce someone spins offnse sgainst you, you can scrifice your shield to
fgrore that offense.

© Spun defense: instcad of a fixed defense, you can spin for @ shickls defense againt any
given atack:spinner's mas is twice the shield's defense (isted above).

* Attacking with a shield (aka shield bashing) deal 54 + strong offense, but you lose that
shild's defense until the startof your et tum. Can stll atack with offhand.

*Parafields

These emit a velocity-riggered bose pulse to slow incoming projectils, greatly
reducing the lethality of firearms and shrapnel. Only about the size ofa deck of cards,
you can just put one in your pocket and it will do ts thing, pulsing a bulle-slowing
bose field when it senses extseme velocities in its immediate viinity. Dirt cheap and
extremely common. If firing on the rare enemy without a parafield, double total
frcarm offense. Standard unit ¥3800

Cultural shift: parafields ot only rendered hand-to-hand weapons more reliably
destructive than fisearms, but also boosted their social status. While most people have a
fascination with archaic eapons to begin with, their effecive use also requires way
‘more skill and spine than squeczing rigger, ending anybody carrying one an image
of violent prowess. Put it this way: shooters are adime a dozen, but the goon who rides
with a sword probably has a hick in every other neighborhood.

Not unlike the da-dzo and miao-dao sword units that saw surprising success.
i the wars of 1930 China, many fighters a both miliary and stree lovel will ot for
hand-to-hand weaponsy for the sheer martal presige, even when a fircarm might be
bettersuited t the task at hand.
Goods & Services

Alist of average prices for shit you might wanna buy in St. Disma. § yuan equals about |
modern US dollar.

Housing & Headquarters
Full price before (monthly mortgaged / rental rate afte). Prices will vary pretty wildly
rom the averages lised in this section depending on features and location.

Capsule condominium: ¥50,000 (#450)
Boxing gym: ¥100,000 (¥850)

Large tomb in the undercity: ¥200.000 (¥1,600)

Small bunker: ¥250,000 (42,100)

Houseboat: ¥300,000 (¥2,500)

Dive bar: ¥500,000 (¥4.200)

Average condominiun: ¥500,000 (¥6,700)

Rowhouse: ¥1.5 million (¥12.500)

Large bunker: ¥2 million (¥17.000)

Club: ¥5 millon (¥42,000)

Penthouse: ¥8 millon (¥67,000)

Private sland in the Teardrops: ¥10 million (¥54,000)

Yacht ¥18 million (¥150,000)

Mansion: ¥25 million (¥208,000)

Fortress-grade bunker: ¥50 million (¥420,000)
Transdimensional gate: ¥70 millon (¥580,000)

Castl: ¥100 millon (¥$35,000)

Skyscraper: ¥500 millon (¥4.2 million)

Self-suffcient colony (unar, sustins 20):¥1 billion (¥8.4 mil
Megatower: ¥15 billion (¥12.5 million)

Self-suffcient colony (venus or mars,sustains 20): ¥5 billon (¥42 millir
Self-suffcient calony (lunar, sustains 300): ¥10 billion (¥84 million)
Self-suffcient colony (venus or mars, sustains 300): ¥ billion (¥417 mill

Laboratory o workshop (chemical,nait, medica, automotive, sunsiiting cc): ¥75,000.
“This adds +56 o any skill pin (ake the highes)done on premises

Chartered Flights

< for nightly shelter Includes cargo space.
Motel room: ¥150 Cessna prop plane: ¥4,000
Hotel room: ¥500 Mid.sized jet ¥20,000
Luxury hotel room: ¥4,200 Cargo Jet: ¥50.000

Neuronal Proliferation: genctic engincering tha cndows a non-human animal with near
human-levelineligence (o effect on humans snce FOXP2 gene aleady present). ¥7,000

1o
Vehicles
o in picking a model and giving it an aesthetc

Cafe racer: ¥9.000 Ducati: ¥40,000 Beater car: ¥25,000
Classic car: ¥100.000 APC: 200,000 Tank: ¥500.000
Light mecharmor: ¥900,000 Heavy mecharmor: ¥5 il

Healing
HOTrod: a red Sinch rod with a buton on top. Automated vein-finding syringe system
delivers thrombin-mimicking nanites and synthetic osteoblasts — the Cadilla of combat

cosualy medicne. Costsa move action 1 use.
*Heals 10: ¥1,500 *Heals 20: ¥4,000 ©Heals 30: ¥10,000
*Heals 50: ¥30,000 Heals 50: ¥50,000 “Heals 100: ¥150.000

Sawbones (full healing, no questions asked): ¥900 per person

Hourly Wages
Menial labor: ¥20

Specialist or union: ¥150

Eniry-level sceurity: ¥60

Professional sccurity (level 3): ¥300
Elite security (level 6): ¥$00
World-class security (level 10): ¥2,000

Daily Costof Living.
Impoverished: ¥200
Comfortable: ¥800

Ouning class: ¥6.000

Ruling class: ¥30,000

World financial elite: ¥250.000

Example Gameplay
Every game i gonna ook diferen,and theres noone right way o run . Let's just drop o
he middle of a sesion actor A, ato B, acor C and their Key Naratorar dee i 2 show
about warin secet socctie n the 22305, curely i a city on Mimas, small moon just
outide the rings o Satur,

Keys The lights of the skyscrapers and suspension towers glide by hypoically as you ide the
layered expressway. You peel ff your exi,und pass into the lock before the Mainze? Biodome
youve b through enough fmes to know securiy will sesech your car at the gate. What do you
do?
Alight, you know the dill —guns in he duffl
Ll my pistol and doop it n the bag
A¢ Llide my AK into the bog. Where re e gonns sash these?

We don't got ot 1o work with. Th lock's just a road, ight?

ight. I s curved rosdueay leading to the biodome.
imim. What's i ook ike? Any gresnery? Trash cans?
Key: There's o sidewalk slong the median with s few bins, bt all the gras is trimmed low:
“There ar elm tres throughout the lockway, the type spliced with bioluminescent gencs so their
leaves glow st might - common siree lightng practce n this distric. The lows rifical sky is
drizling il on s day yele —

o wait, with the rain .o there any drains slong th rosday?

or sure. They e spaced out alomg the median and look ke the type you can pull out by

Ke
hand
¢ That's gotta b the play — the trces e toa obvious, snd i
running around narmed until we gt back 0 the safchouse
Right
Would it b possible to, lke, il the grate, ower the bag, and then close the grate 5o it
clamps down on the strp ofthe duffe bag?
Youo
Tt makes sense, yes
¢ Alright,then once there aren't any carscoming | hoof out and try o clamp the duffel stap in
oneof the rates
Key: Works ike a charm. I grips tght, and th tp of the strap is concealed under all the dead
leaves oround the drsin
B Sick
Bet, we pull around o the e
fou gt 1o the gate and you'se waved ino s marked space ke alays. Bluc shests oflght
elide and spin over the car, s an srmored guard spends s suspiciously long ime .. squinting st
i console .. before locking up. ‘and waving you thmough
ou fucker
Softtome from your onbosrd signifies the toll was ustdeducted from your accovnt
+How much?
Key: Unhh just en redits
“Alright lemme sertch ten off my shest here
+ So you pul into the colossal biodome snd the fsst thing you s are the rings of Satur
above you, unimaginably huge, impossibly clos, arcing through the infinte ight sky of space
“The dome's ransparent panclsrefac the feblest glare from the distant sun
Fucking wild dude, 'l never gt used 1o being offworld
+ As you crest the enrance tral, you see the biodome below: four differnt ccosystems all
it ntothe massve Mainer Cratee Whatdo you do?
‘Swiss Alps biome rght? | head that wey
Iright, you ta
Also 'm keeping anexe i the rarview, docs anybody secm o b tiling us?

i trsh day we could end up.

nz
Ul o, thee'smothing suspicious. Nobady's even behind you
A2 Good, good

fou ol through o bamboo forest and cross bridge into the Alps biome, quickly finding.

the spot. The camera slowly pans dowen through some ask boughs onto rel senie clearing 2=

s red SUV i already ther, no far from steam fed by a small watefall. What

One of these days we're gomna be the first o fucking show up 1o something
Uhop out and pop the trunk
Key: The red SUV's doors swing open, exh
clasical music

Ay L would ecognize?

+ You do actually. You're prtty sure you played i for @ gala or maybe a weskding gig years

back — i’ checks noes] a chamber opera called “Renard" by Igor Sravinsky

Honmu, decp cut

& No-Sleep Jin, three massive goors, and faint

sepe
o-Slecp Jin says something in Korean to hercrew and walks over o you. A brssze sties
the claring. swaying the oakbranches snd rufling the grass as she extends & hand in reetin.
Are you bringing the case?
A2 Does she have the cash?
Key: You s one of her guys hand s bog off o B

T counting that st
- Then | bring the cose from th trnk and hnd it over
Keys So one of her goons takes it, and you notice she waits unil hes out of carshot before
gesturing over (o the watesall saying she has somcthing 1o run by you

Alright
: Do any of Jin'speople follow them?
Key: Nah, one’s inspecting the case. The other o ae hovering near the SUV, puling out packs
of Lucky Strikes
C: How fumilar do they look?
Key: Unh, you sen them a the Lt e drops you did with Ji's people
(C: Alight, I sep over and light one of ther cigaretes. “Sup cousin,you seen a skinny ltle guy
like this around? Cybemetic eyes, buzzed head? — and | show him that securty footage we
jucked
B Think these mouthbresthers would know? They probably spend most of their time foding
Ji's laundry

Can't hurt. Whatothe leads do we have?
: Fair point
Key: So you g0 up 0 thetllr one and he waiches the footage loop a few times, dragging on his
cigartte,thensays with heavy sccent “Actualy . | belicve we have,

Lild youson!
Key: Tall goon says something in Korean o the diver, beckoning him with a wave: As he walks
overand clarsth fron of the car,you s he's carying a aked machete —

What
Keys Tall gaon sy “Hands." You look down o sce trench knife has appesred in s offhand
What do you do?

“Are you fuking serious?

o you say hat?
Nah, jus —fuck 1 guess | aise my fucking hands
Do I notce any o this?
s mane, No-Slecp has you tumed 5o you're facing the waterfall

Fuckin doin us grssy

Ke

13
s my hands s millimeer sbove my head, palens in,and theraise my middle fngers
Key: Short goon moves towards you B he's gripping long-handled hatchet, With the other
hand he pads sround your pockets and puls ot your swichblade

When he'srooting around | ask if his chick knows he's ito this type ofthing.
Key: Hahaha I'm somy but he pops you with the but o his htchet for .. 2 offese, right on the
forchead

Whats rude man
S would anybody notce if charge up my clectzashock prosthetie?
s Shit | forgot sl sbout that ting.
Key: Unhh, I guess it would glow but s 0 bright outfor anybody t notice

“Alright | sset amping up
: How far away'sthe car? The bt il i there right?
Key: Yea you remember it being in the trunk. The ca s about four ssides away — fis warning
though, shot goon'sdefinitelyclose cnough to chop you

“The runk's open though right?
Keys Ush -

Ve from when | grabbd the case, | definitely would have lf it open

Irght fine,tunk’s open

Sick
+ Am 1 charged up?

fou'e charged up
Setitor
" A ar of clecricty blasts ot of my paln t ll goon
Key: Alrght give e a umber

icks spiner] 12 mtherfucker s 0ol

o ok, he ol o clecrcty makes tll goon violently onvulse snd drop ke bag of
vocks, defncly merked. B, o e geting chopped by shosack

Fuack
Key: [cksspinncr b swings the e up o your b fr 5. C,te driver brings his machete
o on o fo ficks spnser] 2 offnse
: Tdads mo poblem, e nly it e
Keys Vourtur B. A, you fnally herd what's oing on 5 you'tc ondeck

na
How to Key
We run theough the basics quick, plus a ow moves for your oolbel.

Writing an Are
Lock in the Ambition fes. The next st isthinking on the most inereting pat to that
Ambition bring the main charaters throgh fghts,social scenario, problem oling e
all se i cinematc places and laced with intiguin side characers. 1 you'e sumped,
hink on your fvorie storylines from movics. TV and what made the faoritcs

I you did’t run the are in this book, scanning through it wil give you a feel for the flow
of an e, and what's important for the Key to know. That said:

Only draw up one session at a time. You never know which way your actors are gonna
0. Don't got atached to any partcular outcome: you're just putling your crew in an
interesting stuation and playing to sce how it shakes out.

Start small: plan on a humble two or three session joint for your frst arc. Almost every
newjack starts like a frstime prizefighter, putting on an incredible performance but
compltely emptying their gas tank the first round, noticeably slowing the second round,
and by the third they‘re just surviving. Set a hard limit of three sessions for yourclf

Always introduce a scene with a brief description to immerse your actors in it This is
like an establishing shot in a TV’ show but bette,since we can emphasize al sensory (the
aroma of temple incense, the feel of seaside winds, ete). This brief intro doesn’t have 0
be pre-written: a couple off top lines wil do just fine. Abvays end with a prompt (lke
“What do you do?") to mainain smooth gameflov.

Key Narrators don't get a main character. If you're sarting a new show, don’t make
oné until he next Key tags in. 1f you'e tagging in for somebody else, find a good reason
for your main character o sce to some other shit until the end of the arc. You have an
entie seality o simulate: rying t0 also play as an actor i a shity distaction, and (more
mportantly) ruins the effect of you being the Key Narrator.

Write for your actors: this is not & one-person show — you're creating interesting
situations for your actors to make 2 story out of. Inlude narrative promps for them to
develop their main characters, and points of interactvity that will actually engage them i
the scene. Leave the most interesting blanks for your actors to fill i

“This is only a real loose uideline, but the average session has
*An ineresting problem 10 be solved
<A fghtscene
+ An interesting side character/ social scenario

Adjust to taste for your specific ators and what gameplay gets them stoked.

Number of players: 3 is ideal, but up (0 6 is solid i its a crew of quiete actors — any
more than that is a fucking mess. The number of actors also determines how fast you go
through the arc: ot only are more actorstrying to veer in diffrent directions, but just the
Volume of ifts and planning will make scenes last way longer. Expect a crew of two
actors 10 tear throwugh this axc in four sessions, and a huge crew of six actors o take closer
102 dozen sessions,

Consistent narrative progress: every session should end with the fecling “We just got
closer 1o the Ambiion.” Resist the temptation of irclevant side-missions. You want &
clear series of narative steps to the Ambition o your actors never ask “Why are e here
i

ns
Prepping a Session
Session prep s just immersing yourself n a fitional location long enough that you
can make i feel real to your actors. You stcep in the realit of he session’s sting,
thinking on how side characters would act, how events would play out cic, and it
actualy really fucking ransportive — arguably the best pat o conversational games

Don’t over-prep: coming up with all types of optional shit just because it could bappen
s 2 huge waste oftime. I’ way easie 1o instcad make a straight line of just a ew scenes
that you can really tighten up. Since the main characters are chasing an Ambition, you
aleady know where they're driven 1o 2o, making tha stsaight line completely believable

Don’t under-prep: if you stat your session with “Wait what happened last session?” and
then just improvise some bullshi, nobody’s showing up nex tn.

Punching up scenes: if you already have your interesting fight / social scenario
problem to be solved. you can make it more immersive by
+Nesting it ina more interestng location (“the bar” into “the rooflop bar at the top of the
Banpei Tower”), or omamenting that ocation (*Ray's house” into “Ray’s house, walls
tined with lluminated tanks of rare tropical ish™)
- Sharpen up the scene’ inro. Contrast the imimersion of these two.
“You enter the chapel. Your contact i there. What do you do?™
“You enter the cool air ofthe chapel, stained glass depictions of saints glowing with the
morming sun. A lone figure at prayer crosses himself and stands to an alarming height of
4", He asks in a Salvadoran accent “were you followed?"™

Interactivity is crucial. The most fusc in the world is meaningless if it
doesn’t prompt yous actors o engage wih i (social gameplay, problemm solving etc)

“The abjective of being Key i to reate the conditons for the raddest time possibl.

Are ide se spring 10 mind, just think on the are you would most wanna act in. 1f
You'te just in o creative dead end. try working on the soundirack first - you'd be
Surprised how much that musical headspace can clear up creative logiams.

Stay on the gank: fieely take everything you like from movies, TV, books, comics,
history. Once you put them in your seting, they'll be an eniiely new ihing,
untecognizable Trom their source. You've been unconsciously racking up a colossal
library of trope and story ideas your enice ife by just watching movies and shit, and the
more you pull from i, the more efforless accessing it becomes. Just don't i it by
telling your actors what the source was: et it be its wn brand new and unigue thing.

Advanced shit: spotlighting is wriing a scene for a specific main character’s strength o
Silset, 10 hard to braid into a session on top of your normual prep, but when you do. it
always makes the sessions for the actor you spotlight.

Gt the ship sailing itself the show’s intro s where the actors buy in and the validating
feedback loops of interest star. Think on an interesting way to introduce their main
characters, and inferesting Ways (0 get back-and-forths rolling between them.

End srong: there’s @ reason you always end an album with like the third or fourth best
song - that's the impression you're leaving listeners with, Deliver the arcs promised
narrative payoffs, and give some faling action and satsfying resolutions.

Fuck nerves: the friends are getting together to iff and bullshit with each other — they're
‘zonna have & good time no matter what you put n,

16
Running the Game
“The alpha rule s having a good time, seting up the best time for your actors. All other
ules bend 10 thi one.

Prompts: these are your most important tool, basically just quest

forward. Here's the best one:

*What do you do?

Use prompisto build the story and visualize scenes

- You unlack your safehouse for everybody: what do they see as the door slides opes

+ Avwide shot pans seross the house party - wht are ach of you doing when Kana arives?

Use themn to focus attention

~So what are you gonna do about those camerzs?

+The courier seems eager to bounce - do you say anything (o him?

Some promps aren’t questions,just something that urges response

~ Everybody hears glass shater upstics.

+You see from cover that the mercenary leaves his radio and sidearm on the desk s he
steps into the bathroon,.

But yea, prompts are usually just a quest

you're prodding in a specific direction.

that move the story

and always passive, 50 it never feels ke

Interludes: never skip over traveling or laying low — these e arguably the most fertile
ground for main character development. Ask what the main characters get up 1o
training, some type of hobby or passion project or personal crusade, spending time with
side characters, lowing thir cash from the st are ete
Interudes slam for both the long-term (*A month bas passed since the las job

everybody give me a montage of what your main character’s been up t07), and short (A
you wait for No-Lobe (0 show up, late as usual, you all gt in an argument — not a serious
one, but over something fucking rdiculous. Whatis 7).

“The pait-o:rocket el fo character development. Firs, pair up main characers for a scene
or intelude, then guide them into finding and exploring that thing they have in common.
This creates @ new, unique dynamic between them, like how the bassist and drummer of &
band are just a bassist and 4 drummer untl they stat calling themselves “the shythm
secton”, eifying their bond as 4 concep. This is maybe the best move in the prestige TV
playbaok: a well-culivated bond between every main character is namative lectricty.

Emphasize sensory: when introducing a new scene,bring i 0 ife by describing not just
how it looks, but at least one other sense - the ambient sounds, aromas, how the ai fecls
on the skin, the emotional atmosphere tc. Take that immersion shit serously: your job as
Key is simulating a more interesting relity for your actors,so rally bringing them there

Mention shit that has nothing 1o do with the main charactes o their objective: routine
happenings, locals going about their day, the Toghorn sounding out i the harbor et If
you only mention shit related to the main characters the world feels small and
uninteresting, like the camera following them around has tunnel-vision. Settng the scene
like this not only creates a more living world type feel, but gives your crew options for
narrative threads they might wanna pull on. Chekhov’s Gun is wrong and bad.

The Key is the editor: when a scene feels done, don’t uh and um out of i, but prompt
where they're headed next, or just ut o the next seene of nterest. Keep it moving.

Show, don't tel: lassic film trick. Instead of saying “The party’s host i known to be an
unhinged psychopath,” just show him throwing a guest offa balcony for disagreeing with
him on Asistole or whatever. Never give 4 fyou can give 2+ 2.

n7
Side Characters
Don't seript: you can have an idea of what they’ll say and do, but you sill want
improvising them to come naturally. You wanna give the impression of interacting with a
eal person, you know?

There are two ways to run side characters:

1) Voice acting: voice acting side characters in the fist person s more immersive and
makes them foel more present. Having a unique voice for each gives them more
personality, makes them easier 0 act, and you'll never have 10 say who's alking. Don't
et goofy with it (seriously) just give them a minor accent or speech pattern change.

2) Not volee acting: some people don't like voice acting because they're shy, bad at
Voices, or think it’s corny or whatever. T you're not nto i, don’t sweat i, you can just
say “Knock brings up the brass casings you found carler” and it conveys the same
aformation.

Don't over-think mior side characters: they only need o
(next page) just to make them memorable | casy t reference.

ngle distinguishing feature

Major side characters: always v them a personality, and a voice if you prefer voice
actng. A unique physical feature makes them memorable. Make them feel a ltle more
el by giving them ife outside the main characters (lke a goal or passion). Making
them of he seting goes a long way — from an existing culture or faction, affeted by major
Stting evens ete. Just remember no amount of information dumping will make them fecl
eal,that anly happens as they're interacted with,

You can also sart with a favorite character from movies / books / TV and think
on what makes them a favorite (stay on the gank). Subverting stereotypes is always good,
like a searred-up goon with a love for classical poetry, or an insanely hot woman who's
also nsanely gross, eating old sandwiches out the trash etc.

Last trick: reveal a wild rumor about an established side characte, 1s it rue?
Even more wild? Only an exaggeration? Just made up shit spread by their cnemies?
Decide the answer depending on the actors" reactions. Either way it’s an casy injection of
dramma it the shov.

Names: give nicknames to side characters. They e both A. casier 1o remember and B,
more evocative, saying a lot sbout th side character i a single word.

You can use them in conjunction with a given name like “Balogun the Saint”,
which lets heads just call him the Saint untilhis iven name sticks

Two side characters with similar names is dogshit writing: if your show has &
Samantha and a Sandra your actors want o kill you.

Almost everybody’s favorit part of conversationl games is social scenarios / interacting
\with side characters. Jus sayin they're worth a it extra creative effort

s
Side Character Generator
Bookmark this page to make a side character on th fly.

Head & Face Form Clothing
“Birtamark “Short =50 jocket withbig collsrand
“Facial sar il rolled up sleevs
“Busid nose: cFa “Powervilence longslecve
“Glases “Thin “Record abel shir
Pince-Niz iy, amess “Jacked “Raty death metal vest

lases et et on yournose) +Stocky “Jery
Sunglasses “Young - i wash denim jackst
“Neon hair o “Workvear
“Besrd “Hoodie
“Mustche Voice ~Cason sl vest
“Big sdebums “High voice “Loaded up e vest
“Sharpensd tecth “Low vaice “Rain poncho
~Cigrete “Educated “Business casual
~Kiseu pipe Loumouts “Busines formal
~Glowing proshetc eye “Sofspoken
“HUD visor “Grufl Oaas

“Deadpan = Septum piercing

Nationality “Talks outsde of mouth “Dangly 805 cuing
(sored by ost common) “Foreign scent “Dermal piceing
“French “Dogsht English “Hoops
~Chinese “Blak lipsick
“Indin Genetic Engineering “leon necklace
Indonesian (options for scting) “Big chain or gold ope
“Morocean “Gills ~Coupl e chains
“American “Scaly o armored sin “Biker Rings
“Russian “Polychromatic skin(blends ~Kabuki mask
Edhiopian with envionment) “Baombo or spesker
Japancse Homs o antlrs “Prayer beads o praye rope.
~Chilean ~Claws “Burely conceald pistol
“Pucific lander “Fangs = Sword oves back
“Congolese St pupits “Combatkaife
~Ambic “Wings “Chainblade on belt

Naked Prostheses
(st meant o imitte the sl thing)

Fully prosthetc, mask lke face

“Prosthtic s

“Prosthetic hand

“Prosthti hand with a condactiv platc
Prosthetc finges with eacable claws
“Prosteti leg

Prosthetic legs (shock-sbsorbent)

“Prosthetic legs (with lunch pisons)
Prosthetc et cimbing augmentations)
“Prosthtic eye under gnaly scar

“Prostheti jaw or mouth fll o arifiial tecth
“Prosthetic neck full ofcoored wires

Tattoos
~Chestplate

~Tombstones top haf of arms)
“Sleeve

~Open shirtwith a belyrocker
“Legsleeve

Knuckiesdone up

Hand piece

“Neck orthroat pece

~Cursive seriptabove eycbrow
“Teardrops

“Largechesk pice

3% eye amll pice on lawer forehead)
“Fally inked Bodysuit

+Advanced shit: randorly point t 3 combination of two itms sbove. The unique.
combination of feaures il instantly extraplate 8 web of other featurs in your mind.

1o
Fight Scenes
Narrate the numbers. Don't say 2 offense doesn’t actually hurt him.” do say “He
sidesteps your swing.” I somebody asks “How bad isthis dude hurt?” don'tsay “He's up
1o like hall his merk.” do say “He’s bleeding prety bad and staring 10 breathe heavy.™
Your actors get lot of satisfaction from all the dope shit they get 0 do i a ight — make
sure 0 nareate all the energy blasts and necks getting snapped, and o use the phrase “tell
me what that looks like™ when actors do something interesing

Punching up fight scenes: fist is enermies. They should be A. mechanically interesting.
with stas or abilitis for the main characters to out-think or take advantage of (ry surfing
through attack effects), and B. aesthetically nteresting, so it dogsn't feel ike you're just
batling a block of stats.

Second is where you fight: a cinemaic location — elevated tracks, in a ruined
mausoleum etc — is crucial. For exira credit, add features like hazards, levels, cover, or

moving components 1 increase strategic depih.

Every fight should feel like there was something gained by it: even just a fitde new
aformation to advance the plot or some interesting e,

Guillotine Style: a method for smoother fight. The tum masker s an eye-catching object
placed in front of whoever's turn it i. They pass it on when thei trn is complete. Jf the
next actor doesn' immediately act, they are skipped. This keeps heads in the game
without fail: nobody needs to be caught up on what happened, nobody waits uniltheir
trn and then takes & minute (o decide what to do - the fight just flows. The Key is
exempt from needing to act immediately since they have a whole fight scene 10 run
Obviously this optional rule shoulda't be put on newjacks.

Advanced shit at those higher levels, the balance of the crew can get all over the place,
and the main character that dumps ail heir SP into a single stat or Special might start
Walking through fights with less and less of a challenge. This is where the chess match
starts: inding a way 1o stillchallenge them withous them feeling cheated.

Offensive main characters are casy to handle: if they dumped everything nto
argeting a single enemy, throw multple enemies at them. Death 100%2 No problem —
make sure you always have an interestng lieutenant that can step up, or multiple bosses
for every boss fight.

Defensive main characters are where you have to use your head a lte more —
there’s almost always one motherfucker who spends every single SP on their defense stat,
but you have a dozen ways around that. Our favorite way is 0 ust turn up the heat on the
entire crew, and when the high-defense main character is consistenly the last one
standing, everybody else will sart balancing in tha disection. Also, once their enemies
otice, why wouldn't they just show up with a stinger missie that docs $20+100 offense
next fight? OF start using armor-piercing nanofilament weaponry, o send out & mutant
with undefendable fire powers? Maybe a mercenary psion with social Specials or
powerful illusions. Maybe 4 plot like carbombing their motoreycle, instantly merking
them then ambushing the rest of thei crew: Maybe a napalm blast or chemical weapon
that coats them in acid, puttng s20 offense on them every turm for therestof the fight

Merk: offense counts up because addition is easir than subiraction. This also allows you
1o write offense taken out in the open or on enemy markers without giving away if
they're close to death. I you like the intuitve concept (counting down) more than the
functional ease (counting up), you're free o flip it around. We went with the phasing of
“merk” because i’ ambiguous: enemies can be dead, KO'd, retreating, or whatever.

120
Dealing With Actors
1 playing o the outside,felfre to lay down the rle “IFanybady pulls ou her phone,
every othe player ges o send a text o it Most people don'tneed this ule, but we've
scen a few sessions go downhill on fucking rolleskates when actors stared scrollng
through instagram whenever the Key Narrator wasn' speifically talking o then - they
nceded constant updates on where they were and what was happening. had to be handed
crucial clues et. Did't even seem worth playing. To be clar draing and shit is ine
since you can sill take n what's happening, but phone use il estroy your game

Key, fucking around and rifing is arguably the best part of the game, s0 g0 along Wit it.
You'can have an interesting storyline, meaningful scenes, and constant fucking around

There's a point where it clicks for new people and they realize they really can do
anything in the game. They usually ask for something way over-powered for a level 1
character (“Can I get flying island with a sick pagoda?), and that’s good: your aciors
wanting shi s the engine of the game. Always say yes, and have them write it down os 2
(Character Ambition $0 you can run it for them next season.

I you'se inviting somebody you know likes to get fucked up, think on telling them it's a
sober table - remember if they suddenly become the most annoying motherfucker on the
planet you're stuck with them for the whole session,

“The most you should ever have 1o regulate is the phrase "be cool™. If new actor is stll
outof pocke, just “start a new game” without them in it 10 avoid drama.

There aren't really actor types. You just have to watch for what engages people, what

atetests people, and keep your show dialed to keep everybody happy. Sometimes you'te
blessed with an agreeable crew, sometimes you land 4 pack of divas who all want
different shit and act foul if they don't get it. That's life baby. Ride out the scason and
start again with a new crew.

Advanced shit: proactive vs passive crews. Figuring our which one your crew of actors
Teans towards will make prepping for them casier. Examples:if the Crew Ambition is to
Knock over a mid-level drug supplier and your actors stare blankly before asking “Uh so
what should we do?” that’s a teal passive crew. If another crew immediately stats
ploting “Alrght, fist we find a fend and tell hiny his next via’s on us if he takes us to
his dealer — we bag the dealer and work our way up the foodchain until we find
somebody laced with the plug,” that crew i real proacive.

Proactive crews need less prep: you just give them a goal and they move the
plot forwards. The other edge of that sword i they need way more improvisation: they
move quickly and unpredictably, love exploring, and create their own immersion by
asking a lot of questions about your seting (*What are the current power dynamics and
alliances in the criminal underworld?” “Whar's the architeeture like in OId Town?")
which is Hattering but can sometimes feellke sress-tsting.

Passive crews mosly just want an interesting storyline spoonfed to them: you
have to make both clues and narrative paths forward obsious, and break their Ambition
down into teal clear sub-goals. Instead of immersing themselves by exploring and asking
questions, passive actors rust you o immerse them in the most interesting parts of your
stting. This definitely doesn't mean they're having any less of a good time, so don'ttake
offense. Since passive crews are highly predictabl, they’re a blessing for Key Narmators
who love writing and hate improvising.

121
Soundtrack
AU Bull Pres soundiracks are on bullpress.org.

When ereating your own soundiracks with whatever you've gotten off rulins, or anything
afrend has loaded on a mp3 plager for you, remember

A have the soundirack lined up beforchand so you don't waste time scarching for songs
B don't use anything with actual vocals they're more distracting than you'd think)

‘Spinner Alternatives
Double-cups writ a ring of numbers on the outside of the inercup. Cut ltle window
on the outsde cup. Next 10 the outside cup's window, wite the ring’s highest number

with an 5" before it To spin, just look away and turn the cup a few times: your result
appears i the window. Remernber you can fl every range your main characler uses on
single cup.

Cards: casy (o get a hold of, slow 10 use. Create a sack for each range your actors use
(52, 54, 56 €16). Weite the range on the back, then write the individual numbers of that
fange on the face. Keep the stacks facedown in the middle of the table.

Verbal: when you have no materials on hand, wanna keep it low, or are pla

+Figure out the range of your spin from 1 to whatever (example: $121is 1 0 12)

+The player spinning and the Key cach pick a number in that range, and say that number
simultancously (example: 5 and 3.

+ Add those numbers together for the resultof the spin (example: 5).

+ Now,if those numbers go over the top when added together (example: 10+ 6), it olls
over and counts back up from 1 (example: the esult i 4).

So,if the range s 1 10 8 and player A says 3, and player B says 4, the resul is 7. If the

fange is 10 6 and player A says 4, and player B says S, the result s 3. If he range is 1 10

20 and boih players say 20, the resalt is 20. See how when it ops out the remainder is the

esult? Slick rght?

nseg.

122
Spinning for It

‘When somebody ries to do something uncertain,the Key has them spin 56 for the resul:

6. Finessed. 3. Not really
. Success 2 Failure
Barely 1. Faceplant
Easy: spin 6 twice,take the highest resull (75% chane ofsuccess)

chance ofsucees)
Difficult: spin s6 twice, take the lowest result (25% chance ofsuceess)

Versus: if it's two characters against each other, they both spin and the one with the
higher result wins. If one has a significant edge over the other (reative stat i higher etc)
they spin twice and take the highest. Ties can be inconclusive or spark another versus
spin - Key's choice.

Pros & Cons
“This mechanic adds the lauded gambler’s buzz to any scene, can add suspense, and can
spark the creatvity that only comes from having to improvise.

“That said this mechanic i real casy to over-use: the sbove retuns rapidly
diminish, you can paint yourself ino narrative comers, make the storyline less interesting
(your spinner isn'Calways good writer, and skip material that would have been more
fun to acally play theough

Don’t skip interesting gameplay: crucial shit. If the main characters need 1o create @
trap for a jungle yaksha, and you just have them spin to see how good the trap is. you
Jucking blew i. 1 would have been way more interestng 1o find out from various jungle
inhabitants the yaksha s intensely attracted (o gemsiones, then design an ingenious trap
using that knowledge and the jungle environment. Remember creating suceess through
‘gameplay and nteraction withihe seting s basicall the whole point of the hobby.

Spinning s just gambling with narrative capital: s sn casy Way 1o give your actors a
quick neurochemical buzz, but A.) there have 1o be nteresting sakes, and B.) using it o0
often ruins the offct.

Alternate Rule: The Narrative Spin
“This adds a prompt which can enrich the scene and keep the present subnarrative
moving forward, but takes a litle longer since the Key has o spend time thinking on
an intresting consequence or bonus.

6. Yes and (succes, plusabonus) 3. No but (ilre, but a ood thing happeas)
5.Yes 2No
4 Ves but (succes, butatsome cost) 1. No and (failure, las another bad hing)

For example: & main character tries to hotwire the crooked PI's car. They land a 4
(“yes but), so can fire up the car and drive off, but fucked something up so the
stereo is *blasting? Spice Girls on loop. Another example: a main charactr jumps
offthe roof onto an enemy below. They land 1 (“no and"). s the enemy sces them
comiing, gets a free attack on them,and they stil ake fall offense.

Balls Out: on a challenge that’s real real dicey, worth making memorable, of just
fucking insane, the Key can 3dd o Balls Out spin 1o the $6 namative spin. This
produces truly buckvild scenes, but only if used rarely:

4. Toobonuses 3. Onebonus 2, One consequence 1. Two consequences

123
Conversational Games & Narrata

Narrata is the creation of fietion through structured conversation. We at Bull Press
consider it the most powerful form of escapism possible since i’ ot limited by the
physical constcuints of medi: it goes exactly a far 3 your creative abilty.

What really makes nartaa immersive is having other people to run it with, and structure
(rules) that get people interacting with the simulated setting and characters.

That's seally all you need to know to start creating your own conversational games
games, but it helps 1o run a few existing ones o really figure out what gameplay you like
and ho to ereate more of i with specifc ruls.

Narrata s ot least 60 years old, though if’s arguable some centuries-old party games and
umpired wargames fit he defniton. Either way the artform i finally spreading its wings
as we see 4 proliferation of new genres and gameplay concepts, new writrs and
luminaies, and games that can only be called works of fine art anging from the size of
single page (0 dozens of volumes. Best ofall, even though shit's papping right now, it can
be said with certainy the John Coltranes and Dave Brubecks of the craft are et to design
their first game.

124
Game Design
Raule 1: the function of a game is s layers having a good time.

Steaight off the bat, here’s some newjack shi 10 look out for and be brutally honest with
YourselFabout

*When you like the idea of a rule, but not the esult o it

+ When you're straight up reinvening the whee! just o be different

+When you're stubbornly holding onto a mechanic your frends ! playtesters hate

Have clear design goals. Outline fest orthat shit's gonna balloon ll over the place.

Start smal: everything takes about a hundred more hours than you think, so start with &
pamphlet-sized game (seriously). Bigger projects will always feel 90% done: be harsh in
deciding when they'te done enough, since there s a definite point of diminishing retums
on your creative energy.

Playtest: there wil always be shit that manifests different than you expected, 5o playtest
more than even seems necessary. I possibl, playtest across demographics (unless you're
only designing a game for your friends). Most playesters won't give you the brutal
honesty you need: it's on you to keep an eye what acually engages them, what bores
them, what rules they strugele to grasp etc.

Explicability: have an answer to questions like “what's it about?” and “how do you i
You want your basic game concept 1o be a sentence, and the rules to be explainable in
less than a minute. Anything more and motherfuckers'cyes start plazing over.

Watch for overdesiga: a game isn't a lve reading of the ten-page seting you wrote up,
' a concise ruleset that allows the actors o have a good time flexing fheir creativity.
Leave the most interesting blanks for your actors to 6l i

Watch for underdesin: you need clear structure and gosls. Too open-ended and players
will feel direetionless. Give specific prompis to induce & flow stat.

Challenge: every game requires it. Too hard and heads check out from frustration. Too
casy and heads check out from boredon. Ideally make it a curve so learning the ropes is
jusi engaging enough for new people. Making diffculy scaleable adds massive replay
Value for more experienced players: do this by adding mechanical and straegic depth o
eward their advanced knowledge of the gane

Risk: it built into traditional games (where everybody plays against each other) since
there can only be one winner and losing sucks. However, even if s 3 cooperatve game
(whete al the players compete against & situation or aulomated sysiem instcad of cach
other) there s t0 be a chance they could lose or face some major setback, otherwise
there’s o theill. I’ the same reason gambling’s §

Frostration riage: losing and setbacks fucking suck, so having something to immediately
disract from cating shit is A+ design. Example: for this game you could create a rule
called “Hardened™ - every time you're merked in 4 fight, you get permanent +3 to your
merk.

Incentives: never punish an action when you can instead reward not doing that action.
Postive incentives are ot only more reliable for shaping behavior, but also contribute to
the overallsense of enjoyability of you game (nobody ikes punishmen).

125
Realism s a terrble goal. First o al, reality mostly sucks. Second, rying to reproduce it
mechanically just creates 2 clunky abyrinth of conditional ruls and other unfn shi
Instead, you wana i the right notes of realiy, both in designing rulesets and settngs.

Game mechanics are best when they're stripped down and_absracted
tepresentations of concepts that interest us (shit like fighting and powers). Settings are
best when they're novel and outlandish, but sull contous the relatable and interesting
parts o our realiy

Realism i tax codes and spinning for how hungry you are or whatever; hitting
the right notes ofreality is unceal shit like dope spaceship fights and psychic powers BUT
coherent seting logic and resonant sde characters.

Randomizing outcomes: you can make the resull of an uncertain thing up to chance with
a randomization meshanic, sometimes called 3 resolution mechanic (simsla to “Spinning
for 16", page 149). This doés a couple good things: it 1. creates a gambler’s buzz, and 2.
ives the Key Narrator an improvisational prompt o interpret the result

On the negative side, the neurochemical thrill of that gambler’s buzz has
swifly diminishing returs: use it 100 often and it just becomes annoying. Even worse, a
fandomization mechanic skips over the gameplay that would normally create suceess.

Some games benefit rom randomization mechanics (lke Risk), but i you tried
o force them into others (like chess) it would straight up ruin the game. Consider
carefully if your game or mini-game would become more enjoyable by adding one.

When designing a randomization mechanic, consider fange. Say you wan 1o
simulate troop teinforcemens in your wargame, and cach player spins at the top of their
. 520 is way 100 swingy: if @ player lands a 19 he can just dogwalk the player that
landed a 4. You can always make the range smaller (like S8 or even ), sure, but you
could also make it more prediciable: spinning 356 slightly reduces the range (0 3-18, but
more importantly it makes the results a bell curve since i’ thrce different spins added
ogether (so resuls at the extremes like 3, 4, 17, 18 are real real are). You could also
reduce randomness by making gameplay a factorreinforcements are s6 + the number of
forresses you have, o you can spin an 56 for each warchest you turm i etc.

Don't get discouraged if your first game feels flat: your carly games are stll worth
playing, you're just developing a more sel-ritical eye since you're now creating games.
Someties rules and mechanics won't produce the result you thought they would and
thar'salrght, that’ how great rulesets are designed: small adjustments over tme.

One of the more popular theories of learing is that we acquire and sharpen
kils by first. doing them wrong and then correcting: ral and error 1’ annoying to hear
for the hundredth time, but the best way o improve is by doing, filing, and learning.
{om falures. Embracing thatshit puts a person ahead of 95% of theit compett

Play more games: every innovation a person makes s a brick on top of 4 colossal
pyramid of previous advancements in human knowledge made by other peaple. Explore
that pyramid - designers put n thousands of Hours creating a single game you can play i
twenty minutes. Devour that knowledge to power your own innovat

Presentation: sucks 1o say, but there’s o reason presenation is S0% of your grade i
culinary school. Consider it another good reason 1o start small, pamphlet-sized games
don'tnced a $10,000 layout and ilustation budge to attact new players

126
+Defense Il

Name:

Summary: v
Appearance: *

sPrimaries

Cter Ambitions

+Background
Eiaamy

45 o
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Closing Notes
Bull Press ook are fce 10 prisoners incarcerted in the US. While these book donations
tely on funds we don't siays have, i you Wit into your egional books to prisoners
Workspace, we know the good people voluntering the would be happy to send you
Similarconversational games and ableop matril.

To get a copy: have your people email your info to requests@bullpress.or. Even if your
phone time is limited, this method should enable us 10 get copy in your hands faster
than mailn requests.

People on the outside: if you'd like us 1o send a copy o
sure o include their government name, ID number, and curres

incarcerated friend, make
facilty in your emmail

LIBRARY
(Every book contins main chractr shect,spnners, and everyting s needed t play )
Corpse Thieves: & Kung Fu are set in mythology-heavy Qing-era China. Unwind o
bizarte series of graverobbings, serap with supernatural wigsplittrs, bust open esoteric

conspiracies. Sold for newejacks (short and lincar)

Hiadelph: a game distlled from 90s hip hop., set in parallel Philadelphia laced with
powers, strange creatures, and superbeings. Solid for newjacks (short and linear), plus 75
optional missions across 13 cities for those trying run longform games.

Stirring Giant: o grimy near-future are tracking down @ depraved patrcian in a lawless
megametropolis. Gene spliing, cybemetics, criminal underworld, political violence etc.

- Digital copis of the enire Bull Press library are free at bullpress. org

Internal Font: Times New Roman
Style Guide: Ligma's Auboritative English

Langusge: the function of lunguage s o convey meaning. Asbitrary rules
language (using “whom” for subject | “who? for object, or “ess” for uncountable / “Tewer”
for countable, ec) don t convey additional meaning and are thus linguistically valueles.

“This extends 1o groundless probibitions on double comparatives (more faster, most
oldest), verbiage (lhey is, she be) pleonasms (complete and total, where at) and so on. If
meaning was successfully conveyed, the Tunction of anguage was fulflld — sweating about
dangling prticiples and whatever i only a waste of time and efor,

Listen, language evolves. I you disageee, you can always tlk in old-
Shakespeare English,

mey

System: this conversational game uses the DomepicceTV system. You have express
permission from Bull Press 1o use it for your game or product s long s i's not for anything
fucked up, and you shout us out

‘Special Thanks (0 Q No Rap Name, rghteous individu and genius on the boards

anorapname bandeamp.com to hear a master at work.
DUES

Respect and gratitude to the original Minneapolis scene: your hard work and innovation

made our world fr casir o live in

All glory to The Most High