Behind the Eyes of Madness

Warning: Nothing in this book should be construed as real medical, psychiatric or psychological advice. This is not meant to instruct real people on how to identify and deal with real problems.

BEHIND THE EYES OF MADNESS

is published by Vajra Enterprises, Eureka California ISBN 0-9713095-2-3 Written and Designed by Brian St.Claire-King Cover by Jason Juta Art by Leanne Buckley (p.20, p.44, p.66), Kari Christensen (p.36), Laura Dubuk (p.79, p.107), Jason Juta (p.24, p.77, p.90), Eric Lofgren (p.19), Martina Pilcerova (p.52, p.105), Jennifer Rodgers (p.34), Grey Thornberry (p.103). Playtested by Sherelle Castro, Diamond Charlotte, Chris Musgrave, Nick “Eeyore!” Page and Tiffany St.Claire-King. Game Design Assistance by Nick Page and Tiffany St.Claire-King Editorial Assistance by Diamond Charlotte, Nick Page and Tiffany St.Claire-King Copyright © 2004 by Vajra Enterprises. All rights reserved under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole without permission from the publisher.

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INTRODUCTION After Midnight “Three o’clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do.” -Jean-Paul Sartre Everyone in the city has a story about something weird or scary or freaky that happened to them. These stories almost always start “It was after midnight…” The day belongs to the shut-ins, workers, addicts and pushers. The night belongs to the gang members, criminals and street kids. There is a time after midnight and before dawn, what the Spanish call “madrugada,” that belongs to nobody. Madrugada isn’t part of anyone’s daily routine. Nothing that happens after midnight is planned, nothing is normal. After midnight, the streets empty out. Doors are locked and the people you know are tucked away safely in another world. The city is so quiet that one can hear the wind blowing pieces of trash around and the hum of the few working streetlights. All the stores are closed, their bars are down and the lights inside showcase alien stillness. The empty streets seem to stretch on forever. You never know how many blocks you will walk before running into another human being. If you do run into someone, it takes only a moment to realize this is not a normal person. You have caught this person at some tragic, terrifying or desperate point in their lives. The mask that they wear, the mask of being a rational and self-controlled person, is cracking. And through the cracks you can see the raw stuff people are made of: fear, hatred and desperate need. Everyone in the city has a city they know, where they feel comfortable and feel like they know the rules. After midnight is not that city for anyone. After Midnight is an alien place where the rules do not apply. For those who feel they have some grip on their lives, the alien world after midnight can be frightening. For those stuck in a rut, who live lives they can’t stand and can’t control, the strangeness of after midnight feels like hope. Everyone who sets foot on the streets of the city has some kind of adventure. Yet the adventures that happen after midnight are a special kind of adventure. They’re adventures that test your very idea of who you are and what is real. They’re about meeting people you never thought you’d meet, doing things you never thought you’d do. They’re about nights that seem to last forever, about seeing the city in a brand new light, about running from invisible demons and finding out who you really are.

Author’s Note: Mental Illness vs. Issues Although I will use the term “mental illness” several times in this book, I wish to make it clear that this is a stupid term. ‘Illness’ implies that there is some commonly accepted state of health and that anyone who is not in this state should be returned to it as soon as possible. This ignores that fact that certain psychological traits may or may not be a problem depending on the social context: a person in this society might be a homeless schizophrenic while the same qualities would make him a revered holy person in another society. Rather than putting some of the blame on society, the term mental illness places it all on the individual, thereby stigmatizing mental illness. This is not merely an academic debate, it can mean real harm to real people. If a student is having trouble paying attention in school, a “mental illness” model would place the blame totally on the student. Rather than contemplating whether school should be changed to be less boring, this model insists that the student need to change, even if that means giving the student habit-forming and potentially dangerous drugs. Calling something a mental illness also denies the possibility that a problem can be both good and bad, simultaneously helping someone in some area of life while hurting them in another. An “illness” can’t make someone a hero, genius or saint.

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A better term would be “psychological conflicts.” If a person has conflicts, then there are problems being caused by an interaction between the person and his or her surroundings. The best solution might be to change the person, or change the surroundings, or move the person to different surroundings. Or, like many conflicts, there might be no good solution. Both sides might have to learn to live with the conflict and that’s it. Another term I will use often in this book is “psychological issues.” An issue is something that isn’t necessarily a problem right now, but something that could become a problem if handled incorrectly. Some issues can be worked out, others require constant vigilance. By this definition, every human on the planet has issues.

Introduction 003

The Story So Far Fates Worse Than Death takes place in the city of Manhattan, an island in New York, in the year 2080. Despite the city’s glorious history, it is now one of the country’s worst slums. Most of the intelligent, educated and sane people have fled to insular gated communities and corporate living centers. Those left in the city tend to be poor, insane or evil. Artificial Intelligence and robotics have left millions jobless and a massive welfare system gives them just enough to prevent rioting. Most of the city population chooses to live as shut-ins, using Virtual Reality for entertainment and socialization.

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Those who leave their homes are in constant danger from plagues, serial killers, psychotics, addicts, violent criminals, cults, gang violence, drug pushers, riots, wild dogs and even a being who has learned to use new technology to copy his personality into other people’s heads. Yet there is hope in the city, coming from an unlikely source. Five years ago, the city’s top drug sellers created a monopoly on drug sales, taking the job away from the city’s many street gangs. Robbed of their occupation, these street gangs violently self-destructed. In the vacuum, a new type of gangs started to appear: gangs formed for self-defense, not to get rich by selling drugs. These gangs were radically different from the old gangs and attracted the best and brightest of the city population. These gangs have changed city society, giving everyone the sense that they can control their own destiny and achieve something great with their lives. The city is still filled with every imaginable evil and horror, but there are also heroes fighting back against these evils and horrors. The new heroes of the city are not pure and unblemished. These are people that grew up in a world of violence, drugs, fear, political and religious extremism, unhealthy sex and mental illness, and few have become adults without some of these qualities rubbing off on them.

Table of Contents

Introduction...................................................................003 After Midnight..........................................................003 Mental Illness vs. Issues...........................................003 The Story So Far.......................................................004 Table of Contents......................................................004 City of Madness............................................................005 Outside the City........................................................005 Mental Healthcare.....................................................007 The 21st Floor........................................................007 Sex............................................................................010 VR Addicts............................................................010 Pornography Addicts.............................................010 Being Gay in 2080................................................012 Sex Workers..........................................................014 BDSM...................................................................014 Fetishists...............................................................015

004 Table of Contents

Sex on the Internet................................................016 Body Mods................................................................017 Dysmorphs............................................................017 Do-Overs...............................................................019 Transsexuals..........................................................021 Violent Criminals......................................................021 Serial Killers.........................................................021 Serial Arsonists.....................................................025 Serial Rapists........................................................026 Spree Killers..........................................................026 Child Molesters.....................................................027 Plastic Antisocials.................................................028 Colin..........................................................................029 Strains...................................................................029 The Church of Colin.............................................033 The Anti-Colin Movement....................................039 Kajputra: Colin City..............................................039 Religion.....................................................................041 Major Churches.....................................................041 Christianity........................................................041 Islam..................................................................043 Judaism.............................................................045 Buddhism..........................................................046 Hinduism...........................................................047 Neo-Aboriginal.................................................046 Sikhism.............................................................047 Baha’i................................................................047 Wicca.................................................................048 Jain....................................................................048 Shinto................................................................048 Other.................................................................048 Shut-Ins.............................................................049 Cults......................................................................050 Lumens..............................................................051 Dying Embers...................................................054 Quoters..............................................................0 . 45 Enemies of Hoth...............................................055 Trainers.............................................................055 Deprogrammers.................................................056 Politics......................................................................057 Shut-Ins.....................................................................059 Homeless Crazies......................................................060 Deep Back.............................................................060 PC Groups and Madness . .....................................064 Rules of Madness..........................................................085 Traumas.....................................................................085 Gaining Trauma....................................................085 Dealing With Traumas..........................................086 Distractions...........................................................088 Self-Worth Issues......................................................094 Life Skills Issues.......................................................095 Brain Damage...........................................................096 Playing Madness...........................................................098 New Bonus Characteristics.......................................100 New Skills.................................................................106 New Black Market....................................................107 New PC Group: Crazies............................................112 New Disciplines ................................................115 Adventures in Madness.................................................117 Adventure Types.......................................................117 Bride of Colin...........................................................119 My Friend Jim...........................................................124 NPC Index.................................................................128 Appendices....................................................................129 Random Madrugada Encounter Table.......................129 Boyfriend/Girlfriend Hidden Flaw Table..................132 Random NPC Psychology Table...............................135 Map...........................................................................138 Index.........................................................................140 Character Issues Sheet..............................................141

CITY OF Outside the City In Brief- Have best psych tech to keep people sane & satisfied with their lifestyle. The failures, and those who don’t want to be made content, end up in the city. In gated communities and corporations, people are

selected for their mental stability and mental illness is rare. Everyone has a regular checkup with a counselor, just as they have regular medical checkups with a GP. The counselor has access to the latest psychometric tests and can see the tiniest bit of dissatisfaction, anger or worry. Mental illness is thought of as something that can rob communities or corps of productive members. The counselors have a number of sophisticated and expensive techniques at their disposal: VR training programs, licensed psychics, mental programs and expensive new psychopharmaceuticals in steady-release implants. On its surface, gated communities’ and corporations’ attitude towards mental health may seem incredibly caring. What they’re doing, however, is creating a homogenous psychology among their members. Constant psychometric testing lets counselors see inside someone’s head. If something changes in an individual’s thoughts, opinions or feelings that has the potential to cause problems within the community or corp, that problem is quickly fixed. The focus is not on what the patient wants, or what would make the patient’s life most fulfilling, but what would make the patient fit in best with the community. If someone has a job in a cubicle hunting down accounting errors, and if that person grows bored with that job, the first response is to give the person a cocktail of mild psychophamaceuticals to reduce the feelings of boredom. For adults, who have chosen to join a corp or gated community, it’s not so bad. The real horror stories come from teenagers who did not choose to be born into these types of communities. When teenagers show dissatisfaction with the lifestyles of their parents, the counselors do everything they can to break them of this dissatisfaction. When it comes down to it, most teenagers are given a choice: accept whatever treatment is necessary to make them “fit in” or be kicked out of the community/corp. Those who refuse treatment usually end up on the streets of the city.

MADNESS Mental Illness Factors Some of the reasons why the city has one of the world’s highest rates of mental illness are: Outcasts: Many come to the city who, because mental illness, either could not join a corp or gated community or were kicked out of one of these communities. Genetics: The children of these outcasts are more likely to have some mental illness inherited from their parents. Brain Damage: Increased levels of toxins, plagues and violence mean city residents are more likely to have neurological damage which can cause mental illness. Stresses: People live more stressful lives in the city than in gated communities or corporate living centers, especially gang members and homeless people whose lives are filled with perpetual unpredictability. Traumas: Rates of violent crime, rape and child molestation are high. Being a victim of one of these crimes can trigger a mental illness. Drugs: Illegal drugs are readily available in the city, and these drugs can often trigger or cause mental illnesses. Temptation: Many people with self-destructive obsessions (drugs, dangerous sex, gambling, etc.) wouldn’t have developed those obsessions if they didn’t live in a place with easy access to those things. Cults: The city has a large number of cults with indoctrination and brainwashing processes that psychologically damage cult members.

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Mental Installers: No city in the world has a higher concentration of black market mental installers. Black market mental programs can contain dangerous errors or even when working as intended they can be dangerous to mental health. Association: Mental illness can be communicable. It is quite common for children, lovers and siblings of mentally ill people to come to adopt the delusions, obsessions or fetishes of the other. Poverty: When people are poor, therapy and medical treatments which would prevent or cure mental illnesses are not available.

Outside the City 005

Norman “The Suit Guy” Padilla (Weekend God-Killer Rampager and Champion Street Fighter) Level 4 Addict Attributes- AGY 15, AWR 6, CHM 6, END 22, INL 7, SPD 20, STH 24, WIL 8, BLD 6, BDY 8, INCY 3. Appearance- Part asian, part hispanic, 6 ft. high, very broad shouldered, stubbly face, conservative haircut, wrinkled business suit, loosened tie. Social Status- During the week Norman is a moderately successful banker in a small suburb near the city. During the weekend he known only as “the suit guy” and is thought of as one of the city’s best street fighters.

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History- Norman grew up in the suburbs. He was a small kid, but he was never abused or picked on. He lived most of his life doing what was expected of him, although he often felt like his life was devoid of meaning. He has had little success in romantic endeavors. At a birthday party some old friends got him to try god killer and he’s been using ever since. He got a job in a bank and learned to stay sober during the week but get high on god killer every weekend. Frightened by the dangerous situations he put himself in while high, Norman started investing all his time and money in implants and VR training programs to make him a better fighter. These precautions have only increased his tendency to get into fights while high. Personality- During the week, Norman is ashamed and frightened about what he does on the weekends. There is some part of him that hopes he will die rather than keep living like this. Yet for the most part he is afraid he will get killed. He knows he cannot resist the call of god killer. He spends most of his off-hours working out or practicing martial arts in VR, in hopes of strengthening himself enough that he can survive his next trip to the city. He is a quiet, honest, although often forgetful worker. When Friday comes, though, he can no longer resist his longing for god killer. He has been wracked with stress and tension and feelings of self-hatred throughout the week and the only way he knows to escape is to come to the city and get high on god killer. When he starts doing god killer, his personality changes completely. He becomes a fearless, prideful bully. He thinks he’s invincible, and he wants to fight the toughest person in the city and beat that person up so he can revel in his own glory. As a fighter he shows no mercy. His goal isn’t to kill or cripple people, but he doesn’t care if that’s what happens. Methods- Norman buys his bus tickets and books a hotel room in advance and he only brings $100 in cash. He limits the cash he brings to try to limit the amount of god killer he smokes. When he arrives in the city, he seeks out a pusher and buys god killer, then goes straight up to his hotel and locks himself in his room. He spends several hours smoking, trying to ration the god killer as much as he can. At some point he smokes so much that he can no longer contain himself. He bursts from his room and he stalks the streets demanding that people fight him. When people don’t want to fight he may push them around trying to provoke them, but he won’t actually start beating them up unless they fight back or unless they insult him. He fights bare-knuckled, and when he wins he goes through the person’s pockets looking for money. If he finds money, he goes out and buys more god killer. He usually wanders the streets from 10pm till dawn. After that he goes back to his hotel and crashes, sleeping through most of Sunday. Then he gets back on a bus going home. Special Powers- Norman has speed and strength muscle implants and a size genetic mod (these are already figured into his stats). He also has internal armor than halves any damage done to him. Special Skills- Boxing (5). Typical Attack- He makes a strike with his fists at STH (24) + AGY (15) +16 (skill) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +30 vs. 0). As a reaction he makes a simultaneous strike at STH (24) + AGY (15) +8 (WIL) +16 (skill) +1d20 vs. 45 (or 1d20 +18 vs. 0). A successful strike does 2 blunt damage.

Sometimes all the treatment in the world can’t help a person. Sometimes an 18 year old applies for membership in a corp or gated community. Their psychometrics look great, and they are welcomed in. In their twenties, though, a chemical imbalance begins to manifest. The counselors quickly notice it and prescribe the newest pharmaceuticals. Even the most expensive pharmaceuticals are not perfect, and loyalty testing continues to show that the person is undependable. At some point, the corporation or gated community decides that this person isn’t worth the expense of keeping around, and they are asked to leave. Most of these

006 Outside the City

people stay with relatives or get hotel rooms while they use their remaining money trying desperately to get into a corp or gated community. Deprived of medication, their psychological problems grow worse and they end up homeless on the streets of the small suburban communities which border gated communities and corporate living centers. Eventually, they are picked up by the local cops. The cops give them a choice: get on a bus heading to the city, or go to jail for vagrancy. They choose the bus, are bought a bus ticket by the police department and new homeless Crazies are added to the city’s population.

The Drop-Off Point The main bus that brings people into the city comes over the Manhattan bridge and stops in the Bowery before turning around and heading out of the city. Every day, teen runaways, new immigrants, people who have been kicked out of gated communities and corporations, people fleeing trouble in other inner cities, and homeless Crazies get off the bus. Cult recruiters, pushers and a few disguised pimps prowl this area looking for lost and confused people to take advantage of. Approximately one homeless Crazy comes into the city every day. There are skid row hotels on every corner and those who have a little money often blow it there, or in one of many nearby liquor stores. Many Crazies wander from here and disperse to points throughout the city. Many never go more than a few blocks away from the bus stop. At night, the streets of the drop-off point are littered with dozens of homeless crazies who can’t figure out anything better to do than sleep on the sidewalk. Almost every abandoned building in the blocks surrounding the bus stop has at least one Crazy living in it. Outreach volunteers come by every once in a while, trying to get people into shelters or get emergency psychiatric services for those that qualify for them. Most of these homeless Crazies won’t last a month. They will die from exposure, be beaten to death and robbed, will starve to death, will eat something bad out of a dumpster and die of food poisoning, or will commit suicide. Only a few will learn how to survive in the city.

Mental Healthcare In Brief- Indies get good care, wells get negligent care, street people get almost nothing. Dangerous psychotics may end up on the 21st floor of the city hospital where they are often drugged, shocked and taken advantage of.

For street people, there is only one way to get medical care for psychological problems: to come to the NYC Central Hospital psychotic enough to be deemed “a danger to themselves and others.” They are taken up to the 21st floor (see below) and given only enough treatment to get them out on the streets again.

For Indies, the prospects are a lot better. There are several private therapists and psychiatrists throughout the city. Therapists sit down and give time and attention to their patients. Psychiatrists can prescribe the newer and more expensive psychiatric drugs, which have fewer side effects. Therapists with psychic skills are the most expensive and sought-after. Psychiatric mental programs can be prescribed to help people when drugs and therapy fail. Unfortunately, those who can afford to and are willing to seek out this kind of help are those who need it least. While schizophrenics live on the streets, undiagnosed and untreated, the city’s best therapists and psychiatrists spend their time treating shyness, erectile dysfunction or minor body-image issues for the wealthy minority.

The 21st Floor The top floor of the NYC Central Hospital is an emergency psychiatric treatment ward. By law, they are only able to treat people who have been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as “an immediate danger to themselves or others.” Many very ill people are turned away because they do not meet these criteria. The ward’s budget is small and the ward is severely overcrowded, and even people who do meet the criteria are often kept strapped down on hospital beds for dozens of hours before getting admitted. The 21st floor uses old technology from prisons. Patients who are brought up are stripped and showered. If there are any potentially harmful implants, the implants are covered. For instance, if a patient has poisoned claws on his hands, the hands will be covered with locked kevlar mitts. Locked electronic bracelets are put on their ankles. The bracelets shock patients if they try to leave the 21st floor. All staff have panic buttons clipped to their uniforms. When the button is pressed, any patient that comes within 5 ft. of the staff member is shocked. The staff are not supposed to shock patients except in self-defense, but they often use the shocks as a form of punishment.

Almost every patient is given heavy sedatives and antipsychotics as soon as they enter the ward. The drugs are slowly reduced until the patient can answer a short list of questions. These questions are designed to tell whether the patient has enough grasp on reality to not be a danger to himself or herself. The questions are things like “if For those on state health insurance, getting mental you were in a building that was on fire, what would you healthcare is like getting physical healthcare: wait for do?” weeks to see a doctor, be interviewed for 2 minutes by an overworked psychiatrist, and then be given a prescription Patients who have communicable diseases (like Cracks) for the cheapest generic drug available to treat that are put into isolation rooms. Every other man, woman problem. Many people seeking help are misdiagnosed and child is put into a large dormitory. In theory, the and given the wrong drug, or they are given too much dormitory is monitored 24-hours-a-day by interns who or too little. The cheap generic drugs have many side- keep patients from hurting themselves or each other. effects and many patients stop taking them. Traditional In practice, the interns are lazy, inattentive and often therapy is not available (unless the person can afford to distracted. Rapes and beatings are common. Staff are pay out-of-pocket). also known to take advantage of patients.

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Mental Healthcare 007

Little is provided to patients in the way of therapy. Most are too drugged to do anything but lie in bed all day. They only get up to grab a tray of food, which they eat sitting on the sides of their beds. During waking hours, a monitor on one wall blares out an instructional video about mental illnesses and the importance of taking your meds. The ward is so crowded that the video is often drowned out by people talking, screaming and

crying. Visitors are not allowed and the doctors rarely speak to patients. If patients do not improve within 4 days, doctors typically prescribe a mental program. The patient is taken down to the hospital basement where a mental program technician installs the mental program. The mental programs typically installed are: Anger Dampener, Mania Dampener, Paranoia Dampener and Depression Dampener (see p.108).

Wes “Doc Scrips” Marshall (City Hospital Psychiatrist Who Takes Advantage of Patients)

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Attributes- AGY 9, AWR 15, CHM 7, END 8, INL 16, SPD 12, STH 14, WIL 9, BLD 6, BDY 4, INCY 7. Appearance- Tall, wiry, mid-thirties, multiracial, curly brown hair, brown skin, green eyes, wears a white jacket over grey sweats. Social Status- Doc Scrips is one of the staff psychiatrists at the NYC Central hospital. He works the 10pm to 6am shift, during which time he is in charge of the entire ward. He is one of the most corrupt doctors in the NYC Central Hospital. History- Doc Scrips was born and grew up in a corporate living center. The corporation paid for his medical training, but after he finished they asked him to leave because he started failing corporate loyalty tests. He came to the city and started work for the NYC Central Hospital. He became addicted to prescription drugs and started selling prescriptions to addicts. He took some internet courses in psychiatry so he could work in the hospital’s psychiatric ward. When the drug lords consolidated, a bounty was put on him and he was nearly killed by a group of addicts. He reduced his prescription sales and began to concentrate on gaining wealth and power by blackmailing patients. He built up an army of ex-patients under his control and gained a reputation as someone not to mess with. Personality- Doc Scrips has very little empathy for anyone. He doesn’t care about healing or helping people, he only wants to live comfortably and have power, sex and drugs. He has some respect for people who are able to earn a high place in society, but thinks of the mentally ill as little more than animals. He has no real friends and never trusts anyone. Methods- Doc Scrips selects patients which he thinks would be easy to manipulate. He schedules them for implantation of psychiatric mental programs, which they often don’t need. He usually puts in an Anger Dampener, a Paranoia Dampener and a Depression Dampener. Then he orders them released. He tracks them down and takes them back to his apartment. The paranoia dampener makes it harder for patients to realize they are being taken advantage of, and the anger dampener makes it hard for them to do anything about it if they figure it out. If they disobey him, he uses the password that turns off their Depression Dampener. Since they have most likely become psychologically addicted to the Depression Dampener, it isn’t long before they come back begging for him to turn it back on. He also gets patients addicted to drugs (which he steals from the hospital) which he uses to further solidify his control over them. If the patients are young women, he keeps them in his apartment and has sex with them. He helps some patients get on welfare and extorts a large percentage of their welfare checks. Some patients are kept around as servants and mercenaries. There are fifteen mercenaries living in cardboard shacks outside of the midtown highrise where he lives. When he is sending them off to fight his enemies, he turns off their Anger Dampeners. When he leaves his apartment (typically to take the subway to work) he has at least two ex-patients accompanying him to the hospital as bodyguards. Special Skills- Psychotherapy (2), Psychopharmaceuticals (3), Street Drugs (2), Brainwashing (2). Special Equipment- Nanopadded and Nanoweave Armor (AR 10, PR 8 bladed 7 blunt), Taser Gun (FR 3 ft., 3 electrical damage). Doc Scrips also has a Backup Heart implant (already figured into INCY). Typical Attack- A strike with his taser gun at INL (16) + AGY (9) -1/3ft. vs. 25 (or 1d20 -1/3ft. vs. 0). As a reaction he makes a simultaneous strike at INL (16) + AGY (9) + WIL (9) -1/2ft. vs. 45 (or 1d20 -1/2ft. vs. 11). A successful strike does 3 electrical damage (save vs. paralysis difficulty 60, save vs. unconsciousness difficult 30, save vs. heart attack difficulty 15).

008 Mental Healthcare

Major Psychological Theories Psychoanalysis (1900-1950)- This was the first major theory to propose that there is more going on in the human mind beyond what people are initially aware of. Sigmund Freud proposed a number of internal forces. The struggle and interplay of these forces make up the actions of our subconscious minds. Freud proposed sexual guilt and release as the major motivations of these forces, yet later psychoanalysts proposed differed motivators. Psychoanalysis approached the mind from a clinical (experiences with actual patients) rather than a scientific (statistical and experimental studies of populations) viewpoint. The question: Why are some people messed up? The answer: They secretly feel bad about things that happened when they were kids.

Modeling Psychology (2010-2045)- With increased computing power and sophistication, psychologists became increasingly reliant on computers to model the theories of the human mind. The goal during this period was to distill the various theories of how the human mind works into a computer and create a model person that responds as a real person would to various stimuli. A computer simulation could put a group of simulated people in a situation (e.g. a negotiation, a burning building, a prison) and see how they would react and interact. The model of the mind during this time was basically of an adaptive problem solving machine. This school became quite accomplished at modeling the average behavior of the average person, but it couldn’t account for outliers (acts of extreme genius, bravery, cowardice, cruelty, madness, etc.) The question: How do you predict what a human will do? Behaviorism (1950-1970)- B.F. Skinner tried to create The answer: Look at how the human’s interaction with others a psychology that would not need to inquire as to what and the environment evolves over time. was going on inside the mind. Behaviorism concerns itself with input (experiences that happen to a person) Mind-Systems Psychology (2045-2075)- The discovery and output (resulting behaviors). In contrast to the of RCNS let psychologists examine and experiment with aimless self-exploration of psychoanalysis, behaviorism individual neurological connections within the brain. Suddenly was very simple and made laboratory experiments the mind was not an abstract concept that scientists inferred possible. Behaviorism made psychology a true science. things about, it was a machine that could be taken apart and Its simplicity was its downfall: it couldn’t explain the examined. Psychologists learned how human systems worked and changed, often finally proving or disproving older theories. complexity of human behavior. The question: How do human experiences cause human However, the human mind proved too complex: mind-systems behavior? psychology could explain how individual parts of the mind The answer: People learn to do things that get them worked, but not how all those parts came together to create rewards and avoid things that hurt. something as complex and unpredictable as a human being. The question: How do the parts of the human mind work? Social Psychology (1950-2020)- Various psychologists The answer: Like disorganized and sloppily written, but very responded to various tragedies (for some it was the adaptable, computer programs. Jewish holocaust, for others it was the failure of bystanders to aid Kitty Genovese as she was stabbed Experience Psychology (2055-present)- Until the discovery to death outside an apartment complex in Queens) by of psychic manipulation and sensation, human feelings asking one simple question: how do certain situations and experiences had been delegated to the backwater of turn basically-good people bad? This question created a psychology. As something nobody could touch or measure, new field of psychology that studied how humans interact experiences were a poor candidate for scientific studies. with others around them. Previous studies of psychology had studied the human as a lone, isolated unit; social Psychics, though, could actually connect directly to another’s psychology studied humans as members of groups. mind and experience their feelings and experiences. This Social psychology created bridges with Sociology and field of psychology modeled the human mind as a collection Anthropology, letting those disciplines share theories of feelings, experiences and choices. Although it has gained and data. Social psychology also proved very useful in many followers in the clinical world, Experience Psychology diagnosing and treating the problems of groups (a field has not become the psychology of mainstream scientists because its concepts are too hard to measure quantitatively. called Institutional and Organizational Psychology). The question: Why do people who consider themselves The question: Why do people make the choices they do? The answer: Based on knowledge and based on how they feel good do bad things? The answer: People mostly take their cues from what about themselves and the universe. other people are doing. Unified Theory Psychology (2075-present)- The big talk in Cognitive Psychology (1960-2020)- While behaviorism academic psychology for the last few years is of trying to find worked on a very mechanical model of the human mind, a theory that explains the individual components of the mind cognitive psychology drew its metaphors from computers. (Mind-Systems Psychology) and the experiences and choices Cognitive psychology created a model of the human brain of a human being as a whole (Experience Psychology). as a collection of problem-solving algorithms. Cognitive Psychologists are excited about the prospects, but nothing too psychology quickly excelled at explaining how humans useful has yet come about. The touchstone of such research solved problems and performed tasks, but it was unable would be an Artificial Intelligence that thinks and acts just like to explain more subjective areas of human life (e.g. a human. motivation, personality, insanity). The question: How can humans be greater than the sum of The question: How do people solve problems? their parts? The answer: By finding the simplest and most efficient The answer: ??? method.

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Mental Healthcare 009

Psychopharmaceutical Overprescription

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The first two decades of this century saw a boom in psychopharmaceuticals in first world countries. People were getting medical diagnoses and having their medical insurance pay for treatments for mental illnesses. A few decades ago, those “illnesses” would have been considered perfectly normal reactions to overwhelming stress, crowding, overwork, cramped spaces, noise pollution and inhumanely boring work and school environments. Taking drugs to deal with social and environmental problems only allowed those problems to grow worse. Corporations, who were growing steadily in power, were able to force people to change their own brains to survive whatever way of living and working was cheapest for the corporations. By 2020, 47% of Americans were on psychiatric medications, 24% had been on them since childhood and had never been given a chance to learn how to control their own mental states without them. The only thing that stopped the increasing use of psychopharmaceuticals was poverty. As the gap between the rich and poor grew greater, fewer people had insurance willing to pay for psychopharmaceurticals. In 2047, on the eve of the Freedom War, the market for black market psychophamaceuticals, most of which were brewed up in basements by aspiring chemists, was bigger than the market for crack. During the Freedom Wars, psychopharmaceuticals were not available and many people overcame their dependence. After the Freedom Wars, the people in the city were mostly too poor to afford these drugs. In gated communities and corporations, overmedication is common. Instead of helping people survive stressful working and living conditions, the drugs are used to help people stay satisfied with the corporate or gated community lifestyle. In the city, the problem is generally undermedication: people who could really benefit from meds can’t get them.

Percentage of Americans on Psychiatric Drugs 2010 2020 2030 2040 2045 2050 2060 2070 2080 28% 47% 43% 31% 12% 1% 5% 12% 18%

Sex

The problem with having healthy sex is that every one in the city has an opinion about what healthy sex is, and their opinions all disagree. The Sexologists are the most vocal, but not the only ones voicing opinions. Even the BDSM people claim that what they do is just as healthy as any other form of sex. In the end, people have to decide for themselves what kind of sex will have good long-term consequences for them. There are only a few people in the city who have no issues with sex. They have sex as often as they want. The sex they have is mutually enjoyable and is performed with sober, consenting adults. They never worry that they are having too much or too little sex or that they way they have sex is too weird or too normal. They don’t feel that the way they have sex offends any deity or distracts them from their purpose in life.

VR Addicts In Brief- VR sex is easy but boring. The largest portion of the city population is VR addicts, who are accustomed to sex in VR. VR sex is nearly perfect, technically speaking, and when they must deal with sex in the real world they find it sloppy, uncomfortable and unsatisfying. VR users can choose to have sex with other VR users, or with AI constructs. Most choose the AI constructs because it’s easier. However, this easy sex is sex without any danger, any challenge, any dirt or sweat or stink. It is technically perfect, but boring, much like the lives of VR addicts. For many people, the need for some real sex is the factor that tips the scales between staying locked up indoors and going outside.

Pornography Addicts

Sex in the city today is a perfect mirror of life itself in the In Brief- Some use porn like a drug, many move city. The full range of selfishness and altruism, healthiness to illegal porn, grow to hate women, become sex and sickness, boredom and adventure, joy and sorrow that criminals. exist in the lives of city residents are reflected perfectly in the city’s sex life. There are some people who use pornography occasionally and could give it up any time they Healthy Sex- As much as sex is intertwined with madness want, just like there are people who use alcohol and evil in the city, it is important to remember that healthy occasionally and are not addicted. These people are sexual relationships are a step on the road to recovery not the main source of profit for the pornography for many mentally ill people. This doesn’t just apply to industry. The industry is so big because many people Sexologists, it applies to all kinds of city residents. Healthy (mostly men) are addicted to pornography as a form sex can be a huge boost to self-esteem, it can help pull of anxiety relief. people out of depression, it can help develop social skills and it can help connect people to a community that they Pornography addicts tend to grow disinterested in might otherwise feel detached from. Healthy sex is an normal, consensual sex. This only serves to make intimate part of romantic love, which can lead to long- them more dependent on pornography. While term relationships and family, both of which are generally alcoholics gain tolerance and have to drink more and therapeutic. For many of those who walk the streets after more to get just as drunk, pornography addicts grow midnight plagued by internal demons, getting laid is one of bored with “normal” pornography and are driven to the best things that could happen to them. seek out something more exciting.

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Some pornography addicts learn to program their own customizable VR worlds. When they grow bored with their virtual sexual activities, they break some new taboo. The problem is that there are only so many taboos. After all the taboos are broken, the person is left completely bored and too ashamed of themselves to have a healthy sexual outlet. Other porn addicts go the other direction: rather than reveling in simulated virtual sex, they immerse themselves in what is “real”. An image, video, senserecording or live performance excites them if they believe it is a real person. Imperfections in porn (poor recording quality, seedy backgrounds, physically flawed actors) make porn better by enhancing the feeling that this is real and not photorealistic computer generated porn. “Real” pornography addicts gain a feeling of power when they see people do things they think those people wouldn’t normally want to do. When these pornography addicts grow bored, they tend to move towards pornography

that looks more painful or humiliating. When all legal pornography grows too boring, many move into illegal pornography. When pornography ceases to satisfy addicts, many jump to sex crimes. There is a huge international black market for illegal pornography, and much of it is created in the city. Some spend a lifetime collecting and trading illegal pornography. Some illegal pornography is found on the internet, others is purchased from traders and porn-shop owners. The red-light district is the center of the city’s illegal pornography trade. Pornography addiction often leads to misogyny (hatred of women). Most pornography addicts feel powerful when imagining the women in pornography, but feel powerless when dealing with real women. This feeling of powerlessness leads to fear, which leads to hatred.

Papa Woody’s

Why Men – Part II

Papa Woody’s Adult Books is the largest pornography shop in the city. It is a moderately large commercial space in midtown. The store is always open (except during plagues and riots). The large glass windows in front have brown paper taped over them. The store is not very clean and smells of dust and drywall. The old wooden shelves are closely spaced. During peak hours (8-12pm) there are about 10 people in the store at a time and it is hard to move without brushing other customers. The customers are mostly middle-aged men in plain clothing, sometimes with hats or high collars obscuring their faces. The shelves hold printed books, printed magazines, data cards, sex toys, fetish and bondage equipment. In the back of the store are changing rooms that have been converted into pay-per-minute booths. These booths have old easy chairs, covered in clear plastic, with mental stimulators bolted on. The mental stimulators take quarters, cash and bank cards for VR and internet access. The machines have many porn VR programs built in, but many users go on the internet to find something more suited to their tastes. A bannistered stairway leads to a second floor, but there is a chain across the stairs with a handwritten “employees only” sign. Upstairs is where the owner lives.

Men are much more likely to engage in dangerous fetishes, to rape or molest, to be addicted to sex or pornography. In an age where men and women are treated equally by every important institution, from gangs to the military to major churches, why does this difference between males and females remain?

Next to the door is an old wooden counter. An employee sits on a barstool, staring at closed circuit monitors, watching for shoplifters. In case of theft or riot, the employee presses a button causing metal bars to slam down on the front of the store. Most of the employees are sex workers working for below minimum wage. They’re happy to sit someplace warm. During winter they wear thick coats and drink coffee to warm themselves up as much as possible before going back out into the cold. Most evenings, Papa Woody himself works behind the counter. He is short, fat, middle aged and multi-racial, with the puffy red face of a chronic alcoholic. He has a collection of illegal porn in a locked safe behind the counter, which he will sell to anyone who can convince him that they aren’t part of a sting operation. The porno is mostly on data disks and is mostly video or VR recordings of crimes being committed against every imaginable class of victims in the basements of abandoned buildings.

One possible explanation looks to the reproductive strategies of our ancient ancestors. For our ancestors, stress and worry meant that death was a very real possibility. Stress meant food shortages, dangerous predators, war with other tribes, or natural disasters. For a female, getting pregnant while under stress was a bad idea. If a woman faced imminent death, being pregnant would only reduce her chances of surviving. Thus, it would be an evolutionary advantage to react to extreme stresses with a reduced desire for sex. On the other hand, if a male faced imminent death the most successful strategy for getting his DNA reproduced was to have sex as much as possible. Thus, it would be an evolutionary advantage for males to react to stress with an increased desire for stress. It may have even been an advantage for sex to act as a stress-reliever. Fast forward to today. For many men, orgasm acts as a stress and anxiety reliever. Unaided, a normal male can only have a limited number of orgasms, which would seem to limit the amount of stress relief available. Yet many men have learned to increase the number of orgasms they have by doing things that are dangerous or unpleasant or make them feel guilty. Pornography addicts, who may have several orgasms per day, often report saving the most “hardcore” porn for later in the day when it takes more stimulation to get them aroused. Yet these things end up adding more anxiety and stress, creating a terrible cycle, similar to that of many drug addicts.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Among fetishists and porn addicts, drugs which aid erection are common because they make orgasms possible even when their bodies have had enough.

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Being Gay in 2080 Mainstream Prejudice- The good news: mainstream American society no longer discriminates against homosexuals. Homosexuals can marry and their union has exactly the same legal status as heterosexual marriage. An openly gay person is no less likely to succeed in politics, the military, business and the corporate world. People born in gated communities or corporations might go their whole lives without hearing an anti-homosexual sentiment.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Christopher street and the blocks surrounding it are the center of homosexual nightlife. Gay and lesbian singles come from throughout the city to hook up with potential partners and hang out with friends. Bars, dance clubs and pool halls are typically for people who want to hook up for the night, while coffee shops and art galleries are typically for those seeking long-term relationships. Some of these establishments have primarily lesbian or primarily gay clientele, but this doesn’t stop clientele from bringing gay, lesbian and Prejudice In The City- The bad news: the city is not straight friends along. society at its most advanced. While a homosexual in a gated community might claim that there is no There is no stigma against straight men or women who discrimination against homosexuals, city residents hang around or live near Christopher street or visit know that there are minorities in the city who do establishments there. Nobody minds their presence and there is no feeling that it ‘makes them’ any less discriminate: straight to be there. Some straight people come to Religious Extremists: Members of many cults Christopher Street to hang out with or room with and conservative religions believe that homosexuality homosexual friends or relatives. Some live there just is a sin and that homosexuals should be either saved because they found a good apartment, others enjoy the or punished. Every once in a while a street preacher atmosphere of Christopher street. wanders around the homosexual district yelling at people that they are going to burn in hell. The Many establishments around Christopher street cater Sexologists are the largest and most mainstream group to homosexuals: There are a few pornography shops that specialize in homosexual porn. Convenience that generally disapproves of homosexual sex. and drug stores carry lubricants, dental dams and new Immigrants: There is still prejudice against spray-on protective films. Male sex workers (hustlers), homosexuality in many second and third world who have primarily gay male johns, can be seen on the countries. The insular immigrant groups in the city streets here. There is a used bookstore that carries a lot often discriminate. Homosexuals in these communities of old paper-printed books with GLB subjects. often abandon their communities and try to join the Many homosexuals come to Christopher Street after city’s GLB (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual) community. having left their previous lives, either because they Youth: Young people in gated communities are came from a prejudiced minority group or because taught at a very early age to respect those different from they had a personal crisis related to coming out (see them. In the city, many children run wild and pick up Personal Conflicts, below). Thus, Christopher Street beliefs and prejudices from other children. It is quite is full of people who are trying to build a new life common for homosexual children to be ostracized, and redefine who they are. Christopher Street has picked on and occasionally killed by groups of other the feeling of a place where there are people from children. The Orphans (a gang which started out as every type of community or background, yet are not orphanage inmates rebelling against their exploiters) beholden to those former lives. Some homosexuals, still has a stigma as a community that once chased out given the chance to redefine themselves, take it a bit many homosexuals, even though most adult Orphans too far and paint their new identities in broad strokes today try to teach the children not to be prejudiced. that may seem vain and shallow to those that don’t Lone Weirdos: The biggest danger to know what’s going on. Hedonism may fill in the gaps for newly self-realized homosexuals who haven’t yet homosexuals in the city is a lone weirdo who, for very figured out what they want to do with their lives. personal reasons, hates and may attack homosexuals. Most of these lone weirdos are mentally ill and many Homosexual Technology- Technology has improved are confused about their own sexuality. the lives of homosexuals who can afford it (wells and indies): GLB Culture- Homosexuals are spread evenly through each social class and among gang and non-gang Subliminal analyzer glasses (see p.123 main book) let groups. The only gangs that have more homosexuals people discover the sexual preferences of others and than others are those that happen to be near Christopher take the guesswork out of trying to figure out who is Street in Midtown. homosexual and who isn’t.

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The Finger Popper implant (p.103 main book) can allow women to impregnate other women. Semen producing tissue is placed in a knuckle and semen is released through a hole under the fingernail. Children are always female (since both partners only have X chromosomes). Men can also get artificial wombs (costs $2000 +$500 surgery). Artificial insemination is necessary to create a fetus (costs $250) and the baby must be delivered via c-section. Implants are also available to let men produce milk. Sexually Transmitted Diseases plague both gay and straight society and intelligent, sober, sane people never engage in unprotected sex with strangers. Because of the heightened potential for blood exchange in anal intercourse, gay men have slightly higher STD infection rates than lesbians and straights. Condoms and dental dams (latex sheets for cunnilingus) are the cheapest and most popular forms of protection. Slightly more expensive ($5/use), though more liberating, are protective film sprays (see p.107). Gay Politics- Since they have equal rights and there is little mainstream prejudice against them, homosexuals seldom see the need for political organization. When a lone weirdo is attacking people near Christopher Street, the community bands together for self-protection, and community members often work with gangs to help those gangs get revenge. This happens so rarely that no political structure has been established. A GLB rights group meets in the basement of a Christopher Street area church (in the same room that many AA meetings are held). The group isn’t very organized and spends most of its time talking, arguing and discussing discrimination against homosexuals in less advanced countries. They donate money and write letters to try to secure rights for homosexuals in third world countries. Most of the people who attend these meetings are older homosexuals – younger homosexuals usually find them too boring. Transsexuals, on the other hand, still face significant institutional and cultural prejudices (see p.21). Most Transsexuals consider themselves part of the city’s GLB culture and spend time near Christopher Street. Gays and Lesbians, on the other hand, are split between two positions on transsexuals. -One group believes transsexuals are part of GLB culture. They think that all homosexuals should work to end discrimination against transsexuals. Many have friends and lovers who are transsexuals. -Another group would like to distance themselves from Transsexuals. They don’t want to associate themselves with a group that has a social stigma and they don’t want to fight other people’s battles.

Style- Many homosexuals adopt styles of dress or behavior that are stereotypically homosexual. This helps them establish their identities and advertise their sexuality to prospective romantic and sexual partners. Gays, lesbians and bisexuals often wear pink or purple triangles (as pins, buttons, patches, tattoos, etc.) or rainbow patterns to signify their sexuality. The stereotypical “lesbian style” in the city is short, spiky hair and no makeup. Black leather jackets, boots and gloves are common. Tattoos are simple black shapes, often black bars or stripes. The stereotypical “gay style” in the city is a pink or bright-red shirt, tight pants, subtle lipstick and mascara. Tattoos of roses are common. Personal Conflicts- There are a few homosexuals who act extremely feminine or extremely masculine from an early age. For these people, it is no surprise when they turn out to be GLBT (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ Transsexual). Most GLBT people, however, grew up with everyone assuming they were heterosexual. At some point, they themselves believed they were heterosexual. Around adolescence they had to admit to themselves that they were not who they thought they were. Even when children sincerely believe that there is nothing wrong with being GLBT, there is a lot of stress involved with an identity change of this magnitude. As hard as it is to admit to ones self that one is not heterosexual, the stress of admitting it to family and friends is often even worse. Most people feel they are betraying their friends and family. Some young people have homosexual relationships in secret, which only increases the sense that they are deceiving their parents. These stresses and potential sources of low self-esteem in young GLBT people increase the likelihood of drugs and delinquency. Those who can’t bring themselves to be open with their families often run away from home.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Popular culture is overwhelmingly heterosexual. Billboards show heterosexual couples, popular VR movies feature heterosexual romances. Everywhere a homosexual goes, they are reminded that they are not normal. For some, this can damage self-esteem, others learn to not care or even take pride in being different. Homosexual Population- Out of 210,000 people in the city, 88% are straight, 7% (14,700) are bisexual and 5% (10,500) are homosexual. About 2% (4,200) of the city wants or is seeking sex-change surgery and about 500 people have actually had sex-change surgery.

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BDSM is not, in itself a fetish. Rather, it is a framework through which multiple fetishes are expressed: leather, In Brief- Many Sex Workers become sexually spanking, shaving, asphyxiation, sadism, masochism, unhealthy. Some get plastic surgery that nobody simulated rape, etc. BDSM creates a set of shared other than porn addicts could appreciate. ‘Porn scars,’ traditions, rituals, terminology and rules through which exaggerated plastic surgery scars, are the most extreme these fetishes can be safely practiced. BDSM allows two people with different fetishes to get together and help surgery of this type. each other engage in their fetishes. Unlike other fetish Sex Workers have their own psychological problems, communities, BDSM is capable of attracting a significant mostly caused by the roles they play in other people’s number of females. sexual issues. See the section on Sex Workers in PC Groups and Madness (p.67) for more. Sex Workers live Almost everyone in the BDSM scene has problems with in a world dominated by sadists and misogynists and few self-worth and they feel uncomfortable with romantic and sexual relationships based on equality. A relationship of come out of it with healthy sex lives or self-concepts. equality requires a constant balancing of one’s own Plastic surgery plays a large role in the city sex industry. needs and desires over those of another person, and for Cosmetic surgery can significantly increase a Sex some people that is too much stress and anxiety and they Worker’s income. Many Sex Workers go into serious seek out any unequal relationship they can. Most have debt to get such surgery. There is a growing gulf between a preference for a dominant or submissive role, though what pornography addicts think is attractive and what the some are perfectly happy with either. general public thinks is attractive. Many Sex Workers are driven to get plastic surgeries that the average person People in the BDSM scene have varying levels of would find unattractive (or even grotesque) just to satisfy involvement in the scene. At one end of the spectrum their customers. The latest trend in the sex industry has are people for whom BDSM is a form of harmless play been “porn scars.” Strippers and pornstars instruct they try every once in a while when they get bored. their plastic surgeons to leave visible Real pain or real humiliation is not an surgical scars. The scars are often option for these people and they have BDSM Slang longer and placed differently than is a hard time keeping a straight face as medically necessary. It has become a Doms- People who have more they play the role of a master or slave. mark to show off how much the Sex power during BDSM activity. On the other end of the spectrum are Workers have manipulated their bodies Dungeon Master- Someone who those who are desperately seeking a in order to be better commodities in watches over and protects the BDSM relationship where they can the sex industry. Not all consumers safety of people during BDSM be a master or slave all-day, every day. of pornography like porn scars, but activity. The more involved the person is, the the most “hardcore” users, the ones F/T- Full-time, making the dom/ more serious the self-worth issues are. who shell out the most money, do. sub relationship a 24 hour lifestyle The numbers of people who get porn rather than occasional play. Most pornography shops in the city scars and who are into porn scars are Lifestyle, the- BDSM culture, sell BDSM gear. Many people in growing. society and practices. the BDSM scene (including many shut-ins) meet via the New York subMasochists- People who gain boards of major BDSM discussion sexual pleasure from being sites. People seeking new partners physically hurt. for BDSM activities often meet in a In Brief- A full blown culture Mummification- Bondage to the bar in the red light district called the and framework for expression of point of complete immobility. Iron Spike. The bar is decked out various fetishes. People participate Negotiation- The act of setting in a dungeon theme and customers to varying degrees based on limits before BDSM activities typically wear full BDSM costumes. how uncomfortable they are in begin. The back of the Iron Spike has three relationships based on equality. Sadists- People who gain sexual fully equipped dungeons which can be Most BDSM people are not pleasure from hurting others. rented out for $40/hr. dangerous and have a reasonably good public image. Safety Word- A word a person Most people in the BDSM scene are can use to signify that he or she BDSM stands for Bondage and wants the BDSM play to stop. not dangerous. If they hurt anyone, its Discipline/Sadomasochism. Over the people who want to be hurt. People last century, BDSM has become its own Subs- Submissives, people who who really want to victimize others complex culture with its own slang, have less power during BDSM against their will ignore the trappings activity. styles, shopping net-sites, personal of BDSM culture. However, many ads, clubs and bars. The BDSM scene Vanillas- People aren’t part of the people in the BDSM scene do take even has its own version of marriage, lifestyle and don’t have any kinks advantage of people who are more or fetishes. called a “collaring ceremony.” emotionally damaged than they are.

Sex Workers

C I T Y O F M A D N E BDSM S S

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They can coerce people into BDSM relationships that don’t really want to be in those relationships. There are occasions when someone gets too wrapped up in their role and ends up raping, seriously injuring or killing someone. When this happens, there are almost always drugs involved. BDSM’s public image is not great, but it is not all that bad either. Over the decades, the BDSM community has managed to convince people that they are mostly harmless. One reason is that the BDSM community has been self-policing: members of the community educate others about safety practices and report instances of truly nonconsensual activities.

Fetishists In Brief- Many small communities, only occasionally dangerous. Some who call themselves fetishists who are merely “kinky”: they have something they like to do or fantasize about, but they can live without it. Other fetishists are so dependent on their fetish they will ruin their lives or take advantage of others. These extreme fetishists are mostly men. Fetishism is not one community, but hundreds of small communities and many lone weirdos. The most popular fetishes have vibrant internet communities. People trade fiction, VR movies and VR games that exercise that particular fetish. Some fetishes exist only in the realms of imagination. Some people, for instance, have a fetish about being swallowed alive. Other fetishes are about real things, like women’s feet or watching people urinate. Most people who have fetishes have more than one. Most fetishists are not dangerous. Some invade people’s privacy, e.g. place hidden cameras in restrooms or peer in through windows. Some fetishists break into people’s houses, often to steal shoes or underwear. If caught in the middle of these crimes, most will run away but a few will panic and resort to violence. A few fetishists grow bored with harmless fetishes and move on to committing violent sexual crimes.

Imogene “The Dead Woman” Barrett (Dysmorph and Fetishist Who Plays Dead) Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 6, CHM 8, END 2, INL 18, SPD 3, STH 7, WIL 15, BLD 6, BDY 3, INCY 1. Appearance- Imogene is Caucasian/Hispanic. She is attractive and voluptuous. She has long, black hair. Her skin is died very pale and a little bluish, as are her lips. Her body is extremely cold and she breathes slowly and shallowly. When encountered on the streets, she is typically wearing a torn black evening gown. Social Status- As Imogene, she is known by few people. She lives in the city and works part-time as a programmer from home. As the Dead Woman, she is a city legend that many people want to meet. History- Imogene grew up outside the city in a small suburb. Even as a child, Imogene’s favorite game was to play dead. As a teenager, she would ask her sexual partners to pretend they were having sex with a corpse. When she turned eighteen, she moved to the city and got a job as a computer programmer. She saved up her money and got a variety of implants and genetic manipulations to make her appear more dead. She has met a number of lovers on internet message boards who are happy to engage in her fetish. One lover even got a job in the city morgue so he could sneak her in after hours. When not in a relationship, she sometimes lays down outside pretending to be dead to try to get people to have sex with her. Over time, word of her existence has gotten out and she has become a sort of legend. Personality- Imogene doesn’t know why, but the idea of being dead and of not having any control over her own body is extremely comforting to her. The idea of being treated as an inanimate object is the only way she can be sexually aroused. She prefers to have a lover who will engage in fetishistic play with her, but when she doesn’t have a lover she will entice strangers into having sex with her. Her encounters with strangers are the most intensely exciting and pleasurable experiences of her life, both because they really believe she is dead and because there is the added element of danger. Most of her evenings are taken up thinking about, preparing or arranging for fetishistic sex. During the day she is a studious and obsessed programmer who barely takes her eyes off of her work for the 5 or 6 hours she is working. Imogene is very smart and after she has been with a lover for a few months she begins to be annoyed by a perceived lack of intelligence. Typically, she has to break off the relationship because she finds the men “too stupid.” Sometimes she worries that the intelligence thing is just an excuse and she just isn’t capable of being in a real long-term relationship. Methods- When she is seeking sex with strangers, she goes out late at night, waits until nobody is looking and goes and lays down on the sidewalk. She activates a mental program that prevents her from blinking. She will lay there for hours, not moving and barely breathing, waiting for someone to find her. If they try to do anything other than drag her off into the shadows to have sex with her, she will get up and tell them to go away. Special Powers- Imogene has had several modifications to allow her to pose as dead. He skin is dyed. She has had a genetic modification which has severely reduced her body’s metabolism: she has less energy, but she eats less, produces less body-heat, and her heart and lungs do not have to work as hard. She has a special “air bladder” in her abdomen that allows her to breathe without her chest moving. Her heart has sound-muffling material around it. She has a mental program which allows her to not flinch, no matter what is done to her. Altogether, it would take a hard (30) difficulty Diagnosis or a legendary (40) difficulty AWR roll to determine she is alive without the use of special equipment. Imogene also has a poisoned needle implant that extends from the middle finger of her right hand, which she can use for self-defense. As with poisoned claws or fangs, a small gland feeds an anti-toxin into Imogene’s bloodstream in case she poisons herself. Typical Attack- Whenever possible, Imogene will continue to play dead up until she attacks, taking the enemy completely off-guard. Imogene makes a wing attack with her poisoned needle implant at INL (19) + AGY (13) +1d20 vs. 20 (or 1d20 +12 vs. 0). If successful, the needle injects poison which does 1 BLD damage per round for 5 rounds.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

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Most Common City Fetishes Agonophilia- Arousal from simulated rape. Blood Sports- Arousal from cutting, being cut, drinking or covering oneself in blood. Coprohilia/Sexurophilia- Arousal from feces or urine. Exhibitionism- Arousal from exposing genitalia or having sex acts in public. Foot Fetishism- Arousal from kissing or touching feet or shoes. Frotteurism- Arousal from covertly rubbing up against people in crowded places. Hypoxyphilia- Arousal from being asphyxiated. Infantalism- Arousal from dressing as and acting like a child or infant. Leather/Vinyl/Latex/Rubber- Arousal from touching or wearing certain materials. Necrophilia- Arousal from sexual activities involving corpses. Partialism- Arousal focused completely on a particular body part (e.g. hair, amputation stumps, eyes, etc.). Transvestic Fetishism- Arousal from dressing as the opposite gender. Underwear Fetishism- Arousal from underwear. Voyeurism- Arousal from secretly watching others having sex or being nude. Zoophilia- Arousal from sexual activities involving animals.

C I T Y O F M A D Sex on the Internet N E S S

In Brief- People pay for, trade, or share all types of porn. Message boards connect people with those who share every sort of sexual preference.

Net Sites- There are millions of net sites with sexual content. Most are commercial: a desperate attempt to get some of the money from the world’s billions of porn addicts and casual consumers. Porn addicts who stumble on to the sites are teased with free samples and invited to pay a small fee to come in and see more. There are pictures, videos, stories, full-immersion VR sense-clips or interactive VR “games” for people to download. Many sites claim to have “real content” (in other words, content not created solely in VR). Most porn addicts claim to be able to tell the difference between real porn and that generated by photorealistic VR programs. There are even VR prostitutes, for those who prefer a real person to an AI construct, who will meet and have sex with johns in VR.

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On net sites, every possible sexual taste or fetish is represented 100 times over. Sites that are run from the grey plains (see Net Geography, p.395, FWTD main book) show mostly legal content, though they may occasionally bend the law. Those operating out of the dark pits specialize in illegal content, though there are some things even they won’t show for fear of being attacked by outraged hackers around the world. There are also a few free sites where porn collectors or exhibitionists have put some porn on the internet for free. File Sharing Networks- There are millions of ZBs worth of pornography floating around on the various file-sharing networks. Most of this porn is pirated. People who collect violent porn or child porn often go here. When federal agencies want to bust people trading in illegal pornography, they usually come here. Message Boards- On message boards, people come together to discuss and trade. There are millions of message boards relating to sex or porn, including: Personals: Sites where people come seeking sexual partners, especially partners in their area. Most of these sites are devoted to “normal” heterosexual or homosexual sex. There are also sites devoted to swinging (exchanging partners or group sex), BDSM and various fetishes. Fetish Boards: On these boards, people with a particular fetish gather together to share fantasies, experiences, advice and various porn relating to their fetish. Some fetish boards are vibrant and close-knit communities. In rare cases people find romantic partners on these boards who share their particular fetish. Sex Rating Boards: On these boards, people rate and describe their experiences at various real world sexual outlets: strip clubs, escort services, massage parlors, brothels and street walkers. People go to these boards to find everything: from what Thailand brothels have the youngest boys to what city street walkers can one fall asleep next to and not get robbed. Many of these boards give tips on what sex workers can be beaten, humiliated or taken advantage of and represent the new trend of johns forming their own culture to better exploit sex workers. Porn Trading Boards: When people want things too rare or too abhorrent to find on commercial sites or file trading networks, they come to these boards. These boards are never advertised, they are hidden deep in the net, often disguised as something they are not. Many are invite only – people have to prove that they are serious collectors in order to be invited in. Most run on servers in the dark pits, although most of the people who visit them come from grey pit or white tower countries. If there is a deepest, darkest, most horrible place on the entire internet, it is in some of these boards where people trade videos and full-sense recordings that involve mutilation, torture and murder, often of young children. Most of these videos or recordings come with “pedigrees” to prove that they are real (often links to obituaries or news reports about unsolved murders). Many of these traders are not content simply to trade, they make their own porn or pay others to make it.

Body Mods In Brief- Cheaper and more versatile plastic surgeries let some do horrible things to themselves, unnerving the general public. In recent decades, the demand for body modification of all kinds has increased dramatically. More people are demanding body modification, and they are demanding it more vocally and more desperately. In Los Angeles there was even a riot involving do-overs (see below) who were protesting an unfavorable court decision. The body mod explosion has caused a significant backlash. Laws were drafted to make it harder for people to get body modification, laws which hurt people who really needed body modification. It has also driven a lot of body modification underground, which means that hundreds of people come to the city hoping to find body modification on the black market. The body modification explosion in recent decades has two sources: First, body modification technology has become cheaper, safer, more versatile and more easily available on the black market. Second, full-immersion VR technology has allowed people to feel what it is actually like to have bodies other than their own. Some people become so addicted to their fantastic VR bodies that they can’t stand doing without them in real life. If you could choose one body to inhabit in all VR simulations, what would it be? 70% Adult, same gender. 15% Adult, opposite gender. 5% Child. 5% Anthropomorphic animal (“furry”). 2% Non-Anthropomorphic Animal 2% Adult, androgynous. 1% Non-Human Other (e.g. shadow, skeleton, robot,

insect, tree, etc.)

Dysmorphs In Brief- People who compulsively seek bizarre plastic surgery to the point of becoming inhuman monsters or miserable loners. In 2074, the news media ran several “horror stories” about families that were helpless to stop loved ones from changing their bodies beyond recognition. The APA quickly created a new mental illness classification: Body Dysmorphic Disorder II. For a diagnosis of BDDII, the patient must hate his or her body, even though there is nothing wrong with it according to community standards, and the patient must seek to alter his or her body with surgery. Laws were quickly passed to make it illegal for plastic surgeons to operate on someone

without screening for this disorder. The laws did little: people with BDDII could find a psychologist willing to say they were sane, they could travel to countries that did not have such laws, or they could come to inner cities and seek out plastic surgery on the black market. “Dysmorphs,” in city slang, are people who seek out repeated plastic surgeries to the point that they become crippled and grotesque. Some dysmorphs are working in some sort of theme (e.g. looking like a certain animal, becoming more muscular, looking like a corpse), others think they are working towards physical beauty or sexiness (even though everyone else thinks they are becoming grotesque). All dysmorphs feel a painful disparity between their bodies and their selves. Some report feeling this way their entire lives, others started feeling this way later in life, usually after a trauma or during a prolonged period of social isolation. They seek out plastic surgery, thinking it will give them relief from this discomfort. Often it does, but only briefly. The sense of dissatisfaction with their bodies returns after a few weeks or months. They think that if they change their bodies they can be the ‘real them’ more easily. Many started with small and reasonable plastic surgeries, but the more plastic surgeries they got the more extreme surgeries they wanted. As their body images became more unrealistic, so did their idea of what each surgery would do to their appearance. With no idea what they really looked like, they were the last people who should have been choosing which surgeries to get. Many dysmorphs build some sort of natural defenses into themselves: claws, armor, increased size, increased strength, etc. When they are in the later stages of their illness and they are losing their connection with human norms of behavior, they can be dangerous. Many people have been attacked by dysmorphs. Altogether, though, dysmorphs are more scary looking than they actually are dangerous. One city dysmorph is an exception to the natural defenses rule: he has been slowly making himself weaker, more helpless and entirely dependent on others for survival.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Population- There are probably around 50 people with BDDII in the city. They look so odd that they are a common topic of gossip and rumors. There is a loose organization of dysmorphs on the internet. They discuss legal rights, personal experiences and new plastic surgery technologies on message boards. Within the city, there is no real community of dysmorphs. Most are shut-ins who only leave their apartments to get black market surgeries. A few dysmorphs know each other, but most are loners. About ten are associated with the Freaks and are part of ‘peep-shows’ during the Festivals of the Freak. For every true dysmorph in the Freaks, there are many more fake-dysmorphs who get bizarre plastic surgery to help their acts rather than for hatred of their bodies.

Body Mods 017

Lifestyle- Being a dysmorph is usually a full time occupation. Dysmorphs spend their days trying to get enough money for their next surgery, shopping for black market surgeons and researching surgical techniques. One city dysmorph, with no formal medical training, invented a new surgical technique which is now used worldwide.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Psychological Profile- About three quarters of dysmorphs are male. People who started out with something actually wrong with their appearance have the best prognosis. The ones who started out looking “average” or “unremarkable” are the ones most likely to ruin their lives with surgery. Most dysmorphs are “loners” with poor social skills and few friends or family members. Many are selfexiled hermits, living among people but never interacting with them. Of those who do interact with others, many are involved in the city’s fetish sex scene or are in unhealthy relationships with fetishistic elements. Many dysmorphs also suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. As dysmorphs become less human-looking, their social skills decrease. This is often associated with a drop in socioeconomic status: Indie dysmorphs can’t keep a job and become Wells; Well dysmorphs can’t keep up with welfare paperwork and become street people. They often lose their conception of what is considered normal and they lose empathy for other humans. Some grow paranoid, some even become psychotic. Some block out all memory of their former lives and believe they really are whatever they’ve changed their bodies to look like. Others become depressed and suicide is common.

018 Body Mods

Dale “The Animal Man” Torrick (Wild Inhuman Looking Dysmorph)

Level 2 Crazy Attributes- AWR 18, AGY 17, CHM 0, END 17, INL 3, SPD 20, STH 20, WIL 10, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 6. Appearance- The animal man wears no clothes. He looks like a cross between a dog or cat and a human. His arms are elongated and his legs shortened. Muscles and tendons have been moved and his feet and hands altered so that he can run on all fours at high speeds. His upper and lower jaw have been elongated to form a snout with sharp teeth. His ears are large and pointed. His neck has been altered so that it cranes up while he is on all fours. He was once covered all over with short, thick gray fur, but now the fur is falling out in patches, showing taut tendons and pink skin crisscrossed with surgical scars. Social Status- The animal man is currently the ‘pet’ of a city drug lord. The animal man is cared for and protected and follows his master’s commands. The animal man sleeps at the foot of his master’s bed and protects him. His master sometimes tortures people by having the animal man eat them alive. His master pays for food, medical care, and even prostitutes for the animal man. Sometimes the animal man does something which displeases his master and he is kicked out temporarily. During these times he sleeps on the streets and eats out of dumpsters. History- The animal man was once Dale Torrick, a corporate human resources worker, but he left the corporation and came to the city because he couldn’t find anyone in the corporation who shared his fetish. For as long as he could remember, Dale enjoyed pretending to be a loving, obedient pet and he could only achieve sexual satisfaction while playing this role. Dale sought out lovers who would support him and allow him to act out this role 24 hours a day. As soon as he left the corp he started saving up for surgeries that would allow him to walk on all fours comfortably. Dale’s family tried to stop him, even tried to get him committed, but Dale always managed to escape. As he started getting surgeries, he started to feel that he belonged in an animal body and that his body was a curse. Dale’s surgeries became more and more radical: he even had his tongue and vocal cords altered so that he could no longer speak, he could only make mewing and growling sounds. Dale stopped responding to his own name. Dale’s lover began to miss human companionship, but every time she brought home a man, Dale would attack him. Eventually, she paid some freelancers to beat Dale up and kick him out. He hooked up with a few new masters, but it always ended badly when the Animal Man attacked someone. About a year ago, the Animal Man was captured by the agents of a drug lord who wanted him as a pet. Despite this violent start the two have formed a strong bond. Personality- The Animal Man has suppressed his capacity for rational thought. He almost never thinks in words. He does not think about the past nor plan for the future. He has no sense of ethics or morality aside from a pack-animal’s instinct not to do anything which would upset the pack leader. The Animal Man is wary of strangers but becomes friendly to anyone who treats him with kindness. The Animal Man still lusts after human females. Special Powers- Enhanced hearing (+5 to hearing based AWR rolls), enhanced sense of smell (+5 to smell based AWR rolls), hand and foot claws (2 bladed damage, +7 to climbing rolls), enhanced jaws and fangs (3 bladed damage, hard strike), +7 to save vs. hypothermia. Typical Attack- His first attack is a paired slash with his claws at 1d20 vs. 5. If successful, the victim takes 1 bladed damage and must make 2 saves vs. distracting pain (20 difficulty each). Then the animal man goes in for a simultaneous vital strike with his teeth at 1d20 vs. 10. If successful, it does 6 bladed damage.

Do-Overs In Brief- Want biomods to make them look like children. Most people think poorly of them. A growing minority want a combination of surgery and genetic therapy that will make them look like children. This group is known as “do-overs” because many claim that they are tying to get another chance at childhood. In recent years, it had become possible to make an adult look completely like a child (to the naked eye) but this costs millions of dollars. Most do-overs are “inter-op”, they have had some of the surgeries and genetic treatments and look somewhat like children. Inter-ops range from people who look like adults with baby-faces, to people who look like adult midgets, to people who look almost completely like children except for a few subtle details. Community- Do-overs are a vocal group and are fighting for legal rights and acceptance. Many do-overs want private and government healthcare to pay for their surgeries. They claim it is the only way they can achieve mental health. Others want to be able to gain legal status as minors. The do-overs have gained no ground on these fronts, but this doesn’t stop them from protesting loudly (sometimes violently).

Some Opinions About Do-Overs “I think the majority of them are just child molesters who think they can get away with having sex with children more easily if they look like children themselves. I mean, you ask one of these bastards: do you plan on having sex with any children once you get this surgery? They’ll give you some smarmy answer like ‘sex play among children is a normal and healthy way of discovering sexual identity.’ Which means: yeah, I’m going to come after your children, and you won’t be able to stop me because I’ll look just like them.” -Latvia Marconi, Worker

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

“I’m sorry if they had sad childhoods, but it sounds to me like they want to shirk all responsibilities and make other people take care of them. Sorry, life is tough, life isn’t fair, but if you have the faculties to take care of yourself, you have the responsibility to do at least that. There are real kids, who don’t have any choice but to be helpless, and they hardly have enough resources. I’ll tell you what, too, I’ve been around enough children, I can tell when someone’s faking, and if one of these people comes around the orphanage looking for someone to take care of them, I’m kicking them out on their asses.” -Raul “Pinky” Montagna, Orphan

Body Mods 019

Some Opinions About Do-Overs (continued)

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

“It sounds like we’re trying to persecute another victimless crime here. I mean, get over it people! If someone you don’t even know wants to have some wacko surgery, why the hell is it any of your business? It’s not like it’s going to be an epidemic. It’s not like ninety percent of the population is going to turn back into kids and there will be nobody left to take care of things. This is America, you dumbshits, and being an American means putting up with people you don’t like doing things you don’t like. If they can afford the surgery, let them do it, and if they want the state to pay for foster care for them, well hell, they probably would have been on welfare anyway.” -Coby Chao, Risen “Everyone deserves a childhood where they feel loved and safe and can figure out who they are. If you take that away from someone, they’re never going to be a productive member of society. If this is what people need to become healthy, let them do it. People have a right to be healthy, and that means mental health too. It’s an absolute right, a human right, and when people try to deprive you of your rights, you are justified in fighting back.” -Brandy “Proto” Valdez, Sexologist

020 Body Mods

Public Perceptions- Public perception of doovers is poor. Most people lump them in with fetishists or and/or dysmorphs and/or child molesters. See text boxes (this and previous page). Internal Variation- There are many divisions within the do-over community that most nondo-overs are unaware of. Some do-overs do not plan to have sexual relationships when they become children, others want to have sexual relationships with adults (“touch-me”) and others want to have relationships with other children (“play doctors”). Some do-overs plan to use a combination of genetic therapy and surgeries to allow them to grow back into adults at a normal rate (“sprouts”) and others plan to stay children for the rest of their lives (“peter pans”). Most seek out parental figures willing to treat them like children, but a few continue to leave normal adult lives (“citizens”). “Retros” are a minority who surround themselves with the music, VR, products and popular culture of their childhoods.

Transsexuals

Violent Criminals

In Brief- Full gender change available for a price. A minority of transsexuals are crazy and ruin the image of transsexuals in general. There is significant prejudice.

Serial Killers

Transsexuals are people who would like to live as a member of the opposite gender and, if possible, receive a sex change operation. Sex change operations are much cheaper and better now that they were in the 1950’s when they were first invented. A sex change begins with a $500 genetic treatment that, within a year, permanently changes most secondary sex characteristics (facial hair, voice pitch, breast tissues). The actual change of genitals can cost between $4000 to $7500 depending on whether the person wants to be able to reproduce as a member of the other gender. Additional cosmetic surgery can change bone structure and facial features to remove any remaining characteristics typical of the old gender. Few health care programs cover sex changes and many people in the city are too poor to afford them. Street people usually can’t afford any body modification and their only option is to use clothing, makeup and hairstyles to make them look like the other gender. Many wells and indies have taken genetic therapy to change their appearance, but their genitals are still those of the opposite gender. Public Perception- Transsexuals face significant discrimination in the city and elsewhere. Transsexuals have a hard time getting into gated communities and corporations (who don’t want to end up paying for an expensive surgery). Most city residents think that transsexuals are mentally ill. The problem is that there are transsexuals who are perfectly rational and when they achieve a sex change they are thereafter happy and normal. These are typically people whose brain structures look more like those of the opposite gender. On the other hand, a minority of people seeking a sex change are doing so because they are mentally ill. They have an obsessive and irrational hatred of their own bodies and they will do anything to change their bodies. These people are typically not any happier after a sex change. Many are fetishists and a few are dangerous. This minority of unhealthy transsexuals is much more visible than the healthy majority. Thus, most transsexuals have an uphill battle to convince others that they aren’t mentally ill. Many mentally healthy transsexuals refuse to make distinctions between healthy and unhealthy transsexuals because they don’t think anyone has the right to judge. Community- There a few national Transsexual lobbying groups, but they have little influence compared to other lobbying groups. Transsexuals discuss issues related to them in many net sites and chat rooms. The Transsexual Rights Group is a small group that holds meeting in the Front to Back bookstore on Christopher Street every Thursday evening. They rarely do anything but complain and have political debates. The transsexual community would be bigger and healthier if many post-op transsexuals didn’t abandon the community.

Sexual vs. Nonsexual In Brief- Most serial killer have sexual motives, many started as porn addicts or fetishists. When we speak of serial killers, we don’t just speak of people who kill, but those who do so for the sake of murder alone. Terrorists, muggers, professional assassins and gang warriors are not serial killers. The vast majority of serial killers are male, and the vast majority kill for sexual purposes. Rape is typically involved, either before or after the murder, or the murderer masturbates later while thinking about the murder. Of those rare non-sexual murderers, most are of the assassin type (see p.23). For many serial killers, murder is an extreme form of a sadism fetish. This fetish is usually acquired during a prolonged dependence on pornography. Most serial killers start with pornography that shows bondage or humiliation, then move on to porn that shows violence and extreme degradation, then move on to pornography featuring murder, then move on to the real thing. Many serial killers have been active in the city’s BDSM or fetish scenes. Most serial killers have multiple fetishes, most commonly: corporophilia, hypoxyphilia, necrophilia, partialism and zoophilia (see p.16). Many serial killers started as what city slang calls Otaku: shut-ins who gain all their enrichment and fulfillment through non-social internet activity. Many Otaku program their own VR worlds where they are the kings and they can do whatever they want. Their activities in these worlds usually start as harmless fun but inevitably descend into violent sex. When they have done everything and become bored with everything they can possibly do in their VR worlds, some Otaku leave their apartments and become real-life rapists and murderers. See p.360 in the main book for more.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

The majority of serial killers can be seen as being at the terminal end of an uncontrolled addiction to pornography and fetishistic sex for anxiety relief. When amateur profilers go looking for a serial killer, they often talk to porn traders, people in BDSM or fetish clubs and sex workers.

Violent Criminals 021

Organized vs. Disorganized In Brief- Disorganized killers are clumsy, angry, unintelligent losers with no self-control. Organized killers are heartless, methodical, intelligent and toy with victims and law enforcement. Profilers have found it useful to divide serial killers into two types. If the evidence at a crime scene shows a poorly planned, panicky blitz attack, the serial killer is disorganized. If the evidence shows a carefully planned and executed crime which the killer prolonged for quite a while, then the serial killer is organized.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Disorganized killers tend to have below average intelligence and poor impulse control. They often have histories of trouble with the law because they can’t control their emotions. They are usually social misfits: lonely losers who feel inadequate around other people, particularly women. They have poor hygiene and have little success in the fields of career, education or romance. Disorganized killers attack most often at night, most often near their homes. They suffer from terrible emotional problems and the only way they can feel better is to kill someone. When they find themselves unable to resist their impulses, they leave their apartments and wait in the shadows for the first lone female they can find. Their attacks are characterized by hatred and fear. They attack suddenly and with as much force as possible. Often, they destroy the victim’s face in order to turn the victim into an object. They rape only after the victim has been crippled or killed. They do not talk to the victim. When they are done they panic and flee the area, not bothering to clean up any evidence or dispose of the body. Disorganized killers often target elderly or disabled people because they are less likely to fight back. Disorganized killers may return to a crime scene to relive memories (and often to masturbate). They may try to contact the victims’ families in a confused attempt to connect with them. Many feel bad about what they’re doing but feel helpless to stop it (see Stop-Me Killers, next page). Their fetishes are more likely to involve inanimate objects (necrophilia, fetishistic cannibalism, corporophilia). Looking into their pasts, they tend to have chaotic, abusive families with no dependable authority figures. Traumatic events at a young age are common. Organized killers tend to be of above average intelligence. They tend to suffer from antisocial personality disorder (see Plastic Antisocials, p.28) and see other humans as playthings. They kill for pleasure, not out of fear or hatred. They are accomplished liars and manipulators, and may have friends and family who have no idea they are a serial killer. They do moderately well in the areas of education, career and romance.

022 Violent Criminals

Organized killers will attack at any time of day. They plan well ahead of time, making sure they have a safe spot they can take the victims to. They typically use their charm to talk the victims into following them. Their first attack is just enough to incapacitate the victims so they can be restrained. Once they have the victims in a secluded place, they take their time with them. They often have conversations with their victims. They rape and torture victims while they are alive and conscious. They may also engage in sexual activity after the victims are dead. They are conscientious about removing or destroying evidence and disposing of the bodies where they will not be found. They often dismember the bodies. Organized killers are often very curious about any investigation of their crimes. They will return to the crime scene to watch investigators and may try to join the investigation themselves. They may contact investigators to taunt them and play games with them. Organized killers don’t want help and don’t want to stop killing. They typically come from stable, although emotionally abusive, families with strong authority figures.

Typical Organized Serial Killer Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 11, CHM 15, END 9, INL 13, SPD 10, STH 10, WIL 9, BLD 5, BDY 4, INCY 3. Appearance- Late-twenties, short hair, clean shaven, dressed in expensive casual clothing, friendly smile, in a wheelchair with a bag of groceries on his lap. Motivations- The killer does not think about his actions in the sense of good or evil and he has no empathy for other humans. To him, hurting people is fun and killing them without getting caught is a challenging game. Methods- He goes to a neighborhood far from his home. He rolls up and down the streets looking for an attractive young woman. When he finds one he strikes up a conversation with her, asks her to help him get his groceries into his apartment. He will offer money or drugs, whichever he thinks is more likely to tempt her. He goes to a recently abandoned apartment building (one that doesn’t yet look abandoned) and takes her inside. As soon as they are out of the view of the public, he will zap her with a taser. He will force her to the floor and put her in plastic restraints, then drag her into a secluded basement where nobody will hear her screams. He will toy with her, conversing with her, threatening her, torturing her and raping her before finally killing her. When he is done he will carefully dismember the body and dump the pieces in a sewer. Special Skills- Immobilization (2), Self-Defense Weapons (2). Special Equipment- Taser (range 0-1, 3 electrical damage), Plastic Restraints, Hunting Knife (range 0-1, 2½ bladed damage), Torture Kit, Modern Chainmail armor under his clothes (AR 7, PR 3 bladed 1 blunt). Typical Attack- First he makes a pain/stun attack with his taser at INL (13) + AGY (9) +8 (skill) vs. 25 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0). Then he makes a Pain Grab at STH (10) + INL (13) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 vs. 0). As a reaction he dodges at AWR (13) + AGY (11) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 1).

Typical Disorganized Serial Killer Attributes- AWR 6, AGY 10, CHM 3, END 8, INL 5, SPD 9, STH 14, WIL 7, BLD 4, BDY 5, INCY 4. Appearance- Muscular, chubby, pockmarked skin, shaggy haircut, stubble, poorly fitting bluejeans and an old golf shirt. Motivation- Driven to kill and rape by anxiety, stress and self-hatred. He may try to control his impulses, but like an addict his cravings grow worse until he can’t stand it anymore. Methods- He leaves the house with a pipe, stalks the streets staying to the shadows, waits until he sees a young woman alone by herself. He tries to sneak up on her and hit her on the back of the head with the pipe. If he doesn’t find any women walking alone, he may try to break into the apartment of an older shut-in from his building and kill and rape her. Special Equipment- Pipe (range 1, 3 blunt damage). Typical Attack- Pain/stun attack at INL (5) + AGY (10) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 10). As a reaction he makes a simultaneous strike at STH (14) + AGY (10) +WIL (7) +1d20 vs. 45 (or 1d20 vs. 14).

Low Arousal In Brief- Most serial killers show low reaction to emotional stimuli. Most serial killers have brains that do not become aroused easily. More stimuli is needed to provoke the same reaction than from a normal person. It takes more dangerous things to provoke fear in them, it takes more arousing things to turn them on, it takes greater punishment or pain to make them feel bad, and it takes more exciting things to hold their interest. They are often daredevils and thrill seekers who perform dangerous stunts. They often resort to killing just to feel some real feelings, even if it’s feelings of fear, self-hatred and sexual arousal. When probed with subliminal analyzers (See p.123, FWTD main book) serial killers show little reaction to any stimuli and only faint signs of arousal at scenes of murder and rape.

be thought of as heroes, or kill people close to them so they can receive compassion for their “grief”. Women are much more likely to use poison than brute force. They typically have better control over their impulses and are less likely to ever be caught.

Stop-Me Killers In Brief- Some serial killers like to believe they can’t stop, make half-hearted attempts to get help. Many serial killers, especially of the disorganized type, don’t want to kill. They are driven to kill by stress and anxiety, but the fact that they are serial killers only increases their stress and anxiety. Many serial killers seek to treat their own psychological problems, but these attempts are as disorganized as their lives and usually fail. Some serial killers send messages to investigators, begging the investigators to catch them and stop them. The “stop me” notes are really just a convenient fiction to help the serial killers pretend that they are under the control of an unstoppable illness. Serial killers who really want to stop simply turn themselves in.

Assassins In Brief- Kill quickly and methodically, angry and paranoid, often snipers. The assassin type is a unique type, separate from both organized and disorganized killers. Most serial killers kill, torture, rape and mutilate, while assassins just kill. Most assassins are snipers, using the most logical way to kill people without putting themselves in danger. Most assassins do not kill for sexual motives. Assassins don’t need their victims to see them. They do, however, like to see their victims die. Assassins are mostly frightened people who only feel a sense of power over their own lives when they kill others.

Assassins are typically angry, paranoid loners. They think everyone is out to get them and they hate everyone for that. They have typically been obsessed with weapons and the military from an early age. Many have joined the military or a mercenary group, but their paranoia made them unable to succeed. They are Female Serial Killers often obsessive-compulsive people, certain that their In Brief- Rare, almost never sexually motivated, often meticulous, superstitious way of doing things is the only more subtle. right way. There are very few true female serial killers. There have been several females involved in serial murder, but they are often just helping a male relative or lover. True women serial killers rarely kill from sexual motives. They are more likely to kill people they know. They often kill people that represent some group or organization that has offended or angered them. They are more likely to kill in a way they think is “putting people out of their misery”: they may kill hostel patients, retarded people, homeless crazies, children, etc. Some put people in dangerous situations just to save them and

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Assassins are often very prejudiced, seeing any group of people not like them as being less-than-human. They have little empathy for anyone and think most people deserve to get killed. Assassins often target some particular group: homeless people, addicts, sex workers, old people, people of a particular race, homosexuals, etc. They may believe they are on a holy mission to cleanse the world of these groups. For the most part, this hate is just an excuse: what really motivates them is a hatred of all humanity and the pleasure that killing people brings.

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It is not uncommon to find drugs or drug paraphernalia at a serial murder scene. Many disorganized serial killers In Brief- Kill sporadically when voices tell them to. use drugs to give them courage to commit their murders. Some organized killers give drugs to women in order to Some schizophrenics kill because they hallucinate voices lure them into a secluded spot. Many serial killers are ordering them to (often Satan or God). These killers thrill seekers and they use drugs to enhance the thrill and don’t fit well into the profile of serial killers: they kill pleasure of the experience of killing. sporadically, they do not normally have sex with victims, and they are likely to commit other crimes (assault, arson, Many people who are on drugs commit murders that vandalism). They usually try to contact investigators to they would never commit while sober. God killer is explain themselves, although their explanations are often the number one drug that leads to murder of strangers, rambling and nonsensical. Schizophrenic serial killers alcohol is number two. When they sober up they may tend to kill in bursts: they may kill a few people over a be surprised or horrified by what they’ve done, if they period of a few days while their symptoms are at a peak, remember it at all. They may commit murders again then there will be a long period with no killings as the and again every time they get high. In many ways, these killers resemble normal disorganized serial killers, symptoms subside. only more disorganized: there is no attempt to hide their identity from investigators, they often leave personal Serial Killers and Drugs items at the scene, they often attempt rape but can’t In Brief- Drugs often used in connection with murder. get an erection. These killers rarely last long: they get Some kill while high with ultra-disorganized pattern. caught by investigators, or get killed when they attack people who are capable of self-defense.

Schizophrenic Killers

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The Kafe In Brief- VR chatroom, in torture-room themes, where people claiming to be NY serial killers meet. The Kafe is a full-immersion VR chatroom that purports to be a gathering place for city serial killers. The Kafe was set up a year ago, anonymously, on a service that allows people to set up free chat rooms (people have to view ads upon entering and exiting). The Kafe appears as a large club with a bar, all decked out in a dungeon theme. The floor is a metal grate with nothing but darkness beneath it. The walls are slabs of bloodstained industrial concrete with chains bolted to them. The whole place is dimly lit by bare bulbs suspended from the ceiling. The default background music is angry thrash music that kids in city dance clubs often slam to. The tables, chairs and bar are all cold, black wrought iron. The Kafe is filled with various bots: autonomous programs with very limited AI. There is a bartender, who looks like a burly bare-chested man with a bondage mask on, who serves various drinks and snacks. Most of drinks and snacks are cannibalism themed (e.g. bloody marys with real blood, fried labia strips, etc.). There are also many “victim bots,” mostly attractive young women in torn and skimpy clothing. The victim bots cower in the corners until a Kafe patron attacks them. They react to attacks with screams and whimpering and they “die” if they take too much damage. Some fight back, but weakly. The victim bots regenerate after a few hours. There are also a few automated torture machines that victims can be stuck in.

Serial Arsonists In Brief- Mostly young, maladjusted males. May start fires to be a hero, to feel powerful or to satisfy a frightening compulsion. Before 2078, the city fire department was corrupt and mostly useless. The city lived in fear of arsonists. Since young gang-type teenagers have been hired to fight fires, the problem has not been so horrible. Yet there are still many arsonists in the city. For profiling purposes, serial arsonists are those who don’t set fires for money, to gain revenge on enemies or to conceal evidence of a crime. Serial arsonists are young, most are 15 to 20 years old. Most are single and live alone or with parents. Most are male. Many have physical defects, many wet their beds, many have attempted suicide. Most are socially and sexually maladjusted. Most had an unhappy childhood. They were neglected or their parents provided inconsistent discipline (sometimes lenient, sometimes harsh). Most have a fear and hatred of authority figures.

Hero Arsonists- This is the rarest type of arsonist. They set fires so that they can be “the hero,” by calling in the fire, alerting people in the building and leading people to safety. They generally light large apartment buildings on fire so they can save more people. There is a bulletin board on the wall where people can post Although they will hang around the scene for as long messages. Many of the messages are people telling stories as possible to receive praise, they will rarely give their about murders they have committed. Others are tips and real names. Hero arsonists often try to join the fire tricks. A few are people looking for partners in crime. squad. At the Kafe’s peak hours, 9pm to midnight, there are usually around 10 people there. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes: a few look like ordinary people, a few look like animals or monsters. The majority are idealized versions of serial killer stereotypes: tall, muscular, dark eyes, arched eyebrows, scars, cammo, bloodstained wifebeaters, weapons in sheaths, expressionless faces, boots and spikes.

Power Arsonists- This type feel powerless in their personal lives and starting fires gives them a feeling of power and control. A minority set fire only to places without people in them. The majority want to kill people and set fire to densely populated buildings. They typically plan out the arson ahead of time. Some even call in false alarms to the fire department so that the fire fighters will be distracted elsewhere.

The big question about the Kafe is this: is anyone who come to the Kafe claiming to be a serial killer really what he or she claims to be? Most people log-in through anonymizers or through coin operated VR stations. Some of the people there are amateur profilers who are there trying to figure out if anyone is a real serial killer. Most of the people there are porn addicts and confused adolescents who idolize serial killers but are too scared of being caught to carry out their fantasies in the real world. They probably have the same psychological problems as serial killers, just not as bad. But are there actual serial killers who come to the Kafe? The best answer anyone has so far is “probably.” Every once in a while people show up in the Kafe claiming to be Colin, but experienced Colin Hunters have proven that these people are fakes.

Pyromaniacs- This type feel an irresistible compulsion to start fires, an internal stress that builds and builds until they light the fire. Most are ashamed and frightened of their compulsion. They try to resist but fail. They try to set fire to buildings that don’t have people living in them. However, they eventually cause deaths, either because homeless people are sleeping in the buildings or because the fires spread to inhabited buildings. A larger than normal percentage of pyromaniacs are retarded, though some are of average or above average intelligence. In many cases, the compulsion to start fires is part of an extreme form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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The Sadistic Rapist- This type of rapist is more-or-less a serial killer of the organized type who doesn’t find it In Brief- Rape to prove they aren’t losers, because of necessary to kill victims afterwards. Like the organized hatred of women or because they think humans are toys serial killer, they typically have antisocial personality disorder and see other humans as nothing more than for their amusement. toys for their amusement. Of all the rapists, they are The following types of rapists are all serial stranger rapists. the most likely to be intelligent, have good social skills They are almost universally male, and the vast majority and have a healthy sex life. are heterosexual. Other types of rapists not discussed are “date” or “acquaintance” rapists. Most of these rapists take The Sadistic Rapist typically stalks and kidnaps young advantage of women who are drunk or on drugs or they women, then takes them to an abandoned place. They will drug women without their knowledge. Compliance will use gags and restraints and will keep the victims drops (p.111, FWTD main book) are often called “rape for days. They torture and abuse and often tell the drops” because they are quite often purchased for the victim she will be killed. They use drugs and alcohol to purpose of rape. People who rape children are discussed enhance the pleasure of their experiences. under Child Molesters (p.27). There are also people who rape adult relatives or who rape wives or lovers.

Serial Rapists

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Spree Killers

The Loser Rapist - This type has low intelligence, low social skills, low self-worth, few friends and does not date. They often live with their parents and will seem quiet, passive and not especially masculine. Many have fetishes that don’t require a consenting partner (e.g. exhibitionism, frotteurism, hypoxyphilia, transvestic fetishism, underwear fetishism, voyeurism). Loser Rapists rape to boost their self-esteem and they seek out victims whenever something happens that damages their self-esteem. In their minds, loser rapists think they’re going to have real human intimacy. They believe they have actual “relationships” with their victims. They may believe that the victims enjoyed the experience and they may try to contact the victims again in the future.

In Brief- Most use guns, others find creative alternatives. They are paranoid, hate everyone, often use drugs. The worst move from site to site. These are people who kill a lot of people in a short period of time. Spree killings have been strongly correlated with the availability of guns. The worst spree killings in the city were in the years before the Freedom Wars. Every few weeks, killers with automatic weapons and body armor would walk down the densely packed streets, taking out hundreds. Hundreds more would be crushed to death in the panic to get away. Since gun ownership has declined in the city, spree killing has declined. Yet guns are still available to those who can afford them, and some people spend decades saving up for guns for their killing sprees.

Other spree killers get creative: One spree killer drove around town running over 15 people before Night Shift officers caught up with him. Another spree killer wore spiked armor coated in poison and then went on to a subway and started attacking people with a chainsaw, killing 30. A third killer used a mental program to give her dead-aim, then she went up on to a rooftop and shot 12 people with a bow and poisoned arrows before the The Anger Rapist- This type of rapist is more intelligent Roofers got to her. and has better social skills, but they are tortured by misogyny, a fear and hatred of women. Hurting and Spree killers are typically paranoid loners who decided a degrading women helps them feel power over them. long time ago that everyone is their enemy. Sometimes Some date or even marry, but they never feel emotional a single act triggers the spree, sometimes they attack on closeness with their wives or girlfriends. The anger a date they set far in advance. They often feel rejected rapist feels a need to prove his masculinity and often does and think that killing a lot of people will bring them traditionally masculine things: getting a job that involves the respect they deserve. They typically expect to be heavy lifting, marrying a feminine woman and having a caught, and most try to commit suicide when their spree lot of children. Even their clothing and mannerism are is over. For them, the spree is a final act of revenge meant to make them seem more macho. before death. Loser rapists typically prowl the streets late at night, looking for victims (primarily women) who are walking alone. The rapes are poorly planned. The rapists use their strength or an improvised weapon to threaten the victims. They do not intend to harm or cause pain to the victim, and will only become violent if the rape gets out of their control.

When angered by their wives or girlfriends, anger rapists will seek to release their anger by raping someone. The rapes are usually violent and cruel. The rapists will insult their victims and force them to do degrading things. Anger rapists may look for victims in bars, talking the victims into following them to a secluded place.

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Drugs, especially god killer, are often involved. Often the only thing that differentiates a Spree Killer from a God Killer Rampager is the amount of planning involved: rampagers attack with whatever they have available, Spree Killers are well equipped.

The highest bodycount in recent times has been achieved by spree killers who went to a crowded place, killed a lot of people, then escaped before the police could arrive, then went somewhere else to do the same thing. The panicked Night Shift is left trying to figure out where the spree killer will strike next.

Typical Spree Killer Attributes- AWR 6, AGY 8, CHM 4, END 9, INL 7, SPD 10, STH 11, WIL 6, BLD 3, BDY 3, INCY 6. Appearance- Skinny multi-racial male, under a beige raincoat he wears heavy body armor, carrying paired automatic pistols, a pipe bomb strapped to one leg, with greasy hair in a military cut and a sweaty red face. Motivations- He hates everyone, he thinks everyone is laughing at him and trying to screw up his life. He knows he won’t live through the day and he wants to take out as many people as he can before he dies. Methods- He will walk into a crowded place, like a fast food restaurant or dance club, his weapons hidden under his raincoat. He pulls out the weapons and starts spraying the crowd. When he has emptied both clips he takes off running, heading for the next place on his list. Special Powers- The killer has done a dose of god killer and is at +15 to save vs. pain/fear/unconsciousness. Special Skills- Automatic Weapons (3) Special Equipment- Two automatic pistols (ROF 10, FR 8 ft, 5 bladed damage) with 20 30-round clips, Motorcycle Outfit (AR 7 PR 3 bladed 1 blunt), Kevlar Vest (AR 5, PR 6 bladed, 1 blunt, -2 AGY penalty already figured in). Typical Attack- An Area Attack with both pistols, sweeping a 10 ft. area, at INL (7) +10 (ROF) -4 (paired) +12 (skill) -1/8ft. +1d20 vs. 25 +10 (area in ft.), or 1d20 -1/8 ft. vs. 10. Everyone in the area he is firing at, who can’t beat his success with a reaction, takes 10 bladed damage (from 2 bullets).

Child Molesters In Brief- Molest children because children are what is available, because they are uncomfortable with adults, because they think sex is about power, or because they are heartless fetishistic sadists. Situational Molesters- This is the most common type of child molester. They do not prefer sex with children; they only molest children when children happen to be convenient sexual outlets. Some are mentally deficient and don’t understand the difference between children and adults. Others do know and just don’t care. These rapists often molest when under stress and often while drunk. Their victims are those close to them. Female step-children are the most common victims,

the next most common are female biological relatives (daughters, sisters, cousins), the third most common are male step-children and the least common victims are male biological relatives. Seductive Molester- This is the second most common kind of molester. They seek both sex and affection from children. Their emotional and/or social skills development is often equivalent to those of the children they prey on. They are usually social misfits, unable to deal with adults as equals. They typically live alone, most are on welfare or disability, and they have few adult friends. This group will try to befriend children, buying them gifts, playing games with them, etc. This type is rarely violent towards children, although they may threaten them in order to keep them quiet. Most of this group have convinced themselves that they are providing real affection to their victims, and that the children like or it benefit from it. This type may collect child pornography but they are unlikely to engage in child sex rings. Dominance Molester- This type are not fixated on children, they are rapists who choose children because children do not have the physical or emotional strength to resist. Many of this type of molester were, themselves, molested as children. To them, sex is nothing more than a way to dominate others and prove one’s own power. Molesters of this type often have extensive child pornography collections and may participate in child sex rings. They use threats and shame to keep their victims quiet. They will use violence if the children fail to submit. This type of molesters will find children to rape wherever they can: strange children, children of friends or their own family. These molesters have moderately good social skills and may be married. Sadistic Molester- This type of molester has a lot in common with Organized Serial Killers and Sadistic Rapists. They are fetishists who get off on the idea of breaking society’s greatest taboo by raping and torturing children. By hurting society’s most treasured members, they often feel that they are thumbing their noses at society, proving themselves better than it. They have no empathy for their victims and no sense of personal moral responsibility or remorse for their actions.

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The sadistic child molester is highly organized: they kidnap vulnerable children, taking them to a secure place and performing ritualized activities on them. Sadistic molesters can easily become serial killers if they find it is easier to dispose of children by killing them. While seductive and dominance molesters are more likely to choose female victims, sadistic child molesters are more likely to choose males (though they are not necessarily homosexual in their dealing with adults).

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The Teddy Bear Club The Teddy Bear club is one of the most exclusive and most powerful child-porn trading rings in the world. They are very secretive and law enforcement has only heard rumors of their existence. The group meets on a message board. The message board is very well hidden and is invite only (if one were to stumble on it, all one would see is a blank login screen). It runs on a server in a dark pit country (see p.395, main book) and members use the latest encryption and anonymizers so that nobody can track their activities. People are invited into the club only when they have been seen trading child porn on less exclusive message boards for a number of years.

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The club currently has 57 members. All are male, in their thirties to fifties. Most live in the US or Britain. They range from middle class to millionaires. Some are computer professionals who got wealthy rebuilding the internet after the Freedom Wars. A few are high level government officials. Most know each other only by their internet handles. Members log an average of 4 hours a day on the board. They trade copious amounts of child porn, including some made-to-order by members. Most of the child porn is of the intensely cruel variety that appeals most to Sadistic Molesters. They tell stories about their own experiences molesting children. It is never clear whether these stories are true or are just fantasies. They trade tips and tricks on everything from how to configure the encryption software on their computers to how to get children to follow them home to how to get blood-stains out of mattresses. They analyze law enforcement data and spy on activities of antichild-porn groups (including the Orphans and Sexologists). If they identify a real threat to their organization, they use their influence to sabotage the threat. Some bribe corrupt government officials to get the threats into legal trouble. Others pay underworld contacts to arrange random street violence for the threats. Members sometimes help each other with personal problems. Members have loaned thousands of dollars to other members. The most ambitious project of the group is an attempt to create a mental program which will hide pedophilia from the screening programs used by gated communities. There are three members in the New York area. Miles Cook (Pigfucker) lives in the city. He is a part time computer programmer. He is mostly a shut-in, although he leaves the house to go to the red light district to purchase never-before seen child porn. Seth Rosales (Thumbscrew) is an account manager in a bank in New Jersey. He is married and has two children (who he does not molest). He is constantly making excuses to leave town, during which times he goes to the city, hires child prostitutes, and records himself having sex with them. The third member in the New York area is Noah Cleveland (Badge), an FBI agent at New York FBI office in Albany. He became an FBI agent and got himself transferred to the sex crimes division specifically so he could gain access to child porn. He spends much of his time in the city alone, staying in cheap hotels at government expense. He hunts down people who have child porn, busts them, and then makes illicit copies for himself before giving the porn to the FBI. He will not bust anyone he knows to be a member of, or related to, the Teddy Bear Club. He keeps an eye on international law enforcement databases and keeps club members informed of any investigations of the club or anyone who might be a member. Noah’s wife left him and took the kids after she began to suspect he might be molesting them.

Plastic Antisocials In Brief- Amoral, natural manipulators, professional con artists, use plastic surgery to change identities and aid in seduction. Antisocial personality disorder is a number of personality traits that are found together in certain individuals. Antisocial personality disorder is common among the psychologically motivated criminals, especially serial killers, rapists and child molesters. The traits of antisocials are: -Lack of empathy for other people. -No sense of personal moral responsibility. -Excellent liars and manipulators. -Little need to be liked or to belong to a group. -Impatience and inability to plan ahead. -Hedonism. People with antisocial disorder are dangerous for two reasons: First, because they will do just about anything they think they can get away with, just for the pleasure of doing it. Second, because they are excellent at hiding their true natures. It is often frightening to talk with people with antisocial personality disorder because they seem to have a huge blind spot about their own culpability for their actions. A person with antisocial personality disorder may push an old woman down the stairs. Later, if asked who was at fault, the person will say that it was the old woman’s fault for standing so close to the stairs where she could be easily pushed. This is not a clumsy attempt to shift blame on another person, the antisocial truly doesn’t think of himself as an actor in the realm of morality. Those with the most extreme versions of this disorder have little sense of their own true selves. There is the act that they put on to fool society into accepting them, and there is their unrestrained desires, but concepts of self-esteem, or guilt, or personal ideals are meaningless to them. When a normal person is in a room alone, that person may think “I am all by myself.” An extreme antisocial may think “there is nobody here.” The majority of people with antisocial personality disorder do not become serial killers or rapists or child molesters. For them, the benefit does not outweigh the risk. Most content themselves with petty thievery. Because they are so often good at manipulation, many become con-artists. Although their acts are not as blatantly violent as that of serial killers, they can destroy lives and cause deaths when they rob people of needed resources. The most dangerous type of antisocial con-artist is what has become recently known as the “plastic antisocial.” The plastic antisocial uses the money gained from con games to pay for plastic surgery. The plastic surgery makes the plastic antisocials incredibly attractive, which makes it easier for them to manipulate people. The plastic antisocial also uses plastic surgery to change identities whenever they are found out. Plastic antisocials are excellent identity thieves because they can perfectly impersonate the people whose identities they are stealing. These antisocials have no problem faking romantic love, through dating, courtship and marriage, just so they can rob the person of everything they own.

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Colin

Typical Plastic Antisocial Attributes- AWR 15, AGY 10, CHM 19, END 7, INL 15, SPD 14, STH 15, WIL 5, BLD 5, BDY 4, INCY 3. Appearance- Tall, handsome mid-twenties male, with an intelligent face, intense eyes and kind smile. Hair is carefully styled. Wearing a tailor-fitted suit made from the finest fabrics. Smoking an expensive cigarette. Motivations- The plastic antisocial lives a very expensive lifestyle of the best drugs, the best prostitutes, the best vehicles and dwellings, and plastic surgery at the best outof-town clinics. The plastic antisocial can spend $10,000 in a single month, and needs to cheat a lot of people out of a lot of money. Methods- The plastic antisocial has several ways to cheat people out of money. He sometimes offers an incredible business deal or investment opportunity, a stake in a criminal venture or cures for diseases. He sometimes poses as a priest and offers miracles. The quickest and easiest way for him to get money, however, is to offer love. He finds some lonely and wealthy woman and hooks up with her. He does whatever he can to alienate her from her friends, knowing that friends are more likely to recognize the plastic antisocial as a gravedigger. He often accomplishes this by planting the seeds of paranoia, telling his victim that her friends were talking about her behind her back or were trying to steal away the plastic antisocial for themselves. The plastic antisocial often makes sure the victim drinks a lot of alcohol and doesn’t get much sleep so that the victim can’t think clearly about what’s happening. The plastic antisocial eventually asks for the victim’s bank codes, usually with some pretense about needing to put some money in the victim’s account for tax purposes. As soon as the plastic antisocial gets the account, he dumps all her money into one of his secret offshore accounts, steals anything from the victim’s home worth stealing, and then disappears from her life forever. He changes his appearance and identity so he cannot be caught. Special Skills- Money (3), Disguise (3), Forgery (4), Impersonation (3), Gambling (3), Seduction (3). Special Equipment- Palmtop: Combo, Pheromone Glands (+8 to seduction rolls), Sexual Implant, Voice Synth (+15 to impersonation rolls), Internal Armor (halves damage), Pocket, Outfit: Formal-Tailored (+2 to seduction rolls), Fingerprint Pads, Retinaprint Contacts, Sports Car (with aggressive theft alarm and telepresence). Typical Attack- The plastic antisocial can seduce people at CHM (19) +8 (pheromone glands) +2 (tailored outfit) +8 (skill) +1d10 vs. 20 (or 1d20 +17 vs. 0). When forced to hurt someone, he usually gets someone else to do it by seducing them or paying them. If attacked, the plastic antisocial will either try to pay off the person doing the attacking or will run away and will try to get to a place where he can disguise himself. If he can’t get away, the plastic antisocial will attack with his fists as a pain/stun attack at INL (15) + AGY (10) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 0) and will react with a dodge at AWR (15) + AGY (10) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 0). The plastic antisocial may also try to use his palmtop computer to remotely control his sports car, trying to make it drive up and ram his enemies.

Strains In Brief- Some lines of Colin reproduction have unique skills and methods. Many people have compared Colin to a virus, and have used models created to predict what viruses will do to predict what Colin will do. Viruses mutate, and some mutations are better at reproducing than others. These strains become more populous while the other strains tend to die off. Many Colin Hunters believe the same will happen with Colin. They worry that some Colin will gain some skills that will allow him to reproduce much more quickly. They are especially worried about him getting trained by some of the gangs that have remarkable abilities (e.g. Animalists, Bleeders, Math Addicts, Needle Punks). Colin Hunters compare notes about the things they have seen Colin do, hoping to isolate and describe different strains. So far, they have verified that different Colins have different abilities, but they haven’t been able to identify actual strains (of course, Colin Hunters can’t even figure out whether the number of Colins in the city is in the tens, hundreds or thousands). Psychic Colin- Colin does not have much natural ability or talent where psychic skills are concerned. In fact, Colin is probably one of the poorest candidates for psychic training around. One Colin, though, captured an electrochemical biofeedback machine and spent about 12 hours a day every day for a year training to develop psychic powers. Even with all his training he is not a very good psychic and his new bodies seek out pro-psychic drugs (Soma and Sibosin) to boost their abilities. This strain has Control Attack (2), Hallucination Attack (2), Psychic Defense (2), Mind Reading (1) and Psychic Sense (2). When he has been using Sibosin and Soma for several days in a row (as he usually has been when he goes out hunting) he is at +9 to psychic WIL rolls, +4 to psychic AWR rolls and he suffers from Hallucinations (10), -2 to most INL rolls, and must make 30 difficulty WIL rolls to avoid mutilating his own body. His typical attack uses the Control Attack skill to try to force people to hurt themselves with their own weapons. He attacks at WIL (15) +4 (skill) +9 (drugs) -1/ft. away from victim +1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 -1/ft. vs. 2). There are about 50 of this strain of Colin in the city.

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Martial Arts Colin- This Colin has trained himself in unarmed martial arts, figuring that they would help him capture new bodies without hurting them. This Colin tends to go after physically fit individuals (as opposed to other Colins, who go after people nobody

Colin 029

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would suspect of being a Colin). This strain is more bold in physical combat, openly attacking rather than making sneak attacks. He prides himself on being able to kill people with his bare hands. He often tries to assassinate enemies of Colin. Since this Colin takes more risks, he gets killed at a much higher rate, which is why he is not more populous. He has Immobilization (3), Slam (2), Street Fighting: Unarmed (3), Subway Fighting (2), Tae Kwon Do (4). His typical first attack is a split action jump and pain/stun attack with his fists at INL (19) + AGY (5) +16 (skill) -10 (split action) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0). As a reaction he parries blows with the back of his hand. Assuming average STH, his parry is at STH (10) + AGY (5) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +2 vs. 0). There are about 30 of this strain of Colin in the city. Maxin Addict Colin- At some point, one Colin was using the smart drug Maxin while doing some hacking and he became psychologically addicted to it. Every Colin in this strain is addicted and seeks out Maxin as soon as they are released from the mental installer. Maxin causes Colin to be even more quick witted and to grow bored more quickly. This strain usually doesn’t have the patience to try to take over the life of his new body. Instead, this Colin wanders the city trying to talk his way into sensitive places (e.g. industrial complexes that work with very toxic chemicals, the Night Shift evidence locker, the city subway control room, the homes of Drug Lord kings, etc.). While on Maxin his attributes are AGY 5, AWR 15, CHM 17, INL 25, WIL 16 and he has +4 to save vs. unconsciousness and -4 to save vs. fear/anger/pain/nausea. He usually keeps up a stream of chatter while fighting. His typical action is a vital strike with a knife at INL (25) + AGY (5) +16 (skill) + 1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 + 11 vs. 0). As a reaction he entangles the weapon with a jacket at, assuming average STH, INL (25) + STH (10) + 1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0). There are about 15 of this strain of Colin in the city. Internet Colin- This Colin came out wrong – there was a short in the mental installer and not everything got copied over. This Colin can barely walk and usually tries to get around in a wheelchair. He often targets people in wheelchairs for reproduction, to avoid suspicion about someone who could walk suddenly being unable to. Since this strain is not as agile, he has started increasing his hacking skills. He intended to use hacking to discover the location of black market mental installers. What has happened instead is that he has gained a curious obsession with inserting himself into communication and entertainment. He taps into random internet connections and leaves weird messages. A person might get a videophone call from a friend saying “Hey, I’m gonna go get turned into a Colin, do you want to come?” or a person might be watching a VR sitcom, but in the middle of the show a black clothed stranger with a bowl-cut comes in and slaughters everyone, and the last surviving

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character says “oh Colin, you wacky guy,” before getting her throat slit. It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to put together these pranks. Many Colin Hunters wonder why he goes to the trouble. The answer is that Colin is conducting massive psychological warfare against the whole city. He wants people in the city to see Colin as a god, which is how he sees himself. This Colin has Anonymity (3), Data Pirating (3), Internet Browsing (4), Linework (3), Network Protocols (4), Operating Systems (5), Programming: VR (4), Sniffing (4) and System Prowling (4). There are only about 5 of this strain of Colin. Prison Colin- This Colin was caught trying to kidnap someone. This happened in 2072, long before Colin was “discovered” by the city at large. He was sent to state prison. In prison he refused to bow down to anyone and he was tortured and mutilated by a prison gang. The experienced has left Colin psychologically scarred. He spent the rest of his time in prison training his mind and body for his eventual release. Recently this Colin was released and began reproducing. This strain is the cruelest of all the strains, often more interested in torturing people than in staying hidden and reproducing. This strain doesn’t seem to be “having fun” like most other strains. He suffers from nightmares and insomnia, he is paranoid and jumpy, he often feels dissociated from the world and gets a spacey look in his eyes, and he sometimes even drinks alcohol (something no other Colins do). Prison Colin has Back To Wall (4), Light Sleep (3), Shiv (5), Assassin: Unarmed (4), Torture (5) and Drug Resistance (3). His typical attack is an invisible aim and an extra-vital strike with a shiv. Assuming he has average STH (10) the attack is at STH (10) + AGY (5) +16 (skill) +4 (invisible aim) +1d20 vs. 40 (or 1d20 vs. 5). If successful, the strike does 5 bladed damage. There are about 20 of this strain of Colin. Millionaire Colin- This Colin came up with the idea to create an anonymous offshore bank account, and every time he takes over someone’s life he dumps their money into the account. This strain targets Indies, the wealthier the better. The bank account now has millions of dollars in it. This strain hopes to collect enough money to buy a black market mental installer. This strain has a blanker mental program that can be used to forget the account number and password if captured. This program prevents Colin Hunters from being able to gain the information necessary to access to the account via torture or psychic intrusion. This Colin uses his money to buy the best in equipment: Nanotube Armor (AR 10 PR 6 bladed 2 burn) and Freedom Army Daggers (2 bladed dmg., pierces as 6, easy vital strike, 80 difficulty Paralysis within 1 round). His typical attack is a strike with the dagger at INL (19) + AGY (5) +16 (from 4 levels in Knife Fighting) + 1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 + 5 vs. 0). There are about 30 of this strain of Colin.

Colin – A Psychological Profile Mixed to Organized: In his original days as a killer, Colin had some of the characteristics of organized and disorganized serial killers. Like organized killers, he had higher than average intelligence and his murders were carefully planned. Like disorganized killers he had few social skills, attacked when personal stress and anxiety became too high, and had little success in job or education.

Colin still feels a need to prove himself smarter than other people. The reason people know about Colin is that Colin couldn’t resist telling others his clever plan. Cult Leader: In many ways, Colin today fits the profile of a cult leader (p.51) better than that of a serial killer except that Colin doesn’t want to be loved and adored, only feared. Like a cult leader, Colin covers self-doubts with megalomania and by making himself the most important person in the lives of others. Colin enjoys causing widespread fear in the population more than he does torturing a single individual. The more people who fear, hate or worship him, the more god-like he feels.

As he started reproducing his profile changed. He became more like an organized killer: He would toy with and have conversations with his victims. He would try to spy on investigators to see what they were saying about him. He would get access to victims by charming them and Beliefs: Colin’s belief that the world was created to tricking them into coming with him. manufacture him as god’s opponent may seem like the delusion of a schizophrenic. Close examination of this This shift was caused by his feeling of immortality. Once belief shows that it is not a true ‘delusion.’ It started as a he started copying himself, he began to feel that it didn’t fantasy that Colin didn’t really believe. As time went on, matter if one of his individual copies died. By overcoming he ‘chose’ to believe it, much as a religious person may his fear of death, he was able to bypass all his other fears choose to believe in a deity despite a lack of concrete and self-esteem problems as well. His feeling of godhood evidence. It is a strong belief, but not one he expects has blotted out most of his other personality elements and others to believe. has become his defining characteristic. Colin does hold some room for alternate beliefs: he As Colin’s fears and self-esteem problems were thinks that it is possible that god does not want him as submerged under megalomania, his motivations for an enemy, but that he will take over the world and defeat killing have changed. He used to kill to make himself god anyway. He also thinks that it is possible that there is feel powerful and to achieve sexual gratification (which no god, in which case he intends to become the only god. relived anxiety). Now he feels powerful, has little The only thing he is completely sure of is that he is no anxiety and when he kills it is for fun. In this way, Colin longer part of the world of mortals. is a lot like organized serial killers who have antisocial personality disorder. Like an antisocial, Colin sees people Respect: Colin doesn’t like himself and so he can’t as toys to amuse himself with. Unlike an antisocial, Colin respect anyone like him. He thinks of most serial killers is not oblivious to human empathy and moral concerns. and other violent criminals as pathetic wannabes. He wipes out anyone who tries to emulate him. He doesn’t Instead, he chooses to ignore those parts of him. want or need colleagues. Cruelty: A major component of Colin’s personality is cruelty. He enjoys causing people fear and pain, above Colin doesn’t respect anyone with religious or humanistic and beyond the sexual pleasure of a sexual sadism fetish. faith. He enjoys torturing them to show them that neither One of the few times Colin looses his cool is when he is god nor human nature are good. He doesn’t respect physical strength or combat skill. The only thing he torturing someone. Victims see raw hatred. Colin does respects are clever, ruthless opponents. Regardless of not just feel that he is hurting the individual, he feels he is his respect, he is too practical to spare the life of an striking out against god and the universe. opponent. Colin hates everything and everyone and he aims to make everyone suffer. Although he tortures with passion, he takes little pleasure in it. This is because his hatred of the universe is really just misplaced self-hatred. No matter how powerful he becomes, no matter how megalomaniacal his beliefs are, he still hasn’t learned to do anything but hate himself. He has become skilled at hiding this self-hatred, both from himself and others, but it can be seen when he tortures somebody. Self-Hatred: Some habits remain from his days as a shy, self-hating teenager. The persona he shows to the world is an act that has nothing to do with his true feelings or personality. He can work efficiently with himself, but he does not enjoy his own company. He often feels lonely. He doesn’t do anything about these feelings other than distract himself with his ‘project.’

Obsessive Compulsive: Colin has a few elements of an obsessive compulsive personality. He prides himself on his self-control. He plans in great detail. He doesn’t like things that are out of his control and he dislikes crudeness. He likes cleanliness but will put up with dirt when necessary (e.g. he resists the compulsion to bathe when he has taken over the body of a dirty homeless person).

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Sexual Orientation: Colin is mostly attracted to women, although he is capable of achieving orgasm during sadistic rape of any victim while in any body. He typically does not rape children, although he enjoys raping adults while in children’s bodies. He is rarely able to engage in nonsadistic sex. He looks at violent pornography when he comes across it, yet he rarely finds it exciting enough to achieve orgasm.

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Colin: External Relations

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Addicts- Colin avoids choosing Addicts to copy himself into because the addiction interferes with his activities. Colin does occasionally break this general rule, just to be unpredictable. Bleeders- Bleeders’ skills make them very good crime scene investigators. Amateur profilers among the Bleeders have tracked down a number of Colins. Crazies- Colin avoids copying himself into obviously mentally ill people because these people often have brain damage or chemical imbalances that would make the copy bad. Freelancers- When they work as security guards, Freelancers are often the first to find Colin crime scenes (which are often designed to shock and traumatize those who find them) and sometimes even get called on Colin crimes in progress. Hungry- Colin has never taken over a Hungry. In part it is because the Hungry are few and tough, and in part it is because Colin is not sure he could survive in a body incapable of feeling pleasure. Hunters- Some Hunters have devoted their lives to hunting down Colins. They are some of the most active members of the Colin Hunter community. This is one of the reasons the city has grown more tolerant about Hunters. Immortals- The Immortals are the only group in the city capable of really understanding what Colin means when he says he feels immortal. They are also skilled psychics, so Colin avoids them. Insomniacs- Colin tends to avoid all heavily psychic groups for fear they will be able to read his mind. Math Addicts- The Math Addicts were the first to ever try to do a statistical study of Colins. While others have excelled in profiling Colin’s psychology, the Math Addicts are still the best source of information on how many Colins there are and how quickly Colin is growing. Mem Junkies- Colin Hunters once brought a captured Colin to a group of Mem Junkies with memory manipulating psychic skills. The Mem Junkies extracted Colin’s memories, and were able to tell some of it to the Colin Hunters before they were murdered. Colin Hunters are anxious to try this again, the Mem Junkies have mixed feelings. Night Shift- As the city’s official ‘law enforcement,’ every Night Shift officer makes it his or her duty to battle Colin. Every time Colin leaves a brutal crime scene, the Night Shift camp on the area, trying to keep amateur profilers from coming in and messing it up. Omniscients- Paranoid ex-Omniscient Tavin Bean, who the Omniscients still care about and try to look after, believes she is being manipulated and persecuted by Colin.

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Orphans- Colins in child bodies have been known to flee to Orphan territory seeking sanctuary when others catch on to them. After being fooled by Colin a few times, the Orphans are getting a little more careful. Purists- No Purists have yet been taken over by Colins, because they are not very susceptible to being hit in the head, gassed with ether or stuck with needles (Colin’s favorite attacks when trying to take victims alive). In theory, Purists could sense a Colin in their ranks with their pollution sensing abilities. Risen- Because they leave their old lives behind and show up with a different name and different clothes, Risen are often mistaken for Colins by those that knew them before. Most Risen are wary when they recruit new members to try to weed out potential Colins. Runners- Since Runners are trusted by Traders, but are not as heavily protected as Traders, they are often targeted for copying as a way to gain access to new mental installers. Sex Workers- Sex Workers who survive for long turning tricks learn a ‘sixth sense’ judgment that allows them to tell which johns might be dangerous. Sometimes Sex Workers have turned down johns who later turned out to be Colins. Sexologists- Among other things, Colin is a sex criminal (although, to his credit, he has overcome the misogyny that plagued him in his earlier life), and thus the Sexologists often find themselves investigating crimes that end up being Colin’s. Skin Borgs- Skin Borgs care little about the Colin problem because they consider themselves mostly immune to Colin. Tea Drinkers- Colin tends to avoid all heavily psychic groups for fear they will be able to read his mind. Technophiles- Some Technophiles build their own mental installers, which has attracted many Colins to Technophile turf. Technophiles have learned to be wary of Colin. Traders- Almost every black market mental installer in the city is owned by a Trader. Each Colin spends hours every day trying to find out which Traders have mental installers and trying to think up new schemes to find out where those mental installers are hidden. Utopia Children- Most Utopia Children are of the opinion that Colin is a myth until confronted with evidence of his existence. Workers- Most of the population out on the streets believes in Colin, most shut-ins think Colin is an urban legend. Workers are halfway between shut-ins and the street population and there is controversy among them over the reality of Colin.

The Church of Colin In Brief- Paranoid, selfish, don’t care if they are hated, feel they must stay loyal to Colin or be killed. Colin Worship tends to attract people who care more about being feared than being liked. Many who take up Colin worship already think that everyone hates them, so they don’t think Colin worship will make anything worse. Many Colin worshipers are angry, paranoid loners. A few take up Colin worship because they believe that Colin is about to attack them. Some are justified in their fear, others are not. Colin worshipers take special notice whenever Colin does something (or fails to do something) that shows displeasure. Since Colin does not actually talk to them, this is their only way of knowing what Colin likes. There are only two cases where Colin is believed to have killed Colin worshipers. Colin worshipers refer to these two as “the fallen.” The first fallen was a Colin worshiper who got bored and stopped worshiping Colin. He was found killed and mutilated. It may not have been a Colin who killed him, but Colin worshipers are not willing to take the chance. They feel they must keep worshipping Colin every day, probably for all of their lives, if they don’t want to be killed. The other fallen Colin Worshiper to be killed was Markus Vance. He had reportedly been asking around trying to find out where he could get access to a mental installer. He was found hung with his own intestines from the ceiling of a church. In his apartment the Night Shift found three women he had kidnapped and raped and kept tied up. Colin worshipers believe that Markus was trying to become a self-reproducing entity like Colin and that’s why Colin killed him. The need to know what Colin likes and doesn’t like is the only thing that keeps the church organized. People go to church members to be trained on how to worship Colin in order to get maximum benefits. Then they leave and go off on their own, rarely associating with other Colin worshipers again. Every Colin worshipper wants to be the one to teach a new person how to worship Colin, because they believe Colin will feel most favorably towards those who have converted others to Colin worship.

Rev. Colin McKray

(Head of the Church of Colin)

Level 3 Colinite Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 13, CHM 15, END 8, INL 7, SPD 10, STH 11, WIL 4, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 2 Appearance- Colin McKray is very tall, he has a crooked nose and a jolly looking face. He has his hair dyed black (blonde roots show), cut in a bowl-shape with the sides shaved. He dresses in loose-fitting black clothes and wears a large upside down silver crucifix on his chest. Social Status- Colin McKray is the inventor of the church of Colin and the most successful proselytizer. Other Colinites fear disobeying him, knowing that he is Colin’s favorite worshipper. Most of these members, who are not sure what Colin would like or not-like, take their cues from Colin McKray, playing along with whatever Colin McKray does. History- Colin McKray was originally Robert McKray, an exconman who owned a small (failing) liquor store. He began to believe that his neighbors were Colins and, fearing for his life, he began to tell anyone who would listen that he thought Colin was a true god. One of his competitor’s shops burned down and Robert believed that Colin was responsible. Robert began writing tracts, small pamphlets proclaiming Colin as a god, and handing them out to people on the street. Although he was beaten up several times, his luck continued to improve. People he didn’t like died, competitors disappeared. People began to hear about Robert and many became afraid to mess with him. He changed his name, changed his appearance (based on a rumor he had heard about what the original Colin looked like), and began to try to convert people to his new religion. Personality- Colin McKray was a hateful man, even before he became a Colin worshipper. He feels inferior, thinks people look down on him, and he wishes he had the guts to attack every person he sees. He likes manipulating and cheating people. He thinks that if people are stupid enough to fall for it then they deserve to get screwed. He thinks most people in the city deserve what they get. Colin McKray is a reasonably good actor, and he has watched enough street preachers that he can imitate their style. Although he never says so aloud, he does not think Colin is holy in any way. He does believe that Colin is more powerful than most people realize and that in a hundred years it is likely that Colin (and things like Colin) will be ruling the world. Methods- Colin McKray spends most of his evenings on street corners, preaching and handing out pamphlets. He typically stands on street corners on Broadway in the red light district. Shopkeepers sometimes pay him to move when he sets up near their shops. Street preachers often get in arguments with him and he has tangled with Lord Jesus (p.114) on multiple occasions. As long as he continues to preach and recruit new followers, things go very well for him. If he doesn’t like someone, he goes into a local bar and complains about that person to random strangers and within days that person is found dead. When attacked, Colin McKray doesn’t fight back. He simply yells at the top of his lungs “if it is Colin’s will that I be killed, then I will be killed.” Few people have had the nerve to attack him since he became well known. Special Powers- Colin McKray has learned to recognize Colins. He cannot explain this power or teach it to others. When he sees someone, he watches their body language, expression and the look in their eyes and he knows whether they are a Colin or not. He doesn’t let the Colins know that he can see them: he is certain Colin would kill him if he knew Colin McKray had this power. Special Equipment- Phonebook Armor (AR 5, PR 2 blunt and 2 bladed, -2 AGY penalty already figured in).

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Have You Accepted Colin Into Your Life? Are you a Christian? Do you study the rantings of a psychotic hippie from 2000 years ago? What has Jesus done lately? And what about this God? He’ll kill you with cancer, he’ll give you a slow and painful death, and not even have the decency to look you in the eye when he does it. If god had any guts at all, he’d come down and slaughter you with his own two hands. At best, god is a passiveaggressive wimp who’s afraid to get his hands dirty. At worst, god is a fairy story made up to scare idiot children into doing as they’re told.

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Are you an atheist? You don’t think there’s any gods around? Look in a fucking dictionary – a god is a being which is immortal, all-powerful and all-seeing. You’ve got a god living right here in this city, so why aren’t you bowing down and worshipping him? Colin is everywhere. He’s your neighbor, your doctor, your kid. If he wanted you dead, there’d be a knife in your back. He sees everything that goes on in this city. For every Colin you kill, two more get created. He’s never going to die, he’s only going to grow more powerful. And he doesn’t limit himself to human morality – why the hell should he, he’s a god! Our rules don’t apply to him.

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So accept Colin into your life. He’s the only god worth considering. Praise his power. Praise his wisdom. Submit your life into his hands. Let’s face it – he already owns you, he can already do anything he wants to you, why fight it? If you want the light of Colin to shine into your life, say this prayer every day in a public place: Oh Colin, holiest of holies, mightiest of the mighty, wisest of the wise. I beseech you, hear my humble prayer, please allow me to bask in the glory of your greatness. I ask nothing from you except to serve and adore you. I hold no gods above you, for you are the most powerful being in creation. I submit my life unto you, great Colin, to do with what you please. Want to do more to spread the word of Colin? Write the name of Colin on walls. Wear black. Spit on the heretics who think they can hurt Colin. Copy this pamphlet and give it to your friends. May the light of Colin shine upon you.

Dara Colin (Colinite and Lover to Colin McKray) Level 2 Colinite Attributes- AWR 12, AGY 13, CHM 6, END 4, INL 6, SPD 16, STH 9, WIL 3, BLD 2, BDY 2, INCY 5. Appearance- Dara is short and thin. She has black braids and the sides of her head are shaved. She wears stained and holey clothes of a street person, mostly black t-shirts and bluejeans. She wears an upside down silver crucifix. Social Status- Dara is the girlfriend of Rev. Colin McKray, the originator of the Church of Colin. She lives with him and he pays for all her needs. She helps him preach Colin worship and convert new members. Like all Colin Worshippers, she is afforded some measure of protection by Colins who secretly watch over her. Colin has mixed feelings about her. On one hand she has worshipped him longer than anyone other than Colin McKray, she has made Colin worship a full-time lifestyle, and she is the lover of Colin’s favorite worshipper. On the other hand, she acts like a wannabe serial killer, she brags about killing people and sometimes seems that she wants to be like Colin instead of just worshipping him. Colin prefers “normal” people to worship him, and Dara is obviously a messed up kid. One wrong move, and Colin is likely to take her out. History- Dara was born an unborn not in a major street family. Starting at puberty, her father sexually abused her. When she was 16, there was a massive panic about Colins. Dara purposefully changed her behavior, acting odd but denying acting odd, in order to make her father think that she might be a Colin. Her father became scared and kept his distance. She lived on the streets for a few years, intimidating people into supporting her by making them think that she was a Colin. When she heard about Rev. Colin McKray she sought him out and seduced him. At first, she tried to make Colin McKray think she was a Colin. He quickly realized she was not a Colin, and then she tried to make him think that she was sent by Colin as a “gift.” He has begun to see through that ruse and now she simply wants him to think of her as a mistress and fellow Colin worshipper. Personality- Dara is a compulsive liar. She can’t be completely honest and does not see the point in ever doing so. She lies so much that she seldom realizes that she’s doing it. Dara lies by implying things, never by saying something outright. She acts like she thinks Colin is a god, and she puts on the act well enough that even Colin McKray believes it. In truth, she’s only into Colin worship to try to feel some sense of protection from the dangers of the city. The thing Dara wants most in the world is to feel safe. She wants to feel that she will not be raped or murdered or will not starve or freeze to death on the streets. Right now, being Colin McKray’s lover and a Colin worshipper does that for her. Dara likes to make people think she is a killer who is willing to kill just for fun. In reality she has killed but it has only been in self defense.

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Special Skills- Knife Fighting (2), Knife Throwing (1). Special Equipment- 2 Combat Knives (range 0-1, 2 bladed damage, easy slash, easy wing), 2 Throwing Daggers (FR 1 ft, MR 20 ft, 2 bladed damage) Typical Attack- At range, she throws a dagger, making a strike at INL (6) + AGY (13) +4 (skill) -1/ft. +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 -1/ft. vs. 2). A successful strike does 2 bladed damage. In melee combat she makes extended vital strikes at INL (6) + AGY (13) +5 (extended) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 +1 vs. 0). A successful vital strike does 3 bladed damage. As a reaction she makes a Jump at SPD (16) + AGY (13) +8 (skill) (-10 if the last action was extended) vs. 25 (or 1d20 +12 -10 if extended vs. 0).

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Colin – A Biography

Colin was born in 2052, during the Freedom War occupation of the city. His parents were both Freedom Army officers. When Colin was three the Freedom Army in the city was routed and the US government took control. Colin’s parents surrendered to the US government and were given amnesty. Colin’s father got a job in one of the new post-war corporations, working as a research geneticist. This was before the days of corporate living centers and his father lived in the city and commuted to work. His mother did not work.

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When Colin was 9, he was exploring his apartment and found some pornography magazines hidden in a box in the bathroom closet. The magazines showed women tied up and women being beaten. There were stories about rape and bondage, most of which implied that the women enjoyed the experience. The magazines were exciting and intriguing in a frightening way. Over the next few weeks Colin used every opportunity to get the magazines and look at them. Then his mother caught him. To his surprise he didn’t get in trouble, but his mother and father started arguing.

Colin’s parents were what many would call Eccentrics. Through the thin walls of his apartment, Colin could They did not own a computer and spent most of their hear everything they said. His mother wanted his time indoors reading old paperback books. father to get rid of the magazines and seek some kind of counseling. His father Colin grew up feeling refused, saying it was like his parents didn’t just harmless fantasies want him around: they and he had no problem. would order him to be His parents would silent most of the day, argue every night they expected him to for weeks, and Colin feed himself from the became so stressed fridge, they would often out that he developed send him off on errands an ulcer. He would in the city unattended. often sneak out of the His parents were harsh apartment and wander in their discipline: they around the city just expected him to act as to be away from the wisely as an adult and arguing. The discord when he did not his culminated with his father would beat him father punching his with a belt. mother. She took Colin and went to stay Colin was a bright child with relatives. Colin and taught himself the desperately wanted things his parents had to know what was no interest in teaching happening, but every him. When Colin time he tried to talk to turned 5 his parents sent his mother she would him off to school. Since burst into tears. After his parents did not have a week they returned a computer, he had to go home and Colin’s to the local educational VR terminal bank (a schoolbus father and all his things were gone. His mother refused with cheap mental stimulators inside). His mother to say where he had gone or if he would ever come walked him to the schoolbus the first few times, then back. Colin decided it was his fault because he had insisted that he should go on his own. Colin noticed found the magazines. that all the other children were accompanied by a parent or sibling and he felt frightened and embarrassed that Colin grew up a shy, isolated child. He was often he was the only one to go alone. He would wait around depressed and sad but he learned to hide it so that he the corner and come in late so that no one would see he did not have to answer stupid questions. Other kids was unaccompanied. continued to pick on him and he grew to hate them. As he grew into adolescence he began to build elaborate Colin had never learned to socialize, so his time at fantasies where he would torture and kill his enemies. school was hard. He was a shy child and other kids These fantasies were intertwined with his budding would pick on him. In VR school, the teacher (who sexuality: he would masturbate while thinking about had hundreds of students in her virtual classroom) raping and killing the girls in his class. He knew would make the kids work through interactive learning that his fantasies were bad and he was ashamed about programs. Colin would usually be the first to finish and them. he would go play by himself.

036 Colin

When he was thirteen, his teacher noticed his isolation and poor social skills and signed him up for an afterschool enrichment program. Students in the program would stay after and would be given access to a number of child-friendly VR sites where they could play games, watch educational programming, interact with other children, and do self-paced research. Colin hacked his way past the child-protection software and gained uncensored access to the internet. While everyone thought he was on the child-friendly netsites, he was reading about serial killers, viewing violent pornography and practicing knife fighting in VR trainers. When Colin heard about mental copying technology, he got an idea which he added to his growing fantasy world. Instead of just raping, torturing and killing his classmates, his fantasy world grew until he was raping, torturing and killing the entire world. Still, these were just fantasies: in the real world, Colin had never been in a fight, never kissed a girl, never done anything more illegal than a little hacking. When Colin was 15, his mother got a new boyfriend, who got her started using god killer. While high on god killer, she would often insult Colin, telling him everything that was wrong with him. Colin would leave the apartment, sleep in the streets, and in the morning his mother would come find him and beg his forgiveness. She would say it was just the drug and she didn’t really mean it, then she would cry and beg until he promised to come home. Colin felt like he was being manipulated, but never said anything about it. His mother’s boyfriend became his new number one enemy. Colin even created a virtual model of the man so he could spend hours torturing and killing him.

Colin signed up for a free trial of internet access. The trial came with a free internet hookup and a rental computer. His mother was angry and said she wouldn’t pay for the service. He set up the computer in his room. He got a part-time job doing software testing for a major corporation. He started saving up his money, hoping to get his own apartment as soon as possible. He also started viewing violent pornography again, more often than ever before. One night, his mother’s boyfriend, who was high on god killer, wrestled Colin to the ground, held him down and pissed in his mouth. Colin locked himself in his room and spent the next few hours fuming and promising himself that before the night was over he would either kill the boyfriend or kill himself. When the boyfriend left the apartment to go home, Colin snuck out and followed him. Colin snuck up on the man and stabbed him in the back, killing him. Colin covered him with trashbags and left him. When he came home his mother was awake and saw him come in.

The body was never identified and so Colin’s mother never knew what happened to him. Colin thought she suspected him, but she never said anything. A few weeks later, Colin moved into his own apartment. He was lonely and anxious and violent porn became less and less able to provide him with a distraction. He began making plans to kidnap, rape and kill someone. He scouted out abandoned buildings where he could take people, and watched for dark places to set up an ambush. Several times Colin changed his mind and decided that he wouldn’t actually kill anyone. Yet he didn’t have any friends, anything that entertained him, any prospects for the future. When he didn’t have his At age 17, Colin was invited to join a bible study group. plans to kill, he didn’t have anything. Colin didn’t have any interest in the bible, but there was an attractive girl in the group so he decided to join. Colin began his career as a serial killer in 2069. He At first Colin was hopeful that he might make friends, would find women walking alone at night, knock them but he quickly decided that the man running the group out by hitting them on the back of the head with a pipe, was a complete idiot, and that everyone who listened then drag them to an abandoned building. At first he to him were idiots and worthy of contempt. Colin quit would simply rape and kill before the women could the group. Soon afterwards he started on an ambitious even wake up. As he grew more confident, he would project: give up pornography, violent fantasies and allow the women to wake up so he could taunt and masturbating. The weeks that followed were terrible, torture them. As he became more confident he also Colin was depressed and anxious. For the first time started killing more often. he became aware how completely and terribly he hated himself. One evening, his mother and her boyfriend At the same time, Colin was searching for a trader who were in the apartment, high on god killer, and they had a black market mental installer. In 2070, at the age began berating him, calling him a hopeless loser. of 18, he found a trader who said she had one. He paid Rather than leaving he stood there glaring at them. In to have a small program put in his head so he could his mind he was savagely beating them to death, but his learn the location of the installer. It was in a basement, body was unable to move. When they tired of berating locked up with the door guarded by addicts who him he went in his room and tried to commit suicide worked for the trader. After planning for weeks, Colin with a knife. He didn’t cut deep enough, passing out managed to talk himself into the trader’s apartment, and waking up the next morning. He covered up the kill her, steal the key, go down, kill the addicts and pool of blood, bandaged his wrists and hid them under gain access to the mental installer. He found a drunk clothing. Nobody knew that he had tried to commit wino and brought him to the mental installer where he made his first copy. suicide.

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Colin - A Biography (continued)

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At first, Colin didn’t really believe the copyinghimself plan would work. He always believed he was too much of a loser to really pull something like this off. As he made more copies, however, he began to feel more powerful. He began to realize he was no longer afraid of his own body dying, because he knew there were other copies of him out there. Emboldened as never before, he began taking more and more risks. Instead of killing only to deal with his stress and self-hatred, he started killing for fun. He broadened his MO, now killing men, women and children, and killing them in a variety of ways. He bludgeoned, eviscerated, drowned, burned and dropped them from rooftops. One group of Colins went and killed his mother. Suddenly the elaborate fantasy world he had built for himself seemed like it was coming true. He was reproducing and killing people and nobody was trying to stop him. He began to believe that he really would be able to take over the entire world. He buried his feeling of being a loser under a new feeling: that he was a god. He soon added a new dimension to his fantasy: taking over the planet and becoming humanity’s cruel master was fun, but then he would take on God himself. Colin had always been an agnostic, unsure whether there even was a god. Now, however, he began to believe that there must be a god because there was no other being that could possibly oppose Colin. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that the purpose of all existence was to create him so God could have an opponent worth fighting.

Colin Timeline

2052- Colin born 2055- Freedom Wars end, Colin’s father gets a job with a corporation (Colin is 3) 2067- Colin first goes to school (Colin is 5) 2061- Colin’s parents break up, father leaves (Colin is 9) 2067- Colin’s mother using god killer (Colin is 15) 2069- Colin murders mom’s boyfriend (Colin is 17) 2069- Colin moves out on his own, starts killing strangers (Colin is 17) 2070- Colin gains access to mental installer, starts reproducing (Colin is 18) 2072- One Colin goes to prison, starting the Prison Colin strain (Colin is 20) 2075- Colin reveals his presence (Colin is 24) 2078- Church of Colin first forms (Colin is 27) 2078- Prison Colin released (Colin is 28) 2079- Colin arrives in Kajputra (Colin is 28) 2080- “Colin Eater” begins reproducing (Colin is 29)

038 Colin

Clay Hodgson (Secret Ex-Colin Retired From Killing) Level 6 Serial Killer Attributes- AGY 7, AWR 14, CHM 17, END 7, INL 19, SPD 9, STH 11, WIL 15, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 4. Appearance- Tall, mostly African, short afro, round face, glasses, wears black or grey turtlenecks and black slacks. Social Status- Clay is a successful cryptographer who works on algorithms behind data encryption software. He lives in the city and lives with his girlfriend and her young son. Nobody knows he is a Colin, except the Colins who made him. History- A small group of Colins grabbed a young man off the street and dragged him back to their mental installer. When he was a Colin they released him and he went to go infiltrate the life of his new body in hopes of finding a mental installer. He found his body’s apartment and began going through his body’s things. He found his body was a cryptographer. This particular Colin had some experience with cryptography, but the things Clay had been working on were far beyond him. Clay also had a girlfriend, who Colin kept away with the excuse that he was working on a big project. In order to keep up the act that he was Clay, Colin started studying the advanced mathematics that Clay was working on. Colin found it very challenging and fascinating. Colin was so engrossed in his project that he forgot about finding a new mental installer or killing more people. Clay’s girlfriend begged to come over and Colin allowed it. Slowly, Colin became more and more involved in Clay’s life and found that he liked it. Colin assumed he would grow bored quickly and leave, but he didn’t grow bored. He told himself that he was just taking a break, that someday he would return to his “duties”. It’s been nearly a year, though, and he loves his job, likes his friends, likes (if not loves) his girlfriend and her kid (who have moved in with him). He rarely thinks about going back to killing and reproducing himself. Personality- Colin is still a self-confident, unashamed megalomaniacal braggart, but he channels all of that into his job, where he is becoming one of the world’s hottest cryptographers. He has begun to fear death, knowing that no other Colin cares about the things he cares about. Colin still thinks the majority of humanity don’t deserve to live, but he’s come to respect Clay’s friends and family. Sometimes he thinks with pleasure about the people he’s killed or tortured, often masturbating to the thought, but he is more interested in his work than in hurting people now. Special Skills- Cryptography (5), Math (4), Computer Modeling (3), various skills from his life as a Colin (Assassin: Armed, Knife Fighting, Shiv, Demolitions, Poisons, Torture, Forgery, Impersonation, Lock Picking, Prowling).

The Anti-Colin Network In Brief- Loose society of people who hunt Colin, have a public netsite which is a repository of Colin info. Colin Hunters in the city have always been a loose organization. For some it is merely a hobby, for a few it is an obsession that takes up nearly every waking moment. Most part-time Colin hunters are the same amateur profilers who show up around crime scenes annoying the Night Shift. Most full-time Colin hunters are those who have had loved ones killed by Colin. Many Colin hunters are gang members, and they are given a lot of leeway and support by their gangs. Recently, a few Colin Hunters have tried to get organized. They have created a net site that anyone can access. It is a repository of all Colin related information: maps of Colin activities and encounters, descriptions of Colin-related crime scenes, scans of notes and graffiti left by Colin, and whatever anecdotal information about Colin’s past has been gathered. There is even a database for recording what particular skills different Colins have, to try to narrow down what strains exist. The site is available to everyone and it is almost certain that Colin visits it to see what people are saying about him.

Kajputra: Colin City In Brief- In a war-torn Indian city, ruled by mercenaries, Colin nearly took over the whole population, only stopped by a self-reproducing enemy. Leaving New York- Colin’s original plan was to leave the city and spread all over the world. City Colin Hunters have been carefully watching news and police reports from other inner cities to try to find evidence that Colin has escaped. There are many reasons why Colin hasn’t left the city in greater numbers:

-Each Colin assumed some other Colin would do it.

-The city has the world’s highest concentration of black market mental installers. In other cities, Colin would be hard pressed to gain access to a mental installer. Legal mental installers are watched over closely by the federal government and so Colin has been wary about going after them. -Colin likes the city. He knows the geography and the people and he feels comfortable here.

that contained minority ethnic and religious groups into their own nations. After the restoration committee disbanded, India began to fight wars to reconquer these lost pieces of territory. The Indian middle class was tired of fighting and didn’t want any of their sons and daughters going to war, so the Indian government began to rely heavily on international mercenaries to fight for them. Kajputra ended up in one of the balkanized nations. The mercenaries slowly fought their way through the country, capturing territory for India. In Kajputra, the resistance forces made a valiant stand, filling the city with guerilla warriors. Kajputra was bombed mercilessly and then flooded with mercenaries. The guerillas were eliminated and most of the population fled. Kajputra became a new home base to the mercenaries, a staging ground for all their operations in the area. Colin stole the body of a professional mercenary living in the New York. He found out that his body was meant to ship out to India. Colin showed up in Kajputra and immediately went AWOL from his mercenary company. Searching Kajputra, he found a perfectly good mental installer in the basement of a bombed out hospital. Colin started kidnapping mercenaries and city residents. A Colin found yet another mental installer and was able to double his rate of reproduction. Several months later, people discovered Colin and what he was doing. By that time, however, more than half the city’s population were Colins. Colin still stayed hidden, however, so people had no way of knowing how many Colins there really were. The remaining non-Colin population adopted a lifestyle of complete paranoia, never going anywhere without a loaded weapon on their persons. A new tradition started: when you see someone you know, you whisper hello and whisper their name to them, then they do the same to you. If the person you meet doesn’t remember your name, you shoot them. Members of mercenary groups would check each other daily for needle marks (from the mental installer) and kill anyone who had even one tiny needle mark. Anyone who did anything clumsy was immediately grabbed and interrogated. Any mercenary who had any trouble cleaning or operating his or her gun (coming from the city, Colin’s firearm skills were poor) was executed. These extreme measures killed hundreds of people, many of whom weren’t actually Colins. The mercenaries begged the Indian government for help, but the Indian government decided that the mercenaries were just trying to get out of their contract by making up stories.

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There is one isolated instance, which Colin Hunters are Soon, one Kajputra native found a novel way of fighting only now starting to hear about, where Colin has left the back: he captured several Colins alive, then he captured one of the mental installers and copied his mind into city and been able to reproduce. theirs. Suddenly, Colin had an enemy capable of fighting History of Kajputra- The city of Kajputra was built to him on his level. This self-proclaimed “Colin Eater” was support India’s booming population in the 2030s. After able to steal some of the mercenaries’ rocket launchers the Freedom Wars, during the restoration, the Restoration and blow up Colin’s other mental installer. Colin was Committee balkanized much of India, splitting off pieces left unable to reproduce.

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Gauri “The Colin Eater” Brahmbhatt (Self-Reproducing Colin Hunter)

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 12, CHM 9, INL 14, WIL 19, all else varies by body. Appearance- Varies by body, the original Colin Eater was a thin middle aged Indian man with intense eyes, short salt-and-pepper hair and bad teeth. Social Status- Gauri has declared open war on Colin. Many in Kajputra think of him as a savior, others think he is a danger second only to Colin. Only a few Colin Eaters have come to New York and Colin Hunters are not sure whether to believe his story. History- Gauri was a barkeep living in Kajputra. Unlike most in the city, he was Hindu, not Muslim, but he had learned to live peacefully in a Muslim state. He had a wife and children. When the war came to Kajputra, he and his family survived in the basement of his bar living off of canned food. When they came out, mercenaries ruled the city. He reopened his bar and it became a favorite spot for mercenaries. Unbeknownst to him, his family was one-by-one turned into Colins. Gauri noticed that something odd was happening to his family, but he did not know what. Then word broke about Colin. Realizing that his real family was gone, he poisoned the Colins that had taken over their bodies. Gauri stole some military hardware from some mercenaries and he went searching through hospital ruins looking for a mental installer. When he found one, he killed the Colins that were guarding it and he copied his mind into other Colins’ bodies. Some of his copies stayed behind to guard the installer, the others went out to capture more Colins. Unlike Colin, his various copies stayed organized, some of them even publicly proclaimed themselves. The surviving non-Colins were uneasy, but reasoned that it was better than nothing. Gauri continued to fight war against Colin and kept a close eye on all routes out of Kajpura to make sure that no Colins escaped. After drugging and torturing a Colin he found out that Colin came from New York and had been doing the same thing there. Gauri sent a few of his copies to New York to find out more about Colin and discover new ways of fighting him. Personality- Before Colin destroyed his family, Gauri was cynical, arrogant, bad tempered, often walking around with a disgusted look on his face, but he was also a genuinely caring man who loved his family and was fiercely loyal to his friends. Since becoming the Colin Eater, Gauri has become obsessed, paranoid, with an almost irrational hatred of Colin. He has dropped many of his moral convictions and now considers himself ready to do anything to win his fight. His obsession keeps him distracted from his profound grief and guilt over his family’s death. Gauri is a calculating man, able to stay logical and objective no matter what. He considers himself a Hindu. He has practiced Jnana Yoga (a practice that focuses on deep introspection and development of positive mental qualities) and his copies often keep a shrine to Shiva. Methods- Gauri’s favorite trick has been to walk up to a stranger and say “hey, you were supposed to call me.” If the stranger pretends he or she knows what Gauri is talking about, then the person is probably a Colin. Gauri waits until the person has his back turned, then he attacks and subdues the person. He does a blood test to look for the chemicals used in the mental installation process. If he finds the chemicals, and if he has access to a mental installer, he takes the person back and copies his mind into theirs. If he doesn’t have access to a mental installer, he kills the person. Unlike Colin, Gauri is not afraid to identify himself for what he is. He often has to break the bad news to a family that their loved one has been replaced with a Colin and later replaced by him. Also, while Colin doesn’t keep track of his other copies, Gauri does. His copies meet up and introduce new copies to the group. This allows his copies to work together in an organized fashion and divide the labor for projects, something Colin can’t do. Gauri is just as paranoid with his fellow copies as he is with everyone else, often starting an anecdote from his past and expecting another copy to finish it. Gauri does not mind killing innocent people in order to stop Colin. He knows that he has probably copied himself over a few innocent people who were falsely identified as Colins. He has decided to seek out nuclear bombs. If it looks like Colin is going to wipe out all resistance in either Kajputra or Manhattan, he has decided he will destroy the whole city rather than let Colin spread to a new area. Special Skills- Assassin: Unarmed (4), Automatic Weapons (3), Demolitions (1), Foreign Language: English (2), Light Sleep (2), Street Fighting: Unarmed (2), Torture (2), Tracking (1). Special Equipment- When he can, Gauri has the following on his person: Auto-Blood Test, Plastic Restraints, Compliance Drops, Torture Kit and Knife: Switchblade. Typical Attack- First he makes Strangulation Grab, trying to pin the opponent against a wall with his forearm. Assuming his STH is average (10) he is at STH (10) + AGY (5) +16 (skill) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +6 vs. 0). Then, while the person is still pinned, he makes simultaneous pain/stun attacks with his fists at INL (14) + AGY (5) + WIL (19) +8 (skill) +1d20 vs. 45 (or 1d20 +1 vs. 0).

040 Colin

Kajputra Today- Right now, there are about 2,000 people in Kajputra; 1,500 mercenaries and 500 civilians. The civilian population are mostly the surviving residents of Kajputra. They run grocery shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and brothels for the mercenaries. Although they are making money from the mercenaries, they are also prisoners, ruled over by the mercenaries. Rape and beatings by drunk mercenaries are common and the civilian population has few means to fight back. Out of the 2,000 people in Kajputra, about 1,000 are Colins. About 200 are copies of the Colin Eater. The remaining 800 are normal people who are living in fear of Colin. Now that Colin cannot reproduce, he has decided to wipe out the city’s non-Colin population to keep his presence a secret. Kajputra’s Future- The Indian government has forced the mercenaries to continue their campaign, and are even flying in new mercenaries to replace those killed in the city. Near Kajputra is a long swath of untamed swampland that separates Kajputra from the nearest enemy population centers. Every day, mercenary groups (many of them Colins or Colin Eaters) march out into the swampland with automatic weapons and mine-detectors to go fight against guerilla fighters scattered throughout the swampland. If they can clear out the fighters, mines and boobytraps out of this swampland, they can move on to the next city. If they can conquer the next city, it might give Colin access to another mental installer. Thus, Colin has been bravely fighting the guerillas while the Colin Eater has been trying to sabotage the battles. In two months, the first mercenaries’ contracts come to an end, and most of them will be going to their homes in inner cities throughout the world. The Colin Eater has pledged to have one of his copies following every mercenary group going home to make sure they don’t reproduce.

Religion

Like sex, religion can be either a path to mental health, or it can push people further into madness. For some religious fanatics or victims of cults, religion is just an expression of underlying psychological problems.

Major Churches In Brief- About two thirds of city residents subscribe to some religion. Christianity and Islam are the largest. Many smaller religions are especially popular among immigrants. Most religions are more tolerant than they were in the last century.

Christianity

City Religious Affiliation 30% (63,000) Atheist/Agnostic/Non-Religious 30% (63,000) Christian 55% (34,650) Roman Catholic 25% (15,750) Protestant 10% (6,300) Evangelical/Born Again 4% (2,520) Orthodox (Greek/African/Russian) 2% (1,260) Mormon 1% (630) Mennonite/Quaker/Amish 3% (1,890) Other Christian 12% (25,200) Muslim 85% (21,420) Sunni 15% (3,780) Shia 6% (12,600) Jewish 4% (8,400) Buddhist 4% (8,400) Hindu 3% (6,300) Neo-Aboriginal 2% (4,200) Sikh 1% (2,100) Baha’i 1% (2,100) Wicca 1% (2,100) Jain 1% (2,100) Shinto 5% (10,500) Other

Beliefs in Brief- Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that he died so that humanity could achieve forgiveness for sin, and that he was resurrected. Most Christians believe that people who are good and accept Jesus as their savior will go to heaven and people who are bad will go to hell. Many Christians believe in Satan, who most consider an enemy of God. Christians believe Jesus will return to the Earth and the world as we know it will end. not want these modernizations. The Catholic church compromised: making slow modernizations throughout The State of Christianity- Throughout most of this the first half of the century. This left most Catholics century, Christianity lost ground to other religions (and feeling that their church was either too old-fashioned or to atheism/agnosticism). Christianity currently has 25% too modern (“worldly”). Catholicism became less and of the world’s population. In industrialized countries, less a part of the lives of its members and the church Christianity encompasses such a wide range of beliefs stagnated. This changed during the Freedom Wars, that the term is almost meaningless. There are people when the Catholic church took an active role in the who identify themselves as Christians who don’t believe fight against the Freedom Army. For the first time in in Satan or hell, who don’t believe in the apocalypse, centuries, the pope was leading a “holy war.” After the even many who don’t believe that Jesus was the only Freedom Wars there was a resurgence of the Catholic son of god or that he rose from the dead. faith and Catholicism gained a reputation as a religion Catholics: Catholicism is strong in Southern that fought for justice and human rights. In mostlyEurope, Mexico, Central and South America and the Catholic countries many groups formed that are part Philippines. The Catholic church is the first and largest monastic order, part militia. These groups are dedicated organized Christian church. They believe they have to standing ready to fight to preserve liberty. a mandate from Jesus to continue speaking for God. Protestants: Protestantism is common in Northern Catholicism has a complex hierarchical structure, has Europe, Australia, the US and Canada. Protestants some of the world’s most impressive churches and has broke off from Catholics in the 16th century. Several an emphasis on ceremonialism. The most important reformist movements were created to address criticisms rituals for Catholics are confession (which includes acts of the Catholic church. They denied the idea that the of penance) and communion (in which Catholics receive Catholic church was granted the exclusive right to be the wine and wafers which have been transformed into the Christian church. Although there are many protestant body and blood of Jesus). churches with very different beliefs, most Protestants As the largest Christian church, the Catholic believe that the bible is the ultimate authority (not the church at the beginning of this century faced a problem: pope), that saints should not be prayed to and that faith the majority of parishioners in industrialized countries alone (not ritual or a priesthood) is necessary to secure wanted the church to modify its doctrines to meet a place in heaven. Today, most American Christians are modern sensibilities (e.g. women priests, revocation of protestant and belong to a variety of churches that range the ban on homosexuality and birth control) while the in a spectrum from conservative to very liberal. majority of parishioners in third-world countries did

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Evangelicals/Born Again Christians: The evangelical movement began in the 1930s as a reaction against the steady modernization and liberalization of the protestant churches. This is the group that first identified themselves as “fundamentalist,” referring to a focus on the fundamental beliefs of Christianity: the infallibility of the bible, God as a giver of miracles, an ongoing war against Satan for the souls of humanity, Christ’s death for mankind’s sins and the imminent apocalypse. Evangelicalism grew rapidly in the last half of the 20th century and created a shift towards conservative values in much of America and many other parts of the world. Evangelicalism grew quickly mostly because of the strong emphasis it put on proselytizing and the use of television as a medium to spread their faith. Evangelicalism had another brief upsurge in the early 20th century as a backlash to the futurist movement. Since then, however, the number of evangelicals has been declining. Evangelical Christians today know that they are a minority and that their beliefs are inconsistent with most of the rest of the world. This has done nothing to reduce their conviction that they are the only ones who will be saved. Orthodox: The Eastern Orthodox churches split from the Catholic church in 1054, but still maintain a close resemblance to Catholicism. Like the Catholic church, the Orthodox churches claim that their authority descends directly from the apostles. Rather than one church, the Orthodox church is split up into a number of self governing churches, including the Greek, Russian and African Orthodox churches. The Russian Orthodox is the largest of these churches, despite heavy persecution and oppression under the soviet Communists. Today, the Orthodox churches are most popular in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Russia. Orthodox Christians are fairly conservative, and their methods of worship have not changed much in the last millennium. They believe in the authority of the bible and a book of the writings of Orthodox saints, they believe in constant prayer as a part of everyday life, and they believe that icons (holy images created by Orthodox ascetics) are holy and may even have miraculous powers. Mormons: The Mormon church is strongest in Utah, where 30% of the population consider themselves Mormon. There are Mormon churches scattered throughout the world, thanks to a heavy emphasis on missionary work by young Mormons. The Mormon church was created in the early 19th century by Joseph Smith, who transcribed a holy book (the book of Mormon) which he said was revealed to him by god. These additional revelations make them significantly different from other Christian churches. They are conservative, sharing many beliefs with conservative evangelical groups, and pride themselves on being “profamily.” They are discouraged from smoking, drinking alcohol, drinking coffee or using drugs. They typically do not date or marry non-Mormons. Mormons originally believed in polygyny (multiple wives) but this practice has disappeared from almost every modern Mormon group.

042 Religion

Mennonites/Quakers/Amish: The Free Churches (Mennonites and Amish) began in 16th century Europe as a sort of “extreme Protestants.” They believed that there should be no priesthood, autonomy for every group, that believers should isolate themselves from mainstream society and that believers should not enter any military. Many groups eschew modern technology and do not willingly allow themselves to be photographed or videotaped. Shunning is a common punishment for law breakers. The Amish have a practice called rumspringa in which Amish teens are allowed to experiment with other ways of life (the idea is to make sure that all adults who stay in the community have made an informed decision). Like the Free Churches, the Society of Friends (or Quakers) began as an ultra-protestant movement that taught simple living and direct worship of god without the need for priests, churches or rituals. Quakers were pacifists and believed in the equality of all humans. They were the first American group to protest for the abolition of slavery and they played a major role in the underground railroad. These groups came to colonial America to escape religious persecution and they settled into small communities that didn’t change much over the next few hundred years. In the 2040s, pollution and climactic changes killed all their crops, causing many to starve and die of malnutrition. The remaining members of these groups were displaced after the Freedom Wars when the new Gated Communities started buying up all the arable land. Most moved to East coast inner cities where they took up the lifestyle of well shut-ins. Traditionally these groups did not take welfare or social security, but in recent times they feel they have no choice and must take public assistance to survive. External Relations- For the most part, Christians are a neutral force in the city, thought of as “normal people.” Every city group has Christian members. Christians with strong beliefs and practices that are different from the city norm are typically lumped into a category called “fundamentalists.” Many city residents see fundamentalists as prudish meddlers. The Freaks have made a hobby out of trying to shock and annoy these Christian groups. Some Christian groups in the city have found themselves in conflict with city groups: the Bleeders (because the bible has a prohibition against drinking blood), the Sexologists (because of their insistence that god has a male and female aspect) and the Dragons (for their nature worship). Some Christians have decided that some of these groups are “cults” and have been known to try to kidnap young people who join them. Practices and Prohibitions- Although there is a wide variety of beliefs among Christians, a majority of Christians believe in charity and prayer. Many prohibit premarital sex, recreational drugs, abortion, the death penalty and the worship of false idols (anything other

than God and Jesus; and sometimes the saints and the Virgin Mary). Most Christians prohibit any magical rituals (any form of ritual designed to effect the world directly without the intervention of God). A smaller number of Christians prohibit birth control, homosexuality and blood transfusions. Many Christians also believe that certain thoughts are sinful (including thoughts which are lustful, hateful or greedy).

Islam

respect. However, Muslims believe that everyone, no matter their religion, will be rewarded for good deeds and punished for bad. Muslims are very tolerant of other beliefs. All city groups have Muslims as members, including both gang and non-gang groups. Because of the proscription against alcohol and drugs, groups like the Needle Punks, Hummingbirds, Tea Drinkers and Goods have fewer Muslim members. The Purists, on the other hand, have several qualities that appeal to Muslims (they keep themselves clean, do not use drugs, are less likely to have premarital sex) and have attracted many Muslim members. The Koran has a proscription against drinking blood, which has caused many to believe that the Bleeders are sinners. Few Muslims join the Bleeders and those that attend the Islamic Center mosque (in Bleeder territory) are often vary wary of dealing with Bleeders.

Beliefs in Brief- The word Islam means “to submit” (and a Muslim is “one who submits”). Islam is the belief that there is one god (Allah) who is perfect, unique and indivisible. Absolutely nothing should be worshipped other than Allah. Muslims believe that Allah sent revelations to several prophets, including Jesus. The last prophet was Muhammad, who was born in Arabia in 570 AD. The teachings of Mohammed are compiled in the Koran. Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe in Practices and Prohibitions judgment and an afterlife, in angels and Satan, and in an Greetings: A Muslim greets another Muslim by eventual end to this world. saying “Assalaam `alaikum” and the Muslim being greeted should say, in return, “Wa `alaikum Assalaam”. The State of Islam- Islam grew rapidly in the late Fasting: During the month of Ramadan (which 20th century and first half of the 21st century. Around begin in early June in 2080), teen and adult Muslims 2030, Islam surpassed Christianity as the world’s largest must fast from sunrise to sunset. They usually prepare religion. Its growth was only halted by the massive wonderful feasts to eat after sunset. population decline of the 40s and 50s. There are now Prayer: A Muslim should pray five times a day. 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and 10 million in the US. Prayer is typically conducted on a blanket, facing Mecca. More than 25,000 people in the city consider themselves Prayer is conducted at Dawn, Sunrise, Noon, Afternoon, Muslim, although less than half that number attends Sunset and Evening. Cheap electronic devices are group services or meetings. available ($10) which determine exactly when to pray Sunni: This is the majority group of Muslims. and what direction to face. They believe in the authority of a succession of Dress: Muslims should wear humble clothing elected Caliphs. The Caliph is head of the church and which doesn’t show off the sexual attributes of the administrator of Islamic law. wearer. Clothes should not be tight fitting or revealing Shia: This is a minority group (making up only 15% for either gender. Many (but not all) Muslims believe of Muslims). Instead of the Caliphs, the Shia follow Ali that a woman’s hair is a sexual characteristic that should (Mohammed’s son-in-law) and his successors (Imams). be covered. Orthodox Shia are oligarchists (believe that church Diet: Muslims should not eat pork, should not eat leaders should be the political leaders of Muslims). any carnivorous animal, and should not eat any meat Sufism: This is a school of Islam with both Sunni which has not been butchered according to the rules of and Shia adherents. Sufism stresses asceticism, selfless the Koran (properly butchered food is known as Hallal). love, esoteric truths and development of a “mystical” Since no fast food restaurants in the city are Hallal, strict relationship with Allah. Some Sufis strive to become so Muslims are restricted to either vegetarian diet, food pure that they reflect the attributes of Allah (some non- from Muslim owned restaurants or food from specialty Sufis see this concept as sinfully arrogant). Much of Sufi food shops. Muslims should not drink alcohol or use teaching is via paradoxical or humorous stories (much mind-altering drugs. like the Koans of Zen Buddhism). Cleaning: Muslims must stay clean and well groomed, following guidelines given by the Koran. External Relations- Since the Freedom Wars, Islam’s Pilgrimage: If they can afford to, every Muslim reputation in the US has changed for the better. Muslims should attempt to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of are thought of as tolerant, peaceful, humble and Mecca. interested in protecting human rights. Muslims show Charity: Muslims must give charity. Many city respect for Christians and Jews, calling them “people of the book” and believing they are heirs to earlier Muslims donate time or money to homeless shelters and revelations of Allah. Non-monotheists are given less soup kitchens. Quite a few Volunteers are Muslim.

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Muslim Morality Sex: Premarital and extramarital sex is prohibited. Men are allowed to take on multiple wives if they can support them. Divorce is permitted. Many Muslims believe that homosexual sex is a sin. Euthanasia/Abortion: Muslims generally prohibit euthanasia, abortion, suicide and capital punishment, saying that these are decisions for Allah to make. To kill someone in war is not a sin, although a good Muslim will seek a peaceful solution and will not fight without a good reason. Religious Freedom: The Koran states that religion can not be compulsory. People must have religious freedom and must come to Allah of their own free will. Character: Muslims should always endeavor to be of good character. This means being honest, chaste, modest, well-read and hard working. City Muslim Society American vs. Foreign Born: The major division in city Muslim society is between American-Born Muslims, who grew up being a religious minority (or converted later in life) and Foreign-Born Muslims, who primarily grew up in countries where Muslims are in the majority. The natives tend to dress more like everyone else, to attend to their religious duties less strictly and to make Islam a smaller part of their lives. Foreign-Born Muslims tend to be immigrants. Like most immigrants in the city, they are likely in the country illegally and have come here from economically depressed countries seeking opportunities. They are thus more likely to be poor and have less formal education. Foreignborn Muslims tend to follow the prescriptions and prohibitions of Islam more strictly and wear clothing that is clearly Muslim. American-born Muslims stereotype Foreign-born Muslims as being somewhat backward, while Foreign-born Muslims sometimes have trouble believing that American-born Muslims are actually Muslim. Despite these differences, most Muslims treat other Muslims as brothers and sisters. Mosques: Most mosques in the city were built in what were once black neighborhoods (before the city became overwhelmingly multiracial). Most Mosques are in the neighborhood of Harlem. The city’s largest mosque, the Islamic Center of New York, is at 96th street and 3rd avenue and is still in use by a small congregation. The mosque is in Bleeder territory, which has caused a few problems (see External Relations, previous page). There are also a few Muslim run soup-kitchens and homeless shelters centered around the Bowery, where religious services are held. The majority of Muslims in the city practice in private homes or (among homeless Muslims) in vacant lots and abandoned buildings designated as meeting places. There is no ordained ministry in Islam. An “Imam” is anyone in a community with the knowledge to teach Islam and is often a community elder. There are no fulltime professional Imams in the city.

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Judaism

External Relations- For the most part, Jews have been part of American culture for so long that the fact that someone is Jewish rarely comes up as any kind of issue. Jews are used to being a minority and rarely show any sort of intolerance. In the past they have had to work hard to get tolerance, but today the only people intolerant of Jews are tiny, backwards hate-groups and a few ultraconservative members of other religions. Jews are a part of every city group, although there tend to be more Jews in Indie groups (especially those with turf in the Upper East and West sides).

Beliefs in Brief- Jews believe that God created the universe and humanity, and that Abraham, patriarch of the Jewish people, entered into a covenant with god in 2000 BC. A later patriarch, Moses, led the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt and received commandments from god. Jews’ holy scriptures include several books, including those which Christians call the Old Testament, and books of commentary of Rabbis. Jews believe in the eventual coming of a messiah and the resurrection of the dead. Jews call themselves the chosen people of God, Practices and Prohibitions- Judaism has many of the although many Jews believe that other peoples have same practices and prohibitions as Christianity (prayer, no worship of other gods, no sex outside of marriage). different, but equally valid, covenants with God. Sabbath: From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday is a day of rest in which Jews are not permitted The State of Judaism- At the beginning of this century, to work, travel or trade. Orthodox Jews do not even the US had the world’s highest population of Jews, use electricity during the Sabbath. Many modern Jews with Israel having the second highest population, and use computer programs to put their various appliances only small groups scattered around Europe. Israel’s on timers so they don’t have to turn anything on or off. population declined severely in the first part of this Some apartment buildings with a high Jewish population century due to the use of biological and nuclear weapons even have elevators that open on every floor so that Jews by Palestinians. During the chaos of the Freedom Wars, don’t have to hit a button to get home on the Sabbath. the Israeli nation was nearly destroyed. Today, America Bar/Bat Mitzvah: 13 year old boys and 12 year old has 95% of the world’s Jews. Jews in the US have girls are considered adults in that they are responsible resisted major increases and declines in the population, for observing all Jewish commandments. The Bar their numbers staying relatively stable. The biggest Mitzvah (boys) or Bat Mitzvah (girls) is a coming of age threat to Judaism has been intermarriage and loss of ceremony in which the boy or girl must memorize and faith. Many people consider themselves Jewish because recite a passage from the Torah (a Jewish holy book), Speech: Jews are prohibited from gossiping, a parent was Jewish, and they may celebrate some Jewish holidays, but they do not hold Jewish beliefs or observe disparaging others, insulting, lying or even offering false compliments. Jewish prohibitions. Kosher: Jews have many laws related to food. They Most practicing Jews today can be divided into three cannot eat pork, shellfish, rodents, reptiles, amphibians or insects. Of the animals they can eat, the animal must categories: be slaughtered by a trained Jewish butcher who must kill Reform: The largest group, is the most liberal and the animal with a quick, even slice across the throat, and shares many beliefs and attitudes in common with liberal the meat must be completely drained of blood. Utensils protestant Christian churches. and dishes that touch meat cannot touch milk products. Conservative: The second largest group, not quite Only wine and grape juice manufactured by Jews can be drunk. Most pre-packaged foods which are Kosher have as liberal. a small U or K in a circle on the product. Orthodox: The most conservative, most try to live by a lifestyle that they believe the original Jews lived by. They are often socially isolated and most choose not to use some modern technologies. In some Orthodox groups, men do not cut the hair on their temples.

Kabbalah is a system of Jewish mysticism. In recent times its principles have been borrowed from Judaism and fit into other religious or mystical systems (especially by Christian, new age or occult groups). Only a small percentage of Jews study this mystical tradition. The basic idea behind this tradition is that God, being too perfect to interact directly with humanity, created a series of emanations and sub-emanations, known as Sefirot. These Sefirot are mystical points of contact through which god interacts with the universe and the universe can interact back.

Holidays: There are several holidays when work is not permitted or when there are additional food restrictions. On Yom Kippur (which will occur on Sept. 23, 2080), Jews may not work, eat or drink. During Passover (April 4-11, 2080) Jews can not eat any breadproduct except for plain, unleavened bread. City Jewish Society- During the 19th and 20th centuries, a large influx of Jewish immigrants came to the city fleeing persecution and poverty in Germany and central Europe. New York became the Jewish cultural center of the US, with Jewish newspapers, theaters, neighborhoods, hospitals and graveyards. Jewish immigrants originally settled on the Lower East Side, but as the Jewish community became wealthy and the Lower East Side became poorer, many moved to the Upper West and East sides, to Washington Heights and out of Manhattan (to Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island). Many Orthodox Jews immigrated to the

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city after WWII. Although many middle-class Jews have left the city to go live in corporate living centers and gated communities, the city still has the highest concentration of Jews of any inner city in the US. The city has many kosher delis, grocery stores and restaurants. There are several active synagogues in the city and one Jewish seminary. There are chapters of several Jewish fraternal, self-help and charity organizations in the city. The chair of the Human Services Corporation (see p.330, main book) is a Rabbi.

Buddhism

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Beliefs in Brief- Buddhists believe that Gautama Buddha, an Indian prince, achieved enlightenment in 528 BC. In achieving enlightenment, he freed his mind from all desires, gaining perfect knowledge and escaping from the cycle of reincarnation that every being is trapped in. Buddha taught that the universe is illusion, that the universe only appears to us because of our desires, and that desire causes suffering. Buddhists seek to improve their karma (do good things to gain luck in this life and a more favorable rebirth) and remove their attachments to desire so they can someday achieve enlightenment. The State of Buddhism- The growth of Islam has knocked Buddhism out of the majority in many Asian nations. Japan and Thailand are the only nations left with a majority Buddhist population. However, there are still Buddhist churches in every major city in the world. Many of the ideas and techniques of Buddhism have found their way into modern science, psychotherapy, ethics, philosophy and folk-wisdom. It is not uncommon to hear people on the street talking about “karma” or “attachments” with no idea that these concepts originally came from Buddhism. Buddhism has four major divisions: Theravada: This type of Buddhism is found most commonly in Southern parts of Asia, including Thailand. It is the more “orthodox” branch, putting greater emphasis on ascetic monasticism. The Theravadans believe Buddha was a perfect teacher, but do not believe he was divine or of cosmic origin. Many young Theravadans take temporary vows of monasticism. Theravadans practice “mindfulness meditation” which involves being passively aware of one’s thoughts and sensations. Mahayana: Found in Northern Asia (including Japan), Mahayana means “larger vehicle.” Mahayanas believe that their form of Buddhism is accessible by more people (and thus is a “larger vehicle” with room for “more passengers”). Mahayana holds a wider variety of teachings and scriptures as valid. While Theravada Buddhist practice is relatively uniform, Mahayana Buddhists believe there are many different ways to achieve enlightenment and different groups specialize in each way. Mahayana focuses on the Bodhisattva Vow (a vow to achieve enlightenment in order to help all beings). Mahayana Buddhists believe in multiple Buddhas, some cosmic in origin and some occurring before or after the current age of humans.

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Vajrayana: This is an offshoot of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in Tibet and neighboring areas. Isolated from other Buddhist countries, Vajrayana developed its own unique set of rituals. The most significant belief of Vajrayana is in Tantras, hidden or secret rituals which provide shortcuts to enlightenment. Because the Tantras are difficult to understand or can be dangerous to those not ready for them, Lamas (tantric teachers) are necessary to initiate students into the Tantras. Vajrayana Buddhism was not growing quickly until the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1950. Many Tibetans fled Tibet, moving all over the world where they brought their religious teachings. Vajrayana Buddhism enjoyed a rapid growth from 1960 to 2020. Techno-Buddhists: In 2070, a conference was held in Osaka Japan, with delegates of all the major Buddhist churches, to discuss the question: can new technologies help people achieve enlightenment? VR, mental programming, psychic technology and even genetic manipulation were discussed. Rather than settle the question, the conference created rifts in many Buddhist churches. The older leaders mostly agreed that technology might be able to help but at this point was too dangerous to be used. Many small offshoot sects were created by those who felt that Buddhists should make it a priority to find ways to incorporate new technologies into the quest for enlightenment. External Relations- Buddhists have a reputation for being compassionate, calm and non-violent. Many Immortals who inherited their memories from devout Buddhist Karl Chambers become Buddhist. TechnoBuddhists in the city are very interested (and often directly involved in) the work of the Animalists, Math Addicts and Omniscients. Young Buddhist Omniscients helped develop the meditation exercises that let Omniscients take full advantage of their new senses. Practices and Prohibitions- Buddhists are taught to avoid harmful or dishonest actions or speech (violence, theft, lying, greediness, hurting people’s feelings). Buddhists should avoid alcohol and drugs that cloud the mind. As important as the behavioral prohibitions, Buddhists should avoid anger, fear, greed and lust. Meditation is used to become aware of these harmful emotions at work in one’s subconscious. Buddhists recognize that no rule is absolute and sometimes it can be okay to break a prohibition if a greater good results. Most Buddhists break at least one prohibition, whether it’s drinking sake, eating meat, or telling occasional lies. City Buddhist Society- There are a few small Buddhist churches in the city in the Upper East Side and Downtown. These churches serve small Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese communities and have bilingual services. There is a small Mahayana Buddhist seminary operating in Sexologist territory that attracts a culturally diverse crowd. Of the Buddhists who do not belong to a strongly-Buddhist ethnic group, many are “hobbyists” who may keep a shrine in their home, meditate occasionally and read Buddhist books, but are seldom involved in any organized Buddhist practice.

Hinduism Hinduism is a major religion in India (one of the world’s most populous countries) and is a large minority in surrounding nations. Hinduism is not typically a proselytizing faith, so most Hindus in the US are Indian immigrants. In the 2020s, America went through a Bollywood phase, a fascination with Indian culture. A small number of non-Indian Americans converted to Hinduism, but these numbers are dwarfed by the number of Indian Hindus in the US. Hindus have a number of holy books, including the Vedas (transcriptions of ancient oral texts from 1500BC). Most Hindus believe there is one god (Brahma) but that there are thousands of lesser deities which are manifestations or emanations of Brahma. Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates into various beings. Good deeds performed in this life will mean a better incarnation in the next and eventually a unification with Brahma (enlightenment). Most Hindus believe that the penultimate god for their devotions is either Vishnu (a preserver and hero god who travels to earth whenever creation is threatened) or Shiva (a god of destruction and transformation). Hindus also see themselves as on one of two paths: the worldly path (where the primary goals are righteous action, material success and enjoyment of life) and the ascetic path (where the primary goal is enlightenment). Hindus often practice many forms of meditation, of which Yoga is the most common. They commonly have small shrines to various gods in their homes and places of business and they give offerings and say prayers to them. Worldwide interest in Hinduism boomed in 2076. This was the year the Soma spoken of in the Vedas was discovered by science and found to have a powerful propsychic effect. Many people all over the world started experimenting with Soma and many experimented with Hindu rituals and meditation to go with it. In the city, out of 650 Tea Drinkers, there are about 100 Hindus (about half of whom were born into Hindu families, half of whom converted to Hinduism after they started drinking Soma) and many more who have some interest in Hindu beliefs even if they don’t consider themselves Hindus.

Neo-Aboriginal In the first few decades of this century, aboriginal groups around the world used new technologies to create and distribute their media (movies, music, newspapers, TV programs, etc.) to try to fight the loss of their culture and beliefs to mass-media and popular culture. The internet let aboriginal groups share their expressions of what it was like to be aboriginal. Aboriginal groups around the world found that they had much in common, in experience if not in literal beliefs, and they began cooperating for the preservation of their cultures. One

of the most important groups in this movement was Native Americans from the US. Native Americans had used their limited legal autonomy to start successful businesses (mostly casinos) and pulled themselves out of the abject poverty that characterized most aboriginal peoples. The Native Americans were able to bankroll many of the advances of the new aboriginal-peoples’ movement. During the Freedom Wars, many Native American groups raised their own armies to help the US Army. In exchange for their help, the US government promised that after the war the native Americans would be given large land grants and increased autonomy. After the war a semi-autonomous nation was established in the American Southwest. One of the nation’s aims was to create a global society based on a variety of cultures and beliefs, not on forced acculturation to western culture. The Native American nation helped inspire the new utopianist movement. Many utopianist communes, neocultural communities, gated communities and even a few corporations were founded based on native beliefs. Today, native religious beliefs are the worlds’ fastest growing religious group. Beliefs from Native American cultural groups are most common in the US, but it is not uncommon to find city dwellers of every ethnicity who practice the native religions of cultures from around the globe.

Sikhism The Sikh faith has its origins in both Hinduism and Islam, with many new features. Most Sikhs are immigrants from India and Pakistan. Like Hindus, they believe in reincarnation. Like the Muslims, they believe in one god and that no idols or images should be worshipped. The purpose of Sikh practice is to establish a loving relationship with god. Sikhs rejected the Indian caste system, believing that all people were equal. Today, many Sikhs sit on the floor while eating so that everyone will be at an equal level. Many Sikhs follow a strict dress code: uncut hair (often hidden beneath a turban), a comb, short pants, a metal bracelet and a ceremonial dagger. Sikhs have suffered periods of persecution by both Hindus and Muslims. They believe in defending their religion and defending the weak against tyranny. The dagger worn by Sikhs is a symbol of their willingness to fight to defend themselves and others. Historically, Sikhs are known as brave warriors.

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Baha’i Baha’i was created in Persia in 1844. Baha’i recognizes as prophets, among others, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed. Baha’i worshippers have been persecuted in many Muslim countries. They believe in the unification of religions and nations, an end to all prejudices and equal rights and resources for all humans. Although they are small compared to other world religions, they have small communities of worshippers in nearly every country on Earth.

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Wicca In 1949, Gerald Gardener, a British civil servant, wrote a book which he claimed told of his experiences in a modern coven of witches. The witches, he claimed, were secret heirs to a magical and religious tradition that stretched back to the ancient Celts. Most Wiccans believe in a single creative god, a male and female force, and many gods (including many from Greek and Irish mythology). Many of the rituals of Wicca are magical in nature: meant to have an effect on the physical world. Wiccans revere nature. The religion has few prohibitions, except a general prohibition against actions that hurt themselves or others. Wicca grew most quickly from the 1960s to the 2030s, mostly among young people who saw it as an alternative to Christianity. As the power of Christianity as a force in America weakened, so did the growth of Wicca. Most Wiccans in the city meet via the internet and practice in their homes. There are no Wiccan churches, but there is one store in Midtown that sells implements used in Wiccan rituals. Although they claim no relationship to Wicca, many of the Sexologists’ beliefs (the male and female aspects of the creator, the spiritual potential of sex) have been influenced by Wicca. Many Wiccans in the city find themselves attracted to the Sexologists and of the approximately 1000 Sexologists, about 50 (5%) consider themselves Wiccans.

C I T Y O Jainism F M A D N E S Shinto S

Jainism is a religion that takes elements from both Hinduism and Buddhism. Like Hindus and Buddhists they believe in karma, reincarnation and escape from the cycle of reincarnation through asceticism. Jains avoid killing any living things, they do not lie, do not steal, are monogamous and live simple, ascetic lives. They will only eat that which they can eat without killing a living thing (seeds, fruits, milk, etc.). Jains are completely nonviolent, preferring to be killed than to kill in self-defense. Many Jains wear masks over their mouths (so they do not inhale and kill small insects) and sweep the ground in front of them (so they do not step on small insects). Some Jains take asceticism and renunciation of worldly things to the point that they reject even clothes.

Shinto is the aboriginal religion of Japan. For much of Japan’s history it maintained a peaceful co-existence with Buddhism (many Japanese considered themselves both Buddhist and Shinto). It has been slowly declining as a major religion, but it still has many adherents, especially among recent Japanese immigrants. Shintoists worship Kami (gods, nature spirits and ghosts of historical figures). Shinto emphasizes honoring tradition, ancestors, nature and the Kami, as well as keeping physically clean.

Other

African Syncretisms: These religions were established in new world countries where African slaves merged their traditional religions with Roman Catholicism. There are several kinds: Vodoun (Haiti),

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Camdomble (Brazil) and Santeria (Cuba) though they are all very similar in beliefs and practices. Members of these religions worship a number of African gods (often represented by Christian saints) as well as ancestor spirits. They believe in possession, magic and animal sacrifice. Falun Gong: This cross between an exercise system and a religion (based on many Buddhist and Taoist principles) became popular in China in the 1990s. It was outlawed by the Chinese government in 1999. It enjoyed brief popularity outside China in the first few decades of this century. Since China has shut itself off from the world, only rumors have gotten out about Falun Gong. The rumors are that Falun Gong practitioners continue to be persecuted and have fled to the mountains to fight guerilla warfare against the Chinese. Hare Krishna: Despite early accusations that they were a cult, the Krishna Consciousness church has matured in the last 120 years into a respected and popular religion. The Hare Krishnas have taken their beliefs from Hindu, but they believe that Krishna (who the Hindus believe is just an incarnation of Vishnu) is the supreme god. They were a minority group in India who came to the US in the 1960s. Hare Krishnas do not drink, smoke or gamble, do not eat meat, and chant and sing the names of God. Monks live in a temple and shave almost all of their heads. Rastafarianism: This religion was created in Jamaica and popularized by Reggae musicians. This religion believes in Ethiopia as the holy land of the African people, in avoiding specific food and words, in Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie as a messiah, in the bible having been edited and corrupted by the white patriarchy, in not cutting one’s hair and in the use of marijuana in religious meditation. Deism: This is a philosophy that God exists but that God has no church, prophets, chosen people or holy books. Basically, Deism is a rejection of every part of religion except for a personal belief in God. Many of the founders of the US were Deists. Deism has been a stable minority of the US population, with many intellectuals and scientists identifying themselves as Deists.

Religious Help For Psychological Problems If PCs with psychological problems seek help via a religious path, the GM can provide them with the following: Good Therapy: Some religious professionals are quite skilled therapists, even if they have never had official training in therapy. The right clergy member can give the same benefits as a therapist (p.111). Self-Worth: If a PC does come to believe that he or she is beloved by some higher being, this can be a boost to self-worth. A religious conversion allows the PC to change several self-worth gain and loss conditions. Self-Improvement: PCs who take on any of the religious disciplines (p.116), even for a little while, have a chance for self improvement. The Religious Ascetic and Mystic disciplines allow the PC to increase WIL for less XP cost, and high WIL can be a great asset for battling mental illness.

Kim Tate

(Brilliant and Reclusive Sense-Clip Artist) Level 2 Artist Attributes- AWR 20, AGY 13, CHM 2, END 7, INL 14, SPD 11, STH 5, WIL 14, BLD 4, BDY 2, INCY 3. Appearance- Mostly African; thin; pockmarked face; hair in long dread-locks; no makeup, tattoos or piercings; a necklace of red, green and brown beads; a simple dress made from undyed cotton. When she is out in the city, Kim walks around with a look on her face like she is hurrying to something very important and cannot be interrupted. Social Status- Kim is one of the most talked about artists in the world. She is considered the current master of the new art of “sense clip montages” or “clipping.” She is completely mysterious – the art world knows nothing about her and major art sites would pay thousands just for a picture of her. History- Kim grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. When she was 18 she joined a corporation. Because of her keen eye and good aesthetic sense, she was put on the “capture” team for a VR entertainment division within the corporation. She was outfitted with a jack, a sense recorder mental program and a data recording device. Her job was to travel around the world and capture sensations for use in VR programs. She was transferred to a New York office and put in charge of a project to capture the sensations needed to build a race of evil trees for a major VR fantasy world. She worked on the project for more than a year before she had to quit the corporation. She felt that spending all this time focusing on what is evil in the world was damaging her. She moved to the city and she joined a small group of conservative Rastafarians. She got on welfare and in her spare time she started recording little clips of sensations from city life and putting them together into short art pieces. She tried to sell some of these clips and found out that others had been doing what she was doing and that it was a whole art-form. Her clips sold well, but she didn’t like dealing with customers, so she got a manager. With the help of her manager, her popularity skyrocketed. Kim refused to show up at art shows, so her manager hired an actress to impersonate her. This dishonesty was quickly discovered by the art press, and it only increased the public’s curiosity about Kim. So far, she has been able to avoid the press. Personality- Kim is very shy. She lives alone and her only real friends are the members of her Rastafarian group. She adheres strictly to the practices of Rastafarianism: she never cuts her hair, she says ‘I and I’ rather than we, she eats vegetarian food with no spices or preservatives, she does not use drugs or alcohol. Of the money she makes from her art, she keeps only enough for rent and food and she gives the rest away to charity. Once a week she meets with her group for a “reasoning” where everyone smokes marijuana and discusses God. Kim does not smoke marijuana at any time other than at these gatherings. Kim is manic-depressive. When she is depressed she stays in her apartment and only leaves for food and reasonings. When she is manic, she stays up several nights working on her latest sense-clip project. When Kim is high on marijuana or when she is sleep-deprived, she begins to believe that the evil tree she had worked on has somehow become ‘real’ in a mystical sense. She feels that her soul is in danger from this tree and that she has done a terrible thing by bringing it into existence. The only way she thinks she can alleviate the damage is by bringing some “goodness” into the world by creating art. Methods- When working on her art, Kim explores the city. She keeps to herself and doesn’t stop to talk to people. If anyone does or says anything suspicious, she runs away. She looks for scenes that seem to have some sort of hidden beauty to her. She explores a lot of abandoned and burned-out buildings. Sometimes she goes up on to rooftops, though she has managed to avoid being caught by Roofers so far. Those that see her often think she is crazy because she is doing something odd: running her hands up and down a bathroom wall, lying face down on the charcoal of a burnedout building, leaping across potholes, sniffing the asphalt in the middle of a street, etc. Kim edits the clips together with an old computer and sends them off to her manager. Typical Attack- If backed into a corner, Kim will try to scratch at the faces of her enemies, an extended pain/stun attack at INL (14) + AGY (13) +5 (extended) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +7 vs. 0). If successful, she will push past the enemies and escape while they are stunned.

Orthodox Shut-Ins Many orthodox or conservative religious groups were unable to migrate to the new gated communities and were forced into the city. Some of the shutin communities in the city are orthodox Jews, Mennonites, Amish, Fundamentalist Christians and Fundamentalist Muslim groups. These are groups that often eschew a lot of modern technology and participation in modern society. They have strict rules of dress and conduct that govern all aspects of daily life. Community elders often have a lot of power over younger people, from assigning punishments to rule-breakers to arranging marriages. Typically, contact with the city at large is kept to a minimum, because the city is seen as full of corrupting influences. Children are home-schooled. Only adults leave their homes and then it is only to go to work. Young people in these groups are often curious about the city around them. Like the children of other shut-ins, many sneak out of their homes. Many decide to leave their homes and become members of the city’s street society. Young people who leave their communities are usually ostracized by their families. In a worst case scenario, the community may try to kidnap or attack young people trying to leave the communities.

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These groups do not qualify as cults, although some come close. They typically lack the deification of the leader that most cults have. These groups can easily become cults, however, if the wrong person comes to power in them.

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Cult Families

Cults In Brief- 4,000 cultists. Pretend to be anything to trick people into joining. Use detachment from reality and emotional confessions to keep people weak and dependent. Some large cults, but majority are in tiny cults (including cult-like families). Cult deprogrammers can be helpful or can be dangerous brainwashers.

Cult Population

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800 Lumens 300 Dying Embers 250 Quoters 200 Enemies of Hoth 150 Trainers 2300 In Miscl. Small Cults

At any given time, about 4,000 people in the city are involved in a cult. The average cult member is in a small cult. There are about 300 small cults in the city with only 7 members on average. These cults have an average lifespan of about 5 years. They most commonly break up when members become disillusioned, but about 1 in 100 end in violence or suicide. Cult activity in the city is at its highest level since 2047 (when growing ecological, economic and social problems led to a number of a doomsday cults). The problem every cult faces is that people are very wary of cults. If someone recognizes something as a cult, they will not join. The challenge, then, for cults is to appear as something other than a cult. Cults have become adept at disguising themselves as something else: weight loss programs, drug abuse counseling, therapy, bible study groups, meditation groups, training seminars, private schools, boarding houses and political groups. Some groups are so good at hiding their true natures that they have received government funding to bring their teachings into schools, prisons, universities and boardrooms. If these groups stood for what they claimed to stand for, and could do for members what they claimed to, they would be admirable groups. In the end, however, whatever the cult claims to be at first, it always ends up being the same story: isolation from the outside world, severing of ties, constant exposure to the teachings of the leader, fear and hatred of outsiders, adoration of the leader, self-censure of thoughts critical of the leader, and working for or giving money to the cult. Beliefs do not make a cult. For every belief professed by a cult, there are religious organizations that profess the same beliefs that do not use cult-tactics. The only real difference in belief is that the cults believe that their leader is a major actor in the religious cosmology of the cult.

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In Brief- Many families operate like cults. Some families have most of the characteristics of cults. One member of the family has intense psychological control over others in the family. The family is often used as a moneymaking enterprise, with most of the money going to benefit the leader while the rest of the family goes deprived. The family is increased by encouraging young daughters to get pregnant, by bringing spouses into the household and by adopting children. Just like cults, family members may be threatened if they try to leave and the cult leader can react with violence to any perceived loss of power.

Dissociation In Brief- Cult members taught not to care about the real world. A major weapon in the arsenal of cults is dissociation. Students are taught to cultivate a feeling of dissociation, usually through meditation. Cultists are taught to feel a numb distance from their bodies and their lives so that they don’t really care what happens to them. Being taken care of and told what to do 24-hours a day helps keep cultists in this state. The cultists are taught that this dissociated state is “holy” or the “path to enlightenment.” Like the drug Escape, which causes similar feelings of emotional numbness, this dissociation can be very addicting. In order to retake control of their own lives, cultists must overcome this feeling of dissociation, but doing so exposes them to terrible feelings that have been festering within them. Even after they leave the cult, many ex-cultists report being plagued by feelings of “spaceyness” and disorientation, especially when they are under some sort of stress.

Emotional Breakthroughs In Brief- Breakthroughs with no time to process them keep cult members weak. Another powerful psychological tool of cultists is the “emotional breakthrough.” Cult members are put into situations which disorient them and break down their defenses, then they are prompted to publicly admit to their own personal traumas, weaknesses and sins. Most cult members bring up issues that they have been unable to deal with in their regular lives. In a therapeutic environment, these breakthroughs would be a great sign and allow the patient to achieve new levels of health and happiness, but a cult is not a therapeutic environment. The cultists are not given the time and freedom to deal with their emotional breakthroughs constructively and learn to live without these emotional crutches. In the cults the pain and weakness that has surfaced is channeled into dissociation, obsession and obedience. The cultists are essentially trading one mental problem for another, which makes them more dependent on the cult. All the while, they are told that they are progressing, both spiritually and psychologically.

Psychological Profile of a Cult Leader Cult leaders are egotistical, narcissistic, megalomaniacal and charming. They are so intensely convinced of their own superiority that they convince others to worship them. They care little about the suffering of others. They put themselves in the center of the universe or of history, seeing themselves as the chosen of a god or gods. Beneath all their self-confidence, they actually feel worthless, unloved, insignificant and hopeless. They are desperate to hide these feelings from themselves and others. This desperation sometimes shows through: they have terrible tempers, they are paranoid, they lie habitually (even when they don’t need to), they are often hypochondriacs who fear that they have terminal illnesses. Worst of all, they are addicted to unwavering love from their followers. They find themselves unable to believe that they are really loved, so they come up with more and more extreme tests of their followers’ devotion. They tell followers that to prove their love requires complete surrender of everything they are. Most have sex with their followers, sometimes engaging in rape or pedophilia. Cult leaders typically have a history of poor self-control. Many spent time as professional criminals, especially as con artists. Many started artistic careers and were sure they were geniuses but everyone else thought they were untalented hacks. They usually have little creativity and the beliefs of their religions are almost universally plagiarized.

people that the ecstasy they experienced when exposed to bright lights was contact with God. He borrowed ecstatic chanting from other religious groups and added this to his practice. His students gave him a lot of money which he was able to invest in high-tech lights and a “temple” (an old loft he rented). He asked his followers to give up their lives and move into the temple. He started to refer to himself not just as a religious teacher, but as a messenger chosen by God. He denigrated other religious paths as the work of the greedy, power hungry and ignorant. Adriel’s new church, which he called the Church of the Infinite Light, grew so quickly that he could no longer induct every new member personally. Instead, he chose several of the most trusted members and trained them to recruit and brainwash new members. He also worked to further isolate members of his church from the outside world. He taught that everyone not in the church was “cursed by darkness” and that contact with outsiders was physically and spiritually dangerous. Whenever members of his church were attacked by muggers, addicts, pushers or crazies, he used these incidents as proof of the dangerousness of the dark city. In 2075 the church grew too big for the loft. He led his members to take over the Cloisters, an abandoned museum in upper Manhattan. They killed or inducted everyone who had been living there. The Cloisters was a perfect place for his church: it was remote, easy to defend and had a religious feel to it.

In the years after the take-over, Adriel incorporated many features of the growing street gangs into his cult. The most important innovation was a heavy emphasis on revenge. He convinced the members of his cult that if they died in battle they would achieve total union Lumens with God. They fought fearlessly and learned to use their comfort around very bright lights to help them win Origin battles. The Lumens took on first the Drug Lords, then In Brief- Light therapy as a lure for depressed street the Skin Borgs, two of the mightiest military forces in girls, grew into a huge cult, borrowed techniques from the city. After those victories, people began to take the gangs. Lumens very seriously, treating them with the respect usually reserved for members of powerful street gangs. The Lumens began in 2070 with a group of young people who had gathered around Adriel Theophania. Adriel Social Structure claimed at first to be a therapist. He used very bright full-spectrum lights and his own hypnotic voice, to bring In Brief- Adriel has 25 Archons (lieutenants) who people to states of ecstasy. His “patients” were young brainwash new members and keep control of lower people who had little access to sunlight (because of members (penitents and higher penitents). spending much time indoors, being out mostly at night, the tendency of the city’s tall buildings to block out the Ordinary Lumens are called Penitents. They live a sun and the pollution-eating bacteria cloud that often simple and repetitive life: doing chores around the forms above the city). These patients mostly suffered Cloisters, going out to recruit, and attending hourfrom a mild form of Seasonal Affective Disorder, a long chanting sessions. Those who prove their faith, depression that typically effects people during the winter particularly in battle, are called Higher Penitents. They months. Although the benefits of his light treatment are given electroluminescent bracelets as a sign of their were no better than a $15 antidepressant pill could do, he status. The Higher Penitents get slightly larger servings used his considerable charm to convince his patients that of food, are afforded more respect by the Penitents, and they were undergoing a miraculous transformation. As are expected to report if any Penitent seems to be having he gained more influence over the thoughts and opinions a crisis of faith. There are about 700 Penitents and about of his patients, he started referring to himself not as a 75 Higher Penitents. therapist but as a religious teacher. He started teaching

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Archons are the names of the special lieutenants selected by Adriel. There are about 25 Archons. The Archons are served the best meals, get their own sleeping quarters and can select Penitents to sleep with them (the Penitents aren’t required to have sex with the Archons, but they almost always do). Archons have a number of duties: they lead prayer groups, they take charge of brainwashing, they punish Penitents for any rule breaking, and they act as generals when the Lumens go to war. Archons all report directly to Adriel.

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Since the Archons have the most power, Adriel is more concerned about their loyalty than he is about other members of the cult. Adriel is always inventing new ways to test their loyalty. He often asks them to give their lovers to him, to cut or mutilate themselves, or to play dangerous “trust games” with him. Adriel doesn’t call these tests of loyalty; he calls them “advanced spiritual exercises.” Two Archons have been declared traitors by Adriel and executed because they showed reluctance during the “spiritual exercises.” The Cloisters In Brief- Large, castle-like building, in a hilly area, with nobody around, with beautiful carvings and stained glass and a religious feel. The Cloisters were built in 1914 out of parts of several medieval monasteries shipped over from Europe. The Cloisters are in the hilly area in the Northwest corner of the city, in what was once Fort Tyron park, overlooking the Harlem River. The Cloisters are several blocks from the nearest populated area. Only a few homeless people live in the area, in small shelters, and they are careful to hide from Lumen recruiters. The Cloisters look much like a small castle, with high stone walls and a tower. Inside the Cloisters are huge stone rooms, including vaulted hallways, arcades (roofed passageways), apses (vaulted recesses), and a large interior courtyard with a garden. The Cloisters has an entire level which is mostly underground. Most of the medieval art that the Cloisters once hosted has been taken away, though there are still some beautiful carvings on doorways and columns and a few stained-glass windows have survived the years with only a few cracks. Most of the Lumens live communally in the large rooms that once held works of art. A Romanesque chapel is used for services: hundreds of Lumens sit on the floor on small cushions, chanting and singing at the direction of an Archon. At the head of the room is a set of three ultra-bright full-spectrum LED panels. One by one, members are allowed to walk up, give a profession of faith, and the Archon leading the service lets them kneel before the panels.

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Smaller rooms are used for storing and preparing food. In winter, fires are burned for warmth, with the smoke exiting the high windows. Food is grown in the courtyard garden. Adriel Theophania lives in a room in the tower, and Lumens are posted at the top of the tower as lookouts 24 hours a day. In the underground rooms there are cells where members are locked in if they break rules or try to leave. These rooms have bright lights bolted to the walls, behind shatter-proof plastic. With the bright lights on all day and someone outside the door lecturing them at all hours, people in these cells can’t sleep, become exhausted and weak and give in to whatever they are told to do or believe. Many of the Archons also have private rooms in the lower level. All entrances to the Cloisters except one have been barricaded. The remaining entrance is guarded at all times and has a heavy wooden door which can be bolted.

Smaller rooms are used for storing and preparing food. In winter, fires are burned for warmth. The smoke exits the high windows. Food is grown in the courtyard garden. Adriel Theophania lives in a room in the tower, and Lumens are posted as lookouts at the top of the tower 24 hours a day. Members are locked in underground rooms if they break rules or try to leave. These rooms have bright lights bolted to the walls behind shatter-proof plastic. The lights are kept on all day, and someone sits outside the cells lecturing the prisoners until, exhausted, the prisoners give into whatever they are told to do or believe. Many of the Archons have private rooms in the lower level. All entrances to the Cloisters except one have been barricaded. The remaining entrance is guarded at all times and has a heavy wooden door which can be bolted.

Typical Lumen Team Makeup- Five adult male and female cultists. Appearance- The Lumens wear humble, thrift store clothing. They wear no makeup or jewelry. They are not visibly armed but carry canvas backpacks. Attributes- All attributes are approximately average (10) except one person on the team (the recruiter) has 15 CHM. Motivations- Lumens believe that they have become closer to god and that it is their duty, as those who have been given the gift of enlightenment, to bring this gift to others. They see others in the city as blind, unable to make their own decisions. They prefer to take people willingly, but they find nothing wrong with bringing in or keeping recruits by force. Lumens are often seeking revenge for crimes committed against the Lumens on the orders of Adriel Theophania, who they think is god’s emissary on earth. Methods- When recruiting, the Lumens go from one person to the next until they find someone weak or ignorant enough to be talked into going with them. When seeking revenge, one Lumen shines a very bright light on the enemies and the others attack while the opponents are blinded. Special Powers- Because they spend so much time exposed to very bright lights during church services, Lumens have a partial immunity to being blinded by bright lights (penalties cut in half). Yet they are at -7 in normal or dim lights. Their brainwashing gives them +10 to saves vs. fear and +10 to simultaneous actions. Special Equipment- One Lumen holds a Portable Floodlight (see p.137) which partially blinds anyone in close proximity to the light (-7 to actions/reactions) and fully blinds anyone who is directly facing the light (-15). Two lumens have metal pipes (3 blunt damage) and two have knives (2 bladed damage). Typical Attack- While the opponent is blinded, the Lumens rush at the opponent. Once in range, they make normal strikes and simultaneous strikes at 1d20 vs. 13.

Adriel Theophania (Leader of the Lumens) Attributes- AGY 8, AWR 13, CHM 18, END 12, INL 10, SPD 9, STH 12, WIL 16, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 4 Appearance- Mostly caucasian, forties, deeply tanned, shiny skin, crew-cut white hair, bleached-white smile, wearing a robe made of pure-white cloth. Uses a clearplastic walking stick that glows with a soft yellow light. Social Status- Adriel is the founder and current leader of the Lumens, the city’s biggest and most dangerous cult. His followers believe that he is a messenger from god and that he is mankind’s only salvation. They would all die for him. History- Adriel was born Philip Bowen. He grew up in the city to undependable, alcoholic parents. As a teen he was a small-time criminal, dealing drugs and burglarizing apartments. As a young adult he set up a greenhouse, hoping to grow and sell marijuana. He found that the full-spectrum lights made him feel better and he started bringing underage street girls to his apartment claiming the lights were therapy. Adriel enjoyed the feeling of power when he convinced the girls he was a therapist. He soon gathered a group of students and formed a religion. He began to tell members that he was in direct communication with god. His cult continued to grow in power and in the fear it invoked in the city. Personality- Adriel is intense, charming, reckless. He is a hedonist who enjoys food and sex, but what he enjoys most is being worshiped and having control over people’s minds. He is like a jealous lover, but he wants all 800 Lumens to love him exclusively. He would rather have one of his people die than love, worship or trust someone else. After all his years of claiming to be a conduit to god, he has begun to believe it himself. He still doesn’t feel invulnerable though. In fact, he feels quite paranoid and is often afraid that one of his own will try to kill him. Methods- Although others do the most of the recruiting, indoctrination and policing of cult members, Adriel makes it a point to make an impact on every member of the cult. He introduces cult members to their highest level of light-stimulation. He is the final say in any punishment or promotion and he leads the call to holy war. Special Powers- Because he is exposed to so many bright lights, any penalty from bright lights is reduced by half. He takes a -7 penalty in normal or dim light. Special Equipment- Walking stick filled with electroluminescent material. When turned to maximum illumination, it is so bright it gives -7 to all actions and reactions to anyone within 5 ft. The stick can be used as a 2 blunt damage weapon at range 1-2. Typical Attack- Adriel cranks his walking stick to full illumination. He takes a -3 penalty to all actions and reactions while non-lumens take a -7 penalty. He makes a strike at STH (12) + AGY (8) -3 (brightness penalty) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 7). As a reaction he parries at STH (12) + AGY (8) -3 (brightness penalty) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 7).

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Dying Embers

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Quoters

In Brief- Japanese cult, thinks they’re the last true Buddhists and will be reincarnated in a future age of Buddhism.

In Brief- Homeless scroungers, live communally, most can’t speak unless quoting scripture, believe aliens will take them away before Earth is destroyed.

This is an international cult, known by many names, with churches around the world. The head of the cult is in Osaka, Japan (a hotbed of new religions). The leader, Venerable Reverend Hitoshi Shunzo claims to be in psychic contact with Maitraya, the Buddha of the future. Buddhist doctrine states that the universe works in inevitable cycles: after a period of darkness (in which all Buddhist teachings are lost or corrupted) a human will reinvent Buddhism and begin a new age of peace. This inevitable Buddha-yet-to-come is Maitraya. Hitoshi claims that we are entering the dark age, that the last remaining “true Buddhists” will soon be slaughtered. He believes that Maitraya is giving him instructions from the future, telling how Buddhists can prepare their souls so that they will reborn at the right place and time to study at the feet of Maitraya. These preparations involve complete renunciation of worldly goods, careers, loyalty to families and political groups, complete abstention from sex, communal living and constant prayer. Cult members sell everything they own and send the money to Hitoshi, who is now a multi-millionaire.

The Quoters are a cult who prey primarily on homeless people, especially runaways. They take over abandoned houses and fix them up into nice communal homes. They invite hungry and scared homeless people to stay with them. They give the homeless people a safe place to stay and free room and board, and members of the opposite sex may offer physical companionship. Meanwhile, the people are indoctrinated into the cult’s beliefs. Once they are accepted into the church, they are at “meta-one” and are forbidden to speak. A cult leader decides when they are spiritually advanced enough to go to “meta-two.” Meta-twos are only allowed to speak if they are quoting a line from the cult’s holy book. If a cult member is hungry, for instance, he or she must say “And the people said unto the lord ‘oh lord, please give us bread.’” Most members of the cult are at meta-two (thus the cult’s street name: Quoters). Only the leader of the cult, who only visits town occasionally, can promote someone to meta-three. Meta-threes can speak normally. They are the leaders of the communal homes and they are responsible for recruitment.

Cult members dress like Buddhist monks. They approach people who are lost and confused, offering a hot meal and a meditation course. People are taken back to the temple, a church building and communal living center owned by the church. The meditation course ends up being hours of exhausting chanting. Most people come to the temple expecting to leave after the course, but the chanting leaves them too tired and they accept an offer of a warm bed. They are awoken early the next morning for more chanting. Cult members are fed little protein and are kept constantly deprived of sleep. They are only allowed to leave the temple to beg for money or recruit new members. There are about 50,000 cult members worldwide with congregations in 100 cities around the world. The city temple has about 300 cult members at any given time. The cult pays for psychic training for its leaders and every congregation is led by a skilled psychic. Leaders are said to use their psychic powers “to avoid conflicts with non-believers and to transmit revelations to believers who are in crisis.” In practice what this means is that cult leaders incapacitate anyone trying to rescue cult members and use mind control to stop people from leaving the cult. Reverend Hitoshi has ordered several hundred members worldwide to commit suicide, telling them that the time was right for their rebirth at the feet of Maitraya. Law enforcement officials around the world have been trying to gather enough evidence to prosecute the church, but so far they have been unsuccessful. Rev. Shunzo has money and so he has political and legal power. He’s got law firms around the world using the threat of litigation to prevent news agencies from exposing the cult.

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The cult is run by Lambert Velasquez, who operates the cult from Baltimore. Lambert claims that he was a mathematician working on deciphering the interstellar communications picked up in 2064. He claims to have deciphered the message and discovered that a species of “perfect beings” seeded the universe with life, and hid secret messages in our DNA. These messages were eventually put into the world’s holy books. Lambert has created his own holy book made up of passages of other holy books re-ordered and taken out of context so they seem to verify Lambert’s message. Lambert teaches that the earth will soon be destroyed by a rogue black hole and that the aliens will come and save everyone who is perfect enough to come live with them. As the last remaining human with prophetic wisdom in his DNA, only Lambert can show people how to meet the aliens’ requirements. Adult cult members spend their days wandering through the city. They scrounge through trash cans looking for food and broken items that can be repaired. Other members repair and refurbish the items. Children and old people sell the items the cult has refurbished, mostly in subway stations. Life in the cult is simple and ascetic. Drugs and alcohol are forbidden. Only meta-threes (and those being recruited) are allowed to have sex. Quoters are taught that everyone else in the city is dirty, decadent, sinful and insane and will do anything to “drag us down with them.” So far, the Quoters have not made any offensive strikes, but they are all taught that it is better to die than to be captured by an outsider. Many Quoters have killed or been killed when people tried to rescue them from the cult. There are cult cells in ten inner cities along the East coast, with about 900 members altogether and 250 in New York. Quoters are often ordered, without warning, to move from

one city to another. Lambert does this in order to throw off parents, friends and gang-deprogrammers who might wish to save cult members

Enemies of Hoth In Brief- Therapist convinces people they were molested by satanic Mason conspiracy. This cult is centered around Jackie Tennenbaum, an unlicensed therapist who convinces each member he or she was ritually abused as a child. Members are sent to find friends and family members who meet Jackie’s profile of an “abuse survivor.” This particular profile includes people who are psychologically pre-disposed to cult indoctrination. Patients testify to their friends and families that they feel happy for the first time in their lives, that “Doctor Tennenbaum” is a miracle worker and no price is too high for her services. Newly enticed patients pay $700 for the installation of a Memory Transfer mental program (the same programs the Immortals use to transfer their memories). Therapy starts simply, with patients recalling parts of their lives. Jackie makes suggestions, slowly but surely influencing how people view their own pasts. Jackie has them focus exclusively on times in their lives when they were unhappy. Jackie makes subtle hints that every failure in the patients’ lives has been because of some external force working through their subconsciouses. At some point, Jackie announces that she feels that suppressed memories are about to resurface. She suggests that the patient step up the number of therapy sessions and stay away from friends and family members who might seek to reassert their understanding of the patient’s history. She often arranges for patients to stay in the homes of other patients. She even recommends a special diet which she says promotes mental clarity. Jackie keeps digging at half-remembered incidents and things that might have been dreams until she gets the patients to “recall” being ritually and sexually abused by a family member (usually father or mother). After the floodgates are open, she can direct the patients to remember all sorts of horrible ritual abuse. She explains that this abuse is the cause of all the problems and unhappiness in the patients’ lives and that they can now make a clean break and start again. When possible, she, a patient and a group of well-armed followers go to the home of an accused abuser. The patient accuses the abuser of ritual abuse, detailing every horrible thing the person did. When the person tries to argue in his or her own behalf, Jackie yells at them. Jackie has patients sever all ties, sell most of their property and move into a “recovery community” (a home shared by patients). All these actions are supposed to help the patients make a clean break. Therapy sessions continue, but they take a different turn: Jackie begins telling her life story. Like the recovered memories of her patients, she recalls memories of horrible abuse (including a “secret twin” who grew up under the floorboards of her home). She recalls her own teenage social problems:

drug abuse, promiscuous sex, time spent homeless. She recalls being harassed by strangers, many of whom tried to drug her food. At some point, in a bar, she saw two of the people who had been harassing her and she snuck up on them. They spoke about Jackie, saying that they must keep her off balance because she was close to discovering the truth. Jackie recalls recovering her lost memories and putting together the clues to discover the group behind her abuse. Figuring out that the Masons are behind everything, she infiltrated a Masonic temple. She witnessed services to a demon named Hoth and she discovered a “book of deeds” in which every abuse the Masons have perpetrated has been recorded. Jackie recalls finding her own name and the tally of her abuses, then she recalls seeing the name of the patient she is talking to. Members of the cult continue to charge their relatives and others with sexual abuse. They try to pressure the DA to prosecute these people and they defame them wherever possible. They will contact every employer, friend, business partner and neighbor a person has saying “Do you know that ____ is a child molester?” People have had their lives ruined by these accusations. What’s worse, they are desperate to contact the patient and convince the patient of their innocence, but they cannot get near the person without being rebuked by armed cultists. The cultists will also kidnap children and babies that they fear are in danger from the Masons. Anyone who the cult perceives as an enemy is accused of being in league with the Masons and Hoth. The Enemies of Hoth has about 200 members.

Trainers In Brief- Think they are fixing the problems keeping them from getting into gated communities, are really being brainwashed by VR and participating in a pyramid scheme. The Anderson Training School is a city cult that poses as a psychological training organization. Chet Anderson is a Y1 who runs the school. Cult members dress in suits and frequent subways. They offer people free psychometric tests to help people determine whether or not they could pass the tests to get into a corporation or gated community. People who agree are put in a mental stimulator which runs a VR program written by Chet Anderson. The program runs the person through a few situations, pretends to measure their responses, and then almost always says the same thing: the person would be able to get into a nice gated community except for a few ‘maladaptive reactions’ which can be easily taken care of with a $200 course.

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“Courses” are actually brainwashing sessions. Chet uses VR simulations to teach people to do or believe anything he says, to mistrust anyone who doesn’t agree with Chet, and to mistrust their common sense. “Students” are taught not to think for themselves but to fall back on a complex code of behavior created by

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Chet that tells them what to do in any given situation. People keep coming back for more training sessions. They are often told that they are almost ready to join a gated community. Each training session is longer and more expensive. When students run out of money, they are convinced to start working for the school, recruiting new members. They earn a tiny commission for each person they bring in for a training session. Members become increasingly paranoid, taught by Chet that the school has enemies everywhere.

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The Anderson Training School is not new. Chet stole most of his ideas from several successful pre-war scams, sometimes plagiarizing their teachings verbatim. Chet’s contribution is the use of VR for more complete (and automated) brainwashing. Chet knows he is brainwashing people and he doesn’t care: he just wants to make as much money as possible. When Chet feels threatened, he orders his followers to attack. Students of the school have committed arson, have beaten up people and have even killed on occasion. The cult currently has about 150 members, though this number is growing quickly.

Deprogrammers In Brief- Many make a living rescuing and educating or kidnapping and brainwashing cult members. With over 4,000 cultists in the city, many people make a living removing people from cults and trying to undo the cult brainwashing. The best of these deprogrammers are legitimate heroes: they help people escape from frightening and torturous situations and they help give the people the confidence to return to normal life. Others are anti-cult fanatics who kidnap people and use brainwashing techniques on them. The cult members are usually better-off after being deprogrammed, but not by much. These deprogrammers use tasers, restraints and drugs to kidnap and hold cult members and there are occasionally accidents that result in deaths. The worst of the deprogrammers are those that operate out of pure greed. They are dangerous because they often sell their services when their services aren’t needed. They give concerned parents false information, convincing the parents that their children are in cults when the kids really aren’t. Since they don’t care about actually saving people, these deprogrammers are nothing more than brainwashers for hire. The “cults” these mercenary deprogrammers save people from can be legitimate religions, legitimate political activism groups, gangs, or even just groups of friends. One company, called Gang Deprogrammers Incorporated has become known around the city for kidnapping and brainwashing members of city street gangs. Many city gangs have declared war against this company, yet the company operates from outside the city and they are careful to stay incognito when in the city.

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Signs your child is a gang member:

-Odd hours. Gang members like to stay up all night and sleep all day so they can commit crimes under the cover of darkness. -Tattoos. Most gang members get the symbols of their gang (which are too numerous to list here) tattooed on their bodies. Other tattoos mark murders and other crimes the gang member has committed to gain prestige within his or her gang. An innocent looking crucifix tattoo, for instance, may signify that the gang member has killed a priest as part of some initiation. -Injuries. Gang members will often have bruises, scrapes, cuts and other more serious injuries from gang warfare and ritual gang beatings. The gang member will often refuse to seek medical attention for even lifethreatening injuries. -Extra Money. A gang member usually gains extra income from theft, mugging, drug dealing, prostitution and other crimes. Look for new clothes, new computer equipment or any other signs that your child has some extra money. -Internet Avoidance. Many gangs want their members to be as ignorant as possible to the wider world available to them. So, those gangs order their members to avoid spending time on the internet and to strictly avoid VR worlds which would provide a healthy and legal outlet for their aggression. -Paranoia. Gang members are taught to see enemies in every shadow. Expect paranoid behavior from your child: wearing armor day and night, avoiding food they have not prepared themselves, wearing anti-psychic helmets, etc. -Emotional Instability. The drugs that gangs force on their members have a wide range of (often unpredictable) emotional effects. If your child sleeps too little or too much or if your child laughs or cries for no apparent reason, your child is probably on drugs. -Inflated Confidence. Gang members are brainwashed to believe that their lives are worthless and not to fear death. In this city, in this day and age, going outside at any time of day, for any reason, is a risk. If your child takes this risk without fear, and especially if they do it with joy, it is almost certain that he or she is in a gang.

What to do if your child is a gang member:

Gangs are like cults: they brainwash children into thinking that the twisted values of the gang are the correct ones. At the same time, they train the child in violence so that the child can resist any attempts to put them straight. Kids in gangs are also pressured to use mind altering drugs that make them capable of atrocities you never imagined your baby was capable of. Any child, no matter how much he or she loves you, may stab you to death in your sleep if he or she is on the wrong drugs. You have to admit that this is a problem too big for you to handle on your own. Gang Deprogrammers Incorporated has years of experience breaking the terrible grip of gangs. We remove your child from his or her gang influences and put him or her back on the path to being a law-abiding, productive citizen. Don’t think you can afford Gang Deprogrammers Incorporated? We have special financing plans for low income families. Call a representative today to find out more.

Politics In Brief- Political ideologies give some a way to contribute to the world. It turns others into isolated, dangerous fanatics. The city is a hotbed of fanaticism and testing ground for political theories. Politics is a lot like religion. At its best, political involvement can provide a purpose in life and the feeling that one is doing something good. It can put people on the road to mental health. Politics can also be an unhealthy obsession that isolates people from friends and family and makes them dangerous. Some mentally ill people use political agendas as an excuse for hatred and violence. Some small groups of political extremists use many of the same techniques as cults. These extremist groups are often terrorists. Like cults, it isn’t the ideologies of a political group that makes it dangerous, it’s the tactics the group is willing to use. Most of the moderate political activists in the city belong to internet-based communities that collect money to lobby for their various causes. Most of the political extremists are either loners or are members of tiny autonomous political action groups. Anarchism- This is the belief that a perfect society is one in which there is no government and no capitalism. Moderate anarchists want to organize people to help themselves and help each other so that they depend less on capitalism and the federal government. Extreme anarchists want to destroy the government and corporations. The personal ideal of many anarchists is of a self-reliant person who needs few physical goods, doesn’t need the protection of others and who is always willing to share and work with others for the greater good. The “enemy” is seen as a greedy bully who enjoys telling other people what to do. Libertarianism- This is the belief that a perfect society is one in which the government’s only duty is to enforce pure capitalism. Some libertarians are states-rights advocates, who believe that the federal government long ago overstepped its charter and should recede to a less active role. Many libertarians believe that volunteer militias should be doing the job of armies and police forces. Moderate libertarians want to pass laws which reduce government interference in business and they want to eliminate laws against victimless crimes (e.g. drug use). Extreme libertarians want to form volunteer militias to overthrow the federal government. The personal ideal of many libertarians is of a successful small-business owner who gives to charity of his or her own free will and has the means to defend self, family and property (e.g. lots of guns). The “enemy” is seen as pampered government officials who want more power, lazy welfare recipients who want to get paid for doing nothing and meddling moralists who want to regulate people’s personal lives.

Socialism- This is the belief that a perfect society is one in which the government owns all property and businesses and makes sure that everyone is given equal access to resources. Moderate socialists are working towards making sure that the government does more to protect the environment, help the disadvantaged and regulate corporations. Extreme socialists want to destroy corporations and lead workers to take over the property and factories of the corporations. The personal ideal of many socialists is of an intelligent, well-read, down-toearth working class person who organizes against rich property owners and steals from the rich to give to the poor. The “enemy” is seen as rich business owners for whom workers and consumers are less than human. Fascism- This is the belief that one person, or small group, should have complete power over the government and the people. Most fascists want a government that protects the interests of a majority (them) while reducing the rights of a minority. Moderate fascists want to give more power to their favorite leaders and they want to reduce the rights and social support for minorities that aren’t them (be they religious, economic or racial minorities). Extreme fascists want to back their leader in a violent overthrow of the government. The personal ideal of many fascists is of a physically strong soldier with unwavering loyalty to the leader. The “enemy” is seen as minorities and foreign powers who manipulate the government to get their agendas put above that of the nation’s citizens. Oligarchism- This is the belief that a church should rule the government and that all laws should be church laws. Moderate oligarchists want to elect people of their religion into office and they want to change the laws so that what they consider a sin is always a crime. Extreme oligarchists want to destroy anyone in government who isn’t of their religion and rewrite the constitution to make their religion the established religion of the state. The personal ideal of most oligarchists is a pious, selfrighteous warrior-of-god who acts only as his or her holy teachings dictate. The “enemy” is seen as decadent atheists and believers in other (heretical) faiths who want to destroy the one true religious faith. Utopianism- This is the belief that a perfect society is one in which there are no nations but there are many small communities that screen members carefully and can operate by any social system they wish (e.g. anarchism, socialism, libertarianism, fascism or oligarchism). Moderate utopianists are mostly satisfied with the status quo: the existence of many semi-autonomous gated communities. Extreme utopianists want to give everyone the means to create a community, including homeless city dwellers. The personal ideal of an utopianist is typically a charismatic community builder and organizer who teaches people (rather than forcing them) the ideal way to live and get along with others. The enemy is seen as politicians and rich people with a vested interest in the status quo who resist change.

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Politics 057

Morris “Monkeywrench” Tenaka (Violent Homeless Political Radical)

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Level 4 Eccentric Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 15, CHM 9, END 6, INL 12, SPD 17, STH 10, WIL 19, BLD 5, BDY 3, INCY 3. Appearance- Handsome mid-twenties Asian, with a square jaw and tanned skin, black hair, a conservative haircut, tailored black suit, black gloves and neon blue tie. When he is trying to move about without his enemies seeing him, he wears various hooded jackets and sweaters scavenged from the trash with the hood up. Social Status- Monkeywrench is a homeless political radical. He sleeps on the couches of friends and survives only via the charity of others. Monkeywrench has many enemies: to the federal government and Night Shift he is a wanted terrorist, the Drug Lords have a price on his head, many major gangs and pounders have listed him as an enemy. History- Monkeywrench grew up in a semi-radical gated community. He was a studious child, distant from his parents. He studied radical politics, but to him it was mostly abstract concepts. When he was 18 he was asked to leave the gated community. It was a shock and he felt betrayed and alienated. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t want him. He joined a small anarchist collective in Canada, but he quickly grew dissatisfied by their sloppy application of political philosophy. He left the collective and came to the city, where he tried to establish life as a “perfect” anarchist. Personality- Monkeywrench is single-minded. Once he gets an idea into his head he clings to it tenaciously, with no room in his mind for deviation. He has little empathy for others’ points of view. He enjoys arguing with people but he never takes the other person’s arguments seriously. Monkeywrench believes in absolute anarchy. He believes that nobody has the right to personal property or to use the threat of force or imprisonment to tell other people what to do. Monkeywrench believes that it is his duty to help anyone defeat those who use coercion to tell others what to do. He does not believe in friendship and he does not believe in carrying grudges. He believes he should treat everyone according to what they’re doing at the moment, not what they’ve done in the past or his relationship with them. One day he might be trying to kill someone, the next he might be fighting alongside them. He is not afraid to die for his beliefs. Methods- When anyone asks for help defending themselves against someone trying to imprison them or force them to do something, Monkeywrench will help. He will go up against any enemy, from the National Guard to homeless addicts. He needs to see proof that the enemy is really willing to use force or threat of force against the person seeking help. This usually means that the victims must have the courage to stand up to their enemies and hope that Monkeywrench can save them before they are killed. As soon as Monkeywrench is certain he knows who the real enemy is, he opens fire with a pistol. If the pistol jams or runs out of ammo, he attacks with a poisoned screwdriver. Special Skills- Pistol (3). Special Equipment- Freedom Army Pistol (ROF 3, FR 7 ft., 5 bladed damage, clip holds 15 rounds), Gasmask, Protective Gloves, Kevlar Vest (AR 5, PR 6 bladed, 1 blunt, -2 AGY penalty already figured into attributes), Screwdriver (1 BLD damage, pierces as 4) with Drake Fungus Poison. Typical Attack- Monkeywrench attacks with his pistol, firing 3 shots in a round, making a vital strike at INL (12) + AGY (15) -4 (burst) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 vs. 0). If successful, does 15 bladed damage (5 x 3). As a reaction he does a split reaction dodge at AWR (13) + AGY (15) -10 (split) +12 (skill) vs. 25 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0) and simultaneous strike at INL (12) + AGY (15) +WIL (19) -10 (split) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 45 (or 1d20 +3 vs. 0).

058 Politics

AbolitionismRather than having an idea of the perfect government and working towards that, abolitionists have one thing that they think is the root of all of society’s problems. Some of the more popular targets for destruction are: international corporations, drug laws, tech laws, gated communities, prisons, virtual reality and modern technology. Like other political activists, some abolitionists believe in working within the system, others believe in violent action. The City- For some people, the city itself is sort of a political laboratory. That’s why many Eccentrics choose to live in Manhattan. While most of the world has been reordered under a partly utopianist, partly capitalist system, the world’s inner cities are something different entirely. The city is mostly anarchist (there is little law enforcement, nobody asserts ownership over much of the city’s real estate) with elements of libertarianism (the black market and the drug lords represent completely unregulated markets) and socialism (the welfare system provides a safety net for some). So what does the city say about which political ideologies are correct? It depend on who you ask. Some anarchists, utopianists and libertarians say that the city’s freedoms are creating a new generation that is tough enough, self-sufficient enough and community-minded enough to not need government interference. To many socialists, fascists and oligarchists, the suffering in the city caused by drugs, violence and poverty is just evidence that the government needs to be doing more to make people safe and happy.

Shut-Ins In Brief- Paranoid and fearful, often delusionally and torturously so. The rates of mental illness among the city’s shut-ins is almost as great as those of people out on the streets. Alcoholism is common. Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and pornography addiction are common. Most shut-ins live alone, but those who live with family have high rates of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The one defining characteristic of shutins is fear. For some the fear is quite reasonable: they are disabled or elderly, have no one to accompany them when they go outside, and would be easy prey to the city’s exploiters. Others are able bodied and could learn to stay moderately-safe on the streets, but they have unrealistic ideas about their own capabilities and the dangerousness of the city. It is mostly the news media that enforces these unrealistic beliefs. Most shut-ins feel safe in their apartments, behind locked doors and with a cheap security system. VR fantasy worlds keep them distracted: most feel no fear or anxiety so long as they are in VR. For some people, fear of the dangers outside takes over their lives. Instead of spending money on VR, they spend money on security. They pay for the best security systems, they get reinforced doors with biometric locks, they buy tasers and pepper sprays which they keep on their persons at all times. They do anything they can to avoid leaving the apartment and many die of simple illnesses because they don’t want to go to a doctor. When they are forced to leave the homes, they often taser people they think are attacking them. Many of the young people on the streets today were the children of shut-ins. Among well gang members, about 75% were the children of shut-ins and about half had parents with some mental illness. Stuck in an apartment with a mentally ill person, these young people learned some truths about life that would stay with them: life is seldom fair, people can’t be trusted, and having one’s physical needs met does not guarantee happiness.

Mental Illness and the Internet Five thousand people a day visit a discussion board for survivors of the government Abadon project. They discuss how they have been experimented on, monitored and psychically tortured from an early age. The people visiting this site discuss Abadon’s history, leadership and goals. They talk about personal experiences and provide each other with emotional support. They discuss techniques for blocking psychic manipulation, how to educate the public and how to lobby the government to stop the Abadon project. Members of the Abadon board have taken out ads, have files lawsuits against the government, and one even bombed a government building. Members have discussed creating militias to ‘rescue’ board participants who are put in mental institutions and medicated against their will. The board had about 500 readers in the city. The problem is that Abadon doesn’t exit. The majority of people on the board are paranoid schizophrenics who think the voices and strange thoughts in their heads have external causes. Although many paranoid schizophrenics create stories about conspirators psychically manipulating them, the existence of this board had allowed thousands of schizophrenics around the country to create and share this very complex delusion. The evidence and testimonials presented on the board are so convincing that some people come to believe in Abadon even though they would have never had such a delusion if it weren’t for the board. If belief in Abadon can be considered a mental illness, then the discussion board is a means by which this illness is growing rapidly. Not only does it spread the delusion, but the existence of an anti-Abadon community makes paranoid schizophrenics ten times as hard to convince that they are wrong. The Abadon discussion board is not the only board where people with a shared mental illness create a community and shared reality. Hypochondriacs around the world have created an illness called Acute Neuropathy Syndrome (ANS). There is no way to test for ANS and all the symptoms are subjective (insomnia, tiredness, pain, dizziness, etc.). Although there are hundreds of semi-effective treatments, there is no cure. The ANS community is strong enough that many doctors have been convinced of the existence of ANS and governments have been pressured to spend millions studying it, despite the fact that it doesn’t actually exist. “Hand-in-hand,” the discussion board of the World Wide Adult-Child Love Association, creates a community that helps pedophiles convince themselves (and sometimes others) that sex with children benefits the children. There are internet communities for pedophiles, fetishist, paranoiacs, anorexics, hypochondriacs, phobics, fanatics and obsessive-compulsives, each of which help convince those people that their beliefs are normal and rational. In some ways, the internet has blurred the line between mental illness and culture. Can a behavior or belief really be called abnormal if a person belongs to a community of thousands that have adopted it? The influence of the internet can be seen most strongly in shut-ins. Thousands of shut-ins live in isolation, only interacting with people who share their beliefs and mental illnesses. When their unfortunate children venture outside they feel as if they are immigrants from a foreign country. Perhaps the city’s mentally ill homeless people are fortunate that they rarely have access to the internet. As much damage as the internet does, it also helps many. The internet is a good tool for researching mental illnesses (once you figure out who to believe). Some internet communities provide genuinely helpful support for mentally ill people, their families and loved ones. Some of these communities do real good when they educate the public and lobby for better mental health care.

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Shut-Ins 059

Homeless Crazies

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Deep Back

In Brief- Despite their stereotype as dirty, dangerous In Brief- Alleys in midtown where paranoid homeless and psychotic, there are a wide variety of Crazies. people build secret homes in piles of trash. They lead dangerous lives. Most city residents only Alleys are rare in the city. For most of the city’s history, know those who are famous characters in city stories. property prices have been so high that land owners “Crazies” compromises a large and diverse group of 5,000 would not let even a foot of space go unused. Most city residents. Crazies are homeless and can’t/won’t join buildings are so close to each other than no human any street people group or profession because of a mental could fit between them. Older buildings even have illness. Some Crazies can pass themselves off as sane, shared walls. yet the city stereotype is of a babbling psychotic in rags, covered with sores, who occasionally attacks people for The exception to this rule is a set of warehouses built no reason. Almost all Crazies survive by scrounging in after the end of the Freedom Wars. The warehouses were dumpsters. This is not an optimum means or survival. built over the ruins of thbombed stcorporate headquarters inth Many Crazies die from starvation, malnutrition, food midtown between 29 and 31 streets and between 5 poisoning and injuries sustained while dumpster diving. and Madison avenues. The warehouses were built to store the thousands of boxes of records created by the Because they have no social or economic power, homeless restoration committee before enough of the infotech Crazies are often preyed upon. Despite the stereotype infrastructure had been restored that records could be that they are all dangerous menaces, the average Crazy kept digitally. The warehouses were cheap, modular, is more likely to be attacked than to attack. Due to the and between each was a 5 ft. (1.8 m.) alley. physical dangers and mental problems that often make them unable to take care of themselves, Crazies have The warehouses were abandoned, ransacked, and the highest mortality rate in the city (addicts tend to die later people from nearby apartment buildings started younger, but that’s because they often start younger). dumping trash here. The alleys soon became a huge Many Crazies survive by pure luck. The average crazy trash-heap. In recent years, homeless Crazies started will only live 4 months after hitting the streets; however building homes in these alleys. They learned that they enough new people become homeless Crazies to keep the could build small shacks, cover them with trash and population growing. camouflage them. Those who built the homes here were intelligent and highly paranoid. As word spread, more Some non-Crazies have friends, family or lovers who came to build here. The area became known in city ended up on the streets as homeless Crazies. These people slang as Deep Back. often see Crazies as prisoners of the streets, imprisoned by mental illnesses. For the majority of the city, however, Some homes are simple: they’re nothing but a cardboard homeless Crazies are nameless, faceless, dangerous box or rolled up piece of rug under a pile of trash that monsters. Most people don’t know or care how homeless the builders crawl into to sleep. Others are engineering Crazies survive. They avoid dealing with them whenever marvels: Trash conceals the entrance to a tiny tunnel. possible. The only homeless Crazies they know of as The tunnel is filled with traps, most of which trigger a individuals are those about whom stories are told. These tunnel collapse or sharp objects to fall. Some tunnels ‘famous’ Crazies do something or have something wrong even branch off into dead end tunnels. At the end of the with them that makes for entertaining stories around a tunnel is a locked door to a tiny room. The Crazy inside street campfires or while drinking beers on the corner. the room often has defenses: a guard dog, a pole weapon Most city residents have heard about Magoomba (p.61), ready to impale an invader or a rope to trigger a trap the Animal Man (p.18) and the Suit Guy (p.6), mostly outside the front door. As ingenious as they are, they are because they are easily recognized. It would only take a not comfortable, and none have room to stand. 10 difficulty City Knowledge roll to have heard of these people. Fewer have heard of Ugly (p.62), Lord Jesus Few people have seen the seen the inside of these (p.114), Mama Yaga (p.63), Scratchman (p.114) and homes. Few people are stupid enough to brave the the Dead Woman (p.15) (20 difficulty City Knowledge dirt, smells and traps, and outsiders have few reasons to rolls). Street people are more likely to have heard of invade them. them and people who spend most of their time on the streets (Addicts, Sex Workers, Jacks and other Crazies) Although Deep Back has the highest concentration of eccentric homes built by paranoid Crazies, there are likely to have had direct contact with them. are similar homes all over the city. They are built in For more on homeless Crazies, see the character class places where few people would ever bother to look: underground catch basins, crawlspaces, piles of rubble, description on p.112. etc.

060 Homeless Crazies

Pander “Magoomba” Paine (Dangerous, Psychotic Crazy With Cracks) Level 3 Crazy Attributes- AWR 15, AGY 12, CHM 1, END 18, INL 3, SPD 8, STH 19, WIL 20, BLD 3, BDY 5, INCY 6. Appearance- Magoomba is tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, mostly asian, in his thirties. Magoomba is always naked or nearly naked. He is dirty, has long black hair and a long beard. His body is covered with glowing blue “cracks” and any place that doesn’t have cracks has crude black tattoos or self-inflicted scars. Magoomba has a huge iron nose-ring. Magoomba carries a large stick which he uses as a staff. Social Status- Magoomba is homeless, he has no friends and lives by rummaging through garbage. Most homeless people are scared of him. Many gangs have put him on their hit list after he attacked one of their own, but he never stays in one place long enough for them to find him and kill him. History- Magoomba grew up in the city Orphanage. He hallucinated and had delusions from early childhood, and the other children ostracized him. As a teenager, he ran away from the Orphanage (before the childrens’ revolt). He lived on the streets and became a pusher for the Drug Lords. He started using god killer and he grew increasingly paranoid. He purchased Cracks to try to defend himself from his enemies. The Drug Lords revoked his status as pusher because he was too undependable and Magoomba went back to being a homeless Crazy. A bad beating inflicted by a security guard caused some brain damage and further aggravated his illness. Magoomba completely lost touch with reality and started to wander around the city half-naked, spouting nonsense. It has been less than a year since he has entered this phase of his illness and he has not yet had to deal with the trials of a city winter. Personality- Magoomba has a very severe form of schizophrenia. He is in a near constant state of psychosis. Nothing makes any sense to him, the world seems to follow no rules, and ordinary stimuli provoke unpredictable and extreme emotional reactions from him. In his mind, his thoughts race a mile a minute, disjointed and nonsensical. He hears voices but he doesn’t know whether they are his or someone else’s. His reasoning ability is most like that of a toddler. Magoomba isn’t sure who he is or where he fits into the universe. He sees people run away when he gets close, but for the most part he thinks they are playing some sort of game with him. Most of the time he doesn’t understand that Cracks hurts anyone he touches. Methods- Magoomba spends his days wandering around the city, rooting through dumpsters and looking for warm places to sleep. People run away when they see Magoomba coming. He usually lets them go, but sometimes he chases them, laughing and trying to tackle them. When he sees people talking, he tries to interject himself into the conversation, letting out a stream of nonsense. He often shouts “magoomba” at people for no apparent reason and he seems pleased when they say it back. Sometimes he gets in a bad mood and he yells at people and swings his stick around, but he only hits people who don’t get out of his way. Special Equipment- Cracks (see p.107, FWTD main book), Large Stick (range 1-3, 3 blunt damage, easy parry). Typical Attack- If he is trying to hurt someone, he strikes with his stick at STH (19) + AGY (12) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +6 vs. 0) doing 3 blunt damage. If he is just playing he makes a tackle at SPD (8) + STH (19) + 1d20 vs. 20 (or 1d20 +7 vs. 0). A person whose skin touches his must make a save vs. disease contraction at 30 difficulty, or within 5 minutes they will suffer from a red rash and burning pain (20 difficulty save vs. distracting pain). If they fail saves vs. disease progression they will likely die (see p.107 for more). He does not react to attacks, since he doesn’t think they can hurt him.

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Homeless Crazies 061

Shad “Ugly” Martin

(Self-Appointed King and Protector of Ugly People)

Level 4 Crazy Attributes- AGY 8, AWR 16, CHM 17, END 6, INL 10, SPD 8, STH 9, WIL 14, BLD 3, BDY 3, INCY 6. Appearance- Mostly white, boyish face, shaggy blonde hair, thin beard, dirty skin, the word ugly carved on his forehead, wears dirty flannels, a hooded grey sweatshirt and stained blue-jeans.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Social Status- Ugly is one of the most beloved Crazies. He is the self-appointed king and protector of ugly people. He knows almost every Crazy in the city and has gained the trust and loyalty of people who trust nobody else in the world. When forced to, he can rouse a small army of 10-20 homeless crazies to aid him. History- Ugly grew up in the city. His parents were workers and they physically abused him. When he turned eighteen he joined a corporation and became a civil engineer. He did well and the corporation kept him around despite his nagging doubts that he was “good enough.” He married and had two children. Then a malfunctioning mental program caused him brain damage, made him unreliable and emotionally unstable. The corporation no longer wanted him and he and his family moved to the city. His wife worked and he received disability. Even though he had not attacked a single person, he became increasingly worried that he might someday harm his family. He started spending more and more time away from home, wandering the streets of the city so he wouldn’t be near his family. They continued to seek him out and beg him to come home. In order to get his family to leave him, he let himself get caught having an affair. When his wife still wouldn’t leave him, Ugly tried to kill himself by overdosing on a mixture of god killer and alcohol. He woke up on the streets several days later with blood all over him, no memory of what he had done and the word “ugly” carved into his forehead. He abandoned his old life and has taken up the persona of “ugly,” living on the streets as a homeless crazy. Personality- Ugly is friendly, energetic (sometimes manic) and empathetic. He has a likeable, understanding and empathetic demeanor. He has an easy-going, low-pressure way of talking to people that puts them at ease. He is good at recognizing people with low self-esteem (who he calls ‘the ugly’) and he tries his best to make friends with any ugly person he can. When he perceives someone as being beautiful (he puts people who are physically attractive, self-confident or high-status into this category) he becomes nervous around them, often stuttering. Ugly has blocked out all memories of his previous life. He thinks of himself only as “ugly.” Whenever he starts to remember his old life he becomes intensely afraid that he’s killed his family and he quickly finds something to distract himself so he doesn’t have to think about it. Methods- When he is not scrounging for food, Ugly wanders around the city approaching every homeless crazy he can find. He tries to make friends with each one and he is not discouraged if they do not want to talk to him at first. He brings little gifts for people (including food, cigarettes, or weapons he has made) and slowly gains their trust. He tries to convince people that they are one of the ugly and that the only thing the ugly have is each other. Ugly thinks that the ugly should work together for their common good and self-defense. Whenever he hears about someone preying on Crazies, he tries to form a mob to go beat the person up. Participation in his mob is purely voluntary and he doesn’t hold it against people if they choose not to join him. Like a good general, he amps up his soldiers before battle with a rousing speech and congratulates them for victory afterwards. Special Skills- Weapon Making (2). Special Equipment- Skullcrusher (range 1-2, 3 blunt damage, pierces as 6), Phonebook Armor (AR 5, PR 2 blunt 2 bladed, -2 AGY penalty already figured into stats above). He also has a supply of skullcrushers, rippers, shivs and kitchen-knife-spears which he has manufactured from scavenged trash and gives to homeless crazies to protect themselves. Typical Attack- An extended strike with the skullcrusher at STH (9) + AGY (8) +5 (extended) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 3). As a reaction he Dodges at AWR (16) + AGY (8) -10 (extended) +1d20 vs. 25 or 1d20 vs. 11.)

062 Homeless Crazies

Mama Yaga

(Crazy Poison Seller) Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 8, CHM 1, END 6, INL 9, SPD 2, STH 3, WIL 14, BLD 4, BDY 2, INCY 3. Appearance- Old, mostly white, tough wrinkled skin, dirty, long tangled hair, hunched over, wearing several layers of scavenged clothing with a shawl over her head and pushing a shopping cart full of trash. Social Status- Mama Yaga is known as a poison seller. Homeless people (mostly homeless Crazies who cannot even afford Drake poisons) barter with her for poisons. History- Mama Yaga worked as a makeup salesperson in a department store in the years before the Freedom Wars. She and the other salespeople were only paid a commission for sales and had to work most of the day to make enough money to stay alive. She became exhausted, but one of her co-workers convinced her to try using amphetamines to give her energy. Her first experience with amphetamines triggered latent schizophrenia. She ended up on the streets, psychotic and incoherent. Before she could regain her senses and return to her normal life, the Freedom Wars started. Mama Yaga spent the freedom wars on the streets and her mental condition slowly worsened. She was still able to communicate, and other homeless people kept her up on developments in the city. Five years ago she was attacked by a serial killer who raped her, stabbed her and left her for dead. She survived but her mental condition deteriorated even more, she became unable to communicate meaningfully with others. Personality- Mama Yaga suffers from schizophrenia. Her thoughts are very disordered and she often thinks and believes things which make no sense. She is constantly talking to herself, in a stream of words that makes no sense to outsiders. When she tries to communicate with other people, they can almost never understand her. One of her more stable delusions is that she is a Drake and that the Drakes are the chosen people of god (because the bible says Jesus’ followers can drink poison and handle snakes and not be hurt). Mama Yaga doesn’t trust anyone and she prefers to be alone whenever possible. Sometimes she goes through periods of fear, where she hides or runs away from anyone she meets, and sometimes she goes through periods of anger where she yells and spits at anyone she meets. Despite her problems, she has good survival instincts and she knows how to avoid danger. She will use violence to defend herself, but only if backed into a corner. Methods- Mama Yaga spends her days scavenging through city dumpsters, looking for food and for anything she thinks is poisonous. Some of the things she thinks are poisons are harmless, others are so toxic that even the Drakes refuse to handle them. Anything poisonous is mixed together and put in little scavenged bottles. She keeps everything she owns in a shopping cart. The cart has two poisonous snakes in it, and before she reaches in she beats the shopping cart savagely to stun them (people watching just think she’s crazy). She doesn’t talk to people. When people want to barter for poisons, they leave an item on the ground in front of her. If she doesn’t want it she will walk away. If she does want it, she will pick it up and leave a bottle of poison in its place. Special Skills- Poison Tolerance (5). Special Equipment- 10-20 bottles of “poison.” These poisons may or may not work, depending on whether the ingredients Mama Yaga put in them are really toxic. Some don’t do anything, some are deadly. Mama Yaga also has a shiv covered with layer-after-layer of dried poison. If she can stab someone with the shiv, it does 4 BLD damage per round for 5 rounds. Typical Attack- Mama Yaga makes an extended strike with her shiv at STH (3) + AGY (5) +5 (extended) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 vs. 12). Mama Yaga’s Poison Random Symptoms Roll 3 times. Symptoms occur within 2 minutes if swallowed, 2 rounds if pierces skin. 01-50: No effect. 51-56: Distracting Pain (30) for 2 hours. 57-63: Vomiting (30), Vertigo (20 difficulty saves vs. loss of balance), Weakness (-4 STH, -4 END) for 4 hours. 64-69: Paralysis (20), Pulmonary Arrest (10) for 1 hour. 70-75: Cramps (-7 AGY), Headache (30), Insomnia (20) for 5 days. 76-81: Hallucinations (30), Delusions (20), Sudden Amnesia (20), Panic (10), Clumsiness (-7 AGY) for 2 hours. 82-88: Disease with progression speed 4 hours, progression rating 30, symptoms: -3 END, -1 BLD. 89-94: Seizures (20), Vomiting (20), Unconsciousness (20) for 30 minutes. 95-00: Partial Blindness (-7 to all actions/reactions), sensitivity to pain (-10 to save vs. pain) for 12 hours.

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Reasons to Deal with Crazies Witness- The Crazy has some important piece of information (often obtained purely by accident) that PCs need. The most common event of this type is when a gang member is murdered or missing and fellow gang members have to try to find out if local Crazies saw anything. Loved One- The Crazy is someone a PC cares about, or is cared about by someone in a position of influence over the PC. Saving a mentally ill person from themselves is often not possible, but there are things PCs can do to help, including delivering care packages or protecting the person from external dangers. Revenge- The PCs are seeking revenge against a person who hurt a comrade or loved one. When it turns out the perpetrator is mentally ill, what will the gang’s ethics and the PC’s personal ethics demand be done? Help- Some Crazies have skills that can be useful to PCs: psychic, medical, hacking, etc. They usually aren’t in a position to charge much. Crazies are often the only help the PCs can find or afford in the middle of an emergency. The problem is keeping them on task. Altruism- The PCs may see something bad happening to a Crazy. The PCs are most likely to react if they see an innocent Crazy being taken advantage of. Just saving the Crazy doesn’t always end the trouble for the PCs. What would happen if the PCs save a Crazy and then the Crazy asks “what do I do now?”

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Black Meds- Black Meds have to deal with a lot of hypochondriacs. Most believe they can spot “gomers” on sight, and they have a number of code words to identify a gomer to colleagues. Most of the time, Black Meds give the gomers placebos and charge their full fee. They are most likely to do this to Indie and Well gomers. They say that they are preventing the gomers from taking real medicines that might hurt them. Others accuse the Black Meds of stealing money from mentally ill people and helping feed their delusions. Some Black Meds form relationships with gomers that keeps the gomers coming back, week after week, paying for placebo treatments. Many Black Meds earn a majority of their income from mentally ill patients. One Black Med family was accused of killing a hypochondriac by taking so much of her money that she became homeless and died of exposure.

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Black Meds also do many of the surgeries for dysmorphs (p.17). Once again, they are accused of helping people’s mental illnesses grow worse. Black Meds who specialize in body modification have seen, first hand, how one can go from normal to being an insane monster. Almost every Black Med has been approached by someone seeking some weird pseudomedical treatment: an unnecessary amputation, removal of an imaginary tracking chip, strange genital mutilation with no anesthetic, fat removal from a dangerously thin patient, treatments for bizarre injuries sustained in fetishistic sex, and so on. Crackers- The Crackers are poor at physical warfare, but they excel at psychological warfare. If they can tap into an enemy’s videophone communication they can run a subliminal analyzer program to find out what the enemy likes or fears. They can also capture the image and voice of anyone the victim talks to. Then they can use a puppet program to call back and look and sound like the enemy’s friends. The enemy suddenly gets a call from a friend, saying whatever the enemy fears most. The enemy might be able to figure out the deception, but is distracted by other problems created by the Cracker: the water going out, the landlord claiming she didn’t get the rent payment, the intercom continually buzzing for no reason, etc. Since Crackers are adept at finding pirated data, many deal in underground pornography. It’s not uncommon to see Crackers in the red light district (and all over the city) peddling data disks full of pirated porn. Some Crackers choose to deal in child porn or snuff films. These Crackers believe that they aren’t contributing to this porn being made because they aren’t paying for it. There are rumors that at least one Cracker has helped the Sexologists in a sting, but the Crackers won’t admit to anything that would hurt their sales. Drakes- As sellers of poisons, Drakes have always dealt with a lot of paranoid clients, both those who thought they were being poisoned by their enemies and those who wanted to poison their enemies. Then the Drakes discovered their anti-psychic ash. Suddenly, it seemed half the paranoid Crazies in the city were coming to them demanding protection from psychics. Psychic invasion is the most common delusion among paranoid schizophrenics. Most schizophrenics cannot afford high-tech anti-psychic caps, so they go to the Drakes. Sometimes Drakes have to deal with angry customers who claim that the dioxyl ash didn’t work because it didn’t stop the psychics from broadcasting thoughts into their heads. One paranoid anti-psychic even became adopted into the Drakes (See Shotgun Pete, p.65).

Peter “Shotgun Pete” Lawry

(Psychic-Paranoid Drake Associate) Level 3 Crazy Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 9, CHM 2, END 8, INL 13, SPD 10, STH 9, WIL 15, BLD 3, BDY 5, INCY 4. Appearance- Long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, long beard. Looks to be in his 50’s. Mostly Caucasian. Face smeared with dioxyl ash. Brown-leather vest over a holey powder-blue sweater, old blue-jeans and boots. Social Status- Shotgun Pete is considered a Drake. He does not make poisons or sell any poison other than dioxyl ash, nor does he live with any other Drakes, but he always helps the Drakes in time of war. History- Pete grew up as a shut-in. His mother was a moderately skilled psychic who used her skills to dominate his will and make him think and feel what she wanted. He ran away at 13 and lived on the streets. Pete worked as a Sex Worker and sometimes assisted a local trader. At one point he stole a shotgun from the house of a john and he taught himself to maintain it and make shells for it. As he grew older, he started to believe that psychics were putting thoughts in his head. When the Drakes discovered dioxyl ash in 2078, Pete became one of their best customers. When he could not pay for ash, he would perform services for the Drake, usually as a mercenary. He perfected a shotgun shell with dioxyl plastic in it that was as powerful an anti-psychic weapon as the dioxyl-Drakes’ hot pipes. He moved to Drake territory and before long the Tammy Drake family had adopted him as a semi-family member. At first the other Drakes were worried that he was too unstable and would get the rest of the family in trouble, but so far he has proven himself dependable. Personality- Peter’s life is dominated by fear of psychics and of having his mind messed with. He believes that a network of psychics (including his mother) are out to get him. He no longer lives in constant and torturous fear, but the majority of his waking life is spent working on his anti-psychic defenses. He feels close to nobody and he spends no time on entertainment or enrichment. He spends most of his time alone in his shack, smearing dioxyl ash over everything he owns and maintaining his shotgun. His few social contacts are with Drakes and with a few fellow psychic-paranoids he sells ash to. He gains no pleasure from these contacts. He likes things that don’t change and he becomes irritated if forced to change his routine or meet new people. Special Skills- Rifle/Shotgun (2) (+8 to vital strike, +8 to simultaneous strike, +4 to strike), Gun Repair (5). Special Equipment- Sawed-off Shotgun (FR 5 ft., MR 50 ft., very easy strike), Dioxyl Shells (3 bladed damage, anyone within 15 ft. of a blast suffers -10 to psychic skill rolls for 1 hour, each shot there is a 1 in 10 chance of misfiring, if it misfires there is a 1 in 6 chance it will explode and do 1 damage to the holder). Typical Attack- Pete makes a strike with his shotgun at INL (13) + AGY (9) +4 (skill) +8 (weapon) -1/5 ft. +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +9 -1/5 ft. vs. 0). As a reaction he makes simultaneous strikes at 1d20 +4 -1/5 ft. vs. 0.

Insomniacs- The Insomniacs are descending, as a family, into madness. Taking Sibosin brings on a sort of temporary mental illness, and those who overdose and become charred go steadily downhill. Nobody knows whether, in 30 years, the Insomniacs will still be a powerful family or whether they will all be dead from suicide and autoasphyxiation accidents. Non-Insomniacs who have overdosed on Sibosin have all committed suicide, yet none had the advantages of being in a street family: a support system, a community that adapts to their new needs, and the survival of the family as a reason to keep going. Keepers- Most sensible people know that the hole is filled with traps and stay out of it. The most common trespassers in the hole are drunks and homeless Crazies. When caught, they are usually restrained and brought before Monis Ef, the Keepers’ judge. Monis Ef has his own mental problems: since the death of his family he has become a depressed recluse. His duties as judge are the only thing that keeps him hanging on. When Monis believes trespassers wandered into the hole because they didn’t know any better or were mentally deranged, he usually lets them go. Although not good with people, he tries to explain to them that the hole belongs to the Keepers and that it is dangerous to enter it. If he thinks the person might have someone taking care of them, he might order the person held for ransom. Water Rats- The Timm family got where is it today by reckless risk-taking. The Timms did things others thought was suicidal. The Timms’ fearlessness is partly a function of their brain chemistry and partly a way they have chosen to deal with life. From an early age, Water Rats are taught that it is better to take risks and get the most out of life than to live in fear. When Water Rats are experiencing stresses in their lives, they often take refuge in the freedom of risk taking, sometimes to such a degree that it seems to others that they want to die.

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The Water Rats like to believe that they are immortal or that they have some kind of special luck. Neither is true. Water Rats have died during dangerous stunts. The family has grieved, but afterwards they choose to continue with their delusion of immortality.

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Non-Family Street People Addicts- It’s hard to pry apart drug addiction from mental illness. Some say drug addiction is a mental illness, one with an external cause. Many addicts qualified for mental illness diagnoses before they ever started using. They started using drugs to “selfmedicate” their mental problems, or pre-existing problems made them reckless or susceptible to the persuasive tactics of pushers. Most Addicts who are not crazy going into addiction are driven crazy by the constant stress and by the many traumas addicts experience. Addicts also tend to burn bridges with the friends and family that might act as a support system against mental illness. Paranoia, depression and suicidal behaviors are common among all addicts. Addicts who use amphetamines and god killer are often driven into states which mimic paranoid schizophrenia. Like a schizophrenic in the positive symptoms phase, they suffer from hallucinations and delusions and sometimes go completely psychotic. Addicts who want to improve their lives have an incredibly hard road ahead of them because they must deal with both psychological problems and addictions. Gamblers- For the most part, gamblers are conartists who take advantage of the greed and gullibility of others. Many of the most successful gamblers would qualify for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. This syndrome is characterized by lack of empathy for others, lack of morals and talent at lying and manipulation. Gamblers often have a lot of contact with compulsive gamblers. Compulsive Gamblers come from every background, age, gender and socioeconomic level, but all have a compulsion to gamble that they can’t control. Compulsive gamblers are often quite skilled, but compulsives don’t know when to stop, something all professional Gamblers must know. Jacks- Very few individuals are able to scrape out a living solely by begging and doing odd jobs. It takes quick wits, charm and the ability to lie convincingly. It also requires being able to stand living a life where the future is completely uncertain. A Jack’s day might end on an Indie’s couch with a belly full of food and wine, or cold and hungry in an abandoned building. For most of the population, the stress of this lifestyle would destroy them. The people who become successful Jacks tend to live in the moment: they rarely think about the past or future. This makes them slightly amoral: they do things without giving thought to the future consequences of their actions. They are typically extreme extraverts. For them, social situations which others would see as intense are just exciting enough to be interesting.

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Runners- The number one skill Runners must have, above even ability to get across the city quickly, is a reputation for dependability. Of all the street people groups, Runners are the most emotionally stable and the least likely to have problems with drugs or alcohol that they can’t control.

decline. Assassins (p.23) often decide that Sex Workers are dirty and try to clean the city of them. Misogynistic rapists and serial killers often target Sex Workers on the belief (usually justified) that few care when a Sex Worker is raped or murdered. One reason people commit so many crimes against Sex Workers, or let others get away with committing those crimes, is economic prejudice. Sex Workers- Many Sex Workers turned to the sex Johns visiting the city from corporate living centers or industry because they didn’t have the self-esteem, social wealthy suburbs are most likely to have this prejudice. skills or sobriety to make it in some other profession. They think that anyone willing to sell his or her body for a few bucks then isn’t worth any more than a few When Sex Workers start working in the sex industry, bucks. they often set limits for themselves. They say “this is what I’m willing to do for money, and this is what Thieves- Thieves don’t have many redeeming features, I’m not.” Yet the Sex Worker is always being offered not much they can say in their defense when they’re money to cross the lines they have drawn. When they caught robbing someone or picking someone’s pocket. are desperate for cash they might let their standards slip Some use the “I’m trying to feed my family” excuse. a little bit. Each time this happens it becomes easier for Others try to use the legendary antipathy between thieves the Sex Worker to relax his or her standards. It’s not and con artists to gain some credit. “I may steal your much use saying ‘I will not do _____ for money’ when stuff, but I won’t lie to you.” This is mostly just an act: the person has already done it five times. most thieves have zero interest in stopping con artists, and in many cases thieves and con artists are the same For most Sex Workers, the disturbing part is not the people. There are a few cases, though, where skilled physical acts but the attitudes of the people they do thieves will purposefully go after con artists. They may them with. Some johns are nice people who seek sexual phone in tips to the police, they may sabotage the offices contact with a Sex Worker because they don’t think they of con artists or they may even rob the con artists blind can get it anywhere else or because they are addicted to and return most of the money to their victims. sex as an anxiety reliever. Most johns, however, have serious issues with a particular gender. Some johns see City legends pit skilled thieves against plastic antisocials Sex Workers as objects with no rights or feelings worth (p.28), the most frighteningly devious of con artists. It’s worrying about. Others only aspire to this attitude: what not such an unlikely pairing: plastic antisocials tend to be they really feel is a sense of inferiority. Female Sex big spenders, which is the most likely target for thieves. Workers encounter a lot of misogynists: people who hate and fear women. Misogynists feel a power void: they Thieves are the only street people group that do not have need women but they don’t think women need them. to deal with other people, beyond their black market Contact with women makes these misogynists feel trader. Homeless people with social skill problems, who powerless and reduces their self-esteem. They seek to have the raw talent it takes, often become thieves. regain control, typically with either money or violence. To the misogynist, the physical sensation of a sex act is not important, the important thing is that the woman do something she would not have chosen to do of her own free will. The more degrading the sex act, the more the Animalists- Existing as a thinking being is often difficult. misogynist likes it. Thus, female Sex Workers are under Having the ability to think means you make decisions constant pressure to do things that are unsanitary, painful rather than simply reacting. Decisions mean you are at or frightening at the request of someone who gets off on fault when you make the wrong decision. When you are the Sex Worker’s discomfort. The result is the equivalent a thinking being you can ponder your future and past, and of psychological warfare against the Sex Worker. you can become sad, angry or, worst of all, scared, about things that aren’t currently happening. Thinking beings Sex Workers fall into a terrible cycle: the more degrading can even be scared or guilty about their own thoughts. things they do, the lower their self-esteem gets and the more degrading things they are willing to do. Coupled Existing as a thinking being can be torture. That’s why so with this there is often physical deterioration from drugs, many people use drugs, join cults, or engage in extreme age and violence, which makes the Sex Worker have to sex: to escape from thought, even for a minute. That’s work harder to earn the same amount of money. why the Animal Man (see p.18) has spent hundreds of thousands to mutilate himself. That’s why so many Sex Workers are also very likely to be the victims of people like Animal War: it liberates them from thought violent crime: rape, robbery, beating, torture, mutilation. and lets them experience consciousness like an animal. The trauma of these events speed their psychological

Well Gangs

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As with drugs, different people have different reactions to Animal War based on their psychology. For many it was an instant and complete dependence. They pawned off all their possessions, went into debt with loan sharks and started fights trying to be first in line to use the Animal War machines. They were the first to learn to trigger the thoughtless state even when not hooked up to the Animal War machines. They would spend most of the day in a thoughtless, animal-like state. Most became homeless, many died. Even before Mauler started turning people into mindless beasts there were homeless people wandering the streets acting like animals. Most people think these are just more psychotics. In truth, they are just a different kind of psychotic. Rather than the rational mind turning off all at once under intense psychological pressure, their rational minds turned off a little more each time they used Animal War. To many Animalists, these psychotic Animalists are a skeleton in the closet. They don’t want to be associated with these Crazies and they don’t want to have to take care of them or be held responsible for their actions. When an Animalist goes homeless, most other Animalists try to forget he or she ever existed. When people claim that Animal War is addictive and makes people crazy, Animalists defend their hobby by saying that anyone who went Crazy was already mentally ill. The majority of Animalists learned to find balance. They realized that they needed to turn on the thinking parts of their brains sometimes in order to survive in the modern world. These moderate Animalists learned from the mistakes of the psychotic Animalists and later from Mauler addicts. Even among Animalists who stay part of the group, some deal with the temptation to turn off their minds better than others. Some are borderlines, barely able to stay thinking long enough to stay on welfare and keep themselves housed, clothed and fed. Others go “animal” for prolonged periods after traumas or during stresses. Even as Animalism can be a problem, it can also help people. Many people who have gotten into Animalism have freed themselves from the grip of irrational stress, fears and obsessions. Animalism has helped people with very low self-esteem overcome their irrational beliefs about themselves. People with sexual disorders, who have trouble enjoying themselves or reaching orgasm during sexual intercourse, have found relief through Animalism.

Animalist Addiction (Optional Disadvantage, Gives 15 BP)- The PC must have the Animalist special skills Animal Survival (2) or Animal Rage (2). The PC is psychologically addicted to going in to Animal Survival or Animal Rage mode. The PC must save vs. 20 difficulty cravings to avoid going in to one of these modes each day. Cravings are also triggered by stress or anxiety.

Typical Ex-Animalist Psychotic Attributes- AGY 15, AWR 17, CHM 0, END 8, INL 0, SPD 10, STH 9, WIL 5, BLD 3, BDY 3, INCY 5. Appearance- Thin, dirty, scarred, unkempt, half-naked, wearing torn clothing, poor posture, darting eyes, hisses, growls and barks, sharp fangs and claws. Personality- The Ex-Animalist exists on a level of pure, thoughtless reaction. Every once in a while his rational mind wakes up and he starts thinking, but the rational mind is so overwhelmed with pain and fear that it immediately goes back to sleep again. The Ex-Animalist thinks of himself as an animal surrounded by a number of strange animals, most of which he can intimidate and could kill if necessary. Motivations- The Ex-Animalist is hungry. He may occasionally feel some other needs (including sexual needs) but usually hunger predominates. Methods- The animalist wanders through the city sniffing for food. He sometimes finds it in dumpsters and devours it greedily. Other times he sees people holding food. If they don’t look and act tougher than him, he walks up to them, growls at them, and grabs the food. He is not afraid to swipe with his claws at anyone who gives him trouble. He is wary of strangers and won’t let them get too close to him. Special Skills- Animal Defense (3) (+12 initiative, +10 to jump, +10 to blinding, +10 to slash) Special Equipment- Retractable Claws (1 bladed, easy strike, very easy slash), Fangs (1 bladed, pierces as 2, hard strike). Typical Attack- A split action jump-in and slash with his claws at AGY (15) + AGY (15) + 10 (skill) +8 (claws have very easy slash) -10 (split action) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +13 vs. 0). Then a paired blinding strike with his claws at AGY (15) + AGY (15) + 10 (skill) -4 (paired) +1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 +6 vs. 0). As a reaction he jumps at SPD (10) + AGY (15) + 10 (skill) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +10 vs. 0).

One Animalist’s Experience “So I’m sitting in this doctor’s office in the central hospital, and this doctor is trying to explain to me that I have cancer. And he’s talking about what kind of cancer it is, and what percentage of people live through it and what treatments are available. And I’m sitting there staring at his mouth and suddenly I’m in the animal state. Instead of a doctor, there’s just a member of some other pack. Instead of a doctor’s office, I’m in a temporary shelter from the weather. Instead of talking, he’s just chattering, making meaningless sounds to hear his own voice. And it only lasts a second before I pull myself out. And I say to myself ‘I have to listen to this, I’ve got to think about what it means.’ But then it happens again. And I’m just forcing myself to keep thinking, even though it seems like I can escape all this fear and worry if I just slip into that other state. And that’s when I realize: I can’t do this anymore, I have to quit Animal War.” -Jacob Paree, Ex-Animalist

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Animalism is a double-edged sword, and this is the heart of moderate Animalist philosophy: thought is a tool, and if you don’t use that tool when you need to, or if you use that tool when you don’t need to, then you’re in trouble. Animals can be driven insane, and even Animalists who steer the middle path are not immune to the things that cause people to go crazy in the city. Traumas, chemical imbalances or brain injuries can cause Animalists and animals to become timid, violent or depressed. Bleeders- Life as a Bleeder is about paranoia. The more power Bleeders get, the more they have to worry about people trying to steal a sample of their blood and gain control over them. The Bleeder system doesn’t promote loyalty and every Bleeder master knows that the people they control are looking for a chance to control them. This constant stress can be too much for some Bleeders and many have tried to leave. It’s hard to leave the Bleeders though, because almost everyone has a master who wants to keep them around. Some Bleeders only escape by committing suicide. Others are allowed to leave when their behavior grows so erratic that their masters don’t trust them anymore. Are these members truly insane or just faking it? The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. Those Bleeders who enjoy blood sampling have a unique chance to experience what it feels like to be another person. Samples of people with psychological issues can be scary but enjoyable. Many Bleeders who feel they know what goes on in other people’s heads get into amateur profiling. Serial killers, rapists and child molesters often leave blood at the scene of a crime (often under the victim’s fingernails). Because of their facility, Bleeder profilers are often welcome at crime scenes. There is a dark side to Bleeder profiling: one Bleeder named Deborah Newman has gone after a number of serial killers. She works alone and tells the Night Shift that she has tracked down and killed the killers. The murders stop, so the Night Shift believes her. What only a handful of Bleeders know is that she hasn’t killed these serial killers, she has taken blood samples from them and kept strict control over them. They are her own private hit-squad, sent to murder Deborah’s enemies. Deborah now has 4 serial killers under her control, 3 disorganized and 1 organized. She has had to kill three others when they couldn’t control their impulses and started killing without her permission. Bleeders have to deal with their share of wackos. Paranoid schizophrenics often think that Bleeders have blood samples of them and are messing with them by remote. Some Christian extremists and Christianity based cults believe the Bleeders are devil worshippers because they “drink blood.” The Bleeders just decimated a cult of 50 called “the Church of Gods’ Great Creation” that tried to make holy war against the Bleeders. Most members of the cult were killed, although the cult leader survived and escaped.

Deborah Newman

(Bleeder Profiler and Serial Killer Enslaver)

Level 3 Bleeder Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 7, CHM 10, END 12, INL 12, SPD 8, STH 7, WIL 16, BLD 2, BDY 2, INCY 3. Appearance- White, very short, round glasses with bloodred frames, curly red afro, purple eye shadow and lipstick, wears a blood-red suit and slacks and black boots, smokes cigars. Social Status- The Night Shift thinks of her as a useful profiler. Among the Bleeders, she is moderately powerful. She has four students and she has gained semi-independence from her master. Her master still has samples of her blood but is afraid to use them. To the four serial killers she currently has control over, she is a strict and dangerous slave-master. History- Deborah grew up in the city, the smallest and smartest of her siblings. She hated how her siblings got everything they wanted because they were charming, athletic and attractive. She studied chemistry, hoping to someday become a drug manufacturer and a rich criminal. When the drug lords consolidated she rethought her plans and instead joined the Bleeders. Her master thought she was an excellent student: she studied hard and was obedient. Deborah always had loved to read true-crime stories about serial killers, and she discovered her Bleeder skills would help her find criminals. She had no interest in law and justice, she wanted to hunt down serial killers because part of her admired them and she wanted to best them. She started reading books on profiling and hanging around crime scenes. After helping the Night Shift find a few serial killers, she began to realize that if the Night Shift wasn’t around she could make the serial killers her servants. She stopped bringing along the Night Shift, and she would show them a severed thumb or a bloody knife as proof that she had killed the serial killers. Her master figured out what she was up to and ordered her to stop. She had a serial killer stalk her master and she threatened to kill him if anything happened to her or if he told anyone what she was doing. Personality- Deborah is selfish and paranoid. She wants power over as many other people as she can. She can’t be friendly for more than a couple of seconds and few people like her enough to want to hang around with her. She lives alone, surrounding herself with material comforts to distract herself from feelings of loneliness. She is ruthless and although she is not naturally cruel she has learned how to be cruel when it is to her benefit. Methods- Deborah goes to crime scenes, where the Night Shift let her gain access to blood. She uses her skills to track down the serial killers and debilitate them. She confronts them and informs them that they are now her slaves. They come to her every week to give her new blood samples, or else she tortures them. She sends them to attack her enemies. If they disobey her, she kills them, often in front of her other serial killers. Special Skills- Blood Attack (5), Blood Communication (2), Blood Reading (2), Blood Tracking (4). Typical Attack- When she has a sample of someone’s blood, she makes a Blood Attack roll at WIL (16) +16 (skill) +1d20 vs. 40 (or 1d20 vs. 8). If successful then the victim suffers spontaneous internal bleeding (1d6 damage to BLD).

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Freaks- Habey Cox has his own theory of psychology. His theory is that some people are born with minds that don’t work the same as everyone else. These people have different tastes, different instincts and different ways of thinking. These people are taught to act “normal”, which most learn to do. However, acting normal uses up energy. Having to act normal means that someone is operating at lowered capacity.

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According to Habey, when someone “born different” stops trying to act normal, they free up a large amount of energy. This energy can be channeled into traits like ambition, creativity, bravery, willpower, genius and animal magnetism. Meanwhile, the people who are naturally normal become lazy and complacent. It’s too easy for them and they never learn their true abilities. Here’s an alternative to Habey’s explanation, one more in line with traditional psychological theory: most people grow up wanting to fit in, and so the goals they set for themselves are the qualities that they think other people have. However, when people have trouble reaching these goals, they may fall into a cycle of low self-esteem. The worse their self-esteem is the more trouble they have dealing with people as equals and the more they feel like outcasts. Contact with the Freaks allows them to adopt a different set of values. They begin to believe that their self-worth can depend on things they can actually do. Hopeful for the first time in decades, and desperate to escape from the hell of low self-esteem, they work incredibly hard. Thus the “Freak Power” Habey speaks of is really just the motivating power of fear. Central to life as a Freak is the belief that there is no right way to think or look or behave, but that there are many different ways that are equally valid. This puts the Freaks at one end of the spectrum in the debate about when it’s okay to treat someone against their will for a mental illness. Most Freaks would say it’s never okay to give someone drugs, mental programs, psychic therapy or any other type of treatment if they say they don’t want it. Many would even say they would fight to protect such people. Many people come to Freak territory looking for sanctuary from deprogrammers and mental health professionals.

Many fetishists and people in the BDSM scene are attracted to the Freaks, both for their philosophy (that there are many ways to be, none of which are inherently bad) and because the aesthetics of the Freak community appeal to them. The Freaks have been accused (especially by the Sexologists) of creating fetishes. Members of the Freaks are encouraged to discover their “kinks” and explore alternative sexual tastes. A few Freaks have no interest in anything other than “vanilla sex” but affect various kinks and fetishistic styles just to fit in. Those Freaks with the Freak Sex skill actually do have the ability to create a fetish in another. This is one of the most subtle and complicated types of psychological manipulation the Freaks engage in. The art of Freak sex is to find the “edge” of someone’s sexuality, the border between what is anxiety provoking to the point of being a turn-on and what it anxiety provoking to the point of being a turn-off. Once the Freak finds this line, he/she/it slowly pushes the line. Over the course of minutes or hours, victims find themselves being turned on by things they never thought they would. There is considerable anxiety provoked, but it is hidden under an avalanche of endorphins. When the person leaves, though, and the endorphins wear off, the person is confronted with a change of identity. Their sexual preferences are called into question, upsetting every belief about their lives. This anxiety often sends them right back to the Freaks looking for relief.

Habey Cox on Fetishes: A fetish sounds like a limitation with me. ‘I can only get off if I’m peeing on an amputee’s stump.’ ‘I can only get off if a woman pretending to be a baby is sitting on my face.’ I don’t think any selfrespecting Freak should limit themselves so, just like no self-respecting Freak should limit themselves to heterosexual sex in the missionary position.

This puts the Freaks at odds with those who believe that mentally ill people do not have the capacity to choose whether they want treatment. Many Volunteers, Night Shift officers, Sexologists, Utopia Children and Hunters take this position.

Humankalorie- Most people today think of the Kalor as just another human ethnic group. For most, the fascination with their off-planet origins burned away several decades ago. For many of the young people that become obsessed with Kalor culture, though, there is a deep-seated dissatisfaction with humanity and the belief that the alternative must be better. Many of the obsessed Kalorophiles were intelligent and socially isolated people who didn’t think they could achieve respect as a member of their culture, but thought that they might have the personality to be a respectable Kalor.

Freak territory is home to the highest concentration of the city’s dysmorphs (see p.17) and do-overs (p.19). Freak turf has almost as many transsexuals (p.21) as Christopher Street. Even those dysmorphs, do-overs and transsexuals who are not part of the Freak gang feel that they are treated with less prejudice here. Similarly, people who are severely deformed or scarred often move to Freak territory where they can feel more normal.

True Kalor have little mental illness compared to humans. This is probably a result of extensive genetic engineering on the species. The most common reaction to stress is a sort of torpor where their metabolisms slow and days seem to pass like minutes. Toxins, brain injury and traumatic events can cause a sort of confusion in which objects are mistaken for other objects, the perception of time is messed up and bizarre thoughts

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can occur. The Kalor have no native psychological therapy, besides trying to explain to people how and why their thinking processes are flawed. Kalor law has no provisions to excuse citizen’s crimes or allow citizens to be held against their will because of mental illness. Since the law doesn’t deal with mental illness, the Humankalorie are notoriously intolerant about mental illness. If someone attacks or steals from them, “crazy” is not an excuse. When members of the gang are experiencing problems, the people usually “travel” (often couch crashing with non-Humankalorie friends somewhere across town) so they won’t be prosecuted for letting their duties as citizens lapse.

for themselves. If they were, the prospects would surely drive them mad. The Hungry have no hope, nothing to look forward to. The only thing they have is hunger to distract them and the constant mantra “just a little longer.” For most, the thing that Sten Mann said that kept them from suicide was “try it for today, tomorrow you can die.”

The Hungry’s worst enemy is boredom. Any other potentially incapacitating feeling (fear, sadness, loneliness, regret, stress, guilt, annoyance, pain) can be overwhelmed by a combination of hunger and hatred of the Drug Lords. Boredom, though cannot be covered Hummingbirds- Drug use is high in the Hummingbird up, and most Hungry who commit suicide do so after a community, and most Hummingbirds have had to “talk period of time alone with nothing challenging to do. down” an acquaintance who was having a bad trip. The Hungry often use emotion words out of habit, even The most popular drugs are hallucinogens (which can though they no longer experience those emotions. The cause panic and frightening hallucinations) and uppers most commonly misused word is “interesting.” Juju (which can cause paranoia, confusion and delusions). Mann, for instance, calls a good fight “interesting” but Hummingbird itself never causes mental illness, but it what she really means is “not boring.” does make people hyper. When people on Hummingbird get stressed out or can’t deal with what’s going on in The Hungry have no hope to get taken away, and they’ve their lives, hyper can spill over into mania. They know already lost their loved ones, so they usually believe that as long as they can keep dancing, talking, moving that things can’t get any worse. They are wrong. The or working they don’t have to think about whatever is Hungry can be tortured, can be made to feel helpless, can bothering them. Lots of people in the city go manic, but do things that make them feel guilty and can lose selfHummingbirds do so spectacularly. esteem. They react to these traumas as strongly as nonHungry, often more so. Usual reactions are depression, Some people come to Hummingbird dance clubs to risk taking and dissociation. participate in the swirling pockets of violent dancing. Many of these people have a problem with rage, some Immortals- Memory can be a burden. Some people go are budding sadists. They have the same personality so far as to use black market mental programs to wipe characteristics as those who go on to become serial out their memories. The average Immortal has 245 killers, but they probably won’t become serial killers years worth of memories (including his or her own). because they’ve found a moderately healthy way to get These aren’t just facts that they have memorized. The memories carry strong personal feelings for them. Many out their aggressions. Immortal-hopefuls are forced to quit training halfway Hungry- For the most part, any pre-existing through because they can’t stand the constant barrage psychological issue a Hungry may have had has been of traumatic memories. Most Immortals feel guilt for overridden by their current complete anhedonia. Most of the actions of ancestors as if they had done the thing, the Hungry woke up in a hospital bed sober, not craving and almost every lineage has done something horrible drugs and with a clear head for the first time in decades. they can feel bad about. Immortals are prone to stress, The areas of the brain that have been destroyed control nightmares, ulcers and alcoholism. the brain’s major dopaminergic areas. These areas are Bad habits are not passed down. An Immortal may responsible for anything that is pleasurable and almost remember being a drug addict or a compulsive gambler everything that is addictive. These centers are also part or a porn addict, but the student feels no compulsion to of the mechanism of schizophrenia. For many, becoming do these things. On the other hand, delusional beliefs and a Hungry means sudden, frightening, horrible sanity. memories can be passed down quite easily. If a teacher is paranoid and thinks the CIA is out to get him, the student is Most Hungry describe their overdose death and their likely to be convinced of this as well. Some teachers have current state as a cold echo of their past lives, a last irrational beliefs that what they are doing and thinking is gasp emerging from dead lungs. They see themselves as normal and healthy, even when it definitely isn’t. Those ghosts: not souls in an afterlife, just the fading impression beliefs get passed down to students, who are more likely of a person. They call it death because their lives seem to be tolerant of those beliefs and thoughts in themselves. so different now and because their existence is hollow, For example: if a teacher purges after meals and thinks devoid of that which gave it meaning before. Mostly that it is a perfectly reasonable way to keep thin, the they refer to themselves as dead because they cannot student may come to believe that it is reasonable for him imagine themselves living a lifetime in this fashion. For to do so when he needs to lose a few pounds, despite what the Hungry, it’s good that they aren’t trying to build lives he may have believed before the memory transfer.

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Two of the original seven, Saile Chendra and Henry McAffrey, were considered by their peers to be mentally ill. Saile didn’t like or trust anybody, she did dangerous experiments on herself with no reason to believe they would work, she deceived everyone around her about what she was doing, and she held many very unorthodox beliefs based on tenuous reasoning. Henry McAffrey had violent outbursts with little provocation, he experienced periods of depression, he fell in love with a female officer who wanted nothing to do with him and he believed he could make her love him by harassing her. Yet these two didn’t think of themselves as irrational, so almost none of their students did either.

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There is also the problem of false memories. Errors are introduced when someone misremembers something, or when a student misunderstands what a teacher is saying. These errors are passed down to the next generation and grow more numerous with each pass. Immortals are usually completely convinced that their false memories are correct. Immortals often tell funny stories about an Immortal who got in a fight with a teacher about the facts of a memory from the teacher’s childhood. On the plus side, Immortals have memories of many mental illnesses and have memories of what it took to overcome those problems. This gives Immortals some skill and wisdom when dealing with their own issues, but most importantly it gives them a sense of hope that their problems can be overcome. Math Addicts- Despite their name, Math Addicts are not addicted to doing math. For most it is just a fascinating hobby. Sometimes stressed or traumatized Math Addicts will hide from their lives by immersing themselves in complicated math problems, but this is no more likely than an avid reader trying to ignore his or her problems with the help of a novel. Since Math Addicts think in math, they also have hallucinations and delusions in math. A Math Addict on hallucinogens might suddenly “feel” 192, or might briefly believe that nine times two is really three, or that all objects with an angle of 17 degrees are evil. The worst harm done by these hallucinations and delusions is that they make Math Addicts unable to use their special skills. Many Math Addicts were mathematical prodigies before getting the math enhancer program and a significant number of them still have the personality traits associated with prodigies: forgetfulness, poor ability to pay attention in social situations, lack of empathy and poor attention to personal hygiene. Math Addicts have taken it upon themselves to measure and describe the full scope of many of the city’s problems. They become amateur investigators and profilers. Math Addicts have provided more useful information about Colin than any other city group. History’s first criminal profilers were statisticians who used math to discover links between crime scene evidence and characteristics

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of the perpetrators. The Math Addicts are carrying on this tradition and are helping to keep profiling data from falling behind technological, socioeconomic and cultural change. Mem Junkies- A drug addict has a few pleasant memories to keep him or her company through the agonies of withdrawal. Mem Junkies don’t have even that. They have burned away any part of their lives that had any meaning. When traumatic memories are burned away, there can be some small benefit, but mostly the disadvantages generally outweigh any benefits. Mem Junkies value mental illness as a means of creating powerful new memories. Some Mem Junkies (Insanists) drive themselves to temporary mental illness with the use of mental programs. See Mental Illness Sim Use and Abuse (next page) for some of the dangers. Some Mem Junkies (Grabbers) are attracted to mentally ill people. They often hang around with Crazies or stalk the streets after midnight waiting for people in crises. They use the Mind Reading skill to read others’ emotions and thoughts and thereby gain new memories. Some Mem Junkies (Mem Rapists) cause people to go crazy with drugs, torture or psychic attack. Mem Rapists have inflicted every manner of psychological torture on their victims: making them gamble for the life of a loved one, drugging their food with hallucinogens, using psychic powers to give them disturbing thoughts or emotions, making them choose between being blinded or loosing their hands, etc. For all their flaws, Mem Junkies are recognized as the city’s experts on memory and emotion. Some Mem Junkies with Mind Reading provide free therapy. They help people uncover repressed memories, help them recognize false memories, or help them understand the true emotional significance of their memories. In exchange, the Mem Junkies keep and abuse those memories. Mem Junkies are not afraid or embarrassed by any emotion or feeling. They know that people rarely experience pure emotions: there is the emotion which the person chooses to act on, but there are other emotions that the person may not become aware of. With unflinching honesty and no tact, a Mem Junkie will tell a person “you were turned on when you beat that guy up,” or “you were glad when your father died because you thought it would get you some attention” or “when you’re high is the only time you don’t hate yourself.” There is some similarity between Mem Junkies and serial killers. Mem Junkies have amplified their own memories to the point that normal experiences mean little to them. Serial killers are often pornography addicts who burn through sexual fantasies, using them over and over again until they lose meaning. For each sexual fantasy burned through, the serial killer must find a more intense fantasy. Once all the fantasies have been burned, the serial killer finds his internal world, which was his crutch for so many years, a cold and meaningless place. Like the Mem Junkies, the serial killer is forced to go out and seek intense experiences in the real world.

Mental Illness Sim Use and Abuse The mental illness sim on p.97 of the main book is one of several programs created in universities and labs to study mental illness. Like most mental programs that effect consciousness or emotion, there are built-in safeguards. The program can only be turned on for a set period of time (users can typically choose anywhere from 1 minute to 24 hours). The program gives the user a password the user can give to friends that will automatically shut off the program. The user always has the option of shutting off the program any time he or she wants. Addiction- 99% of the mental illness states that the program simulates are very unpleasant, thus the user is happy when the program is turned off. A few cause ecstatic states or blot out unpleasant feelings and are potentially addictive. If a PC encounters one of these modes, the PC must make a save vs. psychological addiction (20 difficulty) or face 20 difficulty cravings to turn the program back on. Snooze-Buttoning- Some mental illness states make people afraid or unwilling to let the program be turned off. Usually this accompanies some sort of paranoid delusion (e.g. that the program has just allowed the PC to escape mind control and that when the program ends the PC will be vulnerable again). Some programs allow people to continuously delay the end of a mental illness state, or turn it back on the instant it is turned off. Other programs, in a measure designed to prevent this, don’t allow the program to be turned back on for one hour after the last state ended. Permanent Illness- Sometimes a sim mode triggers a lasting mental illness. This is the most common negative side-effect of using a mental illness sim. Most institutions that use sims do extensive screening to rule out the kind of people that are most susceptible to lasting illness. With the general population, about 1 in 100 suffers from a lasting mental illness. Once stresses, traumas, bad genes, bad biochemistry and pre-existing mental illnesses have been screened out, the chance drops to 1 in 5000. This phenomenon is not new. For more than a century, psychiatrists have seen life-long mental illnesses triggered by drugs which mimic mental illness (especially hallucinogens and amphetamines). The most common illness for people to be pushed into is schizophrenia. People who experience permanent illness are people who were already susceptible and the mental illness sim just ‘pushed them over the edge’ or ‘sparked the fire.’ If the sim hadn’t done it, there is a good chance something else would have. In some cases a sim shows them a way to deal with their stresses and pain that they can replicate themselves. In other cases, the trauma of being in a mental illness state, even temporarily, is enough to start a downward spiral. In the worst cases, the sim turns off a person’s rational mind, which then refuses to turn back on, leaving the person in a permanent psychosis or catatonia. Lie Detection- There are two ways to fool lie detection methods with a mental illness sim. The first is to create a state of not caring, so that the person can lie without any fear or guilt. The problem with this is that it becomes hard for the person to care enough to maintain a lie (requires a WIL roll). Also, psychics and sophisticated lie detections systems can detect an artificial malaise. This state takes a moderate Psychology roll or hard Mental Programming skill toll to achieve.

The other method, which is harder, is to create a temporary delusional state in which the person is highly open to suggestion. If they repeat a phrase to themselves a few times (e.g. ‘I’ve never killed anybody’) then they will begin to believe it. This can fool sophisticated lie detection equipment and even skilled psychics. The problem with this method is that the person is prone to delusions (moderate difficulty) and prone to being accidentally given an idea by someone else (e.g. if the examiner asks ‘Isn’t it true that you killed three people,’ then the sim user must make a WIL roll not to be convinced that this is true). Requires a hard Psychology or legendary Mental Programming skill roll. Rage- Some people use mental illness sims to make themselves fearless or to put themselves into a rage. The effects are similar to AutoPostal (see p.108) although it takes up to 30 seconds for the rage to reach full intensity. Requires a moderate Psychology or hard Mental Programming skill roll. Idiot Savant- A sim can be used to create states where the PC is generally impaired but has increased ability in one particular type of intellectual task. The effects are similar to the Concentrator Program (p.95, main book). Requires a moderate Psychology or hard Mental Programming skill roll. Dissociation- By creating an artificial dissociative state, the PC can get +10 to save vs. pain and fear, but must save vs. delusions (20 difficulty) that the PC is not in control of his or her own body. Requires a moderate Psychology or hard Mental Programming skill roll. Creativity- A combination of artificial manic and slightly hallucinogenic states can improve creativity (+7 to creative skill rolls). Unfortunately, this state is one of the most likely to be addictive. Requires a moderate Psychology or hard Mental Programming skill roll. Entertainment- Some people use a mental illness sim for entertainment. They put themselves into a state which is calm but which is full of bizarre delusions and hallucinations. The result is like an enjoyable hallucinogen trip. There is a small chance of these states being addictive. Requires a moderate Psychology or hard Mental Programming skill roll. Limitations- The program cannot simulate every mental illness. It is best at stimulating illnesses which are most often associated with a biochemical problem (e.g. mania, depression or schizophrenia), although the illnesses can take days or weeks to appear. Mental illnesses which include excitation or inhibition of major brain areas can be created with moderate realism (e.g. catatonia, psychosis, post-traumatic stress, panic attacks, etc.). The sim has a hard time mimicking illnesses based on beliefs (phobias, delusional disorders, poor body image, paranoia) or habits and desires (fetishes, compulsive gambling, compulsive lying, obsessive-compulsive disorders, etc.). A sim can put a person in a state where he or she feels a particular way (e.g. compulsive, afraid, delusional, paranoid) but cannot guarantee a particular belief or behavior will surface. The mental illness sim has no way to mimic personality disorders.

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Needle Punks- The Needle Punks’ old name was Suicidals for a reason. The group has always attracted people who are willing to take huge risks with their own lives. They take these risks to make others afraid of them (the whole ‘don’t mess with me, I’m crazy, I’ll attack you even though you’re bigger and stronger than me’ routine), for curiosity, for glory, for profit and for the thrill. Some have more hidden motives. Some take risks because they don’t like themselves or because some part of them doesn’t want to live a long life.

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Needle Punks train themselves to be aware of even the smallest sign of approaching physiological and psychological dangers. They must react instantly and accurately or they will die. Young Needle Punks-intraining are often given a series of syringes filled with saline, which they put in various syringe-holders strapped to their bodies. Their teachers shout out symptoms like “Your heart is misfiring,” “You’re starting to hallucinate,” “You’re going to puke,” “Skeletal muscles are weak and unresponsive,” or “You’re getting really fucking happy.” If the student pauses too long, or reaches for and injects the syringe representing the wrong drug, the teacher says “you’re dead.” Real wave riding is intense, dangerous and scary. It’s like an hour-long knife fight against someone who keeps springing back up every time you think you’ve killed him. When Needle Punks sleep, which is rare, they usually have nightmares about wave riding. Most nightmares are about reaching down to find a syringe missing, or realizing a moment too late that they had injected the wrong drug or reaching for a syringe but suddenly being too weak to wield it. Needle Punks often sedate themselves to bring these nightmares under control.

“Self-Medication” is a term used in the mental health industry to describe people who seek out illegal drugs to treat their own mental illnesses. The term is often used pejoratively, as something inferior to doctor-directedmedication. Needle Punks are the masters of selfmedication. Needle Punks with chemical imbalances almost always keep those problems under control. For Needle Punks, self-medication is a habit: can’t sleep – take a sedative; a little depressed – take an upper; nervous – take an anxiolytic. To the Needle Punks, the point isn’t to cure an illness, the point is to fine-tune state-of-mind to meet the needs of current situation. The danger is that, over time, the Needle Punks will lose any Even worse is when Needle Punks suffer flashbacks ability to control their own thoughts, emotions or states from an especially harrowing wave riding session. They can hallucinate that a symptom is coming on when of consciousness without the use of drugs. the symptom isn’t really. Flashbacks are unpleasant, Needle Punks are also called on to medicate others. distracting and embarrassing, and occasionally deadly. People experiencing problems may go to Needle Punks A Needle Punk might think he feels his heart stop, for black market psychiatric help. Or, friends, family and might reach for a needle and inject himself before or fellow gang members might drag them in against realizing it isn’t real, and injecting that drug unnecessarily their wills. The Needle Punks are not experts in other could kill him. people’s mental problems, but they can usually whip up something to at least calm the outward symptoms. Few Night Shift- Suicide is high among Night Shift officers. Needle Punks recognize or understand the right not to be The more years one has been on the force, the higher the chance of suicide. Part of it may be a stressful job medicated, and those that do can usually be bribed. and easy access to weapons and poisons. Part of it may Needle Punks also create cocktails designed to cause be the psychology of people drawn to law enforcement: many are trying to gain moral or physical superiority mental illness, break people’s wills, torture people or over others in an attempt to hide their own perceived make enemy soldiers attack their comrades. For the weaknesses. Part of it may be guilt for things done on Needle Punks, it is as easy to drive someone insane as it the job (e.g. accidentally killing someone the officers is to break his or her nose. thought was reaching for a weapon). “I used to be buddies with a Needle Punk. One day we were hanging out in a coffee place, and I had just broken up with my girlfriend, and I was complaining about how shitty I felt, and before I knew what he’s doing, he reaches over and sticks a needle in my arm. I’m all ‘what the fuck’ and he says ‘you were complaining of a symptom, I cured you.’ And I get all pissed off and say ‘I don’t want to be cured, I want to deal with my own emotions and if I can’t deal with them I want to suffer through them.’ And you know what, the fucker laughs in my face. And so I belt him one. And that’s how the Needle Punk-Orphan war of 79 started.”

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The biggest part of Night Shift suicide is the cynical view of humanity that being a cop creates. Night Shift officers deal with people at their worst all night long. They are hated by almost everyone they meet. They see the city’s most cruel and depraved acts. Many Night Shift officers commit suicide after deciding that humans are basically bad. Night Shift officers make it their job to deal with every violent crazy and hunt down every serial rapist, murderer, arsonist and child molester. A few Night Shift officers are happy to leave the investigating to the detectives, but the majority are amateur investigators and profilers. These psychologically motivated criminals are their enemies and so Night Shift officers make it their business to know everything about them.

The Night Shift has to deal with every other amateur detective and profiler in the city. At their worst, outsiders can mess up crime scenes, steal evidence, get in the way of Night Shift officers and spook the criminals into leaving town. At their best, the amateur profilers can provide useful hints that can help the Night Shift officers solve the case. Night Shift officers usually do whatever they can to discourage amateur profilers, unless those profilers have proven themselves to be useful (as a few Math Addicts, Bleeders and Colin Hunters have). Orphans- The early lives of most Orphans are full of traumas. Some were orphaned when their parents were killed, others were taken away from parents who were severely abusive or neglectful. Once inside the orphanage, the traumas continued: 40% of current Orphans were sexually abused in the orphanage, 60% were physically abused, 90% were threatened with death if they were disobedient. Although taking a stand against the adults helped many Orphans recover, many still carry very deep pain and cover it with self-destructive behaviors. Many of those who were sexually abused have a poor relationship with sex and either avoid it or tend towards unhealthy sexual relationships.

to child porn or child prostitution rings. The Orphans are more familiar with the psychological profiles of child molesters (often from personal experience) than anyone else in the city. Orphans have strong feelings about Do-Overs (see p.19). A majority of Orphans (about 70% of adult Orphans) think that do-overs are either trying to escape their duty as adults or they are child molesters looking for the perfect disguise. A minority (about 30%) empathize with the do-overs’ claims that society owes them a chance at a happy childhood. The most extreme pro-do-over Orphans suffer from a hatred of adults and adulthood and they idealize the imaginary “happy childhood” that they never had. Since tolerance towards do-overs could change every day (with the selection of a new leader) most do-overs avoid Orphan territory.

Roofers- Successful Roofers tend to be extraverts who like partying, like social situations and like taking risks. Roofers are daredevils by nature. Some have suicidal tendencies hidden deep within them. Others spend most of the time believing they are immortal. Drug use is common among Roofers and many Roofers use inhibition lowering drugs (e.g. alcohol, amphetamine/ One thing the Orphans don’t like to talk about is that opiate speedballs, god killer) to make themselves braver some of the Orphanage’s abusers were other children. In or make themselves more ‘fun’ at parties. the days before the revolt, many older children would physically or sexually abuse the younger ones. A few Risen- Most Risen are those who decided that they had of these abusers were killed and banished during the to give up their own lives and fake their own deaths. revolt. Most, however, participated in the revolt, stayed Some had done things for which they could not be in the orphanage, and took the oath to protect anyone forgiven. Others amassed so many responsibilities and smaller than them. They are good Orphans and they debts that they couldn’t take it any more. The Risen don’t talk about the things they’ve done, although some believe that they have truly given up responsibility for feel tremendous guilt about it. These people have never their old lives. Like Born-Again Christians, the Risen been offered any official punishment or absolution. have disassociated themselves from the sins and failings These young people who raped or beat smaller children of their former lives. They have found a way to say ‘I am were, themselves, being raped and beaten by adults. not that person anymore.’ The Orphans don’t talk about it because it blurs the lines between victims and perpetrators and the Orphans The popular vision of Risen is that they are all fugitive don’t want anyone to think that any abuse of children is criminals or people running from loan sharks. The truth excusable. is a little more varied: there are Risen who became Risen to escape family obligations, romantic relationships, gang After the revolt, life was pretty good for the Orphans. obligations, abusive relationships and bad reputations. There was still one problem: it was very hard to be Some became Risen not to escape from others but different. Children just aren’t very accepting of people to escape from their perception of themselves. They they think of as different. Children who were different thought that dying and creating a new persona would were protected from physical violence, but not from allow them to recreate themselves in a better way. name-calling, insults and ostracism. The older Orphans were often too busy dealing with their own problems and Being reborn can be helpful therapy. It can give them a duties to act as models of tolerance. When Orphans turn chance to shed unhealthy relationships, change personal 18, most stay, but among those who leave, most grew up habits and remake their identities. Yet it only helps if hated because they were different: gay kids, shy kids, fat people are honest with themselves about what their kids, kids with poor English skills, handicapped kids, etc. problems are. If they don’t come to terms with the deep fears that drive their behaviors, they will only experience Orphans try to hunt down (and typically murder) anyone a brief period of relief before they start ruining their who exploits children and any of their old exploiters lives again with self-destructive behaviors. Some people who got away. The Orphans send amateur profilers become Risen, think they have escaped from all their to investigate any murder or rape involving children. problems, but then they find themselves falling back into Other Orphans work undercover, trying to gain access the same old habits.

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PC Groups 075

Andrea Popall

(Roofer Founder and Intra-Gang Marshall) Level 9 Roofer Attributes- AWR 13, AGY 15, CHM 17, END 12, INL 13, SPD 12, STH 11, WIL 8, BLD 4, BDY 3, INCY 5. Appearance- Mostly African, pudgy, long black braids, silver-blue contact lenses, expensive jackets with checkerboard patches, black leather boots. Social Status- Andrea is one of the three remaining founders of the Roofers. She is in charge of settling all internal disputes in the organization. She has quite a social empire: every junior Roofer tries to get on her good side so she will favor them while she is settling disputes. Andrea is also feared for her vindictive nature.

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History- Andrea was born to into a city Indie family. As a child, she was sexually abused by her father. Her older brothers left the home and joined the Sixty-Nines. When she was 15, she left the house and (with the help of her brothers) got into the Sixty-Nines. Within the gang she felt like an outcast: she was not a tough fighter or a sly businessperson. She used sex as a tool to get by: she would get protection and gifts from other Sixty-Nines by having sex with them. However, Andrea wasn’t the most high-status girlfriend a Sixty-Nine could have. When others were watching, her boyfriends would pretend they didn’t know her. Andrea found herself hanging out with three other members of the gang who were stuck on the bottom rung of gang politics: Bren was a nerd, Carl was stupid, Clement was tiny and stuttered. Andrea found acceptance at last and enjoyed her time hanging out with this group. They finally found their own niche in the Sixty Nines: planning rooftop parties. Andrea continued to resent the Sixty-Nine leaders: they would come and enjoy the parties, but hardly give any credit to the planners. To Andrea, it was the same thing all over again. Then the Drug Lords consolidated and the Sixty-Nines started to self-destruct. At their final blow-out party, when Bren (high on god killer) started spouting about the gang continuing and ruling the city from the rooftops, Andrea saw a chance to take over the gang. The partiers sobered up and decided the idea was stupid, so Andrea spent every penny she had on more parties and more drugs so she could keep the idea alive. When the Roofers began to coalesce as a real gang, Andrea was careful to keep her power. She was the one who introduced the idea that the “founders” would be the leaders of the gang. She purposefully took over the job of maintaining order within the gang. As her power grew, she began to use more alcohol and god killer to boost her confidence and she grew more paranoid. She began to be paranoid about Bren and his Sider Squad and what they would do to the power structure of the gang, so she persuaded Carl and Clement that Bren had to be shut down. When Bren left the gang and made war against the Roofers, she used this as proof that her paranoid ideas were correct. Personality- Deep down, Andrea is frightened, has little self confidence and thinks of herself as ugly. She desperately wants to be liked. She is careful to cover up these weaknesses and she spends nearly every waking moment either buzzed on alcohol or high on god killer. These drugs allow her to project a false self-confidence (which has been slowly evolving into a false megalomania). Around others she acts fearless, arrogant, judgmental and indifferent to what others think of her. As a side effect of her drug use she has been growing slowly more paranoid. She often thinks other Roofers hate her and are conspiring to try to kick her out of the gang. Methods- Andrea does whatever she can to keep Clement and Carl distracted with their own projects (Clement with inter-gang politics, Carl with war) because it keeps them from paying too much attention to her. She has started wars just to distract Clement and Carl. Andrea keeps her “favorites” around her. Her favorites are those who have proven that they will do anything Andrea asks of them. She knows that they are only in it for the power of being Andrea’s favorite. She does not try to believe that they really like her, even though she wants them to act like they do. Her favorites keep her informed of every rumor and story they have heard at every Roofer gathering they attend. When conflicts arise in the gang, she always finds a reason to side with her favorites or with whoever has done the most for her lately. Special Skills- Acrobatics (2), Sword and Shield (2), Seduction (2), Drug Resistance (3). Special Equipment- Shield: Hand-Metal (+8 to Parry), Sword: Katana (range 1-2, 5 bladed, easy vital) Typical Attack- As an action, she makes a split action parry and strike. The parry is at STH (11) + AGY (15) +12 (skill) +8 (shield) -10 (split action) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +11 vs. 0) and the strike is at STH (11) + AGY (15) +12 (skill) -10 (split action) + 1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 + 3 vs. 0). As a reaction she parries at STH (11) + AGY (15) +8 (skill) +8 (shield) +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 +17 vs. 0).

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Technophiles- Technophiles are part artists and part techs, and they have the eccentricities of both. Many Technophiles are obsessed geeks with subnormal social skills. A few Technophiles have Asperger’s Syndrome (a milder version of Autism, associated with obsessive knowledge and fewer social needs). Technophiles have a higher rate of Manic Depressive Disorder than the city average. People with manic depression often begin grand projects in their manic phases. The most severe manic depressives don’t have enough patience to ever finish a project, and some of these people may join the Technophiles but grow distant from the community when they can’t produce any actual tech. Less severe Manic Depressives can be very successful Technophiles. Even among those who don’t have a biochemical disorder, all Technophiles are familiar with the manic state that takes over them when they are deeply involved in a project. This manic state is thrilling and blots out any other problems they are having with their lives. Many Technophiles describe themselves as “addicted” to this state (although most don’t actually meet the clinical definition of psychological addiction).

Non-Gang Wells Cornerpunks- Although there are notable exceptions, cornergangers tend to be the most unambitious people in the city. They aren’t interested in pushing the limits of human ability with technology, they aren’t interested in gaining city-wide power, they aren’t interested in raising their socioeconomic status. They’re content to hang

around on the same steps, drinking beers with the same friends, watching the city happen, day after day. Some cornergangers are not ambitious because they don’t think they can achieve anything due to some psychological issue: drug addiction, low self-esteem, depression. For others, the unambitiousness is based on an even rarer psychological quality: contentment. They are some of the lucky few city residents who are happy with what they have in life and don’t need anything to change. “Hanging out with my cousin’s cornergang was like being in Eden. There was no competition, no constant training, no war, no politics. Their idea of defense is this: when an addict comes by, you stand up, just to let him know you’re not asleep on the job. Other than that, it was just day after day of drinking beers, playing cards, telling jokes and flirting with anyone attractive who walked by. It really made me ask: why the hell am I doing this?” –Gyan Praeville, Bleeder. Freelancers- Freelancers are Wells who wanted to be out on the streets but did not want to have to owe allegiance to anybody but themselves. They believed they were tough enough to survive out on the street by themselves. Many Freelancers have problems trusting other people. Many are military-buffs and mercenarywannabes, people who spent their childhoods fantasizing about being some super soldier, able to take out their frustration with humanity by killing people. Freelancers have a big incidence of Assassin Personality (see p.23).

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Some Freelancers are sadists who take security guard jobs with hopes of finding a semi-legitimate reason to beat the shit out of people. A good portion of serial Arcadians- Many members of the Arcadians are bonakillers turn out to be Freelancer security guards. fide geniuses. Even those who aren’t spend much of their lives boosted to genius level IQ with the help of expensive Goods- For many Goods, there is a widening gap between smart drugs. Arcadians are often a cult of intelligence, the motives they claim and their actual behaviors. They valuing intelligence above all other qualities. They are are in the business to help addicts by giving them reliable so focused on intelligence they sometimes forget to drugs at reasonable prices. No matter how noble their develop qualities that make for pleasant and successful motives are, most Goods eventually start acting like lives: emotional maturity, wisdom, self-control and drug dealers: paranoid, vengeful, violent and enjoying social skills. The gang has more than its share of material wealth while those around them suffer in antisocial geeks who have problems connecting with poverty. It is a constant struggle for Goods to preserve people at anything other than a shallow level. About 1 their pure motives while living dirty, dangerous, stressful in 10 Arcadians suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome (see p.100). lives.

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Nearly a third of Arcadians are psychologically addicted to Maxin (this means that 1 in 10 Maxin addicts in the city is an Arcadian). Every Arcadian has a friend who is addicted or who overcame addiction. Maxin addiction is bizarre: it is addiction to a drug that is thoroughly unpleasant. Most people don’t “get” Maxin addiction, Neos- Of all the communities that evolved from the but all Arcadians do. utopianist movement (utopianist communes, gated communities, corporate living centers, neocultural Dragons- The first Dragons were rich kids who spent communities), the Neos are the most tolerant of their early adulthood hanging around the city art scene, psychological differences. In gated communities and looking for something more out of lives than what their corporate living centers, psychological differences are parents had. Specifically, they wanted some kind of a threat to prosperity. In utopianist communes, they transcendent experience, which drew them to Sitha Nith. are defects in the process of manufacturing “perfect” With her intense speaking style, strong personality and community members. Neocultural communes are the wild ideas, she seemed capable of providing them with only ones with the attitude “this person is different, a transcendent experience. Her guided mediations, in and that’s okay.” The focus in neocultural communes which she told people to imagine “being the dragon,” is in finding a useful place in society for each person, were effective because those young people wanted them no matter their psychological differences. The Neos to be effective. are also unique because they believe that psychological For almost every Dragon involved, the wild hunt is well-being is something that an individual must seek for truly an altered state of consciousness. It is a sort of himself or herself, not something to be imposed by the trance brought on by Sitha’s hypnotic rants and by the community with the use of psychiatric meds and therapy. psychological effect of being in a mob of people all Neos are encouraged to explore who they are and what thinking and acting exactly the same way. Dragons in their place in the world is, and this quest sometimes the wild hunt don’t feel that they are making decisions brings Neos to the city. Some Neos who commit crimes or following orders: they feel that they are part of some within their community are shunned or banished for a larger being with its own intelligence and free-will. set period of time. The community sincerely hopes that Dragons feel a sense of extraordinary power, bravery the criminals will “find” themselves and will someday and freedom from responsibility. be able to come back and be productive members of the community. To many Neos, the city fills the same role as Omniscients- Many paranoid people come to sense tech an uninhabited mountain or desert did for their ancestors: wanting to be able to sense people sneaking up on them, or hear what people are saying about them, or sense it is a place they go to prove they can survive on their poison in their food or find ‘mind control devices’ hidden own and to find their inner strength. in their walls. When sense tech doesn’t find evidence of any conspiracy against them, a few become less paranoid, Workers- To most city residents, workers are a sort of but more just become frustrated at not being able to sense “half shut-ins.” They are brave enough to leave their what they are certain is there. Many of these paranoid homes occasionally, but they typically don’t spend any people are schizophrenics, and schizophrenics rarely last more time on the streets than they have to. They share long in gangs. Eventually they grow to mistrust the gang, some of the partially-irrational fears of the city that shut- or they grow too disorganized to be a productive member ins have, just not as bad. They are not as desperately of the community, and they choose to or are asked to lonely or bored as shut-ins and very few suffer from panic leave. Most paranoid schizophrenics who become attacks and agoraphobia. Many shut-ins see Workers as Omniscients last about a year and then leave the gang. the eccentric weirdos of the shut-in community; driven Usually, the Omniscients are happy to see them go and out into the scary city by an irrational need to earn their don’t consider themselves to have any continued loyalty living. to them. One exception is Tavin Bean (see next page). Goods see quite clearly how drugs can both help people survive mental illnesses and cause mental illnesses. Most Goods will offer some free sedatives when they think an upper user is approaching a paranoid or psychotic state.

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The True Story of Tavin Bean The story of Tavin Bean is known by enough people around the city that it has almost achieved the status of legend. Yet there is more to the story than most people know. The basic facts are true: Tavin was a pleasant young woman who had a mild paranoia that led her to join the Omniscients. Some elder Omniscients took her under their wings and with their assistance she became one of the best outfitted Omniscients of the time. Her paranoia grew worse, she began to see the Omniscients as her enemies, and she ended up homeless. She now has the honor of having the best senses of any mentally ill homeless person in the city (possibly in the whole world). The Omniscients still love and miss Tavin and do their best to look out for her from afar, even though she doesn’t want their help. The first Omniscients were a bunch of hopeless geeks who buried themselves into an obsession with sense tech. These were people who did not go to parties, did not hang out on the streets, did not have many sexual relationships. Over time they went from geeks to being powerful and respected gang members. However, an insecurity remained, an unspoken fear that their newfound status was not real or would be taken away. This nagging fear drove them to seek out the trappings of power: nice clothes, nice homes, fine wines and stock portfolios. All this was to make them feel less like the geeks they were and the more like the powerful people they had become. Some of the male sense-tech-geeks desired another trapping of power: a mistress; someone young and beautiful who respected them and did not want to be an equal. Like many schizophrenics, Tavin grew up unsure of the universe and her place in it. As a child she often had an irrational fear that she was being accused of doing something wrong. When she was older she often worried that she had offended people. Tavin would worry if people did not show signs of liking her right away. Tavin developed the most likeable personality she could: sweet, ditzy, carefree and excited. She would often, without realizing it, act the exact opposite of how she was feeling. The more sad she was, the more happy she would act. The more uncomfortable she was, the more she would joke and giggle. The more tired she was the more bubbly and excited she would act. As she grew up she became quite attractive and enjoyed the attention of many young men, though she was too uncertain of herself or her relationships to become serious with any of them. (continued next page)

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The True Story Of Tavin Bean (continued) When Tavin decided she needed to enhance her senses to find out if people were really “saying things about her” she went to the Omniscients. She knew, by instinct, how they wanted her to act and she did it without even making a conscious choice. She listened attentively to everything they said, acted awed and impressed by everything they knew and had achieved. Without knowing it, Tavin had made herself into what the elder male Omniscients thought they needed to prove to themselves, and to everyone else, that they were no longer lowly geeks.

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The elder Omniscients battled for her attention: doing hours of research for her, getting her discounts and buying her gifts, all under the guise of wanting to help a promising young student. Some of this was a genuine niceness, but a lot of it was just them trying to get into her pants. She had a series of sexual relationships with three men, one of whom was married and one of whom left his current girlfriend to be with her. Something about these relationships made Tavin feel uneasy. It did not feel like love to her, and sometimes it didn’t even feel like lust, it felt like they wanted something from her but she didn’t know what. She began to believe that she had not found happiness or safety or security among the Omniscients, that this was no haven from the generally malevolent nature of the universe. Each of her three relationships ended sooner than the last, and though she remained on friendly terms with her former lovers, she felt a cold feeling that she was alone, that there was nobody she could trust save herself. Then Tavin left the Omniscients, and a few months later word came back that she had ended up on the street, a homeless woman who could be seen talking to herself, when she would allow herself to be seen at all. There was sadness among the Omniscients: everyone liked Tavin, even those who were slightly jealous of her, and they were sad that she had been robbed of everything she had by mental illness. Among her three former paramours, and a few of the others who had battled for her affections and lost, a feeling of guilt crept in. They knew that they had been using Tavin and they knew they were partially responsible for her decline. These same men made the public promise to always look after he and keep her safe, no matter how crazy she gets. So every day Omniscients, some of whom are too young to have ever known Tavin, keep each other up to date on the latest sightings and word of her current condition. Whenever some new danger pops up in the city, an Omniscient is sent out to warn Tavin, even though they will never get close enough to see her face. The Omniscients do all this out of love, out of kindness, out of loyalty and out of guilt.

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Many Omniscients took up Buddhist meditation to help them learn to use their new senses. Some have found Buddhist meditation helps them achieve peace and clarity in other areas of their lives. A few have converted to being full-blown Buddhists and try to spread Buddhist wisdom to their fellow gang members. Purists- Almost everyone who joins the Purists has some level of phobia, from mild to crippling, of disease or contamination. A large number suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the Purist lifestyle is the logical progression of a ritualistic compulsion to keep clean and sterile at all times. The Purists, as a gang, has some of the character of obsessive compulsives: exacting, uncompromising, humorless, obsessed with details and hating inexact language or ambiguousness. A few Purists are paranoid people who joined the Purists because they thought someone was trying to poison them or infect them with a disease. Andy Uto has his own theory of psychology. He thinks that people are messed up because they have dozens of motives in their minds and do not prioritize them at all. They want everything at once: fun, comfort, sex, excitement, accomplishments, friends, etc. Andy teaches that these various motives interfere with each other and make it so none of them are ever truly achieved. In Andy’s view, people “allow” harmful thoughts, desires, emotions, beliefs and addictions to take root in their minds. He blames this on the same complacency and lack of self-respect that causes people to allow their bodies to become polluted. Andy also believes that chemical pollutants cloud the mind. To Andy, purifying the body is just the first step. The second step is to purify the mind: to figure out one’s most important goals and to eliminate any thought, belief or emotion incongruent with these goals. Andy believes his is the only true route to mental health. Some Purists believe they can sense pollution, including the pollution of the mind that manifests as mental illness. Some seem to have some legitimate “power.” Many others are just imagining that they have this power. Instead, they “sense pollution” in any place or person that they don’t like (including other Purists who they are having conflicts with). Andy Uto recognizes that this is something that some Purists do and he has counseled that “self-indulgent beliefs, not based on rational facts, are a mental pollution that should be avoided at all costs.” The Purists are the most cult-like of gangs. Andy Uto has some of the personality traits of a cult leader and many people who join the Purists are undergoing the same life and identity crises as people who join cults. The majority of the city has decided that they are not really a cult, but not everyone has. The Purists recently attacked a group of deprogrammers who had kidnapped a young Purist and forced her to remove her biohazard suit. The surviving deprogrammers put pressure on the FBI to investigate, and Andy Uto ended up having to pay

a huge bribe to the FBI agent to keep him from calling the National Guard in to arrest all the Purists. Up until that point, the Purists didn’t care who thought they were a cult. Afterwards, Andy Uto deigned to meet with concerned parents and friends to explain that people are told exactly what they are getting into before they join the Purists and they are free to leave whenever they want. Some have found genuine relief from mental illnesses after joining the Purists. These Purists really believe that Purism saved their lives, and they are Purism’s most enthusiastic supporters. Becoming a Purist cut them off from temptations to things like drugs, unhealthy food and unhealthy sex. Many Purists were slaves to temptation, were physically and mentally unhealthy and hated their lives, and achieved a miraculous recovery after joining. The Purist focus on mental Purity (along with their newfound hope) helped them overcome more subtle temptations (fears, hatred, sexual fantasies, self-destructive impulses, etc.). The Purists are a community of people, like 12-steppers, who help each other stay clean. Sexologists- Everything the Sexologists do and believe revolves around the dichotomy between a healthy attitude towards sex and an unhealthy attitude towards sex. In their eyes, they have achieved superpowers simply by maintaining the healthiest possible attitude towards sex. On the other hand, they see almost all of the city’s problems as being caused by an unhealthy attitude towards sex. The culture of Sexology was highly influenced by the culture of therapy. City therapists were some of the first people to experiment with “peak sex” techniques, and they passed those techniques on to their clients. Although therapy has always been influenced by academic psychology and by popular culture, it has always had its own unique set of beliefs and practices. Therapists tend to pick out things they like from popular culture and from psychology and incorporate them into their methods. By taking things out of their original context they sometimes change the meaning completely. Some of the criticisms of Sexologists are the same criticisms lodged against therapists: they are selfindulgent, they believe things about psychology that have no scientific basis, they use pseudo-scientific terminology to make themselves appear scientific, and they apply their own standards of what is “healthy” to others. Sexology was founded by therapists whose primary clientele were wealthy young women seeking therapy for sexual problems. Many of these young women were sexually abused or exploited and this damaged their perception of their own sexuality, of the opposite sex, and of intercourse itself. The sex therapists sought to use “peak sex” states as a hallmark of what sex should be: loving, intimate, satisfying and free from fear or self-doubt. Many of the patients never thought they would ever achieve this kind of sex, and achieving it helped rebuild their self esteem and hope for their lives. The Sexologists have made themselves intimately connected with the fate and lifestyle of every Sex Worker in the city. Nothing in the last few centuries has changed the lives of Sex Workers more than Sexologists. Many street walkers count Sexologists as their

Psychological Profile of a Sexologist

From “Why Sexologists Should Suck My Butt and Then Crawl Off and Die, Vol. 1” by Leticia “Big Dick” Young, Freak “The average Sexologist was a rich chick who got diddled by some older dude at some point in her youth. Because her parents had money, she grew up never having to do anything for herself. And so she became lazy, not bothering to develop any talents or personality traits worth being proud of. In short, she grew up weak and when she was forced to prove her worth she couldn’t; she found she was a loser. She wasn’t a total loser, though, because she remembered that she had been diddled. She had found someone to blame for her being a weak-minded loser, so she learned to harp about being a victim to anyone who would listen. It wasn’t really the diddling’s fault that she failed to make anything of herself, but it was easy for her (just like everything else had been easy for her) to believe it was. So when she grew up she used her trust fund money to pay for therapy. The therapy didn’t do anything to really help (because she’ll never admit the real reason she’s a wimp and a loser) but it got someone to pay attention to her and feel sorry for her, so she kept shelling out the cash. The therapist was either too stupid to know that this victim-shit is just an excuse, or was smart enough to play along and keep getting that dough, or bought into the same victim delusion. Anyway, the stupid bitch hangs around with therapists long enough she becomes part of their culture. And eventually she gets introduced to this new wonderful form of sex therapy, designed to help cure her from the deep psychological wounds she thinks her diddling has left her with. What she finds, instead, is therapy’s version of fundamentalism. She’s given the message ‘we have the only correct attitude towards sex, and that makes us morally superior to everyone else.’ Now, keep in mind, she still feels like a big loser (because she is) and she sure would like to feel morally superior to everyone else, so she joins up and accepts the whole pseudoreligious bullshit unquestioningly. She learns a few neat psychic tricks, and uses this as proof that everything the Sexologists believe is right. And suddenly she believes that being diddled a few times in the sixth grade has made her the world’s greatest expert on what is sexually healthy and what isn’t. She enjoys going around proclaiming that the way people are having sex is unhealthy and is damaging their souls. She feels better about herself by making other people feel bad about themselves.”

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saviors, having chased off the abusive and exploitative pimps that preyed upon them. Many Sex Workers know they can go to the Sexologists for help hunting down or chasing away a violent pimp or john. On the other hand, many Sex Workers are afraid to talk to Sexologists because they are afraid of what the Sexologists will say to them. They are afraid that the Sexologists will say that working in the sex industry is ruining them and that it is both a symptom and cause of a deep self-hatred. They are afraid that the Sexologists will ask them to stop, something they are not ready to do. Sex Workers also resent Sexologists wandering through the red light district scaring away potential customers. Recently, a group of Sex Workers mugged a group of Sexologists, demanding money to replace the income they had lost. A lot of Indies and Wells have bad memories about therapists. Some therapist once told them they weren’t healthy for thinking the gated community lifestyle was too boring or wanting to leave the safety of their apartments. What those therapists said had nothing to do with the best interests of the young people, and everything to do with the interests of the people who hired the therapists. In short, they believe they were exploited, told they were ‘unhealthy’ and needed to be changed, all for someone else’s benefit. These people get pissed off by anyone who tries to tell them what is healthy and what isn’t. When Sexologist popularity was at its peak, these people mostly kept their mouths shut, but now that the popularity is waning they feel freer to openly criticize the Sexologists. Tea Drinkers- Among traditional peoples who take hallucinogens, all hallucinogens are regarded as very dangerous. Traditionally, hallucinogens should only be taken in the right state of mind, after the right training and often in the company of elders. Although much less dangerous than most drugs on the market today, Soma can be dangerous. If someone is near the edge of psychosis (either because of a chemical imbalance or traumas and stresses) the hallucinogenic component of Soma can trigger a psychotic break. In the worst cases, Soma triggers lifelong schizophrenia. Fortunately, the Tea Drinkers have only had to deal with this a few times in their history. They know when not to take Soma, and they know how much Soma to take, and so the people they see going psychotic are usually outsiders who come to a tea shop to try Soma.

skills that Immortals have. What they do have is good psychic senses, which allow them to stay hidden from enemies and mess with them remotely. People attacked by Insomniacs or Immortals usually know who they are being attacked by. People being attacked by Tea Drinkers see things that aren’t there, bizarre and selfdestructive thoughts run through their minds and they feel inappropriate emotions. The real source might be a group of Tea Drinkers hiding behind a dumpster, but the first thought of many is that they are going crazy.

Non-Gang Indies Eccentrics- Eccentrics are, by definition, a psychological minority. They are people whose generation left the city, en masse, to join gated communities and corporations. They stayed because they were “different.” A wide range of differences made them want to stay in the city. Some had “a bit too much” of personality characteristics that city residents are familiar with: a bit too much independence, not enough trust of others, a little too lazy, a poor tolerance for boredom, unwillingness to participate in a system that creates inequality, etc. Others had bizarre personalities and beliefs that few city residents can understand or empathize with. Like Crazies, these Eccentrics say and do things that make no sense to most city residents. Unlike Crazies, Eccentrics are not violent, self-destructive or unable to take care of themselves. The stereotype of an eccentric is of some weird old person who is different but is happy to be different. Not every eccentric fits the happy stereotype. Some are religious and political fanatics whose strong beliefs isolate them from others. Some carry their beliefs so far that they will engage in acts of terrorism. Many are paranoid and live miserable lives, unable to trust others. While Crazies are not as dangerous as most people think they are, Eccentrics are not as safe as most people think.

Hunters- Militaries of the world spend billions on training programs designed to let soldiers see enemies as targets, not as humans. When soldiers see enemies as people, they have a tendency to not fire. The best VR training programs can reduce the refuse-to-fire rate to as little as 3%. To Hunters, this advantage comes naturally. They see other people as targets, toys or tools. If they have empathy for other humans, or feel any sense of moral responsibility towards other humans, it is a Hallucinogens can also have long term effects, which conscious decision, an afterthought. the Tea Drinkers know well and are mostly content with. Long-term use can cause problems with memory For Hunters, it all comes down to choice. They are too and abstract thought, occasional ‘flashbacks,’ and a wealthy for socioeconomic concerns to dictate what they sensitivity to other potential sources of hallucinations do. They are, for the most part, immune to the law and the street’s code of revenge, and so the moral standards and delusions. of others do not effect them. And their lack of natural Like most psychics, Tea Drinkers at war prefer making empathy keeps sentimental feelings from dictating their psychological attacks to physical ones. They don’t have choices. They do what they want because they choose the raw power of Insomniacs, or the variety of exotic to. That’s why the hunter community is so varied.

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As much as lack of empathy benefits them while on the hunt, it is also a serious disability. It makes it hard for them to understand the motivations of others and to predict their actions. Other people are a mystery to them and this makes them paranoid. Lack of empathy also makes it hard for them to like themselves. Most have a self-worth based solely on accomplishments. They must constantly set more difficult challenges for themselves, and prevail, in order to prove themselves worthy. They aren’t comfortable around others and they find no joy in their own company, so they distract themselves with risky games. A hunter on the prowl forgets about everything else and “becomes” the act of hunting. Night Walkers- Popular culture as a single behemoth entity is dead, and with it the massive power of celebrity. This is not to say that there is no celebrity or fandom, only that is dispersed into micro-markets. Night Walkers hope to become ‘famous,’ but for them fame means having a few thousand regular viewers. This little piece of celebrity can make Night Walkers the most “famous” people in the city.

them the most important thing in the Night Walker’s life. Another type of stalker is the “otaku” type. Rather than believing they have a relationship, the otaku is an obsessed collector of trivia. Collecting information about famous people is the only thing they have in their lives. Otaku stalkers often start by hacking into computers to gain private information. They may progress to breaking into the homes of celebrities in order to steal from them. If caught in the act, they will panic and may attack. If they plan any violence against the Night Walker, the purpose will be to gain some trophy (e.g. a lock of hair).

Sat Jumpers- Space jumps are a long and intense experience. Sat Jumpers regularly push themselves to the limits of their endurance. They must learn to keep themselves at a state of high attention for 24 or 48 hours. Even a little mistake can kill them or can cause billions of dollars of damage to a satellite. Almost all use uppers, especially caffeine pills. Some smuggle amphetamines and Maxin into space. When a Sat Jumper is asked to bring food, water and oxygen to another Sat Jumper on Night Walkers are in direct and constant communication a marathon, it is considered rude not to offer to smuggle with their viewers. To make a living, they must some uppers to the marathon jumper. One in five Sat understand and cater to the psychology of the viewers. Jumpers use illegal uppers. As a public figure, the Night Walker becomes a target for all the unresolved personal problems of the shut-in Uppers can trigger paranoia, hallucinations and delusions, viewers. The first thing they learn is that the anonymity of especially when used over a long period of time. When a being an internet viewer makes most people completely Sat Jumper on a marathon starts to lose it, there is rarely amoral. Viewers will watch horrible things happen to anyone who can come over in person and help. It all people and will make no attempt to stop them. When comes down to the shift manager in the city SRC officer given a chance to control the situation (through pay-per- talking the Sat Jumper through it. Shift Managers often vote decisions) viewers will show no mercy for anyone. have a very important decision to make: cancel the jump When they decide they don’t like a Night Walker, viewers as soon as the Sat Jumper starts acting funny, or hope the will mercilessly insult, threaten and badmouth the Night Sat Jumper can keep it together long enough to finish Walker. Their hatred is, for the most part, an act. Their the job. If they cancel the jump, the SRC can lose a real motivation is not hatred but boredom and the sense million-dollar contract and demand that people be fired. of power that harassing someone gives them. They are If they continue the jump but lose control of the jumper, often perfectly moral in their interpersonal lives, but the jumper could do something crazy that destroys the being anonymous makes them feel like they are not satellite or kills the jumper. really responsible for their actions and inactions. Some shift managers consider themselves skilled at A minority of viewers will become obsessed with the talking people who are losing it through a jump. Others Night Walker and the Walker’s show. These are typically try to recruit friends of the jumper to do the talking. The lonely shut-ins who feel some sense of human connection art of talking someone through a jump involves speaking when watching the show. The show is, to them, a in a manner which keeps them calm, inspires trust and relationship. Most obsessed fans spend lots of money keeps them focused on the job at hand. on the show and they advertise the show wherever they go on the internet. Other obsessed fans are jealous and Even Sat Jumpers who don’t use drugs can experience unstable. They want their interest in the Night Walker to strange things during the long shift. They are alone, in a be returned. They want to be recognized. They need the stressful situation and deprived of sleep. Their situation relationship validated, and if the Night Walker refuses is not too different from that of people who are walking to acknowledge them online they will try to force the the cold and lonely streets of the city after midnight matter. Night Walkers don’t always have warning that and have odd experiences. Every once in a while a a fan is becoming dangerous because the fan is so bad ‘perfectly normal’ and sober Sat Jumper will radio the at communicating his or her own feelings. When some shift manager crying for no reason of claiming that they stress in the stalker’s life come to a head, the stalker are being watched. will show up in person (the Night Walker is not hard to find). The stalker will desperately need to validate Traders- If anyone in the city had a reason to be paranoid, the relationship. They can do this by killing the Night it’s traders. They have thousands of dollars worth Walker, raping the Night Walker, killing themselves in of black market goods in their homes (or some other front of the Night Walker, or anything else that makes place where they have easy access) and they deal with

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

PC Groups 083

the city’s most skilled and ruthless criminals. Traders’ defenses must be unflinching and they must learn not to trust anyone (except for the occasional Runner). This lonely and stressful life drives many Traders out of the business. Despite their paranoia, Traders must also be good with people because their business depends on making contacts and gaining their trust.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

Utopia Children- If one considers the factors that make mental illness so common in the city (see p.5), utopianist communes are the exact opposite. Utopia Children had every advantage that people raised in the city didn’t: good genes, good nutrition, stable parents, a supportive community, excellent education and unlimited free counseling. Rates of mental illness in utopianist communes are the lowest in the world, yet within a few years of coming to the city a majority of Utopia Children suffer from a debilitating psychological syndrome called ‘burnout.’ Utopia Children are warned about the danger of burnout, either before they come to the city (by elders who have counseled previous burnouts) or by the first Utopia Child they run into when they come to the city. Despite the warnings, they seldom receive good advice about what to do to prevent or treat burnout other than going home.

get into a shelter for the night, or figure out whether an injury needs medical treatment, or figure out how to get on disability. Most of all, though, they know the importance of meds. Psychotherapy, genetic mods and mental programming are not valid options for homeless people because they are so expensive that nobody would pay for them. Although Volunteers know that mentally ill people can sometimes bring their problems under control without anyone’s help, they can’t afford to wait and see if that will happen. Volunteers know that meds are the only treatment that is both reasonably effective and realistically affordable. Volunteers keep each other apprised of every program, grant, clinic, shelter, philanthropist and experimental drug trial that might provide meds for the homeless mentally ill. When they have reached a level of rapport that they feel they can ask personal questions, one of the first is always ‘are you on any meds?’

Volunteers are also deeply aware of the reasons homeless mentally ill people don’t want to be on meds. Many equate meds with being drugged into submission (often because that very thing has happened to them). Others are paranoid and think the meds are poison or mindcontrol agents. Others have been on meds and couldn’t stand the side effects, especially when one of those side The first component of burnout is a reaction to the stress effects is anhedonia. Others are afraid they won’t be able of being in constant danger when one steps outside. to deal with the horrors of life if a drug prevents them When Utopia Children are attacked (as happens often) from being depressed, manic, spacey or confused. there is post-traumatic stress. Almost every Volunteer has had to make the decision The second part of burnout is culture shock: the painfully to call an ambulance to take someone to the emergency disconcerting feeling of constantly being around people psychiatric ward. It is a tough decision to make. When who look, dress, act and talk differently. Utopia Children patients are released a few days later, they may not may have grown up never having dealt with anyone who remember how dangerous they were and might decide was mentally ill, or physically disabled, or spoke English not to trust the Volunteer. If word gets around to other as a second language. Every little thing is difficult and mentally ill homeless people that a Volunteer calls the Utopia Children often feel like they can’t stop and catch ‘sedative squad,’ those other homeless people won’t trust the Volunteer. A Volunteer who isn’t trusted can’t help their breaths. anyone. In the end, Volunteers call for an involuntary The third component of burnout is when Utopia Children commitment only when they think that they are doing so start to doubt their basic principles. They may doubt that to save a life. they are culturally superior to city residents. Or, they may doubt that their good culture can rub off on the city. If homeless crazies have a community, Volunteers are as Or they may begin to doubt that city residents deserve much a part of it as anyone. Some mentally ill homeless to be saved. Either way, the possibility that their only people don’t trust any of their fellow crazies but they do trust a Volunteer who has always been kind to them. purpose in life is false can be devastating. Volunteers try to keep crazies alert to threats that effect Many Utopia Children are quite skilled in multiple them, and some crazies try to return the favor. schools of psychotherapy. Yet none of these therapies can help Utopia Children if the Utopia Children lose Y1s- Y1s are classic workaholics. Their businesses faith in themselves or faith in humanity. Without faith, become their lives and they use stress as fuel to keep Utopia Children have no reason to fight back against the themselves going. They may have unpleasant histories, traumas of city life. In this way, Utopia Children find personal lives or self-concepts, but the constant work themselves in the same boat as any other troubled city distracts them from all that. Y1s also have to be megalomaniacs. They have to believe that they have resident: needing hope more than anything else. something special that will let them succeed when 85% Volunteers- Volunteers make it their business to try to of their fellows will fail. Many Y1s are true narcissists get help for the city’s mentally ill homeless population. (see p.105). For others, their boundless self-confidence Volunteers know the value of a friendly word and a hot is juts a comfortable delusion. They may know it is a cup of soup. They know how important it is for mentally delusion when they think about it, but they never give ill people to have someone help them figure out how to themselves time to think about it.

084 PC Groups

RULES OF

MADNESS

Madness comes in four flavors: trauma, poor selfworth, poor life skills and brain damage. It is not uncommon to have multiple or all of these types of madness.

Traumas In Brief- When something bad happens to a PC, the PC

gains Trauma points. When the PC is conscious of Trauma, the Trauma is extremely painful and messes up the PC’s life, but it also slowly dissipates. A PC can distract himself or herself from Trauma with a number of distractions. Distractions are maladaptive and Trauma doesn’t fade away while distracted. If the PC has a biochemical vulnerability, the PC may gain Trauma with no external causes and must make saves to not use certain distractions.

Major Life Change- Anything that changes the PC’s concept of his or her life, identity or future. Examples: Moving to a new country, changing socioeconomic class, becoming handicapped, losing a loved one, change in concept of own religion or sexuality, etc. Note that even a good thing can cause Trauma if it is a strong enough change. Near-Death Experience- This is any time when a PC had good reason to believe he or she would die. Examples: Being infected by a deadly plague, getting into a knife fight with a superior opponent, falling from a four story building, becoming homeless with no knowledge of how to survive on the streets. Torture- Any prolonged period of severe pain (especially when there are failed saves vs. pain).. Worthlessness- This is any event that brings a PC’s Selfworth balance to -5 (see p.94).

Gaining Trauma

Anticipated Trauma

In Brief- When bad things happen, or are certain to happen, and you didn’t choose to have them happen, you gain Trauma points.

In Brief- You can gain Trauma in advance for something you’re absolutely sure is going to happen.

If the PC is absolutely certain something is going to Any time something really bad happens to a person, he happen in the near future, the PC gains Trauma as if the or she gains Trauma points. A PC gains 1 Trauma point thing has already happened. If the event doesn’t end up happening then the Trauma goes away. Example: Mary if any of the following happen: just got kicked off of welfare and she has been told there Helplessness- Any time the PC is at the complete is no chance she can get back on. She is going to become mercy of others. Examples: loosing a fight and being homeless and isn’t sure if she will be able to find food and at the mercy of an enemy, being caught in a trap, being shelter. She is certain she will become homeless (Major paralyzed in an open space, loosing one’s ability to Life Change) so she gets 1 point or Trauma in advance. think and act rationally due to a drug, letting oneself She isn’t completely sure that she will die on the streets be raped in the hopes of not being killed by the rapist, (Near-Death Experience) so she doesn’t get Trauma in advance for that. etc.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Going Mad in Brief Trauma: When especially painful, stressful or horrible things happen to you, you get Trauma points. Self-Worth: When you do something that proves you have some quality that you don’t like, or that you don’t have some good quality you thought you had, your Self-Worth balance goes down. Life Skills: When you are isolated from “normal” society for long periods of time, you lose life skills. Brain Damage: Certain rare kinds of damage (e.g. being brought back after being clinically dead for a while) can leave you with reduced functioning.

Traumas 085

Dealing With Trauma

Multiple Events In Brief- If a bad thing happens multiple times in one situation, you only gain Trauma once.

In Brief- To deal with trauma, overcome the original source of the trauma (or something like it), sit it out (very painful and distracting), or distract oneself from it (with a Distraction).

When the same thing happens multiple times as part of the same event, Trauma is only gained once. For instance, if a PC is tortured multiple times over the There are three ways to deal with Trauma: course of a few days, the PC only gains one point (one Torture). If a PC is stranded in enemy territory and must Confronting Trauma fight superior opponents several times to get out, the PC In Brief- Confront original danger, or one like it. If only gains one point (one Near Death Experience). you triumph, Trauma goes away.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Choice

When possible, this is the best way to deal with Trauma (although it can be physically dangerous). The PC must confront the original danger, or get in a situation which has all the same components. If the PC can triumph and If a PC chooses, of his or her own free will, to have avoid the bad thing happening again, the Trauma from something bad happen, then there are no Trauma points the event goes away. accrued. If the PC is coerced, threatened, forced by drug cravings or mental illness to allow something to happen, Example: When Bruta stops drinking, she is plagued by then the PC does gain Trauma points. Example: Mary is memories of being beaten by her father when she was training herself to withstand pain and she has a friend little. Now, as an adult, she goes home and confronts her spray her in the face with pepper spray. She does not father. Since she is now bigger and stronger than him, he gain Trauma from Torture. However, later she finds gets frightened and cries. Bruta looses any trauma left herself homeless and in order to get money for food she over from that event. lets a fetishist stick needles in her feet. Since she was coerced (by the need for food) she does gain 1 point of When confronting a similar situation, the situation must be such that if the PC triumphs it proves to the PC that Trauma. he or she does not have the same weaknesses that Gaining Trauma Example Deliberate let the PC fall prey before. Psychological Rolls George is walking down the street when a serial killer Example: George was hit Rolls to deal with comes up behind him and knocks him out. George wakes on the back of the head Trauma should be up strapped to a chair (Helplessness). Over the course by a serial killer and was rolled as deliberate, of several days, the serial killer cuts George all over with kidnapped, starved, tortured a knife (Torture), permanently disfiguring him (Major and mutilated. Afterwards, not chance actions, Life Change). In the end, George manages to wriggle he bought himself a third- meaning that a 1 is not free from his restraints, but before he can leave the serial eye implant and internal an automatic failure killer attacks him with a knife and George must fend the armor. Two years later, and a 20 is not an killer off with his bare hands (Near Death Experience) someone tries to sneak up on automatic success. before he can get to safety. George gains 4 Trauma (1 him and attack him, but he for Helplessness, 1 for Torture, 1 for Major Life Change, can see the person coming and fights off the attack. Any trauma from the original event goes away. 1 for Near Death Experience). In Brief- You don’t gain trauma if you choose to have something happen without being coerced.

Dealing With Being Mad in Brief Trauma: If you’re conscious the Trauma, roll to be able to eat, sleep, not have jitters and flashbacks. If you want to distract yourself, you can bury one point of Trauma under 1 level of a distraction, but most distractions cause their own problems. Self-Worth: You have to roll to deal with people as inferiors or equals and you have to roll to avoid self-destructive behavior, and the worse your Self-Worth gets the more trouble you have with WIL and CHM rolls. Life Skills: You have to roll to figure out the little things that normal people do on a daily basis and that are essential for survival in modern society. Brain Damage: Learn what was damaged (e.g. your ability to walk, remember faces, control your emotional state) and learn to live with your disability (in some cases, gadgets and mental programs are available to help).

086 Traumas

Abiding Trauma In Brief- For each week you don’t distract yourself from Trauma, 1 point goes away, but each day you must save vs. insomnia, nausea, distraction, flashbacks and there is a penalty vs. addiction and cravings. This is the next best way to deal with Trauma. It is long and painful but it gets rid of Trauma points. For every week that the PC has continually had Conscious Trauma (Trauma points the PC is not distracting himself or herself from), one point goes away. However, while the PC has any conscious Trauma, the PC must make the following rolls at the beginning of each day: Save vs. Insomnia (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10). Failure means the PC will not be able to sleep at all for the next 24 hours and will suffer from full sleep deprivation damage (p.64, main book). Save vs. Nausea (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10). Failure means that for the next 24 hours the PC cannot eat and if force-fed the PC will throw up any food in his or her stomach. See Starvation Damage, p.64 main book. Save vs. Jitters (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10). For every point of failure, the PC gets a -1 penalty to all rolls the PC has conscious control over (e.g. will take a penalty to a STH feat to pick up a wounded friend, will not take a penalty to save vs. disease contraction). Save vs. Flashbacks (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10). If the PC fails, he or she will have sporadic hallucinations throughout the day. The hallucinations are typically brief sensations of the traumatic thing reoccurring (e.g. a PC who was in a knife fight may hallucinate seeing a knife blade coming at him). Addiction/Craving Penalty (Trauma x 5). If the PC makes any save vs. psychological addiction or psychological addiction craving while the PC has conscious Trauma, the PC is at a penalty equal to Trauma x 5. Abiding Trauma Example: George has 4 Trauma after his experience with the serial killer. He decides that 4 is too much to handle, so he decides to distract himself from 2 points (see Distraction). He now has 2 Conscious Trauma. At the beginning of the first day, he must make saves vs. insomnia, nausea, distraction and flashbacks at 20 difficulty. He has problems with jitters, can barely eat, can barely sleep and keeps seeing his kidnapper out of the corner of his eye. A friend convinces him to

take a drink and he must make a save vs. psychological addiction with a -20 penalty. He becomes addicted to alcohol, looses some weight, but otherwise survives a week unharmed. After a week, one point of Trauma goes away and George now has only 1 point of Conscious Trauma.

Psychosis In Brief- Whenever a PC’s Conscious Trauma increases (either because something bad happens or because the PC stopped using a distraction) the PC must save vs. psychosis at Trauma x 5. Whenever the amount of Trauma the PC is conscious of increases, the PC must make a save of WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 5. If the PC fails, he or she goes psychotic for 24 hours per point of failure. The PC is not in control of his or her character and will not remember what the character did during this period. A psychotic PC may run, hide, scream, attack people at random, babble nonsense, etc. While psychotic, the PC has +5 STH/SPD/END, +3 INCY, +10 to save vs. pain and can make simultaneous strikes with no penalty. Sometimes, going psychotic is the only thing that saves people from a terrible situation. Remember that an imminent event causes Trauma too, and can make a person psychotic. Psychotic people are much stronger and can fight without fear or pain. Psychotic people can escape from situations that they might not have been able to escape from otherwise. Psychotic people are hard to intimidate, hard to beat into submission, hard to hold down and they bite and claw anyone who touches them (simultaneous pain/stun attacks) at no minuses. They will bite and claw and struggle until they are killed, knocked unconscious, sedated, or until there is a chance for escape.

Distraction In Brief- You can make Trauma effects go away by distracting oneself, but distracted Trauma doesn’t The PC can choose to make Trauma “go away”, temporarily, by doing something to distract himself or herself from it. This can let the PC eat and sleep and not go psychotic. However, the Trauma is still there, causing problems, needing to be dealt with. Distracting yourself from Trauma is like paying a bill with a credit card: the problem is no longer in your face, but it’s still there. Distractions can hold Trauma for a few days or for decades.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Recovering From Madness in Brief Trauma: Stop distracting yourself from the pain and either wait for it to go away or confront the source of the pain. Self-Worth: Do things which prove that you have qualities you admire or don’t have bad qualities you thought you had. Life Skills: Get a friend who has life skills, ask for help, spend XP on skill points. Brain Damage: Wait it out, see if it goes away.

Traumas 087

Some distractions are behavioral (Drugs, Fantasy, Fetishes, Risk, Self-Hatred), meaning the PC has to do something in the real world to keep himself or herself distracted. Others are purely mental (Blocking, Depression, Dissociation, Fanaticism, Mania, Randomness, Worrying) meaning that people only have to cultivate a certain state of mind in order to be distracted.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

There are 12 different distractions. Each has 5 possible levels, each level distracts from one point of Trauma. For each level, the PC has to do or think something more extreme in order to keep himself or herself distracted. PCs can distribute Trauma however they want through the distractions (although there are a few distractions which are mutually exclusive, like Mania and Depression). Trauma in a distraction is written out as follows: Depression (3), Fantasy (1), etc. Depression (3) and Fantasy (1) would distract a PC from 4 points of Trauma.

Blocking- The PC learns to block from his or her mind knowledge that the traumatic event(s) ever happened or could ever happen again. This distraction fails if the PC chooses to investigate his or her past and chooses to believe the results of the investigation. Level 1: The PC rarely thinks about the bad thing(s). He or she can remember it, if someone brings it up, but is a bit fuzzy about the details. Level 2: The PC has blocked out the memory of the bad thing(s) entirely. He or she may be aware that something bad happened (especially if friends keep reminding him or her that this is the case) but can’t remember any details about what it was. Level 3: The PC has rewritten his or her entire life story to edit out whatever or whoever made the bad event happen. The PC may sincerely believe ‘My father died before I was born’ or ‘I was never in a street gang’ or ‘I’ve never used drugs.’ Level 4: The PC has a huge hole in his or her memory and has made up some imaginary past to fill the hole. The PC will remember and sincerely believe several years of his or her life that never happened. Level 5: The PC has complete amnesia, cannot remember who he or she is or any details from his or her past -or- the PC has manufactured a completely false life and identity that the PC fully believes (player’s choice).

When a distraction “fails” then the PC once again becomes conscious of that Trauma. Depending on the distraction, a distraction can fail if the PC fails to do certain things or fails to maintain the right mental state. Distractions can be failed on purpose or against the PC’s will. A distraction can partially fail if a PC becomes unable to maintain a high level, but can maintain a lower level of the behavior or state of consciousness. For example, a PC with Fantasy (3) can choose to spend less time daydreaming, move to Fantasy (2) and will have 1 more point of conscious Trauma. Depression- The PC deals with pain by simply giving up and trying to believe that every possible outcome is Distraction Example: George has 4 points of Trauma. equally horrible. Nothing is worth caring about and thus He distracts himself from it all using two levels of Drugs nothing is worth worrying about. This distraction fails if and two levels of Depression. Drugs (2) requires George to use 4 doses of a softer drug (alcohol, amphetamines, the PC chooses to feel some optimism about his or her opiates or hallucinogens) per day or 1 dose of a harder life. drug (god killer, chomper, mauler, slave or trace) per Level 1: The PC has trouble sleeping (save vs. day. Depression does not have behavioral requirements, Insomnia, difficulty 10), feels tired all the time, has since it is done inside one’s head, but the depressed state trouble getting excited about or enjoying anything. required has certain disadvantages (the PC must make saves vs. insomnia). George continues in this way for Level 2: The PC sleeps little (save vs. Insomnia, a while. At one point he is flat broke and can no longer difficulty 20), is exhausted all the time, and has an afford 4 doses of drugs per day. He can afford 2 doses, overwhelming feeling that nothing is worth doing. The so he gives up Drugs (2) and moves to Drugs (1), thus PC fantasizes about dying. giving him 1 point of conscious Trauma. This Trauma Level 3: The PC hardly sleeps at all (save vs. has its normal effects (see Abiding Trauma, above) for Insomnia, difficulty 30) and must make a 20 difficulty a week, then goes away. Heartened by being better off, save vs. dysphoria to initiate any action (although the PC George decides to try to be more optimistic and spend less time dwelling on depressing thoughts. He bumps can react to things that happen to him or her). himself down to Depression (1) and has to deal with Level 4: The PC hardly sleeps at all (save vs. problems for a week before the Trauma goes away. At Insomnia, difficulty 30) and must make 20 difficulty the end, he now has Drugs (1) and Depression (1). save vs. dysphoria to get out of bed or do anything (even to escape from a burning building). The PC desperately prays for death, but cannot muster the hope necessary to actually attempt suicide. Level 5: The PC has delusions (difficulty 30 to save) The 12 distractions Trauma can be buried in are Blocking, Depression, Dissociation, Drugs, Fanaticism, Fantasy, of a pessimistic nature (e.g. ‘my family is dead,’ ‘I’ll be Fetishes, Mania, Randomness, Risk, Self-Hatred and dead in three days’, ‘the world is ending’). Worrying.

Distractions

088 Distractions

Dissociation- The PC cultivates the feeling that what Fanaticism- The PC looses himself or herself in a is happening is not happening to him or her. Instead, the PC feels the things happening to him or her are either not real or are happening to someone else. This distraction fails if the PC consistently chooses to stay grounded in the real world. Level 1: The PC feels numb and ‘spacey.’ PC gets +2 to save vs. pain and fear. Level 2: The PC has a strong feeling that whatever is happening is not really happening to him or her. The PC can go about his or her normal life, as a matter of habit, but feels little or no emotional connection to it. PC gets +4 to save vs. pain and fear. Level 3: The PC suffers from regular delusions (20 difficulty to save) that he or she is floating around outside his or her body and that the body is acting on its own, like a robot, without the PC’s control. During these periods, the PC will follow orders and act in self-preservation but will do little else. PC gets +6 to save vs. pain and fear. Level 4: The PC suffers from delusions (20 difficulty to save) that anything bad that happens to him or her is actually happening to someone else. Every time the PC suffers from one of these delusions, the fictional persona becomes more and more ‘real’ (gains a name, personality, history). After ten failures a new personality may begin asserting itself even when nothing bad is happening. The player has no control over what this personality does. PC gets +8 to save vs. pain and fear. Level 5: The PC goes completely catatonic, will not move or speak, even in self-preservation.

Drugs- The PC uses constant intoxication to blot out

the fear caused by Trauma. The PC spends his or her days either intoxicated or in crippling withdrawal from drugs. The Drugs distraction is a separate entity from addiction, although the two are very commonly found together. For many people, recovery means both saves vs. drug cravings and dealing with newly undistracted Trauma. This distraction fails if the PC doesn’t use the requisite amount of drugs in a day. Level 1: PC must use at least 2 doses of Alcohol, Amphetamines, Opiates or Hallucinogens per day. Level 2: PC must use at least 4 doses of Alcohol, Amphetamines, Opiates or Hallucinogens per day or 1 dose of God Killer, Chomper, Mauler, Slave or Trace per day. Level 3: PC must use at least 6 doses of Alcohol, Amphetamines, Opiates or Hallucinogens per day or 2 doses of God Killer, Chomper, Mauler, Slave or Trace per day. Level 4: PC must use at least 8 doses of Alcohol, Amphetamines, Opiates or Hallucinogens per day or 3 doses of God Killer, Chomper, Mauler, Slave or Trace per day. Level 5: PC must use at least 10 doses of Alcohol, Amphetamines, Opiates or Hallucinogens per day or 4 doses of God Killer, Chomper, Mauler, Slave or Trace per day.

cause or religion. The PC convinces himself or herself that devotion to the cause or religion is so important that it doesn’t matter what happens to the PC as an individual. The PC believes that there is some idea (like ‘freedom’ or ‘racial purity’) or some deity that is much more important than worldly things like being tortured or physically assaulted. Some fanatics become stalkers, although what they are really obsessed with is an idea, not the real person who the idea is projected on to. This distraction fails if the PC decides that he or she might be wrong or might be overreacting. Level 1: The PC is committed to a political or religious ideology and would gladly martyr himself or herself for it. Level 2: The PC spends almost every waking hour reading about, talking about or acting on behalf of the ideology. The PC has an irrational hatred towards anyone who tries to argue against this ideology (must save vs. anger, 20 difficulty, to avoid violence). Level 3: The PC is among the most fanatical of ‘extremists’. The PC has trouble finding anyone as devoted to the ideology as the PC is. The PC is likely to become a terrorist (must make saves vs. anger, 20 difficulty, to avoid doing anything he or she can, no matter the risk to the PC, to fight the enemies of the cause). Level 4: The PC has bizarre, illogical beliefs about his or her cause (difficulty 20 delusions). The PC may believe, for example, that he or she cannot be harmed while fighting for the cause, or that all his or her neighbors are part of a secret conspiracy of the enemy. Level 5: The PC suffers from constant delusions (difficulty 30) in which he or she is the crux in a cosmic struggle. The PC believes that the most powerful forces in the universe are trying to help or hurt the PC and that the PC’s every action will determine the fate of the universe. If the PC is a religious fanatic the PC will believe himself or herself to be a major religious figure.

Some Sample Fanatical Obsessions Unhealthy impurities in our food, air and water. The protection of nature from humans. The vermin and parasite-like qualities of drug addicts. Failure of the world to bow down and worship god. Failure of the world to bow down and worship a popular actor. Hypocrisy and betrayal of fans by a popular athlete. The pre-destined romance between the fanatic and a cute neighbor. The destruction of corporations and unjust governments.

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Fantasy- The PC buries himself or herself in fictional Fetishes- The PC uses harmful sex as a distraction. worlds so he or she doesn’t have to think about painful things. This could mean daydreaming, novels, movies or VR. A few people with this distraction are able to bury themselves in abstract intellectual pursuits (philosophy, math, science, etc.). This distraction fails when the PC chooses to stop living in fantasy. Level 1: The PC must spend at least 4 hours a day daydreaming, reading, in VR, etc. Level 2: The PC must spend at least 8 hours a day daydreaming, reading, in VR, etc. Level 3: The PC must spend at least 12 hours a day daydreaming, reading, in VR, etc. Level 4: The PC must spend at least 16 hour a day daydreaming, reading, in VR, etc. Level 5: The PC must spend every waking moment daydreaming, reading, in VR, etc.

This method is much like the Drugs distraction, except instead of artificial chemicals the PC uses sex to create an endorphin rush. The endorphin rush from “normal” sex is not enough, the PC needs to make sex more intense by adding in other intense emotions (pain, fear or shame). Shameful sex is sex which the PC himself or herself finds morally repugnant and shameful (the PC must have a self-worth dislike, see p.94, about this activity). Sexual activity does not need to be intercourse with another person: a person could view violent pornography, masturbate while looking in someone’s window, have sex in VR with a VR character, etc. This distraction fails if the PC stops engaging in harmful sex. Level 1: The PC must engage in sexual activity, at least once per day, which is one of the following: dangerous, painful or shameful.

Stereotypical Trauma Allocations

Typical Self Destructive Teen:



Typical Neurotic Shut-In: Depression (1), Worrying (3), Fantasy (2)



Typical Homeless Crazy: Fanaticism (2), Randomness (3), Mania (1)



Typical Sex Criminal:

Fantasy (2), Fetishes (4), Risk (2), Self-Hatred (1)



Typical War Veteran:

Blocking (2), Dissociation (2), Drugs (1)



Typical Hate-Filled Fanatic

Fanaticism (3), Fantasy (2), Risk (2)

090 Distractions

Drugs (2), Risk (1), Fetishes (1), Self-Hatred (1)

Level 2: The PC must engage in sexual activity, at least twice per day, which is one of the following: dangerous, painful or shameful. Level 3: The PC must engage in sexual activity, at least once per day, which is two of the following: dangerous, painful or shameful. Level 4: The PC must engage in sexual activity, at least once per day, which is all of the following: dangerous, painful and shameful. Level 5: The PC must engage in sexual activity, at least four times per day, which is dangerous and painful and shameful. This activity must involve a strong possibility that someone will die.

Serial Killers and Fetishes Most serial killers start with Trauma buried in Fantasy, Self-Hatred and Fetishes. They often start out with Fetishes (1) and deal with the fear and anxiety of their lives by viewing violent pornography. Pornography is neither dangerous nor painful, its only value to them is if they are ashamed that they use it. Shame causes them to lose Self-Worth, which causes more Trauma, which they distract with more Fetishes. At Fetishes (2) they step up their pornography use. At Fetishes (3) pornography is no longer good enough and they may seek out Sex Workers they can beat up. As they approach Fetishes (5) they are trapped in an addiction which less and less things can satisfy. Fetishes (5) is nearly impossible to maintain. A serial killer with Fetishes (5) is as desperate as the worst drug addict, he (or once in a century, she) will wander the streets looking to do anything to satisfy the craving.

Level 4: The PC must make a WIL save (20 difficulty) to avoid self-destructive impulsiveness (shopping, gambling, promiscuous sex). The PC is working on projects non-stop and believes each project is a wonderful idea. The PC only ‘sleeps’ when he or she falls unconscious from exhaustion. Level 5: The PC has delusions of grandeur (30 difficulty to save) about the project he or she is working on. The PC may believe he or she is ‘working on a time machine’ or that ‘the president is going to create a new agency for me to be in charge of.’ The PC is unable to believe that their project is unimportant, impossible, impractical or that others fail to see its brilliance. The PC will not sleep or rest, except for passing out.

Randomness- The PC stops believing that world

makes sense. There is no logic, there is no cause and effect, anyone who claims to understand it is wrong. Anything is possible and nothing is likely. This is comforting because it means that pain and suffering do not necessarily result from traumatic things. Also, since the results of one’s actions cannot be predicted, the PC does not have to be responsible for anything he or she has done. This distraction fails if the PC chooses to believe that there is a rational order to the universe. Level 1: The PC is strongly eccentric. He or she draws illogical conclusions, suggests things which aren’t likely, makes up strange little rituals. He or she refuses to plan for the future, saying that it is impossible to tell what will happen.

Level 2: The PC does, says and believes quite bizarre things. The PC makes up new superstitions every day and insists on following them. The PC can’t make hypothetical guesses about the future and his or her Mania- The PC attempts to distract himself or herself memories are disjointed. -4 to any skill involving math from pain and worry by staying extremely busy all or logic. the time. The PC has to be working on something, something he or she believes is very important, until the Level 3: The PC’s beliefs (or lack of beliefs) are so PC falls unconscious from exhaustion. This distraction odd that it is immediately obvious to anyone who talks fails if the PC decides to relax or is so burned out that he to the PC. The PC doesn’t believe half the things other or she can no longer be manic (many in this state transfer people say and typically just ignores them. -8 to any skill involving math or logic. the Trauma to Depression, see Swinging, p.93). Level 1: The PC is a classic ‘workaholic’. Whether Level 4: The PC is reckless. He or she talks in it is career or a hobby, he or she is doing something all odd terms that are nearly impossible to understand. day long without a single break. The PC has trouble The PC talks in non-sequiters as if there is a logical connection between them, even though there isn’t (e.g. sleeping (save vs. Insomnia, 20 difficulty). Level 2: The PC is noticeably manic: can’t sit still, “Romans once ruled the world and so you owe me five excited about everything, talks quickly, poor impulse dollars.”) The PC must make a WIL roll (difficulty 30) control. The PC has trouble sleeping (save vs. Insomnia, to do anything that involves planning for the future (e.g. buying groceries, paying the rent, taking a shower). -12 25 difficulty). to any skill involving math or logic. Level 3: The PC stays up all night working on various projects. For example, a PC may suddenly Level 5: The PCs behavior and reactions have decide he wants to be an artist, will blow hundreds on nothing to do with the world around them. Punch the PC paint, brushes and canvas and stay up all night painting. and the PC might laugh, give the PC a dollar and the PC The PC hardly sleeps (save vs. Insomnia, 30 difficulty). might tear it up and eat it.

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

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Risk- The PC does dangerous things to distract himself or herself with the adrenaline rush. The PC also finds comfort in the idea that he or she might die at any time and not have to face any more pain, worry and doubt. The PC is purposefully reckless to encourage this feeling. This distraction fails if the PC stops taking unnecessary risks. Level 1: The PC becomes obsessed with some dangerous stunt, sport or hobby and must do it once a day. The stunt must be more dangerous that simply walking outside the street in the city (although walking around outside without weapons or armor would count). Gives +4 to save vs. fear. Level 2: Each day the PC must make a WIL roll (difficulty 30) to avoid doing something dangerous with the potential for death (e.g. picking a fight, having unprotected sex, doing drugs of unknown quality). Gives +6 to save vs. fear. Level 3: The PC must do at least one life-threatening thing per day. Gives +8 to save vs. fear. Level 4: The PC must make a WIL roll (difficulty 30) to do any action that will make him or her more likely to live through dangerous situations (e.g. put on armor before leaving the house, dodge a blow, wash hands after handling a diseased person, etc.). Gives +10 to save vs. fear and the PC can make simultaneous strikes at no penalty. Level 5: Whenever he or she is able to, the PC must make a serious suicide attempt. Gives +12 to save vs. fear and the PC can make simultaneous strikes at no penalty.

Self-Hatred- In this distraction, the PC makes it be

‘okay’ that something bad happened to him or her by fostering a sense that the PC deserved it, or that the PC’s feelings don’t matter or that the PC is glad this happened because the PC hates himself or herself so much. In order to use this distraction, the PC must achieve and maintain a low Self-Worth balance. In order to maintain the requisite balance, the PC may have to do things he or she finds detestable or may sabotage things that the PC would otherwise be proud of. Level 1: Self-Worth balance must be no more than -1. Level 2: Self-Worth balance must be no more than -2. Level 3: Self-Worth balance must be no more than -3. Level 4: Self-Worth balance must be no more than -4. Level 5: Self-Worth balance must be no more than -5.

Worrying- In this distraction, the PC takes his or her

fear about something that cannot be controlled (e.g. the possibility of being tortured) and projects it on to something that can be controlled (e.g. not being around snakes). The PC tricks his or her own mind into thinking it is afraid of one thing when it is really afraid of another.

092 Distractions

This distraction fails if the PCs choose to stop worrying about things all the time (or to start worrying about the things that are really bothering them). Level 1: The PC has 3 mild phobias, see text box. The PC must make a 20 difficulty save vs. fear to approach the subject of a phobia. Level 2: The PC has 3 mild and 2 moderate phobias. The PC must make a 25 difficulty save vs. fear to approach the subject of a phobia. Level 3: The PC has 4 mild, 3 moderate and 1 severe phobia and 1 ritual. The PC must make a 30 difficulty save vs. fear to approach the subject of a phobia or avoid doing a ritual. Level 4: The PC has 4 mild, 2 moderate, 2 severe phobias, 5 rituals and 1 impulse. The PC must make a 30 difficulty save vs. fear to approach the subject of a phobia or avoid doing a ritual. Whenever the PC is in a situation where he or she could engage in the impulse, the PC must make a 20 difficulty WIL roll not to. Level 5: The PC has hundreds of completely pointless rituals that must be done all the time. The PC can not take a step without performing some ritual. Everything the PC does takes at least twice as long as it would for a normal person. The PC is visibly odd: always mumbling ritual words, counting, stopping to touch things, avoiding touching other things, etc. The PC must make a legendary (40 difficulty) save vs. fear each time he or she wants to break a ritual.

Phobias/Impulses/Rituals Mild: Amputees & Deformed People, Bodies of Water, Cats, Human & Animal Corpses, Dogs, Enclosed Spaces, Fire, Heights, Pain, Psychics, Public Speaking, Robots, Rodents, Sick People, Snakes, Spiders, Surgery. Moderate: Animals, Anything Considered Unlucky, Being Alone, Being Touched, Blood, Breaking the Law, Children, Crowds, Darkness, Diseases, Doctors & Dentists, Riding in Vehicles, Sex, Sharp Objects. Severe: Eating, Leaving the House, Meeting Strangers, Possibility of Illness, Throwing Things Away, Touching Anything Non-Sterile. Rituals: Aligning Objects Symmetrically, Counting Things, Handwashing, Rechecking Door Locks, Saying a Phrase, Stepping On Each Tile, Tapping Things A Set Number of Times (e.g. 23). Impulses: Body Modification, Lying, Overeating, Pulling Out Hair, Screaming Insults, Starting Fires, Stealing Things, Swallowing Things.

Medical Treatment

Swinging In Brief- Some people regularly move from one distraction to another, like manic-depressives.

In Brief- Drugs can undo a chemical predisposition, make some distractions impossible, or treat the effects of abiding Trauma.

Some people, especially people with Chemical Disorders, swing back and forth between distractions. They store their Trauma in one distraction for as long as they can, but when they are unable to continue, they release their Trauma (making saves vs. nausea, insomnia, etc.) and immediately move the Trauma to another distraction. Keep in mind that PCs must make a save vs. psychosis (see p.87) any time they stop using a distraction.

Most psychiatric drugs attack the chemical disorders that give people a predisposition towards certain distractions. The best psychiatric drugs completely undo these predispositions, temporarily removing that disadvantage. Even on the best drugs, the PC still has to deal with any Trauma, distracted or not. Sometimes, drugs make people unable to use certain distractions. A high enough dose of Anti-Depressants, for example, will make a person unable to have Depression (3). The GM might determine that the PC can only have Depression (1), which means that 2 Trauma come spilling out. The PC then has three options: try to abide the Trauma, use a different distraction, or stop using the anti-depressants.

The classic example is a person with Manic Depression. A Manic Depressed person might have Manic (3). The person will be manic until he or she is tired out and exhausted and can no longer be manic, then will switch immediately to Depression (3). An experienced manic depressive will sense the manic period ending and start using some intermediate distraction (e.g. drugs) so that there is no point where the PC is not distracted (and thus Drugs can also be used to treat the effects of Trauma. no point that the PC must save vs. psychosis). Certain drugs can help the person survive the illness caused by abiding Trauma: a sleeping pill to help the Chemical Disorders save vs. insomnia, an anti-nauseant to help the person In Brief- Some people have messed up brains so that eat, etc. Anti-psychotics can even give plusses to save they gain Trauma for no reason and must roll not to use vs. psychosis. Any drug that completely blocks out certain distractions. the experience of Trauma, however, is the same as a distraction and will make it so that Trauma doesn’t go Some people are born with a neurology or biochemistry away over time. that makes them tend towards some mental illness. The biological predisposition is not certain to make a person Medical Treatment Example: Joey has Mania (4). ill: some people are able to live with these predispositions Joey realizes the mania is a problem and takes some all their lives without succumbing, others are able to claw sedatives. The sedatives reduce Joey’s ability to be as their way out of mental illness (sometimes even without manic, thus reducing her to Mania (1) and giving her the help of psychiatric drugs). Many chemical disorders 3 points of conscious Trauma. Joey must deal with the cause Trauma points to accumulate, even without any horrible side effects of the Trauma. The sedative helps Traumatic events occurring. They also make certain Joey sleep, and Joey gets an anti-nauseant to help her distractions “easier,” making it such that PCs must make eat. Joey still has Jitters and flashbacks. On the third rolls not to distract themselves with certain distractions day on sedatives, Joey realizes that the Trauma is going (e.g. Depression). The chemical disorders are given as to make her unable to fulfill her gang duties, so she goes off her meds and regains her Mania (4). optional disadvantages on p.101.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Don’t tell me you know what I’m going through. You don’t know shit. You have no idea what it feels like. It tears you up inside like you just swallowed barbed wire. You can’t eat, you can’t sleep. It keeps happening to you in your mind, again and again. The moment you start to forget, it all comes back. And that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that now you know. You can’t lie to yourself, think happy thoughts and believe everything will be okay. It won’t. Nothing will ever be okay, ever again, because you know: The universe is a terrible place. People are weak and fragile. The horrible things in life outweigh the good. And if something this horrible could happen to you once, it could happen again.

Distractions 093

Self-Worth Issues In Brief- Default is an equal number of likes and dislikes, up to 5 of each. They can be disproven (removed) or new ones can be added as the PC has achievements or failures. If there are more dislikes than likes, the PC has a negative self-worth balance and has trouble dealing with people and trouble with self-destructive behaviors.

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Example: Ratkin uses drugs occasionally, but he starts finding himself craving drugs every day and he sells his favorite weapon for drug money. He adds ‘addict’ to the list of things he doesn’t like about himself, thus decreasing his self-worth balance by one. A PC can always use “my character doesn’t think that’s a bad quality” as a defense against gaining a new dislike. The player should be able to back this up by pointing to the PC’s Personal Ideals and Worldviews, or to the PC’s past actions or, ideally, to both.

Most people don’t have many problems with self-worth. They like themselves enough to get by. The things they If a PC has 5 likes or 5 dislikes and gains a sixth, the don’t like about themselves are balanced out by the PC should erase one of the old ones (PC’s choice) and replace it. things they like about themselves.

The PC can have up to 5 likes and up to 5 dislikes, which Disproving Likes/Dislikes- If a PC does something significant that is contrary to one of the things players should list on the psychological he likes or dislikes about himself or herself, Some Sample profile sheet. If a PC starts with no then that like or dislike should be erased. Like/Dislikes advantages or disadvantages that effect selfThe PC’s self-worth balance will be adjusted worth, that PC should have an equal balance addict accordingly. between likes and dislikes. A PC who knows boring relatively little about himself might have 0 lonely Example: Jones has considered himself likes and 0 dislikes. A character with more poor smart ever since outwitting that serial killer. life experience might have 3 likes and 3 poor social skills However, when he is tricked by a ten year-old dislikes. 2 likes and 2 dislikes is good for a scared thief (who Jones reasons must be stupider starting character because it leaves room for scary than a serial killer) he must erase “smart” character development. sinner from his psych profile sheet, reducing his selfslut worth balance by one. However, some advantages and disadvantages ugly cause an imbalance. For instance, if a Example: Ratkin has gone without using virgin disadvantage calls for a PC to start with -3 drugs for a week, longer than he has gone weak willed balance, than the PC must have 3 more dislikes since becoming addicted. Believing this is wimp than likes. A PC could accomplish this by the end of his addiction, he erases “addict,” having 3 dislikes and 0 likes (0 - 3 = -3), or by increasing his self-worth balance. beautiful having 5 dislikes and 2 likes (2 - 5 = -3). charming Philosophical Changes- Another way to innocent A like or dislike can be anything that a PC change likes and dislikes is for the PC to popular believes about himself or herself that could be change what he or she thinks is important. righteous tested in the real world. For instance “smart” This should not happen often, and should only scary could be tested if a PC matches wits against accompany real character growth and change. sexually active someone else who is smart. “Ugly” could be In most cases, a change in a PC’s worldview smart tested when people act with revulsion towards should accompany philosophical changes to strong the character. During character creation, a likes and dislikes. Example: Guaco has the strong-willed PC’s likes and dislikes can be inaccurate. For ‘social’ worldview. He also has “unpopular” on tough instance, many people think they are ugly his list of things he doesn’t like about himself. virgin even when others do not. However, as he gets older he realizes that what wealthy people think about him doesn’t mean as much Gaining Likes/Dislikes- PCs can gain likes and so he changes his ‘social’ worldview to and dislikes when they do something which proves, to ‘introspective’ and he erases the ‘unpopular’ dislike. them, that they have some quality they admire or do not admire. The likes and dislikes that are added should Low Self-Worth- When a PC’s self-worth is negative, it connect in some logical way to the PC’s Personal Ideals causes problems for the PC: and Worldviews. Very minor events, those the PC was -Every day, the PC must make a save vs. selfnot trying very hard at and had little effect on the PC, destructive behavior (WIL + 1d20 vs. 10) to avoid doing something self-destructive (e.g. self-mutilation, doing will not add likes or dislikes. drugs, suicide attempt). Example: Jones, who does not consider himself -Whenever the PC deals with another person the PC especially smart, outwits an organized serial killer. He must make a CHM roll if the PC wants to act superior to adds ‘smart’ to the list of things he likes about himself, that person (10 difficulty) or if the PC wants to act equal to that person (20 difficulty). thus increasing his Self-Worth balance by one.

094 Self-Worth Issues

For every level below minus one, the PC is at an aggregate -4 to any CHM and WIL rolls where the PC is the benefactor. If the PC is doing something to help himself or herself, the PC takes the penalty. If the PC is doing something to help someone else then the PC doesn’t suffer the penalty. If a PC wants to save himself or herself in order to save someone else, the PC does not suffer the penalty, but only if the PC is the only person who can save the other (e.g. the PC makes a roll vs. unconsciousness to stay awake because he is the only one with the medical training to care for a sick comrade). Example: Ako has five things he doesn’t like about himself and two that he likes, meaning his self-worth balance is at -3. He is at -8 to WIL rolls (including his daily save vs. self-destructive behavior) and -8 to CHM rolls (including his rolls to treat people as equals or inferiors).

Life Skills Issues In Brief- Most people have 6 levels in each life skill and never have to roll. Some people lose or never developed crucial life skills and must roll. There are CHM, INL and WIL based skills. Can be learned during play for 6 skill points per level. Almost every adult has basic skills that let them survive in the modern world. Most learn, for instance, to control their bladders and not urinate in their pants. Some people, however, were brought up in a very dysfunctional environment and never learned some of these basic skills, or they lost some of the skills due to brain damage or a prolonged period of isolation. Life Skills work much like normal skills: They have an attribute they work off of. They have easy, moderate and hard things that can be done with the skill. They can be bought in levels from one to six, each level above the first giving +4 to rolls. However, when a PC gains level 6 in one of these skills, the PC has the same facility in that skill as a normal adult and doesn’t have to roll anymore. Since most PCs will have most of their skills at near level 6, it is easier to mark the levels PCs doesn’t have. Example: Jonaque has a disadvantage which makes him lose 8 levels in Life Skills. Starting with the assumption that he has 6 levels in everything, he marks off 4 from Persuading People, 2 from Lying and 2 from Flirting. He thus has Persuading People (2), Lying (4), Flirting (4) and everything else at 6. On his Psych Profile sheet, the right-most boxes on Persuading People, Lying and Flirting are ‘X’ed out, everything else is left blank. Gaining Skills- After character creation, PCs can buy levels in life skills, just as levels in normal skills, for 6 skill points per level (3 XP). In order to learn these skills, the PC must pay for some sort of therapy (see p.111) or must have at least one friend with a normal level in the skill that the PC can ask questions of.

CHM Based Skills

Persuading People- The PC must roll before making any attempt to persuade anybody to any point. Failure means that the PC cannot word his or her argument in a way that makes any sense to the listener. Recognizing Emotions- The PC must roll to recognize whether another person is angry, sad, happy, etc. Lying- The PC must roll before telling any lie. A failure means that the PC stutters, says contradictory things, accidentally tells the truth or otherwise makes it completely obvious that he or she is lying. Flirting- The PC must roll to tell if a person likes the PC or to make a person know that the PC likes him or her. A failure means that the PC is totally oblivious to signals coming from others (no matter how blatant) and the PC sends the wrong signals. Politeness/Manners- The PC must roll any time he or she deals with another person. A failure means that, without realizing it, the PC does something that any reasonable person would consider rude (e.g. call someone ugly, walk away while someone is talking, etc.). Basic Institutions- The PC must roll any time he or she is asked to play a role in an every-day social interchange. A failure means that the PC doesn’t know how to act: e.g. the PC can’t figure out who to order food from at a fast food restaurant, thinks its okay to pay the rent two weeks late or shows up at a doctor’s office without an appointment.

INL Based Skills

Personal Grooming- The PC must roll to figure out how to stay clean and clothed. A failure means that the PC has done something terribly wrong (e.g. forgotten to bathe for a week, shaved only half of his face, worn shorts with holes that let a testicle peek out) that will give the PC -10 to seduction rolls and mark him or her as someone with serious problems. Recognizing Illness- The PC must roll any time he or she is injured or sick to determine whether or not he or she needs to seek professional medical care. A failure might mean the PC is coughing blood but does nothing about it or races to the Emergency Room because of a pimple. Remembering People- The PC must roll to pay attention to the signifying characteristics of people (face, voice, name) to be able to recognize them later. A failure means that the PC doesn’t recognize a person he or she met just an hour ago, or confuses one person with another. Basic Ethics- The PC must roll to determine what ordinary people think is right or wrong. A failure means, for instance, that the PC doesn’t understand that most people think pushing down old people is wrong. Reality Checking- Any time the PC is told some theory, hypothesis or story the PC must roll to determine whether this is likely to be true or not. A failure might mean, for example, that the PC finds it completely reasonable to believe that there are people wandering around the city who will clean your wallet for free.

Life Skills Issues

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095

Space/Time Awareness- Any time the PC must follow directions or wait a specified amount of time, the PC must roll. A failure means the PC gets hopelessly lost trying to go around the corner to a grocery store, or is asked to call someone in an hour and ends up calling five minutes later.

WIL Based Skills

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Resist Expressing Emotions- The PC must roll to avoid laughing, crying, weeping in fear, screaming angrily, etc. any time the PC experiences any amount of any emotion. Resist Mild Pain- The PC must roll before trying to resist pain. A failure means that the PC doesn’t realize that pain can be resisted and will do nothing but scream and cry and flop around on the ground. A success means the PC can make a normal save vs. pain. Healthy Eating- The PC must roll to remember to eat enough to stay alive but not so much as to cause health problems. Until the PC makes successful rolls three weeks in a row, he or she will suffer from the equivalent of the Malnourished advantage (p.50, main book) or the Obese advantage (p.51, main book). Resist Sexual Impulses- If anyone makes a successful seduction roll against the PC (passive or active) the PC must roll to avoid seeking intercourse with that person. The PC’s attempt to get sex will have no more forethought or restraint than, for example, demanding “hey, I want to fuck you.” Resist Following Orders- The PC must make a roll not to do what someone tells him or her to do. The difficulty decreases if the PC is being ordered to do something that will hurt the PC; e.g. resisting the order “touch your nose” might be 30 difficulty, while resisting the order “stab yourself” might be 10 difficulty. Bladder Control- A failure means that the PC has accidentally urinated or defecated in his or her pants.

Asking for Help

Friends, family and lovers, no matter how well intentioned, cannot cure the psychological problems of another. This can be a cause of constant pain and frustration for these other people and can cause them to lose hope. Only the person experiencing the problems can overcome a mental problem. However, there are things that a PC or NPC can ask his or her friends/lovers/family to do that can help: Assist the PC/NPC in getting access to psychiatric medications. Help the PC/NPC resist dangerous impulses (e.g. not let a person buy drugs). Keep a PC/NPC safe during periods of psychosis, hallucinations or loss of self-control. Help the PC/NPC achieve personal goals and thus gain Self-Worth (the danger here is if you help too much, then the person thinks it is your achievement, not theirs). Help the PC/NPC learn normal Life Skills. Help the PC/NPC recognize behaviors which are unhealthy or self-destructive. Give the PC/NPC an important job to do, this can help Self-Worth and can give the PC/NPC a reason to overcome problems (the danger, though, is the blow to Self-Worth if the PC/NPC fails the job). Do social things with the PC/NPC (have conversations, hang out, go to parties, etc.).

096 Brain Damage

Brain Damage In Brief- Can be caused by, among other things, being brought back from brain death. Roll for the dysfunction caused and how long it lasts. If a PC’s INCY has been brought to below 0, or if a PC has been Incapacitated for their INCY+END worth of rounds, that person is normally unsavable. On a legendary Emergency Medicine roll, however, the PC can be revived but will suffer from brain damage. Other possible causes of brain damage are: failed brain surgery, toxins and diseases which specifically damage neurons, malfunctioning mental installers, strikes targeted at the brain. Roll on the next page to see what kind of brain damage and how long the PC suffers from it. Note that any brain damage constitutes a Major Life Change and will cause at least 1 point of Trauma (see p.85).

Tech to Help Brain Damaged People Speech Helper Pad- This is a small handheld computer device that helps people with dysnomia or who are unable to talk. The handheld device has a touch sensitive screen and the user scrolls through a number of menus of words. Most words have a little picture of that thing under the name. Tapping the word, or the picture, will cause the computer to speak the word. Experienced users can find a common word or phrase in just a few seconds and can pre-program their favorite phrases or sentences. Costs $200. Reader Device- This is a small hand-held electronic device meant to help those who cannot read (either because they are blind, never learned how or because of dysgraphia caused by brain damage). The device has an electronic camera which is “swiped” over anything containing writing. A pleasant voice recognizes and reads the text (wireless ear-buds are available for people who are embarrassed to be using the device). Costs $150. Agnosia Helper Glasses- These are glasses that connect wirelessly to a small computer that clips on to a belt. The glasses have tiny electronic cameras and send images of whatever the PC is looking at to the computer. The computer uses the latest visual recognition algorithms to try to determine what the object is. If it can determine what the object is, the program displays the name of the object on the glasses. Costs $2,500. Apraxia Mental Program- When brain damage makes a person unable to control various parts of their anatomy, there are several programs which can allow them a clumsy sort of control. These mental programs are activated by speech (although the user can talk under his or her breath). A person with trouble walking might say “walk forward, easy pace, slight right, slight left, speed up” or a person unable to control hands might say “open hands, light grasp, turn wrist slight, turn wrist more.” Each of the programs use up 50 MMUs and cost $100 (+$1000 installation).

Random Brain Damage Type of Damage (roll 1d100): 01-30: Delirium: People in a delirious state have damage to the parts of the brain that regulate consciousness. They are stuck in a state between consciousness and unconsciousness. They must save vs. Sudden Amnesia (20), Delusions (20) and Hallucinations (20) every 5 minutes. The PC must also make nightly saves vs. Insomnia (20). 31-60: Dementia: Dementia is damage to the parts of the brain that provide for memory and intelligence. PCs are at 0 INL (will fail any INL based roll unless they roll a natural 20) and the PC must make hourly saves vs. Sudden Amnesia (20). 61-64: Dysnomia: This is damage to the parts of the brain that associate objects with words. PCs with this disease understand grammar (know how to say “if”, “and,” “but,” can use plurals and different tenses) but they have some trouble choosing the right adjective or verb and a very hard time choosing the right noun. Every time the PC speaks, he or she must roll INL + 1d20 vs. 30. A failure means that the PC can not remember an important word in his or her sentence. On a failure of 1-5, the PC realizes that he or she cannot remember the right word. On a failure of 6+, the PC chooses some other word at random and uses that word without realizing it. 65-68: Dysgraphia: This is the inability to read or write. If the PC learns a pictographic language, where each word-symbol represents a picture of an actual thing, the PC may be able to make Legendary (40) difficulty language skill rolls to read and write this language. 68-72: Agnosias: This is damage to the parts of the brain that recognize objects. The PC must make a Hard (30) AWR roll to recognize any object. If the PC fails, the mind fills in the gaps by choosing some random object that is approximately the same size; e.g. a person is a coat rack, a gun is a phone, a syringe is a pencil. The PC’s vision is fine, and the PC does not suffer penalties to any roll that does not involve recognizing objects. 73-76: Apraxias: This is damage to the parts of the brain that control conscious movement. An apraxia means that the PC cannot do a certain normal task (roll 1d100): 01-15: speech, 16-29: walking, 30-43: using hands, 44-57: controlling head and eyes (PC can only stare ahead blankly), 58-71: eating, 72-85: elimination (PC is incontinent), 86-00: posture (-10 SPD, -15 to save vs. loss of balance). 77-80: Complete Anterograde Amnesia: The part of the brain that stores new memories is damaged. Every few minutes, the PC forgets anything that happened after the accident. The PC can remember something only as long as he or she is paying attention to it. The PC can still acquire new skills or habits. 81-84: Complete Retrograde Amnesia: The PC’s brain is damaged such that the PC does not have any memory of his or her own life prior to the accident. 85-88: Organic Delusions: This is brain damage that causes the PC to believe bizarre and illogical things. The most common delusions are of persecution. PC must make a legendary save vs. delusions (40) every hour. Antipsychotic medications do not give any plusses to these saves. 89-92: Organic Hallucinations: The PC is plagued by a constant stream of false sights, sounds, smells and feelings that appear and disappear with no underlying theme or plot. The things hallucinated are mostly normal things that the PC is used to experiencing: the sight of a friend’s face, the sound of a phone ringing, the taste of a cup of coffee, the feeling of a hand on the PC’s shoulder, etc. Every hour the PC must make a legendary save vs. obfuscating hallucinations (40 difficulty). Anti-psychotic medications do not give any plusses to these saves. 93-96: Organic Affective Syndrome: This is brain damage to the parts of the brain that regulate mood or emotion. The PC will suffer from (on 1d100): 01-50: Depression (equivalent to 4 levels of the distraction Depression, see p.88), 51-00: Mania (equivalent to four levels of the distraction Mania, see p.91). 99-00: Organic Personality Syndrome: This is damage to the parts of the brain where personality exists. The PC will suffer from one of the following (on 1d100): 01-17: Poor Social Judgment (PC will become incredibly rude and inconsiderate), 18-33: Apathy/Indifference (PC must make a moderate WIL roll to do anything), 34-50: Loss of Impulse Control (PC must make a moderate WIL roll to avoid acting on any emotion), 51-66: Emotionally Fragile (-15 to any save vs. fear/anger/sadness), 67-83: Humorless (PC takes everything literally and does not understand when people are joking), 84-00: Paranoia (make a hard save vs. paranoid delusions daily).

R U L E S O F M A D N E S S

Duration of Damage (roll 1d100):

01-25: 1 week



26-40: 1 month

41-55: 1 year

56-65: 5 years

66-75: 15 years

76-00: permanent

Brain Damage 097

PLAYING Trauma, Self-Worth and Life Skills in Brief

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Trauma: By default you start with no Trauma and no distractions. If a disad says “start with 3 Trauma” you must add 3 to the “Current Trauma” section on your psych profile sheet. You can choose to be conscious of this Trauma (in which case it will have effects, see Abiding Trauma, p.87) or you can choose to block it out with a distraction. You can mix and match distractions. Every one level in a distraction distracts the PC from 1 point of Trauma. If a disad says “start with the distraction Fanaticism (2)” then mark 2 levels on the Fanaticism distraction. This will increase your “Amount Distracted” on the psych profile sheet by 2. Look in the distraction descriptions (p.88) to see what your PC must to do to stay distracted and keep the trauma from becoming conscious. Self-Worth: By default, you start with an equal number of likes and dislikes. You can choose to start with anywhere from 0 likes and 0 dislikes to 5 likes and 5 dislikes, as long as they are balanced. Likes and dislikes should be something the PC believes about himself/herself that could be tested in the real world (e.g. ‘I am stupid’ or ‘I’m a good fighter.’). Likes and dislikes should be related to the PC’s Personal Ideals and Worldviews. If a disad says “shift your Self-Worth balance down by one” then either remove a like or add a dislike. You can’t take a disad that would shift the Self-Worth balance to less than -5 or more than +5. Life Skills: By default, you start with 6 in every one of the life skills listed on the psych profile sheet. If a disad says “start with Healthy Eating (2)” then cross out the 4 rightmost levels of Healthy Eating on your profile sheet (leaving 2). The PC will have to make skill rolls to eat healthfully as if the PC had two levels in the skill. If a disad says “start with 10 less Life Skills” then mark off 1 to 6 levels off of Life Skills of your choice until you have marked off 10 levels altogether.

098 Playing Madness

MADNESS BDSM Veteran Extravert Faith High Self-Worth Medicated Naturally Cheerful Naturally Fearless Slut Unconditional Love

Advantages

Disadvantages

Abusive Relationship Asperger’s Alzheimer’s Badly Beaten Biochemical Vulnerability: Anxiety Biochemical Vulnerability: Depression Biochemical Vulnerability: Manic-Depression Biochemical Vulnerability: Schizophrenia Child of Fanatics Chronic Low Self-Worth Conditional Love Explosive Disorder Extra-Virgin Folie a Deux Gambling Addict Guilty Conscience Hunted: Hunter Incompetent Dependent Insomnia Isolated Obsessive Compulsive Panic Attacks Poor Body Image Poor Impulse Control Poor Self-Worth Porn-Scars Raised in VR Recent Traumas Recovering Abused Child/Spouse Recovering Cultist Recovering Otaku Recovering Porn Addict Recovering Sex Worker Sheltered Childhood Sleepwalking Stutterer Traumatic Childhood Uncertain Life Ambitions Uncertain Religious Beliefs Uncertain Sexuality Veteran Wild Child

3 BP 2 BP 3 BP 2 BP/1 pts. 5 BP 1 BP 1 BP 2 BP 3 BP 20 BP 12 BP 15 BP 3 BP 8 BP 8 BP 8 BP 15 BP 5 BP 12 BP 2 BP 3 BP 2 BP 1 BP 7 BP 3 BP 4 BP 15 BP 2 BP 2 BP 3 BP 4 BP 3 BP 3 BP 2 BP/1 pts. 4 BP 6 BP 1 BP/1 pts. 10 BP 8 BP 9 BP 6 BP 9 BP 13 BP 1 BP 4 BP 8 BP 2 BP 2 BP 2 BP 7 BP 30 BP

Because he has the anxiety vulnerability, Zack must have Worrying at half his Trauma (rounded up). So, since Zack has 7 Trauma, he must have 4 Worrying. Because he has Porn Addict, he must have Fetishes or Self-Hatred at 1. Zack chooses Fetishes. This leaves 2 more Trauma points. The player chooses to distract from one with Self-Hatred, and leave the other with no distractions.

Zack has taken the following disadvantages: Biochemical Vulnerability: Anxiety (gives -10 to save vs. fear, and half of Trauma must be distracted by Worrying). Recovering Porn Addict (gives 1 Trauma, must have Fetishes (1) or Self-Hatred (1), -2 self-worth, and Flirting (2). Recovering Abused Child (-2 Self-Worth, 6 Trauma). Isolated (-8 Life Skills). Altogether, Zack’s disadvantages give him 7 Trauma, 6 from Abused Child, 1 from Porn Addict). He has 6 levels in distractions, meaning he is distracted from all but one of his Trauma.

Keep track of what happened to Zack: he may be able to confront some of that Trauma.

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Because Zack has Worrying (4), he must choose a number of phobias, rituals and impulses. Because he has Self-Hatred, he can not bring his Self-Worth balance above -1. Because he has Fetishes (1), he must do some sexual activity once per day which is dangerous, painful or degrading.

Altogether, Zack’s advantages force him to shift his Self-Worth balance down by 4. There are only two options that add up to -4: 1 like and 5 dislikes, or 0 likes and 4 dislikes. The player chooses the former, and comes up with 5 testable things Zack believes about himself (one that Zack would think is good, and five that Zack would think is bad).

Because Zack has a negative SelfWorth, he must roll every day to avoid hurting himself, and he must roll any time he wants to treat others as equals or inferiors. The difficulties are listed here. Because he is at -4, he is at -12 to most CHM and WIL rolls (including those to avoid hurting himself or to deal with others as equals or inferiors).

Zack’s anxiety vulnerability gives him -10 to saves vs. fear. Since he has 1 conscious Trauma, he is at -5 to craving rolls (see the Abiding Trauma section at the top of the sheet). Because Zack is a recovering porn addict, he only has Flirting at 2 (as opposed to normal people, who have it at 6). To signify that he has only 2 levels, he crosses out the last four levels. Because he has been isolated for a while, he is at -8 Life Skills. So, he must cross off 8 total Life Skill levels. He chooses to spread them out. Now Zack has to make rolls to do things that normal people don’t have to roll for, like keep himself clean, flirt, make intelligible arguments or remember people’s names or faces. Like a skill, he rolls the attribute +1d20 plus 4 for each level above the first. If he had crossed off all 6 levels in a skill, he wouldn’t even get a chance to roll.

Playing Madness 099

Slut (Costs 2 Bonus Points)- The PC has experimented with sex. The PC has tried anything he or she might possibly be interested in. The PC knows what he or she likes and doesn’t like and has many ex-lovers who still feel favorably towards the PC (including a few who will BDSM Veteran (Costs 3 Bonus Points)- The PC drop everything and come over if the PC calls wanting has spent several years in the Bondage/Discipline/ sex). Sadomasochism scene, either because the PC was truly into BDSM, because the PC had a lover who was or Unconditional Love (Costs 3 Bonus Points)- The PC because the PC was a Sex Worker who specialized in has someone in his or her life who will love the PC no the BDSM scene. The PC gets the skills Resist Pain (1), matter what. The PC can add “beloved” to his or her Torture (1) and Immobilization (1) free and has $750 likes, thus increasing self-worth balance by one. The worth of equipment from the Bondage/Sex Gear section like remains even if the loved one dies so long as the PC on p.107, including that listed in the “see also” table. didn’t do anything to hurt the loved one.

New Bonus Characteristics Advantages

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Extravert (Costs 2 Bonus Points)- The PC is naturally outgoing and has always been good at talking and communicating. When the PC was growing up, he or she would get bored with conversations and learned to say things to “spice up” a conversation (flirting, joking, arguing, insulting, etc.). The PC is sometimes so outgoing that he or she has trouble stopping to pay attention to what other people are trying to communicate. The PC gets +7 to CHM rolls to act, to be liked or to treat others as equals or inferiors (see p.94).

Disadvantages Abusive Relationship (Gives 20 Bonus Points)- The PC currently lives with an abusive parent or lover. This abuse has been kept secret from anyone with the guts to actually do anything about it. Besides abusing the PC, the parent or lover has purposefully kept the PC ignorant of the basic facts of how to survive on one’s own so that the PC is afraid to move out. The abuser has AGY and combat skills equal to the PC’s and 5 more STH than the PC. The PC starts with Self-Worth balance shifted down by 4 points, 4 points of Trauma and Life Skill: Basic Institutions (2).

Faith (Costs 3 Bonus Points)- The PC believes, without a doubt, that there is some divinity in the universe that loves the PC. As long as the PC follows the basic tenets of his or her religion (e.g. prayer, offerings, not committing major sins) the PC has can add “Beloved by God” to his or her Self-Worth likes, thus increasing the Self-Worth Asperger’s (Gives 12 Bonus Points)- This is a genetic anomaly, related to autism but milder. It causes certain balance by 1. This like is not easily disproven. portions of the brain to develop differently. During High Self-Worth (Costs 2 Bonus Point per 1 points of childhood, the PC has had little interest in social contact Self-Worth)- For every 2 BP, the PC can increase his or and developed fewer social skills. As the PC approached her self-worth balance by either adding a like or taking adulthood, the desire to socialize grew but never reached away a dislike. normal levels. The PC has a preference for repetitive, unchanging things and tends towards ritualistic Medicated (Costs 5 Bonus Points)- Limitations: PC must behaviors. The PC is often obsessed about abstract or have Obsessive Compulsive or one of the Biochemical intellectual topics, memorizing an incredible amount of Vulnerability disadvantages. The PC has been correctly facts and trivia. The PC also suffers from mild physical diagnosed by a doctor and given a prescription. If the PC awkwardness. The PC has: is a Well or Indie, the PC’s health insurance covers the prescription, if the PC is a street person then a homeless -2 AGY outreach agency has purchased the pills and dispenses Life Skills: Flirting (2), Lying (3), Persuading People them to the PC. The PC gets one dose per day of Anti- (2), Politeness/Manners (4), Recognizing Emotions (2), Psychotic (p.109, main book), Anticompulsive (p.110), Remembering People (4). Antidepressant (p.110), Antimanic (p.111) or Anxiolytic Life Skill costs are +3 (p.110, main book). Intellectual skill costs are -5 (min. 2) Naturally Cheerful (Costs 1 Bonus Point)- The PC was born with a biochemistry such that the PC does Alzheimer’s (Gives 15 Bonus Points)- The PC has a not experience sad or painful emotions as strongly as degenerative brain disease. There are no medications most people do. The PC gets +4 to save vs. sadness, or genetic-mods that can cure this particular form of the depression and dysphoria. disease. The PC can get Anti-Alzheimer’s medication Naturally Fearless (Costs 1 Bonus Point)- The PC was for $50/wk. Without medication, the PC should roll once born with a brain that is not as easily provoked to fear as per week on the following table. With medication, the PC should roll once per month. All effects are permanent most people’s. The PC gets +4 to save vs. fear. and cumulative:

100 Bonus Characteristics

01-10: -2 INL 11-20: -1 AGY 21-30: -1 AWR 31-40: Sudden Amnesia (5) 41-50: Delusions (5) 51-60: Hallucinations (5) 61-70: Retrograde Amnesia (5) 71-80: Anterograde Amnesia (5) 81-90: Aphasia (5) (failed roll means PC cannot speak) 91-00: Agnosia (5) (failed roll means PC mistakes one object for another, see p.97) Badly Beaten (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- The PC starts the game having been recently overpowered and almost killed. This could have happened in a gang battle, as a random mugging, as a personal attack, etc. The experience has left the PC injured, shaken and lacking self-confidence. The PC starts with -1 BLD, -1 BDY, 1 limb crippled (all will heal within 1 month) and 1 point of Trauma. Biochemical Vulnerability: Anxiety (Gives 8 Bonus Points)- The PC was born with hyperactive fear centers. Gives: -10 to save vs. fear 1 point of Trauma every third week Any time PC gains Trauma or stops distracting himself/herself from Trauma, make a 20 difficulty WIL roll to avoid using the Worrying distraction PC must start the game distracting self from half (rounded up) of Trauma with the Worrying distraction. Biochemical Vulnerability: Depression (Gives 8 Bonus Points)- The PC was born with a biochemistry that makes depression much more likely. Gives: -10 to save vs. sadness and dysphoria 1 point of Trauma every third week Any time PC gains Trauma or stops distracting himself/herself from Trauma, make a 20 difficulty WIL roll to avoid using the Depression distraction PC must start the game distracting self from half (rounded up) of Trauma with the Depression distraction. Biochemical Vulnerability: Manic-Depression (Gives 8 Bonus Points)- The PC was born with a biochemistry that makes mania (and depression after mania is no longer possible) much more likely. Gives: -7 to save vs. sadness and dysphoria 1 point of Trauma every third week Any time PC gains Trauma or stops distracting himself/herself from Trauma, make a 20 difficulty WIL roll to avoid using the Mania or Depression distractions PC must start the game distracting self from half (rounded up) of Trauma with the Mania distraction.

“Saint Bernard is a type of dog. Saints were invented by Catholics. Therefore, all Catholics are really dogs disguised as people.” – a schizophrenic Biochemical Vulnerability: Schizophrenia (Gives 15 Bonus Points)- The PC has a neurochemistry which is prone to being dangerously over-stimulated, creating many of the same effects as stimulant drugs. These periods of stimulation are followed by long periods of flattened emotions and anhedonia, similar to stimulant withdrawal. The PC suffers the following: -15 to save vs. hallucinations, delusions and catatonia 1 point of Trauma every other week Any time PC gains Trauma or stops distracting himself/herself from Trauma, make a 30 difficulty WIL roll to avoid using the Fanaticism, Randomness or Dissociation distractions. PC must start the game distracting self from half (rounded up) of Trauma with the Fanaticism, Randomness or Dissociation distractions. If the PC has conscious (undistracted) Trauma, the PC must make saves vs. hallucinations at a difficulty of Trauma x 10 (hallucinations are commonly of voices telling the PC whatever the PC is afraid to hear). If the PC has conscious (undistracted) Trauma, the PC must make saves vs. delusions at a difficulty of Trauma x 10 (delusions are commonly of mind control, thoughts being stolen or placed in the PC’s mind, persecution, bizarre logical chains, bizarre medical/physiological changes, self-importance and contact by religious figures).

Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized- As the disease progresses, the schizophrenic’s thoughts and behaviors get more and more disorganized (majority of Trauma distracted by Randomness). Paranoid- As the disease progresses, the schizophrenic suffers from paranoid hallucinations and delusions. The schizophrenic uses bizarre chains of reasoning to infer that there is a massive conspiracy against the schizophrenic and that the schizophrenic is an important figure (most Trauma distracted by Fanaticism, some in Randomness). Catatonic- As the disease progresses, the schizophrenic goes through periods of reduced movement and at the worst stage the PC becomes completely immobile or makes random movements (most Trauma distracted by Dissociation). Mixed- The PC has a mixture of symptoms from the other types (disorganization, paranoid delusions and catatonia).

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Bonus Characteristics 101

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Child of Fanatics (Gives 5 Bonus Points)- The PC was raised by delusional or fanatical parents who kept the PC isolated and raised the PC on sterilized propaganda. The PC was punished if he or she showed anything other than complete agreement with the parents’ beliefs. Whether the PC still believes what the parents believed is up to the player. The PC starts with 1 point of Trauma, the distraction Fanaticism (1) and the following life skills: Basic Institutions (3), Basic Ethics (3), Reality Checking (2), Resist Following Orders (3).

she must gamble as much money as he or she can get a hold of. If the PC has no money, the PC must try to sell personal items to get money. If the PC is gambling and wins, the PC must make a moderate difficulty WIL roll to stop gambling while ahead. The PC starts with the skill Gambling (3) free.

Folie a Deux (Gives 1 Bonus Point)- The PC has picked up a delusion from a parent, sibling or lover. The PC has spent so much time with the loved one that the PC has come to believe the delusion as strongly as the loved one. However, the PC does not have the same biochemical problems or buried traumas that caused the loved one to suffer from the delusion. If exposed to the right evidence, the PC can come to believe that this delusion is false, but doing so will change the PC’s entire view of the universe and qualify as a Major Life Change (p.85) causing 1 Trauma.

Insomnia (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC has trouble sleeping. This trouble is not related to any stresses or traumas (although such things will surely worsen the problem). Every night the PC must make a save vs. Insomnia (WIL + 1d20 vs. 20, failure means the PC suffers one night’s sleep deprivation damage). Various sedative drugs will give plusses to save vs. insomnia (equal to the penalty to save vs. unconsciousness).

Guilty Conscience (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- The PC has recently done something the PC feels very bad about, and someone died. However, the PC is not considered a murderer by the authorities (police, gang elders, etc.). Chronic Low Self-Worth (Gives 12 Bonus Points)- The The PC starts with 1 Trauma and 1 dislike (shifting SelfPC has spent his or her entire life battling with poor self- Worth balance down by 1). The dislike should be based worth. The PC starts with Self-Worth balance shifted on what the PC did (e.g. “selfish”, “cowardly”, “evil”). down by 4 points, -8 life skills, 1 Trauma. At least one of the PC’s dislikes must be “unworthy,” which cannot Hunted: Hunter (Gives 4 Bonus Points)- A hunter (see be disproved and can only be removed if the PC has no p.312, main book) is after the PC. The hunter is skilled and well equipped but will limit himself or herself with other dislikes. “rules of the game.” If the PC can evade the hunter for Conditional Love (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC was a long enough time (six weeks), the hunter will lose raised by parents who only showed the PC love when the interest and seek other prey. The PC knows the hunter’s PC did things to please them, otherwise they acted cold general M.O. but doesn’t know the hunter’s name, or hateful. At the start of the game, the PC must have 3 address or appearance. likes and 3 dislikes that are about what other people think of the PC (e.g. likes: ‘make people laugh’, ‘turn people Incompetent Dependent (Gives 15 Bonus Points)- The on’, ‘people find me helpful’; dislikes: ‘scare people’, PC is the sole caregiver for a loved one (parent, child, ‘bore people,’ ‘frustrate people.’) These conditions can sibling, spouse) who cannot take care of himself or change as part of normal personality development (see herself. Create the dependent NPC as per Child NPC Creation (p.51, main book), but the PC starts with 57 Philosophical Changes, p.94). attribute points. For most purposes, assume the NPC’s Explosive Disorder (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- The PC has INL is 0. The dependent is physically able, but suffers a brain that is not able to control anger well. In some from one of the following (player’s choice): cases, identifiable brain injury is at fault. PCs can make Severe Mental Retardation (Can speak and a moderate AWR roll to sense periods of especially bad understand simple sentences, probably not able to learn temper coming. These periods happen around once per an occupation, cannot learn to read but may be able to day and last about one hour. During those periods, any learn to recognize a few words like “exit” “hospital” or little thing that causes anger will force the PC to save vs. “restroom”). anger (30 difficulty) to avoid breaking things or attacking Alzheimer’s Disease (Frequent delusions, hallucipeople. While in a rage, the PC will do something that nations, insomnia and periods of complete confusion). will get the PC in a lot of trouble, but not something which is immediately suicidal (e.g. a PC will not try to Disorganized Schizophrenia (Periods of very disorganized speech, thought and behavior with some attack a pistol-wielding pusher with his bare hands). hallucinations and delusions, other periods of severe Extra-Virgin (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC has no apathy, anhedonia and unwillingness to communicate). experience dealing with other humans in a romantic or Autism (Little language or communication abilities, sexual fashion. The PC has never had sex, never kissed, little desire or need to communicate with others, inflexible never had a date and has never even flirted. The PC and useless rituals or obsessions, withdrawal into an starts with Social Skill: Flirting (0). inner world in reaction to stress or overstimulation).

Isolated (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC spent the last few years in isolation from other humans, either because of some mental illness, some disease, or some other Gambling Addict (Gives 7 Bonus Points)- The PC is reason. The PC has lost some of his or her life skills psychologically addicted to gambling. Gambling has a over this period of isolation. The PC starts with only 100 craving difficulty of 30. If the PC fails a craving, he or levels in Life skills (-8 from full).

102 Bonus Characteristics

Obsessive Compulsive (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- The PC has a neuroanatomy or personality that makes him or her especially susceptible to using the Worrying distraction. Has the following effects: Any time the PC gains Trauma or stops distracting himself/herself from Trauma, make a 30 difficulty WIL roll to avoid using the Worrying distraction. PC must start the game distracting self from half (rounded up) of Trauma with the Worrying distraction. For each level of Worrying, the PC gains one additional Impulse or Ritual. +8 to any INL or AWR roll involving small details. Panic Attacks (Gives 4 Bonus Points)- Whenever the PC has 1 or more points of conscious Trauma, at least once every day the PC must make a 30 difficulty save vs. fear. If the PC fails, the PC is overwhelmed by fear and is at -10 to all rolls for 1 minute per point of failure. Poor Body Image (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- Whenever the PC suffers from low Self-Worth, he or she starts having delusions about being ugly. At -1 Self-Worth balance, the PC thinks he or she is much less attractive than he or she really is. At -3 Self-Worth balance, the PC thinks he or she is the ugliest person in the city. At -5 Self-Worth, the PC must make a moderate save vs. fear any time the PC sees

an image of himself or herself. If the PC ever suffers from delusions or hallucinations from any source, they are likely to involve the PC’s ugliness. The PC starts with the dislike “ugly” (shifting Self-Worth balance down by one) which cannot be disproved unless the PC has no other dislikes. Poor Impulse Control (Gives 3 Bonus Points)- The PC has a brain that has problems controlling impulses. In many cases this is associated with some sort of brain damage. The PC is -10 to save vs. anger, fear, lust, euphoria and dysphoria. Poor Self-Worth (Gives 2 Bonus Points per 1 points of Self-Worth)- For every 2 bonus points, either add a dislike or remove a like, thus shifting Self-Worth balance down by one. Porn-Scars (Gives 4 Bonus Points)- The character has clearly visible scars of plastic surgery (a new trend in the sex industry, see p.14). These scars permanently mark the character as someone who has manipulated his or her own body through painful surgery in order to be a better commodity in the sex industry. The PC starts with -1 Self-Worth balance. Though different people will have different reactions to seeing these scars, it gives +10 to seduction rolls to seduce creeps and porn addicts.

Bonus Characteristics

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

103

Raised in VR (Gives 6 Bonus Points)- From his or her earliest memory until just a few months ago, the PC spent nearly every waking moment in a VR fantasy world. The PC was either deceived about the real world (told there was no such thing, or told a lie so he or she would never seek it out) or the PC was prevented from ever leaving VR. The PC starts with all life skills at 6 except for the following: Basic Institutions (0), Recognizing Illness (3), Reality Checking (3), Resist Mild Pain (2), Healthy Eating (2).

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Recent Traumas (Gives 1 Bonus Point per 1 point of Trauma)- The PC has recently experienced a traumatic event. Be sure to specify what happened to the PC (there is a chance the PC may be able to confront the Trauma, see p.86). Recovering Abused Child/Spouse (Gives 10 Bonus Points)- The PC has been in a situation where he or she was physically or sexually abused. The PC starts with Self-Worth balance shifted down by 2 and 6 points of Trauma. Gives an additional 2 Bonus Points if the PC’s parent or spouse is dead (preventing the possibility of confronting this person). Recovering Cultist (Gives 8 Bonus Points)- The PC just got out of a cult. For years, the PC has been brainwashed not to think for himself or herself. The PC has 2 Trauma, has the distraction Dissociation (2) and the following atrophied Life Skills: Basic Institutions (3), Recognizing Illness (3), Basic Ethics (3), Reality Checking (2), Healthy Eating (3), Resist Following Orders (3). Recovering Otaku (Gives 9 Bonus Points)- The PC has spent several years with the internet as his or her only form of entertainment and social outlet. The PC’s only social contact has been terse messages sent back and forth with other Otakus. The PC’s life skills became increasingly poor and self-worth suffered. The PC starts with Self-Worth balance shifted down by 3 and the Life Skills: Persuading People (3), Recognizing Emotions (3), Lying (3), Flirting (3), Politeness/Manners (3) and minus 10 levels in other Life Skills. The PC also gets the skills Internet Browsing (5) and Data Pirating (4) free.

with the distraction Self Hatred (2). Gives 1 additional Bonus Point if the PC has a triangle (see p.194, main book), meaning that there are three other Sex Workers (probably still on the streets) that the PC had once taken an oath to revenge if anything happened to them. Sheltered Childhood (Gives 13 Bonus Points)- The PC was raised with little social contact and little education of how to survive in modern society. PCs with this disadvantage were typically locked away by very eccentric shut-ins, mentally ill paranoiacs or religious extremists. The PC was never allowed to interact with “normal” people or with popular culture via the internet. The PC starts with only 60 levels in Life Skills (-48 from full). Sleepwalking (Gives 1 Bonus Point)- The PC often gets up and starts doing stuff while sleeping. The PC does not remember what he or she did afterwards. Anything that would wake a deep sleeper will wake the PC. Waking up the PC is not dangerous. Every night there is a 1 in 2 chance the PC will get up and start doing stuff, and a 1 in 20 chance the PC will try to leave his or her dwelling. Stutterer (Gives 4 Bonus Points)- Ever since the PC’s childhood, the PC has had trouble speaking. The PC tends to repeat the first part of words several times. The problem grows better or worse depending on the circumstances. After game play starts, the PC can spend 6 skill points per level for a special skill: Not Stuttering (WIL) Easy (10): Not stutter while angry, frightened or singing. Moderate (20): Not stutter in a normal social situation. Hard (30): Not stutter if PC has conscious Trauma or a negative Self-Worth balance. Traumatic Childhood (Gives 8 Bonus Points)Something very terrible happened in the PC’s childhood. Some children are able to recover from even the worst traumas, but the PC didn’t recover. The PC has deep scars that still effect his or her daily life. Be sure to decide what happened to the PC (even if the PC is not aware of it) because the PC may be able to someday confront the Trauma. The PC starts with 6 points of Trauma and Self-Worth balance shifted down by one.

Recovering Porn Addict (Gives 6 Bonus Points)- The PC has been addicted to pornography for several years. For most of the PC’s adult life, pornography was the only sexual outlet. The PC has done some really shameful things in order to get off. The PC has Self-Worth shifted down by 2 and starts the game with 1 Trauma, the Uncertain Life Ambitions (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The distraction Fetishes (1) or Self-Hatred (1) and has Life PC has recently become uncertain what to do with his or her life. The PC doesn’t know what he or she wants, or Skill: Flirting (2). should do, or is capable of doing. The PC is considering Recovering Sex Worker (Gives 9 Bonus Points)- The quitting his or her career or lifestyle (in other words, the character was a pornstar, exotic dancer or prostitute for PC’s character class). Until the confusion is cleared up, several years and saw the worst parts of the sex industry. the PC can’t have or gain any likes that have anything to The PC has been raped, assaulted and has done things do with achievement in the PC’s career or social group. which damaged Self-Worth. The PC starts with Self- PC starts with 1 point of Trauma because this confusion Worth shifted down by 2, 4 points of Trauma and starts is so painful.

104 Bonus Characteristics

Uncertain Religious Beliefs (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC has recently become uncertain what he or she believes about religion, or if he or she believes in any religion at all. This is not apathetic agnosticism; the PC cares deeply about religious questions and thinks he or she should know the answer. Until the confusion is cleared up, the PC can’t have or gain any likes that have anything to do with religion, piousness or morality. PC starts with 1 point of Trauma because this confusion is so painful. Uncertain Sexuality (Gives 2 Bonus Points)- The PC has recently become uncertain whether he or she is heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, asexual, transsexual and/or has some sort of fetish. Until the confusion is cleared up the PC can’t have or gain any likes that have anything to do with sex, attractiveness or romance. PC starts with 1 point of Trauma because this confusion is so painful. Veteran (Gives 7 Bonus Points)- The PC was involved in ground combat in a major war. The PC spent a prolonged period in constant danger of death from booby traps, enemy fire, friendly fire, aerial bombardment and chemical and biological weapons. Many (if not all) of the PC’s friends died gruesome deaths. The PC killed people who were not dissimilar to the PC. The PC starts with 4 Trauma, the PC must start with at least 3 levels of distractions and the PC starts with the dislike “killer” (shifting self-worth balance down by one). Wild Child (Gives 30 Bonus Points)- The PC was raised in an incredibly deprived environment: fed enough to live but not given any education or social contact. Any skills the PC has are those he or she managed to teach himself or herself. Most people with this disadvantage were raised in basements and tossed scraps of food but not given any other care. The PC was only recently rescued and is only now learning to live among people. The PC starts speaking no language as a native, but gets Foreign Language: English (1) free. The PC only has 20 levels in Life Skills (-88 from full) and all skill costs are +10 during character creation only.

Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are considered by many to be a mental illness. Personality disorders are not given as disadvantages because they are expressed primarily through choices that the person makes, rather than any particular disability. A person with a personality disorder tends to act a certain way, and will spend 99% of his or her life acting that way, but can act differently when the situation absolutely demands it. However, personality disorders can be a good way to flesh out an NPC. PCs can choose to adopt some of these characteristics for their PCs and should be given Good Roleplaying XP when they are true to that personality. Antisocial- A pattern of lack of empathy, manipulativeness, impulsivity, exploitation and amorality. Avoidant- A pattern of avoiding social situations, fear of shame and ridicule (even with close friends and lovers), belief in own worthlessness. Borderline- A pattern of fear of abandonment, short and intense relationships (idealizing or hating everyone), selfdestructive behaviors, moodiness, poor temper and stresstriggered paranoia. Dependent- A pattern of asking others to make decisions, avoiding responsibility, poor self-confidence and fear of being alone. Histrionic- A pattern of poor introspection, need to be the center of attention, using exaggerated display of emotions to manipulate others and an over-dramatic view of the universe. Narcissistic- A pattern of arrogance, self-centeredness, need for praise, belief in own superiority and lack of empathy for or interest in other people. Obsessive-Compulsive- A pattern of perfectionism, preoccupation with details, stubbornness, inflexibility and need to control situations. Paranoid- A pattern of mistrust, anger, paranoia and seeing personal attacks when there are none. Schizoid- A pattern of choosing solitude, taking little pleasure and showing little emotion, and not needing the company of others. Schizotypal- A pattern of odd, superstitious beliefs, eccentric speech, behavior and dress, paranoia and discomfort in social situations.

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Bonus Characteristics 105

New Skills New Bio/Med Skills Behavior Mod (INL)Prerequisite: Programming: VR (1). The PC has learned how to drastically change people’s behaviors through the use of VR simulations. Subjects are put into situations where they are forced to make choices again and again, hundreds or thousands of times, and subjected to pain when they choose wrong. Easy (10): Give a subject +20 to quit smoking. Moderate (20): Give a patient a higher score on a gated community test’s honesty index. Hard (30): Force a subject to kill an individual, on sight, against the subject’s will.

P L A Y New Intellectual Skills I N G M A D N E New Sociological Skills S S

Profiling (INL)- Prerequisite: Statistics (1). The PC has learned how to examine characteristics of a crime scene and determine the most likely characteristics of the perpetrator. The PC is at a penalty if he or she does not have complete access to the crime scene and an autopsy report of the victim(s). For each successive crime committed by the same person that the PC examines, the PC gets +4 to profiling rolls. Easy (10): Correctly guess the gender and age (within the decade). Moderate (20): Correctly guess the ethnicity, sexual orientation and marital status. Hard (30): Correctly guess the style of dress, occupation and relationship with parents.

Religion (INL)- The PC has studied the history, beliefs and organization of all the world’s religions. Easy (10): Explain the difference between a Shiite and Sunni Muslim. Moderate (20): Name the 7th Roman Catholic pope. Hard (30): Tell the name of the thunder god of a small Papa New Guinea tribe.

New Street Skills Pain Resistance (WIL)- The PC has trained himself or herself to resist pain. Each level of this skill gives +4 to save vs. pain.

106 New Skills

Bondage/Sex Gear

Bondage Mask Bondage Restraints Cage Chastity Belt Death Collar Electric Paddle Prophylactic Spray Slave Collar Straight-Jacket

Costs $10 Costs $75 Costs $100 Costs $400 Costs $800 Costs $100 Costs $5 Costs $300 Costs $50

Mental & Computer Programs

AutoPostal Aversions Plus Fantasy World Psychiatric Dampener (Anger) Psychiatric Dampener (Depression) Psychiatric Dampener (Mania) Psychiatric Dampener (Paranoia) Self-Control VR Nightmare

Costs $100 +$100 installation Costs $20 +$100 installation Costs $250 +$300 installation Costs $50 +$100 installation Costs $50 +$100 installation Costs $50 +$100 installation Costs $50 +$140 installation Costs $15 +$100 installation Costs $500

Paranoia Gear

Anti-Psychic Paint Biohazard Exposure Kit Canary Food Sterilizer Health Alarm Hidden Camera Human Safe Motion Detector (Cheap) Poison Rat Psychic Screamer Skull Magnets Suicide Capsule

Costs $1000/room Costs $25 Costs $10 +$1/wk. for food Costs $150 Costs $80 Costs $90 Costs $500,000 Costs $5 Costs $30 +$1/wk. for food Costs $400 Costs $25 +$50 surgery costs Costs $100

Psychopharmaceuticals

Anticompulsive Antidepressant Antipsychotic (Advanced) Antimanic Capponex Erectile Drug Herbal Antidepressant Slow Release Implant

Behavior Mod Life Skills Training Programs Psychometric Testing Therapy (Life Skills) Therapy (Psychic) Therapy (Psychotherapy)

Costs $25/dose Costs $15/dose Costs $30/dose Costs $20/dose Costs $15/dose Costs $10/dose Costs $5/dose Costs $85 +$10 surgery costs

Services

Costs $250 Costs $500 ea. Costs $250 Costs $75/hr. Costs $200/hr. Costs $50/hr.

New Black Market Bondage/Sex Gear Bondage Mask- A black latex mask with a mouth hole. Costs $10 Bondage Restraints- A full set of restraints, with optional ball-gag, can completely immobilize a victim. There are even finger-locks to prevent the victim from using a lock-pick. Locks are 20 difficulty to be picked. Costs $75 Cage- A small cage, large enough for one person. Weighs 90 lbs. The lock is 20 difficulty to pick. Costs $100 Chastity Belt- This is a special pair of underwear made from nearly-unbreakable secondary nanotech fibers, with a hard plate covering the anus and genitals. The underwear can only be removed via an electronic key (difficulty 40 to pick). There is an optional hole through which a catheter tube can be run, allowing the wearer to urinate without removing the underwear. Costs $400 Death Collar- A locked collar which responds to an encrypted remote control (30 strength encryption, range 100 ft.). When activated, high-strength filaments in the collar contract, slicing the head off. The lock has 40 difficulty to pick. Costs $800 Electric Paddle- A wooden spanking paddle with built-in electric shock probes. Range 0-1 and has very easy pain/stun attack. Costs $100 Prophylactic Spray- A tiny canister with a sprayon film. Can be sprayed on any body part (even the tongue) and creates a thin, clear film which is almost as good a protection as condoms and dental dams. After a few hours, the film loosens and falls off. One canister is enough to cover one body part. Costs $5 Slave Collar- Locks around a person’s neck (lock is 30 difficulty to pick, takes 10 bladed damage to cut). It is programmed to recognize the owner’s voice and respond to a pre-programmed voice command with a painful electronic shock. E.g. every time the owner says “bad monkey” the person wearing the collar is shocked and must make a 30 difficulty save vs. shocking pain. The collar can be recharged without being removed. Costs $300 Straight-Jacket- Surplus from old mental institutions, these are mainly purchased by fetishists for use as bondage gear. Takes a moderate difficulty Escape Artistry or Freak Magic roll or a legendary difficulty AGY roll to free one’s arms from the jacket. Costs $50

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New Black Market 107

See Also: Sex/Bondage Gear in the FWTD main book

Condoms, p.118 Golem: Sex-Toy, p.127 Handcuffs, p.136 Herbal Aphrodisiac, p.112 Latex Gloves, p.118 Love Drops, p.114 Outfit: Fetish, p.119 Pheromone Glands, p.103 Pheromones, p.137 Sexual Implant, p.105 Torture Kit, p.137 Whip, p.153

P Mental & Computer Programs L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

AutoPostal- This program puts the user into a rage, activating anger centers and dampening pain and fear centers. This program is typically used by fanatics on suicide missions or as a last defense by people who fear being backed into a corner by superior forces. Advantages: +20 to save vs. pain and fear, simultaneous actions with no minuses, +2 STH, +2 END, +2 INCY. A stop password can be set to cut off the rage. Limitations: Users have practically no control over their own actions (must make a 30 difficulty WIL roll to direct the PC’s actions). Users sometimes attack allies (especially if they have any sort of resentment against them). Size: 5 MMUs. Legality: Forbidden (5 yrs. prison). Control Type: Password Costs $100 +$100 installation Aversions Plus: This program allows the user to create an instant and long-lasting aversion to an object or sensation. It is very useful for helping to quit an addiction or compulsive behavior. Advantages: Gives +10 to save vs. cravings for any visible object. Limitations: The aversion tends to ‘leak’: a person may attempt to create an aversion to cigarettes, but will forever hate the table the cigarettes were laying on, the music playing in the background, the smell of the apartment, what they ate for lunch, etc. If the PC does, for some reason, need to deal with the target of an aversion he or she must make moderate (20 difficulty) WIL rolls to approach and handle the object. Size: 5 MMUs. Control Type: Sublingual Costs $20 +$100 installation

Advantages: Good anywhere-anytime entertainment, great for creative types (+5 to creative skill rolls). Limitations: Large potential for psychological addiction (difficulty 5, craving difficulty 15). PC suffers -15 to AWR rolls to notice anything happening in the real world. Size: 15 MMUs. Control Type: Sublingual Legality: Forbidden (20 yrs. prison). Costs $250 +$300 installation Psychiatric Dampener (Anger)- This program limits the degree that a patient’s anger centers can be stimulated. A person with this program can get “peeved” but can never get angrier than that. It can only be turned off via a spoken password set by the person who installed it. Advantages: The PC is +20 to save vs. anger. Limitations: Since anger can’t play a part in battle, users must make a save vs. fear (difficulty 20) or suffer a penalty to all combat actions. People with this program are often repeatedly abused and taken advantage of because they rarely do anything in response. Size: 5 MMUs. Control Type: Password (set by installer). Legality: License (1 yr. prison) Costs $50 +$100 installation Psychiatric Dampener (Depression)- This program limits the ability of a patient to become sad. It can only be turned off via a spoken password set by the person who installed it. Advantages: Gives +20 to save vs. dysphoria and depression. The distraction Depression cannot be used beyond level 1. Limitations: Gives -4 WIL. The program is psychologically addictive (addiction difficulty 30, craving difficulty 30). Patients with this program are often silly, unempathetic, inconsiderate, unreliable and rarely learn from their mistakes. Size: 5 MMUs. Control Type: Password (set by installer). Legality: License (1 yr. prison) Costs $50 +$100 installation

Psychiatric Dampener (Mania)- This program limits the degree that a patient can get excited. It can only be turned off via a spoken password set by the person who installed it. Advantages: The patient is +20 to save vs. mania. The distraction Mania cannot be used beyond level 1. Limitations: -10 to save vs. loss of consciousness from sleep deprivation. The patient’s life becomes fairly dull: they no longer enjoy exciting, challenging or dangerous activities. Sexual desire and ability to achieve orgasm are severely reduced. Fantasy World- Puts the user into a waking-dream state. Size: 5 MMUs. The user is dimly aware of the real world but is primarily Control Type: Password (set by installer). aware of a very realistic fantasy that the user can control Legality: License (1 yr. prison) like a lucid dream. Costs $50 +$100 installation

108 New Black Market

Psychiatric Dampener (Paranoia)- This program reduces activity in several portions of the brain in order to reduce paranoid hallucinations and delusions. It dampens the fear centers of the brain, it reduces imagination and it dampens activity in the sensory cortexes (where hallucinations originate). It can only be turned off via a spoken password set by the person who installed it. Advantages: Gives +10 to save vs. fear/delusions/ hallucinations and +20 to save vs. paranoid delusions/ hallucinations. Limitations: Gives -4 INL, -4 AWR and -7 to creative skill rolls. Makes people trusting, uncurious, unimaginative and oblivious to actual dangers. Size: 7 MMUs. Control Type: Password (set by installer). Legality: License (1 yr. prison) Costs $50 +$140 installation Self-Control- This program lets the user paralyze himself or herself for a set number of minutes. The paralysis automatically ends if someone comes within touching distance or the user experiences significant pain. This program is used mostly by people who have compulsions they are afraid they will act on. Advantages: Allows users to paralyze themselves for a set period of time. Limitations: User has no ‘out’ in an emergency. Size: 5 MMUs. Control Type: Sublingual Costs $15 +$100 installation

See Also: Mental & Computer Programs in the FWTD main book:

Brain Monitor, p.94 Emotion Control, p.95 Mental Illness Sim, p.97 Sleep Control, p.99

Paranoia Gear Anti-Psychic Paint- A paint that contains the same psychic-energy-blocking chemicals as anti-psychic caps. The paint is grey in color and remains sticky even when dry. When painted on all walls of a room, it gives anyone outside the room +10 difficulty to use psychic manipulation or senses on anyone in the room. Costs $1000 for enough for one small room. Biohazard Exposure Kit- Old military surplus, designed for field treatment of people who have been exposed to unknown biohazards. Has electronic scissors (for quickly removing clothing), packaged pre-moistened sponges with antibiotic soap, eyewash, mouthwash, and dry towels. Costs $25 Canary- A small bird in a cage. Canaries are more sensitive to poison gasses than humans and are often kept as an early warning system. Costs $10 +$1/wk. for food.

Food Sterilizer- A small lunchbox shaped device which uses very high pressures and sonic waves to sterilize food. It can kill all bacteria and most viruses and prions. VR Nightmare- Although it looks like a normal stand- It also makes food mushy and tasteless. Costs $150 alone full-immersion VR game, this program locks the user into an inescapable VR simulation. This program Health Alarm- A small electronic device which is has some elements so cruel, sadistic and disgusting strapped to the chest. It measures breath and heart rate. that many believe Colin created it. The program uses If it senses the owner is in serious medical danger, it uses subconscious feedback from the user to figure out what a small cellular transponder to call an ambulance. It uses the user is most afraid of. The program has three basic a GPS to let the ambulance know exactly where to go. Costs $80 modes: Torture: Victim is tortured until he or she answers a pre-set question. Built-in lie detectors guess whether Hidden Camera- A small wireless videocamera, made to the person is telling the truth. Victims must make a WIL look like one of hundreds of ordinary household objects (a can of soda, an alarm clock, a pack of cigarettes, a save vs. torture, difficulty 10/hr. (max. 40). mug, a shoe, a paperback book, etc.). It transmits up Madness: Victim is tortured, traumatized and to 30 ft. with 20 difficulty encryption, or it can be set to confused until he or she suffers a complete psychotic “silent mode” where it doesn’t transmit but it records up break, from which the victim may never fully recover. to 8 minutes on internal memory when it sees movement. Victims gain 1 Trauma per hour. Batteries last 1 week. Costs $90 Brainwashing: Victim is tortured until he or she is too confused and weak to lie, then he or she is Human Safe- This is a semi-portable safe-room. It is a 5 forced to repeat some statement over and over again ton safe that locks from the inside. The interior is about until the computer determines that the victim believes as big as a small camping tent. It comes with lights, air the statement. Victims must make a WIL save vs. filters that bring in clean air from multiple sources, 5 brainwashing, difficulty 20/day (max. 40). days worth of water and food, a small chemical toilet and Interface: VR. Size: 50 ZB. UF: 0. Uses 4 Power. a monitor that can receive signals from wireless security Legality: Forbidden (5 yrs. prison). Costs $500 cameras outside the safe. Costs $500,000

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

New Black Market 109

Motion Detector (Cheap)- Cobbled together by Crackers from scavenged electronics, this tiny bit of circuitry, wrapped in duct tape, makes a buzzing sound when it detects movement. Takes a 10 difficulty Alarm Systems roll to move by without tripping it. Costs $5 Poison Rat- This is a rat which has had part of its liver surgically removed (usually by a Black Med). The rat is very sensitive to toxins. They are kept as poison tasters. Costs $30 +$1/wk. for food.

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Administered: Orally as pills. Effects: +7 to save vs. fear, +4 to save vs. hallucinations/delusions, -4 to any INL roll involving memory. Temporarily removes all effects of the Obsessive Compulsive disadvantage. The Worrying distraction cannot be used beyond level 2. Lasts 24 hours. Overdose (2x): Pulmonary Arrest (10), Anterograde Amnesia (20), +10 to save vs. fear, +7 to save vs. hallucinations/delusions. Overdose (4x): Pulmonary Arrest (30). Long Term Withdrawal: After using every day for 1 week: Panic (30). Costs $25/dose

Psychic Screamer- A small keychain device contains an electrochemical psychic sensor. When it detects large amounts of psychic energy a piercing alarm goes off. Because people normally radiate psychic energy, any crowd of more than 4 people (or other large animals) will cause a false alarm. Costs $400 Antidepressant- This drug is designed to alleviate depression. It can be habit forming. Skull Magnets- Tiny magnets are shot into the skull. Administered: Orally as pills. They interfere with the radio beams used in mental stimulator and mental installer technology, making these Effects: +7 to save vs. dysphoria or depression, +4 technologies virtually useless on the individual. Costs to save vs. fear, lowered libido. Temporarily removes all effects of the Depression Biochemical Vulnerability. $25 +$50 surgery costs The distraction Depression cannot be used beyond level Suicide Capsule- A small plastic capsule which can 1. Lasts 24 hours. be kept in the mouth. If swallowed whole, it will Overdose (2x): +10 to save vs. dysphoria or pass through the digestive system without doing harm. depression, +8 to save vs. fear, shortness of breath (-2 However, if it is bitten open and the liquid inside is END) for 24 hours. swallowed, the swallower will die a painless death Overdose (4x): Pulmonary Arrest (30), Seizures (20) within 30 seconds. Costs $100 for 24 hours. Addiction: Physiological Addiction Difficulty 1, Craving Difficulty 15. See also: Paranoia Gear in the FWTD main book: Long Term Withdrawal: After using every day for 1 Anti-Psychic Cap, p.118 month: Insomnia (30), Headaches (20), -7 to save vs. Anti-Toxin Kit, p.110 fear/pain/anger. Audio Bug, p.121 Costs $15/dose Bug Sweeper, p.121 Cracks, p.107 Antipsychotic (Advanced)- This is the newest cocktail Dog: Psychic Alarm, p.125 of drugs to come out of corporate pharmacology labs. It Electronic Ears, p.105 has fewer of the side effects of normal anti-psychotics, Encryption Software Suite (Advanced), p.90 but is too expensive for most people to afford. Gas Mask, p.118 Administered: Orally as pills or intra-muscular Ipecac, p.114 injection. Motion Alarm, p.122 Effects: +10 to save vs. hallucinations/delusions, Pig Sticker, p.150 Phonebook Armor, p.119 -1 INL. Temporarily removes all effects of the Psychic Intrusion Detection, p.98 Schizophrenia Biochemical Vulnerability. Lasts 24 Security: Alarm System, p.133 hours. Sleep Alarm, p.99 Overdose (2x): +15 to save vs. hallucinations/ Sterilization Spray, p.117 delusions, -3 INL, -2 AWR, Dysphoria (10) for 24 Water Purifying Canteen, p.137 hours. Voice Stress Analyzer, p.123 Overdose (4x): Stupor (20) for 48 hours. Overdose (8x): Cardiac Arrest (30), Pulmonary Arrest (30), Coma (40) for 48 hours. Long Term Withdrawal: After using every day for 1 week: -7 to save vs. hallucinations/delusions, Insomnia Anticompulsive- This cocktail of drugs, closely related (20). to anxiolytics, is designed to treat obsessive compulsive Costs $30/dose disorder.

Psychopharmaceuticals

110 New Black Market

Antimanic- This drug is designed to treat people suffering from non-psychotic mania. Administered: Orally as pills. Effects: +7 to save vs. mania, +7 to save vs. insomnia, +4 to save vs. hallucinations and delusions, +4 to save vs. seizures, -2 WIL. Temporarily removes all effects of the Manic-Depression Biochemical Vulnerability. The distraction Mania cannot be used beyond level 1. Lasts 24 hours. Overdose (4x): -4 WIL, +10 to save vs. mania, -15 to save vs. loss of consciousness for 24 hours. Overdose (8x): Coma (30) for 48 hours. Long Term Withdrawal: After 1 dose per day for 2 weeks: Seizures (20). Interactions: Doubles the effects of alcohol. Costs $20/dose

Services Behavior Mod- One four-hour session of behavior mod in an illegally modified mental stimulator. The PC can choose whether or not to remember what happened during the session (most people prefer not to remember). The PC is presented with a choice over and over again and subjected to pain if he or she chooses wrong. Gives +15 to save vs. any behavior or to save vs. fear of a behavior. E.g. the PC might get +15 to save vs. smoking cigarettes, or +15 to save vs. fear of going near snakes. Since there are severe punishments involved, behavior mod gives users 1 Trauma (even if they don’t remember it). Costs $250 Life Skills Training Programs- These are VR programs that put PCs into realistic simulations of normal social life in order to teach them life skills. A separate program must be purchased for each skill and each level in the skill the PC wants to achieve, e.g. if the PC wants to get 6 levels in Bladder Control, the PC must buy Bladder Control 1, then Bladder Control 2, then Bladder Control 3, etc. For each hour spent in one of these programs, the costs to buy that life skill is reduced by 1 (min. 2). Each program is 10 ZB, UF 0, Uses 5 power. Costs $500 ea.

Capponex- This drug reduces sexual desire in both men and women. In men it reduces the ability to achieve erection and in women it reduces the ability to achieve adequate lubrication. Gives +20 difficulty to seduction rolls against the PC. It also gives the PC +10 to WIL rolls to avoid engaging in any sexual activity. While on this drug, the distraction Fetishes cannot be Psychometric Testing- A full regiment of psychological used. A dose lasts 12 hours. Costs $15/dose tests, like those used by gated communities and Erectile Drug- This drug causes erections in males. corporations to screen prospective members. The tests are Although it has legitimate medical and therapeutic taken at a small office in the city. The PC is put in a mental uses, the main buyers are fetishists who want to stimulator. A VR program asks the PC questions and continue to have orgasms even after their normal gives the PC various tests and senses various indicators sexual desire has been exhausted. This drug increases of emotion, stress and deceit. The PC is given a complete ability to have sex and achieve orgasm, but it does not report on all the PC’s various strengths and weaknesses and how they compare to the standards of gated communities increase the desire to do so. Costs $10/dose and corporations. The report will list any psychological Herbal Antidepressant- A mix of herbs which are issue a PC might have. Takes 4 hours. Costs $250 made into a bitter tasting tea. Most of the herbs contain caffeine or caffeine-like chemicals and there are a few Therapy (Life Skills)- This is therapy with a therapist mild euphoriants. Gives +4 to save vs. dysphoria or specially trained at teaching people life-skills (p.95). Most depression, +4 to save vs. loss of consciousness for 12 of therapy involves determining what life skills the patient hours. Has a Physiological Addiction Difficulty of 4 is missing and using role-playing to teach those skills. For each hour of therapy, the skill cost for buying a life skill and a Craving Difficulty of 10. Costs $5/dose goes down by 1 (min. 1). Costs $75/hr. Slow Release Implant- This implant can hold up to 30 days worth of a drug and releases it at a controlled Therapy (Psychic)- This is a trained therapist who also rate into the body. The implant can be refilled by has several psychic skills, including Mind Reading (2) and injecting drugs directly into the implant through the Emotional Attack (2). When used judiciously, these skills skin (requires a moderate Needles roll). The implant can enhance therapy and make breakthroughs happen is controlled by an electromagnetic signal sent through more quickly (twice the effects of normal psychotherapy). the skin (30 strength encryption). Costs $85 +$10 However, there is a much greater potential for abuse. Costs $200/hr. surgery costs

See also: Psychopharmaceuticals in the FWTD main book:

Anti-Psychotic, p.109 Anxiolytic, p.110 Escape, p.111 Herbal Sedative/Painkiller, p.112 Sedative, p.115

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Therapy (Psychotherapy)- Therapy from a licensed therapist. A consult to a psychiatrist who can prescribe drugs is easily obtained. In four hours of treatment, the PC can get either +5 to abiding trauma saves and saves to resist phobias and compulsions (only lasts 1 week) or the PC can identify and evaluate one dislike, removing it if the PC realizes it isn’t true or isn’t an important quality. See Asking For Help (p.96) for more things that a good therapist-patient relationship can achieve. Costs $50/hr.

New Black Market 111

See also: Services in the FWTD main book:

New PC Group

Random Therapist Quality

Crazies is a non-gang street people character class. PCs can have the “Hard Luck” socioeconomic subtype (see FWTD main book, p.15) at no cost. PCs can choose to have the PC be a Fugitive, Runaway, Illegal Alien or Unborn as a 5 Bonus Point disadvantage.

Any time the PC finds a new therapist, roll to find the therapist’s quality:

Crazies

Deprogramming, p.130 Medical Care: Plastic Surgery, p.132

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

01-15: Self-Indulgent TherapistThe therapist had a bias that he or she is unaware of. The bias might be a psychological theory that is not accurate or helpful (at least not in the PC’s case) or a bias towards a certain illness, cause or type of therapy. For example, a therapist may try to convince a PC that he or she was molested (even if the PC wasn’t) or may try to convince the PC that being molested is the source of all his or her problems (even if it’s not). 16-20: Evil Therapist- This therapist has made a conscious decision to try to take advantage of the PC, abusing any trust the PC put into the therapist. An evil therapist may try to seduce a PC, blackmail a PC or sabotage a PC’s recovery so the PC will keep coming in to pay for therapy. If the PC tries to fight back, the therapist will try to have the PC committed to the Emergency Psychiatric Ward as a danger to self or others. 21-30: Incompetent Therapist- The therapist doesn’t have enough of an understanding of the PC’s problem to help the PC. Depending upon the rapport the PC has built with the therapist, the therapist may look back on the therapy after a number of sessions and tell the PC that the PC ought to seek out a different therapist. 31-90: Satisfactory Therapist- The therapist has at least a theoretical understanding of the PC’s problems and can offer some useful advice. IF the PC works hard, he or she can establish a trusting, supportive relationship with the therapist. 91-00: Excellent Therapist- The therapist has an in-depth understanding of the PC’s problem, what it feel like to be in the PC’s situation, and how the PC can get better. The therapist only wants to help the PC. Provides double the benefit of a normal therapist.

112 Crazies

In Brief- Homeless because of mental illness. Favorable Stereotypes- Intense, wary, observant, meticulous, brave. Unfavorable Stereotypes- Desperate, unpredictable, paranoid, selfdestructive, violent, stupid. Warning: Not all character classes are equal. Most character classes have advantages and disadvantages that balance out to make them approximately as powerful as each other, but this character class is inherently unbalanced and will not be as powerful as starting characters from other classes. Other Names- Nuts, Wackos, Homeless Crazies, Mentally Ill Homeless People. Origin- In the 1970s and 80s, many patients were released from mental institutions. Only people who were an immediate danger to themselves or others were given hospital treatment. The number of people on the streets with mental illness rose dramatically. Through the latter half of the 20th century and the first half of the 21st, the numbers of mentally ill homeless people continued to rise as healthcare got poorer. American life became more stressful and safety nets, government and private, snapped under terrible burdens. After veterans returned home following each major war America fought in, the rates of mentally ill people on the streets increased. During the Freedom Wars, the flow of psychiatric meds into the city stopped. Those lucky few who were stable on meds quickly went out of control (some are still wandering the streets psychotic). After the Freedom Wars most healthy, educated, sane people fled the city. The new screening technology developed by gated communities could screen out people with active mental illnesses and people who were likely to someday develop them. As gated communities and corps bought more land, more mentally ill people were forced to come to the city. Manhattan became the area’s major dumping ground for mentally ill people. The proportion of mentally ill homeless people in the city population reached a new height: 1 in 42 city residents were not only mentally ill, but so mentally ill that they couldn’t even make a living stealing, begging or selling sex. Although only a minority were ever dangerous or violent, people began to feel that mentally ill homeless people (“Crazies” in city slang) were one of the major threats to their safety.

Timeline 1951- Thorazine, first modern anti-psychotic, invented. 1955- Large numbers of patients lobotomized. 1955-1984- ½ million patients released from mental institutions (“deinstitutionalization”). 1979- 1st outreach programs in New York. 1979- Judge rules in Callahan v. Carey that all New Yorkers have right to shelter under state constitution. 2059- Judge overrules Callahan v. Carey. 2068- Human Services Corporation forms, leases downtown office building. Becoming- The number one cause of homelessness (for people who are not born homeless) is mental illness. Sane homeless people are often driven mentally ill by the stresses and traumas of homelessness. Most mentally ill homeless people are able to “get it together” well enough to get off the streets or to make it into some homeless family or profession. Others never tame their mental problems and are forced to find a way to survive despite their mental problems. Lifestyle- Like addicts, Crazies do whatever they can to make money: begging, canning, scavenging, prostitution. Some receive public assistance or get money from relatives. While addicts tend to have burned every family member who might provide assistance, mentally ill people are usually too afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Social Structure- Many Crazies don’t associate with any other humans. Even those who do associate with people rarely find any reason to associate with their fellow Crazies. There are a few Crazies who try to exert persuasive power over other Crazies. Even the most successful of these can only get a small percentage of Crazies to even talk to them. Lord Jesus and Ugly are the most successfully persuasive Crazies, and these two can raise a group of about 20 homeless people willing to aid them. Advancement- The only real advancement among Crazies is to overcome mental problems or learn to live with those problems. Some gain psychiatric drugs or counseling services, usually with the help of Volunteers. Others overcome problems on their own, or simply “outgrow” them.

idea what goes on in the heads of Crazies. On the other hand, about half the people in the city have a friend or relative who ended up mentally ill and homeless. Volunteers: Outreach workers make it their business to work with Crazies. They do whatever they can to try to earn the trust of Crazies so they can help them. Every Crazy has had multiple contacts with Volunteers, and many owe their lives to them. Addicts and Sex Workers: There is no clear dividing line between Addicts, Sex Workers and Crazies. Many Crazies use drugs and engage in occasional prostitution. Most Addicts and Sex Workers are only a short distance from becoming Crazies. Eccentrics: Eccentrics are people who have issues that prevented them from joining a corp or gated community but those issues aren’t so bad that they ended up on the streets. Many Eccentrics were homeless at one point or another. Eccentrics often have more empathy for Crazies than any other group and are able to deal with them as equals. Typical Weapon- Shivs and rippers. Turf- Crazies can be found all over the city. Most live in abandoned buildings or homemade shacks. A larger percentage live in the Bowery, especially in the blocks surrounding the bus station where many mentally ill people get off the bus in the city (see Drop-Off Point, p.7). Also, many paranoid Crazies have built homes in piles of trash in the area known as Deep Back (p.60). Distinguishing Features- Crazies vary in appearance: some are meticulous in their appearance, others are barely clothed. A large percentage of Crazies have long hair and many men have beards. Many Crazies are physically large (mostly because small Crazies don’t survive as long). Symbols- Graffiti artists often use cartoon straightjackets and cockeyed faces to represent Crazies. Many Crazies write unintelligible train-of-thought graffiti. Slang- Crazies often have their own special language of terms and phrases that has special meaning only to them.

Skills Skill Costs: ATH 7, BIO 9, CMBT 8, CRTV 9, INFO Population- There are around 5,000 Crazies on the 12, INTL 12, MIL 10, PSY:X 30, PSY:M 20, PSY:S 20, streets. About 40% (2,000) are mentally retarded. TECH 12, THIE 6, SOC 11, STRT 5. About 12% (600) have brain damage. About 80% (4,000) suffer from a paranoid delusion and 50% (2,500) Income- $250 +$10/wk. would meet the qualifications for a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. About 30% (1,500) suffer from a severe Special Bonus Characteristics- PCs must have 10 mood disorder (depression or manic depression). About Bonus Points worth of psychological disadvantages (p.100). The PC gains no Bonus Points from these. 30% (1,500) regularly use illegal drugs. External Relations- Crazies are truly the bottom of the city’s social ladder. For most Crazies, becoming an average Addict or Sex Worker would be an improvement. City residents generally have empathy for the needs and motivations of Addicts and Sex Workers, but have no

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Suggested Skills- Light Sleep, Poison Tolerance, Prowling, Psychic Defense, psychopharmacology, Shiv. Suggested Equipment- Anti-Psychotic, Anxiolytic, Dog (Trained-Guard), Phonebook Armor (Glass), Ripper.

Crazies 113

Ray “Scratchman” Hall (Homeless Crazy With Poisoned Fingernails)

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Attributes- AWR 17, AGY 12, CHM 4, END 8, INL 15, SPD 16, STH 14, WIL 16, BLD 5, BDY 4, INCY 3. Appearance- Male with long, black, unkempt hair and beard, intense blue eyes, scarred face, old brown trenchcoat, fingerless gloves, long fingernails sharpened to a point and covered with a black crust which smells of feces and dead animals. Social Status- Scratchman is a well known Crazy who most people are scared to mess with. He lives alone in a pile of trash in Deep Back (see p.60). He has no friends, nobody even knows his name. History- Scratchman’s older sister got him involved in drug dealing. He was caught and sent to prison. Inside prison he refused to join a gang and was stabbed in the temple with a shiv. He survived, but had brain damage. He lost most of his memories and became incredibly paranoid. He was released from prison and he started living on the streets. He was looking for a weapon that would make people afraid to mess with him and he discovered Drake Blood Poison. Personality- Scratchman is afraid all the time. He constantly worries that someone will attack him and kill him. He sees every person as a threat and he doesn’t trust himself to discern friends from enemies. His only desire in the world is to stay safe and he knows that the best defense is to make himself a frightening opponent. His fear makes his life so miserable that he contemplates suicide on a daily basis, yet he never has the courage to do it. If not for his constant fear, Scratchman would be a kind, creative, intelligent young man. Methods- Scratchman scavenges for recyclables in city dumpsters. He takes the recyclables to automated vending machines to get spare change. He goes to a Drake he knows and buys Drake Blood Poison, which he applies regularly to his fingernails. He tries not to scratch himself with his fingernails, but occasionally he accidentally scratches himself (almost killing himself several times). Whenever anyone comes near Scratchman he starts screaming at them and swipes threateningly with his fingernails. So far, nobody has found a reason to attack Scratchman. Many people have heard of him or recognize the smell of Drake Blood Poison and know how horrible a scratch from his fingernails would be. Special Skills- Street Fighting: Unarmed (3), Poison Tolerance (4). Typical Attack- Scratchman makes a blinding strike with his fingernails at INL (15) + AGY (12) +8 (skill) +1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0). As a reaction he makes a simultaneous blinding strike at INL (15) + AGY (12) + WIL (16) +8 (skill) +1d20 vs. 50 (or 1d20 +1 vs. 0). On a successful attack, the opponent is partially blinded and within 4 rounds suffers from -10 AWR/INL, -7 AWR, Delusions & Hallucinations (20), difficulty speaking, boils, vomiting blood and 1d20 BLD damage.

114 Crazies

Kenton “Lord Jesus” Sanders (Crazy Psychic Jesus Impersonator)

Attributes- AGY 8, AWR 13, CHM 16, END 9, INL 8, SPD 6, STH 5, WIL 16, BLD 3, BDY 4, INCY 5. Appearance- Multiracial, mid-twenties, long hair and beard, un-dyed cloth robes, kind and peaceful face. Social Status- Lord Jesus believes he is Jesus and he has been able to convince several others, especially other Crazies, that he is Jesus. He has a number of disciples: other homeless Crazies that follow and serve him. History- Lord Jesus’ parents were wealthy investors. Kenton grew up in a nice suburb outside the city. Ever since he was a child he felt like a confused outsider, like something very important was going on but he didn’t understand what. He would experience intense periods of joy and intense periods of fear. When he completed high school, he convinced his parents to pay for him to be trained as a psychic in France. He quit the training program halfway through and came back to live with his parents. He became a fundamentalist Christian and started criticizing his parent’s lack of faith. His parents noticed his behavior was becoming odder and odder and they tried to persuade him to go to a psychiatrist. He didn’t want to see a psychiatrist so he left, fleeing to the city and living on the streets. He soon had a number of revelations: first that god was talking to him, then that he was god’s messenger, then that he was Jesus himself. He began preaching to other homeless Crazies. There were several other homeless Crazies who also thought they were Jesus, but Lord Jesus used his psychic powers to persuade them that he was the only true Jesus and that they were only apostles. Personality- Lord Jesus sincerely believes he is Jesus. He tries to be kind and loving to everyone he meets, but he will also yell at people if he thinks they are sinning. He believes he has the ultimate authority to forgive sins and perform miracles. He never thinks about his past as Kenton, and if anyone brought it up he would probably get angry and accuse them of trying to trick him. Methods- Without realizing he is doing it, Lord Jesus uses his psychic powers to convince people that he is Jesus. He uses Self-Image Projection to make himself appear loving, wise, powerful and calm. He uses Hallucination Attack to make himself appear to glow. He uses Physiological Control to “miraculously heal” people’s injuries. When all else fails he intones “I am the son of god!” and uses his Belief Attack to make people believe it. Lord Jesus tries to use his influence to turn people away from sin (e.g. theft, prostitution, drug dealing) and to make peace whenever there is conflict. When he finds people fighting he usually uses Calm Attack to make them stop so he can lecture them about peace and love. Special Skills- Calm Attack (2), Self Image Projection (4), Belief Attack (4), Hallucination Attack (2), Physiological Control (2). Typical Attack- When he shouts “I am the son of god!” he makes a Belief Attack at WIL (16) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 20 or 30 (depending on whether the person believes it is possible that they might run into Jesus while walking down the street). If successful and unopposed, the victim believes that Lord Jesus is Jesus and will probably not attack him. This belief can be shed later whenever the person has a chance to think critically about what happened.

New Disciplines Colinite Members of the Church of Colin must publicly establish their loyalty to Colin and make a show of worshiping him as a god. In exchange for this activity, Colin keeps a watch over and protects members of his church. Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a level 1 or better Colinite willing to show the PC how to preach the word of Colin. Skill Costs: ATHL 8, BIO 9, CMBT 7, CRTV 6, INFO 8, INTL 8, MIL 7, PSYX 21, PSYM 16, PSYS 16, TECH 7, THIE 9, SOC 8, STRT 9. Level Advancement Requirements: To become a level 1 Colinite, the PC must have spent at least an hour a day every day for the last two months preaching about Colin in public places. To become a level 2 Colinite, the PC must have converted at least one other person to the church of Colin. Special Opportunities: At level 1, the PC makes +25% weekly income (the PC gets a lot of free or discounted things from people who don’t want to piss the PC off). If someone attacks the PC, there is a 1 in 6 chance that Colin will try to take revenge against that person. At level 2, the PC makes +40% weekly income, if someone attacks the PC there is a 1 in 2 chance Colin will take revenge, and if the PC mentions not liking someone to passing strangers, then there is a 1 in 6 chance Colin will try to harm that person.

Con Artist The PC has learned how to make a living by cheating people out of their money, often via complicated schemes. Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a level 3 or better Con Artist willing to train the PC. Skill Costs: ATHL 12, BIO 14, CMBT 10, CRTV 8, INFO 7, INTL 12, MIL 12, PSYX 30, PSYM 20, PSYS 20, TECH 8, THIE 6, SOC 8, STRT 10. The skills Disguise, Fashion and Beauty, Forgery, Gambling, Impersonation, Internet Browsing, Law: Business, Money, Seduction, Sleight of Hand, Storytelling and Trading cost 5 points per level. Level Advancement Requirements: To become a level 1 Con Artist, the PC must have CHM of 15 and must have either Forgery (3), Impersonation (3) or Seduction (3). Special Opportunities: At level 1, the PC can make +$50/wk. doing occasional small-time con-jobs. At level 2, the PC can make +$100/wk. At level 3, the PC can make +$150/wk.

Deprogrammer The PC has learned how to break people from the grip of cult brainwashing. Deprogrammers typically kidnap a cult member, hold the cult member in a hotel room or abandoned building, and use techniques similar to those used by the cults themselves. This is a dangerous but lucrative profession. Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a level 3 or better Deprogrammer willing to train the PC or the PC must pay $1000 for study materials. Skill Costs: ATHL 10, BIO 7, CMBT 10, CRTV 10, INFO 10, INTL 12, MIL 10, PSYX 30, PSYM 20, PSYS 20, TECH 15, THIE 10, SOC 12, STRT 15. The skills Brainwashing, Disguise, Interrogation, Psychotherapy, Religion and Immobilization cost 4 points per level. Level Advancement Requirements: To become a level 1 Deprogrammer, the PC must have Interrogation (2) and Psychotherapy (2) and must own either handcuffs, a taser or compliance drops. Special Opportunities: At level 1, the PC can make +$75/wk. by doing occasional deprogramming jobs.

Paranoiac The PC has studied the techniques of those who are obsessed with protecting themselves from the machinations of others. Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a level 3 or better Paranoiac willing to train the PC. This can be quite difficult since a good Paranoiac will not trust the PC and will not respect a PC that trusts him or her. The solution is typically a relationship that doesn’t rely on trust (often one involving money). Skill Costs: ATHL 10, BIO 7, CMBT 7, CRTV 12, INFO 10, INTL 12, MIL 10, PSYX 30, PSYM 20, PSYS 20, TECH 12, THIE 12, SOC 14, STRT 12. The skills Alarm Systems, Anonymity, Back to Wall (see Prison Baby, p.44, main book), Bomb Disarming, Disguise, Hold Breath, Light Sleep, Network Security, Poison Tolerance and Self-Defense Weapons cost 5 points per level. The skill Psychic Defense costs only 10 points per level. Level Advancement Requirements: To become a level 1 Paranoiac, the PC must have Alarm Systems (1), Back to Wall (1), Light Sleep (1) and Self-Defense Weapons (1), must also own $500 worth of Paranoia Gear (anything listed in the Paranoia Gear section, p.109, including anything from the main book in the “see also” box) and must have gone at least 6 months without being attacked by surprise. Special Opportunities: At any time, the PC can get 75% off Paranoia Gear (including the See Also equipment from the main book) because the PC has contacts among people who buy and sell such equipment. At level 1 the PC can be considered to have “confronted” any Trauma stemming from a surprise attack, since the PC now believes he or she is impervious to such attacks.

P L A Y I N G M A D N E S S

Disciplines 115

Special Opportunities: At any level, the PC can increase END or WIL at a cost of 5 XP (rather than 10). Although there are no “jobs” for profilers in the city, The PC also gets +10 to resists drug cravings while in some people take this up as a hobby. In their spare time this discipline. they study crime statistics, psychological profiles of criminals and they hang around crime scenes trying to make educated guesses about what kind of person did it. Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a level This includes any of the many religious paths that 3 or better Profiler willing to train the PC or obtain $250 emphasize getting closer to the divine by training the mind and learning to access altered states of in study materials. consciousness (often ecstatic ones). A primary feature Skill Costs: ATHL 12, BIO 10, CMBT 8, CRTV 6, of all mystic paths is the belief that knowledge of the INFO 9, INTL 7, MIL 10, PSYX 40, PSYM 30, PSYS 20, divine already exists within our own minds and only TECH 8, THIE 9, SOC 7, STRT 12. The skills Forensic needs to be accessed. Examples of these paths include Pathology, Forensic Neurology, Interrogation, Profiling, Zen (Buddhist), Sufi mysticism (Muslim), and Kabalistic Psychotherapy, Psychopharmacology and Tracking cost mysticism (Jewish). only 4 points per level. The skills Psychometry and Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a Mind Reading cost only 15 points per level. master (level 4 or better) mystic to teach the PC or the Level Advancement Requirements: To become PC must join a community dedicated to meditation or a level 1 Profiler, the PC must have Statistics (1) and mysticism. Profiling (3). To become a level 2 profiler the PC must have Profiling (4) and either Interrogation (2) or Forensic Skill Costs: ATHL 6, BIO 9, CMBT 8, CRTV 5, INFO 8, INTL 7, MIL 12, PSYX 15, PSYM 15, PSYS Pathology (2). 15, TECH 14, THIE 14, SOC 9, STRT 12. The skills Special Opportunities: The PC can get the latest Hold Breath, Hypnosis, Light Sleep, Mnemonics, Music Cop Data Chip (see FWTD, p.121) for only $50. At and Philosophy have a skill cost of 4. level 1, the Night Shift is somewhat tolerant of the PC hanging around a crime scene asking questions. At level Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have 2, the Night Shift will do what they can to help the PC in 12 WIL and 12 AWR. hopes of getting a good profile. Special Opportunities: At any level, the PC can increase AWR or WIL at a cost of 5 XP (rather than 10).

Profiler

Religious Mystic

P L A Y I N G M Religious Ascetic A D N E S S

This includes any of the many religious paths that emphasize getting closer to the divine by giving up worldly pleasures and living a simple, humble existence. Ascetic religious sects are often (but not always) the most orthodox and conservative members of those groups. Examples include Ascetic Yogis (Hindu), Hasidism (Jewish), Franciscans (Christian), Quakers (Christian) and Faqirs (Muslim). Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a master (level 4 or better) ascetic willing to take on the PC as a student or the PC must join an ascetic community. The PC must give up any property that isn’t absolutely necessary (including fancy clothing and anything used for entertainment). The PC must abstain from drug use. After level 1, the PC no longer needs teachers or a community to continue with this discipline. Skill Costs: ATHL 8, BIO 8, CMBT 14, CRTV 5, INFO 10, INTL 12, MIL 14, PSYX 30, PSYM 30, PSYS 30, TECH 20, THIE 14, SOC 10, STRT 8. The skills Carpentry, Cooking, Gardening, Herbal Medicine, Moneysaving, Religion and Resist Pain have a skill cost of 4. Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have been in this discipline for at least 1 year.

116 Disciplines

Religious Scholar This is any of the many religious paths that emphasize getting closer to the divine by studying holy books, logic, religious philosophy and church history. Examples of these paths include the Jesuits (Christian), Rabbinic Studies (Jewish) and Koranic Studies (Islam). Discipline Requirements: The PC must find a master (level 4 or better) religious scholar willing to train the PC or the PC must take courses at an on-line religious university (costs $25/wk.). Skill Costs: ATHL 10, BIO 7, CMBT 12, CRTV 5, INFO 8, INTL 5, MIL 12, PSYX 30, PSYM 30, PSYS 30, TECH 14, THIE 14, SOC 7, STRT 10. The skills Foreign Language, History: World, Legends, Linguistics, Oratory, Philosophy, Religion and Storytelling have a skill cost of 3. Level Requirements: For level 1, the PC must have Religion (3), Philosophy (1), History: World (1). Special Opportunities: At level 1, the PC can become a licensed minister. If the PC is a student of a religion that has many followers in the city, the PC can make a little extra money (+$25/wk.) giving lectures, preaching at religious gatherings, performing weddings, etc.

ADVENTURES Adventure Types Profiling- A serial rapist, arsonist, child molester or murderer is terrorizing the city. By examining crime scenes and talking to witnesses, the PCs can gain information about the motivations and methods of the killer, allowing PCs to predict the criminal’s next move or narrow down a large list of suspects. Personal Demons- A past abuser, stalker, fanatical parent, former cult leader or ex-pimp can be particularly dangerous because they know the PC’s weaknesses. Part of the drama of this type of adventure is one PC revealing his or her secret past and weaknesses to others. Overcoming demons can help PCs overcome past traumas. Psychological Torture- The PCs are being manipulated by some enemy who is trying to torture and drive the PCs crazy by means of drugs, psychic manipulation or putting PCs in stressful situations. The PC’s ability to overcome the enemy is inhibited because they aren’t sure what’s real and what’s not. Helping- Sometimes the PCs will be put in charge of helping someone who is having a psychological crisis. The PCs might be asked to babysit someone who is irrational. The PCs could be sent to help a person complete some important job or mission despite personal problems. PCs may be sent out to find and bringing back someone who has hit the streets. Infiltration- In order to find an enemy, solve a mystery, steal something, deliver a message, etc. the PC must infiltrate one of the city’s many religious, political, sexual or psychological subcultures. For example: PC’s may have to solve a murder among do-overs, or find an enemy who has taken refuge in the BDSM scene, or gain the trust of the leader of a group of isolationist Hindu immigrants.

IN MADNESS Talking Down Crazies Many Behind the Eyes of Madness adventures will involve individuals who are experiencing bad mental states. Sometimes the whole adventure will depend on the PCs’ ability to get useful information from or talk sense into someone. In game mechanics, this can be done through a series of special persuasion rolls. The PC(s) talk and based on what they say the GM assigns a difficulty and the PC(s) roll 1d20 + CHM. If they beat the difficulty, they improve the situation. Improving the situation usually means that the NPC becomes calmer. The worse the NPC is, the more incremental improvements the PCs may need to make. Several factors can influence the difficulty of the CHM rolls: Empathy: “I know you’re feeling like you will never be happy again, but…” vs. “whatever is wrong with you, you need to stop it.” If a PC can correctly guess what is going on in the person’s head, it can make things a lot easier. PCs with their own mental problems have a chance at a bonus that can make up for low CHM, if they know what the NPCs are going through. On the other hand, if the PC guesses wrong, it will give a penalty and may even make the person more angry, paranoid, irrational, depressed, etc. Validation: “I can’t see the things that you’re seeing right now,” vs. “you’re hallucinating, the things you’re seeing are just in your head, they’re not real.” PCs will suffer a penalty if they try to tell the NPC that what he or she is experiencing is ‘wrong’ or ‘not real’ or ‘crazy’. PCs can avoid this penalty if they word their arguments in such way that doesn’t deny the NPC’s experiences. Do-able Tasks: “If you want to tell me your name, I think that would be a good place to start,” vs. “stop freaking out right now.” PCs will suffer a penalty if they ask an NPC to do something the NPC doesn’t believe he or she can do. This will frustrate the NPC into not even wanting to try. Nonthreatening: “Look, I’m going to put my knife down over here, okay?” vs. “calm down or I’m going to kick your ass.” PCs will suffer a penalty if anything makes them seem threatening, including language, attitude, weapons, armor, body language, etc. Make sure PCs describe how they are approaching the person, what equipment they have visible and how close they are standing.

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Playing In Adventureless Mode In normal mode, PCs are given problems, mysteries or tasks that they must deal with. Any duties, economic hardships, disadvantages, mental problems or ambitions are either plot-hooks or are obstacles to make the adventure harder. The majority of XP is awarded based on how well the PCs solve the mystery, task or problem. The major advantage of this mode is that it gives PCs a shared goal and thus a reason to work together.

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An alternative to this mode is Adventureless Mode. In Adventureless Mode, PCs are given free reign to work to improve their economic, social or psychological conditions. PCs still face problems, mysteries and tasks external to their own lives, but these are thrown in at random just to make life more interesting, not to be the center of the plot. The major disadvantage to this mode of play is that players will be tempted to strike off on their own quests and leave other players with nothing to do. Before starting adventureless mode, it is important to make sure that all players think the PCs are good enough friends that they would spend free time together and ask each other for help with their personal problems. Because there is no primary task as a source of XP, PCs should be awarded XP on the basis of personal experiences. Here are some sample things PCs can do to earn XP in Adventureless Mode: New Experience: PCs should get 5 XP any time they do something that is completely different from anything they have ever done before: e.g. ride in an airplane for the first time, have surgery done to them for the first time, kill someone for the first time, be homeless for the first time, be attacked by a psychic for the first time, etc. XP should not be awarded for mundane variations of things the PC has done (e.g. drinking this brand of cola for the first time, killing someone with a gun rather than a knife for the first time). New Experience (5 XP/ea.) Social Connections (1 XP/ea.) Overcoming Disadvantages (4 XP/BP) Achieving Personal Goal (5-30 XP) Overcoming Random Obstacles (5-10 XP) Exploring (1 XP) Personal Growth (5 XP) Good Roleplaying (2 XP) Clever Plan (1 to 5 XP) Worked Well as Group (2 XP) Worldview Success (2 XP) Personal Ideal Success (2 XP) Split Up Group (-5 XP) Made the World a Worse Place (-1 to -5 XP) Player Character Death (-10 XP)

Social Connections: PCs gain 1 XP every time they make a lasting connection to another person in the city. This could mean making a friend, making an enemy, seducing someone, or gaining someone’s interest. Points shouldn’t be awarded merely for making an impression, they should be awarded for forming a relationship that is likely to have future effects on the PC. The connection must be personal and two-way (the PC can’t gain 210,000 XP by becoming famous enough to be known by everyone in the city). Overcoming Disadvantages: Any time the PC rids himself or herself of a disadvantage, the PC should gain 4 XP for each BP that advantage gave. So if a PC “gets rid of” a 20 BP addiction, the PC will gain 80 XP. Note than some disadvantages are easier to get rid of than others, and nearly all leave some sort of scar behind. A GM might rule that a PC has overcome an addiction if he or she is at a 1 month period between cravings and has high enough willpower to resist most cravings. Achieving Personal Goal: PCs should gain between 5-30 XP by achieving some pre-stated goal. The number of points awarded depends on the difficulty of the goal. This goal should not be trivial or arbitrary, it should be something that effects the daily life of the PC. Examples: Getting off the streets, getting a good suit of armor, becoming the leader of a gang. Overcoming Random Obstacles: PCs should get between 5 to 10 XP for overcoming random obstacles that the GM throws in to make adventureless play more difficult, e.g. anything from the Random Personal Problems table (p.454, main book) or the Random City Problems table (p.453, main book) or any dangerous random street encounter. Exploring: PCs should gain 1 XP any time they go to a place where they have no idea what’s going to be there. This could mean looking in an abandoned building, going to a neighborhood the PC has never been to, getting into a private dance club, visiting other inner cities or wandering city streets at 4 AM. Points should only be awarded if the PCs don’t know what they will have to deal with in the new place.

Player: ______________

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Player: ______________

Player: ______________

Player: ______________

The Favor- PCs wake up the next day feeling fine. After a quick check, the doctors order them to go. Surprisingly, they haven’t been robbed of any of their possessions. This is an introductory adventure suitable for level 1 When PCs go to walk away from the hospital parking lot, Achmed finds them. He does not want a monetary players. reward (in fact, he will refuse one if offered), but he does have one favor to ask:

My Friend Jim

Synopsis

At the peak of a terrible plague, the PCs will be struck down and stranded helpless in the streets. One old wino will drag the PCs to the hospital, saving their lives. In exchange, he has one request: a week ago his friend Jim went missing and he wants to know what happened. PCs will have to get the testimony of homeless crazies and track Jim down to the emergency psych ward at the city hospital. If PCs can extract information from a dangerous patient there they will discover that “Jim” remembered who he is and went home.

Player Introductions Plague- This is a good adventure for a group of PCs who don’t know each other. PCs going along with their daily routines suddenly become violently ill. Minutes later, the city gates close and CDC helicopters fly over the city making announcements with loudspeakers. They say that anyone with symptoms should go to the nearest hospital and everyone else should go inside and not come out. Most PCs will head directly for the hospital. As they walk through the city, describe sick people dragging themselves along, others lying unconscious in the street, some obviously dead (e.g. lying face down in a pool of bloody vomit). PCs may want to try to help, but explain that they are too weak to carry anyone. Savior- About three blocks from the hospital the PCs collapse on the ground. They are semi-conscious, dimly aware of what’s happening but unable to do anything about it. They are not conscious of the passage of time, but at some point a group of mauler addicts comes sniffing at them. If you want PCs to gain a bit of trauma, have one of the maulers start eating one of the PCs alive. They pull aside clothing, scrape holes in the skin, start licking up the blood and tearing the wound open with their teeth. Before any permanent damage is done, however, have Achmed Peralta come frighten the maulers off, throwing rocks at them. He checks over the PCs, finds out that they are still alive, then he gets a shopping cart. Grunting and wheezing with the effort, he piles them on top of the shopping cart (or ties them on to it so they can be dragged along on the ground) and pushes them to the hospital. At the hospital, the underground parking lot is a triage unit. Achmed makes sure a triage nurse knows the PCs are there, then leaves. PCs are given injections and then they fall unconscious.

A week ago, his only friend in the world disappeared without a trace. Achmed wants the PCs to find out what happened to Jim. Achmed explains that he would try to solve the mystery, but he’s just an old wino with a bad memory and most of the city scares the shit out of him. If PC’s agree, have Achmed provide them with full details. The Details- Achmed will offer the following as information for PCs, and will give more information if PCs request it: “Jim and I have been buddies for, like, five years. Five days ago, we were camping together in an old boarded up storefront at 14th street and 7th avenue. It was the middle of the night, like it must have been like 2, 3, maybe 4 AM. I heard Jim get up and go outside. I figured he was just going out to take a leak. But he never came back, so after maybe half an hour or something, I go looking for him. He’s nowhere to be found. Left all his stuff behind. There’s some crazy guy hanging out on the corner mumbling to himself, I think I seen this guy around, and I try to ask him and it seems like he knows something, but then he gets all aggressive and I think he’s going to attack me so I back off. I kept looking ‘till the sun came out, but I never seen any sign of him.” If asked to tell what he knows about Jim, Achmed will say: “I don’t really know too much about the guy. We met maybe 5 years ago. I’m sitting around rolling a cig, he comes up and asks me if he can have one. I say sure and we get to talking, next thing you know we’re good buddies. He never said nothing about his past, so I never asked him about it. Now I wish I had. He never even told me his last name. Not that there was anything that odd about that. I mean, I hardly told him nothing about my past, and we spent most of the day together for the last five years, you know? All I know is he’s an old wino and he likes to smoke.”

NPCs James “Jim” Martin (Missing Wino) Appearance- Mostly white, fifties, weather-beaten skin, short grey hair and beard, kind green eyes. When on the streets he wore an old plaid flannel, fingerless gloves, stained brown corduroy pants and stunk of cheap wine. Attributes- AGY 6, AWR 8, CHM 10, END 5, INL 12, SPD 6, STH 5, WIL 4, BLD 2, BDY 3, INCY 2. Social Status- Until recently, Jim was a homeless wino, his only friend was Achmed Peralta.

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History- After being an electronics tech for the US forces in the Freedom Wars, Jim and his wife settled down in a nice suburb where he worked for a bank. They had kids, but about seven years ago his kids died in a car accident. In his grief he started drinking, became distant from his wife, and accrued many personal, economic and legal problems. About six years ago his wife started demanding that he stop drinking or leave. He left without saying goodbye. He came to the city and learned to live on the streets, scrounging through garbage for cans and using the money to buy cheap booze. He kept to himself and had few social contacts until he met Achmed, who became his companion. Achmed never asked Jim about his past, and Jim liked that. Recently Jim was mugged, and this made him feel nervous and stressed out. One night he couldn’t sleep and so he decided to go get a drink. When that didn’t work out, he tried to kill himself. He ended up in the psych ward, where he was beaten severely by Hammer. Surviving the beating and saying his full name got him thinking. He decided he could no longer ignore his tragic past. When he got out of the hospital he phoned his wife and asked if he could come home. Personality- Jim is a friendly, easygoing guy. He has never been ambitious. He has never wanted anything more than to live life with a minimum of fear and pain. He has a definite aura of sadness and vulnerability. He’s a little shy but when he speaks he does so from the heart. Motivations- Until recently, Jim was trying to drink away the pain until he could die. He lived in the hereand-now, trying desperately to forget about his past life and responsibilities. Now, he is trying to rebuild his lost life and deal with the pain.

Achmed Peralta (Wino Seeking His Only Friend) Appearance- Mixed race, curly reddish-brown hair, red cheeks, wrinkled skin, big ears and nose, bad posture, wears a black windbreaker over an old brown coat, blue jeans and cowboy boots. Walks with a limp. Attributes- AGY 7, AWR 9, CHM 6, END 5, INL 6, SPD 4, STH 6, WIL 6, BLD 4, BDY 3, INCY 2. Social Status- Achmed is a homeless wino, currently with no friends or family. History- Achmed started drinking in his teens to help deal with a sense of low-self esteem and alienation. Forced labor during the Freedom Wars ruined his back. He lived on disability for some time, but he had trouble keeping up with the paperwork and he kept getting kicked off. Eventually he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and he resigned himself to a life on the streets. He has been on the streets for about 15 years now, and although he has had friendships, none have lasted long. His friendship with Jim was the longest and best he’s ever had. Personality- Achmed has always been shy and had problems with self-esteem. He thinks of himself as “damaged beyond repair” and he has resigned himself to dying on the streets as a homeless alcoholic. Giving

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up hope has been a sense of comfort to him: he doesn’t have to be anxious about doing something with his life. Achmed has no interest in giving up drinking. He is scared of most city residents and tries to keep them at a distance. Now that Jim is gone, Achmed feels how lonely the streets really are. Although almost all hope has extinguished, Achmed would still like to die having been a positive force in someone’s life. Motivations- Achmed just wants to find out if his friend is okay. He would like to get his friend back or, failing that, at least get a chance to say goodbye. He thinks Jim is probably dead, but hasn’t completely given up hope yet. Methods- Achmed doesn’t have any useful skills, doesn’t know very many people, and is afraid to talk to most strangers. He tried to investigate Jim’s disappearance, but the first person he tried to talk to scared him off. His only hope now is that the PCs will feel duty-bound to repay him by finding Jim.

Raul “Fisty” Durer (Paranoid Homeless Crazy Witness) Appearance- Thirty-something, black, short, chubby, large red scrape on his left eyeball, blinks often, bad posture, wearing the remnants of an old suit (visibly stitched together with green dental floss). He has a large piece of brown leather, tied with an electrical cord, covering his right hand. His right hand (when he reveals it) is clean, with several scars of bite marks on it. He keeps up a steady stream of quiet conversation with himself. Attributes- AGY 8, AWR 6, CHM 3, END 11, INL 6, SPD 8, STH 15, WIL 14, BLD 4, BDY 3, INCY 3. Social Status- Fisty is homeless, has no friends, is not in touch with his family. Most people who meet him are scared of him. History- Fisty grew up in the city. He was taken away from his parents (who neglected him) and spent most of his youth in the foster care system. He grew up being treated (drugged) for emotional and behavior problems. When he turned 18, he was put out to fend for himself. He stopped taking his drugs, got on welfare, and quickly became a delusional schizophrenic. He managed to stay on welfare for quite a while: it has only been two years since he lost welfare and ended up on the streets. Personality- The universe never made much sense to Raul. Most events seemed to be randomly cruel. Raul was aware of strangers not liking him, yet he never knew why. When he stopped using meds he started to get weird ideas, and he slowly pieced together the truth: his right hand is a gift from God. He has the power to ram it in people’s mouths and out their anuses, clearing up internal blockage that makes people ‘full of shit.’ Fisty thinks that anyone who is evil, crazy, rude or sick is ‘full of shit’ and needs him to clean them out. Motivations- Fisty thinks he has a duty from God to use his fist to clean out anyone who is ‘full of shit.’

Methods- Fisty decides people are full of shit, either because they act in a way he doesn’t like or because he hallucinates smelling shit on them. He starts talking about how he is going to clean them out, in a very threatening way, and unveils his fist. He doesn’t ask nicely because he doesn’t think people should have any choice in the matter: God demands that they be cleaned out. He will try to back the person into a wall, pry their mouths open and insert his fist. He has never actually been able to get his fist into someone’s mouth, but he has badly injured people in the attempt. Special Equipment- Phonebook Armor (AR 5 PR 2 blunt and 2 bladed, -2 AGY penalty already figured in). Special Powers- Fisty thinks God will protect him and he can make simultaneous attacks at no minuses. Although not muscular, his conviction gives him greaterthan-average strength. Typical Attack- Fisty tries to push someone against a wall (an extended knockaway attack at STH (15) + AGY (8) +5 (extended) + 1d20 vs. 25, or 1d20 +3 vs. 0) and then tries to pin them by the neck with his left forearm (an extended grab: strangulation at STH (15) + AGY (8) +5 (extended) +1d20 vs. 30, or 1d20 vs. 2). As a reaction he makes simultaneous disarm attacks, tying to knock any weapons they have out of their hands, at STH (15) + AGY (8) -10 (extended) + 1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 vs. 17).

Kai “Hammer” Vang (Psychotic Bully)

Appearance- Asian, tall, broad shouldered, fat, red pimply skin, shaggy black hair down to his cheeks, missing several teeth, wearing a blue hospital gown. Attributes- AGY 9, AWR 10, CHM 1, END 16, INL 8, SPD 14, STH 18, WIL 15, BLD 3, BDY 5, INCY 3. Social Status- Hammer is homeless, has no friends or family in the city, is currently being held against his will until the doctors at the emergency psychiatric clinic can get around to putting a anger-dampener program in his head. History- Hammer grew up in a gated community near the city. He was diagnosed with mental problems early, but he kept refusing to take his meds. At age 14, when he started to grow too large to be easily controlled, the gated community threatened to kick his family out. Instead, his family told Kai to go live with an aunt in the city. The aunt wasn’t very hospitable and Kai spent most of his time on the streets. His size made him an accomplished bully and he ran a loose cornergang that beat people up, stole money and did drugs. His mental condition continued to weaken and he grew paranoid. He accused his fellow gang members of conspiring against him and he beat them up. His fellow gang members grew tired of him so they ambushed him, beating him severely and leaving him for dead. The beating made him so irrational and paranoid that he started living on the streets, only going to his aunt’s house occasionally when he couldn’t find food elsewhere. For the past few months his psychosis has grown so bad that he’s been beating up random strangers. The Night Shift finally caught him, subdued him, and took him to the psychiatric clinic. In the clinic,

he’s been either drugged into a stupor or terrorizing the other patients. Personality- Hammer thinks he can’t remember his true name (he remembers Kai Vang, but thinks it is a fake name). He believes someone has stolen his name, and that if they tell him what it is then he can have it back. In addition to his mental problems, Hammer is a bully. He has no problem beating up anyone he can, no matter how weak or innocent they are. The only things Hammer respects are strength and honesty. Motivations- Hammer has an irrational belief that if he can find the person who stole his name, get them to tell it to him, that it will somehow ‘fix’ his life. Methods- Whenever Hammer is not drugged into submission, he wanders around accosting everyone he sees, pushing them to the ground and demanding they tell him their names. If they stall, fight back or if he thinks they are lying, he will punch them in the face until they speak (or until they go unconscious). Special Skills- Boxing (3), Wrestling (2). Typical Attack- First a knockdown attack at STH (18) + AGY (9) +8 (skill) +1d20 vs. 30 (or 1d20 +5 vs. 0), then he sits on top of them (a simultaneous wrestling grab at STH (18) + INL (8) +WIL (15) +8 (skill) +1d20 vs. 50, or 1d20 vs. 1), then he punches them in the face (alternating pain/stun attacks at 1d20 vs. 6 and strikes at 1d20 +10 vs. 0). He will ignore anyone else unless they start to do real damage to him.

Timeline Sunday, 5:15 pm, Jim is beaten up and robbed by some addicts. Monday, 3:12 am, Jim leaves his shelter to go for a walk. Monday, 3:14 am, Jim talks with Raul “Fisty” Durer, mentions he is going to get a drink. Monday, 3:18 am, Jim enters a local bar, is thrown out because he doesn’t have any money. Monday, 3:25 am, Jim tries to slice his wrists with glass from a broken bottle. Monday, 3:40 am, Achmed looks for Jim, can’t find him. Monday, 5:15 am, Bartender is leaving for the night, sees Jim unconscious, calls an ambulance. Monday, 7:29 am, ambulance arrives, picks up Jim. Monday, 7:33 am, Jim arrives in the ER, treated for blood loss. Monday, 9:10 am, Jim wakes up, tries to pull out his IV, is strapped down. Tuesday, 2:12 pm, a psychiatrist interviews Jim (who is still strapped down), diagnoses depression with psychosis, declares him a danger to himself, admits him to the 21st floor. Tuesday, 8:15 pm, Jim taken up to the 21st floor. Wednesday, 8:25 am, a new plague strain arrives in the city. Wednesday, 2:00 pm, 100 infected, 3 show symptoms. Wednesday, 10:00 pm, 700 infected, 100 show symptoms, 5 dead. Wednesday, 10:38 pm, CDC called for possible plague situation.

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Wednesday, 2:05 am, Kai “Hammer” Vang admitted to the 21st floor. Wednesday, 3:00 am, ER overflows, all off-duty hospital personnel called in, parking lot turned into triage unit. Thursday, 8:00 am, 2500 infected, 900 show symptoms, 25 dead. Thursday, 9:18 am, CDC orders quarantine, shuts down city gates. Thursday, 10:25 am, CDC helicopters fly over the city announcing quarantine. Thursday, 11:00 am, 4000 infected, 2000 show symptoms, 200 dead. Thursday, 11:26 am, 21st floor staff ordered to leave the ward unattended so they can help with the triage unit. Thursday, 12:10 pm, PCs delivered to the hospital triage. Thursday, 1:16 pm, Kai “Hammer” Vang starts beating up psych ward patients. Thursday, 1:36 pm, while being held down by Hammer, Jim tells Hammer his real name. Thursday, 2:12 pm, psych ward nurse discovers several patients badly beaten, sends many downstairs for emergency treatment. Thursday, 3:00 pm, 5000 infected, 4000 show symptoms, 1000 cured, 400 dead. Thursday, 5:15 pm, Jim checks self out of the ER, tells a nurse “someone up in that ward helped me remember who I was.” Thursday, 6:50 pm, Jim calls his wife from a payphone, she sends a cab to pick him up and take him home. Thursday, 7:15 pm, Jim arrives home. Friday, 12:00 am, 2000 infected, 1900 show symptoms, 6000 cured, 600 dead. Friday, 6:16 am, PCs wake up in the hospital, cured. Friday, 6:45 am, PCs discharged, talk to Achmed. Sunday, 6:12 am, Kai “Hammer” Vang will be discharged.

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will remember Jim. He will remember that Jim came in, wanted a drink but didn’t have any money. Jim screamed at the bartender but left the bar when the bartender pulled out a machete from behind the bar and threatened Jim with it. Later, the bartender closed up and left through the back door. In the small space behind the bar, he saw Jim lying in a pool of blood, his wrists bloody, holding a bloody piece of broken beer-bottle glass. Jim was still breathing, so the bartender called an ambulance, told them a wino was trying to commit suicide behind the bar, and then left. Hospital Staff- Armed with knowledge that an ambulance was called, PCs should be able to figure out to go to the nearest hospital. If they wait at the ambulance bay they can talk to ambulance drivers as they come in and out. The ambulance drivers will usually be in a rush, but if the PCs are patient they can catch one who picked up Jim as she takes a smoke break. She picks up a lot of bloody homeless people, but if PCs press her she will remember the incident. She will remember that the man was unconscious, had no ID, seemed stable, and that she recommended a psych eval when he got in the ER.

ER staff will be just as rushed. Some of them will be quite rude, yelling at the PCs about “how many bloody homeless people come in” and “how are they supposed to help the PCs when the PCs don’t even have a full name.” If the PCs can ask around long enough (and avoid getting kicked out by an ER security guard) they will find a nurse who remembers Jim. If she checks hospital records, she can tell them the following: He was checked in Monday, ay 7 AM, under the name John Doe. At 9 AM, he tried to pull out his IV and had to be strapped down. The next day at 8 PM he was admitted up to the emergency psych ward. Shortly thereafter, the plague outbreak hit full swing and nobody was making records of anything. She remembers him being brought down on Thursday, in the afternoon, having been badly beaten. They patched him up and he said he wanted to go. A psychiatrist checked him briefly and cleared him to leave. The nurse doesn’t Fisty- Lately, Fisty has been hanging around the area remember anything he said except “someone up in that near where Jim and Achmed were sleeping. Fisty sleeps ward helped me remember who I was.” He was officially all day and is up late. If PCs walk around the area late at checked out, as John Doe, Thursday at 5 PM. night they will meet him. If approached politely and dealt with carefully, he will remember seeing Jim wandering Getting into the Psych Ward- The answer is in the around, remember talking to Jim, and will remember Jim psych ward on the 21st floor, and PCs need to talk to the saying that he was going to get a drink. The danger is patients in there to find out what happened. Visitors are that Fisty will decide one of the PCs needs to be cleaned not allowed in the psych ward. PCs could try to break out (Fisty believes his fist can unclog human digestive in using burglary skills, or impersonate staff members, systems) and Fisty will attack one of the PCs. Some or convince psych staff that they are volunteers, press, topics will make Fisty more excited, and if PCs notice or government inspectors. Many of the ward’s staff and avoid those topics they may be okay. members take bribes, and PCs can easily bribe their way in. Another way to get in is to pretend to be crazy. The Bar- At this point, the PCs should know that Jim PCs will not be admitted unless they can convince a was out looking for a drink. If they can’t get the info out psychiatrist that they are “a danger to themselves and of Fisty, they may wander the area randomly looking for others.” Once admitted they will be stripped, sedated anywhere Jim might have gone. Either way, it shouldn’t and given electronic bracelets that can be used to shock take the PCs long to find the “Red Rover” bar. This is a them. If PCs are in the ward as patients between 10pm small dive bar that ignores city laws and stays open until and 6am, they have to worry about Doc Scripps (p.8). nearly dawn. The patrons are mostly lonely alcoholics If PCs are unlucky, Doc Scripps will order a mental sitting at the bar nursing beers. If PCs go late at night, the program for them, which he will later use to try to control bartender working there (a son-in-law of the bar owner) the PCs and make the PCs his personal servants.

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Talking to Patients- The people in the ward are not merely mentally ill, they are people who have been judged an immediate and serious threat to their own lives or the lives of someone else. Almost everyone in the ward is sedated to some degree, from those who have been knocked unconscious, to those who are just a little “out of it.” When PCs try to talk to people, the most likely reaction is silence – the person is too depressed, too sedated or is completely catatonic. The second most likely reaction is a stream of psychotic gibberish that has nothing to do with reality. The third most common response is paranoia, fear or hatred: “who are you?” “what do you want from me?” “who sent you?” “get away from me or I’ll kill you.” After a few false starts, let the PCs talk to someone who is depressed/sedated, psychotic or paranoid enough to make communication difficult, but not impossible. If PCs can deal with the person’s problems they can get the person to recount what happened.

capable of wireless communication), convince a nurse or doctor to do it, or give Hammer uppers strong enough to temporarily counteract the sedatives. Fortunately for the PCs, Hammer remembers perfectly what Jim said and has no reason not to tell the PCs. Unfortunately for PCs, when Hammer is awake enough to answer questions, he is almost awake enough to start beating people up. Unless PCs are extremely precise with their control of his meds, or act very quickly to sedate him after they get the info they need, Hammer will attack the PCs. If PCs tell him their names quickly and if they seem honest, Hammer will not beat them.

Possible Outcomes

Contacting Jim- If PCs get Jim’s real name, which only Hammer can give them, it will be easy to look him up in an internet phone directory and give him a call. His wife will most likely answer the phone and although she will be wary, she can be convinced to put Jim on. Jim The doctor and nurses were called down to help with the remembers everything that happened to him and will tell triage, leaving the psych ward patients alone. There was PCs anything they don’t already know. some minor chaos, but then Hammer’s sedation started to wear off. He got up and started beating people up. He A Last Goodbye?- James remembers Achmed and would grab people, hold them down, demand to know values their friendship. James still cares for Achmed but their names, then when he didn’t like the answer he doesn’t want to see Achmed or talk to Achmed. James would punch them until they were unconscious. A few is trying to rebuild a life and he doesn’t have the time or patients tried to stop him, but Hammer was too big, too money to help Achmed. Rather than helplessly watch his strong, and didn’t seem to feel pain. When Hammer did friend slowly killing himself with alcohol, James would this to Jim, Jim said something to Hammer that made rather just try to forget about his friend, just like he once him let Jim go. Nobody else heard what Jim said, only forgot about his life as James Martin when it was too Hammer. When a nurse came back, she immediately much to bear. James knows this will hurt Achmed, but he shocked Hammer into unconsciousness, sedated him doesn’t care. If pushed, James will promise to send some heavily, and took the wounded people (including Jim) money to Achmed, but that isn’t what Achmed wants. downstairs for medical treatment. PCs will have to be very persuasive to convince James to say a last goodbye to Achmed. If such goodbyes are said Waking Hammer- A steady release implant was injected it will be sad but it will leave both James and Achmed into Hammer’s arm. This implant keeps a steady level better people. of sedative and antipsychotic drugs in Hammer’s system. Right now, Hammer is so sedated he can’t possibly answer questions. In order to get Jim’s name, Hammer has to be revived. There are several ways to do this: remove or Use the following table to keep track of how many hack into the implant (requires surgical tools or a device experience points each player gets.

Experience Points

Achmed Told Jim is OK (10 XP) Jim Says Goodbye To Achmed (10 XP) Personal Growth (5 XP) Good Roleplaying (2 XP) Clever Plan (1 to 5 XP) Worked Well as Group (2 XP) Worldview Success (2 XP) Personal Ideal Success (2 XP) A Psych Ward Patient Was Seriously Injured (-3 XP/ea.) Split Up Group (-5 XP) Made the World a Worse Place (-1 to -5 XP) Player Character Death (-10 XP) Total:

Player: Player: Player: Player: ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________

A D V E N T U R E S I N M A D N E S S

“My Friend Jim” 123

Bride of Colin This is an adventure suitable for level 2-5 characters.

Synopsis

Salmon will ask the PCs to try to get a hold of Tavin. He will suggest that she may be somewhere near the “high priest”, watching him or “his woman.” Since the PCs are not Omniscients from Tavin’s time in the gang, Salmon thinks the PCs might be able to get closer to her and may even be able to corner her. He wants the PCs to try to give her a care package (canned food, $100 in cash, warm clothing) and to try to give her a message. The message is that if she wants to go to any kind of doctor or therapist, no matter who it is, the Omniscients will pay the bill.

A group of Colins have been watching over Colin McKray, founder of the Church of Colin, and his girlfriend Dara Colin. The Colins have become enamored with Dara and have decided to elevate her to the position of self-replicating serial killer so she can become his lover and wife. Colin has made contact with Dara Colin Salmon will give the PCs one dose each of bloodhound to try to win her over to his side. He could easily force her or intimidate her, but he wants her to come willingly. powder (see p.130, main book) made specifically for What Colin doesn’t know is that both Rev. McKray and Tavin. Tavin Bean (paranoid homeless ex-Omniscient) were separately eavesdropping on the conversation.

A D Player Introductions V E N T U R E S I N M A D N E S S

Tavin Bean has left a note for a member of the Omniscients, her first communication in quite a while. The Omniscients hope this means that her mental health is improving. She still considers Omniscients to be enemies, yet non-Omniscients might be able to talk to her. The Omniscients want to assemble a party of nonOmniscients to track her down and talk her into accepting some help. They will use money to lure in street people PCs and offer vital intelligence to members of Well and Indie groups. Some PCs may be willing to join the group because there might be some chance to gain information about Colin.

NPCs

Dara Colin (Colinite and Lover to Colin McKray) (see p.35 for full details)

Attributes- AWR 12, AGY 13, CHM 6, END 4, INL 6, SPD 16, STH 9, WIL 3, BLD 2, BDY 2, INCY 5. Special Skills- Knife Fighting (2), Knife Throwing (1).

Typical Attack- At range, she throws a dagger, making a strike at INL (6) + AGY (13) +4 (skill) -1/ft. +1d20 vs. 25 (or 1d20 -1/ft. vs. 2). A successful strike does 2 bladed damage. In melee combat she makes extended vital strikes at INL (6) + AGY (13) +5 (extended) +12 (skill) +1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 +1 vs. 0). A successful vital strike does 3 bladed damage. As a reaction she makes a Jump at SPD (16) + AGY (13) +8 (skill) (-10 if the last PCs will be brought to the townhouse of an Omniscient elder, Salmon Bronner. Salmon was one of the original action was extended) vs. 25 (or 1d20 +12 -10 if extended sense-tech-geeks that became the Omniscients. In many vs. 0). ways he is still just a geek: he has no sense of style, Recent History- Monday evening, while Rev. McKray speaks awkwardly and is almost obese. He was one was watching a porno, Dara Colin went out on to the fire of Tavin’s lovers (see p.79) and he still secretly blames escape to get some fresh air. She was grabbed by Colin, himself for her leaving the Omniscients. who was waiting there for her. After convincing her not to scream, he let her go. He explained the proposition: After greeting the PCs and offering them a glass of wine, if she wanted she could come with him and become his Salmon will show the PCs a hand-written note that reads “You can stop sending your hunter-killer spies to try immortal, self-reproducing, serial-killer bride. He said to catch me. Your master didn’t tell you, but you have that if she refused him, nothing would happen to her failed to turn me into his bride and so he has chosen his (he’s usually not so honorable, but he knows it is the high priest’s woman instead. Every night he is wooing only way to assure she actually wants to be with him). her and I think she is almost believing she can be his She wasn’t sure he was actually Colin and wanted proof. goddess. She’s an idiot and doesn’t understand his mind He asked her to meet her the following evening. Dara like I do. Once he’s made her his bride I’m sure he will was too stressed out to leave the house and she told Rev. turn his attention to punishing you for failing to break McKray she was sick and needed to stay home. She my will.” stayed home all day, drinking beer and worrying. The next evening, after Rev. McKray went to bed, Colin met Salmon knows about Dara’s delusional belief that she with her again, in a different body, and offering a baked was born and bred to be “Colin’s Bride,” a companion baby-heart as a gift (she was too scared to eat any of who would reproduce along with Colin. Salmon’s it). This time he convinced her he was actually Colin, guess is that “high priest” refers to the Church of Colin. but she wasn’t sure about his proposal. He talked to her Salmon will admit that Tavin’s beliefs have always been for some time, and then left, promising to visit her the part truth and part delusion and that there may or may not following evening. be real Colin activity going on.

124 “Bride of Colin”

Colin Barley (Reproducing Serial Killer)

(see p.367, main book for full details) Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 14, CHM 17, INL 19, WIL 15, all else varies by body, see below. Combat Skills- Assassin: Armed (3), Knife Fighting (4), Knife Throwing (2), Razormouth (2), Shiv (3), Street Fighting: Armed (2). Typical Attack- Colin typically makes a vital strike with a knife. If he has time he makes an Invisible Aim (from Shiv, gives +4 to next action). Then he makes his vital strike with INL (19) + AGY (5) +4 (from invisible aim) +20 (from 4 levels in Knife Fighting) + 1d20 vs. 35 (or 1d20 + 13 vs. 0). He typically doesn’t dodge, but makes a simultaneous vital strike at INL (19) + AGY (5) + WIL (15) +20 (skill) + 1d20 vs. 55 (or 1d20 +4 vs. 0). Recent History- The original Colin in this strain (the elderly woman) was one of many Colins who would drop by every once in a while to see how Rev. McKray was doing. Like most of those Colins, he knew about Dara Colin and regarded her suspiciously, thinking she was in danger of passing the line from worshipping to emulating Colin (at which point she’d have to be killed). This Colin made it his business to watch Dara Colin and see what she was really up to. While watching her, he developed a bit of a crush on her. He came up with the idea that he might be able to make her his selfreproducing bride. When he found a mental installer, he made several copies of himself (when Colin has a good idea, he makes copies of himself before acting on it so the idea can live on if he is killed in the execution). His copies worked together to create a plan to woo Dara. They would wait until she went out on her fire escape (as she did often) and offer her a choice. Bodies- This strain of Colin currently occupies 5 bodies: Body 1: A small elderly woman, mostly white, with a hunched back, big ears and a big nose. END 2, SPD 3, STH 4, BLD 3, BDY 1, INCY 1. Weapons: Pepper Spray canister (on successful blinding attack victim is partially blinded and must make hard save vs. distracting pain), Kitchen Knife (2 bladed, 1 in 20 chance of breaking each attack). Daily Routine: Lives across the street from Rev. McKray’s apartment building. Every evening she wanders around the area of Colin McKray’s apartment, calling “here kitty-kitty” and feeding pieces of raw chicken to stray cats. Body 2: Thirty-something male, handsome, big mustache, Hispanic-Arabic mix with dark skin, wearing a suit and tie. END 8, SPD 10, STH 9, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 4. Weapons: 2 combat knives (2 bladed damage). Daily Routine: Lives in a midtown highrise near the hole. Every day, around noon, he walks down Broadway to a downtown office building. He returns at about 8, stopping often to smile at and chat with prostitutes he sees on the way. Body 3: Teen girl, dressed like a prostitute (bikini top, miniskirt, fishnet stockings, high-heels). She has

a crew cut, tattoos on her face and arms (thick, wavy lines), sharpened teeth and spiked arm bands. END 8, SPD 8, STH 8, BLD 4, BDY 3, INCY 6. Weapons: Boot Blades (1 blunt 2 bladed damage kick), Shiv (1 bladed damage, pierces as 3). Daily Routine: Works nights on a street corner near wherever Rev. McKray has his shrine. When Johns approach her, she sends most of them away, but occasionally she takes one to an abandoned building and kills him. Body 4: Tall, broad shouldered, mostly black, homeless man, with long hair and a long salt-and-pepper beard, wearing dirty old overalls and a quilt wrapped around his shoulders. END 8, SPD 10, STH 15, BLD 3, BDY 5, INCY 3. Equipment: Shiv (1 bladed damage, pierces as 3). Daily Routine: He searches through dumpsters for food, moving back and forth between wherever Rev. McKray is and the apartment where Dara is. He mumbles to himself and when people try to talk to him he yells at them incoherently. Body 5: 14 year old boy with braces, slurs his speech when he talks. Hair dyed green. Wears a black sweater and bluejeans. END 13, SPD 11, STH 6, BLD 5, BDY 2, INCY 5. Weapons: 2 throwing daggers (FR 1 ft., MR 20 ft., 2 bladed damage) with Drake Deliriant Poison (in 5 rounds, unconsciousness (20), vomiting (20), stupor (30), cardiac arrest (20)). Daily Routine: Lives with shut-in parents in an apartment in Rev. McKray’s building. He spends a lot of time racing a radio-controlled car around the apartment building or around the neighborhood.

Tavin Bean (Homeless Paranoid Ex-Omniscient)

(see p.296, main book for full details, see also “The True Story of Tavin Bean,” p.79 for more details) Attributes- AWR 18, AGY 13, CHM 6, END 8, INL 14, SPD 14, STH 6, WIL 4, BLD 4, BDY 1, INCY 4. Special Abilities- Tavin has the following implants: Internal Psychic Sensor, Spectrum Retinas, Bloodhound Smell, 360 Sight, 3D Hearing. Tavin has the skill Sensory Integration (3). Typical Attack- If she is ever cornered by enemies (she hasn’t been, yet) Tavin will screech and claw wildly at her opponents’ faces (pain/stun attacks at AGY (13) + INL (14) vs. 25 or 1d20 vs. 2, simultaneous pain/stun attacks at 1d20 vs. 14). As soon as they flinch enough to let her past she will run away. Recent History- Tavin has been on a quest to discover what her nemesis, Colin, is up to. She has been spying on Rev. McKray, the head of the Church of Colin, off and on for some time. She was lucky enough to be close enough (in an abandoned building across the street) to hear Colin trying to talk Dara Colin into marrying him. In Tavin’s belief system, this means Tavin has resisted brainwashing for so long that Colin has moved on to his ‘second choice’ bride. She wrote a note for the Omniscients (to taunt them with their failure) and then went back to watching Dara.

A D V E N T U R E S I N M A D N E S S

“Bride of Colin” 125

Rev. Colin McKray (Head of the Church of Colin) (see p.33 for full details) Attributes- AGY 5, AWR 13, CHM 15, END 8, INL 7, SPD 10, STH 11, WIL 4, BLD 4, BDY 4, INCY 2 Special Equipment- Phonebook Armor (AR 5, PR 2 blunt and 2 bladed, -2 AGY penalty already figured in). Recent History- Rev. McKray recently overheard his girlfriend being propositioned by Colin. He doesn’t want to do anything that will make Colin mad at him, but he doesn’t want to lose his girlfriend either. So far, he has kept his mouth shut and pretended he doesn’t know anything.

A Timeline D V E N T U R E S I Encounters N M A D N E S S

This is how events will proceed without PC intervention:

one person is a thirty-something worker whose husband was killed by a Colin. She comes by every evening to scream at Rev. McKray. She can tell the PCs about the young woman who was always at Rev. McKray’s side until a few days ago. If PCs strike up a conversation with Rev. McKray, he will gladly tell them everything he knows about Colin. If they ask about Dara, he will be very suspicious and want to know why they want to know. If they can get him to talk, he will be very wary and when certain people walk past he will suddenly shut up or change the subject. If the PCs turn to look at the people, Rev. McKray will scream “blasphemer” at them to try to distract them and get them to look at him. If the PCs wait and tail Rev. McKray, he will lead them to his apartment where Dara has locked herself up since her first meeting with Colin.

Monday, 11 PM - Colin meets for the first time with Dara, Rev. McKray’s Secret- Rev. McKray has an ability to asks her to be his bride. Dara doesn’t believe him. tell who is a Colin and who isn’t. He has kept this ability Tuesday, 1 AM- Colin meets with Dara again (in a different secret from everyone, especially Colin. Rev. McKray body). Tavin and Rev. McKray are both eavesdropping. knows that starting yesterday morning, Dara has claimed to be sick and has been staying at home. Last night, Tuesday, 5 AM – Tavin leaves a note on Salmon’s door. when he was asleep, Dara got out of bed and went on to Wednesday, 11 AM – The Omniscients start calling in the fire escape. Rev. McKray woke up and eavesdropped favors. on her meeting with Colin. Rev. McKray knows that Wednesday, 6 PM – The PCs meet with Salmon. Colin wants to steal his girlfriend. Rev. McKray doesn’t Wednesday, 12 PM – Colin meets with Dara again. Tavin want to lose his girlfriend, especially as she may tell watches. Dara is almost convinced but asks for time to Colin things about their private conversations that may anger Colin. Rev. McKray is willing to do anything think about it. in his power to keep Colin from stealing his girlfriend, Thursday, 2 AM – Colin meets with Dara again. Dara says short of anything that would make Colin his enemy. If she will become Colin’s bride. Colin takes her away to a he thinks the PCs can help him keep his girlfriend he will mental installer to start reproducing her. tell them everything that is going on and will give them detailed descriptions of his “handlers” (the Colins who watch over him and Dara). If the PCs seem like they are about to make his involvement public, Rev. McKray will attack the only way he knows how: by provoking the Finding Dara- If PCs ask around, they will hear that a PCs into beating him up and then screaming for Colin’s lot of people stand around the street corner worshipping mercy so that Colin will follow and attack the PCs. Colin. If the PCs ask anyone who has studied Colin, they will be able to tell them that there is a man named Rev. Cornering Tavin- Tavin has been watching Rev. Colin McKray who originated the church and who seems McKray for some time. She has avoided Broadway (it is to be the highest regarded by Colin (as evidenced by the too crowded), but has spent some time in the abandoned deaths of his enemies and competitors). They may report floors of buildings overlooking Rev. McKray’s shrines. seeing him on the street with a young woman. They She spends the daytime sleeping, hidden in abandoned don’t know exactly where he is, but they will say that places. She spends her evenings watching Rev. McKray he is often seen preaching on Broadway or other major or Dara. After midnight she scrounges for food in city avenues in Midtown. A moderate City Knowledge roll dumpsters. will let PCs remember seeing someone on Broadway in Midtown preaching about Colin. If PCs use the bloodhound powder and are in the neighborhood, they will catch faint whiffs of places If the PCs walk around Broadway in Midtown, from 6 she has been. If they go to Rev. McKray’s apartment to 10 at night, they will see Rev. McKray. Rev. McKray building, there is a good chance they will be able to smell will be at a makeshift shrine (spray painted prayers to that Tavin has been in an abandoned building across the Colin, offerings and Colin memorabilia), preaching and street. If they investigate, they will smell her smell handing out flyers (see the flyer on p.34). Many passers- on the fire escape and in abandoned apartments in the by stop to curse or spit at him. A few stick around several building, especially in one that has a boarded-up window minutes to have screaming matches with him. At least overlooking Rev. McKray’s fire escape.

126 “Bride of Colin”

If PCs come at night, they will find Tavin watching Rev. McKray’s apartment. Remember, Tavin can hear tiny noises (3D hearing), can see people through walls (internal psychic sensor), can smell people coming (bloodhound smell) and can not be snuck-up on (360 sight). Tavin typically rolls 50 + 1d20 to notice prowlers. If PCs wait in the building hoping to surprise Tavin, she will see them and not come in. If they approach the building while she is in it, she will look to escape. If she finds the building surrounded, she will attempt to hide from her pursuers and wait for someone to leave a door or fire-escape unattended. Saying something like “we just want to talk” or “we’re not here to hurt you” will not ease Tavin’s apprehension at all. The only thing that will ease her apprehension is if she observed the PCs attacking someone she knows to be a Colin. Still, she won’t completely trust the PCs. If the PCs try to grab her, she will fight them with her last breath, screeching and clawing. If the PCs have her absolutely cornered, they might be able to get her to talk. She has no real reason not to tell what she knows. She will tell the PCs what she overheard the Colin telling Dara. As she talks, though, she will lace in several things that aren’t true, including her own belief that she was once meant to be Colin’s bride and that Colin has been trying to breed a bride since the 1940s. Dara must be, in Tavin’s opinion, an ‘inferior bloodline.’ Tavin will say enough untrue things that the PCs will have a hard time figuring out what the truth is. Tavin also knows where the Colins that have been meeting with Dara have their mental installer.

Wiping Out the Colins- There are only 5 Colins who share the crush on Dara. No other strains of Colin have any idea of a plan to marry Dara and many don’t even know who Dara is. If the PCs can kill these 5 Colins, the wedding is off. Rev. McKray can give descriptions of the five Colins he has been seeing around a lot lately. Tavin Bean can give PCs the location of the mental installer, this is also the location where these 5 Colins meet to coordinate the wooing of Dara. PCs will be most likely to live if they can track down the Colins, one at a time, and make surprise attacks against them. Wedding Bells- If Dara says yes, and the PCs can’t stop Colin from taking her off, there will now be a new self-reproducing entity in the city. Dara’s ascension to self-reproduction is not a bad thing for the city. She is not as clever or as ruthless as Colin is, and every time he reproduces her he is wasting a body and mental-installer time. Hampered by her, the new married-Colin strain may go extinct. Rev. McKray will go on worshipping Colin, pretending nothing has ever happened. He will be unhappy at loosing his girlfriend, but he’s an asshole and most PCs won’t care if he’s happy or not. Dara’s suffering is probably the worst thing that will happen as the result of the PCs’ failure or inaction. Although not an innocent, Dara is not actually evil, just emotionally disturbed. And she may be forced to do horrible things and live with a person she is afraid of.

Message For Tavin- If Tavin sees PCs kill a Colin, she will wonder if the PCs are Colins who killed one of their own just to try to trick Tavin. If Tavin observes PCs sabotage Colin’s wedding, though, this will probably convince her that the PCs aren’t currently under the control of Colin. Unfortunately, if the PCs stop the wedding, then Tavin will believe that she is once again Dissuading Dara- Dara Colin is very confused and the target of Colin’s affections. unhappy. Growing up, she protected herself by making people think she was a killer or potential killer, yet she Tavin has a psychic sensory implant, and if any PC tries doesn’t have the desire or personality to be a serial killer. to use a manipulative psychic skill anywhere near her, The idea of being self-reproducing both appeals to her she will panic. She will do anything to get away from the and scares her. She doesn’t know if she would feel PC (including throwing herself out of a window) and she “immortal” like Colin does. She is scared of Colin and will not trust the PCs again no matter what they do. although she knows she can pretend to love him, she isn’t sure if she wants to do it for eternity. He says nothing How Tavin takes the PCs’ message and care package bad will happen to her if she refuses him, but she doesn’t depends on how much she trusts the PCs. If the PCs have really believe that. She thinks there’s a good chance that done nothing to gain her trust, she will reject the package if she says no she will be tortured and killed. In the end, and ignore the message. If she thinks the PCs might without intervention by the PCs, Dara will marry Colin be okay, she will probably take the package and keep because she is afraid not to. If Colin knew this about a few items she has screened for poisons and electronic her, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her, but all he devices. If the PCs really gain her trust, she will consider sees is the ‘I’m crazy and I love to knife people’ image the offer to pay for a therapist. She is lonely and would like someone to talk to, and if she can choose anyone she projects. in the city she thinks she may be able to find a therapist Any time the PCs talk to Dara, she will assume they are free from Colin influence. The best case scenario is that Colins here to test her. If Dara comes to believe the PCs Tavin sees a therapist a few times, benefits a bit, and then are not Colins she will be afraid to talk to them for fear of decides that the therapist has been taken over by Colin upsetting Colin. If PCs can relieve Dara of her fear that and never comes back. This may seem like a failure, but Colin will kill her, or if they give her something greater every bit of human contact helps Tavin from descending into even worse mental illness and increases the chance to fear, she will turn down Colin’s proposal. that she will someday learn to live with humans again.

Possible Outcomes

A D V E N T U R E S I N M A D N E S S

“Bride of Colin” 127

Experience Points Tavin Accepts Care Package (5 XP) Tavin Accepts Free Therapy Offer (10 XP) A Colin Is Killed (5 XP/ea.) Colin’s Mental Installer Destroyed or Taken Away (10 XP) Wedding Prevented (10 XP) Personal Growth (5 XP) Good Roleplaying (2 XP) Clever Plan (1 to 5 XP) Worked Well as Group (2 XP) Worldview Success (2 XP) Personal Ideal Success (2 XP) Tavin is Killed or Driven More Insane (-20 XP) Dara is Killed (-5 XP) Split Up Group (-5 XP) Made the World a Worse Place (-1 to -5 XP) Player Character Death (-10 XP) Total:

A D V E N T U NPC Index R E S I N M A D N E S S

Player: ______________

Player: ______________

Player: ______________

Player: ______________

Kenton “Lord Jesus” Sanders (Crazy Psychic Jesus Impersonator), p.114

Adriel Theophania (Leader of the Lumens), p.53

Pander “Magoomba” Paine (Dangerous, Psychotic Crazy With Cracks), p.61

Andrea Popall (Roofer Founder and Intra-Gang Marshall), p.76

Mama Yaga (Crazy Poison Seller), p.63

Dale “The Animal Man” Torrick (Wild Inhuman Looking Dysmorph), p.18

Morris “Monkeywrench” Tenaka (Violent Homeless Political Radical), p.58

Clay Hodgson (Secret Ex-Colin Retired From Killing), p.38

Ray “Scratchman” Hall (Homeless Crazy With Poisoned Fingernails), p.114

Gauri “The Colin Eater” Brahmbhatt (Self-Reproducing Colin Hunter), p.40

Peter “Shotgun Pete” Lawry (Psychic-Paranoid Drake Associate), p.65

Rev. Colin McKray (Head of the Church of Colin), p.33

Norman “The Suit Guy” Padilla (Weekend God-Killer Rampager and Champion Street Fighter), p.6

Dara Colin (Colinite and Lover to Colin McKray), p.35 Imogene “The Dead Woman” Barrett (Dysmorph and Fetishist Who Plays Dead), p.15 Deborah Newman (Bleeder Profiler and Serial Killer Enslaver), p.69 Wes “Doc Scrips” Marshall (City Hospital Psychiatrist Who Takes Advantage of Patients), p.8 Kim Tate (Brilliant and Reclusive Sense-Clip Artist), p.49

128 NPC Index

Shad “Ugly” Martin (Self-Appointed King and Protector of Ugly People), p.62 Typical Disorganized Serial Killer, p.23 Typical Ex-Animalist Psychotic, p.68 Typical Lumen Team, p.53 Typical Organized Serial Killer, p.22 Typical Plastic Antisocial, p.29 Typical Spree Killer, p.27

Random Madrugada Encounter Table 001- Addict: Needing Money- An addict in full throes of withdrawal, out looking for any means to get money 022 for drugs. Addict: On A Mission- This is an addict who finally found some money for drugs and is now searching 023- the streets trying to find a dealer who is still awake. As the addict starts withdrawal, he or she may be 040 willing to pound on the doors of known dealers to wake them up, despite the risk of angering them and being beaten or killed. Alzheimer’s Patient- An elderly person who escaped from his or her caregiver (either a residential nursing 041- home or a loved ones’ apartment). The patient is confused, not sure where he or she is or what’s going 053 on. The patient may think he or she recognizes the PC’s and may think he or she is in the middle of doing something with the PCs. Arsonist- Usually a young man, carrying some sort of propellant (typically gasoline) in a gym 054- bag. Usually looking for an abandoned building 059 (free from squatters) to burn down without hurting anyone. Will be wary of being watched or followed. May have an erection at the thought of setting a fire. Bad Trip- Someone who did some hallucinogenic 060- drug and is having a bad reaction. The person is hyper, has frightening hallucinations and delusions 074 and may fear he or she is crazy or will never ‘come down.’ Badly Injured- The PCs will see some person lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The person 075- is unconscious or semi-conscious, and has been 084 attacked, robbed and left for dead. If PCs give immediate medical care or get the victim to a hospital, he or she may live. Burglars- A skilled thief and a lookout. The thief 085- will try to break into apartments and homes while the 092 owners are sleeping. The lookout will give a signal if anyone comes too close. 093- Can’t Sleep- An ordinary city resident, who is having trouble sleeping, is bored of his or her apartment and 117 is out wandering around.

118122

123146

147151

Crime Scene- Some person was murdered in such a way that it looks like the work of a serial killer. The Night Shift is there and has cordoned off the area. The body is still there: a Night Shift photographer and forensic examiner will go over the body before it can go to the morgue. One or more amateur profilers are there, trying to talk their way into the crime scene. Darkness- All the street lights on this block are out, there aren’t any lights on in any of the buildings and if there is a moon then there is a cloud in front of it. PCs without flashlights or nightvision will have to move slowly if they don’t want to trip over a pothole or debris. Dead Body- A recently murdered person. There is a 1 in 20 chance the body still has some valuables on it (use random pocket contents table, p.455 main book).

Disorganized Serial Killer- Driven by internal stresses, the disorganized killer is wandering the 152- streets desperately looking for someone to murder 155 and rape. The disorganized killer rarely has a plan beyond surprise-attacking the victim with some heavy object. See p.23 for more. Drunk Roller- A single criminal (usually a thief or addict) looking for drunk people on their way home 156- after the bars have closed. The drunks are usually 166 knocked over (if they don’t fall down first), rolled over on to their stomachs and their pockets rifled through. Some rollers will steal shoes and clothing. Drunk Young People- A group of 2d4 friends who 167- stayed up all night drinking and, now that they ran 185 out of money, are headed home. Because their inhibitions are lowered, they may be dangerous. Fetishist- The fetishist has been driven out by an uncontrollable sexual impulse that he fears and hates. The fetishist is (on 1d100) 01-10: Clothing Fetishist (looking to break into an apartment and steal shoes 186- or underwear), 11-23: Voyeur (looking to climb a fire escape and peer in a window), 24-36: Exhibitionist 195 (looking to flash genitalia at a random person), 37-42: Sadist (looking for a prostitute willing to be hurt or berated), 43-63: Masochist (looking for a prostitute willing to play sadist), 64-00 Porn Addict (walking to an all-night porn shop). Fire- A building is on fire, most likely the work of a 196- late night arsonist or a drunk who fell asleep with a 200 lit cigarette. Looters and residents are running in and out grabbing valuables. God Killer Rampager- Someone high on god killer, 201- in a complete rage, trying to destroy anything that 215 displeases him or her. See p.424 of the main book for a full description.

A P P E N D I C E S

Graveyard Shift Worker- A worker on his or her 216- way to a job at a factory or fast food place. Will be wearing either a fast food uniform or old work 238 clothes and will typically have some sort of selfdefense weapon at the ready. Homeless Loner- A street person who doesn’t like 239- being around other people and so chooses after midnight as a time to go scrounging in the city’s 258 dumpsters. He or she will avoid talking to PCs and may even ignore them or run away from them. Hunter- There is a 50% chance the hunter had a 259- victim and is searching for him/her/it. Otherwise, 261 the hunter is looking for someone to hunt based on his or her personal criteria. Insomniac- 1d4 young members of the Insomniac family who can’t sleep, either because they’re on sibosin or because they are charred. They’re out 262- wandering the streets out of boredom and they are 275 open to any opportunity for excitement or making money. If they are young and immature and the PCs look weak, they may decide to try practicing their psychic attacks on the PCs.

Encounter Table 129

276- Jogger- Hoping to get some exercise at the time of day one is least likely to run into anyone. The jogger 295 is mostly a shut-in who will avoid street dwellers.

Loser Rapist- He has been driven onto the streets at 296- night to rape someone in order to prove to himself that he is not a loser. He has no plan, he’s just 303 looking for a lone victim he can grab. See p.26 for more.

A P P E N D I C E S

Manic Person- He or she can’t sleep, will talk rapidly and incessantly, may be interested in risky 304- activities (e.g. gambling, overspending, promiscuous 320 sex, fistfights) and will have odd ideas (usually inflated notions of the importance of whatever he or she is doing). Night Shift Patrol- A group of 1d4 Night Shift 321- officers on foot patrol, out looking for any criminals 336 they can beat up. They are sleepy and bored and will likely be talking or joking loudly with each other. Night Walker- A single Night Walker, doing a show. An after midnight show is especially hard for Night Walkers: although there is less competition there are 337- also less potential viewers and less going on. The 341 majority of viewers will be shut-ins who can’t sleep or foreigners who stumbled onto the site. The Night Walker will be desperate to get into an interesting situation.

Open Establishment: Fast Food Restaurant- A cheap, 24 hour fast good place. There will probably 483- be 2 employees and one or two people sitting by 521 themselves at little plastic tables eating or drinking. Bland music plays softly on the PA. The restaurant is very bright inside. Open Establishment: Health Club- Through the front windows one can see people working on 522- treadmills and stair-steppers working under bright 541 lights. There are only 1d4 people in the club and half of them are homeless people who pay for a membership so they can shower here. Open Establishment: Liquor Store- An All-night 542- liquor store. There is one employee (usually a relative of the owner) who is tired and bored. The 575 employee and the liquor are typically behind bulletproof glass. Open Establishment: Mini-Mart- A little chain store selling food, alcohol, cigarettes, toiletries, 576- coffee, porno mags, over the counter drugs and 611 New York souvenirs. One tired employee is either behind bullet proof glass or has a stun baton behind the counter.

Nightcrawler John- A John out looking for Sex 342- Workers with no place to stay the night. The johns 357 usually offer a place to stay the night in exchange for sex.

Open Establishment: Night Club- Although the peak time was hours ago, there are still 2d6 people, 612- high on uppers, still paying for drinks and either dancing on the main floor or having retired to one of 638 the back rooms. The DJ has gone home – the music is on a pre-set playlist on a computer, and there is one bartender.

Open Establishment: 12 Step Meeting- A handprinted sign in a shop window lists the type of meeting. Inside are a few people battling off their 358- late night cravings with talk and stale coffee in paper 376 cups. This might be a meeting for narcotics addicts, alcoholics, compulsive gamblers, sexaholics or even ‘rageaholics.’ There is a 1 in 20 chance there are stale doughnuts left.

Open Establishment: Porn Shop- Selling data disks full of porn, sex toys and printed magazines, with coin-operated full-immersion VR machines 639- in the back. There are 1d4 customers, browsing 665 slowly and keeping to themselves. The person at the counter may have some “specialty stuff” behind the counter for those interested in more than what’s on the shelves.

Open Establishment: Bail Bonds- The sign says 377- open, the lights are on, a minimum wage employee 395 is sleeping on a cot inside. If the PCs hit a buzzer the employee will unlock the door and let them in. Open Establishment: Bar- Most bars close at 3 396- AM (although some stay open longer, breaking the law, as long as they are making money). The 431 people in the bar have been drinking all night and are staggering drunk.

Personal Crisis- An otherwise normal non-shut-in is having some stressful personal crisis and can’t sleep. The crisis could be a break-up, a death of a friend 666- or family member, financial troubles, legal troubles, etc. The person is stressed out and unhappy and 689 feels he or she is near a ‘breaking point’ but doesn’t know what will happen when that point is reached. The person will seem a little distracted and odd, but otherwise normal.

Open Establishment: Brothel- If it has any sign, it will likely say ‘massage parlor’ or ‘strip club.’ 432- Inside, a few bored prostitutes and one big bouncer 454 wait for some random john with a late night craving to come in. The prostitutes are often immigrants and may be afraid to leave the brothel.

Plague Victim- Feverish, delusional and contagious. Has a disease with Disease Contraction Rating 15 690- (being coughed at) and 25 (body fluid contact), 694 Disease Progression Rating 30, Disease Progression Speed 8 hours, causes fever and delusions at 2x and death at 4x.

Open Establishment: Coffee Shop- A small 24 hour coffee shop, usually part of a chain. A single 455- minimum-wage employee works behind the counter. There are only one or two customers in the shop, 482 most likely graveyard shift workers stopping by to get a cup of coffee on their way to work. Bathrooms are for customers only.

Prostitute- Walking the streets or hanging out on a street corner, dressed in revealing clothes, starting 695- to lose hope of getting another john for the night. There is a 1 in 6 chance the prostitute has no place 717 to stay and will go home with anyone who will let him or her sleep there. The prostitute is (on 1d100) 01-25: pre-teen, 26-55: male, 56-00: female.

130 Encounter Table

Psychotic- A person who has been driven into complete and total senselessness, either by a psychiatric disorder, drug use, a blow to the head or 718- unbearable stresses. The psychotic person will act and react randomly and unpredictably. He or she 728 feels little pain or fear and is much stronger than he or she would be while sane (average 14 STH, can make simultaneous strikes at no minuses). Will often scream nonsense at nobody in particular. 729- Pushers- 1d4 members of the drug lord organization, hanging out on a street corner waiting for late night 746 addicts to come by. Raving Schizophrenic- A homeless schizophrenic going through an especially bad period. The schizophrenic is having an argument with voices in 747- his or her head and may have odd movements. If the 765 schizophrenic notices the PCs, there is a good chance the schizophrenic will think the PCs have something to do with what is going on and may yell at, spit on or attack the PCs. Revenge Posse- A group of 2d6 gang members out for revenge for some crime they just found out was 766- committed against one of their own. They are likely 778 looking for a specific person, though they will settle for someone belonging to the same group as the perpetrator. 779- Runner- Racing up the street, on his or her way to deliver some urgent message or deliver some vital 785 black market product. Running Scared- A person who is being hunted. They might be the target of a hunter or serial killer. They might have done something to raise the ire of a 786- gang or the drug lords. Either way, they’re running 796 for their lives. They spend most of their time hiding and crouching in shadows or in abandoned buildings. If they see the PCs and know they aren’t one of the hunters, they might try to get the PCs to get help. Sat Jumper- A lone Sat Jumper, on the way to or headed back from the SRC for a jump. If on his or 797- her way there, the Sat Jumper will not want to be 810 delayed. If on the way home, the Sat Jumper will be exhausted, coming down from uppers and will just want to get into bed. Security Guard- An on-duty security guard making the rounds. He or she has to walk around 811- a property or properties a set number of times and 835 get rid of trespassers and potential robbers. Chances are he or she is bored and wouldn’t mind a bit of conversation. Shut-In: Lost or Stranded- This is a shut-in who had to leave his or her apartment for some reason (a 836- doctor’s visit, a trip out of the city, a funeral, etc.) and now has found himself or herself alone at night 847 and far from home. The shut-in will be looking for the nearest subway entrance and will be very afraid of the PCs. Shut-In: Sick- A sick or injured shut-in trying 848- to walk and ride the subway to the nearest open emergency room. PCs with medical skills may be 859 able to help the person out, though he or she will be wary of accepting any help.

Shut-In: Suicidal- A shut-in who has grown tired of living in fear and has decided to end his or her own 860- life by walking outside in the ‘deathtrap’ of the city streets. The shut-in will likely survive the night and 866 will probably go home and go to sleep when the sun comes up, and may feel a little more empowered the next day. 867- Shut-In: Young Explorer- A frightened, adolescent shut-in, sneaking out of his or her apartment to see 886 what the city is really like. Stunned Attack Victim- An ordinary city dweller 887- with a head injury (typically the result of an attack 892 during a robbery) walking the streets confused, not sure where he or she is or what is happening. Tagger- A young graffiti artist spraying his or 893- her name, recording important events or creating artwork. If the tagger is tagging a building that 908 might have security or is in someone else’s turf, the tagger will be ready to run if anyone comes near. Temporarily Homeless- Someone who normally has a safe place to stay (could be a street person, indie or well) has found himself or herself suddenly homeless because of some accident, unexpected 909- personal problem or being stranded in the city while traveling. The person does not expect to be homeless 921 for long. Rather than risk going to sleep and possibly being robbed or murdered, the person is going to try to stay up all night. He or she is probably drinking a cup of coffee and sitting on a pile or personal belongings. Uppers User- This is someone who has been using illegal uppers (amphetamines, god killer, 922- hummingbird, maxin, mauler, slave) but not enough 942 to put them in a psychotic or rampaging state. They behave much like a person who is manic and may do things they would be afraid to do while sober. War Party: Victorious- A group of gang members, returning from a battle in which they were mostly 943- victorious. They are laughing and congratulating 955 each other even though they may have some injuries. They feel unbeatable and will not back down from any fight.

A P P E N D I C E S

War Party: Wounded- A group of gang members 956- who were in some sort of altercation. One is seriously wounded, the rest have minor injuries. 968 They are heading for the closest medical care, careful not to run into any enemies. 969- Wild Dog Pack- 2d4 hungry wild dogs. Will attack lone humans, especially if those humans look sick 987 or injured. Wild Hunt- The Dragons’ huge, random rampage on a wild tour of the city. The “Ominous Thunderclap” 988- will come first, howling and throwing percussion 993 grenades. Then comes the hunt itself: a tight phalanx of Dragons which twists and turns randomly, destroying anything it comes into contact with. Wino Killer- A serial killer who picks on the weakest and most poorly protected victims available: drunk 994- homeless people who fell asleep on the streets. They 000 prowl around looking for sleeping winos, make sure they’re really out cold and then kill them (usually by bashing their heads in or by setting them on fire).

Encounter Table 131

Boyfriend/Girlfriend Hidden Flaw Table 01-30: None 31-70: One

Number of Flaws 71-80: Two 81-90: Three

91-95: Four 96-00: Five

PC Has Male Female ‘Perv Lover Lover Bait’

A P P E N D I C E S

01-05

06-08

09-12

13-14

15-16

17-22

01-01

02-04

05-08

09-12

13-18

19-21

01-04

Abusive- When the lover is feeling insecure about the relationship (or about something else in his or her life) the lover will find something the PC has done wrong (it could be a little thing) and become violent about it. Afterwards, the lover usually apologizes and makes excuses. The PC may be so shocked that someone he or she trusts is doing this that the PC may not fight back. First warnings: bad moods, a short temper, tendency to snap at the PC about little things, trouble expressing anger constructively.

05-05

Alcoholic- The lover is physically and psychologically addicted to alcohol. The worse things get for the lover, the more the lover will drink. First warnings: the lover keeps a lot of liquor around, will use any excuse to “party” (get drunk), when the PC is not around the lover will “forget” to do important chores, errands or duties.

06-07

Antisocial- The lover has no empathy for other humans and no sense of moral responsibilities for his or her actions. The lover is a natural liar and is very charming. The lover does not love the PC, is only pretending to in order to get something from the PC (e.g. money, sex, drugs, etc.) and will leave the PC without notice when the lover either exhausts the PC’s supplies or gets bored.

08-09

Bipolar- The lover has an undiagnosed chemical imbalance and experiences states of mania followed by profound depression. At first, these cycles only happen every few months, and usually in reaction to some stress. If untreated, the cycles will grow more common and more intense. While manic, the lover is in danger of doing something stupid (over-spending, gambling, having an affair, pissing off the wrong people). While depressed (and especially as depression starts to lift) there is some danger of suicide. First warnings: The lover says he or she gets depressed a lot, has a lot of unfinished projects or outstanding debts.

10-12

Borderline- The lover suffers from a personality disorder (see p.105). The lover has an intense fear of abandonment (and will sometimes act violently or self-destructively to avoid abandonment), bad temper and strong mood swings. The lover has a black-andwhite view of people, either hating or idealizing them. All the lover’s relationships are intense and rocky. Stress will trigger paranoid thoughts in the lover. First warnings: the lover will start off idealizing the PC, claiming the PC is perfect in every way and showing incredible devotion to the PC.

13-17

Cheater- As soon as the sexual aspects of a new relationship start to taper off, the lover will start having affairs. The lover will try to keep the affairs secret but will not do a very good job. The people the lover is having affairs with may decide the PC is in an “enemy” and may harass or even attack the PC. First warning: the lover stays out late, spends a lot of money and the PC receives odd phone calls (hang-ups with no video).

23-26

22-22

18-23

Child Molester- The lover has a secret desire to molest children. First warnings: the lover may be attracted to a PC with children, will want to assume a role as care-giver right away, will volunteer with children, often has trouble achieving sexual satisfaction with the PC.

27-29

23-25

24-25

Debt- The lover is in a huge amount of debt, both to credit card companies and loan sharks. First warnings: the lover always needs more money and gets many phone calls from credit card agencies and loan sharks.

132 Boyfriend/Girlfriend Flaw

30-32

33-35

36-38

39-41

26-30

37-34

35-37

38-40

26-26

Dependent- The lover is afraid to make decisions by himself or herself and as the relationship progresses the lover will become dependent on the PC for everything. The lover will try to talk the PC into getting a cell phone and then will call the PC for help on every little decision. The lover has poor self-worth and no ambitions. First warnings: the PC may notice the lover calling friends or family for advice very often.

27-28

Depression- The lover has an undiagnosed chemical imbalance that causes him or her to experience severe bouts of depression with the possibility of suicide. Without treatment, these bouts will grow more frequent and severe. First warnings: the lover has a pessimistic attitude, gives up easily, complains of sleep problems.

29-30

Drug Addict- The lover has a drug problem that he or she is keeping secret. The lover will probably admit to doing some drugs right away, but will portray it as a once-in-a-while, just-for-fun kind of thing. As the drug problem gets worse, the lover will experience health and financial problems and may get in trouble with pushers, loan sharks or other addicts. First warnings: strange shifts in mood, always broke, commonly ‘sick,’ hangs around with a lot of creepy people.

31-35

Dysmorph- The lover has just started seeking out the surgeries that will someday turn him or her grotesque. The lover will be open about wanting surgery, but will downplay the severity of the surgery (e.g. ‘I just want to get my nose made a tiny bit smaller’). First warnings: the lover complains about his or her appearance and is ashamed to go to public places, doesn’t believe it when the PC says he or she looks fine.

42-46

41-41

38-42

Fetishist- The lover can not achieve complete satisfaction without engaging in some fetish. Depending on the fetish, the lover may try to engage in it while the PC is not around or may try to talk the PC into participating. The fetish is (on 1d100): 01-09: Blood Sports, 10-18: Coprophilia/Sexurophilia, 19-27: Exhibitionism, 28-36: Foot Fetishism, 37-45: Hypoxyphilia, 46-54: Infantilism, 55-63: Necrophilia, 64-76: Transvestic Fetishism, 77-90: Underwear Fetishism, 91-00: Zoophilia. First warnings: the lover has an odd collection of items or media clips. The lover has trouble achieving climax during normal intercourse.

47-49

42-44

43-47

Jealous- The lover flies into a rage at any suggestion that the PC is flirting with or thinking about another potential lover. Even looking at someone the lover thinks the PC might find attractive can trigger a rage. First warnings: saying things which betray an insecurity about the relationship, avoiding introducing the PC to attractive friends.

50-52

45-46

48-51

Married- The lover is already in a serious, committed relationship that he or she will keep secret from the PC. When the PC finds out, the lover will try to portray himself or herself as ‘trapped’ in the relationship and will promise to leave the spouse as soon as possible. If the spouse finds out, he or she may become an enemy of the PC. First warnings: the lover never spends too much time with the PC, never takes the PC home, is reluctant to move in with the PC, doesn’t introduce the PC to any of his or her friends.

53-55

47-50

52-53

Neurotic- The lover has phobias, odd rituals and emotional instability that will make living with the lover difficult for the PC. The lover gets frightened or worried easily and is nearly disabled by anxiety. First warnings: lover often seems nervous for no apparent reason.

56-59

51-53

54-55

Old Enemies- The lover has made some powerful enemies (the government, a gang, Colin, the drug lords, a corp, etc.) First warnings: the lover moves around a lot, seems worried or paranoid, often gives a false name, avoids old associates.

60-63

54-57

56-57

Parasite- As the relationship becomes more and more stable, the lover starts wanting the PC to do more and more for the lover. The lover will not work, will not try to get on public assistance and will want the PC to support him or her. The lover will not join a gang and will depend on the PC for protection. First warnings: the lover complains often about his or her job or the paperwork for public assistance, rarely pays for anything, shows little ambition and has no realistic plans for the future.

64-68

58-58

58-64

Porn Addict- The lover has a secret dependence on pornography, including porn which is illegal and which the PC would find disgusting or immoral. First warnings: the lover often doesn’t respond to normal sexual stimuli, the lover has areas in his or her home or computer that the lover keeps locked, the lover spends many hours a day on the internet.

Boyfriend/Girlfriend Flaw

A P P E N D I C E S

133

69-71

72-76

77-77

A P P E N D I C E S

78-81

82-83

84-86

87-89

59-61

62-65

66-70

71-71

72-78

79-82

83-86

65-66

Schizophrenic- The lover has an undiagnosed chemical imbalance that will cause periods of paranoia, odd movements and/or disorganized thought. If untreated, these states will grow worse and more common. First warning: the lover often believes odd things, tells stories about his or her past that don’t make much sense, and has trouble judging the motivations of others.

67-68

Self-Destructive- The lover has compulsive behaviors that damage his or her life. The lover is (on 1d100) 01-25: a compulsive liar; 26-50: picks fights; 51-75: addicted to gambling; 76-00: does unnecessarily dangerous things for no reason. First warnings: the lover takes a lot of risks and seems to have little fear of consequences.

69-69

Sexual Neurotic- The lover was either taught that sex is bad or was sexually abused. The lover will want to have a normal sex-life but will have trouble doing so. The lover will often be unable to experience pleasure in bed (and may even experience pain), will be unable to communicate with the PC about sex, and will display unexpected emotions after sex (e.g. crying or getting angry at the PC). First warnings: the lover is reluctant to move the relationship to a sexual stage, seems nervous whenever things start getting hot.

70-75

Sexual Sadist- The lover has trouble achieving sexual satisfaction if he or she doesn’t cause pain to or humiliate the PC. First warnings: the lover will want the PC to admit to any kinks, will encourage ‘playing games’ or ‘experimenting’ during sex. The lover will start small (a playful slap or joking insult) and will build on it.

76-77

Shallow- The lover wants the PC because of what the PC can do for him or her, either in terms of monetary support, physical protection or helping the lover’s image. As soon as the PC stops being of some benefit to the lover, the lover will turn cold, drop the pretense of love, and demand that things change or the relationship is over. First warnings: the lover’s professions of love are stereotyped and only come when the PC starts to openly doubt the relationship. The lover is pre-occupied with the lover making a good impression on the lover’s friends and colleagues.

78-79

Stupid In-Laws- The lover has relatives (or close friends) who are stupid, irresponsible and dangerous and the lover keeps using his or her time and money to help them. First warnings: the lover’s relatives come over a lot to borrow money or food or sleep on the couch. The lover often seems more interested in what’s going on in their lives than in the PC’s.

80-81

Traumatized- The lover had something really horrible that happened to him or her that the lover refuses to talk about or deal with. The effects of this trauma will come out in all facets of the lover’s life: the lover will have nightmares, trouble sleeping, will either over-eat or under-eat, will have irrational phobias, will often seem distant or spacey, will get upset over little things and will be depressed a lot. First warnings: the lover may seem ‘jumpy’ for no apparent reason.

90-91

87-93

82-83

Undermining- The lover has low self-esteem and, in order to make the relationship feel more secure, the lover needs to lower the PC’s self-esteem as well. The lover sabotages the PC when the PC is about to accomplish something, points out the PC’s flaws at any opportunity, and may even make up flaws to torment the PC with. First warnings: The lover may have been first attracted to the PC when the PC wasn’t feeling too good about himself or herself. The lover is happiest and most loving when the PC is at his or her worst. The lover shows signs of low self-esteem (social anxiety, poor ambition, trouble standing up for self) and may ask the PC questions like “do you think you’re better than me?”

92-95

94-96

84-90

Venereal Disease: Annoying- The lover has an annoying STD that the lover is unaware of. If the PC and lover have unprotected intercourse, the PC may catch it (see p.53, main book). First warnings: rashes on the lover’s genitals, odd smells from the genital area.

96-98

97-99

91-96

Venereal Disease: Deadly- The lover has a deadly STD that the lover is unaware of. If the PC and lover have unprotected intercourse, the PC may catch it (see p.53, main book). First warnings: the lover is pale, is often tired, looses weight, gets sick a lot.

97-00

Serial Criminal- When the PC is away or asleep, the lover goes out and commits violent crimes (rape, arson, murder) for his or her own personal gratification. If caught by the PC, the lover may try to kill the PC. First warnings: bad temper, speaks routinely of violent fantasies (e.g. ‘I’d love to smash that guy’s head in’), may have a hidden collection of violent porn or trophies from past crimes.

99-00

00-00

134 Boyfriend/Girlfriend Flaw

Random NPC Psychology Table Indie Well Street 01-11 12-44 45-67 68-00

01-18 19-73 74-91 92-00

01-31 32-77 78-92 93-00

01-03 01-03 01-05 04-05 04-06 06-09 06-09 07-09 10-13 10-13 10-13 14-16 14-17 14-16 17-19 18-20 17-20 20-23 21-28 21-24 24-26 29-32 25-28 27-29 33-35 29-30 30-34 36-38 31-34 35-38 39-41 35-38 39-42 42-43 39-41 43-47 44-46 42-46 48-50 47-51 47-51 51-53 52-55 52-55 54-57 56-60 56-58 58-60 61-63 59-61 61-65 64-65 66-69 70-72 73-76

62-65 66-68 69-72 73-75

66-69 70-72 73-76 77-79

77-80 76-80 80-83 81-85 81-83 84-86 86-88 84-88 87-90 89-94 89-92 91-92 95-97 93-97 93-96 98-00 98-00 97-00

Social Skills Sophisticated socialite Satisfactory social skills Shy, awkward or oblivious Completely disabled in social situations Personality Arrogant, wants to be worshipped. Brave, grandiose, wants to control everything. Caring, self-sacrificing, prone to feeling betrayed. Clever, insightful, funny, rude, disregards rules. Crude, thick skinned, needs space, likes solving problems. Dramatic, manipulative, needs attention. Feels worthless, fears/avoids social situations. Gambler, likes intense experiences, not critical or thoughtful. Hard working, believes in rules and traditions, judgmental. Idealistic, helpful, impulsive, charming. Immature, easily excited, optimistic, self-doubting. Impulsive, charming, no sense of moral responsibility. Intolerant, hateful, simplistic view of reality. Lazy, easily frustrated, blames others for failures. No self-confidence, avoids making decisions. Paranoid, angry, defensive. Patronizing, egalitarian, easily confused, unable to say ‘no.’ Perfectionistic, stubborn, inflexible. Pessimistic, gloomy, feels inadequate. Quiet, serious, principled, vengeful. Resentful, argumentative, undependable. Short attention-span, gossip, difficulty being serious. Shows little emotions, prefers to be alone. Spontaneous, competitive, braggart. Uncomfortable around others, strange ideas and beliefs. Unstable identity, self-destructive, moody. Withdrawn, thoughtful, precise, logical.

01-21 22-22 23-25 26-28 29-31 32-36 37-39 40-42 43-45 46-48 49-52 53-53 54-55 56-59 60-63 64-66 67-67 68-70 71-72 73-76 77-78 79-81 82-83 84-87 88-90 91-94 95-96 97-99 00-00

01-25 26-27 28-29 30-33 34-36 37-38 39-42 43-44 45-47 48-50 51-53 54-55 56-57 58-60 61-63 64-66 67-67 68-70 71-71 72-75 76-77 78-80 81-82 83-86 87-89 90-93 94-95 96-98 99-00

01-23 24-27 28-29 30-32 33-35 36-38 39-40 41-43 44-46 47-48 49-51 52-54 55-57 58-59 60-63 64-66 67-67 68-69 70-71 72-75 76-78 79-80 81-83 84-86 87-88 89-93 94-95 96-97 98-00

01-07 08-13 14-16 17-18 19-23 24-25 26-32 33-37 38-42 43-48 49-54 55-61 62-66 67-69 70-75 76-82 83-88 89-91 92-94 95-00

01-07 08-13 14-16 17-19 20-26 27-28 29-34 35-39 40-44 45-48 49-53 54-59 60-64 65-68 69-74 75-81 82-86 87-90 91-94 95-00

01-06 07-12 13-16 17-22 23-27 28-29 30-34 35-39 40-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-69 70-73 74-80 81-85 86-90 91-95 96-00

Bad Habits No Bad Habits Being ‘Grossed Out’ Cruel Jokes/Insults Daydreaming Gambling Giving Up Goofing Off/Procrastinating Ignoring/Forgetting About Problems Letting Self Be Distracted Losing Temper Lying/Making Up Stories Not Eating Enough Overeating Poor Hygiene Porn or Promiscuous Sex Risky Behavior Setting Fires Smoking Spacing Out Speaking Impulsively Staying Up Too Late Stealing Stuff Thinking/Speaking in Absolutes Worrying About Being Embarrassed Worrying About Health Problems Worrying About Physical Danger Worrying About Sex Worrying About Social Situations Worrying About Society/Humanity Hates Hates Arrogant People Hates Bullies Hates Censorship Hates Dirt/Ugliness Hates Disloyalty Hates Everyone Hates Heartlessness Hates Hypocrites Hates Inconsiderate People Hates Injustice Hates Intolerance Hates Lies/Liars Hates Loudmouths Hates Nonconformists Hates Powerful People Hates Stupid People Hates Suck-Ups/Conformists Hates Thieves/Parasites Hates Weak People Hates Whiners

A P P E N D I C E S

Random NPC Psychology 135

01-03 01-03 04-08 04-07 09-10 08-10 11-16 11-15 17-21 16-20 22-25 21-24

A P P E N D I C E S

26-29 25-28 30-35 29-33 36-38 39-47 48-50 51-54

34-37 38-45 46-50 51-54

55-59 60-63 64-67 68-71

55-59 60-63 64-66 67-70

72-77 71-75 78-79 76-80 80-85 81-86 86-90 87-91 91-93 92-94 94-97 95-97 98-00 98-00 01-02 03-04 05-06 07-07 08-10 11-11 12-14 15-15 16-17 18-19

01-02 03-04 05-06 07-07 08-10 11-11 12-14 15-15 16-17 18-19

Soft Spot 01-04 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Attractive People 05-08 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Charming People 09-12 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Creative People 13-17 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Disabled People 18-22 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Elderly People 23-27 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Funny People 28-30 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Hard Workers 31-35 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Honest People 36-40 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Idealists 41-48 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Kids 49-53 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Leaders 54-57 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Nonconformists 58-63 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Optimists 64-67 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Parents 68-70 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Pessimists 71-73 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Pet Owners 74-78 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Polite People 79-81 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Poor People 82-86 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Principled People 87-90 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Religious People 91-94 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Risk Takers 95-97 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Stupid People 98-00 Always Likes/Trusts/Helps Worriers Personal Ideals (roll 3 times) 01-02 Charismatic Leader 03-04 Clever Ideas 05-06 Compassionate Do-Gooder 07-09 Consumed Artist 10-11 Cool Under Pressure 12-12 Crazy Daredevil 13-15 Dependable Friend 16-17 Driven Overachiever 18-19 Efficiently Organized 20-21 Humble Clown

20-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-37 38-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 50-51 52-53 54-56 57-57 58-60 61-62 63-64 65-66 67-68 69-70 71-72 73-74 75-76 77-78 79-80 81-82 83-83 84-85 86-87 88-89 90-91 92-94 95-96 97-98 99-00

20-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-37 38-39 40-40 41-42 43-44 45-46 47-48 49-50 51-52 53-54 55-56 57-58 59-60 61-62 63-64 65-66 67-68 69-71 72-74 75-76 77-78 79-80 81-82 83-84 85-85 86-87 88-89 90-92 93-94 95-96 97-98 99-00

01-03 04-06 07-09 10-12 13-16

01-03 04-06 07-08 09-11 12-15

136 Random NPC Psychology

22-23 Improvement Seeker 24-25 Indispensable Skill 26-27 Insightful Observer 28-29 Interesting Life 30-31 Inviolable Will 32-33 Knuckle-Down 34-35 Ladder Climber 36-37 Line Drawer 38-39 Lying Manipulator 40-41 Mature Wisdom 42-43 Mysterious Stranger 44-44 Mystery Solver 45-46 Neutral Mediator 47-48 Obsessed Perfectionist 49-50 One-Of-The-Crowd 51-53 Outrageous Loudmouth 54-54 Philosophically Enlightened 55-56 Pleasantly Nice 57-59 Principled Optimist 60-61 Proud to be Different 62-63 Proven Right 64-65 Radical Values 66-67 Rational Skeptic 68-69 Respectfully Polite 70-71 Revolutionary Hero 72-73 Righteous Warrior 74-75 Scary Evil 76-77 Secret Knower 78-78 Self-Controlled 79-81 Selfless Martyr 82-83 Self-Sufficient 84-85 Sex Object 86-86 Simply Content 87-88 Spiritually Pure 89-90 Streetsmart Cynic 91-92 Unflinchingly Honest 93-94 Vengeful Bastard 95-96 Vigilantly Prepared 97-98 Well Balanced 99-00 Witty Banterer Worldviews (roll 3 times) 01-02 Absolutist 03-05 Animalist 06-08 Buddhist 09-11 Common Sense 12-15 Darwinistic

17-20 21-24 25-27 28-30 31-32 33-35 36-37 38-40 41-43 44-45 46-49 50-52 53-55 56-57 58-61 62-64 65-68 69-69 70-72 73-76 77-78 79-82 83-85 86-88 89-91 92-94 95-97 98-00 01-61 62-62 63-66 67-74 75-75 76-79 80-85 86-86 87-89 90-92 93-93

16-19 20-22 23-25 26-28 29-30 31-34 35-37 38-39 40-42 43-45 46-47 48-51 52-54 55-57 58-60 61-63 64-65 66-67 68-70 71-74 75-77 78-80 81-83 84-87 88-91 92-94 95-97 98-00 01-66 67-67 68-69 70-72 73-74 75-78 79-81 82-83 84-87 88-91 92-93

94-94 94-95 95-95 96-96 96-97 97-98 98-98 99-99 99-00 00-00

16-18 Distraction 19-22 Egocentric 23-25 Fanatic 26-28 Fate 29-31 Game Theory 32-34 Goth Poetry 35-37 Hedonistic 38-40 Holistic 41-43 Humor 44-46 Intellectual 47-49 Introspective 50-52 Justice 53-55 Moderate 56-58 Nietzschean 59-61 Paranoid 62-64 Pessimistic 65-67 Ponderer 68-69 Postmodern 70-72 Relativist 73-75 Responsibility 76-78 Revolutionary 79-82 Scared 83-85 Scientific 86-89 Social 90-92 Spiritual 93-94 Superstitious 95-97 Taoist 98-00 Utilitarian Neurological Issues 01-69 No Problems 70-71 Schizophrenic: Under Control 72-72 Schizophrenic: Mild Problems 73-74 Schizophrenic: Severe Problems 75-77 Depressed: Under Control 78-80 Depressed: Mild Problems 81-81 Depressed: Severe Problems 82-85 Bipolar: Under Control 86-87 Bipolar: Mild Problems 88-90 Bipolar: Severe Problems 91-93 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Under Control 94-95 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Mild Problems 96-96 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Severe Problems 97-98 Brain Damage: Under Control 99-99 Brain Damage: Mild Problems 00-00 Brain Damage: Severe Problems

Religion 01-26 01-30 01-37 Atheist/Agnostic/NonDenominational/Non-Religious 27-46 31-48 38-50 Christian: Roman Catholic 47-61 49-60 51-60 Muslim 62-67 61-68 61-68 Christian: Protestant 68-71 69-74 69-74 Jewish 72-75 75-78 75-78 Hindu 76-80 79-82 79-83 Buddhist 81-82 83-85 84-84 Christian: Evangelical/Born Again 83-86 86-88 85-87 Neo-Aboriginal 87-88 89-90 88-89 Cult Member 89-91 91-92 90-91 Christian: Other 92-93 93-94 92-93 Sikh 94-95 95-95 94-94 Christian: Orthodox (Greek/African/ Russian) 96-96 96-96 95-95 Christian: Mormon 97-97 97-97 96-97 Wicca 98-98 98-98 98-98 Shinto 99-99 99-99 99-99 Jain 00-00 00-00 00-00 Baha’i Politics 01-75 01-72 01-64 Not Interested/No Particular Ideology 76-77 73-74 65-66 Moderate Anarchist 78-79 75-76 67-68 Extreme Anarchist 80-80 77-78 69-71 Moderate Libertarian 81-81 79-79 72-73 Extreme Libertarian 82-83 80-81 74-76 Moderate Socialist 84-85 82-82 77-78 Extreme Socialist 86-86 83-83 79-79 Moderate Fascist 87-87 84-84 80-80 Extreme Fascist 88-88 85-85 81-81 Moderate Oligarchist 89-89 86-87 82-83 Extreme Oligarchist

C I T Y O F M A D N E S S

90-90 88-88 84-86 Moderate Utopianist 91-91 89-90 87-88 Extreme Utopianist 92-93 91-92 89-90 Believes in Destruction of Corps 94-94 93-93 91-91 Believes in Destruction of Gated Communities 95-95 94-95 92-94 Believes in Destruction of Drug Laws 96-96 96-96 95-96 Believes in Destruction of Tech Laws 97-98 97-98 97-97 Believes in Destruction of Prisons 99-99 99-99 98-99 Believes in Abolition of VR 00-00 00-00 00-00 Believes in Abolition of Modern Tech

Random NPC Psychology

137

A P P E N D I C E S

138 Map

A P P E N D I C E S

Map 139

Index Addiction

A P P E N D I C E S

8, 10, 11, 16, 21, 30, 50, 51, 66, 68, 72, 73, 78, 87, 89, 102, 104, 108 Body Modification 14, 17, 28, 64, 92, 103 Children 5, 12, 19, 27, 55, 75 Colin 25, 29, 109, 115, 124 Corporations 5, 12, 21, 57 Crazies 7, 59, 60, 64, 68, 82, 84, 112, 117 Discrimination see Prejudice Drugs (Pharmaceuticals) 7, 8, 10, 100, 110 Drugs (Street) 5, 15, 24, 26, 56,71 Ethnic Groups 12, 44, 45, 46, 47 Fetishes 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22, 26, 27, 70, 90, 107, 111, 129 Freedom Wars 10, 41, 45, 47 Gangs 12, 13, 55, 64, 67, 78 Gated Communities 5, 7, 10, 12, 21, 55, 111 Genetic Engineering 19, 21, 46, 70 God Killer 6, 24, 26, 37, 66, 75, 89 Government 7, 19, 28, 57, 59 Homelessness 6, 7, 53, 60, 64, 66, 112 Homosexuality 12, 41, 44 Immigrants 12, 44, 45, 46, 47 Internet 15, 16, 17, 28, 30, 47, 57, 59, 83, 104 Law 7, 12, 17, 53, 57, Law Enforcement 6, 22, 28, 32, 53, 58, 74

140 Index

Life Skills Mental Programs Mentally-Ill Homeless People Personality Disorders Police Poison Prejudice Psychic Phenomenon Psychopharmaceuticals Public Assistance Red Light District Science Self-Worth Sex Industry Shut-Ins Social Services Street People Terrorism Trauma

Virtual Reality

Welfare

85, 86, 87, 89, 98, 99, 111 5, 7, 8, 28, 54, 73, 96, 108 see Crazies 22, 26, 28, 31, 73,105, 135 see Law Enforcement 23, 26, 63, 64, 109, 110, 114 12, 20, 21, 23, 67, 70 9, 29, 53, 65, 109.110, 111, 114 see Drugs (Pharmaceuticals) see Welfare 11, 14, 28, 33, 64, 82, 139 9, 11 14, 26, 48, 70, 85, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102 10, 11, 14, 16, 64, 67, 82, 103, 104 10, 32, 49, 59, 78, 83, 131 7, 8, 42, 57, 84, 100, 112 7, 21, 60, 64, 66, 112 57, 82, 89 5, 17, 22, 66, 67, 71, 72, 85, 98, 104, 109, 111, 115 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 25, 30, 49, 55, 59, 90, 104, 106, 109, 111 8, 42

Psychological Profile Sheet for _______________________ 

TRAUMAS - Amount Distracted ____

Current Trauma ____ Gaining Trauma Helplessness Major Life Change Near-Death Experience Torture Worthlessness

Abiding Trauma Save vs. Insomnia (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10) Save vs. Nausea (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10) Save vs. Jitters (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10) Save vs. Flashbacks (WIL+1d20 vs. Trauma x 10)

-Trauma x 5 to saves vs. Psych Addiction -Trauma x 5 to saves vs. Cravings

= Conscious Trauma ____ Trauma History

____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

DISTRACTIONS Blocking Depression Dissociation

OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO

Drugs Fanaticism Fantasy

OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO

Fetishes OOOOO Mania OOOOO Randomness OOOOO

Risk Self-Hatred Worrying

OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO

Notes: _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

SELF-WORTH Current Self-Worth:

O O O O O O O O O O -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Likes _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Low Self-Worth Effects: save vs. self-destructive behavior (WIL+1d20 vs. 10) roll to treat others as inferiors (CHM + 1d20 vs. 10) roll to treat others as equals (CHM + 1d20 vs. 20)

Dislikes _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Minus Two Self-Worth: -4 to CHM and WIL rolls Minus Three Self-Worth: -8 to CHM and WIL rolls Minus Four Self-Worth: -12 to CHM and WIL rolls Minus Five Self-Worth: -16 to CHM and WIL rolls

PSYCHOLOGICAL SAVES

____ to save vs. anger ____ to save vs. cravings ____ to save vs. hallucenations/delusions ____ to save vs. fear ____ to save vs. insomnia ____ to save vs. pain ____ to save vs. sadness/dysphoria CHM Based Skills OOOOOO Persuading People OOOOOO Recognizing Emotions OOOOOO Lying OOOOOO Flirting OOOOOO Politeness/Manners OOOOOO Basic Institutions 

LIFE SKILLS

INL Based Skills OOOOOO Personal Grooming OOOOOO Recognizing Illness OOOOOO Remembering People OOOOOO Basic Ethics OOOOOO Reality Checking OOOOOO Space/Time Awareness

WIL Based Skills OOOOOO Resist Expressing Emotions OOOOOO Resist Mild Pain OOOOOO Healthy Eating OOOOOO Resist Sexual Impulses OOOOOO Resist Following Orders OOOOOO Bladder Control