Eden Studios Presents, Vol. 1 (OEF).pdf

Eden Studios, Inc. is pleased to announce a new supplement series called Eden Studios Presents (ESP). Presents (ESP). Focusi Focusing ng on a wide vari va riet ety y of U n i s y s t e m ma mate teri rial als s, eac each book book wi will ll be be fill filled ed wit with h scenarios, archetypes, monsters, new and alternate rules, and much, much more. Volume 1 of the ESP series featu features: res: • New monsters by David F. Chapman for your Buffy Buffy or or Angel RPG game. RPG game. • L is for Liberty, a Terra Primate Apeworld Primate Apeworld by Dan Proctor. • An interview interview with Jason Jason Vey Vey,, author of the upcoming AFMBE supplement, Dungeons & Zombies. • Arc Arche hety type pes s for for any any Un U n i s y s t e m gam ame e. • A Un i s y s t e m sci sci-fi -fi sett setting ing by by Andr Andrew ew Per Pereg egrin rine e • An intercepted phone conversation between David F. Chapman, the Conspiracy X 2.0 X 2.0 Developer, and a mysterious Agent X. • Tigereye, a Conspiracy X scenario X scenario from Jason Little with notes for both U n i s y s t e m and the original game mechanics. mechanics. • A new monster for WitchCraft WitchCraft and and Armageddon Armageddon by by Charlie Von Eschen.

Future issues will Future will contain contain articles articles just as as exciting exciting as as this first first book. Prepa Prepare re yourself yourself for scintillating scintilla ting scenarios, scenarios, archetypes archetypes galore, galore, preview previews s of future products products,, handfuls of bad guys, Chronicler and player tips, and even a multi-episode campaign! Eden Studios views ESP as an ideal showcase for both new and known authors, giving everyone every one the potential potential to be a part of the team! Eden realizes realizes there there are a great great many quality "unknowns" out there and wants to give them the opportunity to shine. Veteran writers are also welcome, providing solid groundwork for gamers to use, spindle, and mutilate. Whether you are a up-and-comer, up-and-comer, an oldtimer, oldtimer, or just a fan, you'll find new and interesting material in each book.

So, what are you waiting for?

$15.00 (U.S.) EDN5500

Visit www.edenstudios.net Buffy the Vampire Slayer ™ & © 2004, ANGEL™ & © 2004. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Unisystem™ Unisystem™ Game System System © 2004 CJ Carella. Carella. The Unisystem™ Unisystem™ is used under exclusive exclusive license. license. © 2004 Eden Studios. All Rights Reserved. Reserved.

ISBN 1-891153-94-3

Eden Studios Presents

C re d i t s • T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Volume Volume 1

From the Editor

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by Derek Stoelting

WitchCraft • Armageddon Cover Shot: A New Monster for WitchCraft •

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by Charlie Von Eschen

Interview with Dungeons & Zombies Author Author Jason Vey

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by Derek Stoelting

Spacefarers and Prairie Folk: A Cinematic Setting

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by Andrew Peregrine

Conspiracy X 2.0 I 2.0 Interview with David F. Chapman

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by

Tiger Eye: A Conspiracy X S X Scenario

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by Jason Little

Slay-worthy:

New Monsters for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Slayer and Angel Angel

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by David F. Chapman, with additional writing by Derek Stoelting

L is for Liberty: A Terra Primate Apeworld Apeworld

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by Dan Proctor, with additional writing by Derek Stoelting and Jason Vey

Archetypes

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All Flesh Must Be Eaten by Eaten by Andrew Ferguson WitchCraft • WitchCraft • Armageddon by Armageddon by Derek Stoelting

Editing and Proofing by Shari Hill, M. Alexander Jurkat, Derek Stoelting, Jason Vey

Cover Art by Carlos Samuel Araya

Interior Art by Travis Ingram and Ginger Kubic

Graphic Design and Art Direction by George Vasilakos

Produced and Published by Eden Studios

6 Dogwood Lane, Lane, Loudonville, Loudonville, NY 12211 12211 Buffy the Vampire Slayer ™ & © 2004, ANGEL ™ & © 2004. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Unisystem™ Unisystem™ Game System System © 2004 CJ Carella. Carella. The Unisystem™ Unisystem™ is used under under exclusive exclusive license. © 2004 Eden Studios. Studios. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except for review purposes. Any similarity to characters, situations, institutions, corporations, etc. (without satirical intent) is strictly fictional or coincidental. This book uses settings, characters and themes of a supernatural nature. All elements, mystical and supernatural, are fiction and intended f or entertainment purposes only. Comments and questions can be directed via the Internet at www.edenstudios.net. www.edenstudios.net. via e-mail to [email protected] or via letter with a self-addressed stamped envelope. First Printing, May 2004 Stock EDN5500 EDN5500

Volume Volum e 1

ISBN 1-891 1-891153153-67-6 67-6

Printed Printed in USA

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r A Brief Note from Derek Stoelting, o t i Editor of Eden Studios Presents d Welcome to Eden Studios Presents! E ESP, as we’ve taken to calling it around the office, is Eden Studios’ latest endeavor to feed our ravenous e fans. these very pages, you will find material for all of the Unisystem game lines. Future issues won’t h be soInside in scale, but they will be just as entertaining, just as useful, and just as exciting to read. t Thisgrandiose book may hit your friendly local game shop’s stands later than you expected. That, I will admit, is fault. I jumped head first into this project, not actually realizing how much work it would entail. When m my I thought I had reached the midway point, I stepped back and looked at what I had. o r At that point, I panicked. I found material that needed fixing: rewrite something here, send that out to f another editor to look at (thanks Jason, Shari, & Alex) , cut that other thing out completely, and move this r other item to the next volume. e Thus, I dug in my heels and went back to work. Before I knew it, I missed my deadline. Then, it was the t week after the deadline. Then . . . t the process, I maintained the mantra of “At the end of the day, is this the best material you e canThroughout create?” George said that phrase to me one year at the Origins convention. We were discussing the L Origins Awards. One of Eden Studios’ books was up for an award. George reasoned that even if the book didn’t win the award it was up for, he knew which book was the best. As I sit here typing up this editorial commentary, I look back on what I’ve compiled. I look at the material from brand new, never before seen authors. I look at material from authors that already have their foot in their door. I look at material from previously published authors. I look at the material that my fellow editors helped to produce. And, I judge it the best material that could be produced for this book. We’ve got generic space material, Terra Primate material that can use the generic space material, an interview with Jason Vey, preview material for Con X Unisystem, a full-blown scenario for Con X featuring original and Unisystem rules, new zombies for AFMBE , stats for the creature on the cover, and new archetypes for a handful of games. Volume Two is nearing completion as I type this. Most of the authors have turned their work in early. Some of the editing has begun. We are going a different route with Volume Two. Instead of trying to cover ground for every single Unisystem game out there, we are narrowing our focus towards the undead. That’s not to say everything in the book will be about vampires, vampyres, and zombies. However, the book will spend a lot of time discussing them. And, Volume Two will be done on time. Remember, keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, do not unbuckle your seatbelt until the ride comes to a complete stop, and don’t forget to send us feedback as you exit the ride!

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C o v e r S h o t : A N e w M o n s t e r

Cover Shot: A New Monster for WitchCraft • Armageddon Bathsha are the Ethereals of Dementia. Obsessions, codes of conduct, delusions, covetousness, and cruelty are their domain. Most often, the Bathsha inhabit the Periphery in Hod, amplifying dreamer’s obsessions so they spill over into the waking world. Infrequently, one of these dream denizens finds its way to Malkuth by successfully inspiring a dreamer to become its Chosen, or through a summoning—intentionally or otherwise. Suddenly a quiet neighbor begins a reign of terror.

Common Ethereal and Spirit Powers Bathsha share all basic Ethereal and spirit abilities (see Book of Hod, p. 117; Armageddon, p. 297) with some modifications noted below.

Buying into the Dream: A Bathsha who is

already influencing a Chosen may cause a nearby target to become infected by the Chosen’s particular dementia by spending two Essence per level of the victim’s Willpower. Those under the effect of this power find themselves agreeing with and desiring to be a part of a Chosen’s mental landscape. This power has a duration of one-half an hour per Success level of the Willpower and Spiritus Task. A Simple Willpower Test resists Buying into the Dream for all character types. Victims who fail the Test will do anything in their ability to make the world fit the Chosen’s warped view. If a victim is afflicted by a Mental Drawback that contradicts the Chosen’s dementia, that Drawback is effectively reduced by one level of severity.

Powers Special to Bathsha Physical Manifestation: Bathsha manifest on Malkuth by spending one Essence for every five points of their Vital Essence. These entities appear to arise from the victims of those they inspire, giving congratulations and rewards while spurring their Chosen onward to greater feats. Bathsha usually materialize as their Chosen’s perfect prey, idealized in order to reaffirm the hunt or serve as the fruit of the Chosen’s particular Amplified Obsession. Amplify: Bathsha must spend one Essence point

per level of the target’s Willpower to increase the severity of each Mental Drawback afflicting their Chosen. If this boost brings a Drawback to level four, it becomes an overpowering Obsession for the duration of the power (one hour per Success Level of the Willpower and Spiritus Task). Amplify may be resisted by Mundanes with a Difficult Willpower Test. Gifted and Supernaturals resist with a Simple Willpower Test. If a behavior-restricting Mental Drawback, such as Honorable, has been Amplified to level four, the Chosen seeks to impose that behavior on others, sometimes violently. Chosen with two or more contradicting Mental Drawbacks raised to such a high level flip-flop between them; he may become a self-tortured coma victim or commit suicide due to their conflicting desires.

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Bathsha Strength: 5 Dexterity: 5 Constitution: 6

Intelligence: 4 Perception: 6 Willpower: 5

Vital Essence: 54 Energy Essence: 51 Life Points (when manifested): 105 Spiritus: 5

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Interview with a Zombie Master I recently had a chance to sit down and talk to Jason Vey about his upcoming book Dungeons & Zombies, working with Eden Studios, over-zealous playtesters, and future work. Tell me about D&Z . What were you trying to do with it? Were you trying to emulate any particular aspect of fantasy roleplaying? Were you trying to avoid anything in fantasy roleplaying?

Settle in, because this is going to be a long answer. D&Z actually came about in a strange way. I’d done up a piece for my website that contained fantasy rules for the cinematic Unisystem, and they started rolling really well. So well, in fact, that I started to wonder if I could pitch them. Obviously, at the time, there wasn’t a non-licensed core book for the cinematic rules, so that wouldn’t work. But, WitchCraft seemed ideal for handling it. I e-mailed Alex Jurkat asking if there was interest. His response was positive, but less-than-enthusiastic. He noted that trying to compete with D&D was suicide unless you had a really good gimmick. He was right. Then, a couple of days later, I got another e-mail. Seemed George Vasilakos had seen my rules online and they wanted me to do a sourcebook for AFMBE . Eden came up with the title Dungeons and Zombies. It seemed comically appropriate. So, we set to work. I wrote an outline, proposing four Deadworlds based on themes that Alex suggested: Pulp (Conanesque), Literary (Tolkienesque), Arthurian, and Oriental. The Oriental one proved the most difficult, as I was unable to access Enter the Zombie, due to Eden’s desire to have people be able to play the supplement if they owned only the core book. When we started out, the mission statement was pretty simple, though very difficult in the long run to effectively achieve. This was not “the” definitive Unisystem Fantasy Roleplaying Game. It was another genre book for AFMBE , and had to be treated as such, while still filling the gap to satisfy those who’d been clamoring for Unisystem fantasy rules. A tall order, but I think we pulled it off.

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As for what we were and weren’t trying to emulate, I don’t think we had any aspirations to make this “the Unisystem version of [insert roleplaying game].” Other than the Deadworlds (whose influences are obvious), we mostly just tried not to make it a direct D&D rip-off. It had to have its own flavor and style, and had to be as open and customizable as the rest of the Unisystem products. D&D influences are there, to be sure. D&D set the standard, and was the first fantasy roleplaying game. In any given fantasy game there are always going to be some elements that hearken back to that origin. But, overall I think D&Z has a pretty unique feel. I was in on the playtest of this book. It was very hot and heavy at times. Do you think that affected the book?

Boy, that’s an understatement. There were some knock-down-drag-outs during playtest. But, in the end it happened because everyone was so passionate about the book. Everyone wanted it to be the best it could be, and you can’t go wrong with that kind of enthusiasm. There were some requests for reprinted material and details that there just isn’t room for in a sourcebook. I started to wish I had a whole core book worth of space to work with after awhile! But, in the end, it was those arguments, debates, and such


A n I n t e rv i e w w i t h a Z o m b i e M a s t e r

that helped to shape the book into its final form. I really do owe the playtesters a huge vote of thanks. They were all great, and they all kept me on my toes throughout. I think the book is much better off for it in the end. For those of us who want more than just hack and slash, what can we look for in this book? It’s Unisystem. That means that hack and slash is rarely your best bet, given just how deadly combat is in the rules. We’ve imported a slightly abbreviated version of the magic system from WitchCraft and Armageddon, which is very freeform and conducive to creativity on the part of people playing magi. We’ve also gone out of our way to conceive of good, epic stories for the Deadworlds. However, for those of you who are into hack and slash, f ear not. There are a few optional rules suggestions and tweaks in there to cater to your power-gaming needs as well (grin). What’s your favorite part in this book?

I think the author bio is the best part. That’s a joke, son. Seriously, that’s a really tough call. I like the whole book. I don’t know if we necessarily hit a grand slam, but we’re most definitely bases-loaded on it. As far as my favorite part—I’d have to say that the rules stuff in chapter 2 was great fun to come up with, put together, and hammer out. As for the Deadworlds, Dead Gods and Demon Lands is probably my favorite, because I’ve always liked gritty, pulp-style fantasy like Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, R.A. Salvatore, Weis and Hickman. You get the idea. You worked with Eden Studios’ new editor Ross Isaacs on this book. How was working with him?

Well let me preface this by saying that I think Ross is a very skilled editor. He can come off as a bit blunt at first, but it’s because he doesn’t have the time to mince words. He’s a busy guy and an editor who knows what he wants and expects from his writers, and he’s very specific in his comments and requests. He was a consummate professional the entire time,

Volume 1

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and I appreciate that more than I can express. You don’t always get that in this industry. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it can be a rarity. I just hope he feels the same way about me.

Are there any future publications you are working on for Eden Studios that you can tell us about?

Nope. I can tell you that I have a couple submisDid we butt heads? Once or twice, yeah. You have sions and proposals in—one for a new WitchCraft to understand that writers and editors have a Association, and one for another sourcebook for love/hate relationship. We realize that we need each AFMBE , but both are in limbo until I hear from other, but nobody likes to see their stuff cut up and George, Alex, or Ross. I also intend to be a pretty reworked. regular contributor to ESP. And hey, if they’ve got Ross knows his stuff, and I’d happily work with anything they want to throw my way, I’m on board him again. I think I’m a better writer for having in a New York minute. worked with him—and I’m not just saying that to tow the company line. It’s the God’s Honest Truth. What other roleplaying game material have Ross was great to work with. you written? What other Eden Studios books have you contributed to?

Truthfully? None! This was my first project with Eden, and it was hard work, but a blast. I really hop e to do more for Eden in the future. What brought you to work with Eden Studios?

It was a combination of factors. I’ve always been a fan of C.J.’s stuff; he and I seem to have strangely similar mindsets as far as horror gaming and fiction go. I’ve never met C.J. face-to-face, and only spoken to him briefly via e-mail or IM twice, but as far as his writing goes, the guy’s brain works on a level that I just grok. So when I found out that he was writing the Buffy game, I had to check it out. I’d been seeing WitchCraft on the shelves in my FLGS for months and been tempted to pick it up, but was worried about getting burned by an impulse buy (which I’m sure you’ll agree can easily happen with core books). Then, at Origins a few years ago, I had the opportunity to play in a WitchCraft game and demo Buffy, and I was hooked immediately. At that con, my girlfriend and I purchased WitchCraft and AFMBE . Since then, I’ve gone on to buy every Unisystem product I can get my hands on. I can’t get enough. When I started freelancing, I knew right away that Eden was a company I wanted to write for, so I gave it a shot, and thus far, it’s worked out pretty well.

Truth be told, I’m actually pretty new to the field. I’ve done an article for Palladium Books’ Rifter line in issue 16, which I then expanded to a full sourcebook for their Nightbane roleplaying game (another C.J. work, incidentally) called Shadows of Light . It was advertised as the first new book for NB in four years, but in actuality, I think it was closer to seven. So, that was pretty cool. I’ve got a number of different ideas swimming around in my head right now, most of which will probably never see the light of day, but I’ve currently gone back to work on a novel I’m trying to finish. Hopefully, that’ll see bookstore shelves some day.


Spacefarers and Prairie Folk by Andrew Peregrine

Several recent television series have caused resurgence in the desire for a sci-fi game with a western feel to it. Farscape and Firefly are two shows that immediately come to mind. Inspired by these shows, you may be wondering how to create a similar campaign world for yourself. Luckily, Eden Studios’ Unisystem books are more than up to the task. This article is a mixed bag of odds and ends that Directors can utilize to create their own adventures on the frontier of space.

Cinematic Unisystem 15 Attributes Qualities

15

Drawbacks

Up to 15

Skills

15

Drama Points 15

For those using classic Unisystem rules, the following Character Type can be used.

For those of you unfamiliar with the science fiction—western genre, we should take a moment to Classic Unisystem paint you a picture of this campaign world style. 20 Attributes After all, how do you mix the low-tech world of the 15 Qualities western with the high-tech world of science fiction? Up to 10 Drawbacks The best way to do it is by using supply and 30 Skills demand. In such a world, technology is the preserve of the rich and the privileged. This is not really purchased with Metaphysics because it is expensive, but because owning it gives Quality/Drawback you power. After all, if you and your people have points the laser guns and the others are using clubs, you are going to win. So in the worlds ruled by the rich and powerful, technology is plentiful and inexpenNew and Adjusted Skills sive. However, the further you are from civilization, the more difficult such things become to acquire. Wild Card (Barter) When things are scarce, real trade often reverts to On the frontier of space, things look little different from a frontier town in the 1800s. Moreover, just barter. Money in the frontier can often mean very litlike a frontier town, these places on the edge of civ- tle. Paper from some far-off government or bank is ilization aren’t so law abiding. The rule of the gun no use when you need engine parts, food, and medapplies in most cases. If you have a ship you can get ical supplies. The people who need such things often work, but plenty of people will want to steal from can’t get enough cash together for them anyway. Therefore, you need to come to some arrangement. you. This skill allows you to haggle and horse trade with dignity and style. While the Influence skill usually Characters, Attributes, governs this sort of thing, it is important enough here and Skills to justify being a skill in its own right. It also includes In an atmosphere of betrayal and mistrust, there the ability to spot a bargain in the first place. are very few champions, and most folk start out with Using the Skill: Use Intelligence and Wild Card the same chances in life. Therefore, we suggest the (Barter) to see the worth of the goods on offer. following as a Character Type template. There is one Sometimes hard bargaining requires the use of change to the usual rule though . . . points from Willpower. The Director may allow Perception and Drawbacks can be added to Attributes and Drama Wild Card (Barter) to spot a potential bargain. Those Points, not just Qualities and Skills. without Wild Card (Barter) use Influence – 3.

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S p a c e f a re rs a n d P ra i ri e F o l k

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k l o F e i r i a r P d n a s r e r a f e c a p S

Languages

Cinematic Unisystem Skill Suggestions

Adjust the Crime Skill to cover electronic lockpicking and security systems. Change Getting Medieval to Old Style. Change Gun Fu to Gun Play. Change Kung Fu to Getting Personal. You may also wish to add the following Skills to your Wild Card Skill list.

Cooking – there are no food replicators in this universe.

Qualities & Drawbacks Many of the Qualities and Drawbacks from published books work just fine for this genre. Some (like Military Rank) may need a little adjustment for the specifics of your world, but are otherwise the same.

Dancing – some people ain’t no good at performing, but do like a good hoedown.

In this setting, the Age Quality represents twenty years, instead of one hundred years.

Scripture Learning – the holy books can be mighty helpful to some folk.

Fashion – what the rich folk are wearing. Gossip – what the rich (or poor) folk are talking about. Gunsmith – a man needs to know how to make his firearms personal. History - a specific hobby knowledge, like important wars, people, or dinosaurs. Literature – you may be familiar with the writing that educated people read. Local Customs – just in case kissing a girl means you have to marry her. Love Play – the vertical bop and other entertaining activities. Pilot – whether it’s steering boats, planes, or space vessels, you’ll need this skill to stay afloat. Ride - staying atop horses and keeping them healthy. Survival – how to stay alive in the wilderness. World Lore – knowing a particular planet very well.

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Depending on your style, the languages in the setting can vary dramatically. You may wish to have everyone speak the same language, say English. Other Directors may prefer to have a larger variety of spoken languages. For them, we recommend using languages that were pseudo-common in the Old West – English, Chinese, and Spanish. We realize there are a whole slew of dialects associated with Chinese and Spanish. Don’t go worrying your pretty head about that, it’s not worth fretting over. If you need more than three languages, throw in French, German, and Russian. That should cover it!

New Qualities and Drawbacks Born with a Silver Spoon 3-point Quality

You have grown up among the rich and powerful, with a proper education. Add +1 to one of your mental attributes, as well as one point in a knowledge-related skill and one point in a science-related skill to represent your education. You are also aware of how to behave in more elegant social situations. This means you know how to act and fit in at a high-class shindig, so add +1 to social rolls when in a civilized area. Of course, not everyone on the frontier is glad to see a person from the wealthy planets. In some cases, there might be someone who wants to teach the person with the silver spoon a lesson . . . or two. Can’t Back Down 4-point Drawback

There are certain things in life you just cannot ignore. Maybe it’s people talking about your ship, or trying to make you drink to the health of the local corrupt governor. Whatever it is, you will never walk away from asking someone to explain her inex-


cusable opinion—no matter how stupid or ill advised it may be. Whether the person in question is a star ship officer or the local drunkard, you cannot leave it alone.

through your confounded brain. This can be as bad as thinking a gun is actually a stick or that your traveling companions are old friends from school. You may be able to overcome this flaw with the right medication.

Class Arrogance 2- or 4-point Drawback

You are bigoted about social class in some manner. If you are rich, everything on the frontier seems primitive and worthless to you. If you are poor, anyone with money is a wastrel and a loser. For two points, this bigotry shows up in small and annoying ways, which occasionally drops you into trouble. For four points, your friends regularly drag you out of bar fights. Courtesan 9-point Quality

You trained as a courtesan, a high class and in some parts, a well-respected form of prostitution. You gain +1 to Dexterity and +2 to Perception. You add +2 to rolls to influence folks. You also gain Wild Card (Love Play) at +4. This represents your skill in etiquette, ritual, and sensual arts. Your name may be known to a variety of well-respected clients. These clients may be happy to assist a lady in trouble or in need of business. You may wish to take the Attractiveness Quality as well. However, it is not essential, as a courtesan is an educated entertainer, and much more than a pretty face. Dazed and Confused 2- or 6-point Drawback

The world is not the same for you as it is for everyone else. Maybe you were born that way, or suffered from terrible mental trauma as a child. For two points, you are rather shy and withdrawn. You suffer a –2 penalty to all social rolls. For six points, you are almost in another world entirely. You suffer –4 to all social rolls and –2 to all perception rolls. You tend to say strange things at odd moments, due to your odd means of reasoning. In addition, at any time the Director may tell you something completely different from what the Director tells the other players. This represents how the world looks

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Holy Man/Woman 4-point Quality

You are a priest, maybe a nun, or a missionary, trained in the ways of your religion, and part of a greater religious organization. It is your job to help the souls of the needy in the universe, and out in the frontier there are a lot of needy. You may also be able to count on the help of the church organization to which you belong, but the frontier is often further away than their reach. You gain +1 Perception and +3 total levels to any social-, knowledge-, or language-related skill. You suffer from the two-point Non-combatant Drawback (for which you don’t get any points back). You gain only four character points if you take the six-point version of that Drawback. Most will treat you with a little more respect if you advertise the fact you are a holy man. Then again, some folks might take offense.


Hunted 2-point/level Drawback

Bad people want you. Maybe you are a criminal, or perhaps a runaway indentured worker. It could also be that bad people want a quiet word with you. The higher the Drawback the more time and effort they will expend, or the more powerful they are, or both. Mercenary 5-point Quality

You are a mercenary, always looking for a way to earn more money. You might have some kind of ethic you follow (which would make the Honorable Drawback a good choice) or you might walk over dead bodies, even your friends, to get what you want (in which case the Covetous (Greed) Drawback would be a good choice). You receive two free points to place in any of your physical Attributes, one point in a crime-related skill and two points to your ability to use firearms.

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Natural Leader

Reputation Good/Bad

5-point Quality

2-points/level Quality or Drawback

You have the ability to inspire people with your leadership. Anyone following a plan you have conceived (under your orders) can choose one skill that she will use while carrying out the plan. Any use of this skill during the plan receives a +1 bonus. Non-Combatant 2- or 6-points

You don’t like getting into fights. Maybe you are scared, or maybe you just don’t like to hurt folks. For two points, you just cannot throw the first punch. You will not fight anyone who hasn’t directly attempted to attack you. Hit by a grenade or other area effect doesn’t count as a reason to fight, unless they throw it at you specifically. For six points, you can never attack someone else, for any reason, even self-defense. Maybe you made a vow or just loathe physical violence. The Director may allow you to overcome this with a Willpower Roll in extreme circumstances – such as your mother will die if you don’t shoot the bad guy. Ornery 3-point Quality

You are stubborn as a mule. Add one to your Willpower as you are very set in your ways and will rarely change your mind.

You are known for something you’ve done (or are thought to have done). If it is a good thing, this is a Quality; if it ain’t so good, it’s a Drawback. The higher the level, the more people know about this reputation, or the bigger the rep is in a smaller area. Note that among some criminals and bad folks, a bad reputation can be an advantage. Smuggler 3-point Quality

Whether it’s guns, people, or parts, you’re the person that folks like for transporting it across restricted space. Not only do you know who has goods to sell, you also know who’s the most likely to purchase those goods. Your knowledge may be planetor system-based, depending on the scope of your campaign. Work with your Director to narrow down your field of employment. Those with the Smuggler Quality may want to also purchase another occupational Quality to use as a “cover.” You gain one level in Intelligence, four levels in Contacts (may be split up into multiple Contacts), and three levels of Hard to Kill. You also have three levels of the Adversary (Law) Drawback and two levels of the Hunted Drawback. Spacecraft 2-points/level Quality

Privileged Family Upbringing 4-point Quality

You grew up in the rich worlds, resulting in a good family and breeding. Sometimes your family name will get you help from others of your social class. Your greater education gives you a +2 to any knowledge-related skill. You also gain one level of the Resources Quality for no additional cost. You may take this Quality with the Born with a Silver Spoon Quality.

You have a share in the ship the Cast owns. The number of points in this Quality represents your stake in the ship’s ownership. If you are the only one, the ship actually belongs to you. Each level you take in this quality grants one space ship character point to spend on the ship. Sweet Temperament 3-point Quality

You are just so darn nice and wholesome that folks take kindly to you. Any time you want to influence someone to help you with something or do you a

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favor you gain a +2 bonus. This bonus only applies if you have not tried to fight or intimidate your target or anyone else around recently. Talented 5-point/skill Quality

You are unnaturally good at a certain skill. You gain a +1 bonus when you use it. In addition, you can always make a roll for anything that may apply to the skill, even if it is something you have no experience in doing. Your natural talent grants you a better intuition than most. You may also improve your skill level to greater than any usual maximum your Director may apply with experience points. Technology 1- to 5-point Quality

You own a piece of advanced technology. It could be an advanced laser gun or maybe a piece of medical equipment. It could also be a vehicle like a hover car. The cost depends of the item you choose. It’s all bought and legal, but that don’t mean there ain’t no critter gonna try and take it from you.

Psychic Abilities Another set of abilities you may wish to include in your game is psychic powers. They are a staple of science fiction, but not so much with the western. There are plenty of ways this can work. You may decide that psychic powers are common. In this case, you can allow players to pick psychic qualities like Telepathy and Telekinesis. On the other hand, if you decide such powers are very rare, you could add a few points to the cost or simply disallow certain powers and limit the amount of levels the players may purchase.

However, psychic abilities need not be something you are born with. You could assume anyone blessed with such psychic power has had someone messing about inside her brain. Likely candidates to perform this insidious activity include the government and corporations. Religious groups or fringe scientists are other choices for developing psychic powers. If this is the case, the experimental victims should have a high Intelligence or Willpower Attribute. You may allow them to use Quality points to raise their

Volume 1

Attribute scores. After all, the brain fiddlers need the best clay to work with. Sadly, acquiring such rare and potent abilities comes with a price. Allow the player to take Drawbacks as usual for his character, but focus on ones like Dazed and Confused, Recurring Nightmares, Emotional Problems, Mental Problems, and Hunted. Playing it very strictly, you may insist that characters must take a few of these Drawbacks to balance out the fact that the character has psychic powers.

When you have figured out how psychics work in your game, there are plenty of powers in Unisystem games for you to choose from, such as Psychic Visions, Pyrokinesis, and Telepathy. You may even invent new abilities, allow characters to improve their abilities, or even gain new powers. You may also allow other powers based on the Unisystem versions of magic and demonic powers.


Cinematic Unisystem Psychic Notes

If you are going with the rare and/or brain rewired theory, you may wish to give psychics a bit of extra luck now and again. You can do this by letting them spend more than the usual number of Drama Points on mental actions, or by giving them random bonuses whenever you see fit. This is not too much of a bonus, as you can apply random penalties and freeze their power at any time within the dictates of your storyline (or personal vindictiveness). Psychic power is a capricious and little understood thing, never an exact science. There may be other powers and flaws that the character discovers because of the rewiring in his brain, but we’ll let you surprise him with that!

11


Spacecraft Current Unisystem rules for spacecraft do not exist, and full rules for them could fill an entire tome. However, as sci-fi just is not the same without them, these basic rules should suffice. We are assuming that for this game the Cast Members own a ship. Probably nothing fancy, and even then it cost them all they had. The ship is their lifeline and home all in one. Without it they cannot work, without work they starve. Each job they do must also take into account that the ship needs upkeep and supplies. Feel free to use the ship as a plot device whenever you like. If you want them to go to a certain planet, make sure a part of the engine blows out, a part that can only be replaced where you want them to go. Parts can also make great adventure hooks. They may try to steal an upgrade from a technological planet, or trade for what they want. Some people may offer expensive parts as payment for services rendered. Often a rare part is worth more than any cash settlement. Parts are expensive after all, so feel free to charge them a vast percentage of their profits for supplies and repairs as well. However, do let them hit pay dirt occasionally, otherwise, they’ll all settle down to a life of farming. Spacecraft are created with space ship character points, through the Spacecraft Quality. The total levels the players purchase in this Quality represent the number of points they may spend on their ship. If a character did not take the Spacecraft Quality, he has no points to add and theoretically no say in where they are spent. He also has no share in ownership of the craft. The Spacecraft Quality points represent the

12

money each character invested in buying the ship in the first place. Sometimes, these points do not represent a financial stake the character has in a ship, but more of an emotional one. An engineer who rebuilt the engines single-handedly could use the Spacecraft Quality to represent his investment of time and love.

Ship Size The first thing to spend points on is the size of the ship. The size rating is (obviously) how big your ship is. It also establishes a base number for many other calculations about the ship, such as the crew required and cargo space. For every two full points of size the ship has, it requires one Crew Unit. Each unit consists of one operational crewman and one technical crewman. Simply put, this means one pilot and one engineer. On larger ships, the operational crew may also be navigators, damage control officers, or operations managers. Additional technical crew are usually just more engineers. Ship Size 0 or below requires just one crewman skilled in both disciplines. When assigning points to the ship’s size, ensure that the ship is small enough so that the players have enough crew to fly it, and that it is big enough for them all to live in it. Any ship can comfortably house five people for each point of the size rating. Housing means giving everyone a room and carrying enough food for a long trip for everyone. If things are desperate, a ship can carry twice that many people if folks can stand to double up, and eat a lot less. However, that will be a very long trip for everyone involved.


The amount of Cargo Units in a ship is equal to twice the ship’s size. The cargo needs its space. You should rate cargo in units based on its bulk. Therefore, a unit of cows is not nearly as valuable as a unit of diamonds. A unit of cows is probably just one cow, whereas a unit of diamonds is a whole box full. Obviously, the unit of diamonds is the better deal, but finding a full cargo unit of such things is very rare. However, if a man has a whole heap of cows he needs moving and the characters have a large cargo hold, the job is a good one. There is often nothing to stop characters from taking on different cargos at the same time though, if space is available.

Ship Size General Example -2 One/two-man shuttle (shuttle pod on Star Trek ) -1

Small five-man shuttle (shuttle craft on Firefly)

0 1

(Jubal Early’s ship on Firefly ; Slave 1 from Star Wars)

There are more things on which to spend your Spacecraft Quality points. You determine what the players can buy. You may veto certain Qualities if they do not fit the campaign world. You may also rule the ship is not big enough for certain equipmen t. For instance, a fully equipped medical center is never going to fit onto a shuttle, no matter how many points the players spend.

Spaceship Equipment Weapons 5-, 10-, or 15-point Quality

5

You have some form of weapon the pilot can fire.

10

Pilot weapon and one gun turret.

15

Pilot weapon and 2 gun turrets.

Sensors and Electronics Variable Quality or Drawback

–2

Very bad, blind as a bat most days

0

Stuff works

+2

Good Stuff


+4 Excellent Stuff

2 3

Average cargo trader (Serenity on Firefly; Millennium Falcon in Star Wars)

4 5

Large freighter/attack ship (Reaver Ship on Firefly ; Liberator on Blakes 7 )

6

Variable Quality or Drawback

–2

Very Slow Engine

0

Normal Engine

+3

Fast Engine

Extra Cargo Space 1-point Quality

7 8

Engine

Large cruiser (USS Enterprise D in Star Trek )

Each point in this Quality allows you to take another unit of cargo. You may not have a higher rating than 1.5 times your ship’s usual cargo unit rating.

9 10

Battle cruiser (Alliance cruiser on Firefly; star destroyer on Star Wars)

Hiding Places 3- or 7-point Quality

You have secret places to store cargo. For three points, you can hide one unit of cargo. For seven points, you can store two units of cargo.

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Medical Bay Variable Quality or Drawback

–2

Not even so much as a bed for the injured.

0

You have a first aid kit here somewhere.

+2

You have a medical room, with a bed and a first aid kit.

+4

You have a fully equipped medical bay.

+8

High tech bay for multiple patients.

Stealth Technology 10-point Quality

You are not cloaked , but you can fool most sensors that your ship is not there. You are fine as long as no one looks out of the window. Emergency Measures Variable Quality or Drawback

–5

None

–2

A couple of fire extinguishers, maybe one space suit.

Shields are too high tech for a true western sci-fi game. Therefore, whenever a ship takes fire, damage occurs. Assume a ship can be hit as many times as it has size points before things go badly wrong. For each hit after that, a critical system fails. This requires an engineer or technician to attempt a rep air roll to get it going again. However, if the same system takes damage a second time, the repair rolls suffer a -5 penalty. If the system is hit a third time, it is irreparable without new parts, time, and a complete overhaul in a spaceport. To see which system takes damage, roll on the Ship Damage Table.

Ship Damage Table Roll 1D10 1

Life Support.

0

Extinguishers and suits for everyone.

+2

As above, but also for guests.

4

Medical Facilities.

+4

State of the art damage control and evacu ation equipment (excellent fire suppression systems, safety back ups, materials that don’t burn or give off fumes when on fire, fully equipped lifeboats with survival rations, and plenty of space suits for everyone).

5

Drive Controls (Steering).

6

Weapons (or sensors if you are unarmed).

7-8

Cargo space (destroys 1 cargo unit rather than requires repair).

9

Crew Quarters (destroys random possessions rather than requires repair).

10

Food and Supplies storage (when “destroyed” there are none left).

2-3

Space Combat A full system for actual space combat is again beyond the scope of this article. The detail we have provided for spacecraft is mainly to allow you to describe the vehicle the characters use to get where they are going. However, eventually they are going to run into trouble. During space combat, the pilot uses his Wild Card (Pilot) skill to attempt evasive maneuvers. Gunners use the appropriate skill (Gun Play or Wild Card (Heavy Weapons)) to fire the ship’s weapons (if it

14

has any). The pilots of all opposing ships roll their Wild Card (Pilot) skill to see who has the best position. The ship’s engines modify the roll according to their cost. Whichever ship gets the highest roll is the one in the best position, and gets to fire at its chosen target. In turn, according to the result of their piloting skill roll, all gunners on all other ships get to roll to hit their targets. Damage is applied. Then the Wild Card (Pilot) skill is rolled again.

Engines.

Once a ship has taken twice its size points in damage, it is no more than debris. At that point, the characters had better have space suits on.


Heavy Pistol: Some folks just got to have a big-

ger gun than anyone else. Damage: 22

Clip: 12

Range: Pistol

Plasma Assault Rifle: This is a very nasty piece

New Weapons We could list all manner of equipment and weapons. However, just a few will have to do you. There are plenty of high tech devices in the Slayer’s Handbook (for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer roleplaying game), Armageddon , and the Terra Primate Apeopolis Apeworld that you’ll find useful. These things should remain rare and valuable; you can create them as you need for plot devices and goodies for villains. However, do remember that villain’s toys have a habit of being stolen by Cast Members. Consider yourself forewarned.

To keep you going, here are some quick suggestion for the sort of weapons you may allow in your game. Damage is how much they hurt. Clip is the number of shots they fire before needing to be reloaded. Range is whether they use the pistol or rifle distances. Hand Laser/Blaster: This high-tech weapon sees

common use on rich planets. The weapon has only a few shots but the ones it fires count. It essentially fires explosive plasma, which packs quite a punch. However, the range is short and it gets mighty hot if damaged. Damage: 18

Clip: 6

Range: Pistol

These guns are everywhere. They have a good range and are highly accurate (unlike their original namesake). They are also as cheap as the ammunition they require, making them the weapon of choice for the career mercenary. The guns fire bullets from a rotating cylinder like a revolver, but they also store ammunition like an automatic. This reduces reload time considerably. Standard Peacemaker Pistol:

Damage: 14

Clip: 12

Volume 1

of equipment. It fires bullets that are also sealed plasma explosives, getting the best of both worlds. It also has a large magazine, sights, and stabilizers. A gun like this could easily becomes a mercenary’s favorite. Many people have names for theirs, like Betsy for instance. Damage: 30

Clip: 20

Range: Rifle

Happy Trails So, there you have it, partner. While we could go on for a lot longer, this should get you started on your own wild west in space campaign. From here, there is a wealth of adventure ideas if you know where to look. Almost any science fiction game should generate ideas for adventure hooks that involve travelling to other worlds. Once the characters get to those other worlds, you can find things to keep them occupied in any good western game. Try to give every aspect of life in the universe a western theme. Plates and mugs are plain and functional, often made of cheap metals like tin. Folks gather to eat at wooden tables, even in a spacecraft. People in frontier worlds are often prejudiced against outsiders who do not share their ways. Community is important to everyone, whether a ship’s crew or a group of settlers. Finally, hardship comes as standard in all but the most privileged lives. Rich folk are somehow different and above the commoners. Those born into frontier life live in a world where people die of hunger and want when crops fail or medicines are scarce.


This is the life the characters are trying to avoid. Their ship gives them the chance to aim for something better than most other folks do. Life is hard for them too, but if they are out in space, they have the chance to forge their own destiny, and not fall prey to the elements or the hardships of settler life. That is all any of them really ask, the chance to make their own lives. Even if it takes a gun to let them keep flying.

Range: Pistol

15


Also check out:

Useful Resources

High Noon - Gary Cooper goes out to face the bad

Roleplaying Games

Any Unisystem Corebook - for rules, equipment, and a whole lot more. Fistful O’ Zombies – for genre, lingo, style, and

rules. Slayer’s Handbook – for it’s invaluable Wild West

Outland - Sean Connery does Gary Cooper in this version of High Noon in space. Battle Beyond the Stars – a not bad attempt to do The Magnificent Seven in space.

modern western movies with a less romantic idea about the old west. Tombstone, Wyatt Earp, Young Guns (1&2)

background. Deadlands – full of western adventure ideas. GURPS Wild West and GURPS Space – good gen-

eral source material for both aspects of the game. Traveller (in all its various forms) – a good low

tech space game. Werewolf Wild West – a good Wild West resource.

Farscape (all 4 seasons) – which had its own

share of wild west style and frontier life amidst the high tech. Shane - Any episode of this classic western will

do. Star Wars – while it has a mix of genres, it is easy

to spot the western genre in the melee.

Comics & Novels The Last Shot (4 issues and a preview) – good

mixture of high tech manga and western.

Blazing Saddles & Carry on Cowboy – western

themes, but mainly because they are funny.

The Saint of Killers (& Preacher ) – bad times in

the old west.

Firefly – science fiction and western, consider it

essential viewing. “Living in Harmony” - a western episode of The Prisoner , useful for mind games.

Films & TV

Any western film will supply style that you can apply to your game. Some (like Outland ) are space versions of old westerns, which help show how to mix the two. Definitely watch Stagecoach, the John Ford version with John Wayne! Actually, anything directed by John Ford is good, as are most John Wayne films. You may also want to look at anything directed by Akira Kurasawa. Even though he made Samurai films, he was heavily influenced by the Hollywood western. His films Yojimbo and The Seven Samurai became A Fistful of Dollars and The Magnificent Seven respectively. Another film, Rashomon, was made into a western staring William Shatner! A look at Kurasawa’s films shows how to use western themes in a very non-western story.

16

guys alone.

“A Fistful of Datas” - Star Trek fun on the

holodeck with a western theme.


Courtesan Life Points 26 Str Dex Con

2 4 2

3

Int Per Wil

Drama Points 10 Background on the Courtesan It takes more than beauty to impress the Academy. A courtesan is no mere doxy or strumpet. Sex is a small part of the job we do. We are trained to be companions for our clients - not playthings. As such, we are educated to understand almost every aspect of life, allowing us to relate to our clients’ troubles, whether physical or mental. We also learn how they can be rested, calmed, excited, and on occasion manipulated.

5 2

Qualities Attractiveness +3 (3) Courtesan (8) Reputation (Good) 2 (4) Resources (Wealthy) (3) Drawbacks Class Arrogance (2) Covetous (Mild Conspicuousness) (1) Non-combatant (2)

Unfortunately, the rich are concerned only with money and their own meaningless social games. Few see me as anything more than a commodity to be bought and sold, rather than a professional. Out here in the frontier, I’ll not find a man as dashing or refined. Yet, I need not worry about the politics of the rich, either.

Skills Acrobatics 3 Art 2 Computer 1 Crime 0 Drive 0 Getting Personal 0 Gun Play 0 Influence 5 Knowledge 3 Languages 2 Medical 2 Mr. Fix-it 0 Notice 2 Old Style 1 Pilot 0 Science 0 Wild Card (Barter) 3 Wild Card (Love Play) 4

Quote “How dare you! No whore could charge the sort of prices I do, or be worth every penny.” Roleplaying the Courtesan People come to you for the company of a beautiful and educated companion. Sex isn’t always what is important, as you offer an intimate way for a person to relax. While you very much wish to fall in love, you have been hurt before. One day, you may learn that honor, honesty, and bravery are just as attractive qualities, perhaps, more so.

S p a c e f a re rs a n d P ra i ri e F o l k A rc h e t y p e s

Combat Maneuvers Maneuver

Dodge Knife Punch

Volume 1

Bonus Base Damage

7 5 4

– 4 4

Notes

Defense action Stash, slab Bash

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s e p y t e h c r A k l o F e i r i a r P d n a s r e r a f e c a p S

Mercenary Gunslinger Life Points 51 Str Dex Con

4 5 4

Int Per Wil

2

Drama Points 10 Background on the Mercenary Gunslinger My folks were the local law in our town. They were saving up money so that I could go off-world to college. I might have too, except the Barlow gang came to town and shot my parents dead. Ma and Pa had put two of the gang in jail. Four other Barlows busted them out and they all came looking for revenge. There was no warning. They just rode into town one day and riddled the sheriff station with bullets. After I buried them, I picked up a gun and went after the gang, becoming a bounty hunter.

3 3

Qualities Artist (2) Hard to Kill 3 (3) Mercenary (5) Nerves of Steel (3) Situational Awareness (2) Drawbacks Can’t Back Down (4) Covetous (Serious Greed) (2) Mental Problems (Mild Cruelty) (1) Ornery (3)

When I started doing the work, I had high morals, but life has a way of stealing your morals from you. Out on the frontier, you do what work you can. I didn’t just run out and start killing folk, these things take time. One day someone gets in the way and you shoot him. Eventually, you start reasoning that some bad guys are better off dead. If someone had done in the Barlow gang, my folks would still be around today.

Skills Acrobatics 3 Art 4 Computer 1 Crime 4 Drive 1 Getting Personal 4 Gun Play 5 Influence 0 Knowledge 0 Languages 0 Medical 1 Mr. Fix-it 1 Notice 4 Old Style 1 Science 0 Wild Card (Barter) 1 Wild Card (Pilot) 1

I hired onto this crappy ship with this weird bunch of crewmates. The Captain keeps giving me a fair share of the proceeds, and I keep offering my skills. It’s a good arrangement, no complications.

Quote “I’m not all bad; I do good deeds if the money’s right.” Combat Maneuvers Maneuver

Dodge Knife Peacemaker Punch Hunting Rifle

18

Bonus Base Damage

9 6 10 9 10

8 14 8 20

Notes

Defense action Slash/stab Bullet Bash Bullet


Pilot Life Points 26 Str Dex Con

2 4 2

Int Per Wil

3

Drama Points 10 Background on the Pilot I never did like being on the ground as a child. When I was accepted into flight school, I was completely amazed, yet disappointed at the same time. Flight school was just too expensive and I was just a farm girl. I could never attend, but when I wrote to the school to tell them, they said I had enough talent to qualify for sponsorship.

3 2

Qualities Fast Reaction Time (2) Good Luck 2 (2) Spacecraft 1 (2) Situational Awareness (2) Sweet Temperament (3) Talented (Pilot) (5)

Flight school was amazing, but the people were horrible. The rich kids didn’t liked being beaten by a farm girl. I qualified as a fighter pilot well ahead of the others, but didn’t take up the position the military offered me. I knew the people would be the same as those in flight school, all money and fancy ways.

Drawbacks Honorable 2 (2) Skills Acrobatics 1 Art 0 Computer 2 Crime 0 Drive 3 Getting Personal 1 Gun Play 1 Influence 0 Knowledge 0 Languages 2 Medical 0 Mr. Fix-it 2 Notice 3 Old Style 0 Science 1 Wild Card (Pilot) 4

Quote “Sorry it’s a bumpy ride, Captain, but asteroid storms on full burn are tricky.” Roleplaying the Pilot You are a just a sweet girl who just likes to fly. You have some of the best training and recommendations that anyone could want; you could have had your pick of work. However, you didn’t want to be shoehorned into some military hierarchy, or hang out with jock pilots who thought they were better than everyone else. You just need to fly, and this ship and her crew let you do that just fine. Combat Maneuvers Maneuver

Dodge Hand Blaster Punch

Volume 1

Bonus Base Damage

5 5 5

18 4


Notes

Defense action Bash Bash

19


20

Preacher Engineer Life Points 30 Str Dex Con

2 2 3

3 4

Int Per Wil

4

Qualities Contacts (2) Good Luck (2) Holy Man (4) Honorable (2) Talented (Mr. Fix-it) (5) Drawbacks Non-combatant (6) Skills Acrobatics 0 Art 0 Computer 2 Crime 0 Drive 2 Getting Personal 1 Gun Play 0 Influence 2 Knowledge 3 Languages 2 Medical 0 Mr. Fix-it 4 Notice 3 Old Style 0 Science 1 Wild Card (Barter) 1 Wild Card (Pilot) 1 Wild Card (Scripture Learning) 3

Drama Points 10 Background on the Preacher Engineer In the monastery, if a thing needed fixing, you did it yourself or it stayed broken. We offered services to local people as well, who were very glad to have things fixed for the cost of a simple meal. Gold brought hundreds of company men who threw everyone out of their homes. Whole families were moved off-world. I looked after the families as best I could, but very few had any more use for a preacher. Gradually the community separated as work was found. In time, my flock left me behind. They say God provides. Well, He doesn’t put food in your mouth. I needed work, and took it on the first ship that would have me aboard. I’ve fallen in with a bunch of criminal. I wonder if I left God behind, or if he’s been following me all this time; just waiting for me to turn round and see him again.

Quote “No, prayer won’t fix the engine; I can do that without God. I’m saving my prayers for this ridiculous plan.”

Roleplaying the Preacher Engineer You are not the typical preacher, or technician. You see people and engines in the same light. You followed what you thought God wanted of you, and things worked out. Combat Maneuvers God left you when Maneuver Bonus Base Damage Notes you needed him Dodge 3 – Defense action most, and you were angry for a time. Punch 3 4 Bash


Saloon Girl Life Points 30 Str Dex Con

2 4 3

Int Per Wil

3 4 4

Qualities Attractiveness +2 (2) Criminal (2) Eidetic Memory (2) Good Luck 5 (5) Resources (Middle Class) (2) Situational Awareness (2) Drawbacks Covetous (Serious Greed) (2) Covetous Conspicuousness) (2) Mental Problems Recklessness) (2)

Skills Acrobatics 3 Art 1 Computer 1 Crime 4 Drive 1 Getting Personal 1 Gun Play 1 Influence 2 Knowledge 0 Languages 0 Medical 0 Mr Fix-it 0 Notice 3 Old Style 0 Science 0 Wild Card (Barter) 2 Wild Card (Card Games) 4 Wild Card (Pilot) 1

Volume 1

(Serious (Serious

Drama Points 10 Background on the Saloon Girl When I was a little girl, I loved to dance. Aunt Sally worked in a saloon, and every now and then I could visit her. I’d sit quietly by the stage in the evening and watch the dancing. Sure, it wasn’t very proper, and if Aunt Sally had told my parents she let me watch I’d not have been allowed to visit again. When I hit sixteen, I joined up with a group of travelling dancing girls. I love the life and it’s taught me a few new skills. I learned how to play a little poker. My innocent routine lasts long enough to clean out a table. There is always someplace to see, always a saloon needing a dancing girl, always a few marks drunk in the saloons.

Quote “Surely you kind gentlemen have space in your game for me. I’ve always wanted to learn poker.” Roleplaying the Saloon Girl You are a bit of a wild child. You love to dance and scam. Life is out there for the taking, and you want it all. You could join a ship just to get to the next job or stay to fleece them of their cash. As long as they can take you somewhere new Combat Maneuvers and show you Maneuver Bonus Base Damage Notes something you haven’t experiDodge 5 – Defense action enced, you may Holdout Gun 5 12 Bullet just stay and help Punch 5 4 Bash them out. Kick 4 6 Bash Spin Kick 2 8 Bash


21


Space Captain Life Points 35 Str Dex Con

2 3 2

3

Background on the Space Captain I got off-planet the only way I could - I joined the army. army. They gave me a gun and a ten minute lesson on which way to point it. Then, they sent me to hell. Survival rate on our missions was only ten percent. Promotions were quick in coming. I made sergeant in a few months, and I always made sure at least twenty percent of my people came back with me.

3 2

Qualities Contacts (5) Hard to Kill 3 (3) Natural Leader (5) Situational Awareness Awareness (2) Spacecraft 5 (10) Drawbacks Can’t Back Down (4) Clown (1) Emotional Problems (Depression) (1) Honorable (1) Obligation (to his Crew) (Important) (1) Resources (Below Average) (2) Skills Acrobatics 0 Art 0 Computer 0 Crime 3 Drive 0 Getting Personal 2 Gun Play 2 Influence 2 Knowledge 1 Languages 0 Medical 0 Mr Fix-it 2 Notice 3 Old Style 0 Science 0 Wild Card (Barter) 3 Wild Card (Pilot) 2

22

Int Per Wil

Drama Points 10

One time I did my part, but the government didn’t do theirs. It seems that extraction was a bit too expensive for them to do right then. They left us on a barren rock with only a few rations and no medical aid. When they finally arrived there were only ten of us left, out of the seventy that survived the fighting. I went home, but home wasn’t there anymore. I’d been away for ten years, and Ma and Pa had died. I sold their farm for a decent price, and spent it all on a ship. I got together a crew, and we take work where we can find it. Don’t much care what the work is, as long as we can keep flying.

Quote “Here’s the deal. You’re on my crew and you do what I say. In return, I make sure you come home.”

Combat Maneuvers Maneuver

Bonus

Big Knife Dodge Punch Winchester Rifle Shotgun Six-Shooter

3 4 5 5 5 5

Base Damage

6 – 4 18 20 15

Notes

Slash/stab Defense action Bash Bullet Bullet Bullet


Conspiracy X Unisystem Interview >HERMES QUERY QUERY: SURVEILLANCE SURVEILLANCE RECORD LINE DEVELOPER CONSPIRACY X 2.0 1 match found.
available. >SUMMARY //Summary of tapped tappe d phone conversations conv ersations using keywords “Conspiracy “Conspirac y X”// Dialogue recorded from phone conversation dated 01/01/04, between unknown contact [called “X” for the ] and [developer for the upcoming project]. Aegis Prime removed certain materials for security reasons and to fulfill confidentiality agreements. >HERMES HYPERLINK: TRANSCRIPT //Transcript of conversation detailing forthcoming Conspiracy X project// File number: 102.211.14.1644.14.04 Date: 01/01/04 Transcripted: 01/04/04

C o n s p i ra c y X I n t e rv i e w

Location: Norfolk, United Kingdom Subjects: “X” and David F. Chapman [DFC] X: “Are you sure this line is secure?” DFC: “I checked it this morning. I haven’t been out of the house long, they couldn’t have re-instigated a tap that quickly.”

X: “You “You rememb remember er what happened to George’s files?” DFC: “That’s because he was too close to exposing the truth. The NDD removed the files before he could go public. What I’m hoping to do is to restore that information, and make it available before the Black Book can stop us.”

X: “How did you get involved?” DFC: “It started years ago when I was running an independent comic publishing company. A friend, J, contacted me knowing knowing my interest interest in gaming and a certain paranormal investigation TV series that was running back then. From reading the initial publication publication,, I was hooked. I read every-

Volume Volum e 1

23

w e i v r e t n I X y c a r i p s n o C

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thing that had been put into print, and I approached Eden about a possible Conspiracy X comic series. However, the independent comics market was on a decline and my company went on hiatus. I maintained my contact with Eden and started submitting material which lead to my helping on Buffy, Buffy, Fistful o’ Zombies and eventually project editing . Always in the back of my mind was the world of Conspiracy X . There was just something about it that seemed to ring so true. The background was so detailed, I started to doubt its claims as a work of fiction.”

X: “I know you can’t tell me too much, but what is the deal with the new edition? How did that come about?” DFC: “The core rulebook for Conspiracy X was running out of stock. Eden knew that eventually it would would have to go to reprint and the initial idea was to go to a new edition. However, there was some debate regarding the the system. system. Original fans fans of Conspiracy X voiced their desire for a clean-up of the original rules, some thought a change to d20 Modern would be the best way to go, while others thought Unisystem would be the logical choice. The original system was fine, although it did face some criticisms. Yet, if it retained its original system, Conspiracy X would be the only game Eden produces which isn’t Unisystem or d20. Just when people were forgetting about the game, and after I’d finished work on , Primate>, I drafted a proposal to Eden explaining how Conspiracy X could be converted to Unisystem and retain everything that made the game so popular. popular. After a bit of adjustment, and knocking some controversial ideas around, the project was greenlighted. It has taken taken some time time to knock into shape, after all, there were fourteen books to take into account, many of which had rules that supersede their preceding books. Character creation evolved from the corebook, to Aegis Handbook to Sub Rosa, etc. All of this had to be addressed as well as converted to Unisystem.” Unisystem.”

sive amount of information to take in. Professions, pulling strings, masses of new Qualities and Drawbacks and some skills had to be created to ensure the options of the original game would remain. With Cell creation, rules for game play and the basics of the setting, it was hard to keep the core book from being even thicker than . advised on some elements, keeping Conspiracy X completely compatible with all of the Unisystem games to date. In fact, the Sourcebooks Sourcebooks planned [see below] will directly address mixing the settings with that of [the Combine as part of the conspiracy, the relationship between Seepage and Essence] other full Unisystem games.”

X: “Wait a second! Seepage? What is this Seepage?” DFC: “Just about everyone has a smattering of psychic ability, ability, like hunches or precognitive dreams. dreams. Most people are unaware, but this psychic energy leaks out, especially at times of fear or stress. The energy pools in places strong in superstition superstition or belief. This energy is called Seepage. If enough of of it gathers, it can become become sentient – an malicious presence that can distort reality, alter perceptions and corrupt the unprepared, mutating them physically and twisting their their minds. The skilled can use these manifestations to their own end, although they constantly risk corruption.”

X: “Okay, now back to what you were saying about Unisystem games.” DFC: “Fans of the other games will find plenty of inspirational material in Conspiracy X , as well as a myriad of new character options. Conspiracy X could even be used to tie in with non- Unisystem games that Eden produces, such as Odyssey Prime [ideas for

incorporating Aegis and the Saurian threat are provided in Odyssey Prime] or even Buffy [is the Initiative part of the conspiracy?]”

X: “How has all the original material been converted? Have there been many changes?”

X: “You “You said ‘the basics of the setting?’ setting?’ How do you mean?”

DFC: “There have been a few changes, but the essence, the background, has remained the same. Although the system has changed, everything that was possible in the original CX will be possible with the new edition. The plan is for three initial books. The Corebook will cover character creation, which is a mas-

DFC: “One thing that was addressed was how much

a player should know. know. The corebook is basically a players’ handbook, and we limited the amount of background the player would know about the conspiracies, the aliens, and and the paranormal. That is where the second two books will come in. The

Sourcebook> reproduces all of the information from the races books, converts it to Unisystem and is for the Chronicler only. The will

detail psychic abilities, rituals, corruption, and cryptozoology. While enough of this is presented in the corebook to allow players and Chroniclers to play the game, the wealth of material in these two sourcebooks will take the game anywhere they can imagine. These will be supplemented by the which will take the conspiracy to whole new levels with the .” X: “You said before, about the background detail, how it didn’t seem like fiction . . . what’s that all about? Is it true?”

X: “How has the game converted? Will there be a noticeable difference in game play?” DFC: “There have been a few changes, but that is

mostly the result of the changing face of the world. The government departments have undergone dramatic restructuring since the publication of the original books, and these changes had to be taken into account. From the minor move of the ATF enforcement to the major changes from the Department of Homeland Security Act. However, the original game was an interesting hybrid. It encouraged secretive manipulations, and fans have said that CX agents played “smoking man” characters that use their influence to achieve their objectives. On the other hand, the original game also provided rules for cinematic gun-fu, despite how deadly armed combat was. The new edition again allows for both types of play. The manipulation and pulling strings remain, while the cinematic element can be employed for those who enjoy suited agents engaging in extreme martial arts and bullet-dodging gun-fu. There has also been the addition of [XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX] derived from alien tech, which allows an experimental few agents to [XXXXXXXXXXXX].”

DFC: “I can’t say too much. It all started with Roswell. A secret organization called split into two warring factions. Both and think they are working to aid the world. One hopes to rid the planet of the alien threat, the other hopes to protect humanity by working with the aliens. Agents work in secret to investigate paranormal occurrences, alien sightings, or supernatural creatures. It’s not just the three alien races that threaten humanity, there’s the slow and relentless corruption from a malevX: “And the fans of the original game? What olent supernatural force. Powerful psychic agents perform inhuman feats, while others cast dangerous spells about them?” to try to protect an unsuspecting world. While I can’t DFC: “All of the books will have conversion rules say if it’s true or not, I’ve always felt that Conspiracy X , to allow the easy transition from one system to the and other media such as The X-Files or Taken are just other. I hope that with the publication of the new edithe government preparing society for the inevitable. tion, interest will be restored in Conspiracy X with the When they finally reveal the knowledge that they have gamers and the demand will be there for some of the been hiding from us for all these years, the world won’t information that has remained in the classified files scream in panic, as we will have been half expecting it. (such as Area 51, Terra Incognita, [XXXXXXXX] and The only thing we don’t know is if the little grey men Extinction) to see public access (with conversion rules will be ‘Close Encounters’ peace and love, or ‘Signs’ for the original CX fans). This will all depend upon the and fighting them off with baseball bats. In CX, the reaction to the new CX. The CX world is vast and greys are far more dangerous than you could imagine, detailed, and there is a wealth of material that remains something so totally alien in their thinking… and they to be seen. Unless, of course, someone takes it into are just one of the races that threaten and manipulate the their hands to try to silence us . . . Wait a minute, did world. Then there are the inhuman predators that stalk you hear that?” the night, creatures from our nightmares that encroach into our reality . . . I can say no more.” X: “What? I didn’t hear anything…”

C o n s p i ra c y X I n t e rv i e w

DFC: “The clicks. There was noise on the line.

This isn’t secure. Someone was listening to all this… [hangs up]”

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X y c a r i p s n o C r o f o i r a n e c S A • e y E r e g i T

Tiger Eye A Scenario for Conspiracy X by Jason Little large metropolitan area works best, but creative Game Masters can easily modify this.

Introduction Adventure Background The agents are contacted by their parent Cell within Aegis to investigate rumors that a newer medical research facility, the Asklepios Corporation, made a major medical breakthrough. They claim to have a new nanotechnology-based project that cures cancer. Asklepios Corporation is a UK company that has American lawyers brokering a deal for FDA approval and nationwide testing to get their product into the market as quickly as possible. The agents soon learn that other powers are interested in this technology, as well, and will stop at nothing to acquire the cure. Can the agents keep the cure from falling into the wrong hands—and is this miracle cure just too good to be true? The agents discover a conspiracy brewing around this medical breakthrough—dubbed Project Panacea. One of the American lawyers has been approached with a business proposition—steal a sample of Panacea and turn it over to Takei Industries, a Japanese medical research facility, in exchange for several million dollars. The Yakuza, a Japanese organized crime syndicate, is secretly behind the attempts to obtain Project Panacea. The Yakuza have sent one of their own men to the United States to keep an eye on things, a biologically enhanced assassin known as Tiger Eye. Ultimately, the agents learn that the Yakuza have a large interest in Takei Industries. They have secretly been developing a cancer-causing agent they intend to use in their criminal enterprise. The discovery of the Panacea technology spurred the Yakuza to action—if they can control both the cause and the cure for their biologically engineered strain of cancer, the potential for worldwide extortion and terrorism is overwhelming. The agents must discover the conspiracy and stop those involved before a cancer epidemic is unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. This module uses New York City as the hub of activity. Game Masters should feel free to adjust the setting to fit the area where their campaign is set. A

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In Chapter One: Mission Briefing, the agents learn about Asklepios Corporation for the first time. The parent Cell contact for this mission provides background information on Asklepios Corporation, including a recent press release and initial medical findings based on their nanotechnology cure—code-named Project Panacea. The agents are told about Davis, Davis & Goldstein, the law firm handling the Asklepios Corporation account in the United States, and are asked to plant bugs in the law offices to learn more.

In Chapter Two: Long Arm of the Law Firm, the agents conduct research about Davis, Davis & Goldstein as they hatch a plan to infiltrate the law firm and set up surveillance. There are various roleplaying opportunities that allow access to the facility without raising too much suspicion. Fast-talking, deception and subterfuge are the agents’ best weapons, as direct conflict or violence sends the parties under investigation into hiding. Chapter Three: The Junkyard Drop provides a

chance to gather intelligence on the law firm. The agents learn that representatives from Asklepios Corporation will be meeting with lawyers from Davis, Davis, & Goldstein to hand over important medical documents, research results—and most importantly—an actual sample of the Project Panacea biotechnology. The agents’ instructions are to stake out the meeting. There they discover that other people are interested in the technology, and a firefight erupts. A dangerous adversary, known as Tiger Eye, interrupts the proceedings. The head of Asklepios Corporation is murdered, and a fierce battle ensues over the briefcase with the Panacea sample and medical research. The agents must decide whether to risk their lives to secure the briefcase. The mysterious stranger reveals himself to the agents in Chapter Four: Taming the Tiger. The Yakuza enforcer is sent to retrieve everything relat-


ed to Project Panacea, and has ties to a Japanese firm The meeting room is a large conference area with funding the Asklepios Corporation research. The jet-black furniture, paneling, and accessories. A clues start to fall into place for the agents as they large, sleek table with a glass top sits in the center of realize a conspiracy exists between members of the room. A closed file folder rests on top of the Asklepios Corporation, Davis, Davis, & Goldstein table. Enclosed is a copy of the Press Release from and Takei Industries—a nefarious plot to release a Asklepios Corporation (see p. 44). Once all the bio-engineered pathogen that will cause cancer . . . a agents are in the meeting room, a video monitor set cancer that only Takei Industries will have the cure into the wall crackles to life. The monitor reveals an for, thanks to Project Panacea. electronically masked silhouette of a man’s face. A If Tiger Eye has the briefcase and the samples of deep, bass voice rumbles through speakers set in the Project Panacea, the agents need to recover it imme- corners of the conference room. diately. If the agents hold the briefcase, Tiger Eye hunts the agents down to obtain it. One way or the other, the agents confront Tiger Eye in a deadly final confrontation. Finally, in Chapter Five: Winding Down, the agents decide the fate of Project Panacea—whether the materials are returned to Asklepios Corporation, destroyed, or handed over to Aegis. Their parent Cell contact rewards them for their work, and the agents earn well-deserved commendations The Appendix provides a detailed list of the key characters involved in this adventure. This section has all the information the Game Master needs to bring these characters to life—NPC backgrounds, motivations, and relevant game statistics.

Chapter One: Mission Briefing While enjoying some time off after their previous mission, the agents are contacted by their parent Cell with instructions to travel to New York City to learn more about a task Aegis would like them to perform. Each agent is contacted secretly, with instructions to meet this coming Friday at a large office building in downtown Manhattan. Let the characters roleplay briefly to make their plans for the trip or to make excuses with their “real life” jobs for the sudden departure. Regardless, on Friday the agents enter a large building in the center of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. They arrive on the 30th floor, speak briefly with a secretary, and enter a meeting room through a metal detector and down several long, twisting corridors. If any of the agents are carrying weapons, security guards politely ask them to turn them over for the time being.

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“Please, take your seats. We have much to discuss. As you know, each of you has performed valuable services for Aegis in the past. We need your services again. I am the acting contact for this Cell for the duration of this mission. You can call me Senior Agent Fetters. “It has come to my attention that a medical research facility in Europe has developed a groundbreaking advancement in nanotechnology. The company, the Asklepios Corporation, has submitted a patent for a new biological technology, dubbed Project Panacea. Among other benefits, Panacea may hold the key to the cure for cancer. “As you can imagine, if even a portion of this is accurate, then we are on the verge of a medical revolution. Rumors persist that several parties are interested in acquiring this medical marvel for themselves—and you can be certain their motives are less than humanitarian.

T i g e r E y e • A S c e n a ri o f o r C o n s p i ra c y X

“I have learned that Asklepios Corporation is working with an American law firm to secure domestic and international rights for pharmaceutical testing and distribution. The law firm, Davis, Davis & Goldstein, happens to be right here in New York City. At the end of next week, high-level Asklepios Corporation executives arrive to meet with their lawyers at Davis, Davis, & Goldstein. Once there, they shall begin the legal process of securing distribution rights.

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“This is where you come in. Your mission is to gain access to the law offices of Davis, Davis & Goldstein, and plant surveillance equipment. We need to know more about the technology, Asklepios Corporation’s plans here in the States, and the exact role of the law firm in the proceedings. “You have access to the resources here in this office, and may use this as a base of operations for your mission. However, secrecy and subtlety are paramount. If members of either Asklepios Corporation or the law firm grow suspicious, we may not only lose our best chance to learn more about them, but we may alert the other groups interested in this technology.

“We will meet in this conference room at 1900 hours each day this coming week for a status report. Now, you have the weekend to prepare yourselves. I suggest you get started.” With that, the person referring to himself as Agent Fetters is willing to answer a few brief questions, but remains tight-lipped about anything related to who is funneling him orders. His answers are brief and perfunctory. Afterward, the video monitor blinks off. The group should start investigating as soon as possible. They undoubtedly have access to sophisticated computer equipment linked to the Internet, large databases of technical, medical, and espionage-related information, and several government agencies’ watch lists. A handful of other researchers and assistants in the facility are available to assist the agents in tracking down leads.

Research Topics There are several topics for the agents to pursue. If the agents head down a path not covered here, feel free to either rein them in by revealing nothing relevant, or create red herrings by planting rumors about possible links to Alien technology, former villains or organizations they may have run into or other imaginary threats.

Agents can use either Computer Use or Research to investigate and can work together to increase their chances of success. Based on how the agents proceed and the degree of success they achieve with each piece of research, relay the information found below. Asklepios Corporation

Learning about Asklepios Corporation is easy. They have made huge medical advances in only a few short years. There is substantial information online and in medical journals. Df2 Information

• Dr. John Raffert founded Asklepios Corporation seven years ago. • Dr. Raffert is well known and well respected in the medical community for his tireless work on cancer research over the years. • Asklepios Corporation’s headquarters are in London, but research branches in France, Germany, and Greece also exist. • Asklepios Corporation has had six pharmaceutical products approved for use throughout Europe, all for the treatment of various common ailments. • Asklepios was the Greek God of Healing – a fitting name for a medical research group. In fact, the Sanctuary of Asklepios in Ancient Greece was the greatest healing center in the world at one time. • The dendrimer technology described in the press release refers to innovative biochemical research, the next evolutionary step of nanotechnology—this breakthrough is seen as providing entirely new methods of medicinal treatment for a variety of illnesses. Df3 Information

• Before breaking into the cluttered pharmaceutical field, private donations and government grants provided the majority of Asklepios research monies. • Project Panacea is clearly the most medically advanced project Asklepios Corporation has ever accomplished.

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• The project lead for Panacea is a well-respected medical pioneer named Dr. Allan Summers. • Other research facilities have offered Dr. Summers very lucrative positions, but he refuses to leave Asklepios Corporation.

Davis, Davis & Goldstein

Learning about Davis, Davis & Goldstein is a bit more difficult. They are a relatively small law firm yet to make a big splash in the news with any of their clients.

Df4 Information

Df2 Information

• Takei Industries, a major medical facility in Japan holding numerous contracts with the Japanese government, has a recent history of funding and research sharing with Asklepios Corporation.

• Davis, Davis & Goldstein has office space on the 33rd floor of a business building in midtown Manhattan.

• The most aggressive leaps in technology have occurred in the last year. It all started at roughly the same time a Dr. Alex Gildon joined the research team. • Agents achieving a Df4 success can also gain access to a list of important people related to Asklepios Corporation. A separate Df4 Computer Use or Research Test is required to learn the specific information associated with each person. See Appendix for more details. Red Herring Information: Feel free to distribute

these notes to add confusion or misinformation to the research, or if the agents wish to investigate less reputable sources of information. This information is also handy if an agent tests Luck and ends up with a Bad Luck result. • Conspiracy web rings and message boards insist that Asklepios Corporation’s success is due in part to the application of Ancient Atlantean science (False). • A presumably high-ranking government official has revealed to secret sources that the cancer cure has been cultured from alien DNA harvested after a UFO crash in Europe last spring (False).

• Rumors that Takei Industries, the Japanese medical foundation working with Asklepios Corporation, has ties to the Yakuza crime syndicate (True). • The largest private investment in Asklepios Corporation is from Ronald Armitage, an incredibly wealthy Australian banker (True, but irrelevant).

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• The Senior Partners are Donald Davis, Jr., Donald Davis, Sr., and Richard Goldstein – all three have established reputations as excellent lawyers. • The law firm specializes in providing international clients with the means to broker distribution rights within the U.S. Df3 Information:

• Donald Davis, Jr. is the point person on the Asklepios Corporation account. • The Asklepios Corporation account would conceivably be the single largest account ever handled by Davis, Davis, & Goldstein and represents the potential for millions of dollars in revenue. • Agents achieving a Df3 success acquire a floor plan of the law office’s suite. See Chapter Two: Long Arm of the Law Firm for more details. Df4 Information:


• Last year, Donald Davis, Jr. accumulated an enormous gambling debt—conflicting reports put the amount anywhere between $500,000 and $3 million. • Agents achieving a Df4 success can also gain access to a list of important people related to Davis, Davis & Goldstein. A separate Df4 Computer Use or Research Test is required to learn the specific information associated with each person. See Appendix for more details.

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Red Herring Information: Distribute these notes

to add confusion or misinformation to the research. Agents investigating less reputable sources of information will also come across this information. This information is also handy if an agent tests Luck and ends up with a Bad Luck result. • Lisa Cushing, the office manager at the law firm, is having an affair with Donald Davis, Jr. (False). • The law firm has strong ties to organized crime, and helps the Mafia launder money (False).

Chapter Two: Long Arm of the Law Firm After conducting research, the agents should begin their plans to infiltrate the Davis, Davis & Goldstein law firm and plant the surveillance equipment. If the group does not have the proper surveillance equipment, Agent Fetters provides the group with the following equipment: • One micro-transmitter. This small device is the size of a videotape. It has a 100-hour battery life. Place this within 100 meters of the surveillance bugs to amplify their output and broadcast. • Six electronic “ears.” Each of these audio bugs is slightly smaller than a dime. They are simple microphone components with an internal battery life of 100 hours. They collect a wide range of audio frequencies, and can generally capture any sound louder than a whisper within 10 meters. • Four electronic “eyes.” Each of these video bugs is the size of a cigarette lighter. They are simple fisheye lens video components with an internal battery life of 100 hours. They record in full-color and have an effective visual range of 20 meters.

The agents may contact Agent Fetters with requests for additional surveillance equipment or mission-specific gear. Agent Fetters denies all weaponry requests. Fetters re-iterates the importance of secrecy and maintaining a low profile. There are numerous methods of gaining entry into the law firm to plant the bugs. Agents may come up

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with several ideas that could all work. Reward the agents’ creativity by adjusting the Difficulty of various Tests based on their planning. Outlined below are several possible plans. Disguise: The group could develop disguises

using the Disguise skill and create a reason for entering the office. They could pose as delivery men with important packages to drop off, caterers bringing lunch in for an important meeting, members of the nightly cleaning crew there to vacuum and tidy up. There are many possibilities using this approach. If this is their approach, have a member of the group attempt a Df3 Disguise Test to create believable disguises. Covert Methods: The agents may decide to avoid

any personal contact whatsoever, trying to gain access to the building after hours. There are service elevators, HVAC ducts, stairwells, and many places a creative agent to sneak. If this is their approach, a Df4 Computer Use Test allows access to the building’s structural layout, security camera stations, and additional information. Depending on how they apply this information and their actual plans, a Df3 or Df4 Stealth Test may be necessary to bypass security guards and surveillance equipment. A Df3 Lockpicking Test allows access into the main office space. Leveraging Contacts: Another option is to lever-

age contacts the players know to help gain access. Someone with a high-level media contact may try to set up an interview with one of the lawyers, using this opportunity to access the offices. Agents with strong business contacts may decide to set up a meeting with the lawyers to discuss a possible relationship with the firm (legitimate or otherwise). This approach may require a Df2 or Df3 Forgery Test to create documents, media passes or other items to lend credibility to the agents’ cover story, unless they can obtain real copes of such items. This method allows agents a variety of roleplaying opportunities. Psychic Abilities: Some agents may have psychic

abilities that could help. While several of these abilities are rather subtle, some are far more direct. Telepaths or agents with Greater Bio PK may decide to apply their psychic abilities to members of the law firm. Telekinetic characters may try to insert the sur-


veillance equipment remotely. There are simply too many possibilities to cover here. No one in the law firm has significant psychic abilities to detect or resist those powers. Use the standard rules for Psychic abilities from the Conspiracy X rulebook to resolve these tests.

The Law Offices of Davis, Davis & Goldstein Through their research, the group most likely has acquired a floor plan of the offices. If so, planning will be much easier. The firm’s office is located on the 33rd floor of a 50-story business building in midtown Manhattan. The office takes up about one-third of the floor. The office directly above them is a credit card collection call center, and the office below them is a technical recruiting firm. The law firm has been in this location for nearly 15 years, and building security knows most of the lawyers and employees. The building has a large main lobby with a security station operation 24/7. They have security cameras in the main lobby, the elevators and the hallways of each main floor, but not inside the individual businesses. Two security guards are on duty at all times in the lobby, and two more make rounds through the building. There is a parking complex with several sublevels and enough space to accommodate 250 cars. 200 of the parking places are reserved for the workers in the building. Fifty parking places are available for visitors on the first sublevel. There are two service elevators and two stairwells running from the parking level to the main lobby.

Four elevators run from the lobby to the 25th floor, and four other elevators run from the 26th through the 50th floors. Two sets of stairwells, doubling as emergency exit paths, run the course of the building. Among all the different businesses, between 5,000-8,000 people work in the building during the day; generally fewer than 1,000 work during off-peak hours. Upon exiting an elevator on the 33rd floor, visitors are immediately greeting by Lisa Cushing. A sitting area, two rest rooms, and a utility closet are immediately to the left of the elevators. Behind the front desk are a hallway leading perpendicular, and two

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hallways running parallel away from her desk. The perpendicular hallway leads to a break room and the first of two reference libraries. The hallway to Lisa’s right contains five associates’ offices, a supply room, and ends in a hallway leading to the right. This hallway contains three meeting rooms and leads to the hallway on Lisa’s left hand side. The hallway to Lisa’s left contains the offices of Richard Goldstein, Donald Davis, Sr., Donald Davis, Jr., a second research library, the combined offices of Louis Armstead and Janet McCauley, the combined offices of Jacob Richardson and Andrew Stone, the emergency stairwell exit, a second set of restrooms, and three associates’ offices. General office information: The office contains

stylish art, comfortable furniture, and state-of-the-art technology. Front desk and reception area: Lisa Cushing,

the office manager, is always at the front desk during normal business hours. She is polite and courteous, but insists on seeing credentials or identification for anyone stating they are part of the media, police, a delivery service, or anyone else she does not know on sight. Research Libraries A & B: Both libraries have

four computer stations with access to the Internet and several legal databases, numerous shelves stacked with legal books, and dozens of filing cabinets with reference documents and forms. Both libraries also have laser printers linked to the network. All the computers in the office can print to one of these two printers.


Offices for senior partners: These offices feature

luxurious hardwood floors, burnished wooden desks, chairs and tasteful art. They are large, comfortable offices with high-end computers and Internet access. There is a secure intranet to handle office business, email, and internal communications. Hacking into the network is a Df4 Computer Programming Test if done from outside the offices, or a Df3 Computer Programming Test if attempted from one of the computers inside the network. Offices for junior partners and associates:

These offices feature functional wood desks, comfortable chairs and numerous filing cabinets. These

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employees each have high-end computers with Internet access. There is a secure intranet to handle office business, email, and internal communications. Hacking into the network is a Df4 Computer Programming Test if done from outside the offices, or a Df3 Computer Programming Test if attempted from one of the computers inside the network. Meeting Rooms A, B & C: All three meeting

rooms feature large wooden tables and chairs to comfortably seat up to twelve people. They have state-of-the-art multimedia projection systems and erasable marker boards which slide open to reveal a projection screen. Potted plans, artwork, and a few small desks fill out the meeting rooms. Break Room: This large room features two long

• Dr. John Raffert will not arrive until Thursday afternoon. He is finishing paperwork necessary for transporting biological material internationally. • Donald Davis, Jr. and Dr. John Raffert have referred to an off-site meeting to hand over materials important to the application. Donald Davis, Jr. has expressed concern that the law offices may be too high profile and subject to surveillance by third parties. • Agent Fetters believes this implies that a sample of Project Panacea is coming to the U.S. for scientific analysis as part of the patent application process. • The drop off will be made Thursday at midnight at an abandoned junkyard in Queens. Records indicate the property belongs to a former client of Davis, Davis & Goldstein.

cafeteria-style tables and chairs for up to twelve people. A refrigerator, microwave, and two vending machines occupy the back wall. A large coffee Armed with this information, Agent Fetters gives maker is always running, brewing regular and decaf the agents their next assignment. The agents will coffee for employees and visitors. There is a small sink and cabinets housing napkins, utensils, mugs, stake out the junkyard on Thursday and obtain visual and audio confirmation on the parties involved in coffee refills, and other similar items. the drop, and ultimately acquire the Project Panacea sample. The Inside Scoop Assuming the agents used some creativity and tact, Chapter Three: they have little trouble getting inside the law offices and planting the surveillance equipment. Do not for- The Junkyard Drop get about the daily updates with Agent Fetters—these Once they receive orders from Agent Fetters, the are opportunities to spur them into action, but to offer agents should start preparing for their next mission. suggestions if the agents seem stymied. They have access through Agent Fetters to sophistiAfter completing this mission, they return to meet with Agent Fetters. With the surveillance equipment operational, the agents have gained access to some important information. During one of the meetings, Agent Fetters reveals that he pulled some strings and received this information:

cated surveillance equipment to monitor the drop. Agent Fetters urges the agents to exercise a degree of caution, but admits that obtaining the Project Panacea sample is the single most important aspect of the mission.

• Those attending are Dr. Allan Summers, Dr. Alex Gildon, Stan Matthewson, James Kenichi and Ken Kimuro. See Appendix for more information about these characters.

There are several ways to get this map. The agents can pull up a plot plan online by making a Df3 Computer Use Test, or by going to city hall and asking for the building schematics. They can also simply drive by the facility and make their own observations.

Depending on how long it took the agents to bug • A small contingent of Asklepios Corporation the law offices, they may have nearly a week before representatives will arrive in the U.S. on the fol- the drop takes place. This allows them to case the junkyard or obtain a layout of it. lowing Tuesday.

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Possible Confrontation If the agents do their own drive by surveillance of the junkyard on the Tuesday or Wednesday before the drop, a Df4 Perception Test reveals that a blue sedan with rental tags is also slowly driving by the area. If the agents drive by on more than one day, this becomes a Df3 Perception Test, as they have a chance to have seen the same car on more than one day.

This car has two Yakuza enforcers sizing up the junkyard for the eventual firefight they know is coming on Thursday. If the agents tail or pursue this car, it leads to a small, rundown hotel a short distance from the junkyard. Seven Yakuza are at the hotel, waiting for word from Ken Kimuro on the details of the drop. They currently plan to drive into the junkyard after everyone else, closing off the entrance, and providing a getaway for Kimuro after he grabs the sample. If the agents are foolish enough to engage the full complement of Yakuza, a firefight certainly breaks out. Four of the Yakuza provide cover fire to allow three of the members to leave through a back door in the hotel. The Yakuza will fight to the death. See Appendix 1 for statistics on the Yakuza Muscle.

Lay of the Land The junkyard is a large land plot in a derelict section of town. Once a prosperous warehouse district, there is little around. Abandoned warehouses litter the area for several blocks around the junkyard. A few demolished buildings dot the landscape. Very little traffic passes through the area and few vagrants or homeless bother with it. Rats and some loose dogs are common, but otherwise it is a fairly quiet and downtrodden section of town. Seven-foot tall chain link fences surround the junkyard, with rusted razor wire coiled along the top. A heavy chain and lock run through the two large swinging gates by the front of the junkyard, where a worn sign reads “Carter’s Junk and Scrap.” A smaller, similarly locked gate is along the back of the junkyard. Both locks are still serviceable, and Donald Davis, Jr. has the key. The junkyard covers two acres of land. Piles of cars fill the property. There is a single road wide enough for vehicles to use. The road leads from the front gate, past a small building, and then it winds its

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way to the back gate. Cast Members and NPCs may wander off the main road. This causes a slight risk of injury from debris, unstable car piles, and rats. A Df3 Lockpicking Test is required to open the locks without destroying them. Characters can climb the fence and avoid cutting themselves on the razor wire with a Df4 Strength Test. Failure requires a Luck Test. If the agent has Good Luck after failing to climb, he suffers no damage. On a roll of Bad Luck after failing to climb, the razor wire cuts them for Fw2 damage. Any other result inflicts Fw1 damage. If the agents remove the razor wire, a Df3 Strength Test is needed to climb the fence. The majority of the piles of junk are stacks of partially scrapped cars from 10 to 15 feet tall. There are also many piles and heaps of tires, junked car parts and miscellaneous scrap metal. Most of the stacks and piles are stable. Characters should make Df3 Strength Tests to safely climb any of the piles. A wide dirt path leads to an abandoned trailer resting on cement blocks, which used to function as the office. It is currently empty and in poor repair. Rickety wooden steps lead up to the trailer. The windows are broken and the furniture and fixtures inside smashed, rusted and moldy. Rats infest most of the trailer, as well as most of the junkyard. If any of the characters are particularly attentive to a nearby utility pole or the transformer, they have a small chance of noticing something. A Df4 Perception Test reveals that attached to the very top of the pole are metal and rope materials. A Df4 Intelligence Test will tell the agents it is a zip wire harness. The zip wire harness is a combination of repelling gear and a variety of ceramic or metal loops used to quickly travel along wires or ropes. Used properly, the zip wire harness would allow a person to quickly zip along the telephone wires at this utility pole to a point several blocks away.


A Df5 Perception Test reveals that someone has tampered with the transformer. Soldered to the side is a small metal canister. Someone took care to make this appear as if it belongs, but it is in far better shape than the rest of the metal. Careful inspection reveals three blocks of C4 explosive set with an electronically controlled remote detonation system—someone could trigger the explosives from up to 150 meters away.

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The Drop As long as the agents use some caution to hide out in the junkyard and wait for the drop, the evening unfolds as outlined below. Ken Kimuro keeps to the original plan even if he knows of the agents’ involvement. At 11:45 PM, a black sedan with New York plates pulls up to the junkyard. Donald Davis, Jr. gets out of the vehicle and unlocks the front gate. The car pulls up the path and turns around by the trailer. Donald Davis, Jr. walks to the rear exit and unlocks the chained door. He then returns to the car and lights up a cigarette. The car engine is running and the headlights shine. Two unfamiliar men are with Donald Davis, but remain in the car. At midnight, a dark green sedan with rental plates pulls into the junkyard. Dr. Alex Summers, Dr. John Raffert, and Stan Matthewson get out of the car. Dr. Raffert has a large silver briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. Dr. Raffert and Donald Davis, Jr. begin to talk. Shortly after midnight, the blue sedan the agents saw earlier approaches with its headlights turned off. The car rolls just inside the front gate and idles there. Three Japanese men in black trench coats emerge, and a driver remains in the car. They stick to the sides of the path, slowly moving up the path until they are about twenty feet from the green sedan belonging to the Asklepios Corporation people. A Df3 Perception Test reveals that the men are armed. One appears to have a submachine gun of some sort under his coat, while the other two have semiautomatic pistols. Df4 Perception Test reveals the following information about the men: • All three men are missing the last knuckle on the pinky finger of their right hand • All three men have tattoos covering the backs of their hands and necks which continue until covered by their trench coats

At 12:10 AM, after several minutes of discussion, Stan Mattewson pulls out a key ring and unlocks the handcuff from Dr. Raffert. As soon as Dr. Raffert removes the briefcase from his wrist and Stan Matthewson takes a step toward Donald Davis, Jr., the agents can attempt a Df3 Perception Test to hear a single “pop.” A small red spot appears on Dr. Raffert’s forehead, and he falls to the ground. Tiger Eye used a highpowered rifle to shoot him. A Df4 Perception Test allows the agents to take a guess at the source of the shot based on a glimpse of muzzle flash or trajectory. Tiger Eye is perched on the top of the utility pole, so adjust the difficulty of the roll based on the location of the agents. Also, note that Tiger Eye waits for a clear shot to kill Dr. Raffert—even if the Agents interrupt the meeting. After the gunshot, the different groups react as follows: • Donald Davis, Jr. attempts to grab the case and flee through the rear exit. If he is injured, he simply flees. Donald Davis has a rental car parked a block away. He tries to make a run for the car and return home, waiting for a call from his Takei Industries contact. • The two men with Donald Davis, Jr. return to the car and try to drive past everyone else to leave through the front—ramming the Yakuza car if necessary. • Stan Matthewson tends to Dr. Raffert. Once realizing Dr. Raffert is dead, Stan tries to recover the case, return to the car, and leave through the front entrance. • The Yakuza and Ken Kimuro try to acquire the case—even shooting Donald Davis, Jr. if necessary—then get into their car and flee. The Yakuza start firing at the Asklepios Corporation employees to provide cover for Ken Kimuro. • Tiger Eye will break down his rifle and waits to see what happens. If the Yakuza acquire the case, he uses his zip line to flee the scene. If the agents or someone else gets the case, he attempts to acquire the case and then tries to flee. With his heightened agility and strength, he climbs down from the utility pole, tries to acquire the case, and then heads back up the utility pole. Tiger Eye’s

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primary escape route is to use the zip line harness he installed earlier to travel from this utility pole to another pole a block away where he will descend and get onto a motorcycle.

This is a very volatile situation. The agents are in serious danger if they dive into the midst of the firefight. Based on their reactions to the shooting and the chaos that ensues, the agents may not try to acquire the case immediately.

Getting a Glimpse of Tiger Eye Whether or not the agents acquire the briefcase, the Game Master should let Tiger Eye escape. Displaying amazing physical prowess, his escape is the first opportunity for characters to witness proof that this unknown assassin is not a typical Yakuza thug. If he is involved in close combat, Tiger Eye strikes hard and fast to incapacitate enemies. He uses simple combos to knock opponents prone so he can move quickly to escape. Due to his heightened strength, he can easily jump over the fence of the junkyard with a running start if he needs to. If using the zip line, he flees the scene quickly to reach his motorcycle, hidden a block away beneath some trash cans.

If the agents pursue Tiger Eye, he uses a variety of techniques to distract them. First, he detonates the explosives attached to the transformer once he reaches his motorcycle. If Tiger Eye must take another avenue of escape, he detonates the explosives to provide a distraction. Tiger Eye litters his path with caltrops when on foot. Agents need to make a Df3 Agility Test every six meters they follow Tiger Eye to avoid stepping on the caltrops. The caltrops deal Fw1 damage. Driving along the same path requires a Df4 Driving Test to avoid running over the caltrops and popping the tires.

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Chapter Four: Taming the Tiger Regardless of how the drop goes down, only two outcomes exist. Either the agents acquired the briefcase or they did not. What happens in this chapter hinges on who has the briefcase. In addition, now that the agents have evidence of Yakuza involvement, they can learn more about why the Yakuza want to obtain Project Panacea.

Yakuza Involvement If the agents want to learn more about the Yakuza’s interest, their best bet is scouring the Internet for information and tapping into international crime watch lists and databases. If the agents have a few clues to cobble together for the search, this is a Df3 Computer Use or Research Test. If the agents are not sure what they should be looking for, adjust this to a Df4 Test. • Government threat and organized crime watch lists indicate the Yakuza have been involved in funding the Japanese medical company Takei Industries—the same company involved in the Asklepios Corporation research projects. • Aside from the public information on Takei Industries and its contract with the Japanese government, sources inside Takei Industries have allegedly leaked information that Takei has been developing chemical and biological “counter weapons” for the Japanese military for the last several years. • Conspiracy theorists and terrorist watch lists believe that Takei Industries has been secretly developing an airborne pathogen which cause its victims to develop cancer—the same type of cancer that the Panacea technology cures.


• The Yakuza see this as a lucrative arrangement—they can generate incredible demand for Project Panacea by deliberately causing people to develop cancer, and being the one and only source of the cure.

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If the Agents Have the Briefcase Tiger Eye does not rest until he acquires the case. Within two hours of the meeting, Tiger Eye contacts the agents via their personal cell phones, pager, fax, or other means. His message is simple—turn the sample over or suffer the consequences.

If the group uses this as a lure to bring Tiger Eye out into the open and dispose of him, they had best do so quickly. Unless the agents can subdue or kill Tiger Eye in two rounds of combat, he uses his cell phone to detonate the bomb. While the drop-point is Whether or not they hand the sample over to just outside the blast radius, the blast destroys the Fetters, Tiger Eye stalks the agents. If they return to their base of operations or retreat somewhere, let entire hospital. Casualties reach over 5,000 people. In the ensuing chaos, Tiger Eye flees on his motorthem catch glimpses of a dark shadow on their trail. cycle after grabbing Panacea. Tiger Eye follows them on his motorcycle where If the agents wish to turn over the Project Panacea possible, or by foot if necessary. material to Agent Fetters, he recommends a blind If the agents refuse to turn over the sample, or drop. If the agents argue against this, due to Tiger have already turned Panacea over to Agent Fetters, Eye’s involvement, Agent Fetters reluctantly agrees Tiger Eye becomes desperate. He has rigged a bomb to meet them at a location of their choosing. using 10 blocks of C4 – enough to decimate nearly a city block. It is a similar bomb to the one used at the junkyard, but with a far greater amount of C4. The If the Agents Do Not Have threat is real. Tiger Eye has attached the bomb to a the Briefcase Things are considerably more difficult for the generator behind a local hospital, and threatens to detonate the bomb unless the agents hand Panacea agents if they do not have the brief case. Tiger Eye makes plans to leave the country and to turn the case over to him. At this point, Tiger Eye risks anything to acquire over to the Yakuza. The agents have three days to Panacea. He simply cannot fail the Yakuza again. locate Tiger Eye before he drives to Baltimore, where Should he not return to Japan with Panacea, he will he will board a plane for Seattle and then to Japan. be forced to commit ritual suicide. This works to the agents’ advantage—they can set up a meeting for a drop-off where the group can confront Tiger Eye. Creative agents can set up all the details of the drop themselves. Tiger Eye insists on meeting somewhere within 150-200 meters of the hospital where he has the bomb—he suggests a park across the street from the hospital’s parking structure.

This should clue agents in that if he has the detonation device, the meet is somewhere close enough to trigger the explosive if necessary. Tiger Eye has a small electronic transmitter set up to remotely detonate the bombs. Due to the amount of metal casing and other materials around the bomb, the transmitter has an effective range just less than 200 meters. The group has the flexibility to set the time and nature of the drop off, and will be able to stake out the hospital. If the group allows Tiger Eye to take Panacea and leave, he rides off on his motorcycle with the promises not to detonate the bomb. The fol-

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lowing morning, one of the characters receives a courier package with the cell phone and instructions on where to find the bomb and how to disarm it.

Tiger Eye is waiting a few days for the heat to die down. Security at all nearby airports are on a heightened alert, so he is working with his Yakuza contacts to make travel plans. Tiger Eye is staying in a YMCA in Manhattan to keep a low profile. He has rigged a suitcase with special ceramic inserts and paneling so he can transport the Panacea materials as carry-on luggage without alerting security or triggering metal detectors. The agents need to pull in every available resource to track him down. This is an opportunity for some creative roleplaying and strategizing. Possible avenues to explore include the following: • Find surveillance footage. A bail bond and check-cashing store a few blocks from the junkyard has video of a motorcycle speeding past shortly after the explosion. The owner heard the explosion and called 911 to alert the police. Other businesses along his escape route may hold additional information about the direction he traveled.


• Track down eyewitnesses. A homeless man named Jenkins sifts through garbage in the alley where Tiger Eye kept his motorcycle. He saw Tiger Eye make his escape, heading toward the freeway, a few blocks away—which leads to Manhattan. • Locate Ken Kimuro or Donald Davis, Jr. for interrogation. This largely depends on whether Ken or Donald survived the junkyard drop. If Ken survived, he is trying to lay low, and checks out of the Hilton hotel where he and the other Asklepios Corporation folks are staying. If Donald survived, he heads home to pick up a suitcase and then flees to the airport heading for the Cayman Islands. • Contact local airport employees or travel agencies to determine if Tiger Eye is trying to leave the country. Someone might be able to track down travel plans to Japan, and the most likely exit point from the United States would be the SeattleTacoma International Airport in Washington.

If the group fails to find Tiger Eye in three days, he flees to Japan, and the group has virtually failed the mission. In a matter of weeks, news media will begin reporting mysterious outbreaks of cancer in Japan and the Pacific Rim. This could lead to additional adventures tracking down Tiger Eye across the ocean—but that is left to the Game Master.

Chapter Five: Winding Down Once the group deals with Tiger Eye, their involvement near an end. There are several factors to consider when wrapping up the adventure.

experimental biological weaponry—Aegis operatives step in to help resolve things. Aegis secretly works through political and military channels to ensure Takei Industries will not be able to continue developing—or to release—their pathogen. This is the opportunity for the Game Master to decide whether or not to tie any loose threads from the adventure into future plot points. The agents may have made an enemy of the Yakuza, who could become a recurring villain. The actions of the agents link directly to the fates of Donald Davis, Jr. and other important NPCs who survived this scenario. If the agents saved the lives of Dr. Allan Summers, Stan Matthewson, James Kenichi, or Donald Davis, Jr., they have new contacts.

Rewards for a job well done Aegis awards Downtime to the agents, once they provide a final brief of events and submit reports to Senior Agent Fetters. The base reward for the scenario is two weeks of Downtime. If the agents succeed in recovering Project Panacea and turn it over to Aegis, grant an additional week of Downtime. The Game Master should apply discretion and adjust the Downtime based on how the agents performed. Were the agents creative? Did they work well together? Was the mission a resounding success? Did the agents minimize civilian and collateral damage? In addition to the Downtime, if Agent Fetters is impressed with the agents’ work he offers valuable resources to the agents to improve their cell. Using his influence and contacts, Agent Fetters arranges to provide the group with five Intelligence Resource Points.


First is determining the ultimate fate of the Panacea technology. If Tiger Eye escaped with the samples, the previous chapter gives a glimpse of the international terror resulting from the agents’ failure. If the agents have control of Project Panacea, they have to decide what to do with this medical marvel—turn it over to Agent Fetters and Aegis, return the technology to Asklepios Corporation, keep it for themselves, and so on. As long as the agents disclose a reasonable amount of information to Agent Fetters—particularly the clues tying Takei Industries to the Yakuza or

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Appendix: Cast of Characters Senior Agent Michael Fetters, Aegis Operative

Michael Fetters is a large, intimidating man in his early 40s. He has closely cropped salt-and-pepper hair and beard, and a steely gaze. Standing just over six feet tall, he has a very muscular build. Agent Fetters is very straightforward and no-nonsense in his approach. He does not enjoy idle chitchat or joking around. Agent Fetters has been working for Aegis in one capacity or another for nearly fifteen years, and has seen things that would make lesser men crumble. The group never actually meets Agent Fetters in this adventure. Agent Fetters handles all interactions through scrambled video images and remote communications. However, his profile and information are provided in case Game Masters wish to include Agent Fetters in future scenarios.

Typical Member, Yakuza Muscle

The agents may run into several Yakuza during the mission. In general, these Yakuza are fairly seasoned – most have seen quite a bit of action. They sport the distinctive tattoos along their arms, chest, and back showing that they hold an average status level in the gang. They wear long trench coats to keep their tattoos concealed when working, and sport sunglasses, close cropped hair and a no-nonsense approach. Most have knives in addition to their automatic pistols. One in every four Yakuza Muscle is equipped with a submachine gun. Str 4, Siz 3, Agl 3, Ref 3, Per 2, Wil 3, Int 2, Luck 2/12 Skills: Brawling 2, Drive 2, Language (English)

The Yakuza For the purposes of this adventure, the Yakuza represent a powerful Japanese crime syndicate, similar in general ways to American organized crime enterprises. The name evolved from a worthless hand of cards (an 8, 9 and a 3, or Ya-Ku-Za) in the Japanese version of Blackjack, called Oicho-Kabu. The Yakuza’s tattoos are well known. Originally, the tattooing represented a visual record of an individual’s achievements—criminal and otherwise. Eventually, the tattoos became a symbol of patience and endurance, as well as a designation of membership in a particular Yakuza clan or family. The Yakuza are fiercely loyal to their clans, and they exhibit a strong sense of honor within their ranks. Failure to accomplish goals can have severe repercussions—it is not unheard of for a Yakuza to have a portion of a finger cut off because of disobedience or failure. In the campaign world, the presence of the Yakuza indicates a new threat to the agents. The Yakuza organization is a formidable enemy, with inexhaustible resources and dangerous members who

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work tirelessly to achieve their goals. This provides an opportunity to create additional campaign hooks and create a recurring cast of villains. If the agents succeed in thwarting the Yakuza’s goals, they doubtless gain the attention of this powerful group.

1, Language (Japanese) 5, Melee (Knife) 2, Small Arms (Pistol) 2, Stealth 1 Knife (Fw3), Automatic Pistol (Wn3), Submachine Gun (Wn3) Weapons:

Tiger Eye, Yakuza Covert Operative

Tiger Eye is a Yakuza enforcer secretly working for Takei Industries. His goal is to eliminate any potential threats to the Yakuza bio-weaponry agenda and secure the briefcase containing the Panacea samples. Failure simply is not an option for him. Years ago, he failed the Yakuza once, and lost the last two knuckles on his right pinky finger. Tiger Eye is a tall, wiry man with a genetically enhanced body. He is in phenomenal shape, and his strength, agility, and endurance are all above human norms due to years of experimentation by Takei Industries. Tiger Eye’s has dark hair cut close to the scalp, and a milky white scar cuts through his left eyebrow. Aside from his forearms and head, nearly every remaining inch of his body bears tattoos, including a massive pouncing tiger that takes up his entire back.


Tiger Eye uses stealth to keep himself hidden as long as possible, then pounces when the opportunity arises. For example, he hides at the junkyard, using a long-range sniper rifle to eliminate the head of Asklepios Corporation. When the time is right, he moves in to acquire the briefcase and retreats using his remarkable enhanced reflexes and acrobatics. Tiger Eye has completely average Good Luck – his background provides him with attributes well above average, so he does not need to rely on luck to see him through. However, you will notice that Tiger Eye has a rather high Bad Luck score. This reflects the unpredictable and unstable genetic tampering and biological manipulation that makes Tiger Eye such an unique physical specimen. Str 5, Siz 4, Agl 4, Ref 5, Per 4, Wil 3, Int 3, Luck 4/12 Skills: Brawling 2, Demolitions 4, Drive (Car)

Str 2, Siz 2, Agl 3, Ref 2, Per 3, Wil 4, Int 4, Luck 2/12 Skills: Computer Use 2, Drive 2, First Aid 2,

Medical 2, Research 3, Science (Biology) 4, Science (Chemistry) 3 Dr. Allan Summers, Scientist

Dr. Summers is a wisp of a man – extremely gaunt, with a palsied left hand. He is in his mid 50s and has thinning hair and bad breath. Dr. Summers is the brains behind the current dendrimer patent project, code-named Panacea by the scientific team. He is very protective of his work. Dr. Summers refuses to leave Asklepios Corporation, even though he has received offers of extremely lucrative positions with competing companies. Takei Industries has offered him a sizeable bonus for completion of the project. He does not realize it is to ensure a cure is available for the Takei plague.

2, Drive (Motorcycle) 4, Escape 3, Gymnastics 4, Language (English) 2, Language (Japanese) 5, Martial Arts 4, Melee (Knife) 3, Shadow 3, Small Arms (Pistol) 3, Small Arms (Rifle) 3, Stealth 4, Thrown Weapons 3

Str 2, Siz 3, Agl 2, Ref 2, Per 4, Wil 3, Int 4, Luck 2/12

Special Attributes: Ambidextrous, High Pain

Medical 3, Research 3, Science (Biology) 3, Science (Chemistry) 3, Science (Zoology) 3

Threshold, Physical Training

Skills: Computer Use 2, Drive 2, First Aid 2,

Weapons: Knife (Fw3), Sniper Rifle (Wn4) Dr. Alex Gildon, Scientist

Asklepios Corporation Affiliates Dr. John Raffert, CEO

Dr. Raffert is a slightly overweight man in his late 50s. He has graying hair, a thick gray beard, wears glasses, and walks with a cane. He has a deep, rumbling voice and a very strong presence. It is easy to see why he is the spokesperson for Asklepios Corporation. Dr. Raffert is the winner of several prestigious medical awards. The medical community respects him. His intentions are pure – he truly wants to share this medical breakthrough with the world.

Alex is a former scientist from Upjohn, LENS and other research facilities. He stole research files and provided them to scientists working at Asklepios Corporation—one of the reasons Asklepios has made such quick progress on their latest dendrimer technology. He is a scientific mercenary of sorts, and can be bribed or coerced into helping the agents, if they can determine his background and leverage that information. Alex is in his mid 40s, and his tastes are quite expensive—he enjoys fine cigars and cognac, and he is always dressed in the latest styles.


Str 3, Siz 3, Agl 3, Ref 3, Per 4, Wil 3, Int 4, Luck 2/12

Computer Use 3, Computer Programming 1, Drive 2, Forgery 2, Medical 2, Research 2, Science (Biology) 3, Science (Chemistry) 2 Skills:

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Stan Matthewson, Security Officer

Stan is the no-nonsense head of security for Asklepios Corporation. He is a stocky man in his late 30s, sporting a broken nose and gnarled hands – signs of his former life as a professional rugby player. He constantly smokes cigarettes, and is never far from Dr. Raffert’s side. While he is suspicious by nature, he follows Dr. Raffert’s orders within reason. His primary concern is the safety of both Dr. Raffert and the briefcase – he will sacrifice his life to protect both. Str 4, Siz 3, Agl 3, Ref 3, Per 4, Wil 3, Int 3, Luck 2/12 Skills: Brawling 3, Drive 3, Melee (Club) 2,

on Mr. Kenichi to make sure he doesn’t catch on to what is really going on – and to eliminate him if he ever does. Ken is a short, slender man with jet-black hair and eyes. He wears a business suit that hangs loosely from his small frame, but he moves with grace and poise. Str 3, Siz 3, Agl 4, Ref 3, Per 3, Wil 4, Int 3, Luck 3/11 Skills: Computer Use 2, Cryptology 2, Drive 2,

Language (English) 1, Language (Japanese) 5, Martial Arts 3, Melee (Knife) 2, Small Arms (Pistol) 2, Stealth 1 Weapons: Knife (Fw3), Automatic Pistol

(Wn3)

Small Arms (Pistol) 3 Weapons: Police baton (Tw3), Automatic Pistol

(Wn3) James Kenichi, Japanese Businessman

James is a representative of Takei Industries, traveling with the Asklepios Corporation officials to ensure plans go well for his company. He wears an eye patch over his left eye. James is in his mid 30s, and is always impeccably dressed. He speaks flawless English, as well as Italian, French, and German. James is a shrewd businessman who is far more interested in how the proceedings will affect Takei Industries than how they impact Asklepios Corporation. He is unaware of Takei Industries true plot. Str 3, Siz 3, Agl 4, Ref 3, Per 3, Wil 4, Int 3, Luck 3/11 Skills: Computer Use 3, Drive 2, Language

(English) 5, Language (Japanese) 5, Language (Italian) 4, Language (German) 3, Research 1, Science (Biology) 2 Ken Kimuro, Japanese Businessman

Thomas Silvers, International Law Representative

Thomas Silvers is a solicitor working for Asklepios Corporation out of London. Thomas is the one who originally arranged for Asklepios Corporation to work with Davis, Davis & Goldstein. He attended Yale for a semester abroad, where he met Donald Davis, Jr. He is a middle-aged man, recently divorced, who is devoted to his work and little else. Thomas does not know any of the details about the project, only the legal requirements and obstacles to getting worldwide distribution. Roland Armitage, Asklepios Corporation Investor

While not directly involved with the adventure or with any of the plots, the agents may come across information about Roland Armitage as a potential red herring. Roland is a wealthy Australian banker who has been subsidizing some of Asklepios Corporation’s medical research. In fact, after Takei Industries, Roland has provided the most funds to the project. He has a seven-year old granddaughter, Janice, who has Leukemia, and he hopes Asklepios Corporation can find a cure.

Ken is Mr. Kenichi’s personal assistant. He makes all travel and business arrangements for Mr. Kenichi. Secretly, he knows all about Takei’s plans, and has been inserted by the Yakuza to keep an eye

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Davis, Davis & Goldstein

Richard Goldstein, Senior Partner

Donald Davis, Jr., Junior Partner

While Richard is a senior partner in the firm, his current workload does not include the Asklepios Corporation account. Richard is a thin man in his late 60s with thinning gray hair and a penchant for bow ties. Currently, Richard is more a figurehead and public voice for the firm than a practicing lawyer. His wife Elizabeth recently passed away from cancer, and he is pleased that his law firm may play some small role in curing cancer through their representation of the Asklepios Corporation.

Donald “Donnie” Davis, Jr. is in his mid 30s. He looks and acts like a college-fraternity-boy-turned lawyer. Donnie is outgoing and gregarious, and he is always joking around. He is the lawyer currently handling Asklepios Corporation’s patent application process. Unknown to the other partners of the firm, Donnie has some knowledge about what is really going on; he was promised some serious cash incentives by Takei Industries to get the briefcase and samples from Asklepios Corporation. Donnie set up the meeting in the junkyard, which happened to belong to a construction company he had represented several years ago that recently went out of business. He is a terrible gambler, and has accumulated nearly three million dollars in gambling debts over the last few years. He sees this payoff from Takei Industries as a way to clear his debts. Str 3, Siz 3, Agl 4, Ref 2, Per 4, Wil 3, Int 3, Luck 3/11 Skills: Computer Use 3, Drive 2, Forgery 1,

Research 2, Small Arms (Pistol) 1 Weapons: Automatic Pistol (Wn3) Donald Davis, Sr., Senior Partner

This man is all business. Donald Davis, Sr. is a sharp man in his late 50s with gray hair and a thick moustache. He is always well dressed and deals with people in a very straightforward and direct manner. He doesn’t appreciate his son’s humor or the way he takes things so lightly—but is impressed that Donnie, Jr. was able to secure the Asklepios Corporation as a client . . . a client will generate considerable revenues for Davis, Davis & Goldstein. Donald, Sr. is handling Asklepios Corporation’s U.S. licensing arrangements. Str 3, Siz 3, Agl 3, Ref 2, Per 3, Wil 3, Int 4, Luck 2/12

Str 2, Siz 3, Agl 2, Ref 2, Per 3, Wil 4, Int 4, Luck 2/12 Skills: Computer Use 1, Drive 2, Research 2,

Science (Psychology) 1 Lisa Cushing, Office Manager

Lisa is the office manager for the firm. She is an attractive brunette in her early 30s. Lisa works at the front desk, greeting visitors and working directly with the partners’ personal secretaries to arrange meetings, coordinate travel plans, and perform other similar tasks. Louis Armstead, Junior Partner

This 30-something lawyer got his law degree from Stanford. Louis deals with international law and regulations for companies looking to do business in the U.S. He has been with the firm for only a few months, after coming from a competitor in New Jersey.


Janet McCauley, Junior Partner

Janet is a working mother in her earl-40s. Her specialty is liability law for American companies that have large production facilities overseas. She has been a member of the firm for fifteen years, and is likely to become a Senior Partner when Richard Goldstein retires.

Skills: Computer Use 2, Drive 2, Research 2,

Science (Psychology) 1

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Jacob Richardson, Junior Partner

Jacob works with licensing and merchandising. He is slightly overweight, in his 50s, and hides a drinking problem from his partners. Jacob missed a chance at Senior Partnership – perhaps stemming from a drunken run-in with Donald Davis, Sr. at a firm holiday party in 1996, where Jacob accused Donald, Sr. of nepotism. Andrew Stone, Junior Partner

Andrew is a sharp-looking lawyer in his early 30s. He is a legal whiz who has quickly risen up the ranks. His expertise lies in marketing and advertising accountability – Andrew looks over most client business proposals dealing with sweepstakes and contests.

NPC Character Stats

Yakuza Muscle Strength 3

Constitution 2

Dexterity 3

Intelligence 2

Perception 3

Willpower 2

LPS 30

Spd 10

EPS 26 Skills:

Essence 15

Brawling 3, Gambling 2, Guns (Handguns) 3, Hand Weapon (Knife) 3, Pick Pocket 1, Stealth 1 Gear: Brass Knuckles, Knife, Handgun

Unisystem Notes The following notes and materials provide Unisystem fans a look into the world of Conspiracy X . These notes and materials will vary from the final Unisystem version of Conspiracy X .

Tiger Eye Strength 3

Constitution 3

Dexterity 5

Intelligence 3

Difficulty Level Tests While the Unisystem Corebook for Conspiracy X is still in development, we thought we would provide some notes for Unisystem fans wishing to run this game for their crew of players. Please bear in mind that these are approximate conversions and not the final word on the matter.

Perception 3

Willpower 3

LPS 49/73

Spd 16/22

Notes for weapons are not included. Those statistics may be found in any Unisystem corebook.

Drive (Motorcycle) 2, Guns (Handgun) 3, Guns (Rifle) 5, Hand Weapon (Knife) 3, Martial Arts 2, Stealth 4, Tracking 4

Difficulty Modifier Conversion Table Conspiracy X Test

Difficulty Levels Df2

Unisystem

Task Roll Modifier 0

Df3

-2

Df4

-4

Df5

-6

Df6+

-2 cumulative

Ignore the rules of Good Luck and Bad Luck.

42

Tiger Eye’s abilities are exclusive to him and Takei Industries. Conspiracy X Unisystem does not contain this power.

EPS 32/50 Essence 20/29 Qualities/Drawbacks: Fast Reaction Time,

Hard to Kill 5, Honorable –1, Notoriety, Situational Awareness Skills: Acrobatics 3, Demolitions 3, Dodge 4,

Handgun, Knife, Leather Jacket, Motorcycle, Sniper Rifle, Tools, Zip Harness Gear:

Powers: All physical Attributes may be boost-

ed +3 levels for two minutes two times per day. If a Task or Test is failed while using any physical Attribute, Tiger Eye loses the raised levels of that Attribute and suffers a –1 to all actions using that Attribute. These bonuses affect Secondary Attributes and are the second number in his stat block.


Dr. John Raffert, Dr. Allen Summers, and Dr. Alex Gildon Strength 2

Constitution 2 Dexterity 2 Intelligence 4 Perception 3 Willpower 2 LPS 26 Spd 8 EPS 23 Essence 15 Skills: Computers 2, Drive (Car) 1, Engineer (Biological) 3, Engineer (Mechanical) 3, Medicine 4, Science (Biochemistry) 5, Science (Biotechnology) 5, Writing (Technical) 1

Stan Matthewson Strength 4

Constitution 3

Dexterity 4

Intelligence 2

Perception 4 LPS 48

Willpower 3 Spd 10

EPS 35 Essence 20 Qualities/Drawbacks: Fast Reaction Time,

Hard to Kill 5 (5), Nerves of Steel (-3) Skills: Brawl 4, Bureaucracy 2, Dodge 3, Drive

(Car) 1, Electronic Surveillance 3, Guns (Handgun) 4, Guns (Rifle) 3, Guns (SMG) 2, Hand Weapon (Knife) 2, Intimidation 2, Notice 4, Sport (Rugby) 3, Stealth 2

James Kenichi and Ken Kimuro Strength 2

Constitution 2

Dexterity 3

Intelligence 3

Perception 2

Willpower 3

LPS 26

Spd 10

Donald Davis, Jr. Strength 2

Constitution 3

Dexterity 4

Intelligence 5

Perception 3

Willpower 3

LPS 30

Spd 14

EPS 29 Essence 20 Qualities/Drawbacks: Charisma 3, Photographic Memory, Reckless Skills: Brawl 2, Bureaucracy 4, Dodge 1,

Driving (Car) 2, Guns (Handgun) 2, Haggling 2, Humanities (Law) 5, Notice 3, Research/Investigation 3, Smooth Talking 3, Storytelling 3, Writing (Legal) 5 Gear: Handgun

Donald Davis, Sr. and Richard Goldstein Strength 2

Constitution 2

Dexterity 2

Intelligence 5

Perception 2

Willpower 2

LPS 26

Spd 8

EPS 23

Essence 15

Skills: Bureaucracy 5, Driving (Car) 1,

Haggling 4, Humanities (Law) 5, Humanities (Sociology) 4, Research/Investigation 4, Smooth Talking 2, Writing (Legal) 5


EPS 26 Essence 15 Skills: Bureaucracy 3, Computer Use 3, Drive

(Car) 2, Haggling 2, Humanities (Economics) 4, Language (English) 5, Language (Italian) 4, Language (German) 3, Research/Investigation 2, Science (Biology) 2

Volume 1

43


ASKLEPIOS SUBMITS FOURTH US NANOTECHNOLOGY PATENT LONDON -- Asklepios Pooled Development Research (NYS: ASKR) has submit-

ted an application for its fourth patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the last 18 months. The proposed patent, tentatively dubbed “Anionic/cationic dendrimer antimicrobial or antiparasitic compositions,” has been submitted by the Asklepios Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asklepios Pooled Development Research. This further consolidates Asklepios’ worldwide dendrimer/nanotechnology intellectual property. If Asklepios receives this fourth patent, it would trail only LENS Industries (NYSX: LNS) of the United States for nanotechnology property patents. LENS Industries currently has six such patents. In addition to its own extensive intellectual property portfolio, Asklepios has exclusive commercialization rights to all future pharmaceutical applications arising from any of its dendrimer patents—including applications based in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan. Dr. Jonathon Raffert, CEO for Asklepios Pooled Development Research, remarked, “Asklepios continues to develop new applications for nanotechnology. Asklepios is a leader in using new technology to paint a picture of hope for those suffering afflictions before thought untreatable.” Dr. Raffert’s comments complement Asklepios’ latest quarterly update, which shows impressive progress in medical research dealing with the treatment of a wide variety of major diseases: • Prionic diseases • Colon, pancreatic, and liver cancers • Lung, breast, and prostrate cancers • Respiratory viruses and afflictions • Sexually transmitted diseases Asklepios is engaged in discussions with potential license partners to develop and commercialize Asklepios’ intellectual properties on a global scale. Dr. Raffert stated, “We are offering the opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to develop new and improved drug treatments by introducing our proprietary dendrimer-based nanotechnology into their products. Together, we will ensure the future is a healthier place to live.” ---- Associated Press NewsFAX Service © 2004 ----

44


New Monsters for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel RPGs by David F. Chapman with additional writing by Derek Stoelting Many who poured through the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Corebook noticed that several monsters were mentioned that did not have statistics. Well, we here at Eden Studios Presents have heard your cries of distress. We charged Dave F. Chapman with making sure that we had material in this first issue to appease your longings. He was even nice enough to include page references for those of you that don’t have those pages memorized (shame on you!). We hope you enjoy them and we look forward to offering you more Slay-worthy material in the next volume of ESP.

The Dra’hak (see BtVS Corebook , p. 73)

The Dra’hak are a parasitic species of insect, tainted with demon presence centuries ago. These insects can grow between 12-18 inches in length. They sport four legs ending in small grabbing pincers and wings. Their clear carapaces reveal pale and translucent innards, and are covered in an oily residue that, while non-toxic, is really gross. They inhabit humid areas, preferring swamps, lakeshores or lagoons, but they happily spread to more inhabited areas if the weather is suitably sticky.

The Dra’hak feed mainly on sweat, craving the salty liquid almost constantly. They feed off on animals most of the time, but do not pass upon a chance to sup from a sleeping human if the circumstances are right.

They only really become a threat in the summer months. This is when they play out their bizarre mating routine. Once the female’s eggs are fertilized, she finds a suitable host to act as an incubator to her young. The male may even assist by distracting the target while the female attaches herself to its back, stinging them repeatedly in the sweaty small of the back (the easiest place to aim for). Each “sting” fires up to a dozen tiny offspring just under the skin. The following day, each wound comes up as a seeping sore, raised from the skin. If untreated, the sore explodes within twelve days (doing 10 points of damage), releasing the young. Treatment, unfortunately, requires surgery to remove the pouches, although there are tales of an arcane ritual that dispels them.

N e w M o n s t e rs f o r B u f f y a n d A n g e l

Name: Dra’hak Motivation: Feed and reproduce Cr it t er Ty pe: Demon/Insect hybrid At tr ibutes: Str 1, Dex 4, Con 2, Int 1, Per 3, Will 2 Abilit y Scores: Muscle 8, Combat 10, Brains 10 Life Point s: 22 Drama Point s: 1 Special Abilities: Flight Maneuver s Name Score Damage Notes Dodge 10 — Defense action Grapple 12 — Resisted by Dodge Bite 12 5 Must Grapple first Sting 12 8 Must Grapple first, if damaged, target is impregnated with evil Dra’hak spawn!

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l e g n A d n a y f f u B r o f s r e t s n o M w e N

Name: D’imangi Mot ivat ion: Stay D’imangi, avoid the weak form Critt er Ty pe: Primal Attr ibutes: Str 6, Dex 5, Con 5, Int 3, Per 3, Will 4 Ability Scores: Muscle 18, Combat 16, Brains 12 Life Point s: 70 Drama Point s: 5 Special Abilities: Primal, Horn, Natural Armor (AV 3) Maneuver s Name Score Damage Notes Dodge 16 — Defense action Grapple 18 — Resisted by Dodge Kick 15 18 Bash Punch 16 16 Bash Horn 14 14 Stab/Slash When in weak form, use Joe School stats from the BtVS Corebook, p. 154.

with herbs and oils, then applied direct to the skin for the duration of the lunar cycle.

D’imangi (see BtVS Corebook , p. 100)

The D’imangi are a race of Primals, a proud but violent people heralding from Africa. These Primals are shape-shifters, whose forms are both human and a vast upright rhino/humanoid. The curious thing about the D’imangi is that the rhino-form is their natural shape. Following a lunar cycle, similar to the were-wolf, they transform for the three nights surrounding the new moon into a human form almost indistinguishable from Joe-average (maybe a little heavy-set, usually with graying hair). In the brutal world of the D’imangi, this is a time of great weakness and vulnerability. At the end of this time of weakness their skin turns grey and hardens, legs become thicker, feet huge and heavy, and one or more horns appear on the creature’s transformed snout, as they revert to their normal form.

Curiously, the D’imangi are allergic to silver, akin to werewolves. Silver weapons inflict double normal damage (slashing and bullet weapons inflict triple damage). They are less effective than normal metal weapons, however—subtract three points from any damage rolled (before the multiplying effect), to a minimum of one point of damage.

Cytorrakkian Demon (see BtVS Corebook , p. 103)

The Cytorrakkian race hails from a volatile helldimension—a land of fiery pits, lava pools, and burning rocks. Like the salamander of legend, they were most at home there. They played in the fires, swam in the lava, and slept on the rocks. That was, until the fires went out. Whether the flames extinguished the raw fuel, or something put them out, no one knows. Without their heat, the Cytorrakkian demons needed to find a new home, and fast.

Watchers have discovered that, in a similar way that rituals, meditation, and arcane substances can control the wolf-change in some Primals, the D’imangi use a ritual to avoid turning human. A few of the elder Cytorrakkians uncovered an Unfortunately, one of the necessary components of arcane ritual, scorched into the walls of a long forthis ritual is a fresh human skull. The skull is gotten temple. The ritual would open a rift between cleaned and ground into a thick white paste, mixed worlds. Many saw this as the last hope for their peo-

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Name: Cytorrakkian Demon Motivat ion: Heat Critter Type: Demon At t ributes: Str 3, Dex 4, Con 3, Int 2, Per 3, Will 2 Abilit y Scores: Muscle 12, Combat 14, Brains 11 Lif e Point s: 45 Drama Point s: 5 Special Abilities: Resistance to Fire (immune to all fire damage), Increased Life Points Maneuvers Name Score Damage Notes Dodge 14 — Defense action Grapple 16 — Resisted by Dodge Kick 13 11 Bash Punch 14 9 Bash

ples, and en-masse they hurled themselves into the portal. The portal was unstable, sending their race into countless difference dimensions, some appearing in our world, all unable to control where or when they emerged. The Cytorrakkians that have made it to our world are always cold. They shiver and complain about the temperature most of the time, turning the heating systems up to the maximum even in the heat of summer. While they do not take damage from the cold,

they are uncomfortable and can be easily repelled by fire extinguishers and snowballs! Cytorrakkians are usually tall and thin, almost elfin, with brilliant red hair and eyes (most hide these through contacts and hair-dye). Some turn to arson, while rumors persist of a plot to increase the heat from the sun—creating the ultimate global warming. Watchers investigating these claims have found nothing to confirm them.

Name: Pus Monster Mot iv ation: Regain enough life-essence to be alive again. Critter Ty pe: Ectoplasmic Entity Attr ibutes: Str 2, Dex 1, Con 5, Int 1, Per 3, Will 4 Ability Scor es: Muscle 10, Combat 9, Brains 9 Life Point s: 38 Drama Point s: 2 Special Abilities: Life-Drain; damage immunity Maneuvers Name Score Damage Notes Dodge 9 — Defense action Grapple 11 — Resisted by Dodge Kick 8 6 Bash Punch 9 4 Bash Life Drain 11 10/turn Bash, must Grapple first

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A second rumor persists about Cytorrakkians. It seems that the first Cytorrakkian spread a rumor that his people possess a hidden weakness. Supposedly, this weakness was written down in a book. No one can find the weakness in all known texts related to the Cytorrakkians. The reason for this is simple. There is no hidden weakness. The Cytorrakkian started the rumor merely to torment humans.

Pus Monsters (see BtVS Corebook p. 144)

Pus Monsters, for want of a better name, are a side effect of contact with the dead. A form of sentient and mobile ectoplasm, they usually resemble a strange dollop of icky goo that has mysteriously sprouted a number of legs. They feed from the life-energy of living creatures, hoping to gain some semblance of the life the ectoplasm inherently remembers. Unfortunately, it does this by landing on a living creature and literally sucking the life force out of it.

With every ounce of energy it drains, it grows marginally in size. There are reports of some entities being over seven feet tall in a gelatinous humanoid form. Being composed of nothing more than pus-like ectoplasm, they are immune to physical damage. Most physical attacks against Pus Monsters result in a messy splash that has no effect. They are dispelled by magic, frozen, or dissolved and diluted in a vast amount of water (preferably salt water), or evaporated if subjected to a superheated environment. For each 10 Life Points that the Puss Monsters’ life-drain power draws from a victim, the creature gains +1 permanent Life Points. Every 50 Life Points drained, it gains +1 permanently to a physical Attribute (Strength, Dexterity or Constitution).

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L is for Liberty A Terra Primate Apeworld by Daniel Proctor with additional writing by Derek Stoelting and Jason Vey

The Visitors Two years ago, they arrived. They came in ships several miles long. At first, they made no contact with us, despite our governments’ repeated attempts to engage them. Then, a week after their arrival, the y began broadcasting messages of peace and friendship. The messages arrived in every language spoken on Earth. Two days later, transport ships began to arrive planet side. Every major news station in every city that received a transport ship was there the day they arrived. They warned us that their appearance was quite different from our own, but that we would recognize them. Everyone was shocked to discover that the visitors were apes! Our trust for the visitors grew with the realization of our apparent distant relationship. We invited them into our homes. We put them on our television programs. We even let them into the White House to meet with the President of the United States of America. No one remembers when the line was crossed. No one remembers when they took over. No one remembers when we tossed our liberty in the gutter. Today, the Pithus, as they call themselves, control the entire planet. Within six months of their arrival, they began inviting our world leaders to visit their ships. One by one, the Pithus used an advanced brainwashing technique on those leaders. Upon their return home, these leaders began to further the Pithus cause. The brainwashed politicians created new laws to “help” our civil lives. Guns have become harder to acquire. Reproducing now requires long hours in lines, paperwork in triplicate, and a license. The prices for both owning firearms and reproducing have escalated three hundred percent. The Pithus are not ignorant to the ways for money. The punishment is harsh for those that break these new laws. The Pithus take babies born without permits and raise them in controlled communes. Life in prison or labor in the factories plagues the owners of illegal firearms.

Volume 1

Politicians hail the new factories as a means to fix unemployment. The factories have planned cities built up around them. Advertisements on the television and in newspapers show people enjoying themselves and living well. Anyone wishing to work in these new factories also lives in one of the new cities. Whole families are moving to the ‘burbs to work in the factories of the future. Slowly, the world is moving towards a one-world government. The brainwashed world leaders are utilizing the United Nations as a tool to bring the citizens of the world together. . . to serve the Pithus. Life for most people continues as it did before their arrival. Retail stores have Christmas sales. Kids go to school and then off to college. Television broadcasts survival TV shows where the winners receive a free trip to the mother ship of their choice. Yet, there are those of us who know the truth. We have decided to fight back. We leave our mark, a spray-painted green “L,” wherever we strike. The new factories are producing weapons and machines for the Pithus war against their enemies. Those families that move away to work in them are never heard from again. We intend to change all that, to change everything.

The Enemies of My Enemy The Pithus told us an ecological disaster destroyed their home planet. They found our planet to be similar to their own. They told us that they would trade their technology for access to knowledge of our Earth. In truth, they destroyed their planet with infighting and hatred. The Pithus set out to find new planets to inhabit. However, they soon discovered that the universe was empty of other life. Through their continued scientific endeavors, they discovered a new form of space travel. They discovered the secret of moving between parallel universes.

L i s f o r L i b e rt y • A T e rr a P ri m a t e A p e w o rl d

With this knowledge, they quickly discovered that they were the minority in the parallel universes. Humans were far more common and those apes dis-

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d l r o w e p A e t a m i r P a r r e T A • y t r e b i L r o f s i L

50

covered were often not evolved. Many of the humans on other Earths fought against the Pithus from the start of their relationship. This led to a policy of killing humans on sight. The Pithus experimented upon the apes, monkeys, and other primates found on parallel worlds. Over the course of a few hundred years, the Pithus were able to discover a means to evolve the degenerated primates into fully functional Pithus. They used similar biotechnology to brainwash our leaders. No human has made it aboard a mother ship and returned unchanged. Until we can accomplish such a mission, we may never know how they are accomplishing the brainwashing. Close to a century ago, the Pithus discovered a universe where technologically advanced humans lived. These humans proved to be a match for the Pithus in a fight. Slowly, those humans began to discover the truth of the Pithus. The information spurred the humans to strive harder for victory. Over the past three decades, they have begun to win the fight.

The Apes Though not strictly a particular Earth ape, the alien apes most closely resemble gorillas. They are densely muscled, tall, and fully bipedal, though they have grasping feet like Earth gorillas.

Pithus Quality 8-point Quality Attributes: Pithus add +5 to Strength, +2 to

Dexterity and +2 to Constitution, for a total Attribute cost of nine points. Qualities and Drawbacks: Pithus are very xeno-

phobic, especially towards humans, for whom they have Delusion (Prejudice) (-2). They have Fast Reaction Time (2), but also cannot swim due to Negative Buoyancy (-2). Natural Attacks: Pithus have an innate bite attack

that inflicts one point of stabbing damage per Strength level, for a cost of one point.

To further their ends, the Pithus have begun “train- The Humans Most humans in this Apeworld are just like you ing” humans to produce weapons and machines of war for them. The Pithus hope to conquer this other and I. They are created using the Character Types in race of humans, and then destroy both them and us. Terra Primate. Physically, humans from parallel uniThe Pithus fear us. They fear our ability to be what verses appear exactly as we do. they are, only better. The Pithus have begun to wonder if these other The Conquered Humans These characters use the Character Types from humans have not arrived on Earth to help us in our fight against them. They have begun removing Terra Primate. Particularly good choices of abilities humans from the upper ranks of the military and include the Contacts Quality and the Surveillance, many aspects of the police forces. Brute squads Stealth, and Guns (Handgun) skills. All of these will work the streets of the major cities, putting down prove useful to a young Liberty fighter! any resistance with a heavy hand.

The Advanced Humans Technology

The advanced humans are from the Terran Federation, an powerful space and interdimensionalfaring organization. These worlds contain not only humans, but also biotechnologically evolved apes from the Terran homeworld and other worlds. These worlds live in peace with one another, much to the disgust of the Pithus.

The scope of technology available to Pithus and Advanced Humans would take an article in itself to describe. (If you want to see it, write us and we’ll get someone on it! –ed.) We recommend giving them laser or plasma weapons and your standard space ships . . . whatever meets your needs. Terra Primate has stats for a flying scooter, laser pistols, laser The Terran Federation has just recently discovered rifles, and stun rods (see p. 185). If those stats are our Earth. They are moving to bring their full might not enough for you, check out the Spacefarers and to our universe to stop the Pithus. Prairie Folk article in this issue of Eden Studios Presents for more ideas (see p. 7)!


Advanced Humans 5-point Quality

Evolved Gorilla Quality 10-point Quality

Advanced Humans gain +2 to Intelligence, +2 to any Computer Skill, and +1 to Running (Distance). They suffer from the Honorable (-1) Drawback and Obsession (Destroy Pithus) (-2) Drawback.

Evolved Chimpanzee Quality 8-point Quality

Chimpanzees “evolved” on the Terran Federation’s home world centuries ago. They are full members of the Federation. Pithus consider Evolved Chimpanzees second-class citizens, though not slaves. Apply this Quality to play an Evolved Chimpanzee. Attributes: Evolved Chimpanzees are physically

stronger, faster, and sturdier than humans. They receive +3 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, and +1 to Constitution, for a total Attribute cost of six points.

Gorillas “evolved” on the Terran Federation’s home world centuries ago. They are full members of the Federation. Evolved Gorillas among the Pithus are indistinguishable and use the same Quality. Evolved Gorillas that operate in the Terran Federation use the Pithus package, but without the drawback of Delusion (Prejudice) (-2).

Evolved Orangutan Quality 6-point Quality

Orangutans also “evolved” on the Terran Federation’s home world centuries ago. Like other evolved apes, they are full members of the Federation. Evolved Orangutans among the Pithus are second-class citizens. Apply this Quality to play an Evolved Orangutan. Attributes: Evolved Orangutans are physically

Evolved Chimpanzees have Fast Reaction Time (2) and Negative Buoyancy (-1).

stronger, faster, and sturdier than humans. They receive +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, and +2 to Constitution, for a total Attribute cost of six points.

Natural Attacks: They have a natural bite attack

Qualities and Drawbacks: Evolved Orangutans

Qualities

and

Drawbacks:

that causes one point of stabbing damage per Strength level, for a cost of one point.

have Negative Buoyancy (-1). Natural Attacks: They have a natural bite attack

that causes one point of stabbing damage per Strength level, for a cost of one point.

Volume 1


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d Story Ideas l r L for Liberty! o In this setting, the Cast Members are native to our w Earth. basics of the setting include setting up a e place toThehide, finding weapons, and fighting the p Pithus. A Visiting the Visitors e In this story, the Cast Members decide to infiltrate t a mother ship. They discover that a transport ship is a due to land at a local college to collect students for a trip to the mother ship. The Cast Members must find m i way to get on the passenger list. Do they fake cre r adentials, kidnap students, and take their place, or P completely sabotage the situation by killed the Pithus pilots and piloting the transport ship back to a the mother ship? Once on board the mother ship, r r they can discover the means of brainwashing that the e Pithus use. They can also discover information about T the parallel universes. the Fight to Them A Taking In this story, the Cast Members have decided to • infiltrate and destroy one of the factory communiThey must find a way to sneak into one of these y ties. controlled cities. Will they sneak in or sign up for t r factory duty? Once inside the city, the Cast Members e may discover what the factories produce. Will they further to try and discover the reason for b i investigate weapons and machine parts production? Will the L the Cast Members try to go public with the information? r How will they escape the heavily guarded city? o f Fifth Columnists In this story, the Cast Members are biotechnolog s evolved Pithus who have decided to revolt i ically against the pure-breed Pithus. The Cast Members L need to gather intelligence, allies, and weapons. If they can locate human resistance fighters, the Cast Members may attempt to persuade the humans to join forces with the Fifth Columnists! How will they convince the Liberty fighters that the Cast Members are good guys? After all, the evolved apes look and act very similar to Pithus.

Terran Federation In this setting, the Cast Members portray humans and evolved apes from the Terran Federation. The basics of this setting include exploring our Earth, helping to free its humans, and destroying the Pithus. Terran Freedom

The Cast Members are a Terran Federation scout team moving through multiple universes cataloging them and reporting any possible Pithus activity. On their most recent venture, they came across our Earth. When the Cast Members report to their superiors, they instruct the Cast Members to visit our Earth to spy on the Pithus. Their superiors want them to make contact with the humans and assist them in fighting for their freedom. I Spy

In this setting, the Cast Members portray evolved apes. They must infiltrate the Pithus mother ships, gather as much information as possible, and return to the Terran Federation. Will the spies deviate from their mission to help the native humans? Will they discover who is leading the Fifth Columnists and attempt to make contact? Do they risk romantic affairs to gain access to high-level information? Too Little, Too Late

A highly ranked Terran Federation general has decided that there is no hope in saving our Earth. To that end, he has decided to send ten teams to our planet. Each of the ten teams carries with them a nuclear device more powerful than anything we have developed. Each team is to place themselves in a major city and detonate their bombs at a set time. The hope is that the bombs will defeat the Pithus by removing their sources of raw materials. The Cast Members work for an opposing general who thinks there is still time for hope on Earth. He sends out his own teams to try to stop the bomb teams. The Cast Members must infiltrate a foreign society, track down their counterparts, and put a stop to the nefarious plan.

Bibliography V (TV Miniseries) (2001) Published by Warner

Video on DVD.

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Human Factory Worker Pre-Heroic 3

Str Dex Con

2 3

LPS EPS

49 29

Int Per Wil

2 3 2

Speed Essence

10 15

Qualities/Drawbacks Attractiveness -1 (-1) Hard to Kill 5 (5) Recurring Nightmares (-1) Skills Brawling 1 Demolitions 2 Dodge 2 Drive (Truck) 3 Engineer (Electrical) 3 Engineer (Mechanical) 3 First Aid 2 Hand Weapon (Club) 2 Hand Weapon (Knife) 1 Mechanic 4 Notice 3 Stealth 2 Surveillance 3 Gear Knife, Pick-up Truck, Safety Glasses, Steel Toe Boots, Various Tools

Volume 1

Personality I remember when those beasts showed up. I remember how they promised compassion, but delivered hate. I remember what it was like to be free. My town government folded in under twentyfour hours. Before anyone realized what had happened, apes were replacing all of our police. The factory I worked in soon had ape advisors. Moreover, as if that wasn’t enough, we began constructing parts for weapons. I kept my head low to avoid the overseers’ attentions. Slowly, but surely, I am sneaking out one piece of every weapon we design and build. Once I figure out how to make them, I’ll sell them to the L fighters. My children will know what it means to be free.

Quote “No, no, no. The accelerator rods go in that box there. Here, let me do it for you.”


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d l r o w e p A e t a m i r P a r r e T A • y t r e b i L r o f s i L

Evolved Gorilla Spy Heroic Str 8* Dex 5* Con 5* LPS EPS

62 53

Int Per Wil

4 4 3

Speed Essence

20 29

Qualities/Drawbacks Acute Senses (Sight) (2) Charisma +3 (3) Contacts (Various) 5 (5) Fast Reaction Time* Honorable -1 (-1) Negative Buoyancy* Secret (Spy) (-5) Evolved Gorilla (10) Skills Brawling 3 Dodge 2 Drive (Car) 2 Electronic Surveillance 4 Escapism 3 Guns (Rifle) 3 Guns (Pistol) 2 Hand Weapon (Club) 2 Notice 4 Research/Investigation 3 Surveillance 4 Tracking 2 Gear Handgun, Pithus Security Guard Outfit, Security Baton, Spy Camera, Vocal Recorder, Watch Radio

Personality We discovered Earth 2a78 by accident. When we figured out what was occurring, we sent a message back to the Terran Federation, warning them of a potentially new hostile Earth. A few of us stayed on 2a78 to keep an eye on the enemy. I’ve gone deep, hoping to find a way to infiltrate my way to the top. So far, the Pithus don’t suspect me. I fear my ruse may not last long. It’s against my nature to torture and beat the humans. I’ve spent most of my time recording everything I can. I’ve gained access to their plans for South America. I know the flight patterns of the transporter ships. I have names of potential turncoats within the Pithus society. I even managed to gain the security codes for most of the local jails from my sergeant. The rest of my cell is to contact me once our back up arrives. I hope they haven’t been captured or killed. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from them.

Quote “Quickly, move! I know I’m an ape, but you must trust me. You humans shouldn’t be here when the sergeant returns from his dinner meal.” *includes points gained from Evolved Gorilla template

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Human Liberty Fighter Heroic Str Dex Con LPS EPS

3 5 3 49 41

Int Per Wil

2 4 3

Speed Essence

16 20

Qualities/Drawbacks Contacts 3 (3) Fast Reaction Time (2) Hard to Kill 5 (5) Nerves of Steel (3) Reckless (-2) Secret (Liberty Fighter) (-5) Situational Awareness (2) Skills Dodge 4 Drive (Car) 3 Guns (Assault Rifle) 5 Guns (Pistol) 3 Hand Weapon (Knife) 3 Martial Arts 5 Notice 4 Stealth 3 Streetwise 3 Throwing (Sphere) 2 Gear Assault Rifle, 3 Defensive Grenades, Knife, Leather Jacket, Night Ops Clothing, Night Vision Goggles, 2 Pistols, Sedan

Volume 1

Personality No ape is going to take my home from me. Who do they think they are? They invade our planet, steal our women, take our food, and expect us to slave away for them. Not me. I’m taking my planet back from these invaders. A group of us is holed up outside Albany. We’ve got a line of resources coming from some folks living in the downtown district. One of us goes into town each week to pick up supplies. So far, no stinkin’ ape has caught onto what we’re doing. We always go in armed, though, just in case. Last week, we killed an ape security team. They’ve been doing sweeps on the other side of town. We figured hitting them there would be good. They’ll think that there’s a Liberty team on that side of town, while we continue to operate on this side of town.

Quote “Take no prisoners! Kill all apes!”


55

e p y t e h c r A E B M F A

Haunted Army Chaplain Inspired Str Dex Con

3

LPS EPS

43

3 3

32

Int Per Wil

3

Personality We were the first in.

3 5

Speed Essence

12 35

Qualities/Drawbacks Gift (5) Hard to Kill 3 (3) Increased Essence Pool (3) Inspiration (5) Recurring Nightmares (-1) Skills Brawling 2 Climbing 1 Dodge 2 First Aid 2 Guns (Assault Rifle) 3 Guns (Handgun) 3 Humanities (Theology) 3 Occult 1 Stealth 2 Storytelling 3 Survival 2 Metaphysics Divine Sight (5) Visions (5) Gear Assault Rifle, Bible, Class III Vest and Helmet, Handgun, Military Uniform

56

Nobody knew what we were facing, or if they did, they weren’t telling. God knows, if they’d only told us, we’d have been better prepared. A recon mission in Freedom Falls, Iowa. I remember wondering why a chaplain would be needed. “Need to know” was all the answer I received. A whole platoon gone. One hour. That’s all it took. One hour. I am the last. But I hear them still. The screams, the accusations; they come to me at night. I see them as I left them: torn, bloodied and wailing. Constantly. I haven’t slept since I lost them, but what could I do? And the day. They show me things that should not be. In my weakened state, I hear their voices whispering, disconnected and chaotic. They reveal and conceal what they know, they mix reality and dream until I can’t tell whether I’m dreaming or not. By night, I feel the heavy press of their rage, by day their whispers and pleas for vengeance. I’m lost Lord. Help me. God. Help us all.

Quote “They say that war is hell, but it’s nothing. It’s nothing compared to this!”


Elvis Worshipper Norm Str Dex Con

2

LPS EPS

26

2 2

26

Int Per Wil

3 2 3

Speed Essence

8 26

Qualities/Drawbacks Artistic Talent (Singing) (3) Contacts (Other Fans) 2 (2) Delusions (Weird) (-3) Obsession (Elvis) (-2) Photographic Memory (2) Skills Beautician 2 Computers 2 Dancing 3 Dodge 2 Drive (Car) 2 First Aid 2 Guns (Handgun) 2 Haggling 2 History 1 Instruction 2 Myth & Legend 4 Notice 2 Play Instrument (Guitar) 3 Research/Investigation 1 Singing 3 Surveillance 2 Gear Car, Clippings Album, Elvis Biography, Elvis T-shirt, Handgun, Map of Sightings, Walkman (and many, many Elvis CDs)

Volume 1

Personality I was there when it started. August 16th, Graceland. The time and place of the King’s resurrection. A crowd of us kept vigil by the graves in the Meditation Garden. The earth began to move and before we knew it, there He stood, growling His trademark “uuuh-huuh” deep down in his throat. He was magnificent. He’d lost a lot of weight, of course, and looked kind of pale, but that didn’t matter. We rushed to Him in our joy, and that’s when the screaming started. Even as others were being drawn, I felt a voice in my mind urging me to leave.

A F M B E A rc h e t y p e

I recognize it now, though; that voice in my head. I’ve heard it in countless interviews and songs. He speaks to me, guides and protects me! I’m not alone. There have always been the faithful who never gave up hope of His return. But not like this, and not now! He gives me purpose. He tells me the “risen one” is a fake. It’s not the one we love. It is here to harm us, to gather an army of the dead. It must be destroyed. I cannot ignore His voice or His calling!

Quote “Only Elvis’ music is supposed to reach out and touch lives.”

57

e p y t e h c r A n o d d e g a m r A • t f a r C h c t i W

Necromancer Monster Hunter Gifted • Solitaire Str Dex Con LPS EPS

3 2 3 29 32

Int Per Wil

When the Fuhrer called for all men to rise and take their place in his new world-empire, you were among the first to volunteer. You enlisted early, but did not stay long. Your violent, explosive temper kept you from the rapid promotion you felt you so rightly deserved. Eventually, it took your entire career from you.

2 2 3

Speed 10 Essence 15

Qualities/Drawbacks Cruel (-3) Emotional Problems of Self-Control) (-1) Essence Channeling 3 (6) Gift (5) Secret (ex-Nazi SS Officer) (-3) Zealot (-3)

You didn’t have to go home disgraced and dishonored, however. The SS stepped in, calling you “gifted” and “special.” They ( L a c k gave you another chance. Training you in the mystic secrets they had uncovered, you became one of the elite soldiers of the Reich, striking down occult threats challenging the Fatherland.

Skills Brawling 4 Dodge 2 Drive (Truck) 1 Guns (Handgun) 3 Guns (Rifle) 1 Hand Weapon (Knife) 3 Intimidation 4 Language (French) 3 Myth & Legend (Nazi Occult) 2 Notice 3 Occult 2 Research/Investigation 3 Stealth 2 Power Necromancy Skill 4 (8) Death Mastery 3 (9) Death Speech 4 (12)

Slaying demons and stopping insane magicians from summoning creatures beyond their control was your life, but as the war went on, you realized how precious your partner had become to you. As soon as the war ended, the two of you married. You now have a son, gifted with the Sight. You spend your days continuing to hunt down rogue wizards left over from the war. You wife insists on accompanying you, even going so far as to bring your son along. You’re not sure what bothers you more, his presence or his growing power.

Quote “No enemy, living or dead, Amerikaner or Russen, shall be allowed to hurt the people of my land.”

Gear Handgun, Necronomicon, Rifle, SS Dagger

Personality 58


Nephilim Monster Hunter Lesser Supernatural • Seeker of Knowledge • Lone Wolf Str Dex Con

4

LPS EPS

70

4 4

63

Int Per Wil

5 4 3

Speed Essence

16 54

Qualities/Drawbacks Acute Senses (Sight) (2) Attractiveness +2 (2) Contacts (Various Occult) 5 (5) Minority (Female) (-1) Nerves of Steel (3) Obsession (-2) Photographic Memory (2) Recurring Nightmares (-1) Resistance (Pain) 1 (1) Secret (ex-Nazi SS Officer) (-3) Secret (Nephilim) (-3) Skills Bureaucracy 2 Dodge 2 Guns (Handgun) 2 Hand Weapon (Knife) 1 Hand Weapon (Sword) 4 Language (French) 2 Language (Latin) 4 Myth and Legend (Nazi Occult) 4 Notice 3 Occult 3 Research/Investigation 3 Stealth 2 Power Nephilim (24)

Personality When you were young, men in black suits came and took your from you mother. They raised you to do one thing: kill wielders of magic and demons. You learned that you had some strange immunity to their attacks. When Germany went to war, the men in black suits assigned you to work with a passionate and dashing young necromancer. Surviving the terror of war, the two of you fell in love and married. You hoped the end of the war would free you from this lifestyle. However, your husband chose to continue the fight against evil. You discovered that the men in black suits were no longer in control and you have even gone so far as to kill a few of them in retribution. You know what you are now, and why they wanted you under their control. You still suffer nightmares of the tests they made you undertake. Your son is growing very quickly. He is developing Seer Powers at a very young age. Neither your husband nor you know how to raise a child properly, let alone a child who is developing these powers. You hope that you make the right decisions for him.

W i t c h C ra f t • A rm a g e d d o n A rc h e t y p e

Quote “The oaffaca demons are known for hiding amongst trees. I suggest we check out the forest on the edge of town.”

Gear Handgun, Occult Reference Books, Ritual SS Dagger, Sword

Volume 1

59

Child Psychic

e Gifted • Solitaire • Weird One p Str 4 Int 5 Personality y Dex 4 Per 4 t Your parents never have time for you. They are e Con 4 Wil 3 always too busy hunting down fairy tales. So, you h LPS 26 Speed act out the stories in your reading books. You fight 10 c off dragons, elves, wendol, and even Loki himself. r EPS 32 Essence 46 Your parents never seem to notice, unless you get A hurt. But, you’re tough, just like father. Your powers confuse you. They seem to turn on n Qualities/Drawbacks and off randomly. Sometimes, when you try to use o Gift (5) them, they don’t work. Other times, they work too d Emotional Problems (Depression) (-2) well. Like the time you wanted the cheese the d Minority (Child) (-1) French man was eating. You didn’t really expect e Old Soul 2 (8) him to give it all to you when you told him you g Reckless (-2) wanted a bite. a Showoff (-2) Sometimes, late at night, you sneak out of Status –2 (-2) m your room and spy on your parents. r Skills They never see you. You’ve heard A Acrobatics 2 them talk about men in black suits and that your mother is afraid of them. Your • Acting 2 father seems afraid that they will t Brawling 1 come and take you away. You f Climbing 2 can’t find a reference to them in a Dodge 3 your book of myths. Until you fig r ure out who they are, you plan to be C Notice 3 wary of all men wearing black suits. h Language (French) 2 Maybe they are Americans. c Myth & Legend (Norse) 2 t i Sleight of Hand 2 Quote Stealth 2 W Swimming 1 “With a mighty swing of my axe, I shall kill Grendel and save the kingdom!”

Throw (Sphere) 1

Power Mindhands Art 2 (4) Mindhands Strength 2 (6) Mindtalk Art 2 (4) Mindtalk Strength 2 (6) Mindrule Art 3 (6) Mindrule Strength 3 (9) Gear Book of Norse Myths, German Primer, Picture of Family, Pocketful of Stones

60


W i t c h C ra f t • A rm a g e d d o n A rc h e t y p e

Eden Studios Presents, Vol. 1 (OEF).pdf

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