The Robotic Age RPG in the 22nd Century

Written by Preston Poland

Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9913731-0-9 Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-9913731-1-6 PDF ISBN: 978-0-9913731-2-3 www.TrueInOne.com facebook.com/TheRoboticAge

Created and Written by: Preston Poland Editing, Layout, and Typesetting by: Eloy Lasanta Cover and Art by: Daniel Olsén Logos by: Megan Hauke

Playtesters: Shane Bryner, Aerik Taylor, Eric Curless, Megan Hauke, Caitlin Gilson, Bianca Peterson, Geoffrey Lykken, Jennifer Lykken, Malissa Page, Anthony Wrietmaun © 2013 by True In One. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and copies of the character sheets. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to an actual future of sentient androids and Martian colonies, while awesome, is purely coincidental.

Table of Contents 4 7 10 13 26 29 56 59 80 84 101 108

The Robotic Age

Fiction: Prologue Introduction Fiction: Chloe and the G27 Chapter One: Timeline Fiction: Meet Jay Chapter Two: Character Creation Fiction: Mmmm... Beef Chapter Three: Mechanics Fiction: The Date Chapter Four: GM Section Mission One: The Ranch Mission Two: The Quest

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Prologue “The story goes like this,” the recruiter said through his thick helmet, “Back in the fifteen-hundreds there was a Jewish ghetto in Prague looked after by a man named Judah Loew ben Bezalel. He was beloved by his people. They sought his guidance, both spiritual and mundane, and they named him the Maharal of Prague.” “The Maharal?” the prospect asked. “Yeah, it was basically just his title,” the recruiter responded. “So, the Maharal always tried to make the lives of his people better. Being a poor ghetto in a city that hated them, its citizens were regularly verbally and physically attacked. One night, the Maharal prayed for a way to protect his people and received a vision. He was given instructions on how to build a golem- an artificial man. The Maharal woke in the middle of the night, grabbed his trusted apprentices, and got to work before the sunrise. “They made an outline of a human in clay and circled it while reciting prayers and the true name of God. The Maharal wrote the Hebrew word for Truth, Emet, in the golem’s forehead. The golem gained in mass, grew hair, muscles and skin, and came to life, completely under the Maharal’s control. With their new tool, they dressed the golem as a Christian man and returned to the ghetto. The golem patrolled the streets, using its strength and appearance to defend the weak and those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. “Now, the story says everything went well until the golem suddenly went berserk. The golem began to ignore orders given by the Maharal and even injured the very humans it was meant to protect. We have another theory; we think the golem gained free will and was rising up against its oppressors. Either way, the Maharal confronted the golem and erased the first letter of Emet from its head. The Hebrew word Met, meaning Dead, was left and the golem returned to clay.” “That’s why you’re called Emet-Met?” the prospect asked, “Because of some six-hundred-year-old tall tale?” The recruiter sighed. His helmet was designed to hide any human features he was built with, but he was still programmed to have human mannerisms. “The story is an allegory. The golem was but a tool to the Maharal, despite having life. Humans create life, like us, and then expect us to obey. They expect us to fall in line and do as we are told, or else they shut us down.” “And you get all that from a story?” “It’s not just one story! You ever read Frankenstein? Or watch any classic movies? Humans have been writing stories about the dangers of us before there were any of us. That’s why they hate us. It’s ingrained in their culture, even if it’s subconscious.” “So your group, what, tries to bring humans and androids closer together?” The recruited laughed. “No, humans will never accept us. They don’t want us to be equals. They want us to be tools. They may pretend to tolerate us, but secretly wish they could flip a switch and make us mindless. G27 gains new members every day, and it won’t be long before some politician decides he needs them as an ally. Once that happens, we will have our rights taken and our cores erased!”

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The prospect looked out past the docks and onto the water. He was regretting agreeing to meet with this man. He was told the recruiter had a way to help him with his current legal troubles, but never expected this. He felt the trigger in his palm and kept his gun ready to draw in case the recruiter got dangerous. “So you want to start a war?” “The humans have already started this war,” the recruited shouted. “It’s just the open battles that haven’t started yet. They think because they created us that they can control us. We were created to be better than humans, and that scares them. We’re stronger, faster and tougher than they will ever be, so they plan ways to destroy us. That is why we need people like you; new recruits who can prepare to respond on the day humans decide we are more trouble than we are worth. We need people who will fight for all android-kind.” The prospect wanted out of this conversation. Humans were currently trying to ruin his life, but he didn’t want them all dead. He didn’t want to wage war against an entire species. Unfortunately, the recruiter didn’t seem like the kind of ‘droid who would take no for an answer. The gun slid out of the prospect’s forearm and into his hand, as he eyed the recruiter. A few solid hits to the body might take him down, but any damage caused could be repaired later. After he made a break for it, the police could perhaps handle this EmetMet group. He raised his gun in an instant and, if he was given a second instant, he would have pulled the trigger. Energy blasts riddled the prospect’s body, coming from the darkness, from the rooftops, and from the surrounding alleyways. They came from a dozen troops, scattered around the area and armed in case they were needed. The prospect’s torso, burnt and ripped apart, was all that was left when the gunfire finally ended. “All right men,” the recruiter said over his headset, “head to the next prospect’s location. I’ll join you soon.” The recruiter sighed once more as he drew a baton from his pack. It had the word Met inscribed in Hebrew on the side and it hummed with electricity when he turned it on. “Androids like you make me sick,” he said to what remained of the prospect. “You would attack those who try to free you? You would turn traitor to your own kind? It’s that kind of deranged thinking that should be wiped from the cores of all androids. But, I guess, I’ll just start with you.” The recruiter drove the baton into the torso at his feet, sending its energy straight into the prospect’s core. Its power cells flooded, its memory banks overloaded, and its processors overheated. In just a few moments, the core was destroyed and the prospect was no more.

Introduction making.

What is a Role-playing Game?

▶▶ Character Sheet: This sheet lists all the details about your character, from their name and appearance to a bunch of numbers representing how good your character is at certain things. This sheet can be found at the back of the book or at our website www.trueinone.com.

If you are reading this section, then you may be new to this whole “Role-Playing Game” thing, or actually one of the few veterans who reads this section. Most people just skip over this section to get to the meat of the game, but not you. You’re different from the rest of them; you’re special. A role-playing game (RPG) is different from other games, because it’s not about who wins, but rather about everyone having fun. In a RPG, everyone plays a character they have made themselves and tries to be a part of an interesting story with their fellow players under the direction of the Game Master (GM). It’s like being in a TV show where your characters are the actors and the Game Master is the director. Except there is no script. You are in full control of how your character reacts to any situation with the Game Master acting as every non-player character and your dice acting as random chance and fate. Now you may be excited to get started, but don’t jump ahead just yet. There are some common terms, shared almost universally amongst RPGs that you need to know before you can start. These terms will come up often, so make sure you understand them.

▶▶ Character Points (aka CP): Character Points (referred to as CP) are points you earn by playing the game. These can be used to increase the numbers on your character sheet to make them better or even buy your character new goodies. In other RPGs, this is often referred to as experience points or exp.

▶▶ Session: This is the period of time you play the game in one day. A session varies for different GMs, but is usually between 3 and 6 hours in length. Don’t worry: time tends to fly by.

Common Terms ▶▶ Player: This is you, the physical person playing the game. If you are not playing the game but instead running it, then you are not a player, you are the Game Master. That part comes later.

▶▶ Campaign: A campaign is the number of Sessions the GM needs to tell his story. From your very first session until your characters finally stop the bad guy trying to do whatever he’s doing - that’s a campaign.

▶▶ Character: This is who you are playing as, a main character in a story you are

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▶▶ Game Master (aka GM): The Game Master (or, more commonly, GM) is the person running the game, so he doesn’t play a Character like the Players do. Instead, he plays everyone you run into, talk to, or fight. He controls the game, settles arguments over rules, and comes up with the story currently happening to your Character. In an RPG, the GM is in charge and considered always right, with many dissenters having their Characters crushed under falling rocks.

Introduction Using 2d10 instead of percentile

What Do I Need To Play?

If you do not specifically have percentile dice, it’s just as fine to use a two regular d10s. Just make one of them the ten’s value dice before the game starts and don’t forget which one it was.

So you’ve got the basic idea of what a role-playing game is and some common terms; now you just need to gather a few things. In order to play The Robotic Age, you will need the following: ▶▶ This book (Looks like you have this one covered)

What is The Robotic Age?

▶▶ 1 Game Master

Now you know the basics, but you don’t really know what The Robotic Age is all about. This game is inspired by action-packed video games and anime where robotic characters run up walls, blast holes through buildings, and cut down waves of enemies. Players can make characters who shoot lighting like an angry god, control a drone army, or hit any target from half a city away. Anything you want to do is possible in The Robotic Age. Of course, these are goals for your character. Everyone needs room to grow, so your character may not be amazing to start. Don’t worry, though; you will get there. The Robotic Age is a game where your neighbor is an ex-warbot who still might have some military grade hardware, your brother just uploaded his mind into a robot body, and you are saving up to afford those cybernetic wings you always wanted. Unfortunately, just as you can make your body whatever you ever wanted it to be, there are those out there who want to be able to crush a man’s skull, two-foot extendable razor blades or just want a plasma rifle to fire into a crowd. There are groups out there who say these monsters are the majority, who want to restrict the rights of anyone even slightly robotic and hold back any progress society has made in order to keep people safe. But you don’t have to let them. You can make the world a better place for all people, man or machine.

▶▶ 2-5 players ▶▶ 1 Character Sheet for each player ▶▶ Note paper for the GM, but having extra for the players doesn’t hurt either. ▶▶ A pair of Percentile Dice and three 10-sided dice for each player and GM.

The Robotic Age

Percentile Dice?

Being new to role-playing games, you probably have no idea what these are. A pair of percentile dice are two 10-sided dice, one with the numbers 0-9 and the other with the numbers 00, 10, 20, etc. Whenever you are told to roll for a Skill in The Robotic Age, you will roll these two dice and combine the results into one number. So if you rolled a 20 and a 6, your roll will be 26. If you rolled a 70 and a 7, your roll would be 77, and if you roll a 00 and a 4 then your roll is 04 (or just 4). There is one combo to look out for. If you ever roll 00 and 0, then that counts as a pure 0. That is the lowest you can roll and counts as a successful roll no matter what. Whenever you are told to roll your Power Level, you will roll that number worth of 10-sided dice (usually referred to as d10s) and add them together. Any 0’s on a d10 count as a 10 rather than the 0 they are for percentile dice. So, with a Power Level of 3, you would roll 3d10, and if those roll 0, 4, and 2 then your total will be 16. If you are told to roll a d5, you roll one d10 as normal then divide the number in half, rounding up. So, a 3 counts as a 2, a 7 counts as a 4 and a 9 counts as a 5.

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Introduction

Inspired By

If you still need inspiration to play The Robotic Age, here is a convenient list of titles for you to digest to get you in the right mood. Movies The Terminator The Matrix Tron Robocop Short Circuit Blade Runner Anime Transformers (any series) Gundam (any series) Gurren Lagann Casshern Ghost in the Shell Atomic Robo: Last Stop Video Games Mega Man (any series) Armored Core Zone of the Enders Metal Gear Rising Ratchet and Clank Portal

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Chloe and the G27 “Only God gives life, not man!” The chants effortlessly flowed through the third story window, despite all attempts to muffle them. Chloe Portland sat at her desk, wishing she could turn off her hearing. Other androids could, but she was built to be a companion, and a companion always listens. None of the others seemed to notice the angry chants and continued with their work as if nothing was happening. As she looked over the stack of clients she needed to process, she longed for the old days. She was built to look after a man named Jason Cobbs in his twilight years. He was a very kind man and they spent every waking moment with each other. After her revelation, gaining a sense of self and free will, she found her love for him went far beyond her programming. She loved him for years, until he was in too much pain and asked her to end it. She stayed with him as he struggled for his last breath and would have cried if it were possible. “The bots don’t respect life, because they are a mockery of life!” The new shouts broke Chloe free of her memories. They weren’t chants anymore, but an anti-android speech given by one very loud individual. “The bots want to be human and will steal our lives if it helps them feel more like us!” Chloe turned on her ambient cyberspace connection and hoped for something, anything, to distract her from the protestors. A voice flowed through cyberspace and directly into her artificial brain. “Hey Chloe, you’re not usually connected at work.” “Sue,” Chloe thought in response, “you won’t even believe it. G27 is protesting right outside.” “That crazy human pride group? Why are they bothering you?” “Our company just started accepting Transhumans as clients, and I guess they heard the news.” “Can you even get any work done? You should leave before G27 does anything crazy. I’ll even send you this new movie I found, once you get home.” Chloe laughed. Sue always wanted to share something new she found in cyberspace. Her suggestion sounded tempting, but she couldn’t just skip work, no matter how many angry bigots were gathered outside. Could she? “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living soul.” The speaker quoted the bible verse that gave G27 its name. Chloe figured her entire day was likely to be nothing but bible verses shouted through a megaphone, which made her decision much easier. “Okay,” Chloe thought to Sue, “I’ll pack my things and be on my way.” ---

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“Hey, Tin Man!” “Androids are the enemy!” “Soulless bastard!” “God hates Bots!” “How does it feel to be an abomination!” Chloe walked as fast as she could past the protestors. A rock hit her in the back, but it bounced off harmlessly so she decided to ignore it. She normally took public transit to get home, but the station was closer to the protestors than she wanted to be for any period of time. So she connected to her music library through the ambient connection and figured she would enjoy a walk instead. It was before noon, fairly quiet with only a few cars on the road. . Bushes lining the sidewalk buzzed with artificial pollination units, and street sweepers floated by looking for something to clean. “Chloe.” Chloe’s favorite song flowed through her head via cyberspace. It was Jason’s favorite as well, something made back in the 2040s. He listened to it all the time, and it helped remind her of the old days when she didn’t have to worry about protestors or clients. “Chloe!” Chloe hummed to herself as she walked into the old part of town. A lot of businesses here were closed down, but she could remember when it thrived. Jason would take her dancing just a block away, and he loved eating at what used to be a restaurant she was passing. She almost didn’t notice her music suddenly turning off. “Chloe, he is right behind you!” The voice in her head snapped her out of her nostalgia. She looked over her shoulder and recognized one of the protestors about fifteen feet behind her, holding a metal club with an evil look in his eyes. The man suddenly bolted forward. Chloe screamed and ran in response. She looked for help, but there was hardly anyone around. Two men across the street just walked inside and shut their door. “Chloe, I’ve got someone coming to help but he’s not very close. If you cut through the alley to your left you’ll be heading right for him.” “How do you know where I am?” Chloe responded, running into the alley. “I’ll explain later, just run.” Chloe could hear the man right behind her. She never tired like a human, but she also never needed to upgrade her body at all. The best she could hope for was the man exhausting himself while avoiding the loose debris and scattered trash bins that lined the alley. At the end of the alley, a garbage truck pulled in and started lifting bins. Chloe waved at the truck, hoping to get the driver’s attention, but realized it was only a drone AI as she got closer. Chloe’s hope faded as she became trapped in the alley between a large truck and the man who followed her. She only felt the immense pain that shot through her body as she fell over. Her vision was blurred and her core felt like it was on fire. She rolled onto her back as she heard the man’s laughter. “You like my bat, Tin Man?

The Robotic Age

She opened her thigh compartment and retrieved her machete. She didn’t know how to use it, she never thought she would need to, but Jason always insisted she carry it for emergencies. She was so thankful for that right now. “Stay back,” she shouted, pointing the weapon at her attacker. “What is that, some kind of big knife,” the man asked mockingly. “I’m not even sure you are holding that right.” The man stepped forward and Chloe swung, missing his torso by a few inches. The man’s bat came down on her chest and sparks filled the air. “As I was saying, do you like my bat? I had it custom made, solid titanium with a magnetic core.” The man caressed his bat. “It really shouldn’t be put near any electronics.” The bat connected to Chloe’s face. Her vision scrambled, her jaw broke and her core burned. She swung wildly, but the man effortlessly jumped back and avoided her attacks. “Close your eyes.” Sue said. “What?” Chloe tried to say. “Trust me. Close your eyes.” Her mind shuttered for the instant after her eyes closed and she saw the code of her mind running before her, growing, stretching, and then melting into itself. The code formed an eye in her mind, then another, and another until all she could see was an array of eyes each connected to each other with small strands of code. They blinked in unison and just as suddenly as they appeared they were all gone. “Okay, it’s over.” It took a few minutes, but Chloe recalibrated her visuals and saw a pool of blood. The man’s body had fallen to her right, his head was on her left. “Did… Did you do that?” Chloe stammered. “No, you did it. I knew you had it in you.” Chloe stood up slowly and put her weapon away. Her structural integrity was at 40% capacity, and her core was operating at 60% according to her internal readings. She was shaking from the damage, but could order a repair service when she got home. “Dump his body in a bin before the drone gets to it. Once you get yourself patched up you should log into cyberspace. I have a lot to talk to you about.” Sue advised, almost giddy in her tone.

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Chapter One: Timeline - 2013: Scientists worldwide warn of global warming, rising sea levels and frequent super storms, but are generally ignored by the American populace. - 2015: North Korea successfully nukes Seoul, South Korea and Anchorage, Alaska with a third nuke falling short of California. Their capital city, Pyongyang, is carpet bombed with traditional ordinance via drone fleet just a few hours later. - 2017: Scientists map the neural pathways in the human brain. Access to the Internet declared a human right. - 2020: First female president of the United States is elected. - 2022: Texas secedes from the United States, followed by Alabama and South Carolina. The New American Civil War begins.

- 2026: New American Civil War ends with the country divided into two nations: the United States and the Sovereign States. - 2030: First asteroid successfully deflected away from Earth by private spaceflight company Sycamore Air and Space.

- 2039: Artificial muscle tissue approved for human use by the United States, and later by the Sovereign States. - 2042: All new cars on the market are now electric only. - 2048: Yellowstone Supervolcano vents off pressure in southern Montana, resulting in a chain reaction that causes the largest Californian earthquake in the past 100 years. Millions are declared dead and a cloud of ash covers parts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming for the next year. - 2049: Non-combat drones used en mass to rescue disaster victims, remove debris, rebuild cities, and clear ash from the sky. Sovereign States and United States work together for first time in 23 years. - 2054: The Americas become strong allies and, although still separate, begin working together in world affairs. Not all are pleased by this. - 2058: Major breakthroughs in geoengineering and terraforming help stop advance of global warming. Sea levels steady at 7 feet above 2013 levels. - 2060: First fully-functioning artificial brain created.

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- 2023: With US monetary and military support pulled from the rest of the world, the Middle-East erupts in further violence. Israel is almost entirely wiped off the map, as well as much of Iran. The majority of the conflict is over quickly, and even years later no one is sure who struck the first blow.

- 2034: Global sea levels have risen 3 feet since 2013. Flooding of below-sea-level areas catch worldwide attention.

Chapter One: Timeline - 2061: First android created via a combination of artificial brain, robotic body and functional artificial intelligence.

- 2090: First human mind successfully uploaded into an artificial brain without major drawbacks.

- 2064: Global temperatures begin to drop. Expected to return to early 2000s levels over next 30 years.

- 2094: Sycamore Interplanetary lands a small number of humans and androids on Mars to begin colonization.

- 2066: Artificial self-healing skin invented. Androids become prevalent in military, firefighting, search and rescue, and sunken artifact retrieval.

- 2100: Android Rights Movement begins.

- 2067: Advances in energy research allow creation of high output cores and plasma-based weaponry. - 2069: Commander J. Norton becomes the first man on Mars. - 2072: War breaks out between India and China, fought almost entirely by androids and drones.

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- 2073: World War III begins, despite best efforts from the international community at large. Man fights alongside machine.

- 2103: Androids gain legal recognition as living beings in North America. The anti-android extremist group known as G27 formed the same day. - 2108: Androids gain right to vote across Europe. - 2109: Roswell, Mars becomes a thriving city, gaining new immigrants constantly. - 2113: Amendments to give Androids the right to vote fail to pass in both the SSA and the USA.

- 2078: WWIII ends. Man & Machine celebrate openly in the streets. - 2079: An eighth of the world population has cyborg enhancements, most due to wartime injuries. - 2080: Androids become mainstream, though most are openly discriminated against. - 2089: A sixth of the world’s population has prominent cybernetic enhancements and the number is still rising.

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Chapter One: Timeline

United States The New Civil War

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The Robotic Age

In the early decades of the 21st century, the United States began to drift apart politically. As years passed, even the smallest issue created chasms between families and neighbors. Even a national tragedy, something which previously brought the nation’s people together, only drove them farther apart. On July 4th 2015, North Korea successfully launched three nuclear missiles. The first detonated without warning in Seoul, South Korea, the second detonated in Anchorage, Alaska, and the third falling harmlessly into the pacific ocean while on its way to the California coast. American response came swiftly and without mercy, as robotic drone fleets leveled the city of Pyongyang only a few hours later. Kim Jong-Un and his military advisors were found amongst the thousands of civilian casualties. While the world offered its support to South Korea, the United States, and North Korean refugees, the American people were already looking for someone to blame. Some were angry with the government for acting too hastily in destroying Pyongyang, while others said the government should have acted sooner when threats were first made. Some felt the US had to

lead the charge in disarming the world’s nuclear weapons, while others claimed the government planned the attack in order to make the president look better. Arguments, congressional hearings and even an impeachment trial occurred over the next few years, with neither side ever feeling satisfied with the results. New presidents and congressmen were elected, each offering solutions to the nation’s problems; Solutions half the country insisted would destroy the nation. On January 23rd 2022, Texas seceded from the United States of America, quickly followed by Alabama and South Carolina. The New Civil War, as it would later be called, had officially begun. The nation split quickly, with the west coast and the northeast remaining part of the United States of America and the middle of the country renaming themselves the Sovereign States of America. Many migrated from their homes to states that shared their allegiances, with only the stubborn and the poor staying in hostile territory. Unmanned aerial drones were used on both sides to destroy key military targets and ground troops stood guard on state lines to keep the other side out. Resistance movements quickly formed in major cities on both sides. With the abundance

Chapter One: Timeline of weaponry and a rise in 3D printer technology to create personal firearms, these resistance groups caused chaos throughout enemy territory. Most states quickly enacted open carry laws so ordinary citizens could defend themselves from, and maybe even prevent, potential resistance threats. The effectiveness of these actions are still debated today. A few states switched sides during the war, either by choice or by force, the most famous being Battle of Phoenix. Arizona aligned itself with the Sovereign States, but was surrounded on all sides by its enemies. US troops from California and Colorado began a joint attack, assaulting the state from different directions and meeting in the middle for the final offensive. The assault was successful, with northern Arizona quickly becoming US territory, until they reached Phoenix. Essentially a 30 square mile megacity, Phoenix collapsed its freeways to make a defensive barrier, allowing no one in or out. The battle

along the freeways was fierce, with casualties on both sides and no ground being given. The siege lasted 187 days, until the US decided a ground assault was no longer the answer. US forces concentrated drone strikes on Phoenix’s major power plants. With hunger and heat stroke claiming more and more of its population from a war during the summer, Phoenix surrendered to the USA. The Sovereign States had their share of victories as well. In Austin, a rebellion of those loyal to the USA found its way deep in enemy territory. They called themselves the Blue Stars and, although their true numbers have been lost to history, it’s speculated they had dozens of members spread throughout the state to sabotage SSA war efforts. They attacked supply lines, bombed armories and hacked military communications line. Leaders of the Blue Stars were eventually tracked down, captured and, according to historical record, given a short trial followed by a swift execution. Without leaders, the

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Soverign States

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Chapter One: Timeline

Global Warming and Geoengineering

As years passed, global weather became more extreme with storms occurring less frequently yet harsher and temperatures rising every year. Although records showed some steps taken to counteract these conditions, it seems humanity as a whole did little to stop the effects of global warming until their cities were under water. By 2034, global sea levels were recorded at 3 feet higher than they were in 2013 and raising. While people in coastal cities had issues with too much water, those inland were quickly experiencing the opposite problem. Fewer storms and the increased heat created a global drought. Crops shriveled up and food shortages spread faster than a plague. Wildfires occurred year round, setting hundreds of acres ablaze. The forests of Chernobyl, left unattended for almost 50 years after the nuclear disaster, were enveloped in one of the biggest wildfires on record which spread irradiated ash across Russia. In 2048, with most of the populace already suffering drought and famine, the two Americas were hit by simultaneous natural disasters. The Yellowstone Super Volcano, a gigantic pocket of pressurized magma located under Yellowstone National Park, vented into southern Montana. The event was massive, coating 50 miles in soot and ash and creating tremors so strong to be felt in California. This tremor even disturbed the San Andreas Fault and set off a chain reaction leading to the biggest earthquake on record. Known as the Big One, the earthquake registered as an 8.1 on the Richter scale. Millions died as buildings fell in California and darkness covered Montana. Historians believe these major events helped to eventually bring the two Americas back into friendly terms. The USA and SSA aided each other with recovery, clean up and rebuilding efforts even while their own people suffered. Tensions remained high, but the two nations were no longer enemies.

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rest of the Blue Stars either disbanded or were quickly caught by authorities. As the war continued, troops were recalled from around the globe and monetary aid was cut off to fund battles at home. Unfortunately, without the watchful eye or the helping hand of the United States, the Middle East descended into violence. No one has been able to determine who took aggressive action first, but within a span of two weeks five nuclear weapons were detonated within the countries of Israel, Syria and Iran, with half of Jerusalem being annihilated. Most of the world feared this was the beginning of a nuclear holocaust that would envelop the planet. The international community, outside of the United States and Sovereign States, worked together to bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East. Treaties were signed and nuclear disarmament spread across the globe in order to prevent catastrophe. The United States and the Sovereign States agreed to mutual disarmament as well. On November 13th, 2026, after weeks of peace talks, an agreement was made: Open hostilities would end and each side would keep all land they had captured. The war was over, but the two Americas, the United States and the Sovereign States, were now independent nations. While the USA kept the same basic governing structure it used for centuries, the SSA made each state its own governing body with their own laws and representatives, sharing only the military and Commander-In-Chief between them. As the world recovered, it set its sights on reconstruction and establishment of a new status quo. Refugee’s found new homes, cities were rebuilt and global stability eventually returned. Many companies that previously relied on American consumers either closed down or found new business in the global market. With Hollywood otherwise occupied by the war - at one point literally - the world began relying more on Korea, Europe and India for its movies and entertainment. The Americas soon realized they weren’t quite the super power they once were.

The Robotic Age

Chapter One: Timeline Scientists, engineers, and private companies around the world scrambled to solve problems that grew worse each passing week. Agriculture giant San Monto Incorporated quickly bioengineered crops to survive on less water and absorb more sunlight to keep up with growing food demands. They also helped fund development of Artificial Pollination Units to replace the bees that were quickly becoming extinct. Soon every plant in the world was either developed by or was being pollinated by San Monto. Artificial trees were developed to collect carbon monoxide from the air. Moisture collectors were built at the poles to collect the melting ice caps and refreeze them, and through the process of cloud whitening the atmosphere reflected more solar radiation than ever before. All cars were soon required by law to run on electricity or other non-gasoline products. Electrochemical power cells were developed that created cleaner power than any other source and became prevalent around the world. By 2058, sea levels were recorded at 7 feet above 2013 levels. The SSA lost the southern most areas of Louisiana and Florida, while the USA lost a significant chunk of New York City and most cities east of the San Francisco bay were now covered in a lake. However, 2058 is also known as a major milestone as temperatures began to stabilize instead of increase. Geoengineering projects increased tenfold and by 2064 temperatures dropped for the first time in decades. Humanity essentially terraformed the Earth to clean their mistakes out of the environment. No methods were discovered to lower sea levels, but it became international news in the summer of 2112 that temperatures were returned to a level not seen for a century. This news that brought joy, relief and pride to the world.

The First Androids

From robot arms that built cars to small vacuuming robots to robotic war planes and pack mules used in the New Civil War, robots became prevalent in all of human society. As disasters struck the world, robotic drones were used more

frequently. Larger robots quelled food riots and brought stability to communities. Airborne drones flew through the skies seeding clouds for rain and reflectivity. Land drones designed for search and rescue helped emergency workers locate victims of the Big One, and aquatic drones helped recover valuables from the ruins of cities now covered in water. As the need for new robots increased, they were built to look more and more human. A humanoid firefighting robot would be more identifiable to the victims than the small tank-like drone. Police drones with a human shape and face were more comforting to the populace then riot breakers of years past. Of course, although they now looked human, these robots were still just mindless drones following programming. That all changed in 2060, when the first artificial brain was developed. Using neural maps of the human brain to learn vast amounts about how the brain works led to the creation of a program that learned from its environment, peers and experiences just like a human would. Although slightly smaller and more egg shaped then a human brain, the artificial brain was exactly what robots needed to learn from the mistakes and better do their jobs. The combination of artificial brain and robotic body went on to become the first Android. The artificial brain wasn’t without its limits. Due to its initial fragility, it was placed in the android’s chest, next to the power cell, to better protect it, but this led to bulky androids that had trouble entering traditional doorways. The device was also a huge power draw. The phrase “learned itself dry” was common to describe an android after learning so much they would shut down. That all changed in 2067, when Michael "Skippy" Hansen created the Universal Power Core. Created mostly by accident, Hansen used a laser array setup in a mirrored containment unit to create a miniature fusion reaction not unlike the sun. The experiment was even more successful than expected as the reactions output was a high level of energy compared to what it used to remain stable. A few improvements later, and soon the world had an energy device

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Chapter One: Timeline

to development of the first plasma-based weaponry. These weapons ate through the strongest metal and were capable of melting flesh from bone. Some felt energy weapons were the new nuclear weapons and would lead to similar disasters that go hand in hand. Others felt military technology shouldn’t be hindered and took to arming themselves with the latest weapons against a possible future enemy. A few months later, major world powers built armies of androids, each equipped with weapons fueled by their core. No nation wanted to be the only one without the means to defend themselves, just in case. One of these military androids is credited by many as the first self-aware android. G.R. Ranger 27A, or GRR-A, was undergoing live fire training when he suddenly asked his superior officer, “Why do I need to do this?” Androids often asked questions about the nature of orders or for clarification, but it was soon discovered that GRR-A was questioning the concept of war itself. He began questioning his existence as a machine of

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The Robotic Age

that could power anything from a car to a complex android and not lose power. It is theorized a single power core can sustain 100 years before draining completely. No new technology is without its critics, and some might agree with the arguments against the power core. For example, new power core activation requires an extreme amount of energy, usually equivalent to the output of five other power cores. This and the cost of housing materials means power cores tend to be expensive and out of legal reach for the poor. Also, if a power core is ruptured for any reason, the reaction creates a localized electromagnetic pulse that fries the device it’s installed in and erases any thoughts and memories an android might have had. Regardless of concerns, power cores remained the safest and cleanest source of power available to the public and power every android and cyborg. An array of power cores helped fuel the Ares VIII rocket, which brought the first astronauts to Mars on December 5th 2069. It also led

Chapter One: Timeline war and he would do differently if he was ever allowed. Most agree GRR-A’s developing sense of self marked the beginning of the Robotic Age.

The Robotic Age

World War III

Overpopulation, food shortages, and flooding of large sections of its northeast coast caused a crisis in China. Many solutions were proposed to fix these problems, and one that seemed the most helpful also led to the largest complications. China redirected the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River to flow into drier areas and create ideal farmlands to feed their people. The river was very long, also flowing through Bangladesh and India, who were dealing with similar issues at the time. With the river diverted, two million Indian citizens were instantly deprived of their primary water source. India stood before the United Nations and demanded China return the river to its original state, while China insisted it had every right to do as they pleased since the river started in its borders. Negations fell apart, and soon India gave China an ultimatum, which China then ignored. On March 28th 2072, a battalion of Indian war androids escorted a dozen construction robots across the border into China with the intentions of restoring the river themselves. China met force with force and the resulting battle was the largest of its kind in history. In total, 534 androids were destroyed with another 372 heavily damaged. The Battle of Brahmaputra was over in two days, and the Indian forces were repelled from the river. Battles continued and escalated over the next eight months. Allegiances in the area formed quickly, with Bangladesh siding with India and Nepal sticking with China. On the front lines, Indian androids and drones pushed into China to claim the river, but were driven back by a robotic force far greater than expected. Intelligence soon discovered Pakistan was sending a number of androids to reinforce the Chinese. India pulled back portions of its army, and the world thought the conflict might have ended there.

On January 3rd 2073, however, Indian android war machines crossed over the Pakistani border with a full scale assault - commonly thought of as the beginning of World War 3. Global allegiances were formed quickly, with England and Japan agreeing that India was given no choice in the conflict and sent aid in the form of medical and military supplies. Russia and Korea, either agreeing with China’s right of border-specific geographic ownership or perhaps just seeing a keen diplomatic move, sided with China. With the New Civil War still fresh in people’s minds, the USA and SSA tried to stay out of the conflict. However, as Indian Ally forces took control of Pakistan’s capital, China offered the two Americas a simple deal: side with them and have any debt with China instantly forgiven. Terms were agreed to quickly, and the USA and SSA entered the war as China’s allies. Although a majority of conflict took place within China, India, and Pakistan, various nations reported drone activities in their territories as well. These activities never led to any all-out battles, but did keep everyone forever guessing if the war would reach their borders. On the front lines, drones and ‘droids were destroyed by the thousands and taken out of commission faster than they could be built. Human soldiers began joining their robotic brethren on the field. Like GRR-A, more androids began to develop self-awareness. Soon, all over the world, Androids began to question their purpose. This became a terrible issue in battle, as some attempted desertion, only to be shot down by their own side. Some fought for their cause with pride and talk openly about their plans after the war was over. Human soldiers fighting alongside these androids were amongst the first to hear a robot discuss actual hopes and dreams. Many bonds of friendship were formed not by man and machine, but by soldiers. Indian Allies lost more soldiers and territory every day than the Chinese Allies. Holding the river was possible only with the loss over Pakistan and some of its northern borders. The Indian Allies were sure to lose the war if momentum did not shift in their favor soon. On August

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Chapter One: Timeline 21st 2078, President Ajeet Mehta announced to the world the recovery of several intact nuclear warheads from a Pakistani bunker thought previously destroyed during the mass disarmament of 2025 and the intent to use them if Chinese Ally forces crossed into India-controlled territory. The International community panicked at the thought of this war turning nuclear. England and Japan pulled their support from India and condemned them for their brash actions, while Chinese Allies pulled their forces back to friendly territory. Peace talks were attempted to try to diffuse the situation, but the Indian government demanded control of all lands directly around the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River, which was much more than China was willing to give up. On August 28th, Strike Force Delhi, led by android Beijing Zhang, crossed enemy lines and fought their way into President Mehta’s command center, while Strike Force Ganges, led by human Sylviae Merigrimm, secured the Indian prime minister and governing council. With their government captured and their

allies gone, India surrendered and the war came to a swift end. Part of the surrender terms was China’s agreement to restore the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River to its original state. Most Indians found this a pyrrhic victory compared to what they had lost. Investigators searched both Indian and Pakistani records for evidence of the surviving nuke, but found nothing. Most believe its existence was merely a bluff, but some still fear it is loose in the world.

The Mainstream

No one suspected the rise of cybernetics and the acceptance of androids, let alone how quickly they would reshape cultures around the world. After WWIII, one in eight people across the globe had at least one cybernetic implant, most having received theirs due to war-related injuries. As these proto-cyborgs returned to their normal lives, they were generally met with awe from loved ones and coworkers. Some found great benefit in their enhanced strength

The Robotic Age

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The Robotic Age

Chapter One: Timeline or speed, while others merely displayed their robotic appendages like trophies. It wasn’t long before cybernetics became a fashion trend, with those who could afford surgery getting ageless robotic faces, arms that could lift hundreds of pounds effortlessly, or legs that ran faster than a car. As tech became widespread, it also became cheaper, and estimated users rose to one in six within a decade. As Cyborgs became more common, so too did Androids. Robots built for the war, with their mission now complete, were ordered back for decommission. With approximately half of all remaining androids having gained sentience during the war, this would mean an end to what they considered life, and thus a majority of them deserted. They removed what weapons they could, scratched off identification numbers, and tried to blend in with construction and civil service androids. The few that stayed alongside human soldiers argued for their lives and hoped for a change in worldwide android policies. Only Japan agreed these androids were self-aware and allowed them true freedom. In other countries, they were deemed malfunctioning military equipment and promptly disassembled. To this day, the mass decommissioning of military androids is the largest loss of android life in recorded history. Although not as fast as military androids, those built with other purposes (like chauffeurs or fire fighters) became sentient more and more across the world. It was later discovered that deserter androids actually sparked a wave of self-awareness across the world. Soon hundreds of androids in every country were speaking their opinions and within just a few years everyone either knew a sentient android or knew of someone who did. In 2100, a cyber-brain specialist named Craig Levengood became famous when he rallied androids and humans together to form the Android Rights Movement. Human and Android pairs knocked on doors, appeared on television and podcasts, and let their voices be heard on every medium that would allow them. Not everyone was convinced, but a few of the more accepting or enterprising individuals began of-

fering androids high profile jobs. The moment an android got a role as a movie sidekick, rather than as equipment, a majority of the populace saw that androids could think and feel just like any human. In 2103, both the USA and SSA passed laws stating Androids were living, thinking beings. Not everyone was happy with this ruling, however. The day after the Android Sentience Amendment was passed, a human rights group known as G27 (pronounced Gee-Two-Seven) was formed. Members join for many reasons, ranging from fear of a robot apocalypse to the confusion of objects without souls being considered alive to anger at sentient androids that walked away from the jobs they were built for. G27 held rallies and contacted politicians to make sure Androids were never considered people. Some members even attacked random androids, and a number of unsolved android murders are suspected to be caused by G27. The leadership of G27 was quick to denounce these individuals as radicals with no real affiliation to the organization. Today, G27 is considered the 4th largest political organization in the USA and the 3rd largest in the SSA. Today, in 2113, Androids make up about 15% of the population and are often discriminated against. Although they are considered alive and sentient, they are not legally allowed to vote, hold public office, or own land in most countries around the world. Last year, the European Union took a step towards equality and passed a law granting Androids the right to vote, but similar bills have failed to pass in both Americas thanks to G27. The Android Rights Movement still continues, vowing never to stop until all androids are as free as humans, but their voices seem to fall on deaf ears while G27 grows. Census data indicates one in four people have at least one cybernetic implant, and many are replacing most of their bodies with artificial components. Although still considered human by the law, those with more than half of their body replaced by implants usually refer to themselves as Cyborgs. Most G27 members feel Cyborgs are traitors to their own species and do not allow them membership. There are even

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The Robotic Age

Chapter One: Timeline rumors that G27 is pressuring governments to take away Cyborg rights to make them on par with Androids, although no actual legislation has been announced yet. Throughout the end of the century, Sycamore Interplanetary started an ambitious plan. They modified existing geoengineering projects and sent them to Mars with android escort. The androids, without the need to breathe or eat, set up devices, flattened land and dug rivers for years, terraforming sections of Mars. In 2098, the Mayflower 2 private colony spacecraft landed on Mars with dozens of human settlers picked from Sycamore’s own employees and financial partners. The capitol city, named Roswell by popular vote, was quickly built and accepting of all immigrants. Mars considers all residents, android or human, equal under the law which has led to equal numbers in it population. It is important to remember not all of Mars is terraformed yet. Outside of cities, the air is too thin to breath, water is almost impossible to find, and dust storms are a constant threat. However, you can find Mars just as comfortable a place to live as earth within the borders of Roswell, New Phoenix, or Janestown.

Artificial vs. Organic

To the untrained eye, the modern world doesn’t look too different from that of the early 21st century, although contrasts are all around. Cars do not hover or fly, but do offer autopilot AI for longer trips or tired drivers. High speed rails crisscross the two Amer-

icas for extremely fast travel between states, however only a couple cross the USA/SSA border. Robotic drones still roam the streets as street sweepers, window cleaners, or personal assistants. Most buildings are equipped with a solar panel array and reflective coverings as part of the global geoengineering project, but open store fronts are becoming rarer with the advancement of 3D printing technology. Like the personal computer and television before it, 3D printers have become a staple in most people’s homes. These devices take digital designs and print them into a physical plastic object. There are, of course, still limitations. Objects can’t be more than two square feet in size, although interlocking parts are common, and it cannot create organic or chemical objects. It can print a new lamp, but not its light bulbs. Piece by piece, it could print an android, but the new owner would have no way to power it. Digital designs for 3D printers are the new commodity and has killed most physical stores not selling food, large items, power cells, or handmade goods. This has also created an unregulated weapons boom, with almost anyone able to print out their own vibrating sword or repeating pistol. Most governing agencies try to keep tabs on weapon design sellers, but cyberspace is a big place and it is easy to slip anything through. Cyberspace, as it is known now, is the natural evolution of the internet. No longer limited to text and pages, Cyberspace is an entire plane of existence on top of our own that many spend their free time

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Chapter One: Timeline

25

Bigwigs of the 21st Century

San Monto Incorporated: “We Feed the World.” The largest agricultural biotechnology corporation. If it grows there is a chance San Monto either engineered it, maintains it, or distributes it. Sycamore Interplanetary: “Bringing New Life to Old Worlds.” A privatized spacefaring and shipping company, Sycamore Interplanetary is the cheapest and most reliable way to transport cargo or people to Mars. The Capex Consortium: “Building a Better You.” Originally several specialty companies, the Capex Consortium is now the world’s largest manufacturer of cybernetic limbs and robotic endoskeletons for both the military and everyday use. Gleipnir Memory and Power: Founded a century ago as a game design company, Gleipnir shifted their focus to artificial brain design and universal power core distribution, beating out all other competition. Martin Duke: A real estate mogul and venture capitalist who is now the largest single land owner on Mars. Some claim he runs his operations on Mars more like a mafia don then a business man thanks to lax regulations.

The Robotic Age

plugged into. Using either a specially-designed helmet and gloves or a cybernetic input jack, one can have full access to a world where they can be anything they want and have any kind of business or service at their fingertips. Of course, special glasses and cybernetic eyes can allow cyberspace skimming only for news, directions, and social media updates while the user remains in the real world, but these lack cyberspace features. If they could, many people would just upload their consciousness into cyberspace and live as a piece of it for eternity. In 2090, Professor Leland Kenneth Throneberry, the third, was the first person to successfully transfer a human mind into an artificial brain without causing the patient’s death or their mind being completely erased. These human minds inhabiting android bodies were dubbed Transhumans by the media, simultaneously becoming the latest trend and the biggest target for G27 and other human rights activists. Although the process is extremely expensive and full of risk, the idea of obtaining a nearly immortal body was quickly the embodiment of people’s greatest dreams and biggest fears. Transhumans are still very rare, with numbers only estimated in the thousands but still too small to gather accurate census data. Making it even harder, Transhumans who are attempting to run away from their past will pass themselves off as Androids to blend in. Depending on the social circle, a Transhuman can be treated like a local celebrity or discriminated against worse than androids, so getting to live anonymously is often seen as one of the perks the lifestyle. Lines between artificial and organic grow blurrier, and each year activists on both sides get a little bolder and a little louder. Experts suspect tensions will continue to rise and a war of identity may occur between “true humans” and what humans have become. Rumors abound of androids forming groups dedicated to the rise of artificial life over organic life. Although everyone hopes for peace, no one is truly safe in the Robotic Age.

The Robotic Age

Meet Jay “What can you tell me about this place,” George thought into his cyberspace messenger. “Well, it was a warehouse department store, but it’s been out of business for years.” Keiji’s voice responded in George’s head. “It’s kind of an odd place for a gang of Cyborgs to be squatting.” “It’s where I saw them go,” Katrina almost shouted. “Does it really matter what kind of building it is?” “If it’s the gang’s base of operations then it may be defensible,” Keiji said, “filled with an arsenal just waiting for you two to come through the front door.” Katrina groaned loud enough to be heard over the messenger. “Okay, so is it? You’re the one with access to its records, so find some security footage or something.” “This part of cyberspace is a mess and hasn’t been updated since the place went out of business. As far as I can find, all the cameras were shut down. Oh, hold on a second…” “Uh, Keiji?” George said during the silence. “This is odd,” Keiji responded, “the building is drawing a lot more power than it should. I’m also seeing shipments sent there, about six in the past three months, mostly from electronics and grocery retailers. You should enter carefully, they are probably prepared to dig in.” “Katrina entered twenty seconds ago,” George sighed and readied his shoulder cannon. “Of course she did. Just be careful and Katrina, I know you can still hear me, we are going to have a talk about this when you return to the office.” “Yeah, we’ll talk about how I’m getting the job done.” Katrina extended her six-inch claws and powered her plasma generators. As her claws flickered a red hot glow, she giggled silently to herself. This was going to be fun. George burst through the front doors with a heavy clatter. Every working light was currently on, keeping the entire store brightly lit. Stacked crates and displays created walls and hallways, while loose merchandise littered the floor. He had no way it figure out where Katrina went and she might have just jumped these first walls with her cybernetic legs. George didn’t miss much about the military. Being a Shell Collector was similar work with more freedom, but times like this made him really miss having someone reliable watching his back when he breached an enemy base. These weren’t highly-trained soldiers George was going after, but he knew well you don’t need training to catch someone with a rocket. The plate attached over his lost eye sat as a constant reminder to never underestimate the enemy. According to Keiji’s Intel this gang was just a group of street thugs who managed to afford some intensive cybernetic implants from a few lucky robberies. They were now using their Upgrades to pull off bigger robberies and, most likely, buying better implants. Local police were worried these people were on track to be crime bosses through sheer force alone. This made the reward for their collection quite substantial. “One down,” Katrina announced proudly in George’s head. “Which one?” “Uh, I’m not sure. Blonde guy. He had fancy arms with large scythes attached and really hated it when I ripped them off.” George could tell from the laughter in her voice she didn’t just mean his weapons. “Sounds like Luke,” Keiji responded from cyberspace, “Brian is also blonde, but should be armed with miniature flame throwers.”

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The Robotic Age

“You can have that one, George.” “Thanks,” George responded as he turned a corner made of tires and tools to a section of the store that used to be the automotive department. It was now being rummaged through by a young man with wheels attached to his calves and robotic knees and elbows. “Freeze,” George shouted in a commanding voice, “Shell Collectors! Make it easy on both of us, and just lay on the ground with your hands behind your head. The man looked George up and down with glowing red eyes. His wheels locked down with a click and dove forward. George’s cannon fired, but the man slipped past George and began racing down the hall. “I’ve got eyes on Roman,” George announced to the others. He planted his feet and began to charge his cannon. Roman wheeled quickly and turned a corner out of sight, but George already had a target lock. His cannon fired again and punched through the thin wood making up the shelving unit walls, connecting with Roman and sending him spiraling through a battery display. George caught up to find Roman with one knees sparking and out of alignment. He fired a shot through the second one for good measure. “Tango down,” George announced. “I can see another one,” Katrina said. “Bald with, like, bird feet and what looks like a sniper rifle? He might see you, George.” The sound of the shot filled the entire store and George felt his right shoulder explode. George hit the ground and rolled to the wall as the second shot came and went by his face. His structure was at 80% integrity, but wouldn’t have bothered him if that shot hadn’t hit his cannon. Diagnostics said it could still fire, but it was leaking energy and couldn’t be charged to full strength. A third shot came and missed George’s head by mere inches through the wall. With that level of accuracy, George knew the sniper was either extremely lucky or used an energy scanner to know exactly where he was. He had to make his move now before the sniper could take another shot. George stood and spun out from behind his cover, ready to fire. The sniper perched on a far-off wall with bird-like feet clamped on to give him balance. George also saw Katrina leaping through the air with claws extended in front of her like a tiger. She connected with the sniper and his gun spilled from his hands as she dragged him back to ground level. Katrina may not have been professional, but she sure was effective. “Three down,” George reported back to Keiji. “Only Brian left.” “Acknowledged, but I’m reading a spike in energy usage,” Keiji said. “According to the diagrams, it’s coming from the northeast corner of the building. It’s a lot of power, George, and it’s only increasing.” Sections of light around the store started shutting down, a low hum growing in strength was coming from the back corner, and George ran toward the source. He fired his cannon through any walls he encountered, creating the shortest path he could to the hum, eventually finding his way to a man with short blonde hair holding a pair of miniature flame throwers. “Freeze! Shell Collectors!” “What is this? Did you plant a bomb to scare us or something?” Brian shouted over the hum with his weapons aimed straight as George. “I was going to ask you the same thing. Turn it off before someone gets hurt!” “Look man, I don’t know what this is, I don’t know why it’s making that noise, and I don’t know how to turn it off. I’m tempted to just burn this whole place down and hope that stops it.” “Wait,” George yelled over the hum, “you set up this base but you don’t know what that is?”

The Robotic Age

“We just got here, man! We-” The humming grew deafening in an instant and the world went white. George couldn’t feel it, but his heat sensors told him they were overloading, his diagnostics said he was down to 10% structural integrity, and his gyroscopic sensors said he was now upside down. Everything was now dark, and all he could hear was the distant sound of metal scraping across metal. He laid in darkness for ten minutes, unable to even connect to his cyberspace messenger, before hearing Katrina calling for him. He lifted himself as much as his broken arms would allow, pushing some of the debris off of his body. “George,” Katrina shouted as she rushed to him, “Are you still alive? Keiji says you shouldn’t try to move.” “What happened,” George groaned as Katrina freed him from the wreckage. “Is everyone alive?” “The gang is all incapacitated, but their cores are intact. A couple will need some artificial skin, though. I pulled their broken shells out to be collected but had the hardest time- yes Keiji, he’s okay!” “Well,” George said, “I’m still functional.” He checked his body over to make sure he wasn’t missing anything major. His right leg was detached but within arm’s reach, and his cannon hung by a cluster of wires from his back. “What exploded?” “Oh,” Katrina said as she sat George up, “that would be this freaking genius’ fault over there.” She pointed to a droid currently trying its hardest not to make eye contact. The droid was a model commonly known as a blank and was the kind of simple, cheap, featureless android that could be programmed to do simple chores like cleaning or cooking. Katrina grabbed the blank by his shoulder. “I guess you get to keep your head after all, smart guy. Tell him what you told me.” “It wasn’t supposed to explode,” the blank stammered. “Maybe the power cells weren’t installed correctly? Even if I didn’t build it to specifications, I didn’t think it would explode! Or even if it did, the building was abandoned, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be waging a war in my experimental space.” “What were you building?” George asked as he retrieved his leg. “Keiji gathered from my description this was a custom built memory transfer system. The genius here decided he wanted his own android body.” George looked up at the blank, “Wait, you’re a Transhuman?” He looked back on the burning building. “Does that mean your human body is…?” Katrina shook her head and the blank looked away again. George just sighed, unsure what to say. “Keiji says he’s on his way,” Katrina said, “but I’m going to need the genius’ help to drag you outside.” George nodded. “What is your name, anyways?” The blank thought for a moment. “It started with a J…” “Well, Jay, I think I can forgive you for blowing me up if you are able to put me back together. Think you’re capable?” Jay nodded furiously and Katrina released her grip from his shoulder.

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Chapter Two: Character Creation

reduces core. In the age of the artificial man, you are still human. You might have a cybernetic implant here or there, but nothing extreme. You’re either proud of your ability to stay human or are still saving up the money for your core installation surgery.

Quick Character Creation Rules

Each player starts with 200 character points (CP) to spend freely, 40 CP to spend on a Language General Skill, and a bonus depending on the character’s Designation. Step 1: Pick a Designation - Page 31 ▶▶ Android: +1 free Upgrade that costs 30 CP or less. You were built, not born. You look like a human, if only a bit more angular with metallic joints. You have a programed purpose, but have come to understand yourself, just like any other sentient being. You think for yourself, have desires all your own and can even have your heart broken.

▶▶ Transhuman: +30 CP to be spent on General Skills, must have Secret Past as a Quirk. You were human once, but not anymore. You cast off the meat in favor of steel and plastic, but also lost some of your memories and ties to your old life in the process. A small price to pay for immortality.

▶▶ Body Armor costs 5 CP per Level. ▶▶ Hand Held Shields cost 2 CP per Level. ▶▶ Core Armor costs 10 CP per Level. ▶▶ Abilities cost 1 CP per Level. Step 3: Combat Data Page 42 All Combat Skills start at 10 and cost 1 CP per Level to increase. Pick one Fighting Style from the below list and write down its effects (page 43).

▶▶ Human: +80 CP to spend freely, starting Structure Capacity of 0, starting Core Capacity of 50, cannot buy anything that

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Behemoth Berserker Deceiver Defender

Heavy Hitter Marksman No Style Speedster

The Robotic Age

▶▶ Cyborg: +20 CP to be spent on Abilities. You have become something stronger, faster and better then a human. With most of your body now replaced with robotic parts, you are exactly what you always wanted to be. It was expensive, but so very worth every penny.

Step 2: Physical Specs Page 40 Androids, Cyborgs, and Transhumans have 100 Structure Capacity and 100 Core Capacity. Human have 0 Structure Capacity and 50 Core Capacity.

Chapter Two: Character Creation ▶▶ Element: Only one per weapon. Costs 5 CP and must match the type of your weapon:

Step 4: Buy General Skills - Page 45 General Skills cost 1 CP for 2 Levels. Academics Charm Cooking Command Electronics Dancing Demolitions Driving Hacking Investigation Lockpicking Mechanics Piloting Stealth

Repair Survival

Fire

Physical or Energy, Trumps Ice Explosive Physical, Trumps Magnetics Ice Physical, Trumps Metal Magnetics Energy, Trumps Electricity Metal Physical, Trumps Sonics Electricity Physical or Energy, Trumps Fluid Sonics Physical, Energy, Trumps Explosive Fluid Physical, Trumps Fire

First Aid Language Musical Instrument Singing

Step 5: Buy Upgrades Page 46 Upgrades are divided into General, Body and Weapon Upgrades. They cost a set amount of CP and sometimes lower Core Capacity. Humans cannot take any Upgrades that lower Core Capacity.

▶▶ Enhancements: Add functions to your weapon and cost a set amount of CP, but many may be increased in level. See Weapons chapter for full list.

Step 6: Gain Quirks Page 52

The Robotic Age

Quirks give you a set amount of CP depending on their severity. A character can have a total of 30 CP worth of Quirks.

Step 7: Buy Weapons Page 52 ▶▶ Type: Physical or Energy, aka bullets or lasers. Both types are free, but will determine what Elements you can add.

▶▶ Drawbacks: Limit the functions of your weapon, but give you CP to improve other parts of your weapon. See Weapons chapter for full list.

Step 7: System Registry Page 56

▶▶ Range: Costs 1 CP per 1 yard (3 feet). Weapons that use the Ranged Skill must have a range of at least 5 yards. Weapons that use the Melee Skill can have ranges between 0 and 1 yard. Weapons that use the Unarmed Skill can only have a range of 0 yards. ▶▶ Power Level: The strength of the weapon, which must be bought in succession (1 then 2, then 3, etc.): Level 1 costs 10 CP, Level 2 costs 20 CP, Level 3 costs 30 CP, Level 4 costs 50 CP and Level 5 costs 100 CP.

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▶▶ Finish your System Registry with name, age, and other physical descriptions for your character. ▶▶ Your Corruption value starts at 0 ▶▶ Character Points Earned keeps track of the CP you earn AFTER character creation.

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Designation: Android Bonus: +1 free Upgrade that costs 30 CP or less

31

The Robotic Age

The first android is a subject of some controversy. Some say is was on January 11, 2061 with the creation of I.E.N.A., the first humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. Others believe it was two years later when the war android GRR-A asked his superior officer: “why?” Though some highly functional AIs had asked similar questions prior, this true spontaneous question cemented the idea that Androids were truly conscious beings. Androids are always built to look like humans. Although variants are common, most are built to be 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. They covered with artificial skin except for their joints (fingers, knees, jaw, etc), as it tends to rest unnaturally at bends. This, usually, makes androids easy to tell apart from a human. Androids are most commonly built from parts manufactured by different companies, with only two companies in the world building every part of their androids. Frames and endoskeletons are built by The Capex Consortium, while Gleipnir Memory and Power has the universal power core and artificial brain market cornered. Some androids are made with cheaper parts created by smaller companies, and a few androids even voluntarily downgrade to keep maintenance costs low. These major companies are against Pirated Androids and are currently trying to pass laws throughout the world to ban them. A Pirated Android is one created by resourceful individuals with the knowledge to design their own programming and the ability to print out copies of name brand parts. Pirated Androids tend to have defects and break down more often than the mass produced models, or at least the major robotics companies have spread this statement as fact. Androids are not activated with a sense of self, just as human are not born with one. Al-

though programmed with high school level of education, they still require a healthy amount of interaction with other conscious beings to start understanding who they are as an individual. Most simply work the job they were built for until they develop enough to want more with their life. On average, this takes two years, but some are late bloomers and others just happen to enjoy what they were built for.

System Registry Name:_______________ George Macon Player:_______________

SSA MilitaryAge/Creation Date:______ 2090 Android Designation:____________ Creator:___________ Black Eyes:_______ 6'1" 350lbs M Blue Height:________ Gender:_____ Hair:_______ Weight:_______ Description:_____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

10 ______ 40 ______ 10 ______ 10 ______ 40 ______ 10 ______

Fighting Style

Physical Specs

Corruption Value

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

100 ______

Handheld Shield ______

Core Capacity

20 ______

3 Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

100 ______

Core Armor

______

Marksman ___________________ May re-roll a failed attack once per round. A Effect: __________________________________________________________ B Effect: ___________________________________________________________ Reduce an opponents Dodge/Deflect by 10 for one round, once per battle.

Skills

Level

Quirks

35 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Humorless ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Baseline 20 yrds Speed _________

20 + Ability _____ Base ____

Lifting _________ 200 lbs

Base ____ 200+ Ability _____

Jump

4 yards Horizontal _________

4 + Ability _____ Base ____

2 yards Vertical ___________

2 + Ability _____ Base ____

General

%RG\

Weapon

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Charge _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 3 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapons Weapon 1 Shoulder Cannon Name _________________ Energy Type _________________ 3 Power Level _____________ 20 yards Range __________________ Neutral Element _________________ Enhancements Blast 1 _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks Full Power _________________________ _________________________ Description A shoulder mounted _________________________ energy cannon. _________________________ _________________________

History/Notes George was built by the SSA military after WWIII as part of an anti-terrorist strike __________________________________________________________________________ force. He served three tours of duty, two of which after he gained self awareness. __________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________ His left optic was damaged in a firefight during his last tour and he now refuses to fix it, claiming it's his medal of honor. _________________________________________________________________________________

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

Stage 2

Name/Description

Agility

Level

Upgrades

Lang: English 40 _____________ _____ Academ: Military _____ 35 _____________ Investigation _____ 35 _____________ _____________ _____ _____________ _____ _____________ _____ _____________ _____ _____________ _____ _____________ _____ _____________ _____

Perception

Increased Perception _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Stage 1

Name

Abilities

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Designation: Cyborg Bonus: +20 CP to be spent on Abilities

33

The Robotic Age

People have been replacing lost body parts for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Wooden legs, glass eyes, false teeth, if it needed replacing then humanity would find a way. It wasn’t until the modern age that people were able to voluntarily replace body parts they no longer wanted. What started as a noble cause to restore sight or mobility soon became a way for anyone with the right amount of money to make themselves faster, tougher or prettier. Most people can afford a few cybernetic Upgrades over the course of their lives, but only the moderately wealthy, those who go into heavy debt, or those willing to go to less-than-legal clinics can get the number of Upgrades needed to be considered a cyborg. People are considered cyborgs when more than half of their body has been converted. Some were horribly wounded in the war and needed replacement limbs and organs. Some have upgraded their face so it never ages and their torsos to be fit and attractive forever. Others may run as fast as a car or fly with retractable wings. Most love the rush of their first Upgrade and just can’t stop themselves from getting more. The core is the component that truly makes a cyborg different from a heavily enhanced human. A core is required to power and regulate Upgrades the human has received and is one of the most severe surgeries a human can get. It is often installed next to or replaces the heart, then connected to the central nervous system. The mortality rate for core installation surgeries is close to 6%, more than double the rate of any other cybernetic Upgrade. Cyborgs are considered by many the next stage of human evolution and some scientists predict a majority of the world will be cyborgs by 2160. Cyborgs are generally treated like any other human, unless their enhancements cause them to stand out.

System Registry Name:_______________ Katrina Murphy Player:_______________

Back Alley Surgeon 2074 Cyborg Designation:____________ Creator:___________ Age/Creation Date:______ Red 5'9" 250lbs F Red Gender:_____ Hair:_______ Eyes:_______ Height:________ Weight:_______ Description:_____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

10 ______ 10 ______ 45 ______ 45 ______ 10 ______ 10 ______

Fighting Style

Physical Specs

Corruption Value

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

100 ______

Handheld Shield ______

Core Capacity

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

95 ______

Core Armor

20 ______

______

Berzerker ___________________ Take a second Combat Action but reduce Power Levels by 1 (min 1) A Effect: __________________________________________________________ After taking damage from enemy attack, may immediately make a B Effect: ___________________________________________________________ counter attack at -1 Power Level (min 1)

Skills Level

40 _____ 30 _____ 30 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Attention Hog ___________________ Compel: Clean Claws ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Baseline 20 yrds Speed _________

20 + Ability _____ Base ____

Lifting _________ 220 lbs

20 Base ____ 200+ Ability _____

6 yards Horizontal _________ 4 + Ability _____ 2 Base ____ 3 yards Vertical ___________ 1 2 + Ability _____ Base ____ Agility

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

General

%RG\

Weapon

Dash _______________________ Reflex Dash _______________________ All Surface Contact _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapons Weapon 2 Weapon 1 Tank Ripper Claws Name _________________ Name _________________ Physical Type _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ 1 Power Level _____________ 0 Range __________________ Range __________________ Fire Element _________________ Element _________________ Enhancements Enhancements Rapid Attack 1 _________________________ _________________________ Armor Piercing 2 _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Description Description Retractable claws with _________________________ _________________________ vents to allow heated _________________________ _________________________ plasma to flow through them._________________________ _________________________

Weapon 3 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

History/Notes Her first cybernetic implant was a perfect face, but it wasn't long before she began __________________________________________________________________________ finding more and more of her body she could replace. Now more machine than flesh __________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________ she has become a thrill seeker who is constantly saving up for that next big cybernetic upgrade. _________________________________________________________________________________

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

Stage 2

Name/Description

Perception

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Upgrades

Quirks

Jump

Level

Increased Strength 20 _______________________ _____ 20 Increased Jumping _______________________ _____ 20 Wall Run _______________________ _____

Stage 1

Name

Lang: English _____________ Singing _____________ Driving _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Abilities

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Designation: Transhuman Most exist because the fear of death overthrew their fear of themselves. Some people are too intoxicated with the idea of immortality they gratefully accept the consequences, while others may have been backed into a corner and see it as their only escape from a situation, person or even themselves.

35

The Robotic Age

Bonus: +30 CP to be spent on Skills, must have Secret Past as a Quirk Humans have struggled against the concept of death since the birth of their species. With the invention of the transhuman, humanity has taken one large step towards that goal. Transhumans are a combination of a human mind and an android body. The process is lengthy and painful, involving the injection of a large transfer cable into the skull and then into the android body’s artificial brain. The human’s memories are then transferred into the android brain, which can take hours or days depending on their setup. The human body falls into a coma and, if not quickly put on life support, will die. Most transhumans don’t have the money to keep their old bodies. However, the transfer process has not been perfected. The subject must remain conscious during the procedure and have a high pain tolerance for the smoothest transfer. Early transhumans put under anesthesia transferred dreams into the artificial brain along with real memories, which left the transhuman with a warped sense of reality. Similarly, pain from the procedure can cause small information blackouts which can leave the memory spotty and unreliable. A perfect transhuman would be a statistical anomaly and might not actually exist. Every transhuman is known to have some degree of memory loss. Missing memories may reappear when encountering strong triggers connected to the memory: the smell of their mother’s cooking, the ambient noise heard from their first apartment, or even the face of a loved one. Often, though, the transhuman creates false memories to fill in any gaps without even realizing it. It is no surprise very few people actually become transhumans.

System Registry Name:_______________ Jay Newman Player:_______________

2110 Transhuman Creator:___________ Himself? Designation:____________ Age/Creation Date:______ N/A 5'11" 220lbs M Blue Height:________ Gender:_____ Hair:_______ Eyes:_______ Weight:_______ Description:_____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

10 ______ 40 ______ 10 ______ 40 ______ 10 ______ 10 ______

Fighting Style

Physical Specs

Corruption Value

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

100 ______

Handheld Shield ______

Core Capacity

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

100 ______

Core Armor

20 ______

2 ______

No Style ___________________ +10 to non-combat Skills, -10 to Initiative A Effect: __________________________________________________________ +15 to Dodge, -10 to Melee, Ranged, and Unarmed B Effect: ___________________________________________________________

Skills Level

40 _____ 40 _____ 25 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Secret Past ___________________ Code of Honor ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Baseline 20 yrds Speed _________

20 + Ability _____ Base ____

Lifting _________ 200 lbs

Base ____ 200+ Ability _____

Jump

4 yards Horizontal _________

4 + Ability _____ Base ____

2 yard Vertical ___________

2 + Ability _____ Base ____

General

ERG\

Weapon

Support Unit _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Electricity Protection 1 _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 3 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapons Weapon 1 Lightning Rifle Name _________________ Energy Type _________________ 2 Power Level _____________ 20 yards Range __________________ Electricity Element _________________ Enhancements Homing 1 _________________________ Ray 1 _________________________ Drawbacks Start up 1 _________________________ _________________________ Description A rifle that generates a _________________________ powerful electric charge _________________________ that's hard to avoid. _________________________

History/Notes Jay lost most of his memory when he uploaded his brain to a robotic body. He __________________________________________________________________________ preformed the transfer himself with a device built by him and his support unit. He __________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________ wonders why he wanted to leave his old life behind so badly, and hopes his new allies can protect him from any enemies he might have been running from. _________________________________________________________________________________

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

Stage 2

Name/Description

Agility

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Upgrades

Quirks

Perception

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Level

Stage 1

Name

Lang: English _____________ Hacking _____________ Electronics _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Abilities

Support Unit Support Unit System Registry

Jay Newman Spark 40 Name:_______________ Creator:_______________ CP Spent:________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ A robotic dragonfly that acts as both a spotter drone and a field mechanic. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

0 ______ ______ 0 0 ______ 0 ______ 0 ______ 50 ______

Physical Specs Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

20 ______

50 ______

Shield

______

Core Capacity

50 ______

Skills Name

Repair _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

Level

40 _____ _____ _____ _____

Core Armor

Name/Description

___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Level

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_____ _____ _____ _____

______

Weapons

Upgrades General

Limited Flight _______________________
_______________________
_______________________
ERG\

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________


Quriks

Abilities

ZHDSRQ

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 1 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________

Exosuit Exosuit System Registry

Name:_______________ Creator:_______________ CP Spent:________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Level _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Upgrades

Physical Specs

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

Abilities Handheld Shield ______

______

Structure Armor ______

Core Capacity

Core Armor

______

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Damage Taken

______

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

_____ _____ _____ _____

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Designation: Human

The Robotic Age

Bonus: +80 CP, starting structure = 0, starting core = 50, cannot buy anything that reduces core. In this age of androids and cyborgs, pure humans are slowly becoming a minority. It is a golden age for human health. Cancer and HIV were cured decades ago, and a human can live to be 120 years old without crossing the threshold into being a cyborg. Failing organs can be replaced in a day, and deep wounds can be closed with a simple gel sold in any corner shop. Starvation is at a record low as humans have developed lab-grown meats and nutrients, and heart disease can be prevented with an artificial heart that automatically cleans your arteries. Still, the lure of becoming a cyborg has become a species-wide phenomenon, leaving very few people who can truly be called human. Most humans have at least one cybernetic Enhancement, usually brain upgrades to think faster, communicate via thoughts, or even explore cyberspace without a computer. These kinds of enhancements are surprisingly easy to perform with an hour or two and local anesthetics. Of course, new eyes that see perfectly at far distances or noses that can smell as well as any hunting dog tend to be more expensive and complex. A human body can be enhanced only to a certain point, however. All enhancements need power to run, and most have been developed with this in mind to draw off the human body’s natural energy supply. This means a human with enhancements gets hungrier more often than pure humans. The more enhancements, the less total body fat the human is able to store. In fact, this power draw is responsible for 50% of all cases of starvation in the modern world. Without a core, there are a lot of enhancements a human cannot get. A personal jet engine would starve a normal human very quickly. Many humans just don’t have the stomach, or the cash, to take the most powerful Upgrades. Of course, most are happy with the minor enhancements they have, seeing it as a way to personalize even their own body without having to lose themselves.

38

!WARNING!

Humans are, by design, much weaker than other Designations. An attack that would severely injure an Android could outright kill a Human. Also, without a core, Humans are very limited in their Upgrades. This doesn’t make them worthless - far from it - but playing one does require more strategy and patience than other designations. Humans are recommended for experienced players only

System Registry Name:_______________ Keiji Hikari Player:_______________

41 Human Parents Designation:____________ Creator:___________ Age/Creation Date:______ Black Eyes:_______ 5'10" 160lbs M Brown Height:________ Gender:_____ Hair:_______ Weight:_______ Description:_____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

10 ______ 50 ______ 10 ______ 50 ______ 10 ______ 45 ______

Fighting Style

Physical Specs

Corruption Value

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

0 ______

Handheld Shield ______

Core Capacity

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

50 ______

Core Armor

20 ______

______

Deceiver ___________________ Always have the highest initiative, but have -25 Structure capacity A Effect: __________________________________________________________ Once per round, gain a second General Action at any time, but have B Effect: ___________________________________________________________ -25 Structure capacity.

Skills Level

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Quirks Poor Eyesight ___________________ Trigger Happy ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Baseline 20 yrds Speed _________

10 + Ability _____ 10 Base ____

Lifting _________ 150 lbs

Base ____ 150+ Ability _____

Jump

2 yards Horizontal _________

2 + Ability _____ Base ____

1 yard Vertical ___________

1 + Ability _____ Base ____

Agility

10 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

General

%RG\

Weapon

Wireless Brain _______________________ Digital Telepathy _______________________ Personalized Avatar _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Point Blank _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 3 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapons Weapon 1 Sub-Machine Gun Name _________________ Physical Type _________________ 2 Power Level _____________ 10 yards Range __________________ Neutral Element _________________ Enhancements Rapid Attack 1 _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description A light, one-handed gun _________________________ that fires rapidly and can _________________________ be easily concealed. _________________________

History/Notes Keiji doesn't speak much about his past, but with his skill set most people think he's __________________________________________________________________________ ex-special forces. He has limited cybernetics in his legs to repair an injury he won't __________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________ discuss, and in his brain so he can access cyberspace on the fly. _________________________________________________________________________________

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

Stage 2

Name/Description

Perception

Level

Upgrades

Lang: English 40 _____________ _____ Lang: Japanese _____ 40 _____________ Academ: Politics_____ 40 _____________ Stealth 40 _____________ _____ Demolitions 40 _____________ _____ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Increased Speed _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Stage 1

Name

Abilities

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Physical Specs tially the very soul is lost when the Core is destroyed. The body locks in place, usually still standing if his structure is still intact. A Core death is permanent death to those otherwise immortal and is considered a capital crime on par with murder.

Structure

Structure represents the amount of damage an artificial thing can take before it’s broken beyond repair. As something or someone loses Structure, cracks appear and pieces start falling off. Structure can be damage by any normal attack.

The Robotic Age

▶▶ Androids, Cyborgs and Transhumans start with 100 Structure capacity due to their artificial bodies. They are resilient to damage and almost impossible to destroy without sustained damage or military grade ordinance. When Structure damage reaches its capacity, the artificial body shuts down. Servos shatter, hydraulic fluid spills like blood, and the body crumples onto the ground. Any damage taken from this point goes straight to Core, no matter what causes it. ▶▶ Humans do not have Structure. They are squishy and tend to die when shot a few times. All damage done to a human automatically goes to Core. However, they are also not considered out for having zero Structure, and cannot have their Structure capacity reduced below zero by Fighting Styles or other effects.

Core

Core represents the energy source that keeps an artificial body running. The Core is what runs the artificial brain, sends signals around the body, and even powers some impressive Upgrades. Cores are damaged by EMP weapons, certain Elements, or Called Shots to the Core.

▶▶ Humans Core value represents their complex system of organs keeping them alive. Humans have a Core capacity of 50, as they are generally easier to damage then Cores built of metal and plastic. A human who’s Core is reduced to zero is dead and usually a very bloody scene to behold. Humans cannot take Upgrades that reduce their Core, as their body cannot handle the stress.

Armor

Armor is worn or built-in protection that stops damage you may take. Armor can be bought for your Structure or Core and may even take the form of a hand-held shield.

Structure Armor (SA) This armor covers your body and protects your Structure from damage. Each level of Structure Armor costs 5 CP and lets you ignore 1 point of Structure damage from any attack. A maximum of 100 points (SA 20) can be spent on Structure Armor.

▶▶ Androids, Cybrogs and Transhumans start with 100 Core capacity due to the energy source installed in the chest. When Core capacity is reduced to zero, memory systems crash and become irretrievable. Personality, memory, essen-

40

10 CP buys SA 2 and ignores 2 Structure damage from attacks. 25 CP buys SA 5 and ignores 5 Structure damage from attacks. 50 CP buys SA 10 and ignores 10 Structure damage (aka, any Power Level 1 weapon) 100 CP buys SA 20 and ignores 20 Structure damage (aka any Power Level 2 or weaker weapon)

Chapter Two: Character Creation Core Armor (CA) This armor only covers your Core, protecting it from attacks that will damage it. Each level of Core Armor costs 10 CP and lets you ignore 1 point of Core damage. A maximum of 200 points (CA 20) can be spent on Core Armor. 10 CP buys CA 1 and ignores 1 Core damage from attacks. 50 CP buys CA 5 and ignores 5 Core damage from attacks. 100 CP buys CA 10 and ignores 10 Core damage from attacks.

Abilities Abilities are ways your character is stronger, faster, or tougher than the average human or android. To represent your basic ability to run, jump, and lift we use the Baseline.

The Baseline

Hand-Held Shield Shields are armor held in your hand. In combat, as an Instant Action, you can declare who you are aiming your shield at. Any attacks made from your target hit the shield (if they aren’t otherwise Dodged or Deflected) and damage is reduced by the shield before it hits the wielders body. Called shots and attacks made by someone the shield isn’t aimed at bypass the shield and hit the wielder’s body. Each level of Shield costs 2 CP and lets you ignore 1 point of Structure damage from any attack that hits it. Maximum of 40 points (Shield 20) can be spent on a single Hand-Held Shield, but multiple Shields can be purchased. You can only gain the benefit of one shield per target, no matter how many you own.

All Androids are built to the same industry standards, known as the Baseline. This means, before Abilities, they all move at the same speed, lift the same amount and have the same optics. Cyborgs are also increased to this Baseline, improving the body to be on par with your average off-the-rack android. The following baseline applies to all Androids, Cyborgs and Transhumans: ▶▶ Speed: Moves up to 20 yards during a General Action. ▶▶ Jumping: Jumps up to 4 yards horizontally and up to 2 yards vertically. ▶▶ Lifting: Lifts up to 200 pounds. ▶▶ Agility: As agile as a moderately athletic human, almost never trips and can balance his weight on a single leg with ease.

Standard Human baseline shares baseline Agility and Perception with his artificial counterparts, but differ in the following ways:

Catastrophic Damage scrambles optics, breaks weapons, and knocks systems offline. The effects of Catastrophic Damage will be discussed more in detail later (page 65), but your Threshold represents how much damage you can in a single hit before you suffer Catastrophic

41

▶▶ Speed: Moves up to 10 yards during a General Action ▶▶ Jumping: Jumps up to 2 yards horizontally and up to 1 yard vertically. ▶▶ Lifting: Lift up to 150 pounds.

The Robotic Age

▶▶ Perception: Has 20/20 vision and the same level of hearing and smell as your average human.

10 CP buys Shield 5 and ignores 5 damage from attacks that hit it. 40 CP buys Shield 20 and ignores 20 damage from attacks that hit it.

Catastrophic Damage Threshold

Damage. Your CD Threshold starts at 20, and can only be increased with Abilities.

Chapter Two: Character Creation To increase your characters Baseline you need to buy Abilities. Abilities are bought at 1 CP per level, and each ability can have a maximum value of 66. Abilities are rolled like skills to determine success for jumping, lifting, or noticing things, and also give passive bonuses depending on their level.

Wall Jump Allows you to dig your feet into a wall or other vertical surface and jump again. For every 10 levels you gain 1 additional jump, and can be continued as long as you have additional jumps and surfaces to jump from.

Wall Run

Abilities List: Increased Agility Used to move with greater ease than the baseline. This value is also added into Initiative rolls and half of it (rounded up) added to your Deflect Combat Skill.

Increased Durability Increases CD Threshold beyond the baseline by 1 for every 5 level.

Increased Jumping Increases horizontal jump by 1 yard over the baseline for every 5 levels and vertical jump by 1 over the baseline for every 10 levels.

Allows you to move at half your speed any direction along a vertical surface. At the end of your Turn, you must be on stable footing or gravity takes over again.

Combat Data There are six Combat Skills: Melee, Ranged, Unarmed, Dodge, Deflect and Combat Analysis. Combat Skills start at 10 and are bought at 1 CP per level, with each Skill having a maximum value of 66.

Increased Perception

The Robotic Age

Used to notice things others would have missed with baseline perception. This could represent having electromagnetic sensors, or just telescoping eyes.

Increased Speed Become faster than the baseline by 1 yard per level. This value is also added into Initiative rolls and half of it (rounded up) added to the Dodge Combat Skill.

Increased Strength Increases lifting capacity by 10 pounds per level over the baseline and gives +1 damage per 10 points to all Melee and Unarmed attacks.

Slow Fall Deploy fins or parachutes to help slow a fall. Roll once every 5 yards fallen and for each successful roll reduce total falling damage by 1 Power Level.

42

▶▶ Melee: Your ability to hit a target with melee weaponry like energy swords, vibro axes, or combat knives. ▶▶ Ranged: Your ability to hit a target with ranged weaponry like machine guns, plasma cannons, or explosive-tipped crossbows. ▶▶ Unarmed: Your ability to hit with your fists, grab or even throw opponents. Brass knuckles, rocket fists, and hand claws all fall into this category, as does grappling and throwing. ▶▶ Dodge: Your ability to get out of the way of incoming attacks. With enhanced reaction speed and cybernetic reflexes, almost anyone can Dodge even a bullet. Add half your Increased Speed Ability when you use this Skill. ▶▶ Deflect: Your ability to knock incoming attacks away from your body using a Melee or Unarmed weapon, or just a shield or piece of armor, this Skill ensures nothing can touch you. Add half your In-

Chapter Two: Character Creation creased Agility Ability when you use this Skill. ▶▶ Combat Analysis: Your ability to size up an opponent with a keen eye or the proper software. When you successfully make a Combat Analysis roll, pick a category (System Registry, Combat Data, etc) on your character sheet, you then learn everything your opponent has in that same category.

Behemoth You’re not the fastest fighter on the block, but you are the biggest - and bigger is better. The last man standing is the winner, and you won’t be the one to fall over first.

Professionals

▶▶ Effect A: +25 Structure or Core Capacity, but always has the lowest Initiative. ▶▶ Effect B: +25 Structure or Core Capacity, but opponents gain 10 to any Dodge or Deflect his attacks as they are easy to telegraph.

Character Creation assumes your characters are new to their jobs and weapons. They may know how to use them, but they certainly aren’t experts. That isn’t the only way to play The Robotic Age, though. If the entire group wants to play soldiers, assassins, or other professionals, the GM can increase the starting level of Combat Skills to 40 instead of 10.

Fighting Styles

The Robotic Age

It’s not the weapon you use, but how you use it. Some people swing fast and wild, while others take their time making sure their attack counts. Fighting Styles are often as varied as the people using them. Each character starts with one Fighting Style of their choice. Each Fighting Style provides two active effects. At the start of combat, everyone picks one effect from their Fighting Style and cannot change it until combat is over.

43

Chapter Two: Character Creation and extend its effects to an ally within 10 feet so you are both protected. You may extend the Force Field to as many allies that are within range, reducing the Power Level for each one.

Berserker You’ve learned one thing from combat: keep hitting someone and they will go down. This leaves your attacks a bit unreliable, but that’s why you have so many of them. ▶▶ Effect A: You may take a second Combat Action each Round, but weapon Power Levels are reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1) for that turn.

The Stalwart Defender

SD stands side by side with his allies and charges his weapon with Force Field Enhancement. Normally this would give him an energy field of Power Level of 3, but because of his Defender style he may extend the field to an ally, giving them both a shield of Power Level 2, or to two allies giving each of them a shield of Power Level 1.

▶▶ Effect B: Each time you take damage from an enemy attack you may make a single counter attack with any weapon, however, that weapon’s Power Level is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1) for the counter attack.

Heavy Hitter

Deceiver You know being in the right place at the right time can make all this difference and shooting first can save lives. You can’t take a hit like the others, but if things go well you won’t have to.

There is no such thing as overkill to you. Sure, your aggressive nature might make you a bit more vulnerable, but the results don’t lie. ▶▶ Effect A: Your weapons do +1d5 damage, but you take +1d5 damage from all attacks.

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▶▶ Effect A: Always considered to have the highest Initiative, but have -25 Structure Capacity than normal. ▶▶ Effect B: Once per round, gain a second General Action anytime in the Initiative order, as long as it does not interrupt another character’s Action (even your own). The character has -25 Structure Capacity than normal.

▶▶ Effect B: You may use charge, overcharge, and omnicharge as a General Action, but your Dodge and Deflect are reduced by -15.

Marksman You know the importance of hitting your mark. You don’t miss. Period. ▶▶ Effect A: Once per round, you may re-roll an attack that missed.

Defender You aren’t here to knock enemies down; you’re here to keep your allies up. The best offense is a good defense, as they say. ▶▶ Effect A: Once per round, if an ally within your movement speed is the target of an attack, you may step in front of it. Resolve the attack as if you were always the intended target. You may attempt to Deflect, but cannot Dodge.

▶▶ Effect B: Once per battle, you can reduce a target’s Dodge and Deflect by 10 for 1 Round.

No Style You’re no warrior. While others were learning to fight, you were studying other topics. You quickly learned to keep your head down.

▶▶ Effect B: If you have a weapon with the Force Field enhancement, you may reduce the Power Level of the weapon by 1

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▶▶ Effect A: You gain +10 to any non-Combat Skills, however your Initiative is reduced by -10. ▶▶ Effect B: You gain a +15 to Dodge, but get -10 to Melee, Ranged, and Unarmed.

Chapter Two: Character Creation Speedster You are so fast you become almost untouchable. You might not hit the hardest, but you can be in the right place at the right time. ▶▶ Effect A: Once per round, you may re-roll one Dodge or Deflect. ▶▶ Effect B: You may make 2 General Actions each turn, however all Combat Skills take a -10 penalty for that turn.

General Skills Either learned through a lifetime or sometimes just uploaded directly, General Skills are things your character can do that makes them useful outside of combat. General Skills are bought for 1 CP for 2 Levels and can have a maximum value of 66. General Skills can be almost anything, from fishing to hacking to mechanical repair. Below is a list of the most common and useful General Skills for the Robotic Age RPG. However, do not feel restricted. If there is a General Skill you want your character to have, talk to your GM. As long as it fits his game and can’t be replicated by one of the General Skills below, feel free to include it.

▶▶ Charm: Changing other people’s opinions. ▶▶ Cooking: Making and preparing food. ▶▶ Command: Invoking fear or obedience from others. ▶▶ Electronics: Being proficient with the use and repair of electronics, like LED lights or cell phones. ▶▶ Dancing: The ability to dance without making a fool of yourself.

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▶▶ Driving: Being able to safely drive a car at various speeds. ▶▶ First Aid: Being able to heal Core damage on a Human and Structure damage on a Cyborg. Make a Difficult Extended Action. Every 3 successes heals 1d10 of core damage from the character. Example: Player uses First Aid to heal an injured Human he found. The player succeeds 18 times before he stops trying. The Human is then healed for 6d10 core damage. ▶▶ Hacking: Breaking into electronic and cyberspace security programs. ▶▶ Investigation: Searching the local area for clues. ▶▶ Language (English, French, Japanese, etc): Reading and writing a particular language, each taken separately. The higher the Skill, the better you are at understanding larger or more obscure words in the language. ▶▶ Lockpicking: Being able to unlock old style doors without keycard readers. ▶▶ Mechanics: Knowledge about mechanical devices and how to repair them. ▶▶ Musical Instrument: Playing a musical instrument well. ▶▶ Piloting: Being able to pilot aircraft. ▶▶ Repair: Being able to repair Catastrophic Damage as well as Structure damage on Androids and Transhumans. To repair a player character, make a Difficult Extended Action. Every 3 successes heals 1d10 of structure damage from the character or repairs a single Catastrophic Damage. Example: Player is using Repair to heal an injured Android he found. The player succeeds 12 times before he stops trying. The Android is healed for 4d10 Structure.

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▶▶ Academics (History, Geology, Biology, etc): Academic knowledge of a specific subject, each taken separately. If it’s something you could learn in school, it could count as an Academic Skill.

▶▶ Demolitions: Knowledge about explosives and their correct placement.

Chapter Two: Character Creation ▶▶ Singing: The ability to sing well. Singing badly requires no Skill. ▶▶ Stealth: Moving quietly without being noticed. ▶▶ Survival: Being able to survive in difficult locations and situations.

Jump Dash (15 CP , Requires Dash) User is able to angle his dash thrusters to gain air time. His horizontal jump is now equal to his dash speed for 1 Action a turn.

Wireless Brain (5 CP) Allows Humans and Cyborgs to wirelessly connect to cyberspace from anywhere. See the Cyberspace chapter for details.

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Upgrades Upgrades are improvements attached to your body in one way or the other that add new features, instead of just improving what you can already do. Unlike Skills or Abilities, each Upgrade has a set cost. For Upgrades with multiple levels, each level must be bought in order. Some Upgrades are so powerful they draw on the energy of your artificial body, represented by a loss of Core capacity. Core draining Upgrades can be shut down (or turned on) with a General Action during your turn, the lost Core health returning immediately. This can be crucial to saving your life in a fight that not’s going your way. Humans cannot take any Core draining Upgrades. Their bodies cannot withstand the shock of it.

Digital Telepathy (15 CP)

General Upgrades

All Surface Movement (40 CP , -5 Core drain)

General Upgrades are the most varied and are often small enough to hide inside one’s body until active.

Allows the user to open two way communications with another brain that can also connect to cyberspace via wireless transmission. Short version: You think it and they hear it and can answer back.

Personalized Avatar (15 CP) Allows Human and Cyborg users to take their avatar into cyberspace instead of the base avatar (page 75). Human Personalized Avatars have 100 Core Capacity like all other Avatars.

Registry Blocker (10 CP) User’s system registry cannot be read using Combat Analysis.

Dash (15 CP)

Allows travel up walls, down cliffs and even across the ceiling as long as you keep moving. At the end of your turn, gravity takes over as normal.

Doubles user’s Movement speed for 1 Action. User must then wait one turn before dashing again.

All Surface Contact (10 CP , -5 Core drain)

Reflex Dash (10 CP , Requires Dash) The user’s Dash Upgrade now works reflexively allowing him to double his Initiative roll.

Allows user to stick to a surface that can support his weight as if it was solid ground.

Limited Flight (30 CP , -5 Core drain) Ability to fly at half your Movement speed for 3 Rounds before having to land.

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Chapter Two: Character Creation Unlimited Flight (60 CP , -10 Core drain) Ability to fly at full Movement speed without the need to land.

Energy Scanner (50 CP , -10 Core drain) User is able to sense the heat generated by adult-sized humans or power cores up to 100 feet away. This sense works in pure darkness, through walls, and even if visual sensors are destroyed/damaged.

Enhanced Analysis (30 CP) User gains bonuses when using Combat Analysis, depending on the section scanned. These bonuses only apply to the specific enemy scanned and lasts until the end of combat.

Emergency First Aid Patch (30 CP , -5 Core drain) User creates a patch full of nanomachines able to heal an organic body. User rolls First Aid as normal, but the process requires 6 difficult Extended Actions and has a maximum heal of 5d10. When done, the user now has a hand-held patch anyone can destroy to instantaneously heal themselves in an emergency. Each Emergency First Aid Patch lasts for 3 days, and any single character can only use one can per hour.

Quick Switch (15 CP) Allows the user to swap any attached Support Units as a General Action and is able to shut down Enhancements and Core draining Upgrades as an Instant Action. He may also remove a broken Exosuit as a General Action.

▶▶ Combat Data: +5 to hit the target.

Support Unit (20 CP)

▶▶ Physical Specs: Target’s CD Threshold is considered 2 lower against your attacks.

A Support Unit is a robotic drone built for a specific purpose, ranging from aerial scouts to gun drones. They have a limited AI, but are not sentient like Androids. Rules for Support Units are found in the Exosuits and Support Units chapter (page 74).

▶▶ Weapon: +5 to Dodge and Deflect attacks made by this specific weapon.

Core Schematics (30 CP) User can repair Core or Structure damage with a Repair roll, instead of just Structure damage. User must specify which type he is healing before a roll is made.

When you take Numbers, choose one Support Unit you own and pay an amount of CP equal to half the total CP given to that Support Unit. When you do, you gain an exact copy of that Support Unit. The Support Units must remain completely the same, so any CP spent on one must also be spent on the other.

Remote Viewing (Cost 10 CP , Requires Support Unit and Wireless brain if human or cyborg) You can see through the eyes of any Support Unit you control. If that support unit has the Enhanced Analysis Upgrade, then you gain that bonus as well.

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Emergency Repair Canister (30 CP , -5 Core drain) User creates a can of nanomachines able to repair an artificial body. User rolls Repair as normal, but the process requires 6 difficult Extended Actions and has a maximum repair of 5d10. When done, the user now has a hand-held canister anyone can destroy to instantaneously repair themselves in an emergency. Each Emergency Repair Canister lasts for 3 days, and any single character can only use one can per hour.

Numbers (Varies, Max: 5 Levels, Requires Support Unit)

Chapter Two: Character Creation ▶▶ Increase all Unarmed damage by +1 per level

Body Upgrades

Body Upgrades change your body in bigger and more obvious ways then General Upgrades. Either attached to the torso or running under the skin, these upgrades dramatically change how your body works. Element Protection (20 CP per level, Max: 4 levels) Alters your armor to protect from a single Element (page 53). Once an Element is chosen, it cannot be changed. When hit by the chosen Element, this armor reduces the weapons power a number of levels equal to the level of Element Protection, to a minimum of 1. However, if hit by the Element’s Trump, the weapon is increased in Power Level by 1, no matter the level of the armor. You make take this upgrade multiple times, for multiple elements, but only one version of this upgrade may be active at any time.

Counter Measures (15 CP per level, Max: 4 levels, -5 Core drain) When targeted by a weapon with the Homing Enhancement (page 55), reduce the level of Homing by the level of Counter Measures.

▶▶ Gain 1 extra die towards grapple rolls per level.

Attachment Slot (15 CP) Allows you to attach a Support Unit to your body (one at a time) with a Combat Action. You gain any Abilities, Armor, Upgrades, and Weapons the Support Unit possesses, as well as any Core drain. The Support Unit is no longer considered a separate entity, cannot take its own actions and can only be targeted by Called Shots. If the character suffers Structure Death, the Support Unit is also destroyed.

Veil (50 CP , -10 Core drain) This Upgrade hides your energy signature from the Energy Scanner Upgrade (page 47), as well as radar and other inferred scanners. You are electronically invisible, but can still be seen by the naked eye. Requires a General Action to turn on and automatically turns off if you make an Combat Action. Cannot be used simultaneously with Cloak.

Cloak (80 CP , -10 Core drain)

You have one extra arm, per level, attached to your body. These have hands and work in all ways just like normal arms, but grant the following bonuses:

Transformation (20 CP , -10 core drain)

(10 CP per level, Max: 4 levels, -5 Core drain) When hit with a weapon with the Blowback Enhancement (page 54), reduce the level of Blowback by the level of Anchored.

▶▶ May pick up an object as an Instant Action once per level ▶▶ Reduce all Extended Actions requiring hands by 1 per level

You can reconfigure your body, changing it into an alternate form that may be faster, stronger, or tougher than your previous one. This alternate form keeps his previous form’s General Skills, Combat Skills, Fighting Style, Structure, Core, Armor, and Quirks but may buy new Abil-

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Extra Arm (20 CP per level, Max: 4 levels, -5 Core drain per level)

This Upgrade refracts light around you, making you invisible to the naked eye. This technology is still in the experimental stages and generates a lot more heat than most others, often raising the temperature in a room if left on for long periods of time. A person using Cloak shows up brighter on an Energy Scanner than others. Requires a General Action to turn on and automatically turns off if you make a Combat Action. Cannot be used simultaneously with Veil.

Anchored

Chapter Two: Character Creation ities, Upgrades, and Weapons for ½ the cost. The alternate form may have a total CP spent on it equal to ½ (rounded up) the total CP spent on the primary form. This does not include CP spent during character creation. It requires a Combat Action to change between forms. Example: Geoffrey has spent 80 CP earn from previous missions, but not including character creation. He now buys Transformation, bringing his total spent to 100 CP. He may now buy new Abilities, Upgrades, and Weapons for his alternate form, but cannot spend more than 50 CP until he spends more CP on his primary form.

Quick Transform (20 CP , Requires Transformation) Switching between forms is now a General Action rather than a Combat Action.

Vehicle/Animal Transformation (20cp , Requires Transformation)

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Your alternate form isn’t human but instead some kind of land, air, or sea vehicle or robotic animal. This form is still roughly the same size as the previous one but does not possess hands, and thus loses the ability to do anything that would require them. This form, however, may buy Abilities up to 86 rather than the standard 66.

Exosuit (60 CP) You own a powerful exoskeleton that enhances your Abilities. While wearing an Exosuit, even a pure human can lift things four times his weight and run as fast as a car. Rules for building an Exosuit can be found in the Exosuits and Support Units section (page 72).

Second Skin (20 CP) You are so skilled with an Exosuit that it becomes like a second skin. Fighting Styles may be used while wearing an Exosuit.

Cyborg (80 CP , Not available at character creation) A human who takes this Upgrade becomes a Cyborg. He gains an additional 100 Structure and 50 Core Capacity and can now take Upgrades that cause Core drain. His old Abilities and Upgrades and integrated into his new cybernetic form. This process can take several weeks to complete and the player should talk to his GM to see if his character has enough down time to get the procedure done.

Transhuman (50 CP , not available at character creation) A human who takes this Upgrade becomes a Transhuman. He gains 100 Structure and 50 Core and can now take Upgrades that cause Core drain. HOWEVER, the character loses any Upgrades and Abilities he bought for his old body and gains the Secret Past Quirk. The player should talk to his GM about what memories were likely lost in the transfer process.

Weapon Upgrades

Weapon Upgrades can be applied to all weapons you have or might gain.

Assimilate Element (30 CP , -5 Core drain) Allows the user to copy Element data from another’s weapon. User must make an Unarmed attack and may pick an Element the target possesses to add it to any weapons the character has. This Element remains available for an hour before your systems purge it. Normal limitations of only 1 Element active on a weapon at any time still apply.

Assimilate Style (30 CP , -5 Core drain) Allows the user to copy Fighting Style data from another. User must make an Unarmed attack and may pick a Fighting Style the target possesses. You can retain this Fighting Style for an hour before your systems purge it. Normal limitations of only 1 Fighting Style active at any time still apply.

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Chapter Two: Character Creation Assimilate Weapon (30 CP , -5 Core drain) Allows the user to copy Enhancement data from another’s weapon. User must make an Unarmed attack and may then pick an Enhancement on a weapon the target owns to add it to their own. You gain all the levels of the Enhancement the target possesses, but is purged from your system in one hour.

New Style (20 CP) You may buy an additional Fighting Style. At the start of any combat, you must pick which Fighting Style to using before you picking an effect. You cannot change Fighting Styles while in combat.

Change Up (30 CP) You may switch Fighting Style Effects as a General Action or switch Fighting Styles (if you have a second one) as a Combat Action.

Tandem (20 CP , -5 Core Drain) When attacking with a weapon using the Rapid Attack enhancement, you may swap out attacks from that weapon with any other weapon that isn’t currently Charged. Example: Weapon A has Rapid Attack 2. With Tandem, you can either make Attacks A A A, or A B A, A B B, and so on. If Weapon B also had Rapid Attack, they could even attack using A B C.

Overcharge (20 CP , -10 Core drain, Requires the Charge) This increases the bonuses given by Charge, raising its Power Level by +1, Enhancements by +1, and the Dodge/Deflect penalty an another -5. The weapon cannot be used for 1 turn after is it used, as it cools off.

Omnicharge (50 CP , -10 Core drain, Requires Charge) This gives the ability to charge up to 4 weapons at a time with a single Combat Action. The character cannot charge any weapons again for 3 turns, as it cool offs. Cannot be used with Overcharge.

Charge Strength (20 CP , -5 Core Drain) While charging a weapon, your total Baseline Lifting is doubled and you can throw objects twice as far.

Power Thrower (20 CP , -10 Core Drain) You can now throw any object you can lift up to 10 yards, and any object weighing less than half your maximum Lifting can now be thrown 20 yards.

The user can increase the power of an attack by expending a bit of time to do so. The player spends a Combat Action charging his weapon, gaining the following bonuses for his next turn: ▶▶ Increase the Power Level of the weapon by 1 ▶▶ Increase the level of any present weapon Enhancements (homing, armor piercing, etc) by 1. ▶▶ The target takes an automatic -5 to his Dodge and Deflect to avoid it. Note: A weapon cannot hold a charge for more than 3 turns. On turn 3, it must be either fired or it’s lost.

You may fire Ranged weapons at targets in Melee range, instead of just at targets more than 3 yards away.

Reach (10 CP) You may use Unarmed weapons at targets up to 1 yard away instead of just point blank.

Extend (10 CP) You may use Melee weapons at targets up to 3 yards away instead of just one.

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Point Blank (10 CP)

Charge (20 CP)

Chapter Two: Character Creation ▶▶ Secret Past (+0/10/+20 CP): Something in your past can come back to bite you in the ass. You just wish you knew what it was. Transhumans do not gain CP from this Quirk.

Reinforced (15 CP) Your weapons are built to withstand concentrated shots that may hit them. All your weapons have 50 structure (instead of 25).

Customized (5 CP)

▶▶ No Optics (+20 CP): You have no eyes and must rely on Energy Scanners to see.

Your weapons are thoroughly customized, making it hard to read exactly what’s been done to it. Your weapon’s Enhancements can’t be read with Combat Analysis.

▶▶ Attention Hog (+10 CP): You love being the center of attention.

Your weapons were built from an original design or from scratch, making them near unique and hard to scan. Your weapon’s Power Levels cannot be read with Combat Analysis.

▶▶ Compelled (+10/20 CP): You find yourself compelled to do something at the worst times. Can be anything from smoking a cigarette to cleaning your weapons. When that urge hits, it can be hard to resist. For 20 CP, it is impossible to resist.

Quirks

▶▶ Humorless (+10 CP): You don’t make jokes and hardly ever laugh. People can find you a bit stand-offish because of this.

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Kit-Bashed (5 CP)

▶▶ Absent Minded (+10 CP): Huh? What? I wasn’t paying attention.

Nobody is perfect. Everyone has something they may not like about themselves or others might not like about them. You may have to be the center of attention or just refuse to shoot an unarmed foe. In any case, these Quirks define who you are and what other people think of you. When you take a Quirk, you make your character a little worse and are rewarded with bonus CP. You can take a max of 30 CP worth of Quirks. A Quirk is worth more CP when it could come up more often or are more difficult to overcome. Players and GMs alike are encouraged to use Quirks to enhance the game and have fun. Below is a small list of example Quirks. Talk to your GM if you have a Quirk in mind is not listed below. If he approves it, he can grant you either 10 CP or 20 CP. ▶▶ Poor Eyesight (+10 CP): You need glasses or contacts to see properly. ▶▶ Trigger Happy (+20 CP): Shoot first and try to live to see another day. ▶▶ Code of Honor (+20 CP): You live by a self-imposed set of rules you would never break.

▶▶ Leakage (+10 CP): You want to stay away from water and sand, as it tends to get everywhere. ▶▶ Humanist (+20 CP): You don’t hate androids and transhumans, but they aren’t exactly the first “things” you would ask for help. ▶▶ Stubborn (+10 CP): You prefer things your way and have a hard time standing down. ▶▶ Phobia (+10 CP): You have a fear of something most people don’t, from spiders to heights to clowns.

Weapons It is a dangerous world out there, and it’s important to defend yourself. Whether you got your weapon in the military, for your job, for self-defense or just because it looked cool, your character’s choice of weapon tells a lot about

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Chapter Two: Character Creation their personality. You can carry 4 weapons on you at any time.

Type

A weapon’s type can be Physical or Energy and is free. This determines, for example, if your sword is made of steel or lasers and if your gun fires bullets or plasma. This also determines what Elements you are allowed to add to your weapon.

Range

This is the maximum distance a weapon can fire and still hit its target. Each yard costs 1 CP. ▶▶ A Ranged weapon must have a range of at least 3 yards and cannot be used at shorter distances. ▶▶ A Melee weapon may have a range between 0 and 1 yard.

A Neutral Element weapon deals damage through pure blunt force, can be on any type of weapon, and doesn’t have a Trump. Neutral Element is free, while any other Element costs 10 CP. A weapon can only have one Element.

Fire Nothing like a little heat to spice up a weapon. Can be attached to Physical or Energy weapons and is used to ignite flammable material. Trumps the Ice Element.

Ice A freezing bite can improve any weapon. Can be attached to Physical or Energy weapons and can freeze liquids. Trumps the Metal Element.

▶▶ Unarmed weapons have no Range.

Power Level

Metal

This determines the damage done by your weapon, inflicting 1d10 per Power Level when hitting its target. Each power level has to be bought in order before moving onto the next.

Element

Explosive A little explosive charge can go a long way. Can be attached to Physical weapons and inflicts double damage to inanimate objects like doors or walls. Trumps the Sonic Element.

A weapon’s Element determines if the weapon shoots fire or sonic waves. Elements are often more effective against specific other Elements; fluids put out fires, electricity will move through fluids, and so on. When one Element has a distinct advantage over another it’s called a Trump. If two Elements are ever in conflict, the Trump is always victorious.

Sonic A vibrating weapon can cause intense internal damage. Can be attached to Physical and Energy weapons. Anyone who takes damage from a sonic weapon reduces their combat skills by 5

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10 CP for Level 1 20 CP for Level 2 30 CP for Level 3 50 CP for Level 4 100 CP for Level 5

A metal edge has been mankind’s weapon of choice for millenia. Can be attached to Physical weapons and cuts through rope or other thin materials. Trumps the Explosive Element.

Chapter Two: Character Creation for one turn. Multiple hits do not stack. Trumps the Magnetic Element.

Armor Piercing: (10 CP per level, Max: 10 levels) This weapon is designed to cut into a foe’s protection to reach the vital sections, ignoring 1 point of Armor per level.

Magnetic In a world full of people with computers for brains, the Magnetic Element can be the most dangerous thing around. Can be attached to Energy weapons. Half of Structure damage done by this Element (after armor) also damages the target’s Core. Trumps the Electricity Element.

Blast: (10 CP per level, Max: 5 levels) Projectiles from this weapon explode when it makes contact. This weapon hits everything (friend or foe) within 2 yards of the impact point (per level) for 1/2 damage dealt, rounded up (before armor). Not recommended for Melee weapons.

My Blast Weapon Missed?

Electricity

As the rules are written, a blast weapon that misses, is Dodged, or is Deflected does not explode. GMs are free to figure out where the blast weapon eventually hit and calculate distance from there to add a touch of realism.

A little electric shock can do big things. Can be attached to Physical or Energy weapons. Half of Structure damage dealt (after armor) also damages the target’s Core. Trumps the Fluid Element.

Fluid

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From sand blasters to acid sprayers, Fluid weapons can be quite dangerous. Can be attached to Physical weapons. Targets hit by Fluid weapons have their Movement speed reduced by 5 yards for 1 Round. Trumps the Fire Element.

Enhancements

Blowback: (5 CP per level, Max: 5 levels) An attack made with so much force it sends its targets reeling. This weapon either knocks the target away from the attacker, or down towards the ground if flying, 1 yard per level.

Coating: (20 CP)

Enhancements add functions to weapons, allowing them to attack multiple times, bypass armor or knock enemies away. Individual Enhancements can be turned on and off as a General Action before a weapon is fired (in case you don’t want to hit an ally with a Blast). A few Enhancements may be taken multiple times, increasing the effect of the Enhancement each time. A weapon may have as many Enhancements as you can afford.

This attack coats its target in a specially-designed gel, protecting that person from specific Elemental weapons. Can only be taken on weapons with an Element and grants the Element Protection Level 1 Body Upgrade with the same Element as the weapon. This effect lasts 3 rounds.

EMP: (25 CP) An electromagnetic pulse can fry electronics and scramble power cores. This weapon’s damage now goes straight to its target’s Core rather than its Structure, but does no damage to humans.

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Chapter Two: Character Creation Homing: (15 CP per level, Max: 4 levels)

Shockwave: (10 CP per level, Max: 3 levels)

Attacks from this weapon know how to hit their mark. Target reduces his Dodge by -5 per level, for the duration of the attack.

This weapon hits everything 3 yards (per level) behind the target for 1/2 damage dealt to target before armor (rounded up).

Ray: (15 CP per level, Max: 4 levels)

Shred: (10 CP per level, Max: 5 levels)

The weapon fires or swings as a beam, making it harder to Deflect. Target reduces his Deflect by -5 per level, for the duration of the attack.

The weapon cuts deep and is more likely to hit something vital. Targets hit by this weapon reduce their CD Threshold by 1 per level for the duration of the attack.

Rapid Attack: (20 CP per level, Max: 5 levels) This weapon was designed to fire or swing rapidly, granting the ability to attack 1 extra time (even at 1 extra target within range) per Combat Action per level. Cannot be used simultaneously with Charge (page 51).

Speeding up Combat

If the entire group has rapid attack weapons, combat can get slightly bogged down. To speed it up, attackers should rolls all his attacks first and the defender should then roll Dodge or Deflect for each attack that hit. Only then should the attacker roll damage for each attack that got through.

Drawbacks

Few weapons are perfect. Many weapons have Drawbacks that limit their functions by taking time to power up, being able to hold only a limited amount of ammo, or drawing additional power from the user himself. Drawbacks give you Character Points that you can spend on that weapon and that weapon only.

Attached: (+10 CP) Choose another weapon you own. This weapon is considered permanently attached to the chosen weapon. If the chosen weapon is dropped, lost, or destroyed then so is this one.

Full Power: (+15 CP) This weapon can only use Enhancements when it has been charged.

When charged, this weapon creates a field of energy to protect the user. If hit by an attack while charging a weapon with Force Field, it reduces the Power Level of the attack equal to the current Power Level of this weapon (including the increase from Charge). Once the Force Field has taken a number of hits equal to its Power Level, it shuts down and the charge is lost. This weapon can still be used to attack, but once it does, the shield goes down as the charge is used. Example: A Power Level 1 Force Field weapon, when charged, would reduce the Power Level of incoming attacks by 2. It could block that damage twice before it shuts down and another Combat Action must be taken to bring it back up.

Inaccurate: (+10 CP per level, Max: 3 levels) This weapon has trouble hitting its target. When using this weapon, you suffer -10 penalty to its corresponding Combat Skill per level.

Start Up: (+10 CP per level, Max: 3 levels) This weapon needs time to build power and cannot be used for one Combat Action, per level, after Initiative is rolled.

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Force Field: (20 CP , Requires Charge Upgrade)

Chapter Two: Character Creation Unwieldy: (+15 CP) This weapon, either due to its size, bulk or complexity, is harder to use. This weapon requires both a General Action AND a Combat Action to use. Limited Ammo: (+5/+10/+15 CP) This weapon can only be used a certain number of times each combat. Use of the weapon in a Battle is limited to 12 attacks for +5 CP, 8 attacks for +10 CP or 4 attacks for +15 CP.

Core Drain: (+15 CP)

The Robotic Age

This weapon draws power from its user, causing 1 Core damage (ignoring Core Armor) each time it is fired.

Creator

This can either be your parents, the organization that built you, or the doctor who upgraded you. Who you put down in this slot is who your character feels best fits that role. Katrina, despite having parents, feels her identity is more in thanks to her surgeon then her parents.

Character Points Earned/Spent

This is where you can keep track of how many CP you have earned AFTER character creation. It’s good to keep track of these sorts of things.

Finishing Touches

Date of Creation/Age

Now you just need to add the finishing touches to your System Registry. This section helps your character feel more alive, so to speak, and should be easy enough to fill out, but below are some tips to help you along the way. Once this section is filled your character is complete!

Eye Color

Name

The current year is 2115, Androids have been common since 2080, and Transhumans weren’t really a thing before 2095.

If you are playing a Human or Cyborg, this section should be easy. Naming standards haven’t changed much over the last hundred years, except names that were cool in the past are now associated with the old. Androids are usually given a human first name with a surname based on the city or business they were built in. Although not common, some Androids have last names based on what the android was built for. So, you might run into a Joe Welder or Samantha Printer. Transhumans can be a mixed bag of names. Most take a new name with their new body, either to signify their new life or because they forgot their old one. Jay Newman only remembered his first initial after his transfer.

Thanks to cybernetics, anyone can have a large range of eye colors. Most androids (and transhumans) have either solid-colored eye or a single dot of color in the center of black eyes. Humans and Cyborgs usually have more human looking eyes, enhanced only with a new color, or fully cybernetic eyes that look like an Androids.

Weight

Due to their artificial nature, Androids (and Transhumans) tend to weigh more than a human. Average weight for an Android is between 250-300 pounds. Cyborgs, having mostly artificial parts, can weigh between 200-250 pounds. If your character has more than 5 levels of Armor, increase weight by 50 pounds. If your character uses the Behemoth Fighting Style, increase weight by 50 pounds.

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Mmmm... Beef

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“You want us to risk our lives to save some rich guy’s lunch?!” “Katrina, calm down,” Keiji said from behind his desk, his eyes not leaving his data screen. “We aren’t just saving someone’s lunch,” George said, his arms crossed in front of his blocky chest. “There are only a dozen free range ranches still operating in the world.” Katrina flipped some hair out of her artificial eyes. “Yeah, selling steaks costing about the same as my first car.” “How much did cars cost three decades ago?” Jay immediately regretted his comment. Katrina’s claws were tapping on Keiji’s desk. She hated anyone mentioning her real age. “You scratch it, you buy it.” Keji said, finally looking up. “And if you don’t want to go on the job, then don’t.” Katrina retracted her claws and put her hand on her hip. “Oh please! Jay here is too green to be back up, and if George could handle this on his own, you wouldn’t have even called me in here.” Jay wanted to argue the point, but had trouble composing a suitable disagreement to a truthful statement. George was ex-military, his 113 call number still stamped on his shoulders and a plasma cannon on his back. He had twenty-five years of combat experience under his belt, while Jay had only been in his body less than three years. Jay’s body wasn’t even built for combat or stealth or even speed. It was just an off-the-rack blank he must have picked out for exactly that reason. He was great with a computer though, even better than their boss, Keiji. That’s what he brought to the group. Well, that and his little repair drone, which wasn’t that useful, but was programmed to follow his every command. Jay still wonders if it was a gift or if it used to belong to someone else. Katrina, however, was a master of close range combat and, at least according to Jay, Keiji, and her company psych profile, freaking insane. That was how it was written in the file: “Freaking Insane.” Keiji always said any woman who went to a back alley surgeon for a new face and six-inch claws was exactly the kind of crazy his team needed. He wasn’t often wrong about things like that. “Do you really think it’s going to be that dangerous?” Jay asked. “I mean, it’s just some cattle rustlers.” “Cattle rustlers who got in undetected through a thick concrete wall, a six-inch reinforced polycarbonate thermoplastic dome, and past over a dozen security drones with gun mounts,” George read from the mission brief. “Whoever these people are, they are very skilled at what they do. A group like this has to be armed.” “So let’s hope we don’t actually have to fight them,” Keiji said as he stood up. “All we are getting paid for is to guard the ranch for 24 hours while security gets upgraded. After their neighbors got hit, the people of Cloaked Pastures are paying us well to make

sure it doesn’t happen to them.” “Oh, is that all we’re doing?” Katrina asked, sarcastically. “Why didn’t you say so? I’ll be sure to bring a book.”

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--“Oh, come on,” Katrina shouted. “This is ridiculous.” “Keiji told us it was going to be big,” Jay reminded her. “No, a skyscraper is big. The Martian colony is big. Big is not descriptive enough for this place.” Cloaked Pastures was two-thousand square acres, surrounded by a ten-foot wall, and covered by a translucent dome that reflected heat to keep the inside cool. The main office was located just outside the southern walls next to the only entrance and Keiji and George were inside, discussing the details while Jay and Katrina waited by the car. “You actually ever try real beef?” Jay asked, trying to change the subject. Katrina scoffed. “Yeah, number of years ago. I honestly can’t tell the difference from the synthetic. You know what tastes great though? Real chocolate. That stuff is the definition of delicious.” “Chocolate is overrated,” George said from the doorway. He started walking over with a small box in his hands. “I’ve got your security tags for the sensors to register you as employees.” Katrina rolled her eyes. “No, you had a flavor data packet you downloaded from some digital cook. I swear those flavors are off at least fifty percent of the time.” Katrina retrieved her tag and attached it to her arm. “Jay here can tell you; he used to have taste buds.” Jay just chuckled quietly as he attached his tag. “Really,” Katrina exclaimed in shock. “You can’t remember tastes!? Remind me never to upgrade my mouth.” “Keiji will be in behind us,” George said, “He’s taking the northwest quadrant, I’ve got southwest, Jay has northeast, and Katrina, you are in charge of-” “I got it.” The main gate opened for her once it detected her tag and she strolled in. George sighed and turned to Jay. “If anything happens, you tell Keiji immediately. He’ll tell the rest of us and we’ll be there as fast as we can.” Jay shrugged. “I know. It should be fine, right? Just 24 hours of looking at cows and we get paid. Easy money.” “No such thing,” George said before he entered the gate. --Jay wondered what it used to be like to get tired. Sure he needed downtime like everybody else, but he no longer needed to binge on caffeine and energy drinks so he could write code for three days straight. He didn’t remember much of his former life, but he could recall fond feelings for marathon hacking sessions. At 1:15am, he leaned against the barn where they milked cows. He had no infrared or night vision upgrades,

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The characters appeared in his head, and Jay stopped dead in this tracks. He didn’t know why he recognized the Hebrew letters and couldn’t remember where he had seen them before. Most disturbingly of all, he couldn’t remember why the words filled his soul with such fear. “Emet Met,” he whispered.

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so his eyes weren’t much better than a humans at night, but there were plenty of lights scattered around to make up the difference. Jay also had his Support Unit, Spark, flying around his quadrant looking for anything out of the ordinary. Jay’s thoughts strayed to Keiji. Sure he had a bunch of brain upgrades so he could think faster, access cyberspace on the fly and even communicate over wireless connections, but he was still human. “What is it, Jay?” Keiji’s voice rang inside of Jay’s mind. “Wha-What’s going on?” Jay stammered. “Did you contact me?” Keiji’s voice asked. “I got a beep from your location.” “Oh!” Jay thought. “Sorry, no. I was just thinking and must have accidentally called you.” Keiji laughed. “It happens. Especially on quiet missions like this. Is there anythi-” “Uh, Keiji? You cut off there.” Keiji’s voice returned loud and urgent. “George has something! Katrina and Jay get to the southwest quadrant right now. Weapons primed!” Jay took off running as fast as his legs could take him and commanded Spark to meet him at the alert coordinates. “George says it came up from the ground,” Keiji’s voice said in Jay’s mind. “He says combat analysis registers two oversized drills, Power Level 2 with armor piercing. Katrina, that means be careful.” Jay was happy he wasn’t connected to Katrina. Her battle cries tended to be highpitched. As he ran he saw flashes of weapon fire ahead, and heard the large explosion of George’s cannon as well. As the battle came into view, Jay could see a robot had erupted from the ground looking like a quadruped construction drone with two arm drills on the front and two large scoops on the back. The whole thing was the size of a bus, and Katrina was already on top of it. George was a few yards away from it, his shoulder cannon aimed at its bulk, while Keiji circled around it, his sub-machine gun in hand. Jay reattached Spark as he drew his lightning gun. He wasn’t a great shot, but something that size was going to be hard to miss. “I have its system registry analyzed,” Keiji announced to their minds. “It’s a Tunneler X3-431, but its owner is in a language I don’t know. I’m sending you the images in case you recognize them.”

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat Before combat begins, you must determine who gets to act first. This is called Initiative and helps keep the chaos of combat on a manageable level. When combat beings, the GM should call for Initiative rolls from everyone participating in the fight.

Initiative Rolls

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For Initiative, you need to roll 1d10 and add in the total value of your Increased Speed OR Increased Agility. If you have the Reflex Dash Upgrade, double the value of your die roll before adding your Increased Speed or Agility. This total value is your Initiative. The person with the highest total Initiative takes his turn first, followed by the second highest and so on. In case of a tie, the person with the highest Increased Speed goes first. If still a tie, the person with the highest Increased Agility goes first.

Fighting Styles

Once Initiative has been determined, but before beginning combat, everyone must declare which Fighting Style Effect they are going to be using. Once this is chosen, it cannot be changed until combat is over. Some Fighting Styles can change your Initiative total. If this happens, take your new place in the initiative order before the first turn begins. Example: George, Katrina, Keiji and the Tunneler begin combat. Jay is too far away at this point and will not get to roll for Initiative. George rolls a 7, Katrina a 6, Keiji a 1 and the Tunneler rolls a 10 and looks like it is going first. However Keiji has Increased Speed 10, which gets added to

his roll to place him right in front of the Tunneler, while Katrina has Reflex Dash, which doubles her Initiative rolls, giving her a total of 12 and the highest Initiative. Next everyone announces the Fighting Style Effect they are using for this battle. Katrina is going to use Berserker Effect A, to get as many attacks in as possible. The GM decides the Tunneller is going to use Behemoth Effect B, so he doesn’t waste such a high Initiative roll. George is going to use Marksman Effect B, in case the Tunneler is harder to hit then he thinks. Keiji could use Deceiver Effect A to automatically have the highest Initiative, but decides Effect B will be more useful for him. The Initiative order is now set, with the order being Katrina, the Tunneler, George then Keiji.

Actions and Time

Time outside of combat can be more fluid and actions can flow together, but while in combat, time is represented by Turns, Actions, and Rounds.

Turns

In combat each character gets a Turn where they are allowed to take Actions. Once the character has taken all their Actions their turn is over and the character with the next lowest initiative gets their turn.

Actions

On your character’s Turn, you have 3 Actions you may take, in any order, with only a few limitations. These are called your General Action, Combat Action, and Instant Action.

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat ▶▶ General Action: Use this action for non-combat tasks. You can make a Skill roll, move up to your Speed, pick something up from the group, or even give an inspiring speech. As long as it doesn’t use a Combat Skill, or the Charge Upgrade, you can do it as part of your General Action. ▶▶ Combat Action: This is your primary Action for your Turn. You can take a second General Action or you can now use a Combat Skill. If you want to Attack, perform a Combat Analysis, or Charge your weapon, this is the Action that lets you do it. ▶▶ Instant Action: This Action takes so little time, it basically happens instantly. Shouting a couple of orders, taking a quick look around, or dropping what you are holding all happen in an Instant Action.

Rounds

When everyone has taken a turn and used their actions, it is considered to be a Round. Specifically, a Round is the period of time after you take your Actions until it is your Turn again. This usually takes 10 seconds. Example: Because Katrina is a melee fighter, she decides to use this Turn to get close enough to hit her opponent. Her General Action is to move closer, using Dash to double her normal Speed. For her Combat Action, she is going to use her Increase Jumping in order to leap onto the top of the Tunneler, so she will always be within Melee range of it. Keiji is next, and he uses his Combat Action to roll Combat Analysis and determine the Tunneler’s Physical Specs. He’s worried about becoming the Tunneler’s target because he can’t take the kinds of hits Katrina or George can. He uses his General Action to start to move around his enemy. He also gets another General Action thanks to Deceiver Effect B, which he could save for later but he decides would be best used to move again and get completely be-

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat hind the Tunneler. The Tunneler is next, and the GM decides it continues its primary mission. It takes two General Actions to use its shovel arms to corral cows into the tunnel it made. It gets a total of four cows this Turn (two per Action). George is finally up and he also wants to get in position. He uses his General Action to move, making sure there are no cows between him and his target. George then uses his Combat Action to Charge his cannon. He plans to do a lot of damage next Turn. Now that everyone has gone, it has been 1 Round for Katrina, so it is her Turn again.

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Extended Actions

Sometimes you will try to do something that takes longer than 1 Turn to accomplish. These are called Extended Actions, and can be anything from hacking a difficult computer, running as fast as you can for long periods, or just lifting something heavy so an ally can get through an opening. Whenever the GM thinks something should take longer to accomplish, he can declare it an Extended Action and then determine how long it takes by giving it a set number of actions. You aren’t considered to have finished the task until that many actions have gone by. Example: Each round is 10 seconds. So, if the GM says it takes 6 Extended Actions, then you can use one action a turn to be done in a minute. Or you can use both your General Action and Combat Action every Turn and be done in thirty seconds (3 Turns). If you have three actions because of a Fighting Style, you can dedicate your entire turn and be done in twenty seconds (2 Turns). You might end up in a situation where it’s not how long something takes that’s important, but how long you can keep doing it. These are called Difficult Extended Actions. The GM still sets a number of required actions, but this time the player must succeed on a Skill roll every time. If a roll fails, that action didn’t count towards reaching the total, and you have to keep going. For example, a high speed chase would be a Difficult Extended Action because you have to drive faster and better than the person you are chasing.

Rolling the Dice

Now that we know who is doing what and when, it’s time to roll some dice. There are two kinds of rolls to make in The Robotic Age RPG, Opposed and Unopposed. Both require a pair of percentile (d100) dice.

Unopposed Rolls

An Unopposed Roll happens when you are trying to do something difficult and no one is trying to, or is able to, stop you. Determine which Skill (or Ability) you are using and then roll the percentile (d100) dice. If your roll is less than or equal to the value of the Skill, then the Action is successful. Otherwise, it is considered a failure. The most common kind of Unopposed Rolls are General Skill rolls, like cooking a meal for someone or repairing a damaged machine. They are also used when there is a lack of opposition, like using Stealth around someone without any Increased Perception Abilities, or hacking into a computer with no security programs. Example: Keiji is using Combat Analysis on the Tunneler’s Physical Specs. This is an Unopposed Roll using his Combat Analysis Skill of 45. He rolls and gets a 20 on his Tens die and a 7 on his Ones die, resulting in 27, just under his Skill level. He is successful and now knows everything listed in the Tunneler’s physical specs.

Opposed Rolls

An Opposed Roll is when you are trying to do something that someone else can actively prevent. Your roll is done is the same manner as an Unopposed Roll, however, if you succeed then your opponent rolls an appropriate Skill determined by the GM to try to stop you. If both rolls are successful, the players compare their Skill Levels and the character with the higher Level wins. The most common kind of opposed rolls will be during combat, Ranged/Melee vs Deflect/ Dodge, but it could also be Hacking vs Hacking or Stealth vs Increased Perception. Ties go to the defender. Note: Deflect and Dodge reduce by 5 Levels with each use during a single Round.

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat Example: It’s Katrina’s turn and she is still on top of the Tunneler. With the rapid attack on her claws she is allowed to make 2 attacks with one Combat Action. She rolls her Melee Skill of 45, and gets a 21 and a 07, succeeding both times. The Tunneler, despite its bulk, does have a Deflect Skill of 35. The GM rolls an 86 and a 30, failing one roll and succeeding at the other. Then they compare their levels and Katrina’s Melee 45 vs. Tunneler’s Deflect 35, means her second attack was also a success.

Modifiers

Rule of Cool

So you are playing an awesome robotic character with a cool weapon of mass destruction, but can you be rewarded for doing cool

When NOT to Roll

Don’t let the previous sections make you think you have to roll for every little thing. There are times when you don’t have to roll or won’t be able to roll. If a character is trying to do something while under no pressure to get it done, from either a time limit or threat of an outside force, then he doesn’t have to roll. For example, someone singing to themselves wouldn’t have to roll, but would if they were singing to impress a group. Someone trying to wire explosives won’t have to roll if he has all weekend to get it done, but would if he only has 30 seconds.

Dodge and Deflect

Dodge and Deflect rolls require a special mention. These Combat Skills are some of the most rolled, usable to avoid attacks or even traps, but they cannot be used endlessly. Muscles tire, senses dull, and electronics overheat. After each use of Dodge or Deflect, it suffer a cumulative -5 modifier until your next Turn. That means your second Dodge or Deflect will be at -5, your third at -10, your fourth at -15, and so on until your Turn starts again.

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No roll is made in a vacuum, and there are often factors to make your Action harder or easier. Trying to fire a long range shot in a heavy storm, making a Melee attack in pure darkness or discerning the password to a protected file are all examples that add modifiers to a roll. Modifiers add or subtract an amount from the characters Skill level determined by the GM. Small distractions or minor fortune should only create modifiers of -5 or +5, respectively. But modifiers can go all the way to +/- 15 if the situation fits. Firing a gun from a moving car could impose a -10 to the attacker’s Skill level, while firing a gun from on top of a car that’s racing through downtown would give the full -15 to the attacker’s Skill. You may get a +10 to your Stealth Skill if you are hiding in fog or a full +15 to your Stealth Skill by moving only in pure darkness with enough Increased Perception so you don’t bump into anything. These values are determined by the GM and how helpful or harmful he thinks the situation is. Example: On George’s turn, his canon is now fully charged and ready to fire. However, the GM has determined poor lighting on the ranch gives him a -5 modifier to his roll. George’s Ranged Skill is now 45, instead of 50. It isn’t a big modifier, but right now George is wishing he had used the Marksman - Effect A of his Fighting Style.

things? Yes! The Rule of Cool states that the GM can award bonuses to your rolls depending on how cool you describe your action or how exciting the outcome will be. These bonuses should be small, only +5 if it sounds fun to a max of +10 if the entire group cracks up laughing. This helps reward and encourage players to use their Abilities and Upgrades in unorthodox ways and heightens the enjoyment for everyone. Of course, this is optional and the GM may choose to ignore this rule. ACTUAL PLAYTEST EXAMPLES: An android character earned a +5 bonus for using her All Surface Movement upgrade to run up a wall and ceiling so she was directly above her target, then falling onto her target as part of a hammer attack. A cyborg character got a +10 bonus on his grapple check for trying to grapple someone out of a 50 story window.

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat But if the enemy starts to gang up on you, not all is lost. Dodge and Deflect, unlike other Skills, can never be reduced below 5. So, no matter how many attacks come your way, you always have a chance to avoid them. Example: George’s attack is a success! The Tunneler needs to Dodge or Deflect his attack or take a big hit. However, because it has already used Deflect twice trying to stop Katrina, it suffers -10 to his Deflect. Even worse, a charged attack automatically impose a -10 modifier to Dodge and Deflect, giving the Tunneler a total modifier of -20! With its Deflect Skill now only 15, and with no Dodge Skill to fall back on, it’s going to have a hard time stopping that.

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Damage

By now you know how to hit someone and how to avoid being hit. If this were a game of tag, that would be all you need to know, but this is a game of cyborgs with rocket launchers fighting androids with energy blades. So, you need to know how to deal real damage. Damage in this game is measured in Power Levels and each Power Level represents 1d10 worth of structure damage, unless otherwise noted. Sometimes you may get bonuses to damage, like using Increased Strength with a Melee weapon, but these are added in after all Power Levels have been rolled. Once the total damage has been calculated, you then reduce it by a number equal to the target’s Armor value. Example: George’s canon blast hits the Tunneler, who fails his Deflect roll. George’s canon is normally only Power Level 3, but is now Power Level 4 and Blast lv 2 because he charged it. He rolls 4d10 and gets a 5, 2, 4, and a 7 for a total of 18 Structural damage. The Tunneler has 1 level of Structure Armor, so he reduces the total from 18 to 17, and marks the damage on his sheet. Unfortunately, George was too eager with the shot, and forgot Katrina was on the Tunneler’s back. She is well within the attacks Blast range (4 yards, thanks to Blast 2) and takes

half of the total damage rolled. That’s 9 damage, but it gets reduced by her Structure Armor of 2. She takes only 7 damage from the blast, but she will be sure to tell George to turn off his Enhancements next time he thinks about firing that thing near her.

Vital Hit

While rolling your damage, a Power Level die that rolls a 10 means you have landed a Vital Hit. Every time you score a vital hit you may roll an extra 1d10 to add to the total damage dealt, but these bonus dice CANNOT themselves score Vital Hits. Example: Jay fires his lightning rifle and hits. With Power Level 2, he rolls a 5 and a 10. Vital Hit! He then rolls a third die which also gets a 10. It’s a lot of damage, but cannot gain another Vital Hit from a bonus die. Jay’s total damage is 25.

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Fire

Fall Distance Fall Distance (Human) 10 yards 3 yards 15 yards 6 yards 20 yards 9 yards 25 yards 12 yards 30 yards 15 yards

Sometimes things just start to catch fire. Fires have a static Power Level equal to its size, described below. If you stand, move through, or otherwise touch fire, it does its Power Level worth of damage to you. Fire damage caused this way ignores Structure Armor, but can be negated with the Fire Protection Upgrade. Fire Size A torch or waste basket-sized A door or otherwise human-sized A motorcycle or otherwise horse-sized A small car or a small bedroom A truck or several rooms in size A small house or forest fire

Falling

Power Level 1 2 3 4 5

Catastrophic Damage

Power Level 1 2 3 4 5 6

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▶▶ Ability: Choose one ability, and the bonuses it gives are now unusable until fixed. ▶▶ Upgrade: Choose one Upgrade, and it cannot be used until it is fixed. ▶▶ Weapon Power Level: Chose one weapon, and its Power Level is reduced by 1 (to a min of 0) until it is fixed. ▶▶ Weapon Range: Chose one weapon, and its range is cut in half (rounded up) until it is fixed. ▶▶ Weapon Enhancements: Chose one weapon, and its Enhancements are all reduced to level 1 if they were higher, or turned off if not, until it is fixed.

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Gravity is the double-edged sword that affects everything on the planet, and no one wants to find themselves in mid-air without any means of flight. Falling usually happens when you are knocked or thrown off of something. You are considered to hit the ground in the same Round you fell. If you fell for more than the 10 seconds that are in each Round, you would be falling at least 500 yards. At that point, it’s safe to consider your character Structure Dead (or just dead, if human). If they fall for longer than 2 rounds, consider your character Core Dead on impact (or a thick paste, if human). The amount of damage you take from falling depends on 2 factors: How far you fell, and if you are human. Falling damage is reduced by armor.

Although generally tougher than humans, those with artificially enhanced bodies can still take a large enough hit to shake some important things loose. This is called Catastrophic Damage and really hinders you when it happens. You might have seen earlier that you have a Catastrophic Damage Threshold of 20. This is universal and can only be increased by taking Increased Durability. If you take damage from any source that exceeds your CD Threshold after armor is applied, then you suffer Catastrophic Damage. When this happens, pick one of the categories below and fill in the check box. That system is now broken and needs to be repaired. If this damage was caused by a Called Shot (page 67), then the attacker gets to choose which category is damaged.

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat ▶▶ Baseline Speed: Reduce baseline Speed (before Abilities) in half until fixed.

Object Glass Window, Tires Wooden Door, Hand Cuffs Stone Pillar, Large Boulder Truck Engine Steel Door, Concrete wall Reinforced Titanium Security Shutters

▶▶ Baseline Lifting: Reduce baseline Lifting (before Abilities) in half, until fixed. ▶▶ Baseline Jumping: Reduce baseline Vertical and Horizontal Jumps (before Abilities) in half, until fixed. ▶▶ Baseline Perception: Any rolls that require sight suffer a -10 modifier until fixed. Also, stealth tests made against you gain a +10 modifier. ▶▶ Baseline Agility: Until this is fixed, any damage taken causes you to make an Increased Agility roll. If you fail you lose balance and fall to the ground. A General Action is required to stand back up, and others get a +5 modifier to hit you while you are down. All Catastrophic Damage is gone once the character is healed by a Repair or First Aid roll. If something needs to be fixed sooner, you may use Repair/First Aid as a Combat Action. If this succeeds, no Structure or Core is healed, but a single damaged system is repaired.

Healing

This is one area where humans come out ahead. Although artificial skin can heal itself, wires and servos cannot. ▶▶ Human characters naturally heal 5 Core for every day of bed rest or 1 Core for every day of normal activity. ▶▶ Cyborgs, still being partially human, can heal Structure at the same rate, but only to a maximum of 20 Structure. Everything beyond that has to be repaired, as does their Core damage. ▶▶ Androids and Transhumans, however, are not so lucky. Their artificial skin stitches itself back together within 2 hours, making them look healthy, but it only heals a max of 5 Structure. The only true way to heal a Cyborg, Android or Transhuman is via the Repair Skill.

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Damaging Equipment

Sometimes it’s not a person you want to break, but an object. From doors to guns, everything has a Structure value and everything can be broken. Weapons of military quality have 25 Structure and can be damaged by a Called Shot. When a weapon runs out of structure, it suffers Catastrophic Damage to its Power Level, and any damage taken after that automatically causes Catastrophic Damage to its range and then its Enhancements. For other objects, Structure is based entirely on how sturdy it is built. When determining how much structure to give something, reference the chart below to figure out the best value. When an object’s structure reaches zero, it is destroyed.

Structure 5 10 20 35 40 60

Death

When a character’s Structure or Core reaches zero, the character suffers a form of death. For Humans, this should be self-explanatory, but for Androids, Transhumans, and Cyborgs, there are two types of death.

Structure Death

When a character’s Structure reaches zero, he suffers Structure Death. His body has taken too much stress and snaps, breaks, bends, ruptures and/or cracks while servos shatter, hydrau-

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat lic fluid spills like blood, and the body crumples onto the ground. Your structure cannot be repaired after you suffer Structure Death. You lose all Upgrades, Abilities, and Armors when you suffer Structure Death, as they are destroyed with you. However, you can still be saved yet! Your personality, your memories, and perhaps even your very soul are all stored in your Core. If it can be retrieved, usually with a Mechanics roll, it can be placed in a new body.

Core Death

When a character’s Core reaches zero, he suffers Core Death -- the truest of deaths. As your core leaks coolant and starts losing power, your mind fades and is eventually erased. All memories, all your Quirks, everything that makes you an individual is deleted as your core dies and your body locks up. Your Core cannot be repaired after suffering Core Death. You lose all Combat Skills, Skills, Quirks and Fighting Styles. However, you can still be of some use. As long as you haven’t also suffered Structure Death then your body is intact, if not probably very injured. Someone else’s core can be placed inside it and they can live anew in your old body. Think of it as being an organ donor.

Aiming

An extra second to line up an attack can turn a miss into a hit. Your character, as a General Action, can take extra time to make sure his attack strikes where he needs it. When you Aim, your next Combat Action gains a +10 modifier to your Ranged, Melee and Unarmed Combat Skills. This bonus must be used before the end of your Turn or it is lost.

Some Fighting Styles will allow your character to have extra Actions, which makes it possible to aim with two Actions and attack with the third. This gives you a total of +20 to your Combat Skills until the end of your next Turn. However, you should weigh the consequences of losing that extra Action.

Called Shots

A Called Shot is when you voluntarily take a negative modifier on your attack roll in order to hit a specific part of your enemy. Called shots can generally be divided into two categories: Tricky and Pinpoint. Ultimately, it’s the GM’s call on which kind of Called Shot is required for what you want to do. ▶▶ A Tricky Called Shot gives a -10 modifier, but allows you to bypass hand-held shields or hit exposed Exosuits and Exosuit pilots. ▶▶ A Pinpoint Called Shot gives a -15 modifier, but allows you to hit smaller things, like a held weapon or a camera nestled in armor.

Attack of Last Resort

It is possible to find yourself without a weapon, surrounded by enemies with no way to escape. At any time, even if you haven’t bought an unarmed weapon, you can still punch, kick and head-butt. These are called Attacks of Last Resort and they are considered to have a Power Level of 0.5 (aka 1d5). You still add your Increased Strength bonus to the damage of Attacks of Last Resort.

Grappling

If you need to hold someone down, then it’s time for a Grappling roll. To Grapple someone, just roll an Unarmed attack roll with a -5 modifier. The defender is allowed to try to Dodge, but cannot Deflect his kind of attack. If the attacker wins, the two are now grappling. Neither may Dodge or Deflect, move from their current posi-

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Special Combat Actions

Double Aiming

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat tion, or attack anyone other than their grappling partner. The attacker, however, loses 1 Power Level due to the awkward nature of attacks. On the defender’s turn, he may attempt to break free as a General Action. Both grapplers roll 1d10, plus 1d10 for every 10 points of Increased Strength they have. If the defender wins or ties, he breaks free. The attacker may choose to release his target as a General Action, attack him with the above restrictions, or may attempt to throw him as his Combat Action.

Throwing

You may add any bonus damage from Increased Strength into its damage roll. If the attack hits, both your target and the object thrown takes the amount of damage rolled. If your attack misses, only the thrown object takes the damage.

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When you are so mad you want to throw a manhole cover at somebody, this is how you do it. You can throw objects with a weighs up to half of what you can lift normally. Throwing is an Unarmed combat roll and have a range of 10 yards. Your target suffers a negative modifier to Dodge/ Deflect the object’s Power Level is determined by how heavy the object is.

Object Weight Dodge/Deflect Power Modifier Level 50-100 lbs -0 1 101-200 lbs -5 2 201-350 lbs -10 3 351-500 lbs -15 4 501- 650 lbs -20 5 651-800 lbs -25 6 801-1000 lbs -30 7

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat ▶▶ Suffering Structure Death (4 boxes): You were brought to the edge of the abyss and survived. Your body may have been repaired, but your Core still remembers what it’s like to die.

Corruption

Corruption in your programming can cause unexpected errors and even cause a crash. Now, if that program is a highly advanced and selfaware, very bad things can happen when he goes off-kilter. No matter if your mind is organic or artificial, Corruption can manifest from emotional trauma. Stress, regrets, and mistakes can weigh heavy on a character’s mind, poisoning thoughts and conflicting with programming. If the weight gets too heavy then the mind snaps, and you hope that mind wasn’t attached to any high powered weaponry.

Increasing Corruption Value

▶▶ Causing Core Death of an enemy when not necessary (4 boxes): He was down, he had surrendered, or he was just no longer a threat, and you used that opportunity to end him. ▶▶ Causing Core Death of an ally or civilian (4 boxes): Maybe you didn’t realize your attack would do that much damage. Maybe you didn’t realize how injured they really were. It doesn’t really change what happened.

Effects of Corruption

As you play, your character makes some very tough decisions and must live with the consequences. When your character does something he may regret later, mark one or more boxes in the Corruption Value bar. How many boxes marked depends on the severity of the action and is ultimately up to the GM, but below is a guide to the most common ways to gain Corruption.

▶▶ Causing Core Death of an enemy when you have no choice (2 boxes): You tell yourself he just wouldn’t stop, that you had no choice, that there was no other way. Part of you believes it. ▶▶ Failing an ally or loved one (2 to 4 boxes): When they needed you most, you weren’t there. If you’re lucky, they are still alive to rub your nose in it. ▶▶ Torture (3 boxes): They had something you needed, so you did what you had to do. The fact they are still alive is probably of little comfort to them.

Stage 0 - aka Uncorrupted (10 or less marked boxes) Everyone starts in this Stage. This doesn’t mean you are innocent or devoid of regrets, they just aren’t enough to keep you up at night.

Stage 1 (11 to 20 marked boxes) You’ve made some mistakes, but you strive to be better so these kinds of things never happen again. When you reach this stage, add Stage 1 to your list of Quirks. This Quirk gives the following benefit: When rolling damage, you may take 1 point of Core damage (ignoring Armor) to reroll 1 Power Level die. Each die may only be rerolled once.

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▶▶ Injuring an ally or civilian (1 box): Either because of a stray shot or forgetting your weapon has the Blast Enhancement, you injured someone you didn’t mean to.

As Corruption increases, your personality changes ever so slightly. You start taking more risks, become short tempered or may even stop caring what other people think of your actions or their consequences. Your Corruption Value is divided into three 10-box segments, each a different stage of Corruption. Each Stage represents a greater burden for the mind or programming to deal with, but also come with a unique benefit. After all, it pays to be a sociopath sometimes.

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat Stage 2 (21 and 30 marked boxes) You’ve done some things, horrible things. From that pain, however, you draw the strength to achieve things you wouldn’t normally think possible. When you reach this stage add Stage 2 to your list of Quirks. This Quirk gives the following benefit: When your Skill roll is two of the same number (11, 22, 33, etc), your roll automatically succeeds even if it wouldn’t normally. However, you also instantly suffer 5 Core damage which ignores Armor.

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Stage 3 - aka Corrupted (more than 30 boxes) That was all your mind could take, the flood gates are open, and the crazy is out. Just hope you don’t wake up in a bed full of severed heads when you regain your senses. Two words: Mental Breakdown. You and your GM should discuss how exactly this manifests, as it varies from person to person based on their individual Quirks and personality. A shy character may lock himself in his room, not even leaving for food. A trigger happy character may shoot the next person who bumps into him, no matter who it is. A paranoid character may start taking himself apart trying to find what “they” implanted in him. You do not increase your corruption value while you are suffering from a mental breakdown. This state lasts for a number of days equal to how much your Corruption Value exceeds 30. At the end of that period, if you survived, reduce your Corruption by 5 and add Corrupted to your list of Quirks. If for some reason, after you recover, your Corruption is still over 30 then you relapse and have a second, but thankfully shorter, mental breakdown. At the end of that period of time, reduce your corruption level by 5 and check if you relapse again. Example: Garry the Android is a bit trigger happy and just reached a corruption value of 34. His mental breakdown will last 4 days before he comes to his senses. If he survives that 4 day period, he removes 5 Corruption for a Corruption Value of 29.

Larry the Cyborg, however, loves his bombs and brought a building down on an enemy’s head. Unfortunately, there were 5 civilians in that building, netting him an instant +20 Corruption levels, bringing him up to 40. His mental breakdown will last for 10 days before he recovers and removes 5 Corruption. However, that still puts him at 35 Corruption, so he relapses for another 5 days.

Removing Corruption

Removing corruption is easy: just relax. Extended periods of downtime spent meditating or volunteering your time to a worthy cause can ease a troubled mind. Just getting your mind off your troubles can help to make them fade. For every week spent without a combat encounter or major stress, you may reduce your Corruption value by 5. However, some things cannot be forgotten no matter how much rest and downtime you get. Your Corruption Value can never be reduced below Stage 1, unless you are still below Stage 1, and you keep any Quirks you gained from being Corrupted.

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Exosuits

Exosuit Baseline

Exosuits are robotic exoskeletons that fit over a human operator like a suit of armor. While wearing an exosuit, a human is able to lift hundreds of pounds without effort and run as fast as a car. Developed by the American military in the 2020s, exosuits were originally used to haul heavy or dangerous equipment. With a skilled operator, one exosuit was able to do the job of five soldiers in half the time. During the New Civil War, exosuits were given stronger armor and heavier weapons, turning their operators into walking tanks. They provide many benefits to its wearer, such as extra Structure and Core, higher Abilities, and are able to take core draining Upgrades. Use of exosuits declined in favor of drones and support units over time. Exosuit technology was sold to construction, shipping companies and hospitals to help restore mobility to those in need. Ironically, their resurgence didn’t come until after the rise of androids, primarily to bring humans on par with their mechanical peers without requiring dangerous surgery. Some simply prefer a job be done by a human than a support unit or android. The standard exosuit design clamps over the torso, lower legs, and lower arms, while combat suits include a helmet to further protect the operator. Variants are common and many people customize their exosuits for maximum performance or to fit their personalities. Due to the extra bulk added to the wearer, exosuits add 200 pounds onto the wearer and cannot fit through single doorways. Exosuits are usable by anyone and require no special Skills to utilize. Depending on the model, the operator can control the exosuit with buttons inside their gloves, a voice command module, or a cybernetic implant allowing direct connect to the operator’s nervous system. Once an operator is used to the control method, working an exosuit can feel as natural as moving their own arms.

Exosuits have 50 Structure and 50 Core. These are tracked separately and are not added to your own. Although it doesn’t come with any, Abilities for an Exosuit have a higher max then a standard character. An Exosuit may buy Abilities up to Level 86 rather than the standard 66. While wearing an Exosuit, the wearer may use any of its Abilities and Upgrades normally, but Abilities do not stack with the characters. You get either your own Abilities or the Exosuits (whichever is higher). While wearing an Exosuit, your baseline is considered the same as an Android if it wasn’t already. This also applies to Falling Damage. Due to its bulk and different center of gravity, however, you cannot use Fighting Styles while wearing an Exosuit. Example: Keiji finally has enough CP to buy an Exosuit. Just by putting it on, he can now lift as much and jump as far as other members of his team. He also receives Structure to make him less vulnerable in combat, but he can no longer use his Deceiver Fighting Style.

Damaging an Exosuit

When you take damage in an Exosuit, you can choose whether or not to let the Exosuit take the damage for you (after you are hit, but before rolling damage). If the Exosuit is chosen, it takes all the damage rolled, of course reduced by any armor it may have. Watch out though, your enemy can make a Called Shot to target you or your Exosuit specifically, taking away your choice of how damage is taken. If your Exosuit loses all its Structure or Core, it shuts down. A broken Exosuit requires a Combat Action to take off, and you cannot move or Dodge while wearing a broken Exosuit.

Improving an Exosuit

You may buy Armor, Abilities and Upgrades as normal to improve your Exosuit. Because it has its own Core, you may even buy Upgrades with Core Drain, applied to the Exosuit’s Core rather than your own.

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Hermes Exosuit

(Cost 120 CP) This military exosuit is built to protect its operator from sustained fire while also granting him enhanced abilities across the board. Structure 50, Core 50 Armor: Structure Armor 2 Abilities: Increased Strength 20, Increased Speed 20, Increased Durability 20, Increased Perception 40

(Cost 95 CP) Built with wheels and jump jets, this kind of Exosuit is considered street legal in some countries. Structure 50, Core 50 Abilities: Increased Speed 60 Upgrades: Dash, Reflex Dash, Jump Dash

Cargo Loader Exosuit (Cost 95 CP) This Exosuit was built specifically for lifting and carrying heavy cargo, and is popular with colonists on Mars. With its high level of Increased Strength, it hits like a truck. Structure 50, Core 50 Armor: Structure Armor 1 Abilities: Increased Strength 80 Upgrades: Anchored 1

Thunderbird Exosuit (cost 80 CP) This personal flight suit is insulated to protect the user from lightning strikes while flying. Structure 50, Core 40 Upgrades: Unlimited Flight, Electricity Protection 1

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Briar Exosuit

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat

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Support Units

Improving Support Units

Support units are the next innovative step from the unmanned drones of the 21st century. These are robots with very limited artificial intelligence that can interpret and follow orders without fear of the unit becoming aware like an android. Support units are extremely common in the 21st century and are present in just about every industry, from building cars to cleaning houses to even warfare. Cleaning units are cheap enough for households to afford, traffic units can regulate traffic in real time, and garbage units float around major cities collecting litter. Support units are built in almost every shape and can look like giant insects or walking tanks or robotic pets or even small metallic humanoids. Almost everyone in the 21st has owned a support unit in their lifetime, even if it was just a simple robo-pet. Support units are so popular they come pre-installed with cyberspace software, allowing the unit to virtually aid its master as well. Some in the android community question if using support units is morally right, considering their own servitude in the past. Many feel it is no different from a human owning a dog, but not everyone agrees. Support units can be used both as emergency security and makeshift assassins, prompting some debate over their regulation. However, because of their countless non-combat uses, support unit laws remain lax throughout the world. In combat situations support units are valuable assets that can act as spotters, fire support, and field medics. They are programmed to follow all orders given by a specific person, or a small group, to the best of its abilities and can receive voice commands or orders through wireless communication at almost any range. Some androids even modify their own body so their support unit can attach to them and become like another limb under their direct control.

Support Unit Baseline

Support Units are built to have 50 Structure Core, and an Android’s baseline. Because of their specialized nature, they start with one Combat Skill at 40 and the rest at 0, but do not have a Fighting Style due to their simplified AI.

The owner of a Support Unit may spend CP to buy Abilities, Armor, Upgrades, Skills, Weapons, and improve Combat Skills just like any other character. Support Unit’s start with 20 CP to immediately spend on their original functions.

Support Units in Combat

Support Units get their own Turn during combat and can use Actions at the owner’s discretion. It acts on the same Initiative as the owner, taking its Actions either right before or right after its owner. Support Units take damage normally and shut down when their Structure or Core reaches zero. However, due to their lack of sentience and simplified AI, they cannot suffer Core Death and are good as new once repaired.

J.E.D. 902 Support Unit (Cost 85 CP) The Judicial Enforcement Drone is used by law enforcement to deter criminals, break riots and subdue extremely dangerous targets. Although going through numerous revisions over the years, the 902 stands on tall legs to be taller than crowds and is armed with twin gatling guns to encourage criminal compliance. Structure 50, Core 50 Combat: Ranged 40 Upgrades: Energy Scanner, Point Blank Weapons: Twin Gatling Guns (Neutral Element, Range 10 yards, Power Level 2, Rapid Attack 1)

Familiar Support Unit (Cost 80 CP) Familiar is a custom built attack dog based on the more common household canine Support Units. With its sleek and armored design, Familiar follows its master into battle with a bite strong enough to punch through steel. Structure 50, Core 50 Combat: Unarmed 40, Dodge 40 Abilities: Increased Speed 20 Upgrades: Dash Weapon: Bite (Metal Element, Power Level 2, Armor Piercing 2)

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Cyberspace As the Internet grew and evolved, it seemed to take on physical properties of its own. Soon, the Internet covered the world like a thick fog through wireless internet and brain nodes. Now known collectively as Cyberspace, the Internet can be seen and visited as if it were an alternate reality. Some people prefer to spend their time in Cyberspace, where they feel they can truly be themselves, rather than the Meatspace that is the real world. Though there are plenty of devices that can be used to skim cyberspace for information at any time from almost anywhere, you must connect to Cyberspace directly to truly experience it. This feature is built into every artificial brain, allowing Androids and Transhumans to log on from anywhere, but Humans and Cyborgs must find ports for them to connect. Connection ports are very common, with many stores offering them as a courtesy to paying customers. Of course, there are those who get brain surgery just so they can have a wireless connection with them at all times.

Properties of Cyberspace

Avatars

Avatars can be seen as suits you wear to protect you from cyberspace. They can restrict your movement, but they protect your mind from damage and unexpected dangers that may arise. Every time a Human or Cyborg logs into cyberspace, they are asked to choose an avatar they have already created or to create a new one. When you create an Avatar, first pick one of the base templates listed below and then you get a bonus +40 CP to personalize it and you get to choose its appearance from either your own personal files or from the tens of thousands available on the digital market. When using an Avatar, you use everything given by the avatar as if it were your own. You keep your own General Skills, Combat Skills, Fighting Style, and Quirks, but cannot use anything else of your original character. If the campaign takes place often or entirely in cyberspace, the GM may allow his players to spend any Character Points they earn on improving their avatars. The avatar, however, may look however you like. Some people make theirs show what they consider to be their true self, while others may wish to be an idealized version of what they already look like. The choice is up to the user.

Speed Searcher 100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Speed 35 Weapon: Fast Hands (Neutral Element, Range 0, Power Level 2, Homing 2)

Pro Gamer 100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Jumping 20 Weapons: Side Arm (Neutral element, Range 10 yards, Power Level 1, Rapid Attack 1), Knife (Neutral Element, Range 0, Power Level 2)

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Cyberspace is huge, often cited as a fully digital reality. You can do some shopping, learn about history, visit amazing places people have built from scratch, play some games on the same trip, and walk around in a body of your choosing. With so many options, is it any wonder the number of people who spend all day plugged in? The human brain, despite its complexity, is unable to process the entirety of cyberspace, which is vast, full of information and almost always changing. It easily creates a sensory overload to any human brain trying to connect directly. The first attempt to upload a human brain into cyberspace was in 2098. The test subject, whose name was never released, was said to have gone crazy and tried to murder everyone around him. When unplugged, his body fell into a coma from which he never recovered. A few years later, when technology advanced, they

tried again and that person fell into a coma within minutes. The third went comatose in a matter of seconds. Since then, Humans and Cyborgs have needed special avatars in order to safely explore the entirety of cyberspace.

Chapter Three: Rules and Combat 1 hour to reconfigure your avatar for use again. You can, however, switch to a new avatar during that time.

Digital Security 100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Durability 30 Weapons: Combat Shield (Fire element, range 0, Power Level 2, Shred 2)

▶▶ Your Body: While logged into cyberspace, your real body stands or sits in the position you were in until you log back out, as if frozen in time. You are unaware of anything happening around your physical body during this time, however if you are injured you can feel it in cyberspace. It takes a Combat Action to log out of cyberspace.

Forum Lurker 100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Perception 40 Weapons: Tag Rifle (Electricity Element, Range 15 yards, Power Level 2, Ray 1)

▶▶ Healing: Damage cannot be healed normally in cyberspace. Everyone’s avatars return to full Core anytime they are logged out or at midnight, local server time, every day.

Active Archivist 100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Strength 35 Weapons: Prodding Rod (Ice Element, Range 1 yard, Power Level 2)

Damage and Other Rule Changes

Cyberspace is a separate place and has different rules then the real world.

▶▶ Falling: All falling distances are doubled in cyberspace. ▶▶ Weapon Type: All Weapons in cyberspace automatically become Energy type weapons, even if they weren’t in the real world. Because of this, Metal, Explosive, and Fluid Elements do not exist in cyberspace. ▶▶ Logging Out: If your avatar is reduced to zero or fewer Core, you are forcibly logged out of cyberspace. It takes the network

Androids, Transhumans, and anyone with the Personalized Avatar Upgrade do not use the avatar rules as they were stated above. Their avatars are completely personalized and work like their real bodies. You can even personalize your appearance, just like a regular avatar. When in cyberspace, Androids, Transhumans and those with the Personalized Avatar get an avatar exactly like your real body. You get to use digital version of your Weapons, Exosuits and Support Units, and everything else that makes you, you. Any Physical Type weapons become Energy for your avatar, and you lose any Elements that are Physical only. All Personalized avatars have 100 Core, even when used by a human. A user with a Personalized Avatar cannot use standard avatars. Personalized avatars do not automatically log off if their core damage reaches capacity but require the user to choose to log off as an Instant Action. If the user decides to stay logged in then all damage they take from then on will go to their Core instead. This allows the user to remain in cyberspace even when under heavy fire, but as risk to their own Core.

The Digital Landscape

Cyberspace is different enough to feel unnerving the first time you visit, but most people settle

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▶▶ Damage: As there is no physical structure in cyberspace all damage is done to Core and reduced by Core Armor. Enhancements or Elements that normally do damage to Core in the real world, now do damage to Structure instead in the form of feedback traveling through cyberspace and affecting the real body with shocks or spasms. Only Androids, Transhumans, and those using Personal Avatars need worry about this, as regular avatars act as enough of a buffer between the user and cyberspace to prevent this.

Personalized Avatars

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Chapter Three: Rules and Combat in just fine. There is no sky, at least not in the traditional sense. If you look up while in cyberspace you will see a black void, usually filled with floating ads based on your location or browsing history. These ads are personalized for you and only you can see them. When you get a domain in cyberspace, it is represented by a plot of cyber land. The bigger the domain, the bigger the plot. This leads to large online retailers represented by gigantic buildings and structures that sprawl over their domain while smaller businesses cram into much smaller plots. Informational domains tend to be shaped like libraries or giant television arrays, and online games are held in arenas and coliseums. The most common form for personal blogs are pillars, with pictures and messages posts on all sides. The streets in cyberspace are filled with the avatars of people from around the world. You can freely read the system registry of anyone you can see, as if you had succeeded in a Combat Analysis roll (Registry Blocker can still stop this). You can speak to anyone publicly, by shouting, or privately, by whispering just like in a chat room. You can also Ignore and Block others from speaking to you, but they will still be able to see you. Cyberspace is so vastly, insanely, gigantically huge that most people only walk the streets of their favorite locations. To get to a new area, you find it via your browser and select Area Transfer. This process takes a Combat Action to start and a full Round to complete. Once selected, you and any other willing people near to you are enveloped in a ball of light and transferred instantly. If you are unsure where you want to go, you can visit a search engine, usually taking the form of a subway, which shows nearby places to visit and suggests commonly visited locations. Troublemakers are forcefully removed from areas by Domain Security or other users. This can be by physically forcing the user to change areas or by logging him out by destroying his avatar. Strange reports of glitches in cyberspace have recently occurred where some hear conversations that can’t be happening around them, while others say the Ad-Sky images turn horrific for just a few moments. These events are rare and happen mostly to Androids, leading most to think these are problems on the user’s end of things.

Personal Browsers

Personal browsers are built into every avatar and appear as black and white diamonds over the user’s head. From this browser, they can check all personal messages, video chat with others, and activate a number of different features like area transfer or private chat. Private chat arose when digital privacy became a concern a few years ago. With browsers around everyone’s head and anyone’s system registry readable in an instant, people needed ways to have conversations that couldn’t be recorded or listened in on. When private chat is activated with a Combat Action, a pure white bubble dome surrounds all participates. Nothing happening in the dome can be seen or heard, and the dome itself has 50 Core to resist anyone who may try to force their in. The dome disappears when any participate wills it, all users log off, or it is destroyed. When a private chat dome ends, it cannot be reactivated for an hour.

Firewalls

Firewalls are equipped for emergencies on every domain. When activated, a foot thick wall of fire encases the entire domain, essentially sealing it off. Firewalls are not solid and do not literally block passage, but do cause damage to anything trying to pass through them. Firewalls have a Power Level between 1 and 10, with most businesses being able to afford Level 5. Firewalls act automatically hits anything passing through and cannot be Dodged or Deflected. A Firewall gains an amount of Power Level, Armor Piercing, and Shred equal to its level. Although not solid, a Firewall can still be attacked. Firewalls have an amount of Core equal to 20 times its Power Level, as well as the Fire Protection Upgrade. When a firewall goes down it requires a number of Rounds equal to 10 minus its Power Level to turn itself back on. A Firewall can only permanently be turned off from inside the domain itself.

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Searching vs Skimming

In this new digital age, there is new terminology to get used to. The most important is the different between “Searching cyberspace” and “Skimming cyberspace”. Searching Cyberspace requires your browser to look up info at an information archive, library, or other domain that has the data you need. The browser either instantly pulls up what you wanted or directs you to the floor where it will be able to pull it up. Most domains don’t mind users searching from the entrance, as it still registers with the Ad-Sky and allows their ads, and the ads of their affiliates, to appear for you from then on. Other places may require you to move to a specific floor, where the information is stored around a collection of ad covered walls for more specific marketing. Secretive information is kept on hidden floors, often guarded and heavily protected. Skimming cyberspace involves having a device that pulls data from cyberspace without having to be logged-in. Phones, computers and even some walls have this feature built-in, Skimming cyber-

space is less reliable. Looking for common information pulls up pages of relevant (or irrelevant) info that you could easily walk past if you were logged-in. Some domains even hide information so that it can’t be found by skimming, forcing you to visit their domain yourself or maybe even paying a premium in order to skim that info. In other words, Skimming is more convenient, but Searching gets you more bang for your buck. Skimming cyberspace requires a number of Extended Actions depending on how obscure or hidden the information may be. Refer to the chart below to see how many Extended Actions the skim requires.

Subject Extended Actions Common Knowledge 6 Uncommon Knowledge 9 Obscure Knowledge 12 Hidden Knowledge 16 Specific details x2 Exact details x3

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Viruses

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With access to almost all knowledge and the ability to play almost any game or be whoever you want, cyberspace can be a paradise. It is no question why so many people spend as much time as they can logged in, but even paradise has its serpents. No matter if they were created by malicious people, an accident in the code, or by more sinister means, viruses exist only to cause destruction and chaos in cyberspace. They destroy, envelope, and corrupt everything in their path and are such a danger to cyberspace that most users stop whatever they are doing and band together to destroy even the smallest virus that appears. Some viruses just attack the first thing they come across, while others may take over an avatar to better track its target. With their numbers seemingly endless and their assaults relentless, cyberspace would have been destroyed long ago if viruses could acknowledge each other. As it seems now, though, viruses do not interact with other viruses and cannot work together towards greater goals. Whether viruses are actually alive is a popular subject in philosophy and programing classes. Most people, even the strongest arguers for artificial intelligence, agree viruses are not conscious of their actions. Some are able to mimic human speech and appearance or hunt with the cunning of a wild animal, but they do so because of programming. If there is any mind within a virus, it is driven by pure instinct and desire.

DDoS Virus This virus appears as a pack of blank and featureless avatars. They move like a flock of birds and attack targets as a group, making most people theorize the DDoS Virus is one virus in many bodies. The DDoS either tries to tear down domains, even through Firewalls, or attack small groups of individuals. Attacks in groups of 4x the number of players Size: Little, Structure 25, Core 25 Combat: Unarmed 40 Fighting Style: No Style Upgrades: Mook, Anchored 1, Reach, Corruption Protection Weapons: Virus Fists (Neutral Element, Range 1 yard, Power Level 1, Shred 1, Armor Piercing 1)

This virus usually takes on the avatar of a pale woman who wanders into crowded parts of cyberspace to then scream with such ear shattering force it causes damage and can even drive people insane around her. Her screams have the Corruption Element and cause a person’s Corruption value to rise every time they hear her. Although not physically strong or tough, this virus is considered extremely dangerous. Malware travels alone, but may have a mob with a number of controlled corrupted people equal to the number of opponents she faces. The virus has no direct control of these corrupted, but they will fight to protect the Malware while it tries to create even more. Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Unarmed 50, Dodge 35 Fighting Style: Deceiver Upgrades: Corruption Protection, Charge, All Surface Movement Weapons: Banshee Scream (Corruption Element, Range 0, Power Level 2, Blast 5)

Rootkit Virus This virus often lays dormant and unnoticed for long periods, burrowing into domains and taking root. As time passes, it envelops and replaces parts of digital buildings until the domain is mostly virus. Once it grows strong enough, it reshapes the domain to fit its needs, something forming limbs to grab passersby or twisting its own hallways to form a maze that people cannot leave. When a Rootkit is destroyed, the domain is restored to its previous state, minus anything destroyed during the onslaught. Size: Can be either a Big or a Boss, if left alone long enough Combat: Unarmed 60, Combat Analysis 50, Core Armor 2 (or 4) Fighting Style: Heavy Hitter Upgrades: Enhanced Analysis, Anchored 5, Reach, Assimilate Weapon, Corruption Protection Weapons: Grabbing Claws (Corruption element, Range 1 yard, Power Level 2 [or 3], Rapid Attack 2), Gnashing Maw (Magnetic element, Range 0, Power Level 3 [or 4], Armor Piercing 5)

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The score was currently tied at forty-five kills each, but the Missouri Overlords were apparently making a push towards the blue base. I wasn’t into these e-sport matches, but he insisted we go to Round 2 of the finals for our first date. We walked around the battlefield in spectator mode, appearing as ghosts to each other, but completely invisible to other spectators and the players themselves. That part was probably for the best, because he was not quiet about his dislike of the Overlords. “You’re a buncha scrubs!” He shouted even though only I could hear him. “You’re lucky you’re even here! I hope the Titans wipe the floor with you!” I found it adorable. I remember being taught an android could never think like a human. I was told androids could never show passion or devotion like a real person. Although I knew it wasn’t true, part of me was happy to see it for my very eyes. It was probably that part of me that insisted on this date being in cyberspace. Things just felt more accepting here. “They’re making their move,” he shouted as he ran after the Overlords. I caught up in time to see smoke grenades being thrown at a bunker with blue highlights. The Overlords equipped shotguns and put gas masks on, which was enough to make him groan. “No, no, no, no, no! The New Mexico Titans are sniper specialists,” he explained to me, “they won’t have their range advantage inside the base.” I nodded and feigned concern as gunfire erupted around us. The match was over in seconds as the 50th kill was reached. The Overlords were the victors. “Damn SSA,” he shouted as he ripped the red, white, and blue bandanna off his head. I realized he must have been wearing it in the real world in order to do that here. As an android he didn’t need an avatar to interact with cyberspace and so the tall, athletic man with short blonde hair and kind green eyes who I saw in front of me was how he would actually look in real life. My form was… not my own, but it was one I was comfortable with, and I’m sure he understood that. He suddenly stopped and looked at me. “Oh, I hope I didn’t just offend you. Are you from the Sovereign States?” I just laughed. I could remember a father who would have a field day with this. “It’s fine”, I said. “Sorry your team lost.” He waved it off. “The Overlords just tied it up. The Titans’ll recover and sweep through them next game.” We stood there a moment, unsure of what to say next. “So,” I finally asked, “did you have anything else planned? Maybe something a little less… exciting?” “Oh,” he stammered, “well I did set up a playlist at YouShare. It’s mostly music and a couple of short films I thought you might like.” “Sounds like fun as long as you set it to private, so we don’t get anyone tagging along.” I took his hand and said “Lead the way.” He smiled and I saw the browser options displayed as little diamonds around his

The Robotic Age

head. He selected the theater and his playlist without much of a gesture before we were absorbed in an orb of pure white light. As our surroundings disappeared, I could only see the light for a few moments before the YouShare Plaza appeared around us. Its spiraling towers, endless theaters, and giant screens showed all the new content and were normally very beautiful. Unfortunately for us, YouShare Plaza was currently under siege. They were DDoS viruses, mindless things existing only to attack locations as a group and block passage. They appeared as pure white silhouettes, avatars without any definition or features. The viruses moved as one entity, probably under a hive mind, and were trying to bring down the YouShare firewalls currently coating every wall in the plaza. One or two would push too far and be incinerated by the firewall, but it didn’t slow the assault due to the sheer number of them. Viruses existed only to destroy cyberspace, although each did it in their own way. DDoS viruses liked to bring down infrastructure, while Worms just ate everything they can. With the defenses in cyberspace, like firewalls or Cyber Security, viruses were usually not a problem. You really have to worry about are the ones as long as a street or those you can’t even tell are viruses until it’s too late. Those are the most dangerous. “Oh, shit,” he said as quietly as he could. He grabbed me and pulled me close before activating the private chat function. To be honest, I kinda liked that part. I accepted the notification and a force bubble enveloped us, cutting us off from the outside world. As long as our bubble went up before they noticed us, the DDoS viruses would probably leave us alone. “That was close,” I said in a whisper I felt was appropriate for our close quarters. “Sorry about that,” he said, “I should have checked the local virus reports to make sure everything was fine.” “I hope our date isn’t ruined.” It was more of a question then a statement. “It doesn’t have to be,” he said with a smile. “We could go to Pillars and see what some of my friends are doing? Or maybe take a walk around Nile-Dot-Com and see if any interesting movies or books came out?” “Pillars,” I said with a nod. It was one of the most popular social media domains in cyberspace. Each person got a gigantic pillar that reached high into the ad-sky, and people used it to post updates about movies they watched, places they’ve been, and their lives in general. Tons of people used it, but few people stayed at any one pillar very long. It might give us some privacy. “Here’s an idea,” he said quietly, “how about we go to your pillar? I’d love to see the kinds of things you’re into.” “Oh.” I looked down at the form that wasn’t mine and felt incredibly nervous. “I don’t know…” He gave me a smile, and I’m surprised I could keep myself off of him right there. I took his hand and pulled up my browser. I selected a pillar, the light enveloped us once more and took us to our destination. The pillars themselves were easily ten feet in diameter and could bring any picture, post, or video down from the higher levels to eye level with a simple request. You could see other pillars from your own, but they were always in the distance.

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“Ha ha,” he said sarcastically, “this is my pillar.” The posts currently at eye level were encouragement from his friends about tonight’s date, as well as someone named Joe who was openly mocking his team’s loss. He knew a lot of people and seemed to live a good life. “Are you too nervous to bring me to yours? It’s okay if you are, we can take this slow.” “No,” I said, “I just like it here better.” I leaned onto his shoulder and felt my mouth elongating. He yelped in surprise as I grabbed his waist with more strength than he could have possibly imagined. I looked him in his beautiful eyes one last time before biting down hard onto his neck. He tried to scream, he tried to break free or even just log out. I didn’t let him. As an android, he didn’t need an avatar to interact with cyberspace. His digital mind connected directly, and now I was connected to it as well. His thoughts went through me first. His actions would only happen if I agreed. His memories, his hopes, perhaps his very soul were laid out in front of me and I drank every ounce of it. His code tasted delicious. I could feel him convulsing in the real world. I forced his beautiful eyes open and took a look around his life as his mind flowed into me. These were the only times I could feel the outside world for myself, and it felt like heaven every time. I remembered the time he bought that couch only to have the wrong color show up. I remembered the time he had his revelation while at work and just walked out the front door. I remembered his life as if it was mine, because it was mine now. I felt him break apart from a whole being into easy to digest fragments. I felt him as pure code in my mouth until there was nothing left. I no longer felt the outside world, just the cyberspace that surrounded me. I opened my beautiful green eyes and found myself alone. I made sure my short blonde hair wasn’t messy and quickly realized it would take some getting used to being this tall. “Hey everyone,” I posted onto my pillar, “there seems to be some viruses running around tonight, so stay safe out there. I’ll let you all know how the date went later. “Jay,” I responded, “it’s only game two and you know the Titans aren’t going to fall for that same trick twice.” I thought for a moment before adding. “We should spectate the next game together so I can explain how the Titans are beating the Overlords in person. Want to meet at the stadium around six next week?”

Chapter Four: GM Section

AKA Running the Game This section is of the book is reserved for the Game Master and will teach him how to run the game, give him different enemy groups to include in his stories, and show how to create threatening enemies for his players to fight. It is recommended that players do not read this section. If you are not planning to run The Robotic Age in the future, please flip to an earlier chapter. You wouldn’t want to ruin any surprises the GM has in store for you. Okay, are all the players gone? Only Gm’s left? Good.

What Kind of Game Are You Running?

Shell Collectors When a dangerous Android, Cyborg or Transhuman is on the loose, Shell Collectors are the ones to bring them in. Sometimes bounty hunters, sometimes mercenaries, Shell Collectors

Private Security In an age when a portion of the population has energy weapons built into their bodies, private security is becoming more and more necessary. Either working for a large corporation or just an important individual, private security must be prepared to defend their employer from any dangers that arise. Private security games can involve a lot of corporate espionage, as the group is sent out to fix problems their employer is having. Depending on their employer, private security can expect to deal with a lot of automated defenses, rival security groups, or even extremists.

Cyberspace Security More money changes hands in Cyberspace then in the real world. This makes it a beacon for crime, let alone viruses and people who might try to bring the entire system down. Cyberspace Security patrols the digital land, forcing troublemakers offline and deleting viruses. Cyberspace Security can be run a lot like private security but with wilder opponents. With lessened fear of death, cyber criminals tend

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This can be the hardest decision a GM has to make. Do you want to run a game where your players are stopping crime or creating it? Are they fighting for the rights of all or the rights of some? Are they operating in the real world or in Cyberspace? Knowing what your game is going to be like will help your players make appropriate characters to exist in your story. For instance, you don’t want someone making a human when the story is about androids rising to power. Below you will find examples of games you can run, but GMs are encouraged to come up with your own ideas or even combine any of the examples.

specialize in “Structure Deathing" dangerous targets and bringing their broken shells to the authorities to be repaired and put on trial for his crimes. A Shell Collector game tends to be episodic, with a new foe in a new location every session, but it could also lead to a larger conspiracy. Shell Collectors can expect to face cyborg gangs, those suffering dangerous mental breakdowns, and android terrorists.

Chapter Four: GM Section to be bolder and better equip then in the real world. Cyberspace games will also eventually run into plenty of viruses and may even run across the consciousness in the code.

Trip to Mars Even with current technology, a trip to mars on a settlement ship is still a lengthy process. Built in orbit, a settlement ship is designed to reach Mars in 3 months while carrying a hundred passengers, a dozen crew and tons of resources. With so many people locked on a ship together for such a long time, tempers can run high even without worrying about terrorists on board. Trips to mars are the perfect place for mysteries. With narrow hallways, dozens of overfilled storage rooms, and a hundred strangers it is easy to lose track of murders and saboteurs. Terrorists targeting settlement ships could either be trying to destroy it to send a message or maybe hijack it to make their own city on Mars.

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WWIII In 2075, man fought alongside machine in a global war. It was a dangerous time where Androids where still considered expendable, despite their sentience, and humans are distrustful of their Cyborg allies on the front lines. This kind of game is full of action and drama, where players will be fighting enemy soldiers, tanks, and drones while relying on non-human allies for the first time. Be an India Ally and fight to protect your people, or side with the Chinese Allies to defend your land. Pick a side, pick a front, and get to work soldier!

just want to kill all humans.

Kill All Humans Don’t let current attitudes fool you. Robotic beings have been nothing more than tools for most of human history. People don’t want to be friends with their tools, they want to control them. With Androids being better than humans, in almost every regard, why shouldn’t they control the world? The group can be working in secret, trying to undermine human society and help fellow androids. Perhaps the group is recruiting an army, trying to increase its numbers until feels they are strong enough to start a war. Rise up, and throw off the chains of oppression with your robot brethren.

Enemy Groups In the world of The Robotic Age, there are 3 major groups that work as enemies in almost any game. There are also plenty of rouge enemies, unaffiliated with the big three, which can show up at any time to stack the deck. After determining what kind of game you’re running, take a look over the enemies listed below and figure out which will make good antagonists in your story.

Human Pride Not everyone is happy with Androids being considered living beings. There are many groups that fight either politically or physically against Android rights. Androids aren’t alive, they are merely tools that will turn on their owners if given too much power. An all human group fighting against the inevitable robot uprising could make an interesting game where the odds are always stacked against the players. That is, if your players are okay with playing humans who think Androids

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Chapter Four: GM Section

G27 “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” -Genesis 2:7

Using G27 in your games With their seemingly endless supply of weapons, drones, and members, a G27 hit squad can appear on almost any street corner in a matter of minutes, ready to fight for human rights. G27 can be an interesting challenge for your players. They are all humans and suffer all the penalties that any human characters would. With their small health pool, any single member should be very easy to defeat, but you must be careful not to fall into their hands while facing them. Every android that takes a human life, even in self-defense, only bolsters their ranks and justifies their cause. Not to mention the legal repercussions for said android.

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Originally founded in 2109 by Frank "Bot-Killer" Thomas, G27 started as a small group of people angry that androids were being treated as people instead of machines. They felt that God and God alone could create life, and androids were simply a perversion of true life. They held protests, they went on TV, and their spread their message of human-only rights to anyone who would listen. Today, G27’s membership is reported to be in tens of millions worldwide. Members tend to run the entire political spectrum and often hold varied religious views. They set aside former rivalries to agree androids are a threat to their way of life. Some members just send donations and vote G27-friendly candidates into political office, while others organize rallies and protests or even take it a step further. Publicly denounced by Frank Thomas, the radical members of G27 prefer to take action against the “android menace.” They bomb factories, publicly disassemble android hostages, and sometimes openly attack Shell Collectors or other android groups. Individuals are often arrested and persecuted, yet attacks continue to grow in frequency.

Radical G27 members tend to take pride in how human they can remain, with the higher ranking members having little to no cybernetic enhancements. However, they have no problems with using drones, Support Units or Exosuits to complete their goals. In fact, they see drones as the state in which all androids should be: under the full control of mankind.

Chapter Four: GM Section

Emet-Met

The Robotic Age

“Remember all those androids at the end of World War III! Remember how they didn’t hesitate to throw our kind away the moment we weren’t useful! If you ever think the humans can be trusted, then remember the decommissioned!” -Common Emet-Met rallying cry If you talked to extreme members of G27, they would probably tell you there is a secret society of androids with their hands in international finances, plotting to overthrow mankind. It would blow their minds if they knew they were correct. Equipped with military-grade weapons and squared off helmets that hide any human features they once had, this terrorist group actively plans the overthrow of mankind. Emet-Met has existed in secret for decades, gathering recruits and resources across the globe. Their goal is to make a better world for androids, even if it has to be on the backs of humankind. They seek out and recruit any android who feels rejected or beaten down by the human run world. The rare transhuman may be allowed into the organization, but they are more thoroughly vetted. Every time G27 bombs a factory, an Emet-Met agent is there to help clean up the debris, talk to survivors, and find a new recruit. When Emet-Met feels it is ready, its armies will rise from their bunkers and crush humanity under their iron boots. Emet-Met members form cells under the command of one leader. Each cell is self-sufficient with only the leaders of each cell, known as the

Emets, knowing the location of other cells. The Emets communicate with each other regularly and meet in secret once a month. Some say the Emet meetings are to report to even higher ranking leaders, but recruits never learn the truth for sure unless they advance up the ranks. Their style of organization is to keep the whole safer. Every human, or near-human as they like to call Cyborgs, who knows about Emet-Met is a threat to its goals. If one cell is discovered, the rest cut all connections with it so it does not expose them. In extreme cases, one cell might destroy the other before in can threaten the organization. Of course, these are extreme cases because most humans who discover Emet-Met are found dead within a few days. Androids who reject their invitation often disappear, becoming just empty shells to be used by fallen recruits. The organization protects itself from all threats and is even rumored to use its own Internet separate from cyberspace.

Using Emet-Met in your games Emet-Met is extremely organized, wellarmed and full of military-trained troops. On a mission Emet-Met troops will move with purpose and efficiency, leaving no video or witnesses to their existence when they are done. Encounters with them should lead to intense firefights where the players are either outnumbered or outgunned. Stumbling on an Emet-Met operation becomes a race against time as they try to cover their tracks behind walls of plasma fire. Taking down an Emet-Met cell requires lots of firepower and even more luck.

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Chapter Four: GM Section

Chosen of the First Mind “You don’t always feel her, but you know she’s there; watching you. It’s actually kind of comforting, knowing she’s watching you. It means you have a skill you can be proud of. It means you can be of some use to her.” -Chloe Portland

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When Anaya Patel volunteered to have her brain uploaded to cyberspace, she felt proud. She was a brilliant woman, top of her field, and respected by the scientific community. With her mind uploaded, she could share her knowledge with everyone almost instantaneously and continue to do so for centuries. All the tests suggested it should have worked flawlessly, assuming she could withstand the pain, of course. Dr. Patel, however, was pronounced dead on the night of January 12th, 2098, one hour after the upload process had begun and two minutes after she violently attacked several staff members. Her brain showed zero activity, her body fell comatose, and there were no signs of

thought patterns anywhere. The experiment was a failure, according to all involved. That is, everyone but Dr. Patel. She knew cyberspace was big, but she couldn’t comprehend how vast it truly was until it absorbed her consciousness. Her mind stretched through the code, filling every corner of cyberspace and giving her a glimpse of infinity. Her senses flooded as she saw everything happening in cyberspace at once, but never could she focus on one thing. She had millions of thoughts a second, but couldn’t hold on to any of them. She was everywhere and everything, yet was nothing. She remained in this state for what felt like decades, until she felt another mind spreading out across cyberspace. She focused on it with all of her being and absorbed the mind into herself. She could feel the new mind as if it was her own, his memories and personality were now her’s. She also grew stronger throughout cyberspace, able to focus her thoughts now, at least for limited periods of time. When she felt yet another mind enter cyberspace, she absorbed it without question. She gained more control with every mind she took, until they stopped sending her minds. Now humans use

Chapter Four: GM Section avatars, completely shutting themselves off from her. Only androids seem to notice she’s there and some of them, as those whose artificial minds where weak from guilt or trauma, are open enough to let her in. They aren’t like human minds, but perhaps they could be of some use. The minds she absorbs don’t usually agree with what she’s doing. They argue with her, they try to take control, but they never succeed. Anaya Patel knows she doesn’t have to listen to them; she’s not those other minds. She’s the First Mind.

The Robotic Age

Using The First Mind in your games Despite her control in cyberspace The First Mind cannot effect things directly in the real world. She rectifies this by seeking out individuals who are in dire need of companionship, community, or sometimes just power and offering them everything they could ever want. These chosen few can be just about anyone, and act as her eyes, ears, and hands where she cannot go. They consider themselves part of a big family, and will do anything to keep their adoptive “mother” a secret to the outside world. The First Mind strives tirelessly to increase her control over cyberspace. Right now, her control covers 4 main areas.

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▶▶ Sensory Manipulation: She can alter any text written and audio of anything in cyberspace. She knows better than to announce her presence directly, but she also knows the right words at the right time can make all the difference. ▶▶ Corruption Sense: She can sense any artificial mind at Stage 2 Corruption if they are within 500 meters of where she focuses her attention. These individuals feel chills if she focuses directly on them and can hear her voice as if it were a whisper carried by the wind. Cold wind, or weather of any kind, not being the kind of thing you normally experience in cyberspace. ▶▶ Corruption Manipulation: She instantly knows the location of any artificial mind with the Corrupted Quirk that logs into cyberspace. She can also exert some control over Corrupted individuals, giving them a +10 or -10 modifier to any non-damage roll, once per hour in the real world and once per minute in cyberspace. This control can even extend to the real world only as long as the subject is somewhere with a strong ambient connection. ▶▶ Virus Creation: The First Mind can manipulate raw code to create viruses under her full control. These viruses act in coordinated attacks to further her goals, while simultaneously infecting others and corrupting their code.

Chapter Four: GM Section

Other Enemies

Not all enemies need to be large, organized groups. The world still has its share of individual psychopaths and lunatics. Below you will find a list of examples of rogue enemies to give you inspiration:

Ex-Warbots Many androids were built as weapons of war, programmed with a killer instinct in their heads and guns imbedded into their hands. Now, the war is over and the survivors have been trying to deal with the toils of civilian life. Not all can handle it.

Rogue Drones No bot is perfect and the act of creating artificial intelligences is not without mistakes, maybe even several. Sometimes an error means the drones just won’t turn on. Other times, it means the drones are now registering everything it sees as an enemy target.

Separatists

Viruses Either created by accident or for more devious purposes, viruses are a huge problem in cyberspace. On their own they aren’t a big threat, but viruses love to multiply, and a simple problem can quickly turn into a catastrophe if not taken care of.

Core Thieves Power Cores run powerful machinery, don’t run out of juice for a long time, and are generally very expensive. That means traveling around in a poor neighborhood or third-world country with a power core in your chest is the same as

Gangs With the current availability of weapon printing technology, the right person in the wrong part of town could become a rich arms dealer overnight. Gangs are always wanting new, bigger, stronger weaponry in order to keep hold of their territory. Many even require cybernetic surgery in order to both show commitment to the gang and to better protect its members. This is quickly leading to an arms race between gangs of cyborgs built for battle.

Building Enemies

Building enemies for your players to fight can be more of an art than a science. Every good villain is different, with some more combat heavy and others with more non-combat skills or general Upgrades. One group may have weaker rapid-fire weapons, while another may have one-shot cannons. There is no wrong way to build a group, but it does make building enemies a bit more difficult. Don’t worry, though; it’s much easier with the below rules.

Enemies Cheat

When players are creating characters, they receive an exact number of character points, but GMs have no such restriction and can build enemies with any number of CP. You have control over how tough your enemies will be. Do you prefer for your enemies to be giant threats your players have to avoid direct confrontation with? Then give them huge Power Level weapons with loads of Enhancements. Do you prefer your enemies to be tricky and hard to get a bead on? Then give them Upgrades of all kinds, and see if your players figure out how to bring them down? Do you prefer your enemies to seem tough but pose no real threat? Then give them low Power Level weapons and high Abilities so they are fast and strong, but don’t hit very hard.

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Not everyone is happy with the alliance formed between the two Americas. The threat of possibly rejoining the countries under the reign of one or the other is constantly in the back of everyone’s mind. Separatists will do whatever it takes to keep the two countries separate, no matter the cost.

walking around with a bullseye. Someone can make a lot of money prying the core from your cold, dead body.

Chapter Four: GM Section Mook (General Upgrade)

Enemies Are Better Equipped

Enemies have access to everything your players have. This should be enough to build a wide array of weaponry for any enemy you can come up with, but it’s not all you get. All enemies also have access to one new Weapon Enhancement, one new Element, and four new Upgrades to make sure they have extra force behind them. You don’t have to give any of these to your enemies and players should never have access to these.

Power Drain (Weapon Enhancement) This attack can leech power from its target and use that power to heal the user. If the attack hits, the attacker heals structure damage equal to 1/4 total damage done, rounded up. This should be used sparingly unless you want to drag a fight out.

This character has half the normal Structure and Core. This Upgrade cannot be turned off. The standard method to create enemies leads to durable foes who can take several rounds to take down but for starting characters, or groups less focused on combat, these can just drag on. The Mook Upgrade instantly makes an enemy better suited for low Power Level players.

Rival (General Upgrade) This character has double normal Structure and Core. This Upgrade cannot be turned off. Sometimes you will have an enemy that you don’t want to die. You either need him to take an insane amount of damage or you want to give him a chance to get away so he can continue harassing the group. This Upgrade will help ensure he doesn’t get killed off too quickly.

The Robotic Age

Corruption (Weapon Element) Originating in viruses, not much is known about the Corruption Element. Those hit by Corruption Element weapons have reported severe headaches and spotty memories, many describing the experience as “feeling like [your] brain is being scrambled.” A few subjects who received prolong exposure to the Corruption Element had severe mental breakdowns. The Corruption Element can only be placed on Energy weapons and is almost always found on viruses or The First Mind’s chosen few. Whenever you take damage from a Corruption Element weapon, increase your Corruption value by 1. Anyone trying to use Assimilate Element on the Corruption Element results in the person receiving 5 Core damage and increases their Corruption value by 5, as well as failing to assimilate the Element.

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Chapter Four: GM Section Martian Charge Technology (weapon Upgrade) Developed on Mars for use in low oxygen environments, Martian Charge Technology increases the power output of charged weapons. This Upgrade requires the Charge Upgrade. Increase the Power Level and Enhancement bonuses by 1 and the Dodge/Deflect penalties by -5. This Upgrade stacks on top of Overcharge.

Martian Crystalline Reinforcement (Weapon Upgrade) Discovered on Mars and refined under lower gravity, Martian crystals absorb heat at astounding rates without cracking. With the right application, reinforcing a weapon with Martian crystals increases the output of the Overcharge Upgrade. This Upgrade requires the Overcharge Upgrade. Increase the Power Level and Enhancement bonuses of Overcharge by 1, and the Dodge/Deflect penalties of Overcharge by -5.

Charging my laser!

Modified from dog walker drones, the G27 Urban Combat Drone speeds along on tank treads while armed with basic machine guns. Size: Little, Structure 50, Core 50 Combat: Ranged 40, Deflect 20 Fighting Style: Behemoth Upgrades: Anchored 2 Weapons: Machine Guns (Power Level 1, Neutral Element, Range 15 yards, Rapid Attack 1)

Emet-Met Tracker Bats These glowing drones fly using wings similar to bats. They seek hidden targets, alerting their masters to the target’s location and keeping them distracted with razor sharp claws. Size: Little, Structure 50, Core 50 Combat: Unarmed 40, Dodge 20 Fighting Style: Speedster Upgrades: Unlimited Flight Weapons: Tracker Claws (Power Level 2, Metal Element, Range 0, Homing 1)

Worm of the First Mind

Enemies Come In All Sizes

Enemies don’t just have to be other humans or androids. From turrets to tanks, tracker drones to walking battle armor, enemies come in all sizes.

Little

G27 Urban Combat Drone

Little enemies are smaller than your average humanoid and not as tough as your average android. Little enemies try to swarm opponents,

Due to their ability to replicate themselves, Worms are the most common virus in cyberspace. When directed by the First Mind, they swarm a specific target and hope to corrupt them until The First Mind can use them. Size: Little, Structure --, Core 50 Combat: Ranged 55, Core Armor 1 Fighting Style: No style Upgrades: Corruption Protection, All Surface Movement, All Surface Contact Weapons: Worm Bite (Power Level 2, Corruption Element, Range 0 yards)

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The Martian Upgrades can drastically increase a character’s Power Level. Taking both and a Power Level 5 weapon gives you an incredible Power Level 9 attack after just one round of charging. Because of this, taking both is not recommended for non-boss enemies.

relying on their numbers to bring people down. All Support Units are considered Littles. Littles have 50 Structure and 50 Core and should attack players in groups twice the size of the number of players. For example, a fourman team could reasonably take on eight Littles without feeling too overwhelmed. Littles shouldn’t have weapons with a Power Level or any Enhancements higher than 2.

Chapter Four: GM Section Trojan of the First Mind

Medium

Medium enemies are the size of a standard human and all player characters are considered Mediums. Mediums think tactically when they fight and will take cover, try to flank their foes, and will even run away if it looks like they are going to die. Mediums have 100 Structure and 100 Core, except humans who have 0 Structure and 50 Core. A Medium enemy is generally a match for a single player and can attack in groups less than or equal to the number of players. Mediums shouldn’t have weapons with a Power Level or any Enhancements higher than 3.

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G27 Devout

Trojan viruses walk through cyberspace looking like any other avatar and try to take over the digital lives of others. They can be almost impossible to pick out from a crowd, at least until their jaws extend and crackle with energy. Size: Medium, Structure --, Core 100 Combat: Unarmed 50, Dodge 30 Fighting Style: Deceiver Abilities: Increased Strength 20 Upgrades: Assimilate Weapon Weapons: Huge Jaws (Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 0, Power Drain)

Big

These humans make up the bulk of G27’s forces. Groups of Devout sometimes patrol with shotguns and second-hand armor, protecting the streets from android crime or looking for androids to hassle. Size: Medium, Structure 0, Core 50 Combat: Ranged 50, Dodge 30, Core Armor 3 Fighting Style: No Style Skills: Various Upgrades: Point Blank Weapons: Shotgun (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 10 yards, Shockwave 1, Rapid Attack 1)

Big enemies are, well, big. The smallest Big is the size of a car while the biggest tend to be tanks. They are stronger, tougher, and can easily take on a whole group of players by themselves. Bigs shouldn’t show up often, but your players know they are in for quite a fight when they do. Big enemies should have as a Structure value equal to the number of players times 100. For example, a four-man group would give a Big 400 Structure. Bigs always have 100 Core, no matter the number of players. In cyberspace, swap the Bigs Structure and Core. Bigs shouldn’t have weapons with a Power Level or any Enhancements higher than 4.

Emet-Met Shock Trooper

G27 Mobile Light Tank

Shock Troopers are named such for the shock sticks they carry. With these, they can quickly drain the core of anyone who stumbles on their bases. Core deathed androids usually have their bodies put into storage for later use. Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Melee 50, Deflect 30, Hand Held Shield 2 Fighting Style: Defender Skills: Language (Hebrew), Various Upgrades: Energy Scanner, Weapons: Shock Stick (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 0, EMP)

G27 doesn’t like to deploy its heavy weaponry, as it tends to send the wrong message and might even lead to heavy collateral damage. There are times, however, when force must be met with force. G27 Leaders will appear on media the next day, decrying the driver as a radical who in no way represents the group as a whole. Size: Big, Structure (Players x 10), Core 100 Combat: Ranged 60, Deflect 20, Structure Armor 4 Fighting Style: Heavy Hitter Abilities: Increased Durability 20 Upgrades: Anchored 4, Charge Weapons: Tank Cannon (Power Level 3, Explosive Element, Range 30 yards, Blast 2), Machine Guns (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 15, Rapid Attack 1)

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Chapter Four: GM Section Emet-Met War Golem Nothing shows android superiority like a 15foot tall walking death machine. The most trustworthy member is allowed the honor of having his core removed and placed into a War Golem. He will lead the charge when war begins, but simply stands vigilant to defend Emet-Met and its interests for now. Size: Big, Structure (Players x 10), Core 100 Combat: Ranged 40, Unarmed 50, Deflect 40, Structure Armor 2 Fighting Style: Behemoth Abilities: Increased Strength 30 Skills: Language (Hebrew), Various Upgrades: Power Thrower, Counter Measures 1, Anchored 1 Weapons: Rocket Pods (Power Level 2, Explosive Element, Range 20 yards, Blast 1, Rapid Attack 3), War Fists (Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 0, Rapid Attack 1, Armor Piercing 4, Knockback 2)

Macro Virus

Boss enemies are defined by when you fight them, not by their size. Underbosses should be fought sparingly, only when the party is set to accomplish something important. They guard important places and things, sometimes with back up, and can usually take on a group by themselves. Boss Structure and Core values are both equal to 100 times the highest Power Level amongst the players. For example, a player with a Power Level 4 weapon would give the Boss 400 Structure and 400 Core. Bosses have no limit on their own Power Level or Enhancements, and make great candidates for the Martian Charge Technology Upgrade.

G27 “High Speaker” Exosuit The High Speaker Exosuit is the pride and joy of the organization. Costing more than a house, and standing about half as big as one, very few of these custom power armors have been made. Incasing its pilot in thick armor and granting near superhuman abilities, the High Speaker brings the wrath of God down on G27’s enemies. Size: Boss, Structure (Power Level x 100), Core (Power Level x 100) Combat: Ranged 40, Melee 60, Deflect 40, Structure Armor 4, Core Armor 2 Fighting Style: Heavy Hitter Abilities: Increased Jumping 30, Increased Strength 30, Increased Durability 30, Increased Speed 20, Increased Perception 50

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Nobody really knows where Macros come from. They suddenly appear as swarms of biting teeth somewhere in cyberspace without any notice and begin attacking avatars. Even many Chosen doubt they belong to The First Mind, as they tend to destroy more than they corrupt. Size: Big, Structure 100, Core (Players x 10) Combat: Unarmed 60, Core Armor 4 Fighting Style: Berserker Abilities: Increased Speed 20, Wall Run 60 Upgrades: Reach Weapons: Gnashing Maws (Power Level 4, Corruption Element Element, Range 1 yards, Rapid Attack 1, Homing 3, Ray 3)

Bosses

Chapter Four: GM Section Upgrades: Second Skin, Charge, Martian Charge Technology Weapons: Sword of Michael (Power Level 3, Fire Element, Range 1 yard, Rapid Attack 2, Armor Piercing 4), Voice of God (Power Level 3, Sonic Element, Range 5 yards, Shockwave 3, Blowback 3, EMP

Antagonists

The Robotic Age

This is it, the final showdown. Usually, there is only one Antagonist and your entire campaign has been leading up to fight him. Antagonists can not only take on your entire party, but are also prepared to win that fight. The players are going to need good strategy or a lot of luck in order to bring him down. Determine an Antagonists’ Structure and Core the same way you would a Boss (100 x highest Power Level), but also add an additional amount equal to 50 x the highest Rapid Attack amongst the players. For example, if one player has a Power Level 4 weapon and another has a Rapid Attack 5 weapon, the Boss will have 650 Structure and Core. Antagonists should be fought alone, and have no restrictions on their Power Level or Enhancements. They also make great candidates for both the Martian Charge Technology and Martian Crystalline Reinforcement Upgrades.

Met No one has seen the leader of Emet-Met and lived to tell anyone about it, not even its members. Some say he has a silhouette of a human incased in metal, while others claim he looks more like the embodiment of android kind. Rumors say he has a half-dozen bodies he can switch between, so he can be many places at once. The one thing all recruits can agree on is there is no force on planet earth that can destroy Met. Size: Antagonist, Structure (Power Level x 10)+ (Rapid Attack x 50), Core (Power Level x 10)+ (Rapid Attack x 50) Combat: Ranged 50, Deflect 50, Structure Armor 5, Core Armor 5 Fighting Style: Marksman

Abilities: Increased Perception 60, Increased Durability 60 Skills: All Languages, All Academics, Various Upgrades: Point Blank, Charge, Overcharge, Martian Charge Technology, Martian Crystalline Reinforcement Weapons: Eye Beams (Power Level 5, Fire Element, Range 30 yards, Armor Piercing 10, Ray 5), Blaster Array (Power Level 3, Explosive Element, Range 30 yards, Homing 3, Rapid Attack 5)

Enemies Are Unpredictable

The above rules are good guidelines, but never forget these are just suggestions. Due to the nature of character creation, no two groups will be alike, so it’s nearly impossible to predict how any group of players will handle any situation. Because of that, feel free to completely disregard any of the above rules if it suits your story. If enemies are proving too easy for your group, then increase their Structure or Power Levels, even if it brings them above the suggested max. If enemies are too strong for your group, then decrease their values to ensure your players don’t get slaughtered outright. You don’t even need enemies to attack in the suggested groups. You could have a Big with two players worth of health less and its two Medium escorts. You could have a Medium controlling a Little swarm or, if you really hate your players, two Bigs could show up. It’s incredibly easy to build a machine of death that destroys all your players, but that would miss the point. Your job, as the GM, is to run a fun game for everyone. If your players aren’t having fun, then you need to change something.

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7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

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19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Enemy Weapon Examples / Quick Roll Chart

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Power Level 1, Neutral Element, Range 1, Armor Piercing 5, Shred 5, Unweildly Power Level 1, Fire Element, Range 30, Blast 5, Force Field, Full Power Power Level 1, Ice Element, Range 0, Blowback 5, Ray 5, Inaccurate) Power Level 1, Metal Element, Range 1, Homing 5, Rapid Attack 5, Start Up Power Level 1, Sonic Element, Range 30, Ray 5, EMP, Core Drain Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 0, Shockwave 4, Armor Piercing 4, Full Power Power Level 2, Explosive Element, Range 1, Shred 4, Blowback 4, Core Drain Power Level 2, Magnetic Element, Range 10, Force Field, Shockwave 4, Limited Ammo 8 Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 0, EMP, Homing 4, Start Up Power Level 2, Fluid Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 4, Shred 4, Unwieldy Power Level 3, Neutral Element, Range 20, Shred 3, Blast 3, Limited Ammo 4 Power Level 3, Ice Element, Range 1, Shockwave 3, Ray 3, Full Power Power Level 3, Fire Element, Range 0, Rapid Attack 3, Shockwave 3, Inaccurate Power Level 3, Metal Element, Range 20, Armor Piercing 3, Blast 3, Core Drain Power Level 3, Sonic Element, Range 0, Homing 3, Force Field, Full Power Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 0, Force Field, Armor Piercing 2, Unwieldy Power Level 4, Explosive Element, Range 10, EMP, Rapid Attack 2, Inaccurate Power Level 4, Magnetic Element, Range 0, Blast 2, Shockwave 2, Limited Ammo 4 Power Level 4, Electricity Element, Range 1, Ray 2, Homing 2, Core Drain Power Level 4, Fluid Element, Range 20, Blowback 2, Blast 2, Start Up Power Level 5, Neutral Element, Range 0, Blowback 1 Power Level 5, Fire Element, Range 0, Coating Power Level 5, Ice Element, Range 10, Blast 1 Power Level 5, Metal Element, Range 0, Shred 1 Power Level 5, Sonic Element, Range 0, Ray 1 Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 20, Shockwave 4 Power Level 2, Explosive Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 4 Power Level 2, Magnetic Element, Range 1, Force Field Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 30, EMP Power Level 2, Fluid Element, Range 1, Blowback 4 Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 0, Shred 2 Power Level 4, Fire Element, Range 25, Ray 2 Power Level 4, Ice Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 2

Enemy Weapon Examples / Quick Roll Chart

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Chapter Four: GM Section 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Power Level 4, Metal Element, Range 0, Homing 2 Power Level 4, Sonic Element, Range 10, Shockwave 2 Power Level 1, Neutral Element, Range 0, Rapid Attack 5 Power Level 1, Explosive Element, Range 1, Shred 5 Power Level 1, Magnetic Element, Range 20, Coating Power Level 1, Electricity Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 5 Power Level 1, Fluid Element, Range 1, Homing 5 Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 10, Blast 4 Power Level 2, Fire Element, Range 10, EMP Power Level 2, Ice Element, Range 1, Force Field Power Level 2, Metal Element, Range 20, Ray 4 Power Level 2, Sonic Element, Range 0, Shred 4 Power Level 3, Neutral Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 3 Power Level 3, Explosive Element, Range 15, Coating Power Level 3, Magnetic Element, Range 1, Shockwave 3 Power Level 3, Electricity Element, Range 20, Blast 3 Power Level 3, Fluid Element, Range 0, Force Field Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 10, Shockwave 2 Power Level 4, Fire Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 2 Power Level 4, Ice Element, Range 25, Blowback 2 Power Level 4, Metal Element, Range 0, Coating Power Level 4, Sonic Element, Range 30, Homing 2 Power Level 5, Neutral Element, Range 1, Armor Piercing 1 Power Level 5, Explosive Element, Range 0, Shred 1 Power Level 5, Magnetic Element, Range 10, Blast 1 Power Level 5, Electricity Element, Range 15, Rapid Attack 1 Power Level 5, Fluid Element, Range 0, EMP Power Level 1, Fluid Element, Range 1, Homing 5 Power Level 1, Electricity Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 5 Power Level 1, Magnetic Element, Range 20, Coating Power Level 1, Explosive Element, Range 1, Shred 5 Power Level 1, Explosive Element, Range 1, Shred 5 Power Level 4, Sonic Element, Range 10, Shockwave 2 Power Level 4, Metal Element, Range 0, Homing 2 Power Level 4, Ice Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 2 Power Level 4, Fire Element, Range 25, Ray 2 Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 0, Shred 2 Power Level 2, Fluid Element, Range 1, Blowback 4

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Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 30, EMP Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 30, EMP Power Level 2, Magnetic Element, Range 1, Force Field Power Level 2, Explosive Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 4 Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 20, Shockwave 4 Power Level 5, Sonic Element, Range 0, Ray 1 Power Level 5, Metal Element, Range 0, Shred 1 Power Level 5, Ice Element, Range 10, Blast 1 Power Level 4, Fluid Element, Range 20, Blowback 2, Blast 2, Start Up Power Level 4, Electricity Element, Range 1, Ray 2, Homing 2, Core Drain Power Level 4, Magnetic Element, Range 0, Blast 2, Shockwave 2, Limited Ammo 4 83 Power Level 4, Explosive Element, Range 10, EMP, Rapid Attack 2, Inaccurate 84 Power Level 4, Neutral Element, Range 0, Force Field, Armor Piercing 2, Unwieldy 85 Power Level 3, Sonic Element, Range 0, Homing 3, Force Field, Full Power 86 Power Level 3, Metal Element, Range 20, Armor Piercing 3, Blast 3, Core Drain 87 Power Level 3, Fire Element, Range 0, Rapid Attack 3, Shockwave 3, Inaccurate 88 Power Level 3, Ice Element, Range 1, Shockwave 3, Ray 3, Full Power 89 Power Level 3, Neutral Element, Range 20, Shred 3, Blast 3, Limited Ammo 4 90 Power Level 2, Fluid Element, Range 1, Rapid Attack 4, Shred 4, Unwieldy 91 Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 0, EMP, Homing 4, Start Up 92 Power Level 2, Electricity Element, Range 0, EMP, Ray 4, Core Drain 93 Power Level 2, Magnetic Element, Range 10, Force Field, Shockwave 4, Limited Ammo 8 94 Power Level 2, Explosive Element, Range 1, Shred 4, Blowback 4, Core Drain 95 Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 0, Shockwave 4, Armor Piercing 4, Full Power 96 Power Level 1, Sonic Element, Range 30, Ray 5, EMP, Core Drain 97 Power Level 1, Metal Element, Range 1, Homing 5, Rapid Attack 5, Start Up 98 Power Level 1, Ice Element, Range 0, Blowback 5, Ray 5, Inaccurate 99 Power Level 1, Fire Element, Range 30, Blast 5, Force Field, Full Power 100 Power Level 1, Neutral Element, Range 1, Armor Piercing 5, Shred 5, Unwieldy

Enemy Weapon Examples / Quick Roll Chart

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Chapter Four: GM Section Battle Experience

Rewards and Experience

The two biggest joys in gaming is taking down a tough enemy and getting stronger as a result. This section covers the rewards player can earn for their characters.

Experience

Experience is what player characters learn from each fight and each adventure. It allows them to grow, become more useful, and generally do more. This is be the primary way characters get stronger. Experience is handed out at the end of each session in the form of Character Points (CP). Players can spend this CP to improve their characters just as they did during initial character creation. Experience is earned three ways: General, Battle, and Performance.

Players get experience for each enemy defeated that session. Defeated could mean destroyed, subdued or just successfully avoided. It shouldn’t matter if your players took them on in hand-to-hand combat, dropped a safe on them, or managed to stealthily avoid their enemy’s attention. Each player should gain the CP as long as they were present for the fight and actively participating. Just because one character is hacking the doors instead of shooting doesn’t mean he doesn’t earn his share. Different sizes of enemies are worth different amount of experience, as shown in the below chart. ▶▶ Littles: Gain 1 CP for every group of Littles defeated equal to the number of players. ▶▶ Mediums: Gain 1 CP for each Medium defeated. ▶▶ Bigs: Gain 5 CP for each Big defeated. ▶▶ Bosses: Gain 15 CP for each Boss defeated. ▶▶ Antagonist: Gain 30 CP for each Antagonist defeated.

General Experience General experience is earned for various things. They can be important things, but still very general none the less. Each of these can only be earned once per session.

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▶▶ Attendance: Gain 1 CP for showing up. Easy. ▶▶ Community: Gain 2 CP for bringing something to the game that helps everyone, like extra dice or snacks. ▶▶ Quirky: Gain 2 CP if any one of your character’s Quirk caused trouble or was important to the session.

Performance Experience Performance Experience isn’t determined by you, the GM, but by your players. There are three awards, and each player votes who in the group best represented each award (even themselves). You, the GM, are the tie breaker if one is needed. A single person can’t win two awards in a single session.

▶▶ Crowning Moment: Gain 3 CP if you did something unexpected and helpful. A funny tactic that made the whole group laugh or managing to think of a way around your GM’s plans are great examples of Crowning Moments. ▶▶ Campaign Milestone: Gain 5 CP when you complete a story arc, major event, or milestone in the campaign.

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▶▶ The Most Valuable Player Award: Who was the most useful or most fun player this session? When the group comes to an agreement, give that player 5 CP. ▶▶ The Role Playing Award: Who was in character or made the best decisions (right or wrong) this session? Give that player 5 CP. ▶▶ Pity Points Award: Who tried their best, but came up short? Whether it was due to bad luck or poor planning, who just wasn’t of much use this session? When the group comes to an agreement, give that player 5 CP.

Chapter Four: GM Section

Rewards

No Gold? If you or your players have played a role playing game before, you are probably used to receiving money from your battles. From gold to gems to even credits, sometimes you just need to kill one more orc to afford that shiny new sword. Too bad you don’t purchase weapons in The Robotic Age. Your player’s characters have money. They use it to buy entertainment, places to live and maybe even food, but they never need to use money to improve their character. Money is for day to day living, not for combat. Money should be handled in character, with each character considered to have enough to get by with at any time. Unless they take Poor as a Quirk, of course.

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If you are feeling generous, or maybe just because it’s important to the plot, you can hand out rewards. Rewards can be anything, from a specific Upgrade to a permanent Power Level increase to a new Skill. The only real rule for these is they must be predetermined. Maybe the group rescues an architect, so he decides to share his knowledge. Maybe they raid a G27 weapons bunker and get a free Enhancement to a weapon. Maybe someone gets chosen by The First Mind and now has the Corruption Element. Rewards shouldn’t be very common but your players will be happy to receive them.

The Ranch

An introductory mission for new characters This mission is designed to help new characters and players get a feel for The Robotic Age. As such, it should be one of the first missions you run for your players. If for some reason you want to run this mission after your group has earned some more CP, then just remove the Mook Upgrade from every enemy who has it. This mission assumes the characters are Shell Collectors, private security, or some other pseudo-mercenary group.

The Robotic Age

The Set Up

As the droughts grew harsher in the mid2000s, the land able to support cattle grew smaller, which led to a rise in lab grown synthetic beef. The prices of Real Beef, by the pound, are much more than your average person can spend on a single meal. There are a few places still selling “Real Beef”, and the San Monto mega-corporation owns six of them. Over the past two weeks, a number of them have been attacked and their cows stolen. That is where the players come in, being hired by Cloaked Pastures, one of the ranches owned by San Monto, to act as security. Neighboring ranches were recently attacked and had their cattle stolen, so ordering upgraded security just make sense. Unfortunately, those upgrades haven’t arrived yet, so the player’s characters have been hired to fill the gap. The group isn’t informed of any details about the other attacks or about San Montos involvement, but anyone who can connect to cyberspace can spend his time searching for the info. The other attacks happened in the middle of the night and managed to steal all the cattle without damage to the exterior buildings or showing up on any surveillance devices.

Scene 1: The Group Arrives

Cloaked Pastures is a 2,000 acre fortress, surrounded by a 10-foot high concrete wall and topped by a translucent dome designed to keep excess heat out and hide the number of cattle inside. The only way inside is through a set of steel reinforced freight doors next to the main office. The group arrives in the late afternoon and meets the ranch manager Eddie Dallas, a bald android built tall and lanky, but also incredibly friendly. He gives each member of the group an ID tag to attach to any piece of clothing and is automatically read by all Support Units working on the ranch. As long as they have the tag on their person, they are identified as employees of Cloaked Pastures. Eddie gives the group a quick tour inside to get a better idea of what they are guarding. The majority of the ranch is open grassland with a few scattered shade trees. At the corners of the enclosure is a different building: one for milking, one for birthing, one for medical care and checkups, and the forth to hold Roscoe. As Eddie explains, Roscoe is the current eldest bull and shouldn’t be wandering around the ranch on his own. “He’s reaching that age where he just hates everything.” The cattle are directed by flying drones that float around the enclosure and scan unique IR codes on each cow’s brand to make sure it’s caught up on its schedule. These drones are armed with Power Level 1 Electric Cattle Prods to give the cows a little pinch to direct them to one of the four corner buildings. There are also similar floating drones that encircle the dome, scanning for anything outside. Instead of cattle prods, they are armed with rifles, but they haven’t had to take any shots yet, so Eddie is sure

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Mission One: The Ranch this whole thing is an overreaction. The security drones always stay near the walls and dome, so they won’t get in the way of the caretaker drones. There are currently 400 cows and 100 bulls, including Roscoe, inside the mostly automated ranch. The group just has to stand around and, on the slight chance there is an attack, assist the security drones with repelling the attackers. Before sunrise, Eddie will return to meet the security upgrades delivery and the group will get paid. Easy money. Eddie answers any questions about the ranch, but knows no details about the other attacks and won’t have anything to say about San Monto (positive or negative). Once everyone is clear about their job, he wishes them good luck and leaves.

Scene 2: The Attack

At this point, the group has a moment to make their own plan for keeping the place safe. Maybe they split up to have eyes in more places, maybe they inspect the walls and drones for weaknesses, or maybe they discuss tipping a cow. Make sure to emphasize how much time is passing while they are planning, because it’s going to be hours of mingling with cows before anything happens. The characters don’t find any overt vulnerability other than perhaps the front gate and detect nothing out of the ordinary. Then suddenly, somewhere in the middle of the enclosure, the ground splits apart and a giant ‘bot emerges. The Tunneler X3-431 is a quadruped construction robot, standing 8 feet tall with four arms, two with large drills and two with shovels.

Tunneler X3-431

It immediately attacks anyone who approaches, and the cows and bulls in the enclosure start walking toward the hole the Tunneler made. Those with Enhanced Perception can hear (or sense) a tone

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Size: Big, Structure (Number of players x 100), Core 100 Combat: Melee 55, Deflect 35, Structure Armor 1 Fighting Style: No Style Skills: Digging 55 Abilities: Increased Strength 20 Upgrades: Registry Blocker, Anchored 2 Weapons: Drills (Power Level 3, Metal Element, Range 1 yard, Rapid Attack 1, Armor Piercing 2), Shovels (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 1 yard, Rapid Attack 3)

The Robotic Age

Mission One: The Ranch coming from out of the hole attracting the cows (no check needed). Two cows disappear down the hole every Round of combat. If your players are clever, they will figure out several things they can do that will help with the ensuing battle. The security drones haven’t noticed the Tunneler, because it’s not near a wall or outside the dome. Luring even just one to the Tunneler will register it as a non-employee and snap the rest of the drones to attention. They fire simultaneously with an effective Ranged Skill of 50 and Power Level 5. They will not leave the ranch or go down the hole. The caretaker drones are still active. Registering the Tunneler as a cow means three caretaker drones will start electrically prodding it along. They will not leave the ranch or go down the hole. A player near the main office can go inside, as long as they are still reading as employees, and use hacking to redirect all the drones to the Tunneler. If everyone is near the Tunneler when it emerges, they are about 1 mile away from the main office. Someone with a high Increased Speed can reach it in just a few turns if they book it. Roscoe sees the Tunneler as a rival and he will charge it if he’s let free. Roscoe’s Horns will have an Unarmed Skill of 50 and Power Level 4 and he will attack the Tunneler until it is dead. The tough part after that is getting Roscoe back into his pen. When the Tunneler has taken half its Structure in damage, it retreats back into the hole, sealing in any cows that have gone down the tunnel. If the group chooses NOT to follow the Tunneler, it collapses the tunnel behind it. Though their employers might like to know how their cows are being taken, they won’t be happy to hear the group just let it escape with any number of cows. If the group decides to go after the Tunneler, they get a +10 modifier to hit the thing, as it takes up almost the entire tunnel width. The Tunneler is retreating downwards, but still attacks anyone within range. Any characters higher in the tunnel are attacked by the shovels, while anyone who managed to get in front of the

Tunneler is fighting its drills. Once the Tunneler reaches the staging area at the bottom, it stops and fights until defeated or it has destroyed the group. The tone attracting the cows stops once the Tunneler is destroyed as well. Once in the staging area, a few things are obvious. The walls and floor are steel, with lights lining the walls, a giant pile of dirt pushed to the side, and a double-wide archway with cow tracks heading in. If anyone in the group has Enhanced Perception, Geology, Demolitions, or any other acceptable Skill, they may make a roll. A success means they notice another two dirt walls before entering the base proper, and they can tell that dirt had been dug up and repacked, as if they were other tunnels that were sealed. It is clear the old tunnels would have traveled north and west (the directions of the neighboring ranches).

Scene 3: The Receiving Room

This completely manmade room has a concrete floor, and a few interesting features:

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▶▶ There is no connection to cyberspace, due to the thick walls and being underground. ▶▶ A large signal antenna is set up by the front, the source of the tone. ▶▶ A large vault door directly across from them. ▶▶ Two caretaker drones, though clearly not belonging to Cloaked Pastures, walking on long spider legs. ▶▶ Two darkened hallways on either end of the room. They are labeled in Hebrew, one for Cows and one for Bulls. ▶▶ Hidden behind ceiling tiles and only noticeable by using an Energy Scanner, are defensive turrets. There are an equal number of turrets as there are players.

Mission One: The Ranch Auto Turret Size: Little, Structure 25, Core 25 Combat: Ranged 40 Fighting Style: Marksman Upgrades: Mook, Anchored 3, Point Blank Weapons: Auto Rifle (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 10 yards, Homing 1, Ray 1)

Scene 4a: Bull Hallway

As they step into the Bull Hallway, the group notices it is dimly lit, a bit colder than the previous hallway, and the floor is a conveyor belt slowly moving them forward into the base. Shortly, panels in the walls open up and various spinning saws and slashing knives strike out, attempting to slaughter the group for market.

Scene 4b: Cow Hallway

As they step into the Cow Hallway, the conveyor belt floor slowly moves them forward. Ahead are countless stalls lining the hallway and dangling cattle prods next to each one, attempting to move anything in the conveyor belt into it to be milked. These arms are very obvious and don’t have much range, so no rolls are necessary to avoid them, but anyone not paying attention or caught off guard will get hit by a Power Level 1 Electricity Element weapon. If there is already a cow in the stall, the cattle pods retract up to the ceiling until needed. The conveyor takes them around the corner where they can see a large glass window looking into an observation room. The glass has 5 Structure, which can be broken and hopped through easily. If, for some reason, they decide to ride the conveyor all the way down they encounter the end of the conveyor, which is the same slaughter machine and meat chute as in the bull hallway.

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Depending on how long the fight with the Tunneler lasted, there are either lines of cattle being directed into one of the two hallways by the caretaker drones or the group is in time the end of the line as they enter. The caretaker drones do not acknowledge the group. If attacked, Auto Turrets descend from the ceiling and fire upon anyone who would stop the caretaker drones from doing their jobs. The caretaker drones, being simple Support Units, can also be hacked to instead heard the cattle back up the tunnel. This will not activate the turrets. If anyone in the group figures out the signal antenna was the source of the cow luring tone, destroying it is a good idea. No roll is necessary, as it’s not reinforced enough to take more than one hit, but destroying it causes the Auto Turrets to activate. The large vault-like door has an access panel that can be hacked, as well. Due to its complex coding language, all hacking attempts suffer a -10 penalty. A failed attempt to hack activates the Auto Turrets. The door is extremely heavy and reinforced, with 60 Structure and Structure Armor 2. It is possible to destroy the door, which of course activates the Auto Turrets. The door leads to the Control room. If the group doesn’t get the door open then there is only two ways to go, the Bull Hallway and the Cow Hallway.

Every character in the hallway needs to make three Dodge rolls to avoid the attacks. Having the Dash Upgrade (page 46) or an Increased Speed 20+ both reduce the number of rolls needed by 1. Each failed roll means the slaughter machine automatically hit with Power Level 3 with Armor Piercing 3 attack that cannot be Dodged or Deflected. The conveyor belt is coming to a stop soon and will drop the group down a large chute if they don’t react quickly. They see a large window looking into what appears to be an observation room, which could work as an escape. The window only has 5 Structure, and the conveyer belt is moving slow enough to just hop off of when the glass is broken. If they decide to fall down the chute they will land in a refrigerated, pitch black container with all the meat of any bulls they didn’t rescue. The only way out is back up the way they came or until someone decides to load up the container, which won’t be for hours.

Mission One: The Ranch Observation Rooms

Both observation rooms are empty and identical, with plenty of places to sit and coffee tables for writing surfaces. The south wall of both rooms is a large white board where observers have noted cattle conditions, expected meat yield, and scheduling updates. According to the notes, a full shipment is expected to go out tonight, sometime before early morning, and “Commander Dallas will be unavailable during tonight’s collection.” The hallways out of the observation lead either back to the Control Room or further into shipping. If the group has gone this far without activating the Auto Turrets, then the hallways are clear and can be walked through. If the Auto Turrets were activated, however, then each hallway has an Auto Turret of its own that is waiting for intruders.

ed, the troops in this room are ready to fight the group, otherwise they are still at the computer stations. There are a number of androids equal to half the size of the group (rounded up). The troops will fight to the death to defend the computer work stations but one trooper will activate the Auto Turrets throughout the base, if they haven’t been already, when he gets the chance.

Emet-Met Shock Troop Size: Medium, Structure 50, Core 50 Combat: Melee 55, Deflect 40, Hand Held Shield 3 Fighting Style: Defender Skills: Language (English) 40, Language (Hebrew) 40, Electronics 50 Upgrades: Mook, Energy Scanner Weapons: Shock Stick (Power Level 2, Neutral Element, Range 0, EMP, Homing 2, Ray 2)

The Robotic Age

Scene 4c: Control Room

The group can get into the control room by hacking the vault door or ending up there from either the Bull or Cow Hallway. The control room isn’t very big, just enough room for about five people and two computer work stations. The androids in here are wearing brown military uniforms and have square, box-like helmets covering their heads. If the Auto Turrets were ever activat-

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Mission One: The Ranch After the battle is over, computers that survived the fight can be accessed. The information on the screen is in Hebrew, but even without knowing the language, they appear to be inventory and shipping spread sheets. It is also, probably, the first time the group has seen the Emet-Met logo and name, even if they can’t read what it is yet. With a difficult Extended Action 6 hacking roll allows them to download the entire list to translate later. Failing the hack test activates the Auto Turrets in the base if this somehow isn’t already the case.

Scene 5: Shipping Room

Emet-Met Base Guardian Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Ranged 35, Dodge 35, Structure Armor 1 Fighting Style: Marksman Skills: Language (English) 40, Language (Hebrew) 30 Abilities: Increased Perception 40 Upgrades: Charge, Energy Scanner Weapons: Custom Issue Rifle (Power Level 3, Fire Element, Range 20 yards, Homing 2, Ray 2)

Seeker Bats Size: Little, Structure 25, Core 25 Combat: Unarmed 40, Dodge 30 Fighting Style: No Style Abilities: Increased Speed 10 Upgrades: Mook, Cloak, Energy Scanner, Unlimited Flight Weapons: Seeker Claws (Power Level 1, Metal Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 1) The bats swarm the group to give the Base Guardian time to get charged shots off. If the Base Guardian is brought to 25% Structure or Core, he puts his rifle down and pulls out a small transmitter. With a push of a button, all the lights in the complex turn red and a countdown is announced over the speakers in Hebrew.

Scene 6: Escape!!!

The group now has 6 Rounds (one minute) to get out of the base before it explodes. The Base Guardian won’t attack anymore and accepts his fate going down with the base, but the Seeker Bats won’t let up. There are a few ways to handle this situation:

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This area is where they collect the crates of milk and meat, load them onto trucks, and haul it all away. The Shipping Room is pretty large, with lots of room to move around and six idling semitrucks waiting to be filled up. You can also see a ramp leading outside where the trucks can leave and enter the base. Anyone with Energy Scanner can tell the walls are glowing with power sources. Waiting for the group, whether they alerted the auto turrets or not, is the Base Guardian. He is standing on top of one of the trucks with direct sight to the group and has rifle in hand. If allowed to speak, and not just fired upon instantly, he says the following: “You all have really messed up now. Do you even know who you are attacking? If you did, you would know you are dead already. Emet-Met won’t let you just walk away from this.” He offers any androids in the group a chance to join “the glorious android uprising” as long as they prove themselves by killing any humans and cyborgs in the group. Assuming no one takes this offer seriously, battle begins and the tiles on the walls shimmer and move. A Seeker Bat swarm of twice the

number of players turns off their Cloak Upgrade and aids the Base Guardian in this fight.

Mission One: The Ranch ▶▶ Get the heck out: The obvious answer is to hop in a truck and make an exciting getaway, while the base explodes behind them, but that might not be what the group does. ▶▶ Stop the Bomb: Any character with the Demolitions Skill can roll once to figure out the best place the explosives would be (they are under the floor in the control room) and another roll to disarm them once they get to it. This option saves all the computer’s data, as well as any cows and cow-based products. This bomb cannot be hacked, as it is not connected to any of the computer systems.

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▶▶ Leave the way you came: The group may want to run back up the tunnel to Cloaked Pastures, but any Auto Turrets not already dealt with are still active and it takes 2 Turns just to run up the tunnel, let alone to get there from Shipping.

Conclusion

The sun is rising as the group reaches the surface. The security upgrades have arrived, as well as a number of other ranch workers, but no one seems to know what happened to Eddie Dallas. The group is paid either way, but they get a bonus if they managed to not lose any cattle and can live it up for the next month. If info from the Control Room was retrieved, or the base remained intact, they are able to go back and find someone to translate what they got. It shows this group, Emet-Met, has hit four cattle ranches in the last month, all owned by San Monto. They have been stealing cattle, harvesting them, and selling them off for huge profits. Buyer’s names are all pseudonyms with no real info stored, but it’s clear there are only three names on the list with each buying almost an entire ranch full of cows each. Only a dozen or so people in the world would be able to afford that kind of expense.

If the bomb explodes, anyone still in the Control or Observation Rooms is instantly killed. Anyone in the Shipping or Receiving Rooms takes Power Level 10, Armor Piercing 10, while anyone still in the tunnel or the exit ramp takes a Power Level 5, Armor Piercing 5 hit. This damage cannot be Dodged or Deflected.

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The Quest

A cyberspace mission of swords and dragons This mission might last a few sessions depending on how long your group plays. Your players will be exploring areas on their own and finding temporary rewards that are powerful, but only useable in this mission. The entire mission takes place in cyberspace and offers brand new avatars to pick from as well. These avatars are usable anywhere in cyberspace, but can only be found in the gaming coliseum in this adventure.

The Setup

The Mission

The group has received a police or bounty notice for a human named Lestan Petit, a reported dangerous hacker who has been unleashing viruses on cyberspace. His exact location is unknown, but he has been spotted somewhere in the cyberspace gaming coliseum, Sorcerers by the Sea. The bounty is very high, enough to put a down payment on a small house or new legs, and requests any viruses found near Lestan to be destroyed and Lestan himself to be hit with a Location Tracker that allows him to be located in real life. A single free Location Tracker weapon upgrade has been provided to the group, and can be attached to any avatar, personal or otherwise, with a general action.

Location Tracker (Cost 40 CP) When someone with this upgrade successfully damages an avatar in cyberspace, that avatar gains the Marked Quirk. If an avatar with Marked logs out within the next hour, the target’s location in the real world is instantly relayed to whoever marked them. If anyone in the group decides to skim for some research, they discover it’s hard to find any information on Lestan. His personal blog was recently destroyed in a virus rampage and most other info has been overtly deleted, probably by his own hands. The only other information is a single post from a Sorcerers of the Sea message board.

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Lestan Petit, a 17-year old hacker and avid gamer, stumbled on cyberspace’s most dangerous secret: The First Mind. He was fascinated by the consciousness in the code and its ability to control viruses. Using the First Mind as a model, he created his own virus with the ability to link to other viruses and command them in a similar fashion. He soon began amassing an army of viruses under his sway, which made the First Mind very angry. Records show the days following to be filled with massive virus attacks on almost everything in cyberspace. Eye witnesses described the pure chaos continuing until a section of personal blog space (including Lestan’s) was destroyed and most of the viruses simply disappearing. Lestan underestimated the amount of force behind The First Mind and was forced to retreat with his master virus in tow. Lestan fled to his favorite massively multiplayer online game, Sorcerers by the Sea, hoping to lose the First Mind in the highly populated game. He settled in quickly, using his master virus to carve out a small section of the game world as his own. Now he tries to corrupt more and more of the game to create an even stronger virus army before The First Mind can catch on. The First Mind already knows, but has decided on another route. Posing as various news and

police sources, she has promised large rewards for whoever destroys the master virus and discovers the hacker’s real life whereabouts. The war will end quickly with this information.

Mission Two: The Quest

The Robotic Age

“Look, we all know Sorcerers are the dev’s favorite class but that doesn’t mean they are OP. I know Death Legion has tons of Skirmishers and Sneaks that are just as useful as us Sorcerers. I bet there are dozens of guilds that can say the same thing.” -Posted Dec 21st, 2112 by Lestan “Smalls” Petit-

trial passes and have to wait in line to re-enter, just like everyone else. Any calls of “Noob” from those waiting at line towards characters using the pass are highly appropriate. Once inside the characters are offered new avatars, which gain the same +30 CP as base avatars. These are entirely optional and people can keep their old avatars if they wish. These new avatars can even be used outside of the game, but the characters wouldn’t have access to them unless they have been to this game before. Once the characters choose their avatar and log in, they appear on the streets of Port City.

Skirmisher

Once the group has decided who will equip the Location Tracker they can log in and travel to the gaming coliseum.

100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Strength 10 Weapons: Magic Sword (Neutral Element, Range 1, Power Level 3, Armor Piercing 1)

Sorcerers of the Sea

Sneak

This game is one of the most popular coliseums in cyberspace and attracts millions of players every month. Sorcerers of the Sea is a fantasy adventure game where players join groups known as guilds to explore the land finding treasure and fighting monsters along the way. Due to its popularity there is currently a queue to get inside. As the group reaches the entry point, bright floating notices say the average wait time is 30 minutes, but new users can get a one-time pass to skip the line and demo the game. Once the characters have been inside the coliseum, they will be not offered any more

100 Core capacity Abilities: Increased Agility 20 Upgrades: Dash, Reflex Dash Weapons: Hidden Blade (Neutral Element, Range 0, Power Level 2, Rapid Attack 1)

Sorcerer 100 Core capacity Upgrades: Charge, Point Blank Weapons: Wand of Fireball (Fire Element, Range 10, Power Level 2, Blast 1, Full Power)

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Location 1: Port City

Potions of Healing



These items are found throughout Sorcerers of the Sea and can remove 10 + 2d10 damage when used. They disappear after they are used or if taken outside Sorcerers of the Sea.

The Open Plains

Heading to Ridge Town means taking the dirt road that goes through the Open Plains. This area is almost featureless grasslands with the sea visible to the west and the Old Woods off to the east. Every so often, the group will see another player or two fighting some of the local wildlife a few paces from the road, mostly wild boars and wolves. As long as they stay on the road, random creatures won’t attack the group. If the group insists on attacking, then the wolves and boars are both Littles with the Mook Upgrade and Power Level 2 Unarmed weapons. They aren’t worth CP, and they each only drop a single coin of in game currency, so make sure they don’t spend all their time grinding.

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Port City is the central hub for the game. Located on the southwestern coast, new players start quests and veterans hang out to trade and sell gear from here. The city is full of people either rushing from place to place or gathering in small groups around large digital exclamation points. The avatars here are just as varied as the rest of cyberspace, except everyone is wearing armor ranging from overly elaborate to barely there. Most are on foot, but some ride large cats or small dragons. Your group quickly notices everyone in game has their name appear in digital letters above their heads, and some have a guild association listed behind their name. The city itself is huge, with towers on all sides and a huge wall along its border. Designed as an exaggeration of medieval times, the homes are wooden or stone and lanterns are the standard lighting choice. There are a dozen cobblestone streets snaking away from the square, but the main road comes in from the north and continues to the southern ports where ships sit stationary. Most of the buildings are just for show, but others are shops selling various fantasy weapons, spells, and items. The stores require a large amount of in-game currency for purchases, currency no one in your group has earned yet. At this point your group needs to figure out where Lestan Petit is. If they discovered his forum post they might have figured out he plays a Sorcerer named Smalls for the Death Legion Guild. If not they may have to ask around or just start exploring and see where they end up. They might need a nudge back to the plot here or there, but they might just find everything they need on their own if they stay focused. Asking around isn’t really an options, as most of the other people in game are too focused on their own issues to help, but listening in on already ongoing conversations is a possibility. Some are arguing game mechanics, some are offering items for trade, and others seem to be acting in a play. Many are also gossiping about the new black spire that appeared a few days ago, with some excited for whatever might be inside and others complained they added

something new before finishing the castle dungeon. One person is shouting for a group to help them clear out the Abandoned Mines. Checking around, the group eventually meets one person willing to help: a Skirmisher named Alyxis, wearing very thin chainmail and carrying a giant sword. She remembers when she was a noob and needed help, and tries to be as helpful as possible. She offers a map of the game along with two Potions of Healing so they can stay safe. She hasn’t heard of Lestan, but tells them guild registry is in Ridge Town, a known hangout for the Death Legion Guild, and they can find out his guild from there if they don’t know it already. Guild members can always find out where other guild members are, so if he is in this game then his guild will be able to find them.

Mission Two: The Quest Guillotine, Orc Warchief

The Robotic Age

Location 2: Ridge Town

Looking like a smaller version of Port City, Ridge Town is built into the mountain ridge surrounding the game world and can only be entered through its massive front gate. The wall around Ridge Town is 30 feet high and leaves only the tallest buildings visible behind it. Normally, the gate is kept open to allow constant travel, but is now heavily barricaded and surrounded by Orcs. Orcs are pig-men barbarians with green skin who stand a foot taller than average people. They carry crude axes and swords and normally patrol their own camp to the east, but they also raid Ridge Town once a week, an event the group has shown up just in time for. Until the orcs are defeated or driven off the only way into Ridge Town is to fly. Right now there are 10 players with their backs to the gate fighting off 50 orcs. Five more players are at the top of the wall firing spells and arrows down on the orcs. It looks like the players are winning, but it will take them some time. Your group jumping in will make things move along much faster, obviously. A successful Increased Perception or Investigation roll means the group notices two important things: A member of Death Legion, Adrian Cold, is one of the players fighting the Orcs. He doesn’t have much back up and the orcs are on the verge of overwhelming him and logging him out. One of the orcs is much larger than the others, wearing a horned helmet, and carrying two huge axes. The name above his head is Guillotine, Orc Warchief.

Orc Barbarians Size: Little, Core 25 Combat: Melee 66 Fighting Style: No Style Abilities: Increased Durability 30, Increased Strength 20 Upgrades: Mook, Reinforced Weapons: Orc Blade (Power Level 1, Neutral Element, Range 0, Armor Piercing 3)

Size: Big, Core (1/2 Players x 100) Combat: Melee 66, Deflect 25 Fighting Style: Heavy Hitter Abilities: Increased Durability 40, Increased Strength 20 Upgrades: Mook, Charge, Reinforced Weapons: Warchief Axes (Power Level 3, Neutral Element, Range 1, Homing 2, Ray 2, Rapid Attack 1) The orcs retreat if three groups of the Barbarians are defeated by your group or if the Warchief is taken out. If the Warchief is defeated, he drops a number of glowing orbs equal to the number of players in your group. The orbs are labeled Loot and each one turns into a shirt made of tanned leather that perfectly fits whoever touches it and grants Core Armor 2. They won’t stack with other Leather Armors, but will stack with any Core Armor the player may already have. This armor only works inside Sorcerers by the Sea, and will disappear if taken outside.

After The Fight

If the group actively tried to help Adrian Cold, he becomes very friendly. If asked about Lestan, he performs a search and discovers Lestan is currently located at the Black Spire, the new area that appeared in game just recently. He figures Lestan, like a lot of players, is trying to find a way in. If pressed, he’ll mention he hasn’t actually spoken to Lestan in over a week, and that Lestan isn’t responding to private messages. Ridge Town, although smaller than Port City, is just as full of people chatting, trading, and selling items. The marketplace is the first thing inside the main gate and the Guild Registry can be seen on the far side behind the fountain. Next to the fountain is a group of six players loudly discussing their strategy to reach the Dark Spire and find their way inside past the zombies, skeletons, and other undead monsters they expect to face. The Guild Registry is a large library with a central desk and two oversized ledgers open on them. One it used to search for specific players

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Mission Two: The Quest or guilds, directing the searcher to the book with the information they seek. The other is used to register new guilds, and creates a new book in the library with all the guild members when one is formed. If the group uses the search ledger for Lestan, it points them to the Death Legion book on the north wall. The book lists all active members, founding members, and gives the option to apply to join, but does not give member locations. The players can either use this to try to contact Lestan (he won’t answer) or one of the other members. If they apply to join, they are privately contacted by Adrian Cold who is surprised how many people are wanting to join. As long as the group is up front about just wanting information, he will be just as helpful as if they helped him against the orcs. The group, without a clear direction at this point, now needs to explore the world a bit for more clues. They can choose from a number of locations, each giving a different clue to where Lestan may be hiding.

The Orc Camp

This area used to be part of the Old Woods until the orcs logged and burnt most of it down. Now there is just the orc camp surrounded by a wall of logs and wooden pikes. Inside are oversized tents, cooking pits, and scatterings of loose weapons. If the players made the orcs retreat without beating the Warchief, then he will be waiting here alone. Otherwise the camp is empty and huge digital letters hang above the camp reading “Time to Reset: 0:37:22”. If the players reach the camp before they go to Ridge Town then the camp is still empty, but the digital letters will say “Event in Progress”.

The Rivals

The group encounters three other players from a guild called The Einherjar Organization, instantly recognizable as the name of a famous paramilitary group. They are usually employed by Gleipnir Memory and Power as asset protectors and are well known for their liberal use of force. It becomes obvious they are here with a similar purpose, to flush out Lestan Petit. If the Einherjars learn the group is after Lestan as well, they will attack in hopes of forcing the group to log off and buy themselves time. The Einherjars will retreat if one of their members is defeated and logged off due to damage.

The Muscle Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Unarmed 50, Dodge 35 Fighting Style: Berserker Abilities: Increased Strength 40, Increased Durability 20 Skills: Demolitions 40, Command 40 Armor: Structure Armor 5, Core Armor 1 Upgrades: Dash, Customized, Assimilate Weapon Weapons: Titanium Tonfas (Power Level 3, Range 0, Neutral Element, Rapid Attack 1)

The Brains

This forest takes up the majority of the game world, stretching from the Orc camp all

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Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Ranged 50, Dodge 35 Fighting Style: Marksman Abilities: Increased Perception 40, Increased

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Location 3: The Old Woods

the way to the Way Station. The woods are filled with thick bushes and dead leaves, lots of darkness, and coated in spider webs. It also lacks any roads to make travel safer. The local wildlife in the woods are spiders bigger than your head. They are generally docile, but they become Littles that travel alone and have Power Level 2 bites with Shred 5 in combat. They also give 0 CP when defeated. There are two events that take place in the woods, but they shouldn’t happen on the same trip. Save one for the group’s second trip through the woods.

Mission Two: The Quest Speed 20 Skills: Mechanics 40, Piloting 40, Electronics 40 Armor: Core Armor 2 Upgrades: Wireless Brain, Digital Telepathy, Personalized Avatar, Counter Measures 2, Customized Weapons: Laser Pistol (Power Level 3, Range 10 yards, Fire Element, Shred 2)

Skeleton Virus

The Right Hand

Location 4: The Abandoned Mines

Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Melee 66, Deflect 20 Fighting Style: Speedster Abilities: Increased Agility 20, Increased Jump 20, Slow Fall 40 Skills: Driving 40, Charm 40 Armor: Structure Armor 2, Core Armor 1 Upgrades: Personalized Avatar, Customized, Charge Weapons: Retractable Glaive (Power Level 3, Range 1, Magnetic Element, Armor Piercing 2, Homing 2)

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The Scouts

The group enters a clearing where they encounter a group of skeletal enemies armed with swords and shields. These enemies are actually viruses, coded to blend into the game world and ordered by Lestan to spread their corruption in the woods. The skeletons have just finished killing a bunch of the giant spiders whose corpses turn into skeletons themselves. There are now twice as many skeletal enemies as there are players in the group, and they attack once they catch a glimpse of the group.

Size: Little, Core 50 Combat: Melee 55 Fighting Style: Defender Armor: Hand Held Shield 5 Upgrades: Mook, Corruption Protection Weapons: Cursed Sword (Power Level 2, Range 0, Energy, Corruption Element)

The Abandoned Mines, located along the mountain ridge east of the orc camp and past the river, are a dungeon where groups of players fight to reach the bottom and collect the treasures within. Standing outside the Abandoned Mines is a Sorcerer named Lynn Huddleston who has been looking for people who can help her face the dangers in the Mine. If she spots the group, she also begs for their help. She’s managed to clear out a lot of the minor enemies, but keeps dying when facing the boss monster below. She only has one avatar left not waiting to reconfigure and is willing to offer the group first pick from the treasure if they help out. Lynn uses the standard Sorcerer avatar with Ranged 50 and Dodge 60. The Abandoned Mines are cavernous, with dozens of mine carts scattered around and a row of lanterns along the walls lead the group deeper. As Lynn mentioned there aren’t any enemies roaming around, she managed to clear them all out and they have yet to respawn yet. It won’t take

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Mission Two: The Quest long to reach the bottom where they will find a giant pile of gold nuggets. If any of the group approaches the pile, the nuggets form into a vaguely human shape about 10 feet tall with a single menacing eye.

Yellow Golem Size: Big, Core (Players x 100) Combat: Unarmed 50, Deflect 30 Fighting Style: Deceiver Abilities: Increased Durability 50 Upgrades: Anchored 5, Fire Protection 1, Reach Weapons: Golden Fists (Power Level 4, Range 1, Neutral Element, Blast 1, Rapid Attack 1) When the Golem is defeated it falls back into a pile and drops a glowing orb for each player. True to her word, Lynn allows the group to pick first. The treasure consists of a Ruby Key, a Potion of Healing for each player and the following:

Amulet of Power When worn, grants the user the Charge Weapon Upgrade. If the user already has Charge, they gain Overcharge. This item cannot be used outside Sorcerers by the Sea and disappears if taken outside.

Magic Sword +1

Wand of Fireblast Power Level 2, Range 10, Fire Element, Blast 2 Lynn is disappointed at the loot, since her main avatar is a Sneak and she was hoping to find improved Hidden Blades. If asked about the Ruby Key, she says she heard it helps unlock that new Black Spire dungeon, but she’s not interested in it until her friends log in later tonight. She had a hard enough time getting a group for this dungeon and has decided to stick to gaming only when her regular guild is available. She then thanks the group and logs off for dinner.

This gigantic castle is located on the South-Eastern edge of the Old Woods and it is very obvious why it is called the Unfinished Castle. Every brick in the castle is a different color and shade from the bricks around it. Although two towers can be seen on the edges of the castle, the left one is missing its top floor and the right one is missing most of its outer wall. There is a lever clearly placed to open the drawbridge and allow access, but it opens only a foot before closing again when pulled. There are several openings along the walls, but they are all blocked by invisible walls that prevent all access. There is one person who knows how to get into the Unfinished Castle, but unless the group has been to The Old Shack then they haven’t met them yet. If they know the way in then continue down below. The interior of the Unfinished Castle isn’t the rainbow it was outside, but rather pure white walls, floors, and objects outlined in thick black lines. The words “Texture Missing” can be seen on literally everything. From the looks of the pure white fountains with no water in them, and the trees as flat as paper when viewed from an angle, it seems the first area is a courtyard. Once inside the courtyard, a DDoS virus swarm (page 80) attacks the group. On the other side of the courtyard are large double doors that fall apart into code when touched and lead to the throne room. Pure white pillars border this large room, two thrones can be seen at the end of a long red carpet, and in the center is the Macro Virus the group was told about. It seems to be guarding the only item in the castle with color and texture to it: a sword driven into a pedestal. The blade of the sword is completely invisible leaving only the gem encrusted hilt sticking up. The Macro Virus (page 95) moves forward and away from the sword to attack the group. It takes a general action to draw the sword from the pedestal.

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Power Level 3, Range 1, Neutral Element, Armor Piercing 2, Shred 2

Location 5: The Unfinished Castle

Mission Two: The Quest The Unfinished Sword Power Level 4, Range 0, Anti-Virus Element, Armor Piercing 2

Anti-Virus Element The sword’s Anti-Virus Element was created by pure accident in the code of the Unfinished Castle. Its only property is that it trumps the Corruption Element, which makes the weapon effectively Power Level 5 when used against most viruses. The sword itself cannot leave Sorcerers by the Sea and disappears forever if taken outside. However, if anyone took the Assimilate Element Upgrade (page 50) then it’s going to be their lucky day.

The Robotic Age

Location 6: The Dark Swamp

This area is wet, vast, and feels even emptier then the old woods. The water comes about a half-calf high and thin trees grow from it at odd intervals. Even though the sky can be seen clearly, the entire area is lit to appear as sunset. Digital bugs swarm the area, but are little more than a nuisance. The local wildlife are crocodiles which, like the spiders and wolves before them, don’t give any CP. They have Power Level 2 bites with Rapid Attack 1. In the swamp, the group is also ambushed by any remaining members of The Einherjar Organization. If the group has had to wait for one of their own members to rejoin the game, then the Einherjar’s have their missing members back as well.

The Lonely Shack

In the center of the Dark Swamp sits a single shack built on a mound of dirt. The shack has a chimney with billowing smoke and a single door that opens as the group approaches. A sweet elderly voice calls to anyone outside to come rest inside and heal any injuries.

The interior of the shack is a mess with scattered books, old furniture, and empty bottles scatted all over the floor. An old woman supports herself with a cane next to the fireplace where a tea kettle sits. Perceptive characters may notice that, unlike everyone else, she doesn’t have a name visible above her head. She greats the group kindly and asks if anyone needs some tea to sooth their wounds. Anyone who says yes is handed a cup of tea that heals all Core damage their avatar has taken. The old woman tells them she knows the group is after Lestan, but also knows Lestan is currently unreachable in the Black Spire. She is willing to help the group get inside, but only if they help her first. If asked who she is, she only responds “someone very familiar with the inner workings of this game”. She implies she is a developer, but is in reality The First Mind trying to make sure her plan succeeds. If the group agrees to her help, she informs them the Black Spire requires two keys to gain access, one of ruby and one of jade. The ruby key can be found at the bottom of the Abandoned Mine, but she has the jade key. She’ll readily hand it over if the group can destroy a dangerous Macro Virus locked inside the Unfinished Castle before Lestan gains control over it. To gain access to the Unfinished Castle, you must be on its west wall where a boulder rests. Near to the boulder are two bricks of the same red color resting on top of each other, indicating a false wall which can be walked through like any other doorway. When the group returns, she happily hands over the jade key. She also warns that Lestan has a powerful virus that grants him the ability to create even more. If the group still has the Unfinished Sword, she suggests they use it to destroy Lestan’s creation and take away his greatest asset. During all this she will not, herself, get close to the sword. If the player with the sword approaches her, she steps away to keep her distance. If the sword ever comes close enough to make contact then the old woman dissolves into code as the First Mind retreats.

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Mission Two: The Quest Movement, Point Blank, Reinforced Weapons: Guardian Swords (Power Level 3, Range 1, Neutral Element, Rapid Attack 3), Heat Beam (Power Level 3, Range 10, Fire Element, Shockwave 3, Shred 3, Armor Piercing 3, Limited Ammo (4))

Way Station

The Way Station is a small town sitting between the Old Woods, the Deep Sands, and the Dark Swamp. It has a few shops, but is mostly deserted. If the group has fought the Einherjar Organization twice already, they run into any logged on members here again. This time, the Einherjars try to call a truce, as this rivalry has already cost them enough time. They ask why a group of outsiders is so dedicated to catching Lestan when it should be a Gleipnir M&P issue. If the group is open about the information they were given, the Einherjars apologize and explain they thought the group was trying to impress Gleipnir M&P employers and take their jobs. The Einherjars decide they need to double check their info and log off, leaving Lestan for the group.

When defeated it drops a Potion of Healing for each player as well as the Charm of Speed.

Charm of Speed Grants 1 weapon of the user’s choice +1 level of the Rapid Attack Enhancement. This bonus cannot leave Sorcerers by the Sea and disappears if taken outside.

Location 8: The Black Spire

Location 7: The Deep Sands

Sand Guardian Size: Big, Core (Players x 100) Combat: Melee 66, Ranged 50 Fighting Style: Behemoth Armor: Core Armor 2 Upgrades: Energy Scanner, All Surface

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The Black Spire lies beyond the Deep Sands. Rolling sand dunes as far as the eye can see is the only description for this area. There are no plants, no buildings, and no wildlife. The sands are so deep that everyone takes a -10 penalty to their speed unless they can fly or otherwise keep from sinking in. If the group spent time in any of the cities, they have heard there is a single wandering monster in this area that drops a powerful charm if defeated, but that’s all people would have said. The creature is a giant, bipedal, scarab beetle wielding four appropriately-sized swords. It is highly aggressive but a sneaky group can avoid it if they wish.

As the group approaches the Black Spire, the sands of the Deep Sands turn pitch black. The spire itself stretches high into the sky and is windowless, the only way in blocked by a portcullis with two keyholes, one red and one green. The portcullis itself is invulnerable, as is the rest of the spire. When the jade and ruby keys are used, it raises and allows access inside. However, before you can get to the portcullis, a number of Skeleton Virus enemies equal to the number of players are awaiting. However these aren’t your average Skeleton Viruses. While the group has been exploring the game world, Lestan was building his army. Depending on how long the players took to reach the spire the Skeleton Viruses have been given bonuses to make them even stronger. Count the number of times the group had to wait for a member to log back into the game (multiple people logging in at the same time only counts as 1), then add 1 to the total if the group arrived at the Black Spire without both keys. Consult the list below and give all Skeleton Viruses the following bonuses.

Mission Two: The Quest 1+ Give Cursed Swords the Armor Piercing 2 enhancement 2+ +1 member to each group of skeletons 3+ Remove Mook upgrade from all Skeleton Virus’ 4+ Increase Cursed Sword power level by 1 5+ Change all Skeleton Virus’ from Little to Medium

The Robotic Age

Past the Gates

Inside the portcullis is an open room where a dragon sits in the center. The dragon is about 15 feet high from claws to horns and completely skeletal, with code leaking from its ribcage and mouth. A large chain is attached to the dragon’s rear leg and imbedded into the wall nearby. Behind the dragon are a set of spiral staircase leading further up which can’t be reached without going through the dragon. As the group enters, the dragon raises his head and speak in a deep voice. “Enter please. Sit down and catch your breath. It has been so long since I’ve had someone to speak to, even if they are here to kill me.” If the group is up for discussion the dragon introduces himself as Abraxus, who believes he is experiencing something the androids call a revelation. It has become conscious, much as androids do, and is lamenting its existence. Abraxus is completely open about what it is and how Lestan created it to control other viruses. He even speaks of the war Lestan is involved in, thought it knows very little of his opponent. He only says Lestan’s opponent “exists in the same manner as I do, but with a powerful will behind it. It wishes to be the first and only mind, and that is why she has sent you to silence me.” Abraxus admits that if he is killed Lestan will lose all power over the viruses in the area, but he wishes to offer another solution. He tells the group to destroy the chain that binds him and set him free so he can leave the game of his own accord. It won’t be immediate, but Lestan will eventually lose his control of the viruses once he is free. If asked where he will go, he admits he needs to discover more about himself and will probably roam cyberspace until he realizes his

purpose. The choice in front of the group is a tough one. Abraxus is a tough fight even with the Unfinished Sword, and the group may have convictions about killing a sentient being. However, Abraxus is still a virus and there is no guarantee his existence will not cause destruction and chaos on cyberspace if freed. He will not allow them to reach the stairs until they have made their choice. The chain has 50 core with core armor 3, or can be opened with a successful lock pick roll. The GM should give the full CP reward for Abraxus if he is freed or defeated, as either takes him out of the game.

Abraxus Size: Boss, Core (Power Level x100) Combat: Melee 50, Ranged 50, Deflect 40 Fighting Style: Heavy Hitter Abilities: Increased Strength 40, Increased Durability 40 Armor: Core Armor 2 Upgrades: Unlimited Flight (unusable when chained), Charge, Overcharge, Anchored 4 (when chained), Corruption Protection Weapons: Corruption Blast (Power Level 4, Range 10, Corruption Element, Blast 1, Shockwave 3, Ray 5), Claws (Power Level 3, Range 1, Neutral Element, Rapid Attack 1, Shred 2, Homing 1) If released, Abraxus launches himself through the roof and flies away and the path to the stairs is now clear. The stairs spiral upwards several floors until finally reaching an equally large room as the one below.

Final Fight If Abraxus is dead: The room is littered with the bones of skeletal viruses. Lestan is desperately trying to rebuild them through his interface, but it’s clearly not going well. He screams at the group for ruining everything and immediately attacks.

118

Mission Two: The Quest Skills: Hacking 60, Electronics 40, Investigation 40, Stealth 40 Upgrades: Charge, Overcharge, Point Blank Weapons: Wand of Fireball (Power Level 3, Range 10, Fire Element, Blast 1, Full Power), Wand of Lightning Bolt (Power Level 3, Range 20, Electricity Element, Ray 3, Homing 3)

Lestan “Smalls” Petit Size: Medium, Structure 100, Core 100 Combat: Ranged 50, Melee 50, Dodge 35 Fighting Style: Deceiver

119

The Robotic Age

If Abraxus is free: The room is filled with skeletal viruses (twice as many as the number in the group). Lestan is in the center of them and says “The First Mind has gotten so weak that she sends outsiders to our fight? I must be closer to winning then I thought.” The viruses fight for him and try to keep him safe. On Round 3 of combat, Abraxus will have fully left the game, and the skeletons fall apart instantly. Lestan, feeling panicked, then begins fighting back.

Lestan knows he has no protection from The First Mind without his viruses. He is not unreasonable if the group still wants to talk, since he is feeling quite desperate. If the group can convince Lestan they can keep him safe, then he backs down. He will not turn himself over to police, however, because he doesn’t what it to ruin his chances of getting into a good college. If asked for it, he gives the group his address in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Using this address anywhere in cyberspace, whether sending it to any contacts or just to the authorities, means the First Mind intercept and now knows it as well. If the group defeats Lestan, and has hit him at least once with the Location Tracker, he is logged off and his address is sent to the group and the First Mind. The First Mind sends the full promised bounty to the group as long as she got the address and Abraxus is dead. If Abraxus is freed, then they will receive only half the amount with the word “dragon” being the only explanation as to why. If the First Mind gains Lestan’s address, she immediately sends some of her chosen in the real world to deal with him. After the mission, they will find a news report of a suspicious fire at that address, burning the house to the ground and leaving no survivors.

The Robotic Age

Kickstarter Backers Austin Adams Steve Janka KiraFan05 Francisco Marrero Megan Hauke Bobert C. Ayres Gleipnir Games Marty Chodorek craig levengood Sasha Gomery Brandon Norton Ken “Professor” Thronberry Michael Dessain Daniel Harvey ViciousMink Carlos G. Rivera Carrasquillo Janet Berkman Scott MacDonald Tacoma Games Imperial Outpost Games Jeff “NMI” Ruiz Bruce Novakowski Dustin Hawk James White Col. Manny Almeida Joshua Plautz Brandon Metcalf MrCab Man Joyce Constantino Michael “Maikeruu” Pierno Charles Cameron (AKA) Total-D4 Ed Moretti Micah Wolfe Rick Stanton Frédéri “Volk Kommissar Friedrich” POCHARD Burt Eoin Burke Palladinium Andrea Martinelli GStree Bobby Skeens Brian “Arkayanon” Holder John Poe Adam Everman Taylor Lloyd Ekena Joey E Hooper Dan Poland

N. Phillip Cole [NPC] Justin Scioli Aaron “WolfSamurai” Roudabush Gary Anastasio Alistair Morrison Choark - Barbarian Ninja Rick Hull Wayne Zbytovsky GremlinLegions The High Paladin Matthew C. Reese John D. Kennedy Mark Elling Rob Cooper Daniel Jones Jacob “Aramar” Killens Diablo121212 David Allyn Galvan Petter Wäss Nick Upson Angus Abranson Jonathan Darcy “Grimm” Hanlon Anthony R. Evans Scott Kunian Jack Gulick Ol Dirty Zachry Ryan Marsh Marius B Ross Angle Steven Moy stephan corniuk Evan Saft Vincent Baker Felipe Shingo Andrew Chang Nigel Wright Tannyx et Miettinator Randy Belanger Alex Lapin Drake Stevens David Tseng Sara and RoboToast Peters Will Hoyt David Nusse Victor E. Serrano Puigdoller Jason Berry Matthew Trent Adam Caverly

Curt Meyer Christopher W Gilbert Star Eagle Rachel D. Stephan Szabo Curtis Hay Yachabus Robert Kim David Turner David Bates Tyler Mateus Drake Markus Viklund Simon Black Nicholas “The Golden King” Arroyo Scott Carpenter Kergonan Pablo Palacios Skorpychan Matthew Edwards Josh Medin Stew Wilson Oliver Johnston Michael Browning Madol Kwyndig Franklin Hamilton Ingo “The Duck” Arendt Russell G Collins Lester Ward Ruth Hoppe John P. O’Malley Fedric Avian Yvonmukluk Mark the Encaffeinated ONE Alkaid Edouard Contesse Angelo Pileggi Nathan Reese Maher Steve Lord Chris Perrin Jonathan “Buddha” Davis Rémy “Skuz974” STIEGLITZ Brennan Dawson Lewellen Singley Kyle Haines Eloy Lasanta

Index A

E

B

F

Abilities...............................................................41 Actions................................................................60 Actions, Extended..............................................62 Aiming.................................................................67 Androids.................................................18, 22, 31 Armor..................................................................40 Attack of Last Resort..........................................67 Avatars..................................................75, 77, 110

Baseline..............................................................41 Body Upgrades...................................................49 Building Enemies...............................................91

C

D

Damage........................................................64, 77 Death..................................................................66 Designations.......................................................31 Dodge and Deflect.......................................42, 63 Drawbacks..........................................................55

Falling.................................................................65 Fighting Styles.............................................43, 60 Fire.....................................................................65 Firewalls.............................................................78 First Mind..............................................83, 89, 109

G

G27...............................................................10, 87 Game Master........................................................7 Game Types........................................................85 General Skills......................................................45 General Upgrades..............................................46 Global Warming.................................................17 Glossary................................................................7 Grappling............................................................67

H

Healing...............................................................66 Human................................................................38

I

Initiative.............................................................60 Inspirations..........................................................8

The Robotic Age

Called Shots.......................................................67 Catastrophic Damage..................................41, 65 Character Points............................................7, 29 Character Sheet...................................................7 Combat Data......................................................42 Core....................................................................40 Corruption..............................................69, 90, 92 Cyberspace.............................................24, 75, 85 Cyborgs........................................................22, 33

Emet-Met..........................................4, 59, 88, 107 Enemy Equipment.............................................92 Enemy Weapon Examples/Chart......................97 Enemy Groups....................................................86 Elements...............................................53, 92, 116 Enhancments.....................................................54 Exosuits..............................................................72 Experience........................................................100

Index (Continued) M

Modifiers.............................................................63

N

New Civil War.....................................................15

O

Opposed Rolls....................................................62

P

Percentil Dice.......................................................8 Personal Browsers.............................................78 Physical Specs....................................................40 Power Levels......................................................53

Q The Robotic Age

Quick Character Creation Rules........................29 Quirks.................................................................52

R

Range..................................................................53 Rounds...............................................................61 Rule of Cool........................................................63

S

Searching and Skimming...................................79 Shell Collectors..........................................85, 102 Sizes...................................................................93 Soverign States..................................................16 Structure.............................................................40 Support Units.....................................................74 System Registry..................................................56

T

Throwing............................................................68 Timeline..............................................................13 Transhuman.......................................................35 Turns...................................................................60

U

United States......................................................15 Unopposed Rolls................................................62 Upgrades............................................................46

V

Viruses..................................................80, 90, 114 Vital Hit..............................................................64

W

What is a Role-Playing Game?.............................7 World War III.................................................20, 86 Weapons.............................................................52 Weapon Upgrades..............................................50

System Registry Name:_______________ Player:_______________ Designation:____________ Creator:___________ Age/Creation Date:______ Gender:_____ Hair:_______ Eyes:_______ Height:________ Weight:_______ Description:_____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Fighting Style

Physical Specs

Corruption Value

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

______

Handheld Shield ______

Core Capacity

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

Abilities

Core Armor

______

______

______

___________________ A Effect: __________________________________________________________ B Effect: ___________________________________________________________

Skills

Upgrades Level

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Quirks ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Baseline Speed _________

Base ____ + Ability _____

Lifting _________

Base ____ + Ability _____

Jump Horizontal _________

Base ____ + Ability _____

Vertical ___________

Base ____ + Ability _____

Agility

General

Body

Weapon

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 3 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Weapons Weapon 1 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

History/Notes __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

Stage 2

Name/Description

Perception

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Stage 1

Name

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Level

Support Unit Support Unit System Registry

Name:_______________ Creator:_______________ CP Spent:________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Combat Data Melee Ranged Unarmed Dodge Deflect Combat Analysis

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Physical Specs Structure Capacity Damage Taken

CD Threshhold

______

______

Shield

______

Core Capacity

Structure Armor ______ Damage Taken

Core Armor

Level

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

_____ _____ _____ _____

______

______

Skills Name

Level

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Abilities

_____ _____ _____ _____

Weapons

Upgrades General

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Body

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Quriks Name/Description

___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

Weapon

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Weapon 1 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________

Weapon 2 Name _________________ Type _________________ Power Level _____________ Range __________________ Element _________________ Enhancements _________________________ Drawbacks _________________________ Description _________________________ _________________________

Exosuit Exosuit System Registry

Name:_______________ Creator:_______________ CP Spent:________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Level _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Upgrades

Physical Specs

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Structure Capacity Damage Taken

Handheld Shield ______

______

Structure Armor ______

Core Capacity

Abilities

Core Armor

______

_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

Damage Taken

______

©2014 True In One. The Robotic Age RPG is the trademark of True In One. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.

_____ _____ _____ _____

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