Breachworld - Core Rulebook

Jason Richards Publishing Presents

BREACHWORLD A Complete RPG

Nicolas Thivierge (order #6744067)

Welcome to the Breachworld RPG

I don’t quite know how to tell you the story of how Breachworld came to be. I’ve written bits and pieces of the pages that follow through a number of different states and several different countries. My primary design notebook has made it to three continents. I’ve chatted with friends and colleagues about this project by phone, text, email, instant messenger and sitting at tables at lunch, from the car, in my living room, or in engineering offices in Texas and Saudi Arabia. There haven’t been many days that the world, characters, and avenues to adventure found in this volume haven’t occupied my thoughts. I have a lot of rough outlines and notes on dozens of other projects littering my hard drives and file cabinets, but this is one that I haven’t been able to shake. The long journey is just a footnote now, and what matters is that somehow, after years of noodling and pondering and tinkering, this book managed to reach you. This is a story that I’ve always wanted to tell, a world I’ve always wanted to know. This is a gate to adventure that I have always wanted to open for all of you so that we can share in it together. Let’s do this. Jason Richards 2014

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Table of Contents Part 0: Introduction Chapter 0.1 Chapter 0.2 Chapter 0.3

Credits and Thanks ----------------- 5 Breachworld -------------------------9 Getting Started -------------------- 1 1

Rule #1 -------------------- 1 3

Part 1 : Character Creation Chapter 1 .1

Character Creation ---------------- 1 5

Steps ---------------------- 1 5

Chapter 1 .2

Advanced Class: Epic ------1 7

Player Races ----------------------- 24

Humans -------------------- 26 Climbers ------------------- 28 Demonkin ------------------30 Dru -------------------------32 Elder ----------------------- 34 Grim ----------------------- 36 The Holy ------------------- 38

Machine Men -------------- 40 Morlocks -------------------42 Pathos --------------------- 44 Reptilian Raiders ---------- 46 River Folk ------------------ 48 Tusks ---------------------- 50

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Chapter 1 .3

Skills --------------------------------52

Might Skills ---------------- 52 Agility Skills --------------- 53

Chapter 1 .3

Perks --------------------------------58

Perks ---------------------- 58

Chapter 1 .4

Epic Perks------------------ 62

Complications --------------------- 64

Complications ------------- 64

Chapter 1 .5

Wit Skills ------------------ 54 Charm Skills --------------- 57

Epic Complications---------67

Gear --------------------------------- 69

Weapons ------------------- 71 Armor ---------------------- 74

Equipment ----------------- 76 Vehicles --------------------80

Part 2: Game Rules Chapter 2.1

Game Mechanics ------------------ 83

Core Mechanic -------------83 Setting the TN ------------- 84 Character Actions --------- 86

Chapter 2.2

Epic Mechanics --------------------95

Air Manipulation ----------- 98 Biochemical Manip. ------ 1 00 Electrical Manipulation -- 1 03 Heat Manipulation --------1 05

Chapter 2.3

Kinetic Manipulation ----- 1 08 Light Manipulation ------- 1 1 1 Matter Manipulation ----- 1 1 3 Space-Time Manip.------- 1 1 7

Vehicle Rules --------------------- 1 20

Vehicle Movement --------1 20 Vehicle Weapons --------- 1 21

Chapter 2.4

Scaling ---------------------91 Fate Points -----------------92 Character Advancement --- 93

Vehicle Damage ---------- 1 22

Optional Rules --------------------1 24 3

Part 3: World Information Chapter 3.1

The World ------------------------- 1 29

Then and Now ------------ 1 29 Breaches ----------------- 1 37

World Overview ---------- 1 42

Chapter 3.2

Living in Breachworld ----------- 1 50

Chapter 3.3 Chapter 3.4

Tech in Breachworld -------------1 56 Places of Note -------------------- 1 61

Society ------------------- 1 50

Hood ---------------------- 1 61 Arena --------------------- 1 65

Chapter 3.5

Economy ----------------- 1 54

Trade Post ---------------- 1 71

Breach Creatures ---------------- 1 75

Allosaur ------------------ 1 76 Creep --------------------- 1 78 Griffin ---------------------1 80 Hardhat -------------------1 82 Hoodum ------------------ 1 84 Imp ----------------------- 1 86

Leecher -------------------1 88 Mauler -------------------- 1 90 Plasma Wyrm ------------ 1 92 Poison Bat ---------------- 1 94 Prowler Beast ------------ 1 96 Trapcat ------------------- 1 98

Part 4: Resources Chapter 4.1

Creation Aids --------------------- 200

Character Sheet ---------- 201 Player Races ------------- 202

Chapter 4.2

Epics --------------------- 203 Skills, Perks, and Comps - 204

In-Game Aids --------------------- 205

Scale Modifiers -----------206 Difficulties and Modifiers 207

Dealing Damage ----------208 Healing Damage ----------209 4

0.1Credits and Thanks Dedication

Dedicated to the man who gave me my first real byline and whose games have inspired me to create new worlds since I was a kid. Thanks, Kevin Siembieda.

Contributors

Design, layout, maps, and art direction by Jason Richards. Standard cover art by Eric Quigley. Interior art by David Arenas, Amy Ashbaugh, Damon Bowie, Matthew Bryan, Mike Mumah, Avi Odenheimer, RJ Palmer, Eric Quigley, and Michael Wilson.

Responsibility in Business

Jason Richards Publishing is a strong advocate for the ethical treatment of animals. I encourage you to spay and neuter your pets, and to join me in supporting local no-kill animal shelters. Ten percent of the profits of this book and its supplements will be donated to the no-kill shelter and animal adoption center, Operation Kindness, in Carrolton, Texas. Thank you for helping me help others. © 2014-2015 Jason Richards Publishing. All Rights Reserved. D6 and Mini Six text, rules, and material used per Open Game License (OGL). Second Printing (February 2015). Digital v2.0 (February 2015). 5

Acknowledgements

I’d like to acknowledge these people who helped make this project a reality: Susan, my amazing, beautiful, and incredibly tolerant wife. Zachary Houghton, for introducing me to Mini Six and planting this idea in my brain. Jason Marker, for his friendship, encouragement, assistance, and for being someone to so greatly admire. Ray Nolan and Phil Morris at AntiPaladin Games for creating such a sleek and fun system in Mini Six. Eric Gibson for graciously putting OpenD6 out there for all to use. Charles Alston and Jose Fitchett for the extensive proofread.

Special Thanks

None of this would have been possible without the help of these amazing supporters through Kickstarter. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Mike Sneed Chant Macleod Sasyn Ryan Craig Anthony Laffan Ryan McDaniel Peter Porcaro, Jr. Brent Naylor Jeff "NMI" Ruiz H. Nathan Bingham James Holt Steve Warfield Rodney Mancuso David Terhune Josh Hilden Ryan L. Jones Jesse Butler Jason Kelliher bdp Morgan Weeks Peter A

Wayne Pillion Carl J. Gleba Dan Mitchell Rob Richardson Loconius Moore Mecha vs Kaiju John "Smiley" Adams Nexus Nine Zachary Houghton Eric S. Vin Diakuw MysticMoon Jason Blalock Wade Geer Rich Spainhour Jim Reader Paul Partridge David Mullins Robert G. Male N. Phillip Cole Tiree 6

Scott Maynard Justin L. Phillips Lou Goncey Andrew Martone Roberto "Sunglar" Micheri Tony Rosales Chad Richards David Larkins Matthew W. erik tenkar Matt Whalley Ed McW Bael the Cruel Chris W. Harvey Xavi Nieto Bert Isla Fabio Milito Pagliara Ryan Percival Tony A. Thompson Wayne Rossi

Dwayne Howard Brandon K. Aten Aaron Bandstra Daniel R. Luce Paul Watson Warren Creighton Jordan Dennis Trip Space-Parasite Jere Manninen Annastacia Smith Nathaniel Smith Ron Fricke Seth Drebitko Rick Hull Duncan Eshelman Keith E. Clendenen Matthew Sullivan-Barrett Stacy Forsythe Andrew Antolick Brad Morris Steven Wales James H Brown Allister MacLeod Joseph Le May Scott Kehl Mike Lizardi Daniel Stoker Nicholas "LS" Whelan Andrew (A.J.) Phillips Juan Manuel González Darren Hill Lloyd Rasmussen Travis Richards Mikkelibob Jason Bossert Michael "Stargazer" Wolf Demetrius K. D.W. John C. Halcomb Eric "Glithus" Campbell Erik de Graaf Tom Walker Mark Hall Josh 'J Dog' Hawthorne

Scott Savedow Sam Curry Charlie Vick Brutorz Bill Jörg Dacher Daan Dubach Christian A. Nord Timothy Hidalgo John 'johnkzin' Rudd Bryan Meadows Darren Benford-Brown Ktrey Parker Adam Boothroyd David Steele Mark Craddock Federico Franceschi Nate Brengle Antero James MacGeorge Colton McBryer KFC (Poland) Father Morpheus David Kizzia Tannyx et Miettinator Erich Vereen Michael Fuller Liam J Cotterill Frank Hart Nish Azna Michael Bradley Jaime Robertson David Doughty Mark Thompson Christopher Conklin Brent Goren Brian Lindsey Fields Rollicking Rogue Victor Peterson Brian Manning Marcus Bone Brad Osborne Bruce Novakowski David Ackerman Kevin Flynn 7

Tom Perdew Christopher Anderson Jeff Brooks Eric M Jackson Ben P. Balestra Herbert Nowell Mark A. Siefert Alastair Cornish Charles E Miller Ray Nolan Great Scotto Steve Lord W. Reese Flory Robert Mosley J-P Spore Steven Ward James Husum David Lacerte Dylan A. Fredette Andreas Davour Bruce Gray Todd S. Yoho Steve Mattson Teddy Fuller Mark Leymaster Keith Stubbs Mathew R. Ignash Michael Lord Jayci Giaccone Tatters Robert J. Moore Sterling Brucks Hesy Dennis Hughes Jessica Whiting Christi Richards MaxMahem Gerry Saracco Brett Easterbrook José 'the Hoser' Fitchett Vahn Kergonan Gabriel Cox Jeremy S. Johnston Jundle

Tomas Burgos Aaron Deskins Emperor Rodger Murphy Armin Sykes Mchael David Jr William Ashcraft Brian Wilson James Bowman Brett M. Pisinski Chris Roberts Everett Owen AJ 'Houndin' Fritz Ted Novy A.Berto2k Phillip G. Kendall G.S. Ritchey Chris Snyder Jonathan Darknight Dan McKenna Reverance Pavane Daniel Guyton Rick Watkins Sophia Brandt Bill Mundt Owen Meldrim Moore Steven D Warble Eloy Lasanta Michael Feldhusen Felix Girke Nick Parker Nestor D. Rodriguez Robert Lionheart Steven A. Torres-Roman Mike Mumah Mike Miller Michael G. Heath Farnden Mark Harvey Robert Stehwien Jason Marker Pablo Pérez Gómez Jim Long Maru Berry Keith Higdon Garth Dighton Travis S. Guerrero (Prysus) TheSoberPirate Jason Vines Harald Wagener Ryan Carder Ron Zane Dempsey Russell Hoyle Gunnar Bangsmoen Anthony Hunter Sphärenmeisters Spiele Jon Mayo Charles Alston Petter Wäss Ryan Burpee Billy Richardson Taylor White Richard Mundy Uwe Schumacher Sam Stoute Brent Casavant Michael Rafferty CA Andrew Whitwham Ben Madden Ryan Rawlings Shawn Merrow Horacio "LostInBrittany" Gonzalez Derek "Pineapple Steak" Swoyer Grant "Grantos" Chapman Jordan (The King Slayer) Wheelock Joaquim Ball-llosera Castillo Captain Sir Mark Franceschini The Mighty Wizard Oberndorf David "Rabid Southern Cross Fan" Farris Victorian Adventure Enthusiast/Jordan Bodewel lFrédéri "Volk Kommissar Friedrich" POCHARD

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0.2

Breachworld

The Earth is an untamed wilderness, unrecognizable from centuries ago when humanity enjoyed a Golden Age of peace, abundance, science, and art. This era of enlightenment was brought about by the discovery of a new global teleportation technology known as Gates. The end of human society was brought on decades later by the sudden, total, and catastrophic malfunction of this technology, when control of it was lost and the Gates opened random doorways through space-time. These permanent, uncontrolled rips in the fabric of the universe are known as Breaches. Through them pour alien beings, creatures, vegetation, plagues, and environments. The Earth was transformed in an instant, and human civilization collapsed in an event now known as The Fall. Very little verifiable information exists from the centuries that span from The Fall until only a few generations ago. The Breaches are still open and active, but humans normally avoid them, preferring to steer clear of the dangers they present. For alien beings or creatures that pass through, it’s a one-way ticket; Breaches seem to all lead into our world, but not back out again. Anything that crosses into our world is permanently made a part of it, to live or die on our dimensional shores. The Earth is now populated by roughly as many aliens as humans, and for every friendly otherworldly sentient, two are hostile. Feelings about aliens vary from one group of humans to another and the same can be said for aliens’ feelings toward mankind. Some groups actively hunt one another and some work in peaceful coexistence. Some humans enslave alien races while others are subjugated by them. Some aliens are invaders or travelers while some were displaced to Earth by forces they could not control. Monsters lurk in the mountains, forests, plains, seas, and skies. Otherworldly beasts often defy description, while some resemble creatures of Earth’s history or legends. Some species have proven able to be broken to wear a saddle or yoke and others seem to have a cunning intelligence that belies their animal form. They are part of a transformed ecosystem, often bringing their habitats with them as vegetation has slowly grown through open Breaches and rests with roots in two worlds. 9

Some semblance of civilization has begun to crawl out of a Lost Age. Pockets of humanity exist either in isolated villages or fortified cities. Others survive by moving from place to place, scavenging or hunting, or trading. The easiest way to survive is often through bushwhacking and banditry, taking by force what precious resources are to be had. There are rumors of huge metropolises, even whole nations that have survived The Fall, but it is difficult to find someone who claims to have seen these wonders firsthand. A resurgence of technology has fueled humankind’s gradual reestablishment. Fossil fuels are almost nonexistent, but there exist some scattered ancient power plants that are still operable. Some automated factories are still functional as well, particularly those with their own fusion reactors. Discovered caches of Golden Age wonders can make one’s fortune overnight. A handful of weapons and plenty of ammunition can make a simple man into a king. Even after a Lost Age, mankind has proven to be resilient and innovative as it rediscovers secrets once thought lost to the past. Through generations of careful study and painstaking progress, one great discovery trumps all others. The Cooperative, a secretive group of researchers and scholars, has developed a device capable of permanently closing a Breach. For the first time in an age, there is more for mankind to hope for than simple survival. Now, there is a light on humanity’s horizon. The Breach Closure Device has made it possible to reclaim Earth’s dimensional borders, one sealed Breach at a time. All that is left is to use it. Awaiting you are fortune and famine. High adventure and otherworldly horror. Epic heroics and the darkest depths of villainy. This is the world as it exists at this instant, wide open and filled with possibilities. What happens next, is up to you.

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0.3Getting Started What to Expect

After this short introductory section, this book is divided into three main segments. First up, you have the section that details everything you need to know to create a character in the Breachworld RPG. Here is where you can refer to full statistical information for Player Races, skill descriptions, Perks, Complications, and character equipment. Second is the section that lays out the game mechanics for the Breachworld RPG, powered by a set of rules by Antipaladin Games, called Mini Six. This is actually a refinement of Open D6, an OGL system owned by Eric Gibson. This is what many gamers refer to as the “crunch” of the game, and includes the rules and methodology used by the Game Master to tell the story and resolve challenges using stats and dice. There are rules for things like combat, car chases, the use of paranormal powers, tests of skill, and character advancement. Additionally included are some optional rules for your consideration. Finally, you have the core of the Breachworld RPG, which is all of the information about the world, itself. This is what many gamers refer to as the “fluff” of the setting. Here you will find the history of Earth and how society came to The Fall. You will learn about the world’s many perils, and the alien and human beings that populate it. Introductions will be given regarding some major players in Breachworld, and you will learn about the Civilized Lands that form the basis of the initial setting in this RPG. At the end of the book you’ll find a number of resources for your use, like a character sheet and reference charts to assist in character creation, gameplay, and Game Mastering. More than all of that, what I hope that you expect to find in this volume is a fun, fast, and simple, yet satisfying gaming experience. I hope that you expect to get together with friends, whether that means sitting around a 11

kitchen table or putting on headsets in front of computers around the world. I hope that you expect adventure. I will do my best to provide you the means.

Role-Playing

The core volume of this RPG was not written specifically for novice gamers. For the sake of brevity, I would refer anyone new to role-playing in general to www.breachworld.com and the introductory document and example of play found there as a free download. Pulling out the basic “how to” for beginners allows this RPG to be packed with as much gaming material as possible.

Common Game Terms

For gaming veterans, most of what you find here is self-explanatory. However, what follows are some brief comments on the nomenclature of this specific system. Game Master (GM). This is the designation for the game’s narrator and referee. Player Characters (PCs). These are the protagonists of the game, controlled by the individual players. Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Every person in the gaming world that is not a player character in an NPC, controlled by the Game Master. Dice codes/pips. This game uses only six-sided dice. The number before the “D” is how many to roll, and any number after a + is how much to add to the roll. The numbers after the + are called pips. For instance, 2D+2 means roll two dice and add two to the resulting total. Each die is equal to three pips. A die code may have dice only (no pips), +1 or +2. Going to “+3” advances the die code to the next largest die (e.g. 1D, 1D+1, 1D+2, 2D, 2D+1, etc.). Wild die. One die rolled is always the wild die, usually represented by a die of a different color or by rolling the dice one at a time and making the last die rolled the wild die. If the wild die rolls a six, then it is rolled again, adding the six and the new result together. If a six comes up on the reroll, then you add the six and reroll again! Keep doing it until the wild die lands on something other than a six. This is sometimes referred to as an exploding die. Target Number (TN). This is the number a player must meet or exceed on a roll to succeed at whatever a character is attempting. General challenges are broken down into six levels of difficulty, from Very Easy to 12

Heroic. Combat target numbers are based on the target’s defensive scores. Sometimes two skills are rolled against each other when characters face off against one another. In this case you must beat the defender’s roll to succeed. The TN of a given action might be modified by the GM depending on circumstances. Character Point (CP). Character Points are rewards for advancing the story through a gaming session, with special emphasis placed on good role-playing. CPs are used between sessions to advance player characters. Fate Point (FP). Fate Points are in-game incentives given by the GM as a reward for a player for engaging in superior play. They are used to turn the odds in a character’s favor, such as to improve a roll or get some sort of deference from the GM. Scale. It’s easy to hit a tank with a bullet fired from a handgun, but hard for that bullet to actually damage the tank. Similarly, it’s difficult for a battleship’s main gun to precisely hit a person standing on the beach, but if the shell does hit the mark, the person is probably toast. Scale projects these sort of differences in Mini Six by giving bonuses to strike, dodge, deal damage, and resist damage, as appropriate.

Rule #1

Over the course of this RPG, you will find references to Rule #1. This is the first and most important rule in the Breachworld RPG, and it consists of only two words: have fun. The Mini Six ruleset was selected to serve as the framework for the Breachworld RPG simply because it facilitates fun. Breachworld is a very fast and loose game where anything can happen. The core game and its supplements will cover a dozen types of gaming standards, from the supernatural to human augmentation to survival to world domination. Different player groups will opt to be good guys, bad guys, and everything in between. To accomplish this, the ruleset has to be streamlined and adaptable. In Mini Six, there is one mechanic that rules just about every facet of the game, that being that an attempt to do something is rolled versus a Target Number appropriate to the difficulty. Great though it is, and thorough as I have tried to be in the design of Breachworld and the adaptation of Mini Six, you will surely find issues in your sessions that don’t quite fit into the system as presented. Don’t sweat it. As a player, be creative and find solutions. As a Game Master, make a ruling and move on. Don’t let figuring out how many dice to roll, or determining difficulty levels, or applying modifiers slow down the game or take away from the enjoyment. So remember, there is only one rule that actually matters: have fun. 13

Part 1 : Character Creation

1.1Character Creation

Character creation is a simple and quick process in the Breachworld RPG, but also allows for massive amounts of customization so you can create your character to be whoever you want him or her to be. Creation is carried out in seven easy steps, which are detailed in the following pages. Before you get started, take a few minutes to read through the rest of the Character Creation section to get an idea of how all of the pieces fit together, then grab a pencil and dive into it. This section will describe the steps to making your own Breachworld character, which are: Step 1: Select a Player Race Step 2: Allocate dice to attributes Step 3: Select Advanced Class Step 4: Allocate dice to skills Step 5: Allocate dice to Perks Step 6: Select Complications Step 7: Select gear

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Step 1 : Select a Player Race

About half of all intelligent beings on Earth are non-humans, and each race has a different set of natural abilities, advantages, and drawbacks. Each Player Race template gives the racial minimum and maximum for each of the four attributes (Might, Agility, Wit, and Charm), and the number of attribute and skill dice that may be distributed for a new character. Dice are allocated to attributes in Step 2. Skill dice are utilized in Steps 3, 4, and 5. Many Player Races also have special Perks and/or Complications that are ingrained into the fiber of the species and cannot be changed, but otherwise operate the same as normal, per Steps 5 and 6. Finally, some races may have special conditions listed, typically some sort of unique rule or player option that doesn’t quite fit into the normal play. Player Race templates are found in Chapter 1.2.

Game Design Note: Your average human

Humans are often considered the “interdimensional average” for the many races that inhabit the various universes. The typical human player character receives 12D to distribute between attributes, with each attribute receiving a minimum of 1D and maximum of 4D. Human player characters receive 7D to apply toward skills and Perks, and have no particular racial Perks or Complications. You will find templates for a number of different alien species in the Player Races section.

Step 2: Allocate Dice to Attributes

Each character has four attributes which measure basic physical and mental abilities that are common to every creature. Characters distribute dice between the attributes, the number of which depend on the character’s Player Race. The chosen Player Race also sets the limits on minimum and maximum attributes for that particular species. When allocating dice to each attribute, you may put whole dice in each or use a mixture of whole dice and pips. Might represents physical strength, toughness, and amount of damage dealt in hand-to-hand combat. Agility represents aim and coordination. Wit represents mental creativity and intelligence. Charm represents charisma, resolve, and leadership. 16

Step 3: Select Advanced Class

During this optional step in the character creation process, the character may take on an Advanced Class. Advanced Classes are unique bundles of abilities that use their own special mechanics to create a slightly different gaming experience. You may play the Breachworld RPG just as well without an Advanced Class. If you're unsure if you want to pick up a class during character creation, your character can always learn one later after he or she has been adventuring for a while. Learning an Advanced Class is not without cost. It requires a substantial investment when creating or advancing the character. Not all classes are available to all Player Races, and Game Masters might choose to exclude any or all of them from the game in the interest of Rule #1.

Advanced Classes

In this core RPG, there is only one Advanced Class available: the Epic. This class is in many ways the sorcerer and psychic of Breachworld. Other Advanced Classes will be available in future supplements, including characters that are experts in hand-to-hand combat, piloting mechanical suits of armor, melding robotics with their own flesh, and more. Each new type will have its own special abilities and unique powers to develop. Epic

Required: Wit attribute of at least 3D Cost: 3D in starting skill dice, or 45 CP An Epic, also sometimes known as a sorcerer, mage, psionic, or witch, can harness the invisible, little-understood substance known as Aether and manipulate it to produce Aether Feats, which are analagous to magical or psychic abilities in the Breachworld RPG. For more information on Aether, Feats, and the mysteries and mechanics behind them, refer to Chapter 2.2. The new Epic immediately gains the following: • The Epic skill, starting at the Wit attribute level. • Two Aether Feats of choice. Feats are described in Chapter 2.2. • The ability to learn Aether Feats with character advancement. • The ability to purchase Epic Perks (see Step 5). Epic Perks are described in Chapter 1.4 along with normal Perks. • The ability to take Epic Complications (see Step 6). Epic Complications are described in Chapter 1.5 along with normal Complications. 17

Aether Feat List Air Manipulation Broadcast Control Weather Fog Shriek Sphere of Silence Vacuum

Biochemical Manipulation Beast Tongue Heal Induce Fear Hallucination Paralysis Possession Slumber Still Mind Telepathy

Electricity Manipulation

Depower Object Electric Field Interference Lightning Bolt Magnetic Telekinesis Power Electronics Stun Bolt

Heat Manipulation Body Heat Chill Extinguish Fire Feed Fire Fireball Heat Radius Resist Heat Spontaneous Combustion

Kinetic Manipulation

Accelerate Break Fall Deflect Projectile Fly Increase Gravity Kinetic  Suspension Field Push Telekinesis

Light Manipulation Dark Vision Flash Hologram Invisibility Lantern Laser Blast Snuff Light

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Matter Manipulation

Aether Weapon Animate Armor Conjure Simple Object Create Food Create Water Death Spell Disintegrate Growth Mask

Space-Time Manipulation

Dispel Aether Feat Divination Hasten See Aether Aura Sense Aether Feat Sense Breach Slow Time Teleport

Step 4: Allocate Dice to Skills

Your character is further defined by skills. Players allocate dice to best represent the unique talents of their characters. The number of dice available to be spent on skills depends on the selected Player Race. Any leftover skill dice may be used in Step 5 to purchase Perks. Skills are areas of expertise that represent focus and training. When putting dice into each skill, you can put whole dice in each or use a mixture of whole dice and pips. No more than 2D may be spent on each skill during character creation. If your character attempts to use a skill, but has no dice allocated to that skill, simply roll under the appropriate attribute. The following is a list of the standard available skills. A full accounting of these skills, with descriptions and recommended specializations, is found in Chapter 1.3. Some skills may not be available to every character for any number of reasons, including GM preference. Other skills may be added to this list by the Game Master to represent special knowledge in a unique area, but this list covers the basics.

Skill List Might Axe* Blunt* Brawl* Knife* Lift Pole-Arm* Stamina Sword*

Agility

Wit

Athletics Bow* Dodge* Drive Gunnery* Handgun* Pilot Rifle* Sleight of Hand Stealth Throw*

Aliens Breach Science Computer Craft Epic^ History Language Medicine Navigate Pick Locks Repair Search Science Survive Track

* indicates a combat skill ^ special conditions apply

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Charm

Command Courage Diplomacy Persuade Ride Seduce Streetwise

Skill Specializations

Specializations are focused aspects of a skill. For example, Drive specializations might include Car and Motorcycle. One skill die can be spent to gain 3D specialization dice at character creation. Combat skills and the special skills (such as the Epic skill) don’t normally have specializations.

Example: Attributes, skills, and specializations

Joe Backslider, the bouncer, has a Might attribute of 3D. At character creation, he adds 2D to the Brawl skill, so it is recorded as 5D. When he wants to get into a fistfight, he uses his 5D skill in Brawl. If he picks up a baseball bat and tries to fight with it, he only rolls 3D in his skill checks (his Might total), because he doesn’t have any extra skill dice in the Blunt skill. Jill’s character, Kim Stepgoode, has an Agility of 3D, and therefore a base Athletics skill of 3D. Jill wants her character to be able to climb through ruins in search of loot and adventure, but doesn’t so much need expertise in other aspects of the Athletics skill such as running or jumping. So, during character creation, she spends 1D toward the skill specialization of Climb, which increases that aspect of the skill by 3D. This gives her an Athletics skill of 3D, but a specialization in Climb at 6D.

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Step 5: Allocate Dice to Perks

During character creation, you may save some skill dice to acquire Perks for your character. Perks provide relatively minor, situational advantages, such as modifiers to certain skills, resistance to certain types of damage, or access to special considerations from the Game Master. Many Player Race templates have one or more Perks included, which do not require spending skill dice. The following Perks are meant to serve as examples and inspiration; the number and range of possible Perks is practically endless, so GMs should feel free to add their own. The number in parentheses is the number of whole skill dice that must be spent to acquire the Perk. Full descriptions of all available Perks are found in Chapter 1.4, but a list is provided below for your convenience. Note that only a character who has taken the Advanced Class of Epic can take Epic Perks.

Perks

Armor, Light (1) Armor, Heavy (2) Attractive (1) Blessed (2) Climbing (2) Daredevil (2) Destiny (2) Direction Sense (1) Eagle Eye (1) Extra Sense (1) Famous (1) Fast Draw (2) Favors (1) Fearless (2) Hardiness (1) Healing, Lesser (1) Healing, Greater (2) Keen Sense (1) Loot (1) Lucky (2) Natural Weapon, Light (1) Natural Weapon, Heavy (2)

Nightvision (1) Patron (2) Perceptive (2) Prehensile Limb (1) Quick Study (1) Recall (1) Reflexes (2) Resistance (1) Sidekick (3) Signature Weapon (2) Special Breathing (1) Swimmer, Minor (1) Swimmer, Major (2) Unstunnable (2)

Epic Perks

Astrological Power (1) Familiar (1) Mentor (1) Sanctus Sanctorum (1) Specialist (1) Spirit Guide (1) 21

Step 6: Select Complications

During character creation only, you may select Complications. These are troublesome, inconvenient, or otherwise negative traits or characteristics that apply to the character. These grant no additional skill dice during character creation. However, when a Complication pops up in play to impact the game, the character earns a bonus CP. Characters may have at most two Complications under normal circumstances; some Player Races have a Complication or two assigned as part of the template. Characters may not earn more than one CP per Complication per session regardless of how often it comes up or how severely it impacts the game. Full descriptions of all Complications are found in Chapter 1.5, but a reference list is provided below. Note that only a character who has taken the Advanced Class of Epic can take Epic Complications.

Complications

Age Allergy Crazy Debt Diet Disabled Doomed Enemies Fearsome Visage Gremlins Hazardous Environment Illiterate Infamous Marked Pariah

Personal Code Primitive Skeletons in the Closet Unlucky in Love Unlucky in Money Soulless

Epic Complications Astrological Flaw Crutch Demonic Pact Dogma Narrow Focus White Wizard

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Example: Complications

Sam’s character, a teenage adventurer named Danny, has the Complication of Age due to his youth. Danny and his companions are set to meet a contact in a bar in the town of Amnesty. The GM decides that this is a good time for a Complication and informs the group that the bouncer has denied the youthful Danny entrance because he’s “too young and might get hurt” in the rough-and-tumble establishment. Sam gets an extra CP for Danny’s trouble, but the group must now deal with this unexpected hurdle.

Step 7: Select Gear

Your character starts with one weapon or piece of equipment related to each skill you allocate dice to during character creation, plus some reasonable personal items. For any other starting equipment or weapons, beg the GM. A well thought-out and detailed character background will help justify additional gear to your Game Master. Gear lists and stats for various types of weapons and equipment are found in Chapter 1.6.

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1.2

Player Races

What follows are brief templates for various races common to Breachworld. These are just a few examples of the thousands upon thousands of types of alien beings that find themselves on the planet, any of which are potential player characters. In order to get in as many playable types of characters as possible, Player Races described in this core RPG are given using an abbreviated form that focuses only on their stats and less on detailed descriptions and backgrounds. Feel free to fill in the gaps with your own stories and world information to create a more well-rounded character for your game. Future supplements will include more comprehensive explorations of the backgrounds, motivations, and descriptions of these and other Player Races.

Game Design Note: Naming Races

It is the convention within the Breachworld RPG that the names of alien races are capitalized. Strictly speaking, they should be used as lowercase, just as one would not always capitalize “human.” However, because most alien races are referred to by a description such as Climbers or Machine Men or River Folk, the use of lowercase could be confusing, making it difficult to determine if a word like “climbers” was being used generally toward characters that can climb, or to refer to the specific alien race. The general racial name of “human” is not used as a proper noun. However, the more specific racial name of Earthling is always capitalized.

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Creating New Player Races

Feel free to create your own alien beings from beyond a Breach. There are no hard and fast rules regarding assigning stat limits or dice. Most races have 12D for attributes, plus or minus up to 2D depending on the “power” level of the race. Most also have 7D for skills, plus or minus up to 3D depending on how advanced or innately skilled the race is, with adjustments made for Racial Perks. Not all beings are created equal and some will be more powerful than others, but always be mindful of Rule #1.

Playing the “Little Guys”

Player Races are designed with the player characters in mind, who on the whole are above average in many ways. This includes their attributes and level of skill. For a more down-to-Earth experience, try playing a more common character. The average human has only 10D to distribute to attributes at the time of character creation, and only 5D in skills. 25

Humans

Whether a native of Earth or originating from some other Earth-like world across time and space, humans represent more or less the interdimensional average of intelligent species. They have no great racial advantages, but no great disadvantages, either. If they have a defining trait, it is a certain resilience and adaptability. Humans are found across all of the planes of existence because they can learn most any skill required to survive, and are physically and mentally hardy enough to endure. Native Earth humans, referred to as Earthlings, can obviously be found anywhere on Breachworld, and make up roughly half of the world’s population. Earthlings are much the same as they are during the Golden Age of the 21st century. Survivors come from every ethnic demographic. Racial distinctions have long since lost any importance that they still held at the time of The Fall, faced with the reality of truly alien humans, as well as nonhuman races. Just as the humans of Earth show great ethnic diversity, so they show a diversity of culture. During the Lost Age, keeping traditions alive was important to many survivors, so Earthlings maintain the practice of any number of religions and societal values. Others lost their traditional ways over the centuries, however, only to adopt new customs that may still have hundreds of years of history behind them. Some Earthlings have adopted alien cultures or religions, either by choice, or by way of zealous evangelism. Humans who have found their way to Earth through a Breach may have slight variances in appearance. Beings that are biologically human with the exception of some superfluous physical characteristics are often referred to as near-humans. Common noticeable cosmetic variations are often limited to strange shades or patterns of colors of the skin, eyes, or hair. Other unusual physical characteristics may include pointed ears, a vestigial tail, abnormal 26

ridges or shaping to the skull, hands, or ears, or other such distinguishing feature. Humans The culture of near-humans varies as greatly as does their experience, with difAttribute Dice: 12D ferent alien races carrying their own traSkill Dice: 7D ditions with them across the barriers of time and space. One universally troubleMight: 1D/4D some dilemma for near-humans involves Agility: 1D/4D altering their appearance to fit in with Wit: 1D/4D their Earthling cousins. Many alien-oriCharm: 1D/4D ginated humans look enough like Earth Move: 15 natives to be able to pass with minor physical modifications, such as coloring Racial Perks: hair, wearing makeup, or undergoing None simple cosmetic surgery. This presents a conundrum, as fitting in with the majority Racial Complications: of humans can greatly simplify life for None these dimensional castaways, but being found “impersonating” Earthlings is viewed as deceitful and subversive by many native humans, even to the point of violence. The discovery and exposure of such “insurgents” is a powerful weapon used by many anti-alien or pro-Earthling movements.

Description

Earthlings of Breachworld, and many alien humans, display the same variations in appearance as did their pre-Fall ancestors. The Gates made racial diversity more widespread than ever during the Golden Age, so the descendents of that varied population are similarly diverse. As previously noted, near-humans come in a variety of forms of what an Earthling would call “human.” Only cosmetic differences from an array too vast to measure set them apart from the native kin. It is worth noting that most species of humans are anatomically and genetically compatible. The appearance of the offspring of such couplings varies. In some cases children always bear the physical appearance of the genetically dominant race of the coupling. In others, the appearance of a crossbreed child is a 50/50 proposition. In still others, offspring appear as a rough middle ground between the appearances of his or her parents.

Also Known As

In addition to the typical proper noun, Earthlings, humans of Earth ancestry are also sometimes called Locals, Terrans, Sols, or Natives. Near-humans are sometimes known as Imposters, Changelings, or Copycats. 27

Climbers

In the towering ruins of cities or in the canopies of wild forests live a race known commonly as Climbers. They come from a sky-dwelling world where most go their entire lives without setting foot on solid ground, but live atop networks of massive towers. On Earth they have built elaborate tree houses or found suitable shelter in the remnants of downtown office buildings or apartment towers, which they move between using their uncanny climbing abilities. It’s a common sight in a Climber colony to see young children hanging carelessly over a chasm hundreds of feet down, or to see parents swing from landing to landing with a baby held freely in one hand, so at ease are the Climbers with their physical gifts. Rely as they might on their natural abilities in their daily lives, Climbers have a sophisticated society with a good understanding of modern technologies, and have great success salvaging in towering ruins where most cannot reach. The Climber homeworld featured stunning architecture and building technologies on par with anything from the Golden Age. In that tradition,

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even the comparative simplicity of their makeshift villages atop skyscraping ruins or vast networks of treehouses are comClimbers plex, beautiful, and impressive to behold. Attribute Dice: 12D Friendly outsiders are often invited to Skill Dice: 6D take rest within the homes of these accomodating aliens, so tales of their wonder Might: 1D/3D+1 are commonly traded yarns among travAgility: 2D+1/5D elers. Wit: 1D/4D Climbers do not stay tucked away in Charm: 1D+1/3D+1 their lofty homes. Necessity requires Move: 15 travel over land just for moving from place to place in search of resources and Racial Perks: trade partners, or to explore the world in Climbing which they find themselves. Many turn salvage operations into profitable busiRacial Complications: ness ventures by selling goods recovered None from towering ruins in shops in various towns or trading posts, or simply set up mobile storefronts that move between areas containing ruined high-rises, collecting and selling as they go. If not salvaging, Climbers often hire themselves out as wilderness guides, navigators, or even skilled muscle for those making their way through the tall places of Earth. Climbers are naturally good-natured and friendly, thus are often considered naive or gullible by bandits or grifters, though in reality are as sharpminded as most other races. Their disposition does help them to get along well with humans who do not mind alien company, and other peaceful races.

Description

Climbers are roughly human-sized, but have incredibly long, almost simian arms and powerful legs that end in prehensile feet. Their wide-tipped fingers and toes have small, retractable barbs, unsuited for combat but ideal for scaling even the steepest surfaces. Their small, hairless heads have only simple slits for a mouth, nose, and ears, and sit atop thin necks. They have coarse tan skin with subtle brown, textured splotches.

Also Known As

Tree Men or Freeclimbers.

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Demonkin

Demonkin are a warlike, technologically advanced race that is easily identified by their demonic appearance. Their homeworld suffered a fate not unlike that of Earth, when their own dimensional portal technology failed them. The prime difference is that instead of opening millions of doorways into their own world, the portals led outward. Their failed Gates ripped at the fabric of existence, nearly destroying their planet. For generations, the Demonkin have bred a never-ending conquering army on their dying world, continually sending more of its hellish soldiers blindly across space-time through the Breaches, not knowing where they might land. On Earth, and on every other planet that their scourge is unleashed upon, the Demonkin are a plague. They establish dominions that are ruled by the strongest among them, brutally subjugating their fellows in addition to other races by violence. They lack sophisticated civilization, but constantly hunt for fresh resources to claim, literally devouring anyone who attempts to stand against them, as they consume little but raw flesh, humanoid or otherwise. Humans and other intelligent races are taken along with livestock and other animals to feed the hungry armies; there are rumors that some Demonkin go so far as to operate farms where intelligent species are bred to provide a renewable food source. All the while, periodic reinforcements arrive with fresh shipments of weapons and equipment from their own dimension, making them a never-ending threat. Demonkin weapons technology is highly sophisticated and powerful. 30

Capable of killing or simply stunning live targets, the Demonkin Rifle is an effective weapon of destruction as well as a tool for gathering live victims as slaves or foodstock. The secret to fully recharging these weapons has yet to be unlocked, however, as recharging any Demonkin weapon from a terrestrial power source sees it made only half its normal potency. Still, it is a highly sought after weapon even when not operating at peak performance.

Description

Demonkin Attribute Dice: 11D+1 Skill Dice: 6D Might: 2D/5D Agility: 1D/4D Wit: 2D/5D Charm: 1D/3D Move: 16 Racial Perks: Healing, Lesser Armor, Light Racial Complications: Infamous

Demonkin have flame-red skin, strong legs with hoofed feet, beaked mouths, a spiked tail, and two long horns protruding from their forehead. Their hides are thick and their wounds heal quickly, making them formidable enemies. Their energy weapon technology exceeds anything produced on Earth during the Golden Age.

Also Known As

Breach Devils, Devilkin, or Tech Demons.

Demonkin Rifle

The Demonkin Rifle fires a unique packeted energy charge, as opposed to the beam of intense light emitted by a laser weapon. While still an energy weapon, it packs a more substantial punch, yet is still able to be wielded by a single soldier. Recovered specimens have unique cells that are difficult to charge by human methods, resulting in a weapon that does only half damage.

Skill: Rifle Damage: 6D; 3D if rechaged by traditional human means. May be set to lethal or stun settings. Ammo: 25 blasts Range: 100/500/1000 feet (30/150/300 m) 31

Dru

Dru are a race common to the Civilized Lands, having arrived on Earth through a Breach found in the hill country to the west. They are notable for their wandering culture and easygoing nature, as well as for their innate, limited psychic ability to commune with animals. The Dru homeworld is very much like Breachworld in many respects. It has wide open wilderness covering much of the surface, with towns and cities isolated from one another geographically. There is no urban sprawl, as the Dru as a people greatly value the outdoors and being in the elements. They feel great kinship to nature, particularly animals, with whom they can communicate through a simple form of telepathy. On their homeworld, the Dru worked in partnership with livestock to work the land and meet other needs, such as transportation and even as comrades at arms. They continue this on Earth, trying as best they can to live with the land and among their animal brothers rather than at their expense. Most keep one or two particular animal friends in close company, usually for life. As one might expect, virtually all Dru are strict vegetarians. On Earth, many Dru find work in their own communities as farmers and ranchers, which number among the most successful in the Civilized Lands. These lands are often also worked by 32

beings of other races who come to the Dru in order to learn their techniques; the Dru are always eager to teach others their ways of community with the natural world. Dru who can’t still their wanderlust enough to permanently settle most often find work as guides or as traveling farmhands, trading labor and instruction for temporary housing. Many others simply wander the countryside, exploring and living off the land.

Description

Dru Attribute Dice: 12D Skill Dice: 5D Might: 1D/3D+1 Agility: 1D/4D Wit: 1D+1/4D Charm: 1D+2/4D+2 Move: 15 Racial Perks: Dru Beast Tongue Racial Complications: None

Dru are roughly human-sized, with an elongated head and snout and tall, pointed ears. They have wide feet with only two large toes on each, causing them to usually go barefoot or to simply wrap their feet in cloth for added protection. They also have only three fingers and a thumb on each hand. Dru are covered in short fur ranging in color from rusty red to bright orange in youth, but fading to gray with age.

Also Known As

Beast Talkers or Druids.

Dru Beast Tongue TN: 8 Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None

The Dru can communicate with animals via a crude sort of telepathy; but this is not an ability to command or control. The animal can give and receive impressions and some basic information, but only within the limits of its natural perception. This limits their abilities as scouts or agents, as complex thoughts and the interpretation of instructions are beyond most animals. 33

Elder

Elder are an ancient, long-lived race of what many consider to be superior beings or even demigods. All are tall, statuesque, and almost angelic in beauty, but otherwise resemble humans. They are a people not of one world, but of the cosmos. There are thousands of planets and dimensions that members of the Elder race call home, and they are a relatively common people over the vastness of all universes. The Elder that find themselves on Earth were pulled to the chaotic planet by dimensional disturbances through the Breaches like any other alien species. Because their race is so scattered across dimensional space, they find themselves all across the planet, pulled by any number of different Breaches linking to any number of different worlds. Some seem to have even journeyed to Earth of their own accord, to seek adventure, to spread peace and hope, or even to subjugate others. The Elder are adaptable and have little trouble using human or alien technology as required, but the advancement of their own sciences are beyond compare. As one of the more ancient known races, the technology of the Elder is advanced beyond the understanding of most mortals and borders on what many would consider to be magic. One example is the Lens, a powerful weapon wielded by many Elder that seems to lack a power source and be activated by the power of thought. Those that dedicate themselves to the study of Aether manipulation can become very powerful Epics, as the performance of Aether Feats seems blended with commonplace mechanical workings within Elder society. Despite their wide travels, Earth is a new world to the Elder, or so at least they first believed. Some of the world’s most ancient ruins suggest that Elder 34

visited the planet thousands of years before The Fall. The resemblance between the Elder and Earthlings is also unexplained and cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. For now, these are all mysteries, which many Elder have dedicated themselves to solving.

Description

Elder Attribute Dice: 14D Skill Dice: 8D Might: 1D+2/4D+2 Agility: 2D/5D Wit: 2D/5D Charm: 1D/4D Move: 16 Racial Perks: Attractive Racial Complications: None

Elder look identical to Earthlings, and vary similarly in traits like eye, hair, and skin color, though these ancient beings portray an almost idyllic version of humanity. They stand several inches taller than humans, on average, and are strikingly attractive, with lean, athletic physiques. Despite living incredibly long natural lives, Elder do not age beyond early adulthood, with the oldest appearing to be no more than 35 years old by human standards.

Also Known As

Ancients, Angels, Ascended, or Titans.

Lens

A Lens is a powerful weapon carried by many Elder. It appears to be a sort of amulet that is held outward in the palm. When aimed and activated by mental command, the target is struck by the sudden impact of an invisible force. The use of this weapon seems limited to the Elder.

Skill: Damage: Ammo: Range: Bonus:

Throw 4D+2 Unrestricted 10/50/150 feet (3/15/45 m) +3 to strike

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Grim

Many that have traveled the Civilized Lands will be be familiar with the phrase, “as dark as a Grim.” The subject of that popular saying, the race known as the Grim, are indeed dark in every way. The idiom refers to their legendarily black and humorless personalities every bit as much as their thick, smoke-colored skin. Grim travel the Civilized Lands just as any other people, making their way as best they can in a world that is not their own. Their cultural discipline and toughness make them natural soldiers and hunters of men, professions which only add to the perception that they all have dark souls. They can be found in other professions as well, be they scholars or merchants or even farmers, but few ever shake the reputation of being broody and sullen. Much of this perception has more to do with biology than personality. Grim of both genders speak in deep, gravelly voices. Their rigid, almost mask-like facial structure gives them hollow eyes and prevents facial movements such as smiling. Even when amused or pleased, the natural Grim reaction is a sort of low guttural growl instead of a laugh or a grin, which is such a foreign cue to most races that they totally misinterpret it as annoyance or anger. Any Grim’s chief concern in life is the perfection of whatever he or she pursues. Discipline and devotion are hallmarks of the life of a Grim. They view these traits as making them superior in many ways to most other races, though individual exceptions can be made to that judgement. The daily meditative practice of the art of wielding a Grim Blade is one outward sign of this dedication, though the weapon’s fearsome appearance does little to discount the race’s reputation as dark and pitiless. 36

Description

Grim are humanoid, with thick, muscular torsos that make their long arms and legs seem a bit skinny and sinewy by comparison. They have tough, bony hides of dark gray for females and lighter gray for males. Their natural armor gives their faces very little expression, as if wearing a thick leather skeletal mask. Behind that facade are deep-set black eyes under a tall brow. Males have a distinct ridge across their wide forehead, while the head of a female is topped with black, obsidian-like scales rather than hair. Ears are little more than holes behind a Grim’s prominent jawline.

Also Known As

Grim Attribute Dice: 12D+1 Skill Dice: 6D Might: 1D+2/4D+1 Agility: 1D+2/4D+1 Wit: 1D/3D+2 Charm: 1D/3D+1 Move: 15 Racial Perks: Signature Weapon Armor, Light Racial Complications: None

Blackhearts, Butchers, or Grayhides.

Grim Blade

The Grim Blade is a short sword, the traditional weapon of the Grim homeworld. Razor-sharp on one edge, with a large barbed hook on the other, it is a particularly violent weapon used more in the manner of a cleaver than of a traditional short sword, as well as using the hooked side to either disarm opponents or pull them in closer.

Skill: Sword Damage: +2D

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The Holy

The Holy are a pious race whose entire culture is centered around religious ritual and observance. They view themselves as benevolent reformers, but are often viewed by others as zealous oppressors. These deeply spiritual beings worship a trio of deities that they call the Great Sisters, who call their beloved children to bring true religion and order to all people from all worlds. They travel across space-time to spread the word of their goddesses. On the Earth of Breachworld, The Holy have been drawn to a place that they view as an interdimensional pulpit. They are not merely preaching to the Earthlings, but have a chance to reach thousands of different races, all in one place. To them, Breachworld is the ultimate land of opportunity, and they work diligently to make the most of it. The governing credo of the Holy, the Code of the Great Sisters, spells out with great clarity the three stages of their evangelical process. First, the Holy establish missions that provide food and shelter to those in need, in order to gather an initial following. Those that flock to these ecclesiastical communes are taught about the universe as viewed by the Great Sisters and their followers, who seek peace and justice by stamping out the unbelieving villains who would take all wealth and glory for themselves. This is followed by a message of warning to those who resist the peace of the Great Sisters, lest they find themselves on the outside, looking in on the enlightened. Finally, any remaining unbelievers are destroyed by the faithful as a message to others that peace comes 38

to those who embrace the true religion. Converts generally do see genuine advantages, as the pooled resources of a great number of adherents to the religion can be leveraged for the good of all. Likewise, a strong congregation is quite capable of doing serious harm to those who would stand against them; the most heavily armed and dangerous non-believers are usually allowed to travel their own path if they are resistant to conversion. The Holy tend not to engage in physical violence, themselves, but command their eager followers to take up arms on their behalf. If pushed, they are more than capable of using any and all available technology in defense of their faith.

The Holy Attribute Dice: 13D Skill Dice: 7D Might: 1D/3D+1 Agility: 1D+1/4D+2 Wit: 1D+1/4D+1 Charm: 2D/5D Move: 12 Racial Perks: Blessed Racial Complications: Personal Code

Description

The Holy have massive, barrel-shaped torsos, spindly arms, and a long neck with no obvious head at the end of it, but a single lidless eye. Their four short, thin legs are generally hidden by the long robes that they wear. Their skin is black, smooth, and cold like marble. Their voice emanates from somewhere within their large chests and they have no mouth, nose, or ears. They feed by drawing nutrient-laden gases or fluids through invisible pores in their hides.

Also Known As

Crusaders, Eye Priests, or Prophets.

Code ofthe Great Sisters Greet with warm compassion; they will embrace our generosity Revisit with stern warning; they will heed our genuine concern Annihilate with great prejudice; they will serve as example for others

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Machine Men

Not all alien beings are flesh and blood. One non-organic race is the Machine Men, intelligent robots from an entirely mechanical society. Millennia ago they were created by a mortal race that eventually expired, leaving their artificial progeny behind. The Machine Men continued to improve on their own designs until they truly became a new race unto themselves. Machine Men excel at mathematics and the sciences and are capable of learning virtually any skill, and have the clarity of memory of a vid recorder. Where they fall short is their lack of human emotion, ability for nonlinear thought, and creativity. Because of these shortcomings, many Machine Men, particularly those that find themselves on a world such as post-Fall Earth, dedicate themselves at least in part to the study of various aspects of the lessstructured elements of most societies. They seek a better understanding of their mortal creators and hope to learn more about their lives and motivations by living among biological beings. Largely because of their natural curiosity about biological life, Machine Men seek out the companionship of flesh-and-blood mortals far more than they do their own kin. They often take up with explorers and adventurers and wander the Civilized Lands in search of new experiences. Others use their extreme intelligence to become engineers, doctors, or scientists that seek to 40

unlock the mysteries of the Breaches, find cures for earthly or alien diseases, or simply improve life for those around them. Many discover that more mundane lives among common people teach them the most about humanity. Lacking a moral compass, many Machine Men find careers as bandits or mercenaries to be perfectly logical and acceptable in a harsh and unforgiving world and throw in with the darker side of society.

Description

Machine Men Attribute Dice: 12D+2 Skill Dice: 10D Might: 2D/4D Agility: 1D/4D Wit: 4D/6D Charm: 1D/3D Move: 15 Racial Perks: Recall Quick Study Racial Complications: Soulless

The appearance of Machine Men varies incredibly, but they always appear as mechanical beings; to seek to impersonate a human or other alien leads to being labeled as a subversive and generates distrust of the entire race. They typically maintain a bipedal humanoid form, but may appear masculine, feminine, or neuter, and may or may not wear clothing. The appearance of each is related to function and is unique to each individual. For example, those that self-design for combat may be bulkier with armor plating, while another self-designed to practice medicine may have thin hands with retractable medical instruments in its fingertips.

Also Known As

Metal Men, Robotos, or Tinmen.

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Morlocks

Morlocks are considered by many to be a type of mutant or subhuman, changed by generations of hiding in the dark tunnels and caves of the world in an effort to survive. Any biological relationship does little to create kinship with humanity, which by and large views Morlocks as dangerous savages. Whether they share common ancestors with Earthlings or came through a Breach hundreds of years ago, they are distinct from their human cousins in many ways. Morlocks have adapted to have extraordinary night vision and an infallible sense of direction, even underground. These both ideally suit a race that spends most of their lives in the dark places of the world. Further encouraging a life in the dark is the fact that their eyes are very sensitive to light. Thus, it is unusual to find a Morlock away from the protection of his or her often-subterranean dwelling during daylight hours. As different as Morlocks may be from humans biologically, it is the societal differences that really set the two apart. Morlocks do not seem to understand civilization or most technology, and while they may scrounge simple tools that they can put to use such as a knife, rope, shovel, or other similar gear, they do not seek it out. They even shun the use of fire due to their natural aversion to light, which means eating a steady diet of raw insects, fish, and vermin, or the occasional scavenged food scraps. Morlocks have little use for language beyond grunts and gestures, and none for reading or writing, though they possess the mental capacity to learn. Morlocks live in a brutal, tribal world of physical domination where the only law is survival of the fittest. The strongest and most ruthless, regardless of gender, dominate their way to the top of the mob. Chieftains get the best food, loot, and mates, but also become a target for 42

younger up-and-comers, making bloody mutinies and drastic shifts in power a frequent occurrence. Morlocks can be found throughout the subterranean ruins, tunnels, and caves of Breachworld, or on the surface at night, scavenging for food and basic supplies. Many mobs find good conditions and stay put for years at a time, while others migrate from place to place, either at random, or to favored grounds on a regular schedule.

Description

Morlocks Attribute Dice: 10D+2 Skill Dice: 4D Might: 2D/4D+2 Agility: 2D/4D+2 Wit: 1D/3D Charm: 1D/3D Move: 15 Racial Perks: Direction Sense Nightvision Racial Complications: Disabled (Light Blind) Primitive

Morlocks are generally shorter than humans, but broad-shouldered, compact, strong. Their skin is pale or even gray from a lack of exposure to sunlight. They have very little hair over their bodies, head, or face, and what is there is usually thin and patchy, giving them an unhealthy appearance. They have eyes about 50% larger than those of a human that take up a disproportionate amount of area on their flat, snub-nosed faces.

Also Known As

Goblin Men, Sub-Humans, or Underdwellers.

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Pathos

A major player in the Civilized Lands is the race known as the Pathos, a people with natural psychic abilities. All Pathos are natural empaths, able to sense the emotions of those around them. Those that choose to pursue the development of their abilities can become incredibly powerful Epics, particularly in matters related to abilities such as ESP and mind control. Because of the latter, Pathos are among the most feared aliens among xenophobic humans or other races. The reputation is not altogether undeserved, as many Pathos have become notable tyrants and despots through the use of their powers. In truth, however, the pursuits of all Pathos are as varied as any other race, with many heroes counted among their ranks. To Pathos, transparent emotions are a natural part of the social order. Thus, they tend to be very forward in their dealings with others and not spare feelings or mask their intentions. Pathos usually say what they mean and mean what they say. This results in seemingly extremely emotional personas and behavior that strikes many as obtuse or even vulgar, as members of this empathic race are not accustomed to hiding behind niceties or false fronts. Pathos are well known as valued advisors and counselors to various human or alien settlements, where their natural gifts give them the greatest advantage over non-empaths. There also exist a number of notable small towns and villages that they call home for themselves, where they try to approximate life as it was on their homeworld, a high-tech society that mirrored much about Earth’s Golden Age. 44

Description

Pathos have brightly-colored hair only down a thin strip on their large heads and down their spines to the middle of their backs, with no facial hair and very little over the rest of their bodies. Ridges from behind their ears and running down their jawline further distinguish them from humanity. Their appearance is near enough to the typical Earthling that they are often incorrectly classified as near-humans.

Also Known As

Brain Burners, Dominators, or Mohawks.

Pathos Empathy TN: Resist Roll Duration: Concentration Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: Epic skill, or Charm attribute

Pathos Attribute Dice: 12D Skill Dice: 6D Might: 1D/3D+1 Agility: 1D/3D+2 Wit: 2D/4D+1 Charm: 2D/5D Move: 15 Racial Perks: Pathos Empathy Racial Complications: None

A Pathos can sense the emotions of those in the immediate vicinity. The character gets a general sense of the mood of a group of people or animals within the radius, as well as the presence of any particularly strong or out of place feelings. A specific person or creature can be more specifically read, in which case the Pathos can more distinctly determine the target’s emotional state.

45

Reptilian Raiders

In Breachworld, even many primitive species have learned to thrive through adaptation and seizing opportunity where it can be found. Many denizens of Breachworld laden with state-ofthe-art gear have fallen prey to one such race, known as the Reptilian Raiders. These predators leverage what natural abilities and advantages they have into being one of the most notable, if fragmented, powers of the Civilized Lands. Reptilian Raiders come from a Bronze Age society, where they exist in clans as nomadic hunters and plunderers. When a Breach opened on their homeworld, drawing countless of their kind to Earth, these roaming barbarians continued this way of life to great success. Reptilian Raiders are a common sight along the ruins of old roads and highways, scavenging weapons, armor, and supplies from victims of their bushwhacking. Though incapable of building them on their own, Raiders love high-tech gadgets, especially weapons, and routinely use them in their attacks. In fact, they lack the skill to repair broken equipment or sometimes even to load an empty handgun, and so continually discard and replace gear through constant raiding. They always travel in packs, and the general rule is that for each Raider that you can see, two more are watching from somewhere in the wings, ready to pounce. Common attacks include simple roadside ambushes, setting pit traps, laying salvageable vehicles or equipment out as bait, or chasing prey into dead ends. They also regularly raid livestock and food stores from wilderness villages, the citizens of which have often learned just to cut losses and 46

not stand in the way of the scaly menace. It bears special mention that Reptilian Raiders are almost always in the company of the large, feline-like Breach creatures known as Trapcats. They use these beasts very effectively as swift-running and climbing mounts, or as attack animals. It is unknown whether the Trapcats originate from the Reptilian Raider homeworld, or if they have been found and domesticated by the Raiders after arriving on Earth. Either way, the two species seem to have an uncommon bond of spirit and cooperation to mutual benefit.

Description

Reptillian Raiders Attribute Dice: 12D Skill Dice: 6D Might: 2D/5D Agility: 2D/4D Wit: 1D/2D+1 Charm: 1D/3D Move: 14 Racial Perks: Natural Weapon, Light Racial Complications: Primitive Infamous

These aliens are aptly named, given their scaly green-brown skin, elongated lizardlike heads, and sharp teeth. They are usually seen wearing armor assembled from pieces collected from various battlefields, with several weapons slung about their person.

Also Known As

Cat-Riders or Lizard Men.

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River Folk

River Folk are an amphibious race that can be found living in and around many of the rivers, lakes, and marshes of the Civilized Lands. They are airbreathers, but are far more comfortable in the water than on land. Their slick skin and webbed hands and feet make them excellent swimmers, and they can hold their breath for extended periods. If exposed for any amount of time to extremely hot or dry conditions, these amphibious beings begin to suffer and, in extreme cases, die. On their homeworld, a massive freshwater archipelago spanning the globe, the River Folk enjoyed technology roughly equal to that of the Earth during the Golden Age, but suffer the same limitations as other high-tech races that must adapt to their new home in its current state. They make their way on Earth by farming muddy riverbanks and lakeshore, or growing crops of aquatic plants and flowers in the marshes and shallows. They make do with primitive implements where they must, but prefer to barter their always-abundant supply of fish and aquatic foodstuffs for more modern gear, particularly farming implements and weapons. Their homes are typically built on floating platforms or just on the water’s edge, or even half-submerged with the primary entrance accessible only from underwater. This makes them highly defensible positions in the case of attack by hostile forces. River Folk are not strangers to violence, themselves. The hard road of survival is often made easier by theft, raiding, or outright banditry, and so River Folk have been known to engage in organized campaigns against 48

their neighbors, regardless of race. These efforts may include sneaking into the camps of those who spend nights too close to bodies of water and stealthily making off with supplies, to violent attacks of travelers using boats or rafts to traverse rivers. Sometimes River Folk fall in with crews of bushwhackers or pirates who can make use of their aquatic skills. River Folk may also find temporary work as guides through watery areas, though they are not often found adventuring across the world. Weather and climate can vary too greatly in the Civilized Lands for most to feel comfortable wandering too far from the safety of the wet and damp of lakes, rivers, and marshes.

Description

River Folk Attribute Dice: 11D+1 Skill Dice: 6D Might: 1D/3D Agility: 1D/3D Wit: 1D/4D Charm: 2D+1/4D+2 Move: 15 Racial Perks: Swimmer, Major Racial Complications: Environmental Weakness

These semi-aquatic beings have sagegreen skin flecked with yellow, red, and blue. Their smooth bodies are without hair, but do have small vestigial fins. Their eyes are deep-set and yellow. They have a “nose” on top of their heads, large ears that extend from their necks, and a wide mouth full of jagged teeth. They have long toes with webbed feet, plus webbing between their long fingers. The difference between the genders of this egg-laying species is hard to distinguish, and those that find themselves in the company of other races often struggle to learn modesty on par with humans, but do so in an effort not to stand out.

Also Known As

Lakesiders, Marsh People, or Mermen.

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Tusks

The Breaches have brought to Earth few more physically impressive beings than the Tusks. These hulking aliens, despite being rare in the Civilized Lands, are well known as elite bodyguards, hired muscle, mercenaries, and heavy laborers. They are commonly said to be the strongest humanoids ever discovered, and there is little that can be done to refute it. The sight of a Tusk wielding a squadoperated machine gun as if it had the weight of the average combat rifle, or tearing trees up by the roots, is proof enough for most. They are further renowned for their ability to shrug off a blade, bullet, or even projected energy beam as if it was nothing, thanks to their bony natural armor and unique body chemistry. It is easy for a Tusk to find work as muscle of one form or another, but they are also underrated leaders, tacticians, and mechanics with an intellect on par with most races. The Tusks found in the Civilized Lands are all the descendents of those that came to Earth through a Breach somewhere else in North America, generations ago. Therefore, none of the Tusks regularly encountered have any knowledge of their homeworld beyond what oral tradition has been handed down, and lack even memory of a native tongue, instead conversing in English, Spanish, and a smattering of other regional Earth languages. They tell tales of a homeworld that is deific in scale, where they were among the smallest and weakest of races, little more than vermin to vastly more powerful beings. This may mean that, unlike most aliens who have been pulled to Earth through disastrous or accidental phenomenon, these brutes may ori50

ginally have been willing immigrants to escape a far worse situation than the trials that Earth offers. Where the Breach that Tusks provides a bridge to Earth is located, and Attribute Dice: 12D if it continues to bring in refugees from Skill Dice: 6D the Tusks’ home dimension, nobody knows. Might: 3D/6D These monstrous aliens are often Agility: 1D/3D+1 isolated by their incredibly frightful apWit: 1D/3D+2 pearance and reputation as powerful warCharm: 1D/2D+1 riors. Resistance kill squads are a Move: 14 particular menace, actively hunting and terminating with great prejudice any Racial Perks: Tusks that come to their attention. Most Armor, Heavy other beings, human and alien alike, steer Unstunnable clear of the brutes when they cross paths on the road or at a trading post, and are Racial Complications: quick to defer to them if there should Enemies arise some disagreement. Tusks are understandably hesitant to trust others. They keep fellowship with one or two of their own race, if possible, but their thin numbers and knack for meeting violent ends makes this difficult. When they do befriend others, the bonds that they form are incredibly strong. Tusks are fiercely loyal to those that they choose as their comrades.

Description

Tusks are tall, averaging nearly seven feet (2.1 m), and weigh in at well over 300 pounds (140 kg), usually approaching 400 (180 kg). Their bodies are covered in gray bony plates that act as natural armor over steel blue skin that can be seen peeking from beneath. They get their name from the two tusks that extend from the lower jaw and are often banded with metal rings or carved with ornamental designs.

Also Known As Brutes or Tanks.

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1.3

Skills

Below are short descriptions for the base skills used in this RPG. This list is not exhaustive, but covers in broad strokes the most common skills practiced by the characters of Breachworld. If players or Game Masters wish to add skills to the list, simply assign the new skill to the most logical attribute and move forward. Also included with each skill are some examples of possible specializations for your consideration. Remember, specializations are not normally available for combat skills or Advanced Class skills such as Epic.

Might Skills

Might skills are those that deal with physical combat and acts of strength or endurance. Axe. The combat skill to wield arms with any type of axe, such as a battle axe, hatchet, or pickaxe. Blunt. The combat skill to fight with a mace, club, bat, staff, or other such blunt object. Brawl. The combat skill to fight unarmed. Knife. The combat skill to wield any type of knife as a melee weapon. Lift. The ability to move, lift, and carry heavy items. Generally does not include specializations, but may be included at Game Master discretion. Example specializations: Lift, Carry, Push. Pole-Arm. The combat skill used to wield any weapon mounted on a pole, such as a halberd, pike, spear, or naginata.

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Stamina. The skill checked when enduring a physical test such as running, swimming, or fighting for an extended period, or resisting physical conditions such as poison, sickness, or pain. Example specializations: Combat, Running, Swimming, Riding, Poison, Pain. Sword. The combat skill to wield any type of sword in combat, such as a rapier, katana, broadsword, or gladius.

Agility Skills

Agility skills are those that deal with coordination, grace, dexterity, balance, and ranged combat. Athletics. The skill checked when attempting any type of feat of balance, agility, or grace such as climbing a wall, swinging from a chandelier, running a footrace, or performing gymnastics. Example specializations: Acrobatics, Climb, Run, Cycle. Bow. This combat skill is used to operate any type of bow weapon such as a crossbow, hunting bow, or compound bow. Dodge. This combat skill is checked when attempting to evade an attack. It is also the basis for the static combat statistic of the same name as detailed in the Game Mechanics section. Drive. The skill used to operate all systems of a ground or water vehicle such as a moving truck, personnel carrier, watercraft, or motorcycle. Example specializations: All-Terrain Vehicle, Hydrofoil, Tank. Gunnery. The combat skill used to operate any type of weapon mounted on a vehicle, mech, or fortification such as a main battle cannon, fixed machine gun, or missile launcher, or any indirect fire weapon such as a mortar, catapult, or field artillery. Handgun. This combat skill is used to wield any type of one-handed firearm, such as a revolver, blunderbuss, semi-automatic pistol, energy pistol, or sub-machinegun. Pilot. This skill is used to operate vehicles that achieve true flight, such as an airplane, helicopter, or space fighter. Example specializations: Passenger Jet, Glider, Helicopter, Starfighter. Rifle. This combat skill is used to operate any type of two-handed firearm, such as a musket, shotgun, assault rifle, bolt-action rifle, energy rifle, or squad automatic weapon. 53

Sleight of Hand. This skill is checked when attempting to perform acts of deception, a light touch, or “sticky fingers,” be it concealing a card up your sleeve, dropping a datacard into someone’s pocket, or pulling a coin from behind someone’s ear. Example specializations: Pick Pocket, Palming, Card Tricks, Switch. Stealth. This skill is checked when attempting to go unseen by others; often used as an opposing roll to the Search skill. Example specializations: Tail, Sneak, Camouflage, Hide. Throw. The combat skill used to throw or toss objects with precision, including knives, rocks, baseballs, and grenades.

Game Design Note: Weapon Skills

There are a limited number of weapon-based combat skills, each covering a broad range of implements. Many types of weapons may fall into gray areas between combat skills. Is a spiked war hammer an axe or a bludgeon? Should that alien plasma ejector use Rifle or Gunnery? As the GM, be reasonable and flexible, and always do your best to facilitate fun in your game rather than getting caught up in rules. You can always choose to lump all hand weapons into a Melee Weapons skill and all guns into a Ranged Weapons skill if separating them out is too cumbersome, or add combat skills to the list if you want to break something out.

Wit Skills

Wit skills deal with raw intelligence, academics, learned abilities, and intuition. Wit is also the basis for the Epic skill, which is used to perform Aether Feats. Aliens. The understanding of alien cultures and biology, or the ability to discern things about aliens with study. Example specializations: any specific alien race. Breach Science. The knowledge and skill to comprehend the phenomenon behind a Breach and the ability to use Breach-related technology such as a Breach Closure Device (BCD). Example specializations: Dimensional Theory, Gate Tech, BCD Ops. Computer. The skill to operate, manipulate, modify, and otherwise work with computers. Example specializations: Programming, Hacking, Data Recovery, Networking. 54

Craft. The skill used to create relatively simple objects, from armor to tuxedo jackets to handguns to works of art. Quality is determined by the attempted difficulty of an item to be crafted, subject to the GM’s approval. Advanced, alien, and complex construction are not included. Example specializations: Clothing, Tools, Firearms, Leatherwork, Sculpture, Carpentry.

Game Design Note: Repair and Craft Skills

Repair and Craft are very broad skills. It makes sense that just because someone knows how to fix a combustion engine that they would not necessarily be able to rewire a circuit board, or just because someone can weave cloth they don’t have the same skill at forging armor. In this RPG, Repair and Craft are written to combine all disciplines of making things or fixing things into just those couple of areas of knowledge. It makes it simple and easy. However, if building or fixing things are going to be major parts of the game, GMs should feel free to break these catch-all skills into several categories and force players to focus their characters.

Epic. The skill used to perform Aether Feats. Available only under special conditions as outlined in Step 3 of the character creation process. Use of the skill is detailed in Chapter 2.2. History. The study and understanding of the history of Earth and humanity. Example specializations: specific time periods (post-Fall, Golden Age, Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, etc.), particular human cultures, specific areas of study (religion, warfare, education, etc.). Language. The skill checked when attempting to speak, comprehend, write, or read a foreign or alien language. Example specializations: any specific alien or human language. Medicine. The skill checked when attempting to heal someone of injury, illness, or other malady. Example specializations: Emergency Medicine, Poisons, Holistic Medicine, Neurology, Infant Care, Veterinary Medicine. Navigate. The skill checked when attempting to determine a position, plot a course, or make a map. Example specializations: Star Navigation, Cartography, Surveying. 55

Pick Locks. The skill checked when attempting to bypass a lock or security system. Example specializations: Deadbolt, Keypad, Biometric, Safe, Vehicle. Repair. The skill checked when attempting to fix something, usually from damage in the course of combat or adventure. Example specializations: Armor Repair, Vehicle Repair, Computer Repair, Firearms Repair, E-Weapon Repair. Search. Finding hidden or lost items or people, eavesdropping, investigating a scene for evidence, or otherwise trying to discover anything hidden or that might not be immediately perceived; often used as an opposing roll to the Stealth skill. Example specializations: Listen, Find Trap, Fingerprinting, Frisking. Science. Knowledge of the natural world and its principles. Example specializations: Botany, Astronomy, Particle Physics, Electromagnetism, Kinetics. Survive. Skill in staying alive, or even thriving in harsh conditions. Example specializations: Desert, Jungle, Urban, Coastal, Subterranean. Track. The skill of being able to follow in the path of someone or something that has gone before by reading the signs of passage. Also includes skill at covering your own tracks so as not to be easily followed.

Example specializations: a particular type

of mark (humans, Machine Men, animals, vehicles, etc.), or a particular type of terrain (desert, forest, jungle, etc.).

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Charm Skills

Charm skills are those that involve interpersonal relationships, influence, deception, or authority. Command. The skill checked to operate many large, crewed vehicles or platforms (large ships, mecha, fortifications, etc.) as well as the check to combine fire within a battery or volley of weapons. Example specializations: a particular class/model of vehicle or platform such as a Solar-Class Spaceship, Battleship, castle battery, or X200 Mecha. Courage. The skill used to check a character’s ability to perform through fear. Example specializations: Overcoming fear resulting in a specific thing such as Aliens, Shell Shock, Monsters, or Paranormal. Diplomacy. Knowledge of strategies to get two parties to work together, particularly when they are not especially inclined to do so. Example specializations: Intimidation, Bureaucracy, Gamesmanship, Coercion. Persuade. Ability to influence another person into a desired stance, action, or state of mind. Example specializations: Con, Intimidate, Haggle, Bluff, Bribe. Ride. The skill checked when attempting to ride a horse or other animal. Example specializations: Horse, Camel, Elephant, Trapcat, or any of a variety of alien beasts. Seduce. Deliberately drawing the amorous attention of another person through deception and/or manipulation. Example specializations: any particular type of “mark” (older men, younger women, soldiers, the wealthy, etc.). Streetwise. Knowledge in how to get information, narcotics, weapons, equipment, supplies, and more or less anything else that can be purchased “under the table” and without the knowledge of the authorities. Example specializations: a particular commodity (information, drugs, guns, vehicles, etc.) or a specific city/region. 57

1.4

Perks

The following is a full accounting of the Perks available to player characters, including descriptions. As discussed in the Character Creation section, Perks may be gained by spending skill dice, or may be included as part of a Player Race template. Some equipment may also provide conditional access to certain perks. The Game Master may allow for additional Perks not included below at his or her discretion. Armor, Light (1). Thanks to some sort of natural protection, such as a thick hide or minor bone plating, you add +3 to your Soak total. Armor, Heavy (2). Thanks to some sort of natural protection, such as an extremely tough hide or heavy bone plating, you add +6 to your Soak total. Attractive (1). Others find you pleasing to look at. This can help reduce suspicions or distract others depending on the given situation. Once per session you may double the result of one roll for any action related to your appearance. Examples include seduction, a subtle bluff or simply distracting guards. Blessed (2). Once per session you may declare the opportunity for divine intervention, either increasing the difficulty of another’s skill check by one level or reducing your own difficulty by one level. Climbing (2). Be it due to your physical makeup or superior training, you are an expert climber and automatically get the specialization of Climbing; do not spend additional skill dice on Climbing at character creation. In addition, thanks to your incredible skill, if you fail a skill check when climbing, you get an automatic re-roll to regain your stability. Daredevil (2). Once per session you may throw caution to the wind taking extremely reckless action that may result in your own death. Your Dodge, Block, and Parry are reduced by half, however all Might rolls are doubled when resisting damage for one round. 58

Destiny (2). Characters with Destiny feel they are fated to some grand purpose. Once per game session you may declare a failed roll is not part of your destiny and immediately re-roll to get a different result. Direction Sense (1). You always know which direction you have come from and can always retrace your steps. Even if you are unable to see, you never get “turned around” in the dark. You can always determine by instinct in which direction is a significant, known landmark. Eagle Eye (1). You receive a +1D bonus to strike a target when at medium or long-range. This is limited to weapons designed to be used at such a distance. Extra Sense (1). You can detect something that humans cannot, be it radiation, seismic activity, Breach activity, or just about anything else. You receive a +1D bonus to skills such as Search if it involves this particular sense.

Game Design Note: Perk Purchase Cost

Feel like the price is too high or too low for any of these perks? Feel free to adjust each one as you see fit. You can also raise or lower the costs across the board to either discourage or encourage players to include Perks in their characters.

Famous (1). You are very well-known in a positive light. You get +2D to all Persuade checks when “turning on the charm” with someone who knows who you are. Fast Draw (2). When determining initiative using a handgun, energy pistol, or similar weapon, you may use the Handgun skill instead of Agility to make the check. Favors (1). People owe you. Once per session you can call in one of those debts. This can take the form of information, a temporary use of equipment (borrowing a truck, plow, shotgun, etc.), a place to hide someone or something for a brief time, or any similar favor. Fearless (2). You do not experience fear, or if you do, it does not affect you. This could be for biological, chemical, or even paranormal reasons. Hardiness (1). You can really take a beating and stay standing. If Incapacitated, you automatically make your Stamina roll to stay conscious, but normal penalties apply. 59

Healing, Lesser (1). You heal far more easily than most. You receive a +3 bonus on all Might checks to heal. Healing, Greater (2). In addition to the benefits of Lesser Healing, once per session, you may will your body into rapidly healing itself by one wound level. This effort requires one round of concentration. Keen Sense (1). One of your normal senses is incredibly enhanced. Receive a bonus of +2D to any skill check where you can levy your keen sense to your advantage. Loot (1). You start with a little something extra in your pocket. You have some genuine pre-Fall goods that you have inherited or salvaged that are worth quite a bit in the right trade. You can cash this in with the GM when you really want or need something that you otherwise can’t afford, or maybe a few small somethings. Lucky (2). Once per session you may declare you are feeling lucky. Double the result of your next roll. Natural Weapon, Light (1). Add +3 to Brawl checks to attack using this natural weapon (teeth, claws, tentacles, etc.) and +3 to Might checks to determine Brawl damage with that weapon. Natural Weapon, Heavy (2). Add +3 to Brawl checks to attack using this natural weapon (teeth, claws, tentacles, etc.) and +6 to Might checks to determine Brawl damage with that weapon. Nightvision (1). Your vision is unhindered in the dark. Patron (2). You are supported financially by a wealthy party. No more than once per session, you may contact your patron and attempt to draw on his resources, be that repair services, lodging, supplies, a new rifle, or covering a reasonable expense. It’s a good deal, but comes with a cost, as the patron can always ask you to do something in return, and refusal may get you cut off. 60

Perceptive (2). The GM may reveal small clues to you that others would miss. Once per session, you may announce that you are carefully studying an object or situation and the GM may reveal something to you that would be impossible for a normal character to determine. If nothing is revealed, this Perk may be used again. Prehensile Limb (1). You have an extra limb, such as a tail or tentacle, that is less articulated than a full and true hand, but is capable of manipulating simple objects. This limb may make a simple action during the round without incurring the normal -1D penalty for multiple actions. Quick Study (1). You catch on more quickly than most, and so it’s easier for you to learn new skills or advance the skills you have. Wit skills require one fewer CP than normal to advance. For example, if you have 4D in Language, you must only spend 3 CPs to advance to 4D+1. Recall (1). Any time you choose to recall anything you have experienced, the GM must tell him you the truth in as much detail as you would have been aware. Reflexes (2). You are incredibly quick to react in combat. Add +3 to rolls to determine initiative. Resistance (1). You are resistant to a particular type of damage. This could be fire/heat, cold, radiation, disease, bludgeons, blades, bullets, lasers, stunners, or virtually any other type of damage. Add +6 to Soak that specific type of damage. Sidekick (3). You have a boon companion willing to join in your adventures. This character only gets 10D to spend on attributes and 4D to spend on starting skills. The sidekick normally only receives 1 to 3 CP per session, but never as many as his or her fearless leader. Signature Weapon (2). You have a particular weapon that you are specifically trained to use to great effect. This is not a broad class of weapon, like swords or handguns, or even somewhat specific, such as short swords or revolvers. Your signature is a specific type, even down to the model, such as a Roman gladius or a Colt Python .357 Magnum. This effectively grants a specialization in the combat skill relative to the weapon in question. Add +3D to the specialization and advance using the normal specialization rules. Special Breathing (1). You can breathe somewhere that most cannot, or breathe using a substance other than oxygen. This could be breathing underwater, in a methane environment, or other atmosphere. Alternately, you may simply be able to hold your breath for up to an hour without ill effect. 61

Swimmer, Minor (1). Be it due to your physical makeup or superior training, your base Move in the water is twice normal (e.g. 30 feet instead of 15 for humans) and automatically get the specialization of Swimming in the Athletics skill; do not spend additional skill dice on Swimming at character creation. You can also hold your breath for twice as long as normal. Swimmer, Major (2). In addition to the bonuses gained in the Minor Swimming Perk, you are physically superior when in the water. Add +2D to all Might and Agility attribute and skill checks when swimming. Unstunnable (2). You cannot be Stunned or Dazed, and first take the effects of damage at the first Wounded level. If hit with a weapon that deals only stun damage, it has no effect; no Might roll required.

Epic Perks

In addition to any of the Perks listed above, any character that is an Epic may also purchase any of the following Epic Perks, which modify how he or she learns or performs Aether Feats. Generally a character may only have one Epic Perk, unless sanctioned otherwise by the Game Master. Astrological Power (1). You have particular power when operating under a specific set of astrological conditions, be that in daylight, moonlight, in a certain lunar stage, or under a particular astrological sign. During this time, you get a +2D bonus to the Epic skill. Familiar (1). You have a small, intelligent alien creature for a companion that is somehow linked to you through the Aether. The familiar can fly at a rate of 60 feet (18 m) each turn, can speak your language (or perhaps communicate telepathically), and has 5D to distribute between attributes. It also has 3D in skills. It cannot take any Perks or Complications, or perform any Aether Feats. Mentor (1). When in need of help, you have a trusted teacher to whom you may go for instruction. This mentor is not simply available at your whim, but may be called upon from time to time for assistance. This teacher may also give you tasks to perform as part of the lesson, though these will almost always be to your benefit in the end. When studying with the mentor, new Feats cost only 3 CP to learn instead of 4. Sanctus Sanctorum (1). You have a particular place where your Feats are particularly effective. This is usually a sacred, hidden place that is not generally shared with the outside world. Within this special location, you see the TN of all Feats reduced by 5. Personal study is also far more productive, so learning new Feats costs only 3 CP instead of 4. 62

Specialist (1). You are gifted in a particular type of Feat. This could be one of the categories provided in the Feat descriptions, or a different subset as agreed upon with the GM. Receive a +2D bonus to the Epic skill when using Feats from your area of particular expertise, and all new Feats within that category cost only 3 CP instead of the typical  4. Spirit Guide (1). You have a spiritual advisor that speaks to you in your dreams or visions. This spirit, which can manifest in any number of ways, will likely have a somewhat alien perspective on matters, and certainly won’t always just tell you everything it knows. Spirit Guides employ riddles, puzzles, and enjoy sending you and your comrades off on elaborate quests, but they also have insight and know things that mortals were never meant to know.

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1.5 Complications As discussed in the Character Creation section, when first making a character, a player may opt to include as many as two Complications. Complications may also be a part of the selected Player Race template. Every time a Complication causes some difficulty or challenge to the player character during the course of play, the character earns one CP. A character may earn only one CP per Complication per session. Most Complication descriptions are pretty broad, but be specific and unique when selecting one for your character. You’ll get the most out of it if your character’s Complication doesn’t come up every session and if it is truly a great inconvenience. Age. You’re either very old or very young. In addition to all the social issues caused by your age, the GM might choose to impose a penalty to an action based on your character’s age. Grandpa throws a hip, a weird dude offers you candy on the street, and it’s hard for either of you to seduce the supermodel at the bar. Whenever your age causes you great difficulty, receive one CP. Allergy. You become debilitated when you come into contact with some relatively common substance, such as garlic, sunlight, milk, strawberries, or virtually anything else. Earn a CP when your allergy flairs up to the serious detriment of you and your friends. Make a Moderate Stamina check for every minute exposed, taking wounds as per normal damage with failure. Removing the source of the trauma allows you to begin healing as normal. Crazy. You have issues that are guaranteed to put your therapist's kids through college. Could be you’re just really paranoid, or maybe just a touch too OCD. That fear of most everything could also be a problem. Then again maybe you really are Napoleon and everyone else is wrong, but good luck convincing anyone else since you’re a lunatic. Take your pills and earn one CP any time your psychosis really gets in the way. 64

Debt. You are enormously in debt to someone with the means to make you regret it. Someone may have saved your life or granted you some huge favor, and is now entitled to restitution. Earn a CP whenever your debt complicates your life, or the lives of your friends. Diet. You have very specific dietary requirements that are far out of the ordinary. Whether it is only being able to drink blood or consume live rats or eat ice cubes, you earn a CP whenever you are seriously impaired due to a lack of suitable food. After two days without food, you must make a Stamina check against starvation, starting with Very Easy and moving up one step every day thereafter. The degree of failure determines the resulting wound level and will eventually kill you. Disabled. You have some tragic, permanent malady. It may be terrible eyesight, hardness of hearing, a muscular disease, a missing limb, or any of a number of ailments. In addition to any penalties that your disability may cause (as per the GM), earn a CP whenever your disability causes you or your friends particular difficulty. Doomed. You are going to die well before your time, and exhibit symptoms. Whether it is cancer, a curse, flesh-eating alien bacteria, or a bomb implanted in your brain, you know that you could expire at any minute. Earn a CP whenever the GM tells you that you are exhibiting significant warning signs, or when your impending doom pushes you to rash, impulsive, or dangerous decisions. Enemies. Someone doesn’t like you at all, and is a credible threat. Maybe they have more friends than you, or maybe they’re just bigger and meaner. Either way, you have your own personal bully. You earn the bonus CP when they complicate your life. Fearsome Visage. Other people are less likely to trust or confide in you, thanks to your gruesome or frightening appearance. Earn a CP whenever your grizzly facade causes someone to keep you at arm’s length. When dealing with normal-looking people face to face, you suffer -1D on any and all skills and situations that rely on charm or trust. Gremlins. You have a special touch. Specifically the kind that breaks machines. You’re no good with engines, electronics, magical gizmos, or any other trinket. If it’s a device, you can’t trust it. Earn one CP whenever the GM takes his one free shot on you this way. Hazardous Environment. A specific type of environment that is normally tolerable to most is incredibly harmful to you. This could be hot or cold environments, a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, high levels of humidity, or virtually any other variable. Receive a CP whenever your inability to cope with such an environment substantially affects you. Exposure to the 65

hazardous environment immediately takes your status to Dazed, with normal penalties. For each hour after the first, you must make a Stamina check to continue to endure the conditions. The second hour begins at Very Easy, and increases by one degree every hour thereafter. The degree of failure determines the resulting wound level and will eventually kill you. Illiterate. You cannot read more than a few common words, and cannot write. This is not so limiting in the wild, but is a big negative if trying to learn more advanced skills. Earn one bonus CP every time your inability to read negatively impacts you or your allies. Many skills may be impossible to learn, and the GM may double the number of CPs required to advance in some skills at his or her discretion. Infamous. You are famous for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps you are a known killer or a notoriously crooked lawman, or an athlete that famously botched the big game. Earn a CP whenever your infamy causes you great difficulty. Marked. You have a distinctive tattoo on your hand, scar on your face, barcode across your forehead, or some other specific mark that makes you stand out in a negative way. It may be a sign that you are in a gang, are a member of a particular tribe or clan, or spent time behind bars, but in any case it draws unwanted attention. You are awarded a CP whenever your mark gets you noticed by the wrong people. Pariah. You carry a significant social stigma of some kind that makes people want to keep you at arm’s length. Receive a CP whenever your character is forced to endure mockery, denial of service, or is otherwise severely inconvenienced or harmed by this stigma. Personal Code. You live by a creed and you will not cross that line. Maybe you won’t fight an unarmed opponent and always make sure they know it's coming, or maybe you never tell a lie. No matter how you define it, your code has to mean something. Some caped crusaders won’t kill, paladins won’t resort to deception, and sometimes there is even honor among thieves. Earn one CP whenever your code complicates your or your friends’ success. Primitive. Your understanding of the way the world works is decidedly behind the times. Modern technology is a mystery for you, and you are stuck in a pre-industrial type of mindset. Earn a CP when your lack of understanding about the modern world causes you serious problems. Add +5 to the TN any time you attempt to use a “high tech” skill such as Drive, Handgun, Science, or Repair. 66

Skeletons in the Closet. You have secrets that you have worked hard to keep buried, and if they came to light could spell big problems for you. These might include a violent history, a sordid affair, a past with a rival organization, or anything else that might sully your good name. You earn the bonus CP whenever your past comes back to haunt you. Unlucky in Love. Things just don’t work out for some people. Your love interest is always dying, being kidnapped, betraying you, or dumping you in favor of a new fling. You earn a bonus CP when your love life falls apart in a meaningful way. Unlucky in Money. You have a hard time holding on to money. You earn a bonus CP when you lose a significant amount of cash through your own foolishness or bad luck and have nothing to show for it. Soulless. You do not experience genuine emotions, be it love, hate, envy, joy, or any other “feeling.” Earn a CP if your stoicism serves as a stumbling block in your interaction with others.

Epic Complications

Epics may take Complications from the following list, which inhibit the character’s ability to learn or perform Aether Feats. Astrological Flaw. It is your sincere belief that various stages of the moon, sun, and/or stars affect your Epic powers. This could be ill effects from sunlight, moonlight, or even certain lunar cycles or times of the astrological year. Add +5 to all TN when attempting Feats under an ill sign, and earn a bonus CP if it should come back to bite you or your party. Crutch. You have a mental crutch that you must use in order to properly use Feats. These could be things like “magic words,” elaborate hand motions, the use of a wand or staff, eating a special food, or the wearing of a particular piece of jewelry or clothing. Whatever it is, you cannot manage use of the Epic skill without it. Earn an extra CP every time this hindrance costs you or your allies. Demonic Pact. You have chosen to ally yourself with a Breach Demon in exchange for instruction or assistance in arcane matters, or else a highly alien master of the paranormal that is aggressive toward civilized society. Whoever is the source of your supernatural knowledge, it is a being that inspires fear and dread in the denizens of Breachworld, making you highly suspect by association. You earn bonus CP any time this complicates your life. 67

Dogma. You must follow a highly specific and unbendable set of rules in order to maintain your ability to use Aether Feats. Whether the source of these rules is religious teaching or a code of honor, any violation will prevent you from performing any Feat until specific cleansing rites are observed or penance is paid. Receive 1 bonus CP whenever your actions are restricted to your detriment. Narrow Focus. Your have a mental, psychological, or even theological block against all types of Feats except for a very limited range. This could mean that only one (or two) of the given categories of Feats are possible for your use, that you can use only Feats with a Range of Touch, or that you are otherwise limited to some other small subset of Aether abilities. However restricted, these limitations may never be broken. Earn 1 bonus CP every session. White Wizard. You can’t harm anyone with your Feats, ever. Earn 1 bonus CP every session.

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1.6

Gear

No RPG would be complete without a broad selection of weapons, armor, and equipment for characters to choose from. Gear in the Breachworld RPG is as varied as the setting, spanning from the archaic to the fantastic. Descriptions of a broad cross-section are available, below. Stats are given for weapons in good repair, of good quality. Decrease a weapon’s die rating by a pip or two if damaged or if poorly crafted. In exceptional cases, where the item is in perfect condition and created by a true master, weapons may do as much as an extra pip of damage, receive a small bonus to strike, or have a longer effective range. Some gear may provide Perks to players under certain conditions. Any such modifiers will be listed explicitly in the equipment description (e.g. a rifle scope may offer the Perk of Eagle Eye when used).

Starting Gear

Don’t forget that player characters start with some equipment. Players select one piece of gear for every skill into which they put build dice at the time of character creation, plus some personal items. GMs get the last say in what is or is not allowed as starting equipment.

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Equipment Prices

The precise costs associated with acquiring any given piece of equipment varies greatly from one merchant to the next, or even from one day to the next, depending on supply, demand, and the quality of the item in question. Prices of weapons, equipment, armor, and vehicles of good quality are given in a general manner, according to the following guidelines. Items of poor quality may cost less, while those of superior quality will definitely cost more. $ Trivial cost. $$ Affordable to most. $$$ Affordable to very wealthy or powerful individuals. $$$$ Only the richest individuals, most governments. $$$$$ Only large governments and organizations can purchase. $$$$$$ The most valuable Golden Age or alien items on Earth.

Weapons

The weaponry available on post-Fall Earth is incredibly varied. Most common are melee weapons, fashioned in recent years for hunting, raiding, and self-defense. Firearms may be genuine recovered Golden Age weapons, copies of old relics, cobbled-together pieces of salvage, alien designs, or freshly forged. Firearm ammunition is usually hand-loaded by experts who have rediscovered the art. Tech weapons such as laser rifles, ion pistols, and varieties of Slugthrowers (ST) are rarely newly-created, but are salvaged and rebuilt from historic caches, or are alien weapons that have found their way to Earth.

+0D Scale Melee Weapons ($-$$) Weapon Weapon Damage Rapier Battle Axe +3D Staff Club +1D+1 Spear Hatchet +1D+1 Sword Halberd +3D Sword, 2h Knife +1D Warhammer Mace +1D+1 71

Damage +2D +1D+2 +2D +2D+2 +3D+1 +3D

+0D Scale Ranged Weapons ($-$$) Weapon Damage Ammo Range (s/m/l) Bow +2D+2 --30/100/300 feet 9/30/90 m Crossbow 4D+1 --50/150/400 feet 15/45/120 m Throwing Knife +1D --5/15/25 feet 2/5/8 m Spear +2D --20/50/100 feet 6/15/30 m +0D Scale Firearms ($$-$$$) Pistol 4D 8 - 16

Submachine Gun* 3D+2

12 - 30

Rifle

5D+1

5-6

Shotgun

5D+1

2-5

30/65/100 feet 9/20/30 m 65/130/200 feet 20/40/60 m 65/200/400 feet 20/60/120 m 65/130/200 feet 20/40/60 m

+0D Scale Tech Weapons ($$$-$$$$) Ion Pistol 4D+1 stun 20 25/50/100 feet 8/15/30 m Ion Rifle 5D+2 stun 30 50/130/330 feet 15/40/100 m Laser Rifle 4D+2 15 100/820/3300 feet 30/250/1000 m Demonkin Rifle 6D^ or 25 100/500/1000 feet 6D^ stun 30/150/300 m 72

+0D Slugthrower Weapons ($$$-$$$$) Weapon Damage Ammo Range (s/m/l) ST Pistol 5D 20 40/150/300 feet 12/45/90 m ST Combat Rifle 6D 30 110/400/750 feet 35/120/230 m ST Sniper Rifle 7D 15 50/600/1200 feet 15/180/370 m +0D Explosives ($$-$$$$) Dynamite 5D

---

Frag Grenade

---

6D

+2D Scale Firearms ($$$-$$$$$) Machine Gun* 6D 250

15/30/50 feet 5/9/15 m Radius 30 feet/10 m 15/40/100 feet 5/12/30 m Radius 50 feet/16 m 330/1600/3300 feet 100/500/1000 m

+2D Scale Tech Weapons ($$$$-$$$$$$) Plasma Ejector 7D 10 100/400/700 feet 30/120/210 m Accel Cannon 8D 5 100/1200/2000 feet 30/370/610 m *This weapon may fire "Full Auto" which reduces the shooter's TN by -6 and increases damage by 2D, but expends more ammunition. Ammo use varies by weapon and model but can be assumed as 6 rounds for a Submachine Gun or 10 rounds for a Machine Gun. ^This weapon does only half damage if recharged by a terrestrial power source. 73

The specific weapon models shown are fairly representative of the types of weapons available in much of Breachworld. Other models exist that may be a little different aesthetically, but carry roughly the same stats. Still others may see improved or lesser damage, or variations in the effective ranges. Higher quality weapons will always go for more in trade than inferior ones. Melee weapons provide a damage rating that is added to a character’s Might dice. Ranged weapons list ranges in a short/medium/long format for the purposes of determining the appropriate TN to hit, as well as a straight damage roll in most cases; do not add an attribute score to the damage rating of modern weapons. Some weapons list a standard die code, followed by “stun.” These weapons do nonlethal damage only, in accordance with the stun rules as found in Chapter 2.1.

Armor

Body Armor is a part of everyday life for adventurers, mercenaries, soldiers, and even explorers, merchants, and scavengers. Even simple farmers or fishermen are likely to own some very limited sort of armor to protect themselves when trying to fight off raiders or Breach creatures. Earth is a dangerous place, even in bands of so-called civilization. Varieties of armor may be homemade, salvaged, or made new in factories. Padded Armor. Simple layers of clothing and thick padding with vulnerable areas wrapped in additional bands of cloth and leather. Armor Value: +1. Cost: $. Reinforced Leather Armor. Leather wrappings, pants, and jacket reinforced with wood, bone, or metal studs and plates; includes a leather or metal helmet. Armor Value: +3. Cost: $$. Improvised Metal Armor. Made from scrap metal formed into chest plate, helmet, and braces for arms and legs. Worn over a sturdy under-layer of stiff canvas and/or leather. Armor Value: +4. Cost: $$ 74

Plate Mail. A full suit of armor that uses metal plates to completely cover the body of the wearer, worn over a padded suit. Provides protection comparable to a number of modern types of armor, but is far heavier and is impossible to put on without assistance. Armor Value: +9. Cost: $$$$ Flak Vest. An armored vest that covers the upper body, including shoulders and groin, in modern composite materials. Armor Value: +4. Cost: $$$. Infantry Combat Armor. This style of armor is made to emulate the form and function of that used by sophisticated military forces before The Fall. Many models are actually made from forms taken from such suits, often marketed as being genuine, but use materials that, while reasonably effective, are less protective than the genuine article. Armor Value: +6. Cost: $$$$. Recovered Infantry Combat Armor. Made of advanced composites, some suits of infantry armor from before The Fall have been recovered at various reclaimed military depots, bases, and even battle sites. These represent the highest level of military protective technology known to be available, and are highly prized. Armor Value: +9. Perk: Roughly 1 in 6 suits of genuine Golden Age armor grant the wearer the Perk of Unstunnable. Cost: $$$$$. Shield. A shield is a unique case in that it does not grant a bonus to Armor Value, but allows a character to take ¼-cover behind it. Cost: $$.

Exoskeleton

More than just armor, these suits augment the wearer’s physical abilities and allow him or her to work longer, jump farther, and lift far heavier loads than would otherwise be possible. All run on super-efficient power cells that can hold a charge for anywhere from a number of hours to a few days. Recharging requires a powerful generator or power plant, which in the days after The Fall greatly limits the range of these modern marvels. 75

Labor Exoskeleton. Once a common tool for use on construction sites, a labor exoskeleton can be a godsend to a struggling community, or just as easily a group of bandits. It offers nothing in the way of enhanced mobility, and in fact can limit the wearer’s top speed, but it allows for heavy lifting and some armored protection, and is often field-fitted with weapons too heavy for a single operator to wield effectively. Armor Value: +5, Bonus: +3D to Lift, +2D to Stamina. Penalties: -5 feet (1.5 m) from the character’s base move. Power: 12 hour cell. Weapons: None standard. Cost: $$$$ Combat Exoskeleton. In the era just before Gate tech brought on the Golden Age, the use of exoskeletons to supplement infantry in the field was common. One in four infantry troops would use a combat exoskeleton, fixed with a heavy weapon, allowing a small, fast-moving unit to bring more firepower to bear than would normally be possible. Armor Value: +9, Bonuses: +2D to Lift, +1D to Dodge, +2D to Stamina, +5 feet (1.5 m) to the character’s base move. Perk: 1 in 3 preFall Combat Exoskeletons salvaged intact grant the wearer the Perk of Unstunnable. Power: 26 hour cell, Weapons: Machine Gun (+2D scale, see Gear) or Rocket Launcher (x4, +2D scale, 6D, 100/250/600 feet or 30/75/180 m). Cost: $$$$$.

Equipment

Adventurers have need for a limitless supply and variety of equipment. Some gear is fundamental to even attempting a task, while other equipment may make some skills easier to perform. Below is a list of some common equipment, any bonuses that the gear may bestow when used, and an estimated cost. Binoculars. Telescopic lenses that amplify sight up to 1000x. More advanced models may include such features as a rangefinder or camera. Bonus: Add +1D to Search or other sight-based skills as appropriate. Cost: $-$$. Breach Closure Device. The machine, developed by the Cooperative and used almost exclusively by BRAC Squads, that is capable of permanently closing a Breach. Successful deployment of the device requires a Difficult skill check of Breach Science. Weighing in at approximately 80 lbs. (36 kg), the device can be broken into up to three components so as not to overburden a single bearer. Cost: Unavailable/special. 76

Bumps. A cocktail of drugs that can provide a temporary boost in alertness and performance. With an Easy Medicine roll, the Bump is administered into the artery on the neck via a single-use micro-injector. Upon injection, the character no longer feels tired, and pain is dulled. A character that had been Stunned or Dazed is immediately brought into full alertness by an administered Bump, with all normal skill usage restored. Bonus: A character suffering no wound effects is granted +1 on all actions for the effective duration. Commonly carried by medics, mercs, soldiers, and adventurers of all kinds. Duration: A revival from a Stunned or Dazed condition is immediate and permanent. For the Bump bonus, roll the character’s Stamina skill; effects endure for the value of that roll in minutes. A Bump is only effective once every 12 hours. Cost: $$. Camouflage Netting. A weave of artificial or natural materials designed to break up the visual lines of a person, vehicle, structure, or other object so that it blends in with its surroundings. Often used in hunting blinds, or in creating an element of surprise in combat. Bonus: Add +1D to Stealth when the netting is prepared in advance of its need. Does not defend against an animal's sense of smell, modern optics, or a variety of other foils. May require a skill check such as Survive for the bonus to apply. Cost: $. Climbing Gear. All of the ropes, harnesses, tie-offs, anchors, and other equipment required for a professional climb. May be made of modern materials or rope and leather, but in either case is of sufficient quality to get the job done. Bonus: Add +1D to the Climb skill when taking the time to properly use the equipment. Further, when using proper gear, the character may make an attempt to recover after failing a Climb skill check. Cost: $$. Datacard. A universal medium for digital storage, analogous to a computer disk or thumb drive from the 21st century. Can store large amounts of information and is compatible with any Screen or computer from the period of the Golden Age until the present day. Many are relics of the Golden Age. Cost: $. First Aid Kit. A simple collection of bandages, a flashlight, small forceps, pen knife, antibiotic pills and ointments, thermometer, pain killers, disinfectant, and other basic implements that can be used to treat minor injuries or wounds. May include a booklet on treating some common ailments. Bonus: Use of a First Aid Kit adds +1 to any Medicine roll to treat minor medical issues. Cost: $-$$. 77

Lockpicks. A set of specialty tools used to manipulate keyed locks without a key. Bonus: Add +1D to the Pick Locks skill if the character has a set of legitimate, specialty picks. Not applicable to the unskilled. Cost: $$-$$$. Medical Bag. A collection of common medicines and equipment for use by trained medical professionals in light to moderate medical situations. In addition to the basic implements found in a first aid kit, the medical bag includes a scalpel and other minor surgical implements, powerful local anaesthetic, antibiotics, sutures, bottles of plasma and saline, and most simple equipment required to perform a routine medical procedure in the field, such as initiating an IV, performing a tracheotomy, or even amputation. Also includes a pocket reference for many common field procedures. Bonus: +1D to Medicine skill for minor to moderate medical procedures. Cost: $$-$$$. Scope. A sophisticated telescopic and targeting sight used on any variety of +0D scale weapons to increase shooter accuracy at range. Bonus: Grants the shooter the Perk of Eagle Eye. Cost: $$. Screen. A handheld computer commonly used by adventurers, mercenaries, shop owners, and virtually anyone else that might find use for one. Models vary in their bells and whistles, but all capture digital images and video, record audio, organize calendars and schedules, store and share digital information of all types, and can execute custom programs ranging from games to facial recognition to translation to accounting. Many are relics of the Golden Age. Bonus: As per specific program, if any. Cost: $$$. Shelter. More than a simple tent, this is a one-man shelter for use in survival situations. Capable of withstanding very cold or very hot climates, it can protect the occupant from the extremes that may be encountered in the wilderness. Bonus: Add +1D to any Survival roll related to extreme climates when utilizing the shelter. Cost: $$$. Survey Gear. A complete set of equipment to outfit a two-man surveying team, including a level, theodolite, rod, and measuring tape or chain. Some may include digital equipment such as a more advanced theodolite or laser distancer. The most advanced kits will be able to communicate with the user’s screen to aid in recording data. Bonus: Add +2D to any Navigation check involving cartography. Cost: $$-$$$. 78

Survival Kit. Usually kept in a vehicle or divided up amongst explorers and adventurers in case of an emergency, this kit includes basic implements for survival in the wilderness. Contents may vary depending on the climate for which they are intended, but most will include three waterproof flares, a lighter or other firestarter, 30 feet (9 m) of rope, a mirror, a large knife with a serrated edge for sawing, a compass, flashlight or candles, a small water filter good for use over several days, four collapsable thermal sheets, and enough rations to keep two people alive for several days. Bonus: +1D to Survival skill checks when relying on the contents of the kit. Cost: $-$$. Toolbox. A collection of essential tools for doing mechanical or electrical work in a specific field, from plumbing to carpentry to computers to motors. Size and quality vary with the cost, but most toolboxes contain between 15 and 30 individual tools, and may be hand-carried or fill a rolling chest. Bonus: +1D to Repair skill when working with the proper toolbox for the job at hand. Cost: $-$$$. Water Purifier. An advanced filtration pump system that can purify fresh water drawn from rivers, lakes, cisterns, or other questionable sources without having to boil it. Removes dirt and debris, as well as most microbes. Cannot create potable water from totally unclean sources such as wastewater or sewage. May be hand-pumped or use an electric motor. Bonus: +1D to Stamina checks for disease via drinking water. Cost: $$.

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Vehicles

Virtually all vehicles are reconstituted from salvage. Due to construction methods and materials used during the Golden Age, many commercial or even military vehicles can potentially be found in remarkably good shape. Bodies and frames were made primarily from composite plastics and advanced metals that do not easily corrode or decay. Virtually all transport was provided by electric motors, which have very few moving parts and don’t require a lot of maintenance. Most systems were operated by sophisticated computers which, being built from advanced materials and hardwired for their purpose, need only to be powered up to function more or less like new. Capabilities lost include any communication, navigation, or auto-drive features, all of which used now-defunct satellites to function. ATV. A basic 4-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle. Cost: $$, Scale: +2D, Skill: Drive, Body: 2D, MNV: 1D+2, Move: 2D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 3, Cargo: 800 lbs (360 kg). Battle Tank. A Golden Age, turbine-powered weapon of war. Tanks universally used any of a variety of liquid fuels to function, which is in desperately short supply. Cost: $$$$, Scale: +4D, Skill: Drive, Body: 6D, MNV: 1D, Move: 2D, Crew: 3, Passengers: 1, Cargo: 500 lbs (230 kg), Weapons: Machine Gun (+2D scale, see Gear); Main Gun (6D, fired every second round, range 2500/5,000/10,000 feet or 750/1500/3000 m). Bicycle. Any of a variety of two-wheeled, pedal-powered conveyances. Most are geared to allow for more efficient movement, and designed for travel along either smooth trails or off-road. Cost: $-$$, Scale: +0D, Skill: Athletics, Body: 1D, MNV: 0D-1D, Move: 1D-2D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 0, Cargo: 10 lbs. (5 kg), Weapons: None. Cargo Van. A large van used for deliveries and hauling a relatively small amount of goods over moderate distances not suited for train or longhaul transport. Cost: $$, Scale: +2D, Skill: Drive, Body: 2D+1, MNV: 1D, Move: 2D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 1-2, Cargo: 2000 lbs. (920 kg), Weapons: None. Fighter Jet. A multi-purpose military combat aircraft, capable of engaging other aircraft or ground targets. Both the machine and the fuel required to power its engines are incredibly rare in the time of Breachworld. Cost: $$$$$, Scale: +6D, Skill: Pilot, Body: 2D, MNV: 3D, Move: 3D, Crew: 1-2, Passengers: 0, Cargo: 20 lbs. (10 kg), Weapons: Cannon 80

(2D, range 300/500/1000 feet or 90/150/300 m), Air-to-Air Missiles (x4, +6D scale, 4D, range 2500/10,000/25,000 feet or 750/3000/6000 m) or Air-to-Ground Bomb (x1, +8D scale, 4D). Horse. A trusty steed, bred and broken for riding. Cost: $$-$$$, Scale: +0D, Skill: Ride, Might: 4D+2, MNV: Not applicable, Move: 5D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 0-1, Cargo: 0-200 lbs. (0-90 kg), Weapons: None. Motorcycle. Any of a variety of two-wheeled vehicles, generally coming in configurations including cruisers (using an upright rider position), sport (using a more prone rider position), and standard (using a position between upright and prone). May be built for relatively flat surfaces or for off-road. Cost: $-$$$, Scale: +0D, Skill: Drive, Body: 1D-1D+2, MNV: 1D-3D, Move: 2D-3D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 0-1, Cargo: 20 lbs. (10 kg), Weapons: None. Sedan. A standard consumer car, with a fiberglass body over a composite frame, running on an electric motor. Cost: $$, Scale: +2D, Skill: Drive, Body: 2D, MNV: 1D, Move: 2D+1, Crew: 1, Passengers: 4, Cargo: 500 lbs. (230 kg), Weapons: None. Ski Boat. A fast-moving recreational boat with an outboard motor, usually electric, but sometimes running on gasoline. Very difficult to find intact, given the relatively harsh marine environment that most boats would have had to endure throughout the Lost Age. Cost: $$-$$$$, Scale: +2D, Skill: Drive, Body: 2D, MNV: 2D-3D, Move: 3D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 5-8, Cargo: 50 lbs. (23 kg), Weapons: None. Wagon. Covered or uncovered, drawn by horses or other domesticated animals, a wagon is commonly used for work and transportation. Cost: $, Scale: +2D, Skill: Ride, Body: 1D, MNV: 0D, Move: 3D, Crew: 1, Passengers: 10, Cargo: 1000 lbs. (450 kg), Weapons: None. 81

Part 2: Game Rules

2.1Game Mechanics The Core Mechanic

The Mini Six mechanics that make the Breachworld RPG go are designed to be simple, flexible, and fast. Everything a character attempts, from trying to fix a broken radio to firing a chain gun from the door of a helicopter, is resolved using basically the same rules. The dice rolled represent one character’s skill or ability, while a Target Number (TN) set by the GM determines the difficulty. If the total die roll is greater than the TN, the character succeeds. If the roll comes up short, that represents a failure. A player rolling dice represents a character attempting to accomplish something. Higher roll totals are always better. The more available dice in a given skill, attribute, or other ability, the more skilled the character is. The more dice rolled, the more likely the character is to succeed. There are unending ways to modify, tweak, and adjust either the roll or the TN, but these are the basics. If you're the Game Master and you're a little bit stumped, just set a target and have your players roll the dice. Mini Six is at its best when it runs quickly without too many pauses to fret over too many details. Don't get so caught up in minutia that you forget to follow Rule #1: have fun.

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Setting the Target Number

The total from a roll of the dice is compared against a Target Number. The higher the TN, the more difficult the task. TNs are generated by the Game Master, following situational guidelines.

General Challenges

In most circumstances, characters roll the appropriate skill or attribute against a set Target Number based on the difficulty of the task attempted.

Difficulty

TN Description

Nearly everyone can do it. These checks should only be made if a success is critical to the scenario at hand. 6-10 Player characters will seldom have trouble with Easy these tasks, but an untrained individual may find them challenging. 11-15 Average characters have a reasonable chance of Moderate failing at this level. Consistent success often requires training in the skill or a high level of natural ability. 16-20 Tasks at this level are truly challenging. To sucDifficult ceed, a character needs to be well skilled or very lucky. Very  Difficult 21-30 Challenges of this level fall into the domain of masters in the skill being used; few others will succeed at them. 30+ These challenges are almost impossible. Only the Heroic very lucky or true masters can consistently succeed at them. Very Easy

2-5

Character vs. Character Challenges

Sometimes the difficulty of a challenge depends on the skill of another character. This usually comes up in combat. Rather than the GM simply assigning a TN based on his or her judgement, the character’s TN is determined by an opposing character’s statistics. 84

Static Defenses

Each character has a number of static defensive values that are derived from various skills and attributes. These are used to help set Target Numbers in combat situations and in resisting damage. They are calculated as follows: Block = (Brawl skill dice x 3) + pips. Dodge = (Dodge skill dice x 3) + pips. Parry = (weapon skill dice x 3) + pips. Soak = (Might attribute dice x 3) + pips + armor value + any Perk, super-tech, esoteric, or other armor bonus.

Example: Static Defenses

Kelsie is calculating the static defense scores for her character, Myka. Myka's relevant skills are Brawl (2D+1), Dodge (5D), and Knife (3D+2). This gives the character a Block score of 7 (2x3 +1), a Dodge score of 15 (5x3 +0), and a Parry score when wielding a knife of 11 (3x3 +2). Myka's Might attribute is 2D, and she has a set of light leather armor with a Soak of +3. With this, Kelsie calculates Myka's Soak score of 9, as long as she is wearing her protective suit (2x3 for the attribute, +3 for the armor). Attacking a Target

The Target Number is the number needed to successfully hit the target. The base Target Number on an attack is based on the target’s static defense score, determined as noted above. This can also be modified by the following, particularly for Dodge scenarios. Full Dodge: If the character does nothing except dodge until his or her next turn, add 10 to the Dodge score, and apply range and cover as usual. This result is applied against any number of attacks. Range: Add the range modifier to the Dodge score in all cases (Point Blank/Hand-to-Hand -5, Short +0, Medium +5, Long +10). Ranges for various weapons are listed in the Gear section. Cover: If the target is behind at least 25% cover, add +2 to the Target Number. Add +5 to the Target Number for 50% cover. Add +10 for 75% cover. It’s impossible to hit a target behind 100% cover. Darkness or smoke/fog can also be considered as cover at the GM’s discretion. 85

Non-Combat Challenges

Other challenges that might pit a character against another character could include a Stealth attempt versus a Search, or two Persuade skills against one another during a negotiation. In these cases, each character rolls the appropriate skill, and the higher total wins. Pure skill isn’t everything, however. When checking a non-combat skill, it is possible that a character finds him or herself in either a very favorable position or at a distinct disadvantage. Maybe the character knows that his opponent’s gun isn’t loaded as he tries to negotiate the terms of a standoff, or maybe the datacards she had hoped to sell for a big profit have turned out to be counterfeits. Situations can arise in almost any skill check that justify a modifier to the TN, for better or worse.

Description

Modifier

Character attempting the skill has a great advantage Character attempting the skill has some advantage Character attempting the skill has no advantage Character attempting the skill is at some disadvantage Character attempting the skill is at a great disadvantage

-6 to -10 to TN -1 to -5 to TN No modifier +1 to +5 to TN +6 to +10 to TN

Character Actions Scenes and Rounds

A game is divided into scenes, just like in a movie or television program. During a scene, characters may discuss a plan of action, investigate a crime scene, have a high-speed chase, or get into a fight. The time between scenes spent walking from place to place, doing routine vehicle maintenance, or sleeping is skipped over because it’s mundane, boring, and generally violates Rule #1. When things heat up, be it a firefight, trying to hack a computer terminal before the alarms sound, or making a daring escape, then the game goes into rounds. Each round represents about 10 seconds of real-life time, give or take a few seconds depending on the situation. When playing in rounds, it usually means that the action is high and bullets are flying, so every move that every character makes must be accounted for in detail. 86

Playing a Round

A round is carried out in the following steps: 1. Declare all actions planned for the round, such as to attack, hack the computer, duck behind cover, make a run for the door, or any combination that the character wishes to attempt. 2. Determine order of Initiative by rolling Agility for each character. Highest goes first, then down the line according to the results of the roll. 3. Characters take their actions in order of Initiative, making rolls for actions they are attempting as appropriate. Defensive actions (Block, Dodge, and Parry) are automatic and don't count as actions.

Types of Actions

The most typical action during a round is the performance of a skill or combat maneuver, such as throwing a punch, dodging an explosion, firing a weapon, or making a piloting check. Additionally, consider the following during the course of a round. Free Actions. Activities that do not take a character’s full attention are considered free actions. This includes things like walking, talking into a radio, opening a door, and making witty retorts during a firefight. More complex acts like running, giving detailed instructions over the radio, picking a door lock, or actively trying to bluff someone that you have a gun all count as actions. Multiple Actions. Characters may attempt to do more than one thing on a turn by withholding one die from every action they attempt for each action beyond the first. For instance, if a character tries to shoot twice, he or she is penalized -1D on each attempt. Movement. A character may move up to his or her base Move in feet as a free action or move double the base Move in feet plus the results of an Athletics roll at the cost of one action. If the only action taken in a round is running, the total move is doubled. The base Move for humans and most alien races is 15; check individual Player Race templates for the base Move score for each. Other Movement. Some characters have ways to move beyond simply walking or running, such as flying, tunneling, vine-swinging, or any other type of movement. These will use their own rate of movement, given with the character’s racial description, Feat, or Perk. Most characters can swim at a rate equal to their move. Swimming, unlike normal movement, always takes an action. If no other action besides swimming is undertaken, the rate is doubled. 87

Dealing and Healing Damage Dealing Damage

When a target has been hit, the attacker rolls damage and the target’s Soak score is subtracted from the damage. The player or GM then checks the Wound Level chart below to see how badly the target was wounded.

Damage* > Soak by: 0 or less 1 to 3 4 to 8 4 to 8 9 to 12

13 to 15

16+

Wound Level Unharmed

Dazed

Wound Effects

None. -1D for all remaining actions for the current round and the next round. -1D to all actions until healed. -2D on all actions until healed.

Wounded Severely Wounded** Incapacitated As a free action before losing consciousness, the character may try to stay "in the fight" with a Moderate (15) Stamina roll. If successful, he or she may continue to act, but with a -3D penalty. A failed check means the character falls unconscious for 10D minutes. Mortally The character is near death and immediWounded ately knocked unconscious. Roll the characters's Might each round; the character dies if the roll is less than the number of minutes he or she has been Mortally Wounded. Dead The character has perished.

*Note: Any additional damage less than or equal to the character’s current Wound Level moves him or her up one level. **Note: A character is Severely Wounded if the result is between 4 and 8 and he or she is already Wounded. 88

Natural Healing

If a wounded character rests, he or she is allowed a Might check, and if successful, heals a Wound Level. The frequency of the check depends on the severity of the character’s wounds.

Natural Healing Wound Level

Frequency

Might TN

Dazed Wounded Severely Wounded Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

1 minute 3 days 3 days 2 weeks 5 weeks

automatic 6 6 8 9

Assisted Healing

Characters with the Medicine skill can attempt to help others heal more quickly. A skill check may be made once per day for each patient treated. On a successful roll, the patient heals one Wound Level.

Assisted Healing Wound Level

Frequency

Medicine TN

Dazed Wounded Severely Wounded Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

Immediate 1 day 1 day 1 day 1 day

Easy Moderate Moderate Difficult Very Difficult

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Stun Damage and Recovery

Some weapons do not physically harm the target, but only render a character incapacitated for a short while. When a target has been hit by a stun weapon, the attacker rolls damage and the target’s Soak score is subtracted from the damage as usual. The player or GM then checks the Stun Level chart below to see how badly the target was stunned. Multiple stuns are not cumulative, but take the worst single case.

Damage > Soak by: 0 or less 1 to 8 9+

Stun Level Unharmed

Stunned Severely Stunned

Stun Effects

None. -1D on all actions for 2D rounds. The character is knocked unconscious for 2D minutes.

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Scaling

Not all objects are on the same scale. Humans and horses may be close enough to be equals, but humans and dragons aren’t. When dealing damage to a smaller scaled target or resisting damage inflicted by it, the larger adds the difference in modifiers to their die rolls or static defenses. Smaller scaled targets attempting to dodge attacks from or actually attempting to attack a larger scaled opponent add the difference to their dodge and attack rolls.

Scale Modifiers

Modifier

Scale

None +2D to Hit & Damage +6 to Dodge & Soak +4D to Hit & Damage +4D: Big Dragon, Galley, Mecha, Tank +12 to Dodge & Soak +6D to Hit & Damage +6D: Fighter, Lt. Transport, Heavy Mecha +18 to Dodge & Soak +12D: Capital Ship, Elder God, Space Station +12D to Hit & Damage +36 to Dodge & Soak +24D to Hit & Damage +24D: Mega Space Station, Planets +72 to Dodge & Soak +0D: Character, Animals +2D: Air Cycle, Car, Little Dragon, Wagon

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Example: Scaling

Tommy fires his AR-15 rifle (a +0D scale weapon) at a car (a +2D scale target) as it drives away. Tommy get a +2D bonus to his Rifle skill roll to hit the relatively large target. Because it’s big and therefore resistant to damage, however, the car adds +6 to its Soak. A main battle tank is trying to hit Shym (a +0D scale target) with its main cannon (a +4D scale weapon). Because she is relatively small, Shym’s Dodge total gets a bonus of +12. If the strike lands, however, Shym is in big trouble because the tank adds +4D to its damage roll. Piloting his Hammer-class space fighter, Ajax is targeting a mega space station (a +24D scale target) with his laser cannon (a +6D scale weapon). Ajax adds +18D to strike (24D scale for the mega space station, minus 6D scale for the fighter) the huge target, but the mega space station gets to add +54 to Soak (72 minus 18). A Rage-1 helicopter gunship uses its minigun (a +6D scale weapon) to strafe an Ares mecha (a +4D scale target). The mecha adds +6 to its Dodge (18 minus 12). If the gunship lands a hit, it adds +2D to its damage roll (6D minus 4D).

Fate Points

Fate Points are earned through superior play and given as an incentive by the GM to help encourage the style of action desired in a game. If a character makes a clever quip using the “in-game” jargon that makes everyone laugh without disrupting play, that may be worth a Fate Point. Unless completely against the nature of the game played, extremely clever ideas and grand heroic deeds should always be rewarded. Characters start with 1 Fate Point. Fate Points provide a variety of options, but once spent the point is lost. Some possible Fate Point effects include: Strong Roll. Gaining a +6 to any single roll; up to 3 points may be used at one time when using this effect. Note that the Fate Point must be spent prior to the roll. Just a Flesh Wound. Once per combat a Fate Point can be used to reduce the severity of a character’s wounds by one level. 92

Get Lucky. Make a small, fortuitous change to the character’s location (e.g. locating an unlocked window, finding a can of WD40 and a roll of duct tape, etc.). Get a Clue. Sometimes players are at a loss or think they might have missed something. This gives them the option to find that detail that they would have otherwise missed.

Character Advancement

At the end of each session, the GM awards each character a number of Character Points (CPs). The number of points given per session typically varies from 3 to 7 depending on drama, danger, success, and fun! CPs are used to improve skills and attributes, and represent a character’s development and growth over time.

Spending Character Points Improving Skills. Any skill may be increased one pip by spending a number of CPs equal to its current number of whole dice. No skill may be increased more than one pip per session. Skill specializations cost only half as much to raise, rounding up. 93

Gaining Skill Specializations. A skill specialization may be learned by spending CPs equal to the base skill’s current number of whole dice. This gives the character the specialization at a skill level +1D over the base skill. Only one specialization may be learned per session. Remember that combat skills and the Advanced Class skills such as the Epic skill don’t usually allow for specializations. Improving Move. A character’s base Move score can be improved one point by spending a number of CPs equal to the current Move. Move may be increased by only one point per session, and may be increased a total of three points, total. Game Masters may allow for further increases at increased CP cost at their discretion. Improving Attributes. Character points are also used to improve attributes. This costs 10 times the number of dice a character has in the attribute to raise it one pip. All skills under this attribute also improve by one pip.

Example: Character Advancement

Varnir the Terrible has an Axe skill of 4D+1, so spending 4 CPs increases that skill to 4D+2. He also has a skill specialization in Ride: Dire Beast of 5D+2, so he must spend 3 CPs (half of 5, rounded up) to increase that specialization to 6D. Varnir’s adventuring big sister, Helgir the Large, has a Medicine skill of 3D+1. Because she doesn’t usually have access to modern medical equipment or gear, Helgir decides to focus on healing with natural elements and takes the Medicine: Holistic specialization. She spends 3 CPs and gains the specialized skill at 4D+1. Varnir’s partner, Two-Step Carl, has a base Move of 15 and wants to get a little faster. He cashes in 15 CPs and increases his base Move to 16. Their sneaky companion, LoLo, has an Agility score of 3D+2 and wants to increase it to 4D, so she must save up and spend 30 CPs to achieve that bump. This also increases all of her Agility skills, such as Sneak and Acrobatics, and even skill specializations tied to Agility, by one pip.

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2.2Epic Mechanics There is no such thing as magic, but an amazing side effect of The Fall is the introduction of seemingly supernatural phenomena to what was once a very mundane Earth. Free of the control of the Gates, Breaches pour a substance known as Aether into the world. This undetectable substance is theorized to be the most basic component of the universe and all dimensional space. It is the element that composes all of time, space, matter, and energy. Although they did not realize it at the time, it was this substance that 21st century scientists and engineers unwittingly tapped in order to enable Gate travel. A small percentage of humans and aliens, either as individuals, families, or entire races, have the ability to manipulate Aether through force of will to stunning results. Aether Feats, or simply Feats, are the magical, psionic, and other paranormal abilities of Breachworld. The parlance varies from place to place, but the most common name for those that can manipulate Aether to startling effects is Epics. They are also known as Adepts, Wizards, Mystics, or Psychics.

The Paranormal in Breachworld

The existence of the supernatural is a fact of life on Earth after The Fall. It is not the primary focus of this core RPG, but the mechanics have been included herein for the sake of completeness. Like other aspects of “kitchen sink” gaming where all genres are thrown together into one world, the manipulation of Aether and the performance of Feats will be expanded in future supplements, just like there will be supplements for things like mecha combat, cybernetics, and human augmentation. Players and Game Masters may then select which pieces of the world they would prefer to incorporate into their games. So, if Rule #1 is best satisfied by excluding Epics from your game, feel free to cut it out. 95

Performing Feats

All Feats have a Target Number (TN) listed in their descriptions. Epics roll the Epic skill to determine success. Only one Feat may be attempted per turn. Success on the roll means the Feat is successful; see each Feat description for the exact effect achieved. On a failed roll, the Epic temporarily suffers a -1D penalty to his or her Epic skill. Further failures increase the penalty. One hour of rest with no interruption removes all penalties.

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Feats Requiring Multiple Actions

Some Feats require additional actions to be taken after activating. For example, throwing a fireball requires the Epic to activate the Feat with one action, and then hit the target by making a Throw skill check with a second action. The Epic may wait until the next turn to throw the fireball or may opt to suffer the -1D penalty for multiple actions and do both in one turn.

Concentration

Some Feats require the Epic to maintain concentration for the Feat to remain in effect. Each Feat maintained counts as one action for the purpose of determining penalties for multiple actions.

Beginning Feats & Learning More

As discussed in Step 3 of the character creation process (Chapter 1.1), a new Epic immediately knows any two Aether Feats of choice. Learning a new Feat costs 4 CP, and an Epic may learn any Feat of his or her choosing. A maximum of one new Feat may be learned after each session.

Aether Feats

The following descriptions group various Feats into general categories (Air Manipulation, Heat Manipulation, Space-Time Manipulation, etc.) for the sake of organization. Generally speaking, any Epic can learn any Feat without restriction, though some Perks may make the character better at some types than others, and some Complications may restrict the availability of Feats. Stat blocks include the following: TN: The Target Number that must be met or exceeded for the Epic to successfully perform a Feat. Duration: How long a Feat lasts before it fizzles out. A duration of “instant” means that it occurs in a moment, while a duration listed as “concentration” allows the Epic to maintain the Feat so long as his or her focus is not interrupted. Range: At what distance the Epic may perform the Feat. A range of “self” indicates that it may only be performed on the Epic’s own person. A range of “touch” requires physical contact with the target. Resisted: How a target can attempt to prevent the Feat from taking place. This usually applies to supernatural effects being placed on a person against the target’s wishes. Some Feats, such as Laser Blast, cannot be resisted, but can be dodged or otherwise defended. 97

Air Manipulation

A combination of the manipulations of matter and energy, the air and atmosphere can be controlled or altered by the will of an Epic. Broadcast

TN: 16 Duration: Concentration Range: 500 foot (150 m) radius Resisted: None Around the Epic, the atmosphere is manipulated to enhance the sound of his or her voice as if over a public address system. The Epic’s normal speaking voice is sufficient to be heard across the area of effect. Control Weather

TN: 35 Duration: Concentration Range: 2500 foot (760 m) radius Resisted: None The Epic manipulates atmospheric Aether to dictate the weather to be hot, cold, snowy, rainy, foggy, or calm as desired. Natural disasters and extreme events such as hurricanes or tornadoes may not be created or dispelled. Fog

TN: 12 Duration: 20 minutes Range: 50 foot (15 m) radius Resisted: None The Epic creates a thick fog around him or herself, reducing visibility and affecting cover as appropriate. Shriek

TN: 8 + Resist Roll Duration: Instant Range: 50 feet (15 m), line of sight Resisted: Might This Feat manipulates the Aether making up the air around the Epic to amplify his or her scream, resulting in a piercing shriek directed at a single target within line of sight. The sound is loud and intense enough to disorient the target, causing it to be Stunned for 1D+2 rounds if failing to resist. 98

Sphere of Silence

TN: 11 Duration: Concentration Range: 10 foot (3 m) radius Resisted: None The air molecules in the radius around the Epic are prevented from vibrating, resulting in absolute silence. No noise can be made, spoken, or heard. Vaccuum

TN: 22 Duration: 10 minutes Range: 5 foot (2 m) radius, up to 50 feet (15 m) away Resisted: Special The Epic isolates a small area and converts the air within that space into free Aether, creating a vacuum and all related effects, including an inability for anyone caught within its area of effect to hear or speak. Most notably, anything unable to escape the area and without a reserve supply of oxygen will begin to suffocate, requiring a Might check against a TN of 5, plus one per each additional round. After the duration ends, air immediately flows back into the affected area. 99

Biochemical Manipulation

Because Aether makes up all matter and energy, that includes things like neural impulses and physiological responses. These Feats involve an Epic manipulating that Aether in a person or creature, or even the Epic’s own Aether, to achieve some sort of biological or neurological effect. Feats may induce a certain feeling in the target, link two minds, or even allow the Epic to control the body of another person. Beast Tongue

TN: 19 Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic can communicate with animals via a crude sort of telepathy; this is not an ability to command or control. The animal can give and receive impressions and some basic information, but only within the limits of its natural perception. This limits their abilities as scouts or agents of the Epic, as complex thoughts and the interpretation of instructions are beyond most animals. Heal

TN: Special Duration: Instant Range: Touch Resisted: None The Epic must concentrate for 6 rounds before using this Feat. The TN is 15 when attempting to heal anyone Wounded or Severely Wounded, 19 for Incapacitated characters, and 23 for those Mortally Wounded. Success reduces the Wound Level by one. If used more than once per day on a target, the Target Number of additional checks increases by +10 for each attempt. Induce Fear

TN: 8 + Resist Roll Duration: Concentration Range: 100 foot (30 m) radius Resisted: Courage, or Wit The Epic manipulates the brain chemistry of his or her targets to induce a primal fear. This Feat affects as many targets as the character has dice in the Epic skill. Targets defend individually, and effectively become Stunned if they fail to resist. Effects last as long as the Epic maintains concentration. 1 00

Hallucination

TN: Special + Resist Roll Duration: Concentration Range: 50 foot (15 m) radius Resisted: Wit Hallucinations create false sensory perceptions in the minds of the affected. These can be visions, sounds, or even smells. The target number is 15 plus 2 for every person targeted after the first, plus the targets’ individual Resist Rolls. Particularly detailed or complex hallucinations may have an increased TN at the GM’s discretion. Compare results for each person individually to see if they are affected. GMs may wish to roll for the highest Resist first and if that person fails, consider all to have failed. Paralysis

TN: 15 + Resist Roll Duration: 1 hour Range: 150 feet (45 m) Resisted: Might The target’s body Aether is disrupted and the target becomes paralyzed, freezing in place. 1 01

Possession

TN: 25 + Resist Roll Duration: Concentration (special) Range: 500 feet (150 m) Resisted: Charm The Epic takes control of the physical body of a single character or creature. The Epic may make the possessed being take any physical action it is capable of, but can’t make it use Feats or Perks. The possessed being uses its own Might and Agility, but skills depend on those of the Epic. The possessed may contest the Epic for control each round. Slumber

TN: 10 + Resist Roll Duration: 1 hour Range: 30 foot (9 m) radius Resisted: Wit, or Epic skill if applicable The Epic induces victims’ bodies to fall into a deep slumber. The Epic can affect up to as many targets as he or she has dice in the Epic skill. Targets resist individually, falling into a deep sleep on failure. Still Mind

TN: 13 Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic is protected from all Feats that influence, detect, or read emotions and thoughts. Telepathy

TN: 15 + Resist Roll Duration: Concentration Range: 50 feet (15 m) Resisted: Charm When cast, the Epic can hear the thoughts of any one person within range, as well as project his or her own thoughts to that person; language is no barrier to communication.

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Electricity Manipulation

By utilizing these Feats, an Epic can convert free Aether to electrical energy and back again. Depower Object

TN: 18 Duration: Permanent Range: Touch Resisted: None Electrical energy is converted into Aether, which depowers a cell or other reservoir of power. This Feat can nullify a power source for most common items, such as a screen, flashlight, or radio. More powerful cells used in directed energy weapons or vehicles, as well as equipment that generates electricity, are not significantly affected. Electric Field

TN: 20 Duration: Instant Range: 20 foot (6 m) radius Resisted: None A field of electric energy is generated around the Epic, potentially injuring any caught within the radius with a moderate electric shock. The damage is not usually lethal, but is often enough to daze or wound those affected. Targets within the radius are denied an opportunity to Dodge. A successful hit inflicts 3D damage and bypasses conventional body armor. Interference

TN: 18 Duration: Concentration Range: 200 foot (60 m) radius Resisted: None The Epic produces electromagnetic interference, which disrupts electronic instruments and radio communications for all such equipment within the radius, including that of the Epic and his or her allies. While the Feat is active, everyone within range suffers a +15 added to the TN for skills such as Computer, Navigate, and Science when attempting to use communications or sensory equipment. 1 03

Lightning Bolt

TN: 23 Duration: Instant Range: 150 feet (45 m) Resisted: None A bolt of lightning arcs between the Epic’s hand and a single target within line of sight; targeting requires the use of the character’s Throw skill. Targets may make a Dodge check to avoid being hit. A successful hit inflicts 5D damage and bypasses conventional body armor. Magnetic Telekinesis

TN: 25 Duration: Concentration Range: 150 feet (45 m) Resisted: None This Feat is a limited form of Telekinesis that allows the Epic to manipulate Aether to create magnetic fields. As a result, the Epic can move up to 50 lbs (23 kg) of ferrous material per die in Epic up to 30 feet (9 m) per round. Living beings may resist having items pulled away from them or otherwise manipulated with a Might check against the Epic’s roll. Note that many modern materials, such as ceramics and metallic alloys, are often not magnetic. Power Electronics

TN: 15 Duration: Concentration Range: Touch Resisted: None The Epic generates enough electricity to power an electronic device. The amount of power generated is equivalent to that available from a wall outlet or small generator, able to power most commercial appliances, computer hardware, or the minimal functions of an electronic vehicle. 1 04

Stun Bolt

TN: 18 Duration: Instant Range: 50 feet (15 m) Resisted: None Aether is converted to electrical energy similar to that used in modern ion weapons, which can achieve a similar stun result. The Epic’s Throw skill is used against a target, who is then in turn allowed a Dodge to avoid damage. A successful hit produces 4D of stun damage and bypasses conventional body armor.

Heat Manipulation

These Feats allow the Epic to exert control over heat and cold by transforming free Aether into heat energy, or vice versa. Body Heat

TN: 19 Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None After one round of preparation (during which time the Epic can take no action), the Epic turns this Aether-manipulating power inward and makes his or her skin red-hot. The character is unharmed, but anything touched suffers burns as if touched by hot coals. The character’s touch does 3D damage; punches and kicks do +1D in damage from the burning heat. Chill

TN: 12 Duration: 20 minutes Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: Might This Feat causes the target to instantly become chilled to the bone and must make a Might check against the Epic’s Epic skill or be Stunned for the duration; add +2D to the Epic’s skill roll if the Feat is administered by touch. Dedicated effort to warm the target cuts the duration in half.

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Extinguish Fire

TN: 13 Duration: Instant Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: None This Feat allows the Epic to instantly extinguish any individual fire within range. The size of the fire is limited to +2D scale flames, meaning that any flame up to the size of a car or wagon can be affected. Larger flames, such as large structure fires, are not affected. Feed Fire

TN: 10 Duration: 4 hours Range: 20 feet (6 m) Resisted: None In an environment where a fire would not normally burn, such as without oxygen or in damp conditions, the Epic is able to feed the fire to maintain its strength. The size of the fire is limited to that of a large campfire. Fireball

TN: 23 Duration: Instant Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: None The Epic creates a ball of fire energy, which he or she may then hurl at a target using the Throw skill. The target may attempt to Dodge to avoid damage. A successful strike does 5D in damage and sets combustibles aflame.

Optional Rule: Increasing Feat Damage At the GM's option, a player may attempt to increase damage done by an Aether Feat such as Fireball, Laser Blast, or Stun Bolt by opting to increase the Target Number. An increase of +6 to the TN will add +1D to Damage. Damage may be increased by a maximum of 50% of the base damage. 1 06

Heat Radius

TN: 20 Duration: Concentration Range: 20 foot (6 m) radius Resisted: Might This Feat requires one round of concentration to attempt. The area surrounding the Epic gets hotter and hotter as more and more heat energy is generated. Everyone in the radius except the Epic, friend and foe alike, must resist 1D of damage for the first round, plus up to an additional +1D for each subsequent round as long as the Epic maintains focus. Maximum damage is equal to the character’s Epic skill. Conventional body armor is not effective. Resist Heat

TN: 19 Duration: 1 hour Range: Touch Resisted: None When this Feat is performed, the target is granted a +2D bonus to resist damage from heat and fire. Spontaneous Combustion

TN: 15 Duration: Instant Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: None The Epic creates enough heat energy to cause flammable materials to suddenly ignite.

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Kinetic Manipulation

Aether is converted into kinetic energy, introducing forces of movement to an object or to the Epic. Likewise, kinetic energy may be transformed back into Aether to suspend motion or arrest momentum. Accelerate

TN: 10 Duration: Instant Range: Self Resisted: None By converting Aether into kinetic energy, the Epic can throw something much harder than he or she normally could. Add a bonus of +1D to the damage of any thrown object. Break Fall

TN: 8 Duration: Instant Range: Touch Resisted: None The Epic dissipates his or her own kinetic energy back into free Aether at the moment of impact after a fall. This means that the Epic can fall or jump from any height and receive no injury whatsoever, as well as extending the effect to anyone or anything that he or she is in contact with. Deflect Projectile

TN: 10 + Attack Roll Duration: Instant Range: 50 feet (15 m) Resisted: Special The kinetic energy of a projectile such as a bullet, arrow, baseball, or other such object is partially affected by the Epic, effectively deflecting it away from its target and sending it off harmlessly in another direction. This is achieved through a contested roll. The Epic must roll his or her Epic skill to beat the TN of 10, plus the attacker’s roll to strike (e.g. Mavis the Terrible throws a spear at Apoc Bill. Mavis’s Throw total is 11, so Bill needs a 21 or better to deflect the strike). The Epic may attempt to deflect a projectile aimed at another person, or something aimed at the Epic. 1 08

Fly

TN: 23 (or 15) Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None While concentration is maintained, the Epic can fly at a rate of 90 feet (30 m) per round. The character may hover and carry up to his or her own weight aloft. If the character only wishes to levitate vertically, the TN of the Feat is reduce to 15. Increase Gravity

TN: 18 + Resist Roll Duration: Concentration Range: 50 foot radius (15 m) Resisted: Might The gravity affecting a number of targets is amplified, slowing or even preventing movement and overburdening all that are affected. Any targets making their Resist Rolls continue to move at half speed and to carry double their own weight. Those that fail to resist are overcome by the increased gravity and fall, and are unable to take any physical action. The Epic can affect as many targets within the radius as he or she has dice in the Epic skill; each target resists individually. Kinetic Suspension Field

TN: 35 Duration: Concentration Range: 10 foot (3 m) radius Resisted: None Using this Feat, the Epic reverts all kinetic energy into Aether, effectively arresting any and all movement within the sphere of influence, including the Epic’s own. Nothing can move within the area of effect, and any physical object attempting to enter the radius will immediately stop as it approaches. Other forms of energy, such as light or electricity, are not affected. 1 09

Push

TN: 15 Duration: Instant Range: 50 feet (15 m) Resisted: Might The Epic mentally shoves another person or object, potentially knocking the target over. The force of the Push is equal to a Might check equal to the character’s Epic skill. Telekinesis

TN: 31 + Special Duration: Concentration Range: 150 feet (45 m) Resisted: None or Might The Epic may move up to 50 lbs (23 kg) per die in Epic up to 30 feet (9 m) per round. Living beings may resist using Might.

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Light Manipulation

These Feats involve taking raw Aether and converting it into light energy, or reverting light energy back into Aether. This can allow an Epic to exert some measure of control over light and darkness. Dark Vision

TN: 23 Duration: 1 hour Range: Self or Touch Resisted: None The target can see 60 feet (20 m) in the dark, even in total darkness. Flash

TN: 10 + Resist Roll Duration: Instant Range: 10 foot (3 m) radius Resisted: Might A brilliant flash of light emanates from the Epic, capable of stunning anyone that sees it. Anyone within the effective radius that fails to resist is Stunned for 2 rounds. Hologram

TN: 30 Duration: Concentration Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: None, or Wit The Epic creates a complex construct of light in three dimensions. This light can appear opaque, but has no physical substance. Limited motion is possible, but whatever appears can make no sound. There is normally no Resist Roll, as anyone that sees light in the normal spectrum will see the image. However, if attempting to use the hologram to deceive, intimidate, or otherwise convince someone that the object is genuine, the target may make a Will check to determine whether or not they believe the image is more than just a projection. GMs may modify the Resist Roll as appropriate to the situation and the presentation of the hologram.

111

Invisibility

TN: 27 Duration: Concentration Range: Touch Resisted: None This Feat renders the Epic almost totally unseen, granting a +5D bonus to Stealth as long as Concentration is maintained. The Epic may make others invisible along with him or herself, but touch must be maintained, or else the others become visible. As many people may be affected as the Epic has dice in the Epic skill. Lantern

TN: 10 Duration: 1 hour Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic creates a hand-held orb of light with brightness equivalent to a lantern. Just like a real lantern, it can be dimmed, moved about within arm’s reach, or placed somewhere and left behind. Only the Epic (or another Epic with this Feat) can manipulate the light. Laser Blast

TN: 20 Duration: Instant Range: 300 feet (90 m) Resisted: None A blast of focused light energy is generated from the Epic’s hand to its target in the same manner as a directed energy weapon. The Epic attempts to strike using the Throw skill, while targets may attempt to evade by making a Dodge check. A successful hit does 4D damage, which is resisted with a Might check as normal. 112

Snuff Light

TN: 11 Duration: Concentration Range: 100 feet (30 m) line of sight A single source of light, be it a campfire, flashlight, street lamp, or infrared targeting system, is immediately made dark. The object will continue to emit no light as long as the Epic concentrates on the source.

Matter Manipulation

Matter is made up of Aether, and so can be controlled by the Epic. Objects can be created or altered, or even disintegrated by dispersing the Aether that forms them. Aether Weapon

TN: 19 Duration: 1 hour Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic creates a powerful hand-held weapon made entirely of Aether. It has physical form and density, but also courses with a sort of unrefined energy. The type of weapon is determined by the Epic, but is usually a sword, axe, or spear. Regardless of the type of weapon, it does +3D damage. The weapon requires physical contact with its creator, so it cannot be thrown, dropped, or lent to another.

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Animate

TN: 31 Duration: Permanent Range: Touch Resisted: None The Epic touches a dead animal, humanoid, or other creature giving it unlife as a zombie or skeleton, depending on the corpse’s condition. Undead created this way are slow-moving, have half the Might and Move that they did in life, but posses unlimited Stamina, cannot be Dazed or Stunned, require no sustenance, feel no pain, and can be controlled by the creator’s Command skill. When destroyed, they crumble to dust and are unable to be reanimated. Armor

TN: 22 Duration: 1 hour Range: Self or Touch Resisted: None This Feat creates a full suit of armor for the Epic, or another target by touch. The armor is simple, does not offer any environmental protections, and still has weight, but is comparable to most conventional armor commonly available. The material is a generic gray metal of a single color of the Epic’s choosing, and consists of a helmet, chest and back plates, and coverings for upper and lower arms and legs. Provides an Armor Value of +4. Conjure Simple Object

TN: 14 Duration: Permanent Range: 10 feet (3 m) Resisted: None The Epic must concentrate for 10 rounds to use this Feat. The Epic coalesces free Aether through force of will, creating a simple object from “thin air.” The object must be solid, without ornamentation, and cannot include any moving parts. It can be composed of a common material, such as wood, metal, or stone, but is a generic form of that material and may not be specifically created as any specific type (oak, silver, obsidian, etc.). It must be lightweight and small enough to be easily carried in two hands. Common examples include such items as a bowl, sword, staff, crowbar, or wagon wheel. Any weapon created using this Feat is of inferior quality. 114

Create Food

TN: 15 Duration: Permanent Range: 10 feet (3 m) Resisted: None The Epic must concentrate for 6 rounds to use this Feat. The character can conjure edible food from the Aether. It comes in the form of a nutrient-rich loaf, like very dense and flavorless bread. The Feat creates one small loaf, which provides sufficient nutrition for one meal for one adult. Create Water

TN: 10 Duration: Permanent Range: 10 feet (3 m) Resisted: None The Epic must concentrate for 4 rounds to use this Feat. This Feat allows the Epic to convert Aether into 8 ounces (240 ml) of pure, clean water. It requires a container to fill, or it will simply spill onto the ground. Death Spell

TN: 35 Duration: Instant Range: 30 feet (9 m) Resisted: Special This Feat seeks to disrupt the Aether that makes up a person’s very being, potentially killing the target. If successfully cast, the Epic rolls his Epic skill without his Wit attribute for damage. The target resists using only Might. For example, Melkot casts Death Spell on Tamore. Melkot has a Wit of 4D and 10D in Epic. Melkot would roll 6D for damage (10D – 4D) and Tamore would resist with his Might.

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Disintegrate

TN: 25 Duration: Instant Range: Touch Resisted: Body, Might, or Armor Value as applicable The Epic attempts to turn matter back into free Aether, causing damage to the object; only inanimate objects are affected. To determine the damage done, the Epic rolls his or her Epic skill versus the Body of the object. If the object does not have a Body score, scores such as Might or Armor Value may be used to resist. Growth

TN: 23 + Special Duration: 10 Rounds Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic substantially increases in size. Each additional scale increase adds +10 to the TN. (e.g., for a human to grow to the size of a dragon would require 2 scale increases, making the TN 43).

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Mask

TN: 13 Duration: 1 hour Range: Self Resisted: None This Feat allows the Epic to hide his or her features by use of a mask created entirely from the Aether. As a paranormal construct, it cannot be removed from the Epic while conscious and the duration is still in effect.

Space-Time Manipulation

The Aether that makes up the flow of time or regulates spatial, or even dimensional relationships can be worked to the Epic’s will. The passage of time can be sped up or slowed down, and the space between dimensions can be secured or rendered meaningless. This includes the manipulation of Aether that is not natural, meaning that it has been altered by another Epic. Dispel Aether Feat

TN: Special Duration: Permanent Range: 30 feet (9 m) Resisted: None The Epic undoes any single Feat or Aether effect. The target number is five higher than the Feat being targeted (e.g. Hasten has a TN of 23, so to dispel that Feat requires a TN of 28). Some things cannot be dispelled, such as healing, resurrection, or the conjuring of permanent physical objects. Divination

TN: Special Duration: Concentration Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic can attempt to see the future or the past. The immediate future or past normally has a TN of 25 while more distant events have a higher TN. For instance, seeing a year into the future may have a TN of 45 while a year into the past is only 35. If attempting to divine about specific objects or people that are not present, the difficulty goes up by 10.

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Hasten

TN: 23 Duration: 5 rounds Range: Self or Touch Resisted: None The Aether that forms space-time around the target is altered, resulting in improved response time for anyone affected. Targets have their multiple action penalty reduced by 1D. The effects of multiple Hasten Feats don’t stack. See Aether Aura

TN: 15 Duration: Concentration Range: 30 feet (9 m) Resisted: None The Epic can see a distinct glow on anything that is under the effects or influence of the paranormal, such as an Aether construct, possession, or a being made invisible by another Epic. Sense Aether Feat

TN: 16 Duration: Concentration Range: 100 feet (30 m) Resisted: Epic Being so in tune with the Aether, the character can detect when and where another Epic is performing a Feat. Success indicates an awareness of the presence of the Feat, as well as the general direction, like a divining rod. The type of Feat being used is not made known to the Epic. Other Epics may resist being discovered by way of their Epic skill. Sense Breach

TN: 14 Duration: Concentration Range: Varies Resisted: None Breaches are tears in space-time, making them relatively easy to detect at a distance for a trained Epic. To detect a Breach within 1000 feet (300 m), the base TN of 14 applies. Add +5 to the TN for every doubling of the effective range (e.g. TN of 19 for 2000 feet, 24 for 4000 feet, 29 for 8000 feet, etc.). 118

Slow Time

TN: 26 Duration: Concentration, up to 6 rounds Range: Self Resisted: None The Epic alters the flow of time, allowing for him or her to conduct twice as many actions as normal as long as Concentration is maintained. This means the Epic can take double the moves or perform twice as many skills within the time limit.

Teleport

TN: Special Duration: Instant Range: Self or Touch Resisted: None Epics can instantly transport themselves or other beings to a designated destination at any distance. Unwilling subjects cannot be teleported. The base TN is 30 for one target, plus 5 more for each additional target. An Epic may not teleport to any place he or she has not seen before. 119

2.3

Vehicle Rules

Vehicles are a big part of any RPG for characters that want to get from place to place, enjoy action and adventure at high speeds, or really take damage and destruction to the next level. Breachworld is no different, and so contains rules for everything from blowing up an opponent to fleeing from one.

Vehicle Movement Move dice represent relative speed between vehicles of similar types. Vehicles are divided into four broad categories including Primitive Craft/Muscle Powered, Motorized Ground and Water Craft, Aircraft, and Spacecraft. If vehicles of different categories must compare speeds, such as a fighter chasing a tank, or a bicycle pedaling after a car, the faster vehicle is granted bonus Move dice based on the difference in speed factors in the provided chart.

Chases

Speed Factor Modifier Primitive Craft/ Muscle Powered Motorized Ground/

Water Craft Aircraft Spacecraft

+0D +2D

+5D +10D

When attempting to overtake or outrun an opponent the GM determines what range you are at (Short/Medium/Long). Each turn each vehicle makes a Drive/Pilot check, with the vehicle’s Move dice granting a bonus. The higher roll either closes or increases the distance by 1 range as desired. If reduced below short range you catch up, if increased beyond long range you escape. 1 20

Ramming

When vehicles are at short range, a pursuer may try to ram. To successfully ram, the pilot needs to roll higher than the target’s Drive or Pilot skill check. If successful, both vehicles take damage equal to to the Body of the attacking vehicle plus relative Move dice.

Vehicle Weapons

Some vehicles have weapons. Unless specified in their descriptions, they are considered to be the same scale as the vehicle. Attacks are resolved in the same manner as character versus character combat with the only difference being that the characters use their Drive or Pilot skill in place of Dodge to avoid being hit. Weapons that are part of a vehicle’s systems are usually fired using Gunnery.

Multiple Weapons on Vehicles

When vehicles have more than one weapon of a single type, they can be fired as a single salvo. This requires a successful Command skill roll with the difficulty based on the number of guns being combined. Each doubling of the number of weapons combined increases the damage by one pip.

Weapons Command Damage in Salvo Difficulty Bonus 2 4 8 16 32 64

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Very Easy Easy Moderate Difficult Very Difficult Heroic

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6

Vehicle Damage

If a strike is successful, the character rolls the vehicle’s Body to resist the damage. Consult the following chart to determine how severe the damage is:

Damage

Rolled Effect

Damage Roll ≥ Body Roll Damage Roll ≥ 2 x Body Roll Damage Roll ≥ 3 x Body Roll

Temporary Effect (one round) Permanent Effect (repair required) Permanent Effect (part destroyed)

Once the severity of the damage is determined, the GM may roll randomly on the the following chart or use common sense to determine which part is damaged:

Roll 1D 1

2-3

4-6

Damage

Loss of Maneuverability

Effect

Each time this occurs, the affected vehicle loses 1D of MNV. This value can go negative, becoming a penalty to the driver’s skill roll. System Randomly select a vehicle’s system and it Damaged either becomes broken or loses 1D from its rating (if applicable). Examples include communications/radio, sensors, shielding, sail, rigging, armor, etc. Structural Damage The vehicle receives one wound level. Treat these like character wound levels. Mortally wounded vehicles stop running and Dead vehicles are considered destroyed.

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Repairing Vehicles

Characters may repair vehicles using the Repair skill, and specific specializations in types of vehicle repair. The difficulty and cost is determined on the following chart. The cost is based on the price of a new vehicle.

Dice Lost 1D 2D 3D+

Cost

Difficulty

10% 15% 20%

Easy Moderate Difficult

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Time Needed 1 hour 4 hours 1 day

2.4 Optional Rules By its nature, Mini Six is highly customizable. With just a few choices you can change it from a light hearted game of keystone cops to gritty survival horror. While it is always good to remember that all rules are optional when preparing for the game, the following ideas are meant to help give you further inspiration in adjusting the game to best fit your needs. In the end the only hard and fast rule is Rule #1: have fun.

Higher Attributes at a Price

Under this rule, characters can select attributes above the normal limits of a Player Race (e.g. 4D for humans), but advancement over the limit costs twice as much as normal. For example, a GM declares attributes are purchased as normal up to 4D but he allows higher attributes at a price up to 5D. A character who spends 6D in Might would record 5D as their Might attribute. Another character wants an Agility of 4D+2. This would cost him 5D+1 attribute dice.

Buying New Perks

If you have a good reason and the GM agrees, you may buy a Perk after play has begun for 15 CP times the standard dice cost. Some Perks make no sense to purchase; you don’t just wake up one morning with claws or a photographic memory.

Buying Off Complications

To get rid of a Complication, the GM will impose a price of at least 20 CP (if he allows it at all) and you need a really good story, possibly even a quest or adventure to justify it. Alternatively, as the story progresses player and GM might agree to exchange an old Complication for a new one. Player Races cannot typically buy off their Racial Complications. 1 24

Alternate Weapon Skills

Rather than use skills for particular weapons, such as Sword, Axe, Handgun, etc., weapon skills may be categorized by type of damage. Skill in using a weapon that relies on the edge of a blade would be Slice, such as with a hunting knife or broadsword. Skill in a weapon that relies on a point, like a spear or a rapier or a dirk, would be Stab. Bash is used for blunt objects and axes. Throw for spears, thrown knives, or rocks. Shoot for rifles, handguns, and bows. Blast for heavy weapons. Some weapons may fall into multiple categories, such as swords that are used as both slicing and piercing weapons. In such cases, the player character uses different skills, depending on how the weapon is utilized. This method is quite broad and allows for players to be successful with a large number of weapons within the same basic type. It is further suggested that when using this type of skill system, the Game Master allow players to take specializations in very specific types of weapons (e.g. Desert Eagle 0.50 AE as opposed to just Shoot, or Longsword as opposed to just Sword as a specialization of Slice).

Encumbrance

Heavy and/or bulky armor may give penalties to perform certain checks or skills. GMs may assign a penalty to Agility skills and checks as he or she feels is appropriate to the type of armor and its weight, materials, and flexibility. Recommended penalties range from -0 for very light armor, to -3 for slightly awkward or medium armor, to -6 for cumbersome or heavy armor with limited mobility.

Game Design Note

I really like encumbrance rules, and I think this is a good one, but I did not include it in the primary ruleset for the sake of simplicity. Putting in encumbrance adds a level of complexity to equipment write-ups, every character build, and a large percentage of skill rolls. It can increase the realism of a game, but this game is very fast and cinematic, so I deferred to Rule #1. I just didn’t think it added enough to the fun to be worth it. If you don’t mind the extra work, then definitely run with this one.

Halfway There

To help speed up the game, if the number of skill dice in any skill is equal to half the Target Number, the GM may consider it an automatic success. 1 25

Rolling Limit

Some dislike rolling large numbers of dice, feeling the math slows down the game. GMs may impose a limit on the number of dice rolled at any time. The suggested cut-off is 5 dice. If a character has more than 5D on a roll, each die beyond the rolling limit is converted to a +3 bonus. For example, a GM has imposed a 5D rolling limit at his table. A character with 7D+1 in Rifle shoots at a bad guy. He rolls 5 dice and adds 7 to the result.

Advancement Through Critical Success or Failure There is no greater teacher than experience, whether it is via a breakthrough success or an epic failure. When a character attempts a skill check and rolls either the highest possible roll (straight 6s, including at least one 6 on a Wild Die reroll) or the lowest possible roll (straight 1s), the player may immediately add one pip to that skill. Only one skill may be advanced in this manner per session, and only once.

Game Design Note

I came up with this in a dream, four years ago, so how could I not include it somewhere in the game?

High Skills Rolls Increasing Damage

When using this rule, damage is boosted by 1 point for every 5 points you exceeded the Target Number to hit. If a warrior needed to beat a TN of 14 and rolled a 26 on his attack, this would increase the damage by +2 since the target was beaten by 12. For increased deadliness, simply reduce the threshold needed to increase damage. If every 3 points of success translates to +1 point of damage, highly skilled characters are made incredibly dangerous in combat.

Massive Damage Option

If a character suffers two Wound Levels within a single round, not only do the normal modifiers for the greatest level apply, the character also can do nothing but defend or run away on the next two rounds. In either of these rounds, the character may make an Easy Stamina or Willpower attempt, as an action, to try to recover from the blow and shake off the penalty. If this is declared as a multi-action for the round, then the character takes the multiaction penalty. If not, and the Stamina or Willpower roll is successful, the character may act as normal in the next round.

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Degree of Success Benefit

Degree of success can bring additional benefits if the GM allows. Use the result points of the roll (the difference between the skill total and the difficulty) to decide on the exact level. Minimal (0). The total was just barely enough. The character hardly succeeded at all, and only the most minimal effects apply. If “minimal effects” are not an option, then maybe the action took longer than normal to succeed. Solid (1–4). The action was performed completely, but without frills. Good (5–8). The results were better than necessary and there may be added benefits. Superior (9–12). There are almost certainly additional benefits to doing an action this well. The character performed the action better, faster, or more adeptly than expected. Spectacular (13–16). The character performed the action deftly and expertly. Observers would notice the ease or grace with which the action was performed (if applicable). Incredible (16+). The character performed the skill with such dazzling quality that, if appropriate to the task, it could become the subject of conversation for some time; it’s at least worth writing home about. Gamemasters should dole out some significant bonuses for getting this large of a roll.

Example: Degree ofSuccess Benefit

Savannah is exploring some woods, trying to use the Survive skill to forage for food. She gets a minimal success and finds “subsistence level” food, just barely better than garbage. Trying again the next day, she gets a spectacular result; not only does she find good, wholesome food, but she finds enough for two days instead of one.

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Part 3: World Information

3.1

The World

Then and Now

Excerpted from BRAC Indoctrination Guide (CDoc BRAC-010-0a4g)

Many believe that mankind has always lived as we do now, huddled and isolated in the wilderness, hiding behind the high walls of petty kings, or constantly moving from place to place in search of safety. However, our world was not always covered with splits in the fabric of space and time. Earth was not always an interdimensional shore to be invaded by inhuman races, horrific monsters, and alien plagues. Ours was once a great society. Our forebears walked in glorious cities that are now crumbling ruins. Humanity once built a world of beauty and science and peace, and then watched in horror as it was all set ablaze by our own hubris and recklessness.

Lost History

What we know of our world’s history is thanks to generations of tedious effort, scouring old documents and datacards for crumbs of intelligence, and bartering for bits of knowledge from passing travelers or eager treasure hunters. From these scraps we piece together what we can about where our people came from and try to understand our world. The sum total of all of this research is what we call the Historical Record. Through careful study, we have come to know much about Earth as it existed up until the early 21st century. The 2000s were shaping up to be much like the eras before. World leaders continued to promise something new, only to deliver familiar disappointments. Fads and trends in health, psychology, and wellness came and went, leaving nothing but dissatisfaction and cynicism. Ages of ill-defined wars, economic turmoil, and environmental disaster took a massive toll on worldwide morale. Optimism was nowhere to be found. People were ready for change, but no one could seem to articulate what that change needed to be. 1 29

That change would come very suddenly in the winter of 2012 and would be credited with triggering a global Golden Age for humanity.

Gates and the Golden Age

On December 22, 2012, an international team of scientists introduced the world to a method for safe and instantaneous transport across vast distances using a new technology dubbed Gates. The specific science of how these devices operated is well beyond my ability to relate to you, but the debut of this new technology and the practice of its use are the best documented aspects of the times in our records. Simply put, each of a matched pair of these archways could be placed

thousands of miles apart, where they acted like the entry and exit points of an infinitely short tunnel. Someone could step through a Gate in New York City and out of its counterpart in New Delhi as easily as stepping over the threshold of his or her own front door. The world was a bed of tinder for change and Gate travel was the spark that lit the fire. Life was immediately and permanently changed by what social commentators called the dawn of the Golden Age. So efficient and inexpensive was this new technology that it was quickly implemented across the 1 30

globe. The world was suddenly a single community where distances no longer separated cultures or isolated peoples. The propagation of art, science, and business exploded to the benefit of all. The world became a more peaceful, enlightened, and prosperous place with a thirst for even greater change. Within three years of the discovery of Gate travel, government-operated Gate Centers existed in every major city in the world. In eight years, Gates overtook air, land, and sea freight as the principal means of transporting goods over long distances. Within another decade, human Gate traffic exceeded airline traffic. By 2040, the perfect safety record for Gate travel led to its worldwide deregulation, immediately after which independent commercial Gate Centers sprouted up in smaller and smaller communities and in busy industrial and business complexes until Gate travel became a local convenience. By 2055, a Gate could be found within 100 miles (160 km) of 90% of the world’s population, with most people living within 25 miles (40 km) of at least one Gate Center.

Unanswered Questions

In the Spring of 2063, a small coalition of scientists began to voice concerns over the use of Gate travel. These critics pointed to what they perceived as a lack of genuine understanding by the international scientific community about how the Gates operated. There were just too many questions, they said, that remained unanswered. Their principal concern was that as Gate traffic increased over time, documented variances began to manifest in the reliability of the devices. Where travel was originally instantaneous, a lag began to appear in the passing from one Gate to another. This time gap, imperceptible to the traveler, varied from a few seconds to a few minutes, and in isolated instances, a matter of hours. This abnormality was first noted in the largest Gates used to convey cargo, but was soon observed in Gates of all sizes. The lag did not appear to correlate to any other known variable, such as distance traveled, the manufacturer or operator of the Gates, or the frequency of their use. The scientific community was at a loss to explain these variances. On November 28, 2065, the 100 percent safety record of Gate travel was lost when three travelers stepped through a Gate in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia bound for Doha, Qatar and were never seen again. Early the next year, a cargo shipment was lost in transit between two Gate Centers in California. Another two travel instances were thought to be failures before it was discovered that the travelers and cargo simply arrived at wrong locations. There were certainly other troubling incidents of which we have no surviving record, but it is clear that this was more than a few isolated accidents, even if the failures did constitute only a tiny fraction of a percentage of overall Gate travel. 1 31

The critics pointed to these failures and loudly protested the continued blind use of an unstable technology. They recommended that Gate operations be scaled back to cargo only, abandoning human transport while the unexplained inconsistencies were thoroughly researched and the cause identified. Society had forever changed, however, and people could no longer imagine a life without the convenience of Gate travel. The dissenters were shouted down as malcontents and instigators, and left to conduct their research in isolation from their peers while business continued as usual.

Breaches and The Fall

On May 19, 2066, every Gate on the planet spontaneously severed its terrestrial pairings and instead opened permanent, random portals to hundreds of thousands of locations across the vastness of interdimensional space. Today we refer to this event as The Fall, and to these uncontrolled doorways through space-time as Breaches. Through these interdimensional portals poured alien beings, otherworldly environments, and all manner of monsters. Some of these were strange and new, while others resembled mythical or historical creatures from Earth’s past. Some were as bewildered and helpless as the Earthlings witnessing this flood, while others were clear aggressors with no thought or agenda other than violence. No portion of the planet that we know of was left untouched by The Fall, so widespread were the Gates and so complete was our forebears’ loss of control over them. The world was instantly changed in a way that no one was prepared for. All semblance of government, society, and order imploded to such a degree that following the initial reports of the massive Gate failures of May 19, 2066, we have no consistent, verifiable record of what transpired for at least the next several hundred years. These centuries, perhaps even a millenium of darkness, is truly the Lost Age.

Our World Today

This has led us to where we are, today, some centuries later. In the past several generations, after ages of anarchy, we have managed to rebuild something of a society from out of the darkness. In our corner of the world, at least, we are scattered, but surviving. Many of us live hidden away in small communities, others build thick walls to hold back the terrors of the world, and still others migrate from place to place. Some humans enjoy only the company of other humans, while some communities are a mix of a dozen intelligent races. Many live free and many are subjugated. Aliens may be friendly, but far too often are violent invaders. Some communities, large and small, trade and politic with one another. Others are isolationists. We can only assume that our experiences are repeated around the globe. 1 32

The world has become a place of strange wonders, even beyond the presence of alien beings and relics of a long-destroyed society. Many beings, both human and alien, possess powers that can only be categorized as supernatural. Some individuals have an innate or learned ability to influence the minds of others, or to conjure energies or objects from out of nothing like a sorcerer from an old storybook. The most learned among our ranks say that this is accomplished through the manipulation of a mysterious substance that they call Aether, which forms the building blocks of all energy, matter, time, and dimensional space. Our Breach scientists theorize that an overabundance of Aether in our reality is directly linked to the operation of Gates, the presence of Breaches, and cause of The Fall. Our understanding of the present day world is limited to how far we can send scouts and cartographers, what we can gather about the lay of the land from the Historical Record, and what information we can acquire from humans or aliens that we encounter. Whatever our various ideologies and ways of life, and whatever steps forward we have taken in recent generations, one thing that is certain is that the human population has dropped dramatically since The Fall. Based on everything we have collected, we believe that there are a few tens of thousands of humans still living within 200 miles (320 km) of us, and roughly that many aliens. That would be a reduction of 95% or more from the population during the height of the Golden Age. 1 33

Our World Tomorrow

Now we stand at a crossroads for humanity. After generations of study and observation, we finally may have a chance to undo the damage to space-time done by our forebears. The breakthrough we have worked so hard to achieve is known as the Breach Closure Device, or BCD. Using this miracle of Gate engineering, we now know that it is possible to permanently close a Breach, to forever seal a tear in the fabric of time and space. This is not conjecture or theory, but fact. We have already used it to close several small, isolated, and relatively inactive Breaches. It’s not hard to see the ultimate potential for this device. With the BCD we can finally reclaim our dimensional borders, one sealed Breach at a time. This new hope to tame the savage forces which have controlled our world for untold ages is a very slim hope, but is real hope. To accomplish this, we will have to venture beyond our familiar lands and into the wild. We can’t possibly truly know what awaits us in the dangerous zones of interdimensional turmoil that surround most every Breach. Very few have dared to explore the areas near the ancient Gate Centers, where Breaches exist by the dozens or even hundreds. We have rarely ventured into the ruins of the cities that stand as a legacy of our forebears and are now home to horrors from thousands of other worlds. Of those few who have undertaken such a challenge, fewer still have had the courage and strength to survive what they’ve found there. It will be dangerous, but many of us are anxious for the challenge. For the first time in our lives, or even the lives of our great-greatgrandparents and beyond, we can devote ourselves to a purpose other than simply surviving. It is time to rebuild. Cross-references:

CDoc HIST-010-1p3k, A Historical Primer For Native Humans CDoc CURR-018-0w0x, Cultural Survey of the Civilized Lands v30

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Breaches

Breaches are the tragic legacy of the Golden Age, the holes in space-time left by the worldwide collapse of the Gates. That collapse in turn led to the global catastrophe known as The Fall. Breaches exist throughout the known world, wherever there were people living during the Golden Age. Gates were once the ultimate achievement of humankind. They transported everything from shipping containers to eager vacationers instantaneously across the globe tens of millions of times per day. Now the Breaches that stand in their place link alien worlds to our own, bringing otherworldly beings, interdimensional environments, and savage monsters to Earth.

Behavior of Breaches

The best analogy for a Breach is that of a doorway. Breaches exist as a two-dimensional plane, the size and shape of which varies depending on the size and shape of the Gate that once stood in its place, framed by a band of visible dimensional distortion and light. Gates were typically arches sized to pass a couple of people at a time, though larger ones were used to move cargo from one place to another at private Gate Centers operated by industry. Long after the Gate equipment failed and fell to scrap, the Breach that formed there maintains the same basic size, shape, and orientation. Like a doorway, one can look through a Breach and see what is beyond. Only instead of peering into the another room, you look into another world. When staring into a Breach, from either face, you can see the alien world beyond as if you could just step across a threshold and enter it. Unlike a doorway, Breaches work in only one direction. They allow matter and energy to pass from the far side of the Breach into our own world, but not the other way around. Anyone on Earth attempting to walk “into” a Breach simply passes through it as if it didn’t exist, like it was an image projected onto an invisible screen, or a two-dimensional hologram. There is no way to speak with certainty about every Breach on the planet, but it is believed that all Breaches behave in this manner. Whether it is because Earth is the origin of the original Gates or due to some quirk of 1 37

dimensional physics, post-Fall humanity can only guess why the phenomenon behaves in this way. It’s simply the way it is. Because we can’t pass across, we have no way of knowing what an alien sees when he looks at a Breach from the other side. Observation of how aliens react to a Breach suggests that there is some visual phenomenon, though it is different than the window that we see into their world. Aliens observed looking at the Breach from their end often seem puzzled by it. Some have been seen to study it scientifically, monitoring it with bizarre sensors and arguing about it in alien tongues, systematically sending through objects and watching them vanish from their plane of existence. An alien can stand on his or her side of the hole in space-time and throw a rock through to Earth, but an Earthling cannot throw it back. The alien can speak and be heard as if standing just a few feet away, but cannot hear if you were to shout a response. He can shine a flashlight through the void and illuminate what is on the Earth side, but cannot see beyond.

Hot Zones

The mile or so around a Breach is often referred to as a Hot Zone. It’s called this for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it is within this radius that one is most likely to encounter an alien being or creature that has passed through a Breach, which makes the area quite dangerous. Aliens are usually understandably erratic and unpredictable when finding themselves suddenly transported to a foreign world. Breach creatures, demons, and monsters all are similarly disoriented and therefore more prone to outbursts of violence. Secondly, from some Breaches seep alien environments. These can include alien vegetation carried or even blown across the dimensional border 1 38

that has taken root on Earth and spread. Alien atmosphere in the form of noxious fumes, blasting heat, or radiation may also bleed into the dimensional realm of Breachworld. These areas range from Edens to completely inhospitable landscapes. Finally, when approaching within approximately a mile of a Breach, there is a certain unintelligible feeling that takes hold of a person. Most describe it as a sort of electricity in the air, with hairs standing on end and a sensation of static charge on the skin. Some people report a dull headache, minor ringing in the ears, or other physical symptoms. Still others report a general feeling of uneasiness or paranoia beyond the normal nerves of venturing into an unforgiving area. All of these feelings and sensations are credited to passing into a region of minor dimensional instability, thanks to the presence of a spacetime anomaly.

Breaches and Aether

Contemporary minds have deduced the correlation between Breaches and the mysterious, theoretical substance known as Aether. Scientists believe it to be the universal building block of all matter and energy in a free, inert form. Aether is believed to enter Earth’s dimensional realm through the Breaches, although Aether is not any more prevalent or powerful when near a Breach, or its effects more potent. As it is not subject to normal laws of physics regarding matter or energy, it seems that it immediately distributes evenly across our dimensional space upon entering our realm. For more information on Aether, its effects, and the paranormal Feats that can be performed by harnessing its power, see Chapter 2.2.

Breach Closure Device

The Breach Closure Device lacks a flashy or exciting label beyond its rather generic abbreviated nickname, the BCD. Its purpose is as plain as its name suggests. Activating this device, properly calibrated and placed within a few yards of a Breach, will permanently close the rip in space-time. The BCD is the result of careful work and study by a team of Breach Engineers from an unknown Cooperative organization. The identities of the exact responsible parties remain a mystery due to the secretive and autonomous nature of individual Cooperative cells. The technical fabrication plans and instructions for use have been circulated anonymously through the Cooperative’s hand-to-hand distribution network. The device fits into a case roughly the size of a large suitcase and weighs about 80 lbs (36 kg), but is often broken down into two to four pieces for ease of transport. It consists primarily of a large, specially-designed cell that is used to power the device, a sophisticated system of calibration controls, and a dish used to focus and project the Aether energies used to restore the 1 39

barriers between dimensions. They are most commonly found in the possession of Breach Research and Closure (BRAC) teams from any one of a dozen Cooperative cells as they travel the Civilized Lands and beyond, closing off our world from others one Breach at a time. They may occasionally be found as salvage items, the evidence of BRAC operations gone wrong, particularly in especially dangerous Hot Zones.

Hot Zone Environments

The Hot Zones surrounding Breaches don't always include the intrusion of alien environments. If the alien world beyond is one of barren rock, for example, nothing is likely to make the trip across the barrier to Earth. Where alien landscapes do exert their influence, the results can be incredible to behold. What follows is a list of some of the types of environments that explorers may encounter in various Hot Zones around the Civilized Lands, and across the rest of the planet.

Alien Vegetation Savanna. Heat radiates from the Breach, and winds blow grass seed to the Earth side, where it takes root in fertile soils not shaded by terrestrial trees. Grasses require little water and can grow tall, in any number of colors. Thrives close to the Breach, particularly in the warm summers of the Civilized Lands, but fades quickly when moving further away from the source. Temperate Grassland. Tall or short grasses either have seed blown or carried through the Breach, or creep across using long root systems. Tend to be more lush, tolerant of rain and swings in temperature, and nourish a wide variety of animal life, some of which can be quite large. Creeping. Some of the most persistent forms of alien vegetation are varieties of creeping vines and climbers that use trailing stems and runners to seek out healthy environments. They are capable of dominating sources of water or nutrients, denying them to other plantlife, and even choking out entire forests of ancient trees. This type of plant can be difficult to fully destroy, as even small portions can grow and reclaim territory after it is cut back. It is often poisonous if consumed, or even to the touch. Forest. A very broad description for many different types of environments. Forests take time to establish, but once they take hold are one of the hardiest types of alien environment. Some forests are prone to having relatively 1 40

few trees, spread across a vast territory, while others pack in close and tall. Most fend off competitive plant life by screening the life-giving sun, or by the shedding of a canopy to smother anything trying to grow below. Ferns. Through much of Earth's history, virtually the only type of plant life was found in the form of various types of ferns. Spread via spores, these leafy plants are very easy to transmit through weather, by attaching to animals, or by surviving digestion and deposting in an animal's waste. Ferns may be tiny, or enormous. Alien ferns span the entire spectrum of color. Scrub. Low, hardy plants that often spawn from arid climates and frequently use spines, thorns, and stickers to protect against herbivorous enemies. Capable of surviving in many deserts, some variations of scrub trees and shrubs can overwhelm other ecologies if in a fruitful location with consistent nutrient supplies from water or nutritious soil, choking out native landscapes and replacing them.

Other Environmental Influences Arctic. Some Hot Zones are made warmer, even very hot, through the influence of a Breach, but there are no observed areas of alien cold around any known Breach. Cold-weather vegetation and other environmental influences can not successfully pass into the Civilized Lands, which is too warm a climate, even in the dead of winter. In other parts of the world, it is possible that frozen environments can cross over and prosper. Wetlands. Through some Breaches creep murky waters of wetlands, marshes, and swamps, and all of the vegetation and wildlife that comes with so diverse an ecosystem. These are very rare, but even more rare is for a Breach to allow a river or lake to spill over to Earth. Marine. There is no documented case of an ocean or other massive body of water passing from another world into our own. In theory, if a Breach placed at a high elevation on Earth were to open to the ocean of another world, entire seas could spill from the alien planet and into our own. The results of such an event would be catastrophic for both worlds. Space. One of the rarest of Breach phenomena is for Earth to be connected to the void of space. Through such a tear in dimensional reality, the observer from Earth stares into the inky black of nothingness, perhaps catching glimpse of some alien stars. Fortunately, the environment from our world cannot pass across a Breach, as in this case the entire atmosphere of our planet would be pulled into another dimension, destroying all life on Earth. 1 41

World Overview

Giving a true overview of the entire world would be a little much for this volume. Instead, what is presented in the following pages is a general understanding of the explored region that sets the stage for Breachworld, and some tidbits about what lies beyond.

A New Wilderness

It has been hundreds of years, and some speculate as many as a thousand years, since the Golden Age came to its catastrophic end. During that time, virtually everything built by man fell into ruin and decay. Most of Earth as your characters will know it is a true wilderness, only sparsely smattered with towns, villages, and the occasional advanced settlement to break up the open country. Nature has reclaimed in startling fashion the bulk of what mankind once built. Building materials such as wood and brick quickly rotted and crumbled after The Fall unless maintained by persistent caretakers. Mosses, weeds, and grasses filled every piece of cracking concrete and masonry, expanding and contracting with moisture, growth, and temperature changes until it all fell to rubble. Pleasant trees planted in suburban yards grew into vast forests. Aggressive and hearty crops, engineered to be durable in harsh conditions, went wild and spread with each passing season. The desert reclaimed tamed arid regions. Dams and levees burst and flooded once-inhabited river basins, remaking the terrain. With a few exceptions, the entire landscape has gone wild. Only scraps and ruins of mankind’s former dominion remain. People, both human and alien, have learned to adapt to the wilds of the world, or else center themselves around the few places that still recall whispers of the Golden Age.

Traversing the Wild

Surface roads are gone, broken down and swallowed up by vegetation after generations without maintenance or repair. In some areas where people are relatively abundant and regularly travel from one settlement to another, paths cut or worn into the fields and forests may mirror the routes of old paved streets and minor highways. Ruins of Interstates, bridges, and overpasses built above the grade of the earth with masses of concrete survive in stretches, but even these are treacherous, unstable, and difficult to pass. Only the most secure and heavily-traveled routes are marked by so much as a dirt road. Even under the very best of circumstances for the average adventurer on foot or with a mount, traveling 100 miles (160 km) is a perilous journey re1 42

quiring many days, or even weeks if the terrain, weather, or other circumstances are unkind. Most people who find themselves in a stable situation with a roof overhead and a reasonable supply of food will never journey more than 20 miles (32 km) from home in a lifetime. Naturally, such people care little and are impacted even less by what is happening elsewhere, be that over the horizon or half a continent away.

What Survives

Some things do survive, at least in part. As the Flavian Amphitheater, the Great Wall of China, and Pueblo cliff dwellings all endured into mankind’s modern age, many monumental structures survive as shadows of their former states. Sturdy structures built with modern concrete and high-tech metals are particularly likely to survive in some form, be they football stadiums, essential government buildings, electrical substations, power plants, prisons, parking garages, and all sorts of hardy, utilitarian type structures. Fiberglass, plastic, and composite materials are often recoverable and all make valuable salvage, in addition to whatever metals haven’t corroded away with the centuries. New construction is very often built on the bones of ruins. The world is a hard place full of alien invaders, human raiders, and roaming monsters, so any head start is a welcome advantage. Lucky settlers find buildings intact, unoccupied, and ready to be repurposed into new homes, storehouses, or 1 43

workhouses for equipment repair or sometimes even new manufacturing. Scrounged materials are used along with timber, clay, cut stone, or any of a dozen different natural materials to fill in missing bits of walls and roofs in existing partially-habitable buildings, or to build new structures where nothing suitable can be found. Remarkably, what has survived The Fall and ensuing Lost Age with astonishing frequency are Golden Age factories and industrial complexes. These pre-Fall facilities serve as the basis for many of the most successful communities of Breachworld. Compared to the wilderness that surrounds them, these settlements are paradises, often with running water, electricity, a thriving economy, and many of the trappings of a truly modern life.

The Civilized Lands

The primary game setting, at least as it stands in this volume, is set in what residents of the area call the Civilized Lands. This territory includes a portion of what was once Texas, in the old United States. More specifically, the bulk of the action takes place south of Dallas, north of San Antonio, as far east as Houston, and then stretching out into the hills in the western-central part of the state. The included setting overview covers roughly 45,000 square miles (117,000 square km), an area larger than the US states of Iowa or Virginia, larger than nations such as Cuba or South Korea, and a little bit smaller than Greece or Nicaragua. It would take a skilled character on horseback some two weeks to travel from one side of the represented area to the other under fair to good conditions. In other words, there is a lot of opportunity for adventure packed into this first salvo of the Breachworld RPG setting. None of the above geographical description would register strongly with most of the citizens of Breachworld. The names of places from before The Fall have lost their relevance. With the exception of the work of the Cooperative and other historians, or the occasional oral tradition that has survived the centuries, nobody would be familiar with the United States, Texas, Dallas, Interstate 35, or Lake Lewisville. Most places of significance are named by locals and on recently-constructed maps for prominent features or their reason of importance, rather than by their pre-Fall names. Maps and other documents refer to places such as Three Hills Lookout, North River Landing, Trade Post, or Vee Lake. Towns and villages generally have names that suggest some feature such as Arena or Wheat Town, or carry the proper name of a significant person or scrap of out-of-context history such as Hood, Mark’s Town, or Coke Farm.

Major Players

Breachworld is full of ever-changing dynamics of political power, military might, roving threats, and social order. There are too many groups, factions, 1 44

and upstart nations to list, but a smaller number play the largest role in shaping the region. The Cooperative is a network of historians, scientists, and other thinkers spread across the explored world. Their origins are unknown, but for many generations they have worked to reclaim the past and to build a future. Cooperative scholars are the foremost collectors of Golden Age information, acquiring it through salvage and barter, or even theft and other measures where necessary. They produce maps, educational texts, and copy works of literature and history to be distributed. Perhaps most importantly, it is the cumulative efforts over many decades of many different Cooperative cells that led to the development of the Breach Closure Device. Spread out across the land and working in small, independent cells, Cooperative entities are totally isolated from one another. Every outpost is different, but most live in communal multi-family units, with half of any one outpost’s population splitting away and forming a new cell elsewhere when the group outgrows its home. Various outposts send couriers to prearranged meeting places every third full moon, where they exchange news, updated maps, and newly-copied books and data files. No member of any outpost knows the location of any other cell, in order to protect the network as a whole. Breach Research and Closure (BRAC) Squads move throughout the region, studying and mapping Breaches, and trying to close as many of them as they are able. It’s often very difficult to get into position near enough to a Breach to operate the Breach Closure Device without running into hostile aliens, Breach creatures, or foreign environments, so the squads are very cautious before they proceed into what they term a “Hot Zone,” or the area within about a mile (1.6 km) of a Breach. A BRAC Squad originates at a Cooperative cell, but usually severs all ties once it leaves for its mission, in the interests of security. Squads usually hire non-Cooperative personnel as guides, specialists, and muscle, rarely mentioning their affiliation with the secretive group to anyone. The Resistance is a loose affiliation of native humans dedicated to eliminating all alien presence on Earth. They view the planet as being under occupation by invading foreign forces, and the Resistance is the heroic underground army dedicated to reclaiming humanity’s birthright. Resistance influence varies from small, isolated cells to the control of entire settlements. Its operations vary with the level of influence of their operatives. In most situations, individuals associated with the Resistance focus on committing acts of retribution against aliens, ranging from harassment to assassinations. The acquisition of territory through the infiltration of existing settlements and colonization of resource-laden territories are a top Resistance pri1 46

ority. Where the Resistance wields legitimate political power, governments under its control establish pro-human policies, limiting or forbidding aliens from entering their territories, and even conduct raids and campaigns against alien towns and villages. Chief among the primary cities where the Resistance is at least highly influential, if not in outright control, are Hood, River Bend, Kerrville, and Parada. Dozens of other smaller towns and villages are ideologically sympathetic, or even just supportive in order to buy protection and consideration from more powerful Resistance towns. The Resistance reaction to humans that seek to coexist with aliens varies greatly. In most cases, humans found to be living in harmony with aliens are left alone, as human life is too rare and valuable to the movement to be disposed of casually. Those humans that actively fight against the Resistance, however, are likely to be branded as race traitors and treated no differently than the aliens they protect. This us-or-them view often puts these freedom fighters at odds with the more collaborative-minded and apolitical Cooperative. Reptilian Raiders are alien raiders and bandits of unknown origin that travel the region in large bands, looting and pillaging as they go. They are easily identified as green-brown scaled humanoids most often seen riding what look like huge jungle cats, known as Trapcats. The Raiders hunt in groups of 20 or more, and prey on humans and aliens, alike. They prefer to set traps that exploit the speed advantage granted by their mounts, usually on open roads and across clear plains. Rumors point toward a Breach in what was once the American Midwest as their point of entry to Earth. The same rumors suggest that it is among the most active of all Breaches and that Raiders and their mounts pour through constantly and then scatter to hunt across the continent. 1 47

Rose Armaments isn’t precisely a political or social power, but is an actor in the Civilized Lands with much influence, in any case. Its representatives claim that Rose Arms is a manufacturer of weapons, armor, and the equipment needed to survive in a harsh world. Others claim that they are simply a very lucrative salvage and repair operation. Either way, the traveling salesmen bearing the Rose banner have the very best in offensive and defensive implements to offer for sale, with much of the gear being pristine pre-Fall technology, or replicas of such quality that they might as well be. Salesmen for Rose Armaments can be found plying their wares up and down trade roads in heavily armed and armored convoys. They sell to adventurers, mercenaries, and all manner of bandits and heroes. They are rarely assaulted, and those foolish enough to pick a fight with Rose security usually wind up on the losing end of a massacre, leading some to question why Rose doesn’t simply plant a flag and lay claim to a portion of the Lands for themselves. As it stands, the company appears to have no political aspirations. Rose is rumored to be headquartered far to the north, up what was once I-35, although company representatives come and go from the Civilized Lands in every direction. Dregs are a subset of society that exists in various forms all across Breachworld, but particularly in the bones of ruined towns, industrial areas, or other concrete jungles, or on the streets of larger communities. Predominantly human, but joined by any alien of a qualifying demeanor, these represent the lowest form of civilization. These are the burnouts and anarchists. They make no apologies for their total lack of drive or will to contribute. Dregs take what they want, do what they want, and don’t worry about consequences. They tend to run in gangs of a sort, but even that is far too structured to accurately describe them. They pool together in a cooperative laziness. They are not regular bandits or raiders, but just engage in such activities only as much as is necessary to eke out a living when scavenging, minor theft, and begging won’t do.

Distant Lands

Rumors persist of what lies beyond the borders of the Civilized Lands, both hopeful and terrifying. The most common sources of these rumors are traveling outsiders that claim to have originated from some far-off place. Any of the following can routinely be heard whispered in hushed voices around tavern tables or campfires: • Far to the north, there is a monastery that exists outside of normal time, where no one ages or dies. It has existed since long before The Fall, and stands witness to all of Earth’s forgotten secrets. • Along with the varieties of dinosaurs seen roaming parts of the Civilized Lands, primitive humans have also been encountered. 1 48

• Ride west for a few weeks, perhaps a month, and you will find a crater where a Golden Age town once stood. It was consumed by a giant worm that burrows through the ground, devouring whole cities. • From the northeastern part of the continent, contact has been made with an alien race that pilots huge machines into battle, each capable of destroying whole armies. • After a long journey to the east, you will reach a torrential river that is too wide to see across, with a current too strong to swim. Protected on the other side is a human civilization that survived The Fall. • The mountains to the northeast are full of cannibals. Stories vary as to whether they are human or alien. • A powerful wizard lives in the ruins of what was once a town south of San Antonio. He is able to bring the dead back to life, or curse the living. His near-limitless power can be bought at suspiciously low cost. • In the mountains far to the northwest, there is a city that can only be seen in the moonlight. There lives a race of peaceful aliens who will give sanctuary to anyone who asks it. • There are vast underground caverns in much of the Civilized Lands, where live a race of Changelings. Each one looks exactly like one human on the surface, and each seeks to find, kill, and replace his or her double. • Far to the south is the ocean, across which is an unspoiled and uninhabited island paradise. • North of the Civilized Lands there is a city that was called Fort Worth Dallas that is home to tens of thousands of Breaches, so many that due to their collective glow, nights within the ruins are lit up like day. • Just beyond the known borders of the Civilized Lands, there is a spectacular white city peopled by humans from the future with advanced technology who can open and close Breaches at will. • A Breach in what was once Houston brings to Earth a cult of alien crusaders of many races that seeks to convert or kill those who do not believe in its dark pantheon of gods. • Far to the southwest, there is a growing kingdom of allied hostile races from 100 different worlds, unified in their purpose to take Earth for their own. • A huge Breach to the southwest can be seen to be slowly expanding. • The lakes and rivers of the hill-covered country to the west are full of half-fish humanoid aliens. Those aware of the old myths suggest that they are identical to the Mer-People of ancient legend. • Many areas to the north are home to towering monsters bigger than houses and can easily step over city walls. 1 49

Life in Breachworld 3.2

Life for the average person surviving in the post-Fall world is unrecognizable when viewed from any other point in mankind’s history. Never before has there existed such an amalgam of Stone Age anarchy and high-tech wonder. Brutal tyrannies and hidden utopias rise and fall like the tides. Fortunes are won and stolen. The addition of each new alien race or monster only furthers the complications. Conditions change daily, forcing those that live within that chaos to try and simply keep up.

Society

Most of the world exists in a pre-industrial state. Enough time has passed since The Fall that humanity has re-learned many basic skills that were not particularly common during Earth’s Golden Age, such as how to weave cloth, make pottery, and farm the land, or even to cook a meal from scratch. Such things were once done by large corporations with advanced machinery, or at best by anachronistic hobbyists. Given the choice, people of the Golden Age almost always opted to focus on their own pursuits and strive for personal goals, cutting out the drudgery of the everyday. Some of the advanced technology that pre-Fall Earthlings so relied upon persists into the time of Breachworld in isolated pockets, usually of just one type or another in a given settlement. One town may have a working pre-Fall sawmill rigged to work on steam power while another may be home to an automated metals recycling plant that continues to operate as it did during the Golden Age. Those fortunate enough to live around such holdovers enjoy a post-industrial sort of world in some ways and likely have some conveniences such as limited power, filtered water, or modern weapons, but likely still live primitively in other aspects of their lives. In isolated instances, towns or cities are said to exist with very advanced technology and comprehensive services, with a quality of life equal to that of the Golden Age or beyond. Many of these stories are mythical retellings of oral traditions that harken back to the height of human civilization. Humans 1 50

or aliens are said to live in cities with huge skyscrapers and unlimited power, with unmatched infrastructure. These legendary cities are protected by men shrouded in robotic armor, wielding weapons that rival or exceed those made before The Fall. Some of these are cities whose citizens have re-learned old breakthroughs in science via salvage and study. Others may originate on foreign worlds. If any of them are real, none exist within the Civilized Lands. There exist even further rumors of civilizations existing on Earth that do not rely on technology at all, but thrive through the widespread use of paranormal powers. Many call these fairy tales, but in a world as strange as the one left after The Fall, most will agree than anything is possible.

Types of Communities

Whether a single family or a group of collaborative strangers, denizens of Breachworld band together in the interests of self-preservation. Successful groups tend to grow in size by taking in outsiders with useful skill sets, or through good, old-fashioned breeding. While any fledgling village, town, or tribe must see to a wide array of needs to provide a life, be it constructing shelter, providing for defense, or collecting food, most eventually settle into a primary mode of sustenance. If successful and prosperous communities are close enough to one another, specialization can even lead to healthy trading relationships, which only reinforces the pursuit of a specific type of lifestyle. Farming is perhaps the most common method of survival for anyone living in the Civilized Lands, especially for humans. The soil is rich from centuries of rest, so those who learn the basics of farming through tradition, instruction, Cooperative literature, or pure dumb luck have success growing grains, corn, fruit, potatoes, and other produce that has been found growing wild 1 51

in the remnants of ancient farms and then re-tamed. Keeping livestock is also a practice that has survived through the Lost Age, particularly hardy stock that can live off the land without consuming resources that would be better used for people. Hunting and gathering are popular means of survival for anyone that stays on the move as scavengers, explorers, trade caravans, or simple nomads in the fashion of some ancient Native Americans, following migrating game throughout the year. Unfamiliar with human agriculture, many aliens hunt native Earth creatures or monsters from the Breaches, sometimes to include humans or other alien races, and learn what flora is edible through simple observation, trial, and error. Bows, spears, and other primitive weapons are by far the most common hunting tools. Fishing is a major contributor to life as well, particularly as a supplement to either farming or hunting and gathering. Some communities use advanced methods of net fishing or even operate fisheries as a primary means both of internal support and trade. Raiding is a popular means of support for communities of humans, aliens, or mixed groups comprised of both. Raiders mainly target small villages and homesteads and either make off with stolen goods in secret, or use the threat of force to get what they need at the barrel of a gun. Livestock is a favorite target for raiders, especially horses. Raiding that ends up in a firefight can be very expensive for the raiders, costing valuable ammunition, power, and muscle, so a typical raid will not target the well-armed or well-defended. Bushwhacking is another method for humans and aliens to use violence to satisfy needs, but is done along the trails, waterways, and footpaths of the wilderness. Bushwhackers use traps and ambushes along common routes for caravans and other travelers. Like raiders, they like to use the threat of force rather than expend precious blood and resources, but are more likely to let bullets fly if they observe well-armed, but high-value targets and think they can come out ahead in the exchange.

Where are you from?

Player characters can be from any walk of life. They may hail from the ruins of great cities or have been born to a single mother surviving in the wild. Their people may be scavengers or fighters. The hero’s journey from farm boy to legend or the story of a villain’s fall from grace into evil make for classic, epic stories and are what role-playing is really all about. Give thoughts to these sorts of things when building characters, either as a player or as the GM. 1 52

Trades

Rather than focus on growing The adventuring trade or collecting for basic needs, an Simply wandering the Civilized Lands is increasing number of inhabitnot likely to result in much of a liveliants of Breachworld take up an hood. A number of occupations can occupation that allows for them keep an individual on the move and to trade a unique set of skills to others in exchange for what they finding adventure, or even allow the characters to set up a home base from need to thrive. which to operate sucessfully. A varied Exploring has become skillset within the group or even divermore common as humanity sifying a character can help ensure surstarts to take deeper root back vival in a harsh world. into the world and the struggle to survive is not as much a dayto-day proposition. There is a healthy trade in accurate maps, wilderness guides, the discovery of new routes through dangerous or challenging territory, and other know-how when it comes to the surrounding world. Scavenging is a potentially fruitful occupation near towns or trading posts in need of raw materials. Scavengers pull usable materials from discovered locations, either ancient or more recent, and trade the scrap for goods. The scrap goes on to be repurposed or broken down and reconstituted into new products such as armor, tools, and building materials. Treasure hunting is similar to scavenging, but is far more purposeful. Treasure hunters use knowledge of the pre-Fall world gained through study, exploration, rumors, or recovered documents to find locations where valuables may be present. These historical items can include anything from books, computers, weapons, vehicles, cells, or any other item of value. The most valued finds are caches of preserved pre-Fall goods, found in sealed buildings, vaults, or storehouses that for one reason or another were overlooked or inaccessible during the Lost Age. Any pre-Fall item is potentially valuable. The biggest trick for a treasure hunter is knowing what is worth taking and what isn’t. Depending on the items in hand, the relics are then traded to historians, mercs, BRAC squads, or the well-off looking to hold a piece of the old world. Smithing is a common trade and there is a booming business in any sort of metalworking skills. At the lowest level, smiths can sharpen farming implements, make horseshoes and nails, and forge simple weapons or tools. With enough skill and advanced equipment, such as a steam-powered press or hydraulic air tools, a smith can tool metal, repair firearms, forge replacement machine parts, or purify and strengthen metals. Mercenary trades are fruitful for experienced combatants with the means to bear arms. Most mercs specialize in modern weaponry and have access to 1 53

firearms, slugthrower weapons, or the occasional directed energy weapon, but some also simply ply their trade with a blade, bow, or cudgel. A merc can be found in the company of anyone who might need protection, be it a caravan, a diplomatic delegation, BRAC squad, lone explorer, or speculator willing to share a cut of the profits. They may also be hired to act as town defenders, supplement an existing militia or military, or undertake missions of murder, theft, or espionage. Humans and aliens enter the trade at about the same rate, but many non-human races are especially renowned for their work as soldiers or blades for hire.

Economy

There is no universal currency in Breachworld. No dollars. No credits. No bottlecaps. Some communities, especially the larger and more organized ones, may use some sort of token system or even use paper money to trade among themselves, but the economics of Earth now rely almost entirely on bartering. One upshot to this is that almost nothing has a set price. A chicken may be worth a day’s labor when chickens are in abundance, but a week later it may take three days’ work to earn that same bird. Blankets are in high demand when it’s cold, but harder to trade in the summer. In the proper situation, a spare magazine of 5.56mm assault rifle ammunition may buy a house, a barrel of wine, a spouse, or all three. The hottest trade of the day is in information. Tidbits of data can go a long way toward the rediscovery of forgotten caches of wealth or remnants of a past cultural identity. Of particular interest are maps, or pieces of historical data from before The Fall. This has led to a huge surge of men and women venturing out into the wilderness as explorers, cartographers, and treasure hunters. This has also led to a banner trade in forgeries and counterfeits, so buyers have learned to be careful when things look too good to be true, and do whatever they can to verify the validity of information before completing a purchase. From a game design perspective, in the pages of this RPG you will find precious little information about what something costs. At most, some equipment and other goods will list a general equivalence in trade, but even that is to be taken as an imprecise estimate. Below are listed some generally accepted values for certain goods and services. • One day of labor (farming, land-clearing, hunting, general repair, etc.) will almost always grant the worker a good meal and, if available, someplace to rest that is out of the elements. • A few days of labor is generally enough to be fed and housed for the duration, and sent away with some extra basic provisions. • Animal hides, preserved meat, and other animal goods are all major 1 54

• • • • • • •

•

•

sources of tradestock for farmers, nomadic travelers, adventurers, and anyone else capable of hunting or trapping. A processed small game animal or two is usually good in trade for a hearty meal or in exchange for having some tools sharpened, while that of a large animal may purchase a used pair of boots or a night’s stay in the comfort of a bed. Small, live animals suitable for eating such as rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, etc. are often given in male-female pairs as gifts or in appreciation for a significant service. Chickens are even more highly valued, given their sturdiness and proclivity for laying eggs. Perishable items such as fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, and cheese are valuable, but often some of the first things to be traded because of their short shelf life and the fact that they are often produced in large amounts. Goats, sheep, pigs, and other livestock are not often suitable for trade to traveling adventurers, but are significant in value and often traded for bulk goods like rice, corn, fresh water, alcohol, a bundle of arrows, or a bolt of cloth. Cattle and horses are among the most valuable assets anyone can have, provided they have the means to keep them protected. They are rarely traded away, but are some of the most frequently stolen goods. Weapons are usually too valuable to be traded in any but the most severe circumstances. The exception may be firearms without the proper ammunition or simple weapons made by a skilled craftsman.. Bullets make for good trade stock because they are easy to transport, are in constant demand, and can be divided into any size lot, as opposed to trying to bargain for half of a chicken or a quarter of a cow. Vehicles with electric motors are, where there is a source of power, among the most salvaged items in the world, particularly for bandits, warlords, lawmen, adventurers, and anyone with a desire to project power over a significant area. Thus, they are extremely expensive, even if not operational. Precious metals, gems, and jewelry are not significantly valuable to most people trying to survive in the world, but may have great worth to the most established and wealthy individuals. Some precious metals are in demand for the manufacture or repair of electronics, though the skill to work with such devices is very rare. Where appropriate, precious metals can be used as raw materials to be fed into automated factories. Trade in human or alien life and flesh exists, but varies incredibly from one area to the next in terms of scope and magnitude. Some places freely trade such goods in the open, while in other locations the mere suggestion is a crime worthy of terrible punishment. 1 55

Tech in Breachworld 3.3

As previously noted, bits of technology from the Golden Age have survived into the time of Breachworld, or have been rediscovered by innovators of the new age. Some technology has even been reintroduced by alien races. Many discoveries are particularly regional and limited in the range of their impact, but others are far more widely enjoyed and form a substantial foundation for the lives of those surviving in the new world.

Technology and Player Characters

Player characters, by their very natures, tend to be extraordinary. They have advanced skills, superhuman abilities, intensive training, and all other sorts of advantages. The same holds true for their access to technology, most notably things like armor, weapons, and vehicles. The average player character will discharge more rounds of ammunition in a single firefight than most “ordinary” people could afford to purchase in half a lifetime and could easily cruise around in a truck or don a suit of armor worth more than a small town. That’s not to say that a game couldn’t be played using only the common man as a basis, with his lesser means and abilities, but players and Game Masters shouldn’t worry too much if the player characters are a bit more well-off or have access to better toys than the little guys. Just keep it in perspective and game on, using Rule #1 as your guiding principle.

Fusion Reactor

The fusion reactor is a key technology that has survived the Lost Age, and a major piece of the puzzle that has allowed humanity to rebound after The Fall. Developed on an experimental basis over the course of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, commercial fusion power was never able to make the 1 56

leap to viability until the advent of Gate science. The ability to transport matter using microscopic Gates made initiating a fusion reaction much more efficient and less costly than had ever been possible. With fuel sources available in such simple and abundant reserves as water, within a few decades the use of fusion for the generation of electricity was commonplace. Most fusion plants were operated by large-scale industrial applications that required large amounts of power, such as materials fabricators and recyclers, chemical producers, desalination plants, the textiles industry, and even large commercial developments. The corporations would then sell excess power back to the utility companies, who then fed it into the grid. The fusion plants that survive into the time of Breachworld tend to be those designed to be self-sufficient and not rely on infrastructure to deliver nuclear fuel, which was typically deuterium stripped from large reservoirs of water. Plants located on the waterside, particularly on the sea, did not suffer failures caused by collapsed pipelines or interrupted delivery by truck. As long as nuclear fuel remained available, many of these power plants never ceased to operate. Active fusion plants, and operable power plants in general, are almost always the central focus of a town of at least moderate size. Whoever controls the plant, calls the shots, be it an elected committee or an alien warlord. These towns usually have more advanced industries than the average community, thanks to the wide availability of electricity.

Gates and Fusion Power

Without getting into an overly technical explanation, Gate technology facilitated nuclear fusion reactions by using tightly controlled, atomic-level Gates. These Gates were used to transport molecules of deuterium into close proximity to each other, which brings about the fusion process that, in turn, generates the energy used to produce electricity. Because so many fusion plants remain operable, it is assumed that the Gates used in their operation were not affected by the Breach phenomenon. It is a mystery to the Breach experts of the Cooperative and other scientific minds as to why this may be, and will continue to be a mystery until such parties can learn to observe and manipulate space-time at such a miniscule scale. Various Cooperative branches have independently considered using a BCD to attempt to shut down the Gates that allow a plant to function, but to date none have attempted it. So far, these micro-Gates seem stable and safe, and offer a huge benefit to those who rely on the power plants. 1 57

Fabrication Plants

Automated fabrication plants were another type of facility that proved resistant to the Lost Age. These advanced industrial facilities were often built alongside fusion reactors and so have sometimes even survived to the current day, fully operable. These Golden Age wonders used the next generation of the technology known in the early 21st century as “3D printing” to precisely manufacture products of all types, from pieces of fiberglass shells for cars, to entirely finished consumer electronics products from the circuits to the plastic casing. These plants were all built in the decades leading up to The Fall, and so were constructed using the latest methods and materials, which greatly increased their survivability. Once the Gates failed and people abandoned their places of work, automated factories went into standby or shut down completely. Many were damaged in natural disasters, overrun by monsters, or stripped by looters in the coming centuries, but those that survive intact need only to be powered up and fed schematics and raw materials, from which they can resume production. The simplest factories were hard-wired to produce only a certain broad category of relatively simple products, like plastic shelving units, sets of glass dishes, or metal casings for novelty datacards. Others could be fed complex instructions and work with dozens of materials to produce intricate products such as screens or the workings of an energy rifle. Fabricators do not generally create whole, complete products with moving pieces for producing things like firearms, electric motors, or vehicles. Instead, these more complex machines must have parts made individually and then are assembled as a separate process, but even this was often automated within the same facilities.

Weapon Technology

Weapons come in an incredibly wide variety of types in Breachworld, ranging from the most archaic to advanced implements of destruction from other worlds. Beyond basic, primitive weapons, there are a number of major classifications somewhat commonly available to player characters. Firearms are conventional weapons that use gunpowder, ranging in sophistication from homemade muskets to vehicle-mounted auto-cannons. Tech weapons are a broad classification of advanced weaponry that either survives from the Golden Age or was brought to Earth by aliens. Most often included are directed energy weapons such as projected lasers and stuninducing ion weapons, plus many varieties of alien weaponry. Slugthrowers are a middle ground between firearms and tech weapons that are in some ways the best of both worlds. They uses electromagnets to propel solid slugs as a firearm would, but without the use of gunpowder. 1 58

Screens

Screens are one of the most Popular Screen Software widespread pieces of 1. Rosetta: Translation program capable of Golden Age technology recording speech and displaying the text in available in the time of another language. Useful for most Earth Breachworld. Before The languages, plus a handful of regional alien Fall, screens served as molanguages. bile entertainment and 2. AlIdent: An alien identification algorithm, communication devices, a run through the camera. Can identify most natural extension and evolregional alien species. ution of the smartphone 3. Edibles database and tablet computer that 4. Map of Civilized Lands trade outposts were so ubiquitous in the 5. Salvage trainer: Game designed to help a early 21st century. They scavenger recognize valuables from scrap. have no moving parts and were constructed of highly resilient composite materials, so many vintage screens are now carried even after the Lost Age. Further, a few automated fabrication plants throughout the Civilized Lands specializing in these devices continue to operate, producing a limited number of units every year. Demand is high for such a device, and so the price is high as well, but they are invaluable tools for adventurers, scavengers, scholars, and virtually anyone else who lives beyond the borders of a simple farm or tradehouse. They are heavily utilized by the Cooperative in the dissemination of their collected knowledge. Communication networks are no longer in effect across the globe, so screens can no longer be used to “make a call.” Nevertheless, screens are still invaluable as repositories of historical documents, maps, digital images, and any other sort of electronic information. A screen may be able to communicate with other screens across short distances in order to share information, or even to hack another unit from across a room. Screens have a powerful micro-computer at their core which is capable of running sophisticated programs above and beyond the basic functions of the device. Such software is difficult to come by, as those with the knowledge to produce it are a rare breed, but they are an asset. Programs range from simple games to inventory assistants for shop-owners, to digital face recognition software for use by mercs or lawmen.

Datacards

Datacards are portable repositories of digital information, analogous to a computer disk or memory card of the 21st century. They are manufactured from advanced materials that make them far more durable than their prede1 59

cessors, and their memory storage is virtually incorruptible. Their format was a universal standard, so they can interface with any screen or computer.

Cells

In application, cells are the Golden Age version of a battery, though they do not rely on a chemical reaction to generate electricity, instead storing energy within an electric field. They are highly efficient and can store large amounts of power with very little bleed-off, and can be used and recharged virtually without end. In Breachworld, they power everything from jeeps to exoskeletons to flashlights, and can be recharged from any power plant or generator.

Breach Closure Device (BCD)

This recently invented device is, as discussed elsewhere in this RPG, a gamechanger. It can effectively and permanently seal a tear in space-time. To date, its use is limited to the Cooperative’s BRAC Squads, but they make the schematics readily available to those seeming equal to the task. The Cooperative hesitates to widely publish the plans in fear that attempting to use the device may put unprepared would-be heroes in harm’s way.

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3.4 Places of Note Hood

Population: Humans: 522 Breach Activity: Considerable activity to the west, known to produce Breach creatures. Assets: Strong military culture and veteran leadership. Liabilities: Territory contains a great number of Breach creatures. Remnants of a major highway to the east can bring in wandering outsiders. Intelligence: Hood lies east of what was once Killeen, Texas. The old city housed Fort Hood, one of the largest Army bases in the United States. The current settlement lies on the shores of Stillhouse Hollow Lake. Its leaders are known to be avid collectors of Cooperative-created maps and other historical documents, presumably to help in scouting, raiding, and scavenging missions, and to ascertain future possible areas for expansion.

Summary

Hood is a fortified human city, ruled by a man known as The General, and a major source of support for the anti-alien group known as the Resistance. Its soldier-citizens have weapons and armor, and are raised as a part of a rigid, militaristic society that values humanity, service, and sacrifice. Outsiders that are brought into the fold from surrounding areas are somewhat second-class citizens and provide for most of the non-military labor, including most of the farming and fishing that sustains the community. Hood Men, as the military class call themselves, value efficiency and teamwork above all else, which has led to a remarkable amount of innova1 61

tion. Weapons that were recovered centuries ago are kept in service thanks to the long-lived composite materials of their original construction, and the extreme care with which they are treated. The salvaged weapons were kept in working order long enough that future generations were able to learn to forge and machine components as the guns wore out or were damaged.

Points of Interest

Hood is one of the larger towns in the region, and so has a number of places of interest that may interest player characters, regardless of their goals or affiliations. The mapped portion of Hood contains a number of places of note. 1. Col. Brewer Residence. The residence of the Commandant of the Hood military college and his wife and three daughters. A private man, the Commandant maintains a relatively low profile outside of his official duties. On the drill field, however, he is a renowned terror to veterans and recruits, alike. 2. West Dormitories. These apartments serve as homes for single citizens of Hood, or sometimes married couples with no children. The residents work in the surrounding service industries as teachers, grocers, tailors, or any other trade, or as farmers or ranchers inside or outside the city walls. 1 62

Two residents of note are the local dentist and his partner, Joel Matthews and Sed Blue. When not fixing the teeth of the locals, they are collecting intelligence for the local Cooperative contingent that exists well underground in the city. 3. Education Center. This local school serves children in the neighborhood through the age of 12, where they receive primary education in reading and writing, basic math, life sciences, history, and useful skills such as farming, ranching, and marksmanship. Competition, both athletic and scholastic, are highly emphasized. 4. West Storehouse. This large warehouse stores vital supplies, from crops to dried meats to potable water. 5. West City Gate. This military-controlled entry consists of a tall gate in the wall, inside of which is a machinegun nest, guard house, and reinforced emergency bunkers. 6. Resistance Liaison. This office is a combination propaganda center, training facility, and launch point for Resistance political and sabotage operations. Operatives rotate in and out of the office to further the proTerran agenda of the freedom fighting organization. The current resident Resistance officer is an ambitious young woman named Julia al-Saad who has been in the job for only a few months after distinguishing herself by assassinating a Pathos political figure in the small town of Laga Cinco. 7. Barracks. The home of serving and training Hood Men, these dormitories are a mix of temporary barracks and permanent apartments. 8. Hood Administration. Offices, classrooms, and mess facilities operate in the building to serve the military establishment of Hood. This is the largest such building in Hood, but similar facilities exist throughout the city. 9. Armory. This hardened, reinforced building houses a portion of the military might of The General and his Hood Men. It contains weapon stores of small arms, incendiaries, and anti-vehicle weaponry, plus facilities for hand-loading ammunition and cooking fresh explosives. It is always well-guarded. The building has a loading dock for transfer of materials. 10. Blacksmith. A local blacksmith serves both the civilian and military citizens and visitors. The chief smith, by the name of Ory, is a semi-retired Hood Man and devotee of the Resistance cause. He can shoe horses, sharpen tools and weapons, make nails, and even forge some rudimentary replacement parts for firearms. 1 64

Arena

Population:

Humans: 195 Near-Humans: 84 Machine Men: 10 Minotaur: 12 Others: 68 Breach Activity: A ruined Gate Center lies roughly 8 miles (13 km) to the northwest, but the resulting Hot Zone is overrun with an aggressive creeping yellow vegetation that has completely smothered the area. The thick, impenetrable walls of foliage renders most incoming Breach activity moot, as anything crossing over to Earth is unable to escape it and ultimately perishes. Scouts from Arena keep an eye on the area as a precaution. A Breach exists 15 miles (24 km) west that produces a few hundred rust-colored, antlered, deer-like creatures per year. The locals call this animal a Red Stag and hunt it for its meat and hide. The Breach there also brings in some small rodents and varieties of exotic-looking birds, but nothing dangerous or particularly useful. Assets: A strong, defensible habitation and a large enough population to be able to form a reasonable defense against most outside threats. A notable population of Minotaur and Machine Men residents provide additional strength and versatility to the community. Liabilities: Arena lacks sophisticated weaponry or technology, including technology for power generation or water purification. Intelligence: The community of Arena is well established and stable. The surrounding ruins have been thoroughly cleared of resources and artifacts. No great political or military leanings, and though proximity to Hood invites the influence of the Resistance, the citizens have benefited too greatly from alien cooperation to turn it away. Cooperative agents are encouraged to use this town as a temporary staging and recovery point for travel up and down the remnants of Interstate 35, and for travel to and from the cluster of communities of interest to the east. 1 65

Summary

Arena is a classic example of the new repurposing the old. For over 50 years, human and alien settlers have made a home inside the ruins of an ancient football stadium, building homes right into the former seating areas, locker rooms, and concourses, while farming and ranching the land inside and around the old athletics venue. Ranching includes the noteworthy inclusion of a large, red, cow-like animal known as a Vaca, which has been successfully domesticated. Its fatty meat is delicious and nourishing, and greatly prized. The makeup of the community is a relatively common mix for successful villages of its size. It is predominantly human, but welcoming of any being that can contribute. The attitude that rules the hearts and minds of Arenans is one of “common good.” This open attitude has yielded two very useful fruits in particular. First, a small family unit of Minotaur have made their home in the lower levels of the old stadium. They were welcomed in by the community with due caution, but without the prejudice that these hulking alien beings often experience. In return, the Minotaur have shared their considerable farming knowledge with their neighbors, to the benefit of all. Secondly, an unusually large group of Machine Men has set up camp within the walls. Originally just a pair of the mechanical beings settled in to study the community and to lend a hand where they could, but its central location eventually attracted a number of other Tinmen to join them. They tell the citizens of Arena that most will be moving on within a few months, but the assistance provided by their expertise in science, medicine, and even combat have all benefited the town. Arena is not “ruled” by any formal government, but by general consensus. Everyone expects their neighbors to be helpful and not to antagonize. The physical area is large enough that if squabbles pop up, the offended parties can generally avoid one another. Violence is not tolerated and leads to offenders being “drummed out” and banished by the general will and action of the people. Common defense is provided militia-style, with all families and individuals expected to take up whatever arms they have to protect the town from monsters, raiders, or any other threat.

Points of Interest

Arena's well-fortified walls have allowed community to bloom and prosper inside. It is commonly visited by travelers who know the Civilized Lands as a place to rest up or restock, or even to settle down. 1. Guard Tower. Five guard towers rise above the makeshift settlements of Arena, manned day and night by dedicated volunteers. Alarms are sounded by ringing makeshift bells or gongs made from cast metal. 1 66

2. Minotaur Lair. The clan of Minotaur, led by a grey bull named Mados that have taken up residence in Arena have made themselves at home in the old catacombs under the stadium ruins. They occupy a series of old offices and a backstage area. 3. Exterior Wall Repair. Settlers of Arena long ago patched this cave-in of the exterior wall with boulders and rubble. 4. Cartographer. Jenn Apple, a merchant and transcriber of maps, runs her shop from a house amidst the homes of other residents. While not a member of the Cooperative, independent agents regularly trade maps and descriptions of surrounding territory with her; providing a new bit of information or salvaged bit of map will buy you more of the same in exchange. This makes her combination home and business a center of information for travelers of all types. 5. Howard Residence. The Howard family, one of the largest and most prominent clans in Arena, makes its home in what was once a locker room in the stadium. From here, the family patron, Dane Howard, operates the livestock operations that take place inside the city walls, consisting of cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and Vaca. Dane is a near-human. His unusual traits include a set of antennae protruding back from his jawline, a flat nose, and green stripes in his black hair. He lives and works closely with his two wives, a woman of his own race named Emera, with whom he has two teenage boys and a young girl, and an Earthling wife named Tamara, with whom he has a grown daughter, two teenage girls, and a baby boy. His half-Earthling offspring all have broad noses and bright green hair. 6. Traveler Apartments. Dwellings for temporary residents are found at ground level in an area once reserved for luxury field-level suites. Travelers and visitors are allowed to use them on a limited basis so long as they are conducting business in the town and cause no trouble. 7. Sarra Residence. A heavily scarred man named Elias Sarra lives and works in this relatively large home, most of which is taken up by workspace, spare parts, and scrap junk. He is rumored to have been a mercenary before settling down in Arena to work as a gunsmith and do-it-all mechanic. One of the local Machine Men, who goes by the name of Eta, is often found helping Sarra in his tasks. 8. Vaca Barn. Dane Howard technically owns this piece of property, but it is used to house the Vaca of other ranchers as well as his own. The alien livestock go through periods of a sort of hibernation every five months, and have been trained to use this barn to nest up. Inside, up to 30 of the 132 head of Vaca may be found sleeping in cozy piles like huge kittens. 1 69

9. Tradehouse. Originally a single, one-roomed house, this center of trade has been expanded many times over the years. It now serves as a marketplace where citizens and visitors can barter, buy, and sell goods from loaves of bread to leather jackets to energy weapons. Availability changes literally every day. Perhaps the single most popular and regular exhibitor is a woman that the locals just call the Grenade Lady. Over 60 years old, she arrives in Arena every week to ten days, always with a pack full of explosives, ranging from harmless flares to landmines to dynamite. She haggles for food, domestic goods, and other basic supplies until her stock is exhausted, and then heads back south of the river, always on her own. 10. Community Armory. The townspeople collectively employ a dozen fighting men and women to maintain two stores of weapons, ammunition, armor, and other implements of battle. These mercenaries (of a sort) are paid in free room and board, kept comfortable and fed by the townspeople. A number have wed into the community and legitimately call Arena their home. Most of the stored items belong to town residents and are stored in lockers when their owners are inside the walls. The weapons are generally very simple, with nothing more exotic or rare than a bolt-action rifle or handgun with a few rounds of ammunition, and more commonly bows with quivers of arrows, spears, makeshift swords, and leather helmets and jackets. These are all kept in the event of an attack, and as a bonus are well maintained by the staff. 11. Ferry Launch. A small boathouse and dock are used by those traveling up and down the river. Passage on short journeys or just to cross the river can be easily bartered during daylight hours, but is less reliable at night. The nearest easy ford is many miles away, whether headed upriver or down. 12. Loren Farm. Named for the founder of the farm, the land is now worked by Loren's son and daughter, Devante and Victoria. They primarily grow corn, and fish in the river, and generally live a normal, if relatively prosperous life. They are noteworthy, however, because they do not ever enter Arena, and only Victoria deals with visitors or patrons looking to buy from their stock. Devante never speaks to or even comes near anyone but his sister. Local legend says that Loren left the community of Arena after she was cursed by an invisible, demonic, ethereal being from beyond a Breach. The monster would attack anyone who so much as approached Loren, forcing her into solitude with her two young children. With Loren's death, the monster is said to now haunt Devante. 1 70

Trade Post Population:

Grim: 1 permanent Others: Varies Breach Activity: Virtually none, the nearest being over 20 miles (32 km) to the northwest, southwest, or east. Assets: Isolation from significant Breach activity and a general understanding of sanctuary between regular visitors. Proximity to several communities helps to ensure trade traffic. Liabilities: Occasional traffic from hostiles originating from Bastion. Intelligence: Trade Post is as apolitical as any establishment in the Civilized Lands, with no noteworthy presence by Resistance, Cooperative, or other regional powers, but is of course used by all manner of peoples as a point of commerce in the area.

Summary

Trade Post is exactly what it sounds like: a place for residents of the area to come to exchange goods and services. This crossroads, while off most major routes, is near several settlements, including Boot Fishery (population 212) to the west, Cooper's Ranch (population 45) to the south, and Coke Farm (population 32) to the east. Each are a day or two travel from Trade Post for most adventurers and the locals that know the territory. That makes it a convenient point of commerce for the members of these communities, all of which center on some sort of agriculture and thus often have need to barter their reserves for some need or other. The structures found at the site have been erected by the regulars who use the crossroads to further their commercial endeavors. Claims are respected by most, though it is not unusual for newcomers to be found squatting in empty dealer stalls. Through some luck and happenstance, Trade Post has managed to stay free of political machinations and overt threats that challenge most such establishments. It walks a fine line of being large enough to be useful, but small and remote enough to avoid most trouble. It has no strategic value to the Resistance or any of the city-states and political groups of the Civilized Lands. Those that frequent the spot can handle themselves well enough to fight off the typical threats found in the wild.

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Points of Interest

There are very few fixed points of interest in Trade Post. Even the most permanent fixtures pass on in time, so there is very regular turnover. Most of these places may or may not be occupied on any given day, and may even be abandoned for good or replaced by some newcomer. Only infrequently will there be a full contingent of merchants present at any given time. 1. Gunner Homestead. The only truly permanent structure in Trade Post is the cabin home to the solitary Grim, known as Gunner, and her loyal hound, named Biscuit. She built the cabin and moved in permanently roughly two years ago, picking the spot due to its unique combination of out-of-the-way and convenient to a number of life's luxuries. She can keep to herself while still picking up needed supplies without having to travel. Gunner has a rough reputation as a no-nonsense loner, even for a Grim, so nobody argued. If anything, the regular merchants were happy to have her move into the neighborhood, as her presence discourages shenanigans by newcomers who have yet to learn the unwritten code. Gunner may be encountered out hunting, but is most often seen working outside her home, doing maintenance and repairs, or fishing in the shade of one of the tall live oaks. Biscuit is never far from her heels. 2. Abel (Brewing). Abel is a man with a talent for turning most anything organic into alcohol, and it can all be found in his booth. He is often in his little shack for weeks at a time, cooking mash or filtering fluids in the makeshift kitchen attached to his storefront. He almost always has one variety of corn alcohol available, as well as some sort of fruit wine, but 1 72

most are interested in his experimental concoctions that have bases of everything from pine needles to tobacco to mashed grasshoppers to (allegedly) copperhead venom. When not conjuring his potions in his shack, he is often hauling a barrel or two to Boot Fishery, where he has a loyal following as well. 3. Silver (Guide Services). Silver is a Dru and an Epic who has turned her natural acumen for wilderness life into a career as a professional guide. She loves nothing more than to travel the countryside, learning every crevice and hill of the Civilized Lands, so she is willing to serve as a ranger to anyone looking to travel, whether it be to a known location or off the map, entirely. Her powerful Aether-manipulating abilities are geared toward superior abilities of intuition and the manipulation of nature, even further increasing her capabilities. So great is her reputation that travelers have been known to camp for weeks at Trade Post, waiting for Silver to return from her latest expedition. She is never long between jobs. 4. Cryss (Gun Salvage). Scavenging is a popular trade in the Civilized Lands, and very little is as sought after as a working firearm. Unfortunately, guns that are in pieces or rusted through are more common booty. Cryss, a human who permanently resides in the small community of Coke Farm, specializes in salvaging firearms scrap and creating working weapons through restoration or the repurposing of parts. He takes advantage of the explorers and adventurers that pass through Trade Post to collect useful bits and pieces, and to sell the results of his handiwork. 5. Vacant Booth. This particular booth has been vacant for many months, and is considered bad luck by the regulars. It has hosted a tanner, a fortuneteller, a cartographer, a fletcher, and even a gunsmith for short times, all of which are normally good bets for success, but none have been able to stick it out. 1 73

6. Cooper Ranch (Horses). The local horse ranch keeps a pen of broken and saddle-ready horses, donkeys, and mules for sale at Trade Post for most of the year, excepting the winter. They can be hired out for transportation services by the hands that watch over the operation, or bought outright. They also provide stabling, sell and repair tack and shoes, and other equine services. 7. Ruined Depot. This burned-out ruin of an old fuel depot has been mostly reclaimed by nature over the past century or so. Its roof has collapsed and the tanks are full of holes from the combination of rust and target practice. In a pinch, however, it is sometimes used as a shelter from windstorms, or the foundation of a temporary camp. 8. Tent Village. Visitors often stay at Trade Post for a few days at a time, or even longer. Sometimes they are waiting on a certain vendor to show up, or are waiting for ordered work to be completed by a blacksmith, armorer, tailor, or other crafter. Sometimes it is just a place to recuperate from life on the road. Whatever the case, the Tent Village can provide accomodations. The operation is as close to a permanent fixure as there is in Trade Post, except for Gunner and Biscuit, and is run by a trio of near-humans who claim to be brothers, but have vastly different appearances. Seemo is very tall, standing about seven feet (2.1 m), with webbed fingers, a bald head, and only four fingers and toes on each extremity. Mussrat has pitch black skin and hard nodules all over his broad skull, forearms, and shins, with short, silvery hair. Bud looks almost totally human except for a slightly shimmery tone to his pale skin and blonde hair. All three live in the large cabin that doubles as a mess hall, and even has facilities for hot showers thanks to a boiler system. Preferred currency for any and all services are bullets of any size or make.

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3.5Breach Creatures Breach creature is the general name commonly used to describe otherworldly monsters of an animalistic or even demonic nature, as opposed to intelligent beings that are usually known simply as aliens. Breach creatures can have only the intelligence of an Earth animal, but many are cunning in their own ways and display a sort of instinctual intelligence. Beasts that are particularly large or savage are often called Breach monsters, while those that allegedly wield magical-type abilities or are of particularly evil cunning are sometimes distinguished as Breach demons. Because each Breach typically opens to a unique world or dimension, most of the creatures that emerge from them tend to be found in a certain area. Many, however, have spread across the continent over the centuries. The names given below are common titles given to describe the appearance or behavior of one of these creatures, but anyone that encounters any given creature for the first time is likely to assign his or her own label.

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Allosaur

It is more than clear that we don’t understand everything about the relationship between dimensional travel and the flow of time. No more evidence is needed than the existence on Earth today of species that have been extinct for the whole ofhuman history.

Breach Science TechnicalIntroduction (CDoc BRSC-00c-01kk)

The Cooperative

Seemingly a real-life monster from Earth’s historic past, the predatory Allosaurus, or simply Allosaur, once again stalks the planet. The ancient dinosaur’s precise Breach of origin is unknown, but along with the presence of other dinosaur-like creatures, the very existence of Allosaur on post-Fall Earth raises all types of questions about everything from mass extinctions, the linearity of time, and the Breaches, themselves. Allosaurs can most often be found hunting alone, but have been observed in packs if game is abundant. They feed primarily on easy, meaty prey such as cattle, horses, Vaca, wild goats, and other dinosaurs, and are not above chasing other hunters away from fresh kills or scavenging from old corpses or large quantities of garbage. The average allosaur is 25 to 30 feet (8 to 9 m) long, standing at about half that height. Its tough hide is covered in fine feathers along its undercarriage, with slightly longer, more decorative feathers over the top of its head, back, and tail. Its large head is full of hundreds of razor-sharp teeth designed for tearing at flesh to be swallowed whole. The largest are capable of taking the upper half of an average-sized human in one lightning-fast bite. Juvenile Allosaurs are only two-thirds the size of adults, and thus lack some raw power, but are lighter on their feet and more agile. Similar to the Allosaur is its cousin, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, which is considerably larger and more powerful. It is almost always a solitary hunter. 1 76

Allosaur Scale: +2D Might: 4D Brawl 6D, Stamina 5D Agility: 2D+2 Athletics (Run) 4D+2, Dodge 4D+2, Stealth 3D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 14, Soak 16 Move: 18 Perks: +4 Armor (included in Soak) +2D Teeth

Allosaur (Juvenile) Scale: +2D Might: 3D+1 Brawl 5D, Stamina 4D Agility: 3D+1 Athletics (Run) 5D+1, Dodge 5D+2, Stealth 4D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 17, Soak 13 Move: 16 Perks: +3 Armor (included in Soak) +2D Teeth

Tyrannosaur Scale: +2D Might: 5D Brawl 7D, Stamina 5D Agility: 2D Athletics (Run) 3D, Dodge 4D Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 12, Soak 21 Move: 15 Perks: +6 Armor (included in Soak) +3D Teeth 1 77

Creep

[Many] otherworldly predators, such as Creeps... seem to be amalgams of some ofour worst childhood nightmares. Foreign Predators in Earth’s Changing Ecosystem

Harris Ross

Creeps are giant insectoid creatures with a refined skill for moving so slowly as not to be detectable with normal vision. A full-grown Creep has the body twice the size of a large dog, covered in a green carapace, which is suspended up to eight feet (2.4 m) off the ground by its long, spider-like legs. It can stand on as few as three legs while repositioning the others to take its next step. It can move at a constant, but molasses-slow speed that makes it difficult to detect through casual observation or even electronic detection equipment, and then make one quick strike to attack. Creeps are generally active at night and attack sleeping, eating, or watering prey. The creature attacks with huge scissorlike fangs that can pierce vital arteries or even remove a limb with ease. Creeps are particularly effective when congregating in numbers up to ten or twelve, in the forests of the world and in crops of wheat, corn, and other tall-growing plants that can hide these predators when they are standing at full height and therefore most dangerous to strike. Passing animals or even humans wander unsuspecting into reach and suddenly are assailed by the fangs of multiple attackers from above. Tree Creeps are a similar creature that has substantially shorter legs and a brown coloring. To achieve the height needed for its attack, it climbs trees and stands on low branches, putting its prety within reach. Creep Pods are the soft-shelled eggsacs of a Creep, roughly the size of a basketball. They are left concealed on the ground under a thin layer of dirt and leaves, making it a hazard to those who might step on it and break it open, resulting in a biting swarm of larval Creeps. 1 78

Creep Scale: +0D Might: 2D Brawl 3D+2 Agility: 4D+2 Dodge 5D+2, Stealth 7D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 17, Soak 6 Move: 15, or 5 when stealthy Perks: Stealthy (reflected in skills) 4D Fangs (Range: 10 ft/3 m)

Tree Creep Scale: +0D Might: 2D Brawl 3D Agility: 4D+2 Climb 8D, Dodge 5D+2, Stealth 6D Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 17, Soak 6 Move: 15, or 5 when stealthy Perks: Stealthy (reflected in skills) 4D Fangs (Range: 15 ft/5 m)

Creep Pod Check: Varies; a single pod in the open requires only an Easy Search check to avoid, while a field of concealed pods may require a Very Difficult check. Damage: Stepping on a Creep Pod inflicts 3D of +0D scale damage to the character as larval Creeps swarm and bite. Damage is applied each round for up to four rounds.

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Griffin

We increasingly observe that old legends may be more than fairy tales, after all.

Wildlife Codex #1

The Cooperative

This beast appears to be the creature of legend from Earth’s past, with its body, hindquarters, and tail of a lion, and the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle. Despite some surviving stories of Griffins being magical beings, perhaps even capable of speech, all indications are that the Griffin is merely a fantastic animal, though very intelligent and perceptive. Solitary creatures except when mating, Griffin are most commonly found in high, sheltered places. Ruined apartment buildings and mid- to high-rise buildings are ideally fit for the purpose, though hilltop hollows or abandoned homes keep them closer to humanoid populations and their livestock, which are a Griffin's favorite prey. Cubs are born in pairs, one male and one female, and mature rapidly; they are almost immediately abandoned by their parents. Ancient myths regarding these animals and their propensity for guarding vast hordes of riches have been taken to heart by many adventurers and treasure hunters, and their territories and nests are often sought out by those looking to take the animal’s supposed hoard. The head, wings, or claws of a

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Griffin are also sometimes sought out by religious or mystical practitioners as elements of potions or as protective amulets.

Griffin Scale: +0D Might: 3D+2 Brawl 5D, Stamina 6D Agility: 3D+1 Dodge 5D+1 Wit: 1D Charm: 2D

Static: Dodge 16, Soak 11 Move: 20 Perks: Fly (60 ft/18 m per round) +1D Talons

Griffin (Cub) Scale: +0D Might: 3D+1 Brawl 4D Agility: 3D+1 Dodge 4D+1 Wit: 1D Charm: 2D

Static: Dodge 13, Soak 10 Move: 18 Perks: Fly (50 ft/15 m per round) +1D Talons

Griffin (Elder) Scale: +0D Might: 4D+1 Brawl 6D, Stamina 8D Agility: 4D Dodge 6D+2 Wit: 1D+1 Charm: 2D+2

Static: Dodge 20, Soak 13 Move: 22 Perks: Fly (80 ft/24 m per round) +2D Talons 1 81

Hardhats

The truck is done in, so I guess we’ll be walking the rest of the way. I can’t guess at the type of world where these animals are from, and I can’t even imagine how big the predators must be to be able to fight off these hardchargin’ giant hippo-horse-rhino things.

Cooperative fieldnotes on first encounter with a Hardhat

Author unknown

A large, four-legged beast the size of a compact car, Hardhats are the bane of travelers throughout the Civilized Lands. The sight of any animal or moving object larger than themselves sends them into a blind rage, compelling them to attack large creatures, mecha, and particularly cars and wagons. They charge their perceived rivals and ram them using a rock-hard dome on top of their head. The blow is sufficient to shatter wagons or carts, topple large walking machines, and overturn trucks or vans. They are normally solitary creatures that avoid males of their own kind due to their own natural aggression. Luckily, female Hardhats are much smaller than the males, which mostly keeps them from danger. Hardhats in many ways may remind an observer of a large Earth rhinocerous, standing on four stout legs, with thick folds of hide draping over their joints, but can build a surprising head of steam, despite their bulk. They are not hard to miss in the wild, as they have brilliant orange and yellow splashes over a deep purple hide. Thus, they stand out starkly against the open fields and pastures where they prefer to graze and easily spy approaching predators or potential rivals. Anyone capable of taking down one of these formidable monsters may find the hides too thick and unweildy to be used to craft clothes or a suit of armor, but it is sometimes stretched over the 1 82

hulls of vehicles or even structures to add defense against everything from bullets to fire to the wind and rain. It is often a poor trade of resources, however, because they are so difficult to bring down. Hunters often expend more ammunition or blood than they bargained for in the exchange. A male Hardhat calf is every bit as aggressive as one that is full-grown, but at about half the size and weight, it lacks the bulk to do as much damage in a ram, and has lighter armor.

Hardhat Scale: +2D Might: 5D Brawl (Ram) 6D+1 Agility: 2D+2 Athletics (Running) 4D+1, Dodge 3D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Hardhat (Calf) Scale: +2D Might: 4D Brawl (Ram) 5D Agility: 2D+1 Athletics (Running) 3D+1, Dodge 2D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 11, Soak 21 Move: 10 in the first action, 20 in subsequent actions Perks: +6 Armor (included in Soak) 7D Ram Attack (at full speed will knock down the target on a Wounded effect or better, in addition to the normal results)

Static: Dodge 8, Soak 15 Move: 10 in the first action, 20 in subsequent actions Perks: +3 Armor (included in Soak) 5D Ram Attack (at full speed will knock down the target on a Wounded effect or better, in addition to the normal results) 1 83

Hoodlums

Hoodlums are not overly violent in nature, but are unquestionably destructive. Lacking the sort of malevolence of many of the animalistic creatures that we encounter, Hoodlums typify a broad class of “monster” found on Earth that are certainly not evil or malicious, but are incompatible with civilized society just the same.

Wildlife Codex #4

The Cooperative

Hoodlums are savage, hulking animals known for their destructive mating behaviors. Though they have the capacity to grunt and growl, they communicate amorous intent through the sensation of vibrations in the air and through the ground. To this end, males use tree limbs, metal pipes, or whatever else they can grab to loudly destroy anything they can find and make as much noise as possible. They can be found banging away on trees, boulders, old buildings, or the wreckage of cars to try and attract attention. The banging of metal is particularly prevalent wherever it can be found. Females can sense the vibrations from long distances, even miles in the right conditions, and are lured to the source. Likewise, males can detect competitors and either seek different territory, or move in to fight for the right to the mating grounds; they are extremely territorial and aggressive when tryig to lure in a mate. 1 84

Hoodlums average 9 feet (3 m) tall, massive, semi-bipedal creatures covered in a thick fur of incredibly fine rust-red hair that doubles as a receptive network for vibrations through the air and ground. They have a hunched over posture, huge heads, with overly-broad upper bodies compared to their lower halves. Males have stronger upper bodies and are generally thicker and more powerful, while females are slighter and lack some of the physical strength of the males, but are far more agile. Hoodlums live primarily by catching fish and scavenging corpses or waste, but will also take an easy kill if one presents itself. They tend to find shelter in caves, ruins, and other enclosed areas, but seek out open spaces when performing their noisy mating calls.

Hoodlum (Male) Scale: +2D Might: 4D Blunt 6D, Brawl 5D, Stamina 5D+1 Agility: 1D+2 Athletics 3D+1, Dodge 2D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Block 15, Dodge 8, Parry (Blunt) 18, Soak 14 Move: 12 Perks: +2 Armor (included in Soak) Extra Sense (sense vibrations; equal to a Search skill of 4D where applicable)

Hoodlum (Female) Scale: +2D Might: 3D+1 Brawl 5D, Stamina 4D+1 Agility: 3D Athletics 5D+1, Dodge 5D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Block 15, Dodge 17, Soak 10 Move: 15 Perks: Extra Sense (sense vibrations; equal to a Search skill of 5D where applicable) 1 85

Imps

Imps are Breach demons, mischievious creatures that seem to have spawned from some hellish dimension to wreak havok and sow misery for mankind. They lack full human reasoning abilities, but are clever enough to be incredibly efficient in making trouble for intelligent beings throughout the Civilized Lands and beyond. There are a wide variety of types of Imps that have been observed, each creating its own particular brand of trouble for residents of the Civilized Lands. Regardless, they seem to serve no greater purpose or have any goals or needs other than to be a thorn in the collective side of society. They vary slightly in appearance, each conveniently identifiable to the type of mayhem that it likes to pursue. All are small, roughly a foot (0.3 m) in height. All types of Imps have four eyes placed around their head and some type of horns, exact location and description depending on the specific breed. They have a sort of hunched posture with a tail and long feet for balance. They communicate through some sort of chattering language, with a great deal of what sounds like laughter. Green Imps' particular brand of mischief involves the consumption of electricity and the destruction that comes along with that. They subsist on the electrical energy found most commonly in cells, but also grids where power generation is used, such as in factories or communities surrounding preFall power plants. They chew on power lines, rip apart electrical components, and generally destroy any sort of modern technology. They are immune to harm by electrocution and also happen to be immune to ion weapons that produce a stun effect. A Green Imp's eyes are set on the side of its head, one pair large and one small, and its horns protrude backwards off the back of its skull above a pair of long ears. Yellow Imps are nourished by flames, and therefore delight in setting fires so that they may gorge on the energies that are produced; as such, they are immune to fire and heat. They are perhaps the 1 86

most common type of Imp. A yellow Imp's head is spherical, with its four eyes clustered together all in the front of its face above its grinning, toothy mouth, while a dozen tiny horns protrude from all over its head. Black Imps live solely on fresh water, which they consume in massive quantities while also putrifying the source. Water that has been in contact with a Black Imp becomes murky and full of sulpher, and impossible to drink. The beasts can apparently breathe air or scrub oxygen from the water using a secondary respiratory system. This type of Imp has a human-like head, except with four black eyes evenly spaced across the brow, and has no teeth in its small mouth. It has no visible ears, but a pair of long, thin horns protruding from the sides of its head. Its fingers and toes are webbed to assist it in moving through the water.

Imp Scale: +0D Might: 2D Brawl 3D Agility: 5D Athletics 6D, Dodge 7D Wit: 1D+2 Charm: 1D

Static: Block 9, Dodge 21, Soak 6 Move: 11 Perks: Varies, see below

Additional Stats Each type of Imp has a number of special skills and Perks, according to their individual natures.

Green Imp: Has the skill of Repair (Electronics) at 4D, but only for the purpose of finding and accessing power sources. Cannot be stunned by ion weapons, and is immune to electricity. Yellow Imp: May perform the Aether Feat of Spontaneous Combustion once per hour as a natural ability. Is immune to damage by fire and heat. Black Imp: Has the Perks of Swimming, Minor and Special Breathing (underwater).

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Leechers

It is for this reason that I recommend caution when traveling on foot or mounted through forests with good overhead cover, and to keep yourselves and your animals covered ifforced to camp there overnight.

Explorer’s FieldManual Jake Houston

A Leecher is a remarkably savage small mammal that is commonly found in the oak and piney forests of the Civilized Lands and beyond. This warmblooded rodent resembles a large flying squirrel, complete with flaps of skin between its legs that allow it to glide from tree to tree as it moves about in search of food. They are exceptionally good climbers, with opposeable thumbs on all four of its feet, allowing them to easily scurry up and down trees, and even climb upside-down from limbs, rocky outcroppings, and other overhangs that serve as good vantage points for watching the world below. What sets these small mammals apart from similar rodentia is its feeding method. First and foremost, its mouth unhinges wide and into a split jaw with many rows of jagged teeth, allowing it to grasp tightly onto its prey and deliver a brutal bite attack that draws massive amounts of blood from the wound. The creature even has a second mouth located directly in its stomach, which attaches like the sucker on a leech to both ensure its grip on its victim as well as to more quickly drain blood from its body. 1 88

Leechers glide from tree tops with their arms outstretched and direct themselves to fall on unsuspecting victims, where they wrap their legs around and hold on tight, using its mouths to pull blood from any unprotected area to feed. The leech attack is penetrating enough to punch through thick fur, scaly hides, or normal layers of clothing, namely any clothing or skin without an Armor Value. Getting them to unlatch can be tricky as well, as pulling a Leecher away (by way of making a successful Brawl check against the creature's specialization of Grapple) does as much damage as the initial attack. Stabbing, burning, or even shooting an attached Leecher may be a bit easier, but a bad roll may see the character accidentally hurting him or herself. If the opportunity presents itself, submerging the creature in water is the surest way to get it to release its hold. Leechers are relentless hunters, and are on the prowl for an easy meal both night and day. They tend to feed on larger, warm-blooded animals with enough blood to make their efforts worthwhile, such as livestock, deer, and unsuspecting humans. Once one has attached and begun to feed, others tend to join in the frenzy, amplifying the danger to the victim by compounding the damage. They are drawn to the smell of blood and so are often seen watching violence from the treetops in groups of up to ten or more, awaiting their chance to take on any survivors. In some cases, mobs of Leechers have been seen to follow around robbers and bushwhackers that are prone to leaving a few wounded bodies around, passing up on or even protecting the bandits so long as a steady food supply is provided.

Leecher Scale: +0D Might: 1D Brawl 1D, Brawl (Grapple) 4D Agility: 4D Athletics (Climb) 6D, Dodge 5D, Stealth 6D+2 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D+1

Static: Dodge 15, Soak 3 Move: 8 Perks: Glide (travel airborne 5 ft/ 1.5 m laterally for every 1 ft/0.3 m of fall) 3D Leech Attack (successful grappling attack does damage against exposed or thinlycovered skin/hide) 1 89

Maulers

Our knowledge of the wide world is very limited. We have no evidence, or even a rumor, of any Breach so large that it could usher such a monster into our dimensional plane. We don’t have nearly enough data to even theorize about their origin, only to guess. Wildlife Codex #2

The Cooperative

Long believed to be a myth, confirmed sightings of two different Maulers within the known territory in recent years have placed these massive monsters firmly in the world of fact. They stand over 20 feet (6 m) tall atop two massive legs and dragging tail, with two small arms sprouting from their midsection. It is the beast’s two massive primary arms, however, that give this monster its name. One ends in a huge, clawed hand, and the other in a giant, bone-encrusted fist, permanently clutched tight to be used as a massive club.

A Mauler is a sort of scavenging predator, roaming the wilds in search of easy prey. Its normal method of hunting involves intimidating people or animals into seeking shelter in buildings, vehicles, and other confined spaces, which it then tears and smashes open with its claws and club-fist, respectively, picking out dead or wounded prey with its smaller, more dexterous arms to 1 90

feed. With its massive strength and such punishing tools at its disposal, a Mauler can turn even a sturdy building to rubble in a matter of minutes, and peel open an armored personnel carrier like a tin can. Maulers are extremely aggressive, made more so by the fact that they don’t keep a regular hunting ground, but roam aimlessly in pursuit of their next meal, constantly bringing new settlements into danger. Savvy hunters, they have learned to look for signs of civilization to guide their search for food, such as campfires, the sounds of daily labors, and cleared roads. Quicktempered, they will attack at the slightest provocation.

Mauler Scale: +4D Might: 5D Brawl 7D Agility: 2D Athletics (Running) 4D, Dodge 3D+1 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Mauler (Elder) Scale: +4D Might: 6D Brawl 8D Agility: 2D Athletics (Running) 4D+1, Dodge 4D Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Block 21, Dodge 10, Soak 17 Move: 17 Perks: +2 Armor (included in Soak) +1D Claw Arm +2D Club Arm Complications: -1D on Might checks using smaller secondary arms

Static: Block 24, Dodge 12, Soak 22 Move: 17 Perks: +4 Armor (included in Soak) +1D+1 Claw Arm +2D+2 Club Arm Complications: -1D on Might checks using smaller secondary arms 1 91

Plasma Wyrm

We have seen all manner of creatures emerge from Breaches across our lands, many more bizarre or terrifying than the last. So far, we have learned to cope with the realities that such things exist. We must entertain, however, the possibility that one day will walk through one of these portals a true civilization-killer, an extinction-level event that is capable of extinguishing the light of all life from our world. Our ExistentialCrisis

Rt. Rev. Desmond Trouca The Plasma Wyrm is a true Breach monster, a massive and terrifying beast from across the planes of existence. Fortunately, they are relatively rare, but they make up for their scarcity with incomparable lethality and nighinvincibility. Little in the Civilized Lands can match it, and it arguably is the most powerful, godlike creature to have been brought to Earth by a Breach. There is no good news for anyone who finds him or herself confronted with this monster. A Plasma Wyrm towers over the average 4-story building, well over 50 feet (15 m) tall. That measure doesn't include its tail, which is roughly as long as the rest of its body, and ends in a bony set of piercing blades capable of leveling buildings. Its mouth is a terror of jagged teeth designed to rend the flesh of some giant prey from its homeworld, and it is both tall and strong enough to simply trample whole villages underfoot. All of that would be sufficient to crown the Plasma Wyrm as the apex predator of the Civil1 92

ized Lands, but its most horrifying talent involves generating plasma within its huge head and spraying it over its foes. This fiery liquid, as hot as the surface of the sun, is presumed to be generated through some sort of natural ability to manipulate Aether, but obviously no actual scientific study has been conducted on one of these hellish creatures to test this hypothesis. An unusual circumstance exists with this particular monster that makes it at least somewhat more manageable a foe, in that is at least possible to avoid its primary hunting grounds; it is widely known where the monster's Breach of origin is. Plasma Wyrms enter Earth's plane of existence through a massive Breach just outside what was once Austin, Texas., in the town of Buda. The Breach fills the greater part of a massive, high-bay automated storage warehouse, where an advanced robotics system housed and sorted goods for a global shipping organization. Before the Fall, this facility utilized the world's largest single Gate as part of its operation. Linked to a sister facility in China, it was to be the next step in international commerce. As it is, it's the only Gate known to have been large enough to create a Breach capable of transporting a Plasma Wyrm.

Plasma Wyrm Scale: +6D Might: 5D Brawl 7D+1, Stamina 6D Agility: 3D Athletics (Run) 5D, Dodge 4D, Project Plasma 5D Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 12, Soak 21 Move: 30 Perks: +6 Armor (included in Soak) +2D Tail Spike Stab +3D Teeth 6D Trample Attack

Plasma Breath Aether is converted into white-hot plasma energy and shot from the mouth of the Plasma Wyrm. This requires an action on three successive rounds for the monster, two to prepare and one to attack. These are the only actions that may be taken during these respective turns, or the attack fails.

Skill: Project Plasma (special, see skills) Damage: 9D Range: 50/100/300 feet (15/30/90 m) 1 93

Poison Bat

Difficult challenge to team. One horse and two men lost on hunt. Achieved objective. Collected three venom sacks, routed to J. Reevaluating risk. DecodedResistance message collectedfrom deaddrop in Crossroads Giant, horrific versions of Earth animals are not uncommon from beyond the Breaches. Whether a testament to the common development of species between worlds or an indication of some inherent link between Earth's dimension and others, it's a fact of life in the transformed world. One such animal is the Poison Bat, a massive Breach creature or demon that bears a striking resemblance to the familiar nocturnal flying mammals of our world. Size is definitely the most readily recognizeable trait of a Poison Bat that makes it stand out from its native cousins. These monsters have a wingspan of over 10 feet (3 m) and a body about half as large as the average humanoid adult. Their screech can be defening, but is used for echolocation like a normal bat. It has six eyes which perceive carbon dioxide and other repiratory byproducts, but only at short ranges. It uses this unique vision to identify respiratory outlets such as the mouth and nose, so that it may put its most alien feature to work. The Poison Bat earns its name from its long, retractable tongue, which contains a sort of tube down to a special sack in the back of its throat. Via this appendage it spits a powerful poison into exposed areas of its potential victims, particularly the mouth and nose, allowing for rapid infiltration of its

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debilitating toxin. It can hit a target within a matter of inches from up to 50 feet (15 m) away, like an expert hunter with a blowgun. To get this close, it relies on its near-silent flight and the cover of darkness during its active hours in the night. The poison can kill outright, but even a partial impact can harm a victim enough to give the creature its chance to finish its work. Should the prey fall unconscious or be physically overcome, the creature can finish off its prey by rending it into pieces to be carried away and eaten in the relative safety of its nest or some other perch away from other predators.

Poison Bat Scale: +0D Might: 3D+1 Brawl 4D, Lift (in flight) 5D, Stamina (Fly) 6D+2 Agility: 4D Dodge (in flight) 6D, Poison Spit 6D+1, Stealth (in flight) 6D+1 Wit: 0D Charm: 1D Poison Spit

Static: Dodge 18, Soak 10 Move: 6 Perks: +1 Armor (included in Soak) +1D+1 Teeth +2 Claws Fly (50 ft/15 m per round)

A projectile of poisonous fluid is shot from a tube in the creature's tongue. A successful strike hits the victim in the eyes, mouth, nose, or other exposed area. If all vulnerable areas are covered, the attack is automatically defeated.

Skill: Poison Spit (special, see skills) Damage: 6D poison damage; resist with Stamina instead of Soak. Victims take damage per typical Wound Levels. A successful strike by the poison also requires a moderate Stamina check against searing pain, which results in a penalty of -2D on all actions, in addition to any wounds. Toxin collected from a Poison Bat and delivered by other means does 3D of poison damage, with the same Stamina check required against pain. Range: 10/20/50 feet (3/6/15 m) 1 95

Prowler Beast

And out ofnowhere... BAM! This shadow tackled Murphy.

After Action Report on encounter with a Prowler Beast

Bastion Archives

It is hard to describe the creature known as a Prowler Beast, simply because so few people have managed to get a good look at one, due to its natural ability to cloak itself in darkness. This otherworldly hunter innately manipulates the light around it, converting light into free Aether, and thus shrouding itself in a shadowy haze. While not particularly effective in the light of day, it makes the predator almost completely invisible in shadow and darkness. Those that have seen a live Prowler describe a huge creature with very little distinct form that moves silently and gracefully like a cat, but is more than twice the size. To manage to kill one is to reveal the Prowler Beast's form, which is very much like a gigantic panther with jet-black fur, massive paws, a wide, smiling mouth, and a spikey ridge of mane down its back. Their size, bulk, and a thick, incredibly dense coat of fur make them difficult to take out with most conventional weapons. Successfully hunting a Prowler Beast can be a worthwhile exercise, however, as their pelts maintain limited powers of concealment. The seemingly supernatural ability to shadow meld is

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eliminated upon the creature's death, but the fur, itself, is a matte black with no sheen. This makes it useful as camoflauge when used in armor or clothing. Prowler Beasts are nocturnal hunters that utilize stealth and their natural abilities to ambush their prey. Nearly completely invisible in the dark, they can stalk in virtually any terrain or environment, often without any respect to cover or concealment. It is not unusual for one or a pair of Prowler Beasts to approach livestock in the middle of an open field, or a person out walking in the middle of a street after dark, and make a kill right out in the open. The attack comes in the form of a pounce and the baring of massive jaws full of razor-sharp teeth. The beast's broad paws and weight are sufficient to hold down most any victim long enough for a killing bite. Prowler Beasts are often encountered in mated pairs, which they establish at a young age and keep for life. They keep a few dens where they spend the daylight hours, usually in caves or abandoned buildings, between which they alternate depending on where good hunting can be found.

Prowler Beast Scale: +2D Might: 4D Brawl 5D, Brawl (Pounce) 6D Agility: 3D+2 Athletics 5D, Dodge 5D+1, Stealth 5D Wit: 0D Charm: 1D

Static: Dodge 16, Soak 14 Move: 21 Perks: +2 Armor (included in Soak) +2D Teeth Dark Meld (+3D to Stealth when in darkness or shadow)

Prowler Cloak

The pelt of a Prowler Beast can be fashioned into a cloak, suit of clothing, or a cover for a suit of armor. In addition to being sought-after as an exotic and stylish accessory, the innate properties of the matte black hide offers hunters, bushwhackers, and anyone else who may have cause to sneak around in the dark a considerable advantage by way of concealment.

Bonus: Cost:

+2 to Stealth when concealed in shadow or darkness $$$$ 1 97

Trapcats

If you find yourself being pursued by a Trapcat, you face an unfortunate choice. You can turn to face your attacker, or else flee into the jaws of the three that are laying in wait. Wildlife Codex #1

The Cooperative

The infamous mounts and pets of the Reptilian Raiders are known as Trapcats, both for their feline appearance and for the sophisticated tactics they use when in pursuit of prey. The cats are honey-and-white, with long hair, black eyes, and notably fierce teeth that protrude and grin like menacing bear traps. They are the size of a small horse, though stand lower to the ground thanks to their flexible, catlike hips. They move like the large predatory felines of Earth, bounding forward off powerful rear legs in an efficient, smooth motion that results in great speed across the open ground. They are capable, but not excellent climbers, and prefer open pursuit after a short stalk, like a cheetah, over prolonged stalking ending in sudden ambush like a panther. Trapcats are also far superior cooperative hunters than native Earth species, using a level of strategy that verges on a limited intelligence. They do not have a particularly sharp sense of smell, but hunt with their keen eyesight. Using their tails, which always end in a bright white tip, they communicate basic signals to each other across fields or open areas within line-of-sight to coordinate their attack. For example, when a group of Trapcats is stalking prey from different sides, one of the pride will “call the ball” with an indication of its tail that it will lead the attack, which signals the others to be ready to pursue after the target attempts to flee. 1 98

These are natural behaviors, exhibited by all Trapcats, but those that have been bred and raised as war mounts by the Reptillian Raiders are particularly deadly. Selective breeding has produced stock that are tougher, with training to make them better runners and fighters.

Trapcat (Wild) Scale: +0D Might: 4D Brawl 5D, Stamina 5D+1 Agility: 4D Athletics 5D+1, Dodge 5D, Stealth 5D Wit: 1D Charm: 1D+2

Static: Dodge 15, Soak 12 Move: 25 Perks: +1D Claws +2D Teeth Pack Intelligence (Trapcat gets a +1D bonus to Brawl and Stealth when hunting in a group of 3+)

Trapcat (Trained Combat Mount) Scale: +0D Static: Dodge 17, Soak 13 Might: 4D+1 Brawl 6D, Stamina 6D Move: 25 Agility: 4D Athletics 6D, Athletics (Run) Perks: +1D Claws 7D, Dodge 5D+2, Stealth 5D +2D Teeth Wit: 1D Pack Intelligence (Trapcat Charm: 1D+2 gets a +1D bonus to Brawl and Stealth when hunting in a group of 3+)

1 99

4.1

Creation Aids

The following pages contain a number of tables and forms useful for creating and playing a character in Breachworld. Flip to these resources for easy references and summaries of the choices you have for building your character. Included in the following pages: • Short-form character sheet • Player Race summary • Advanced Class summary • Skills, Perks, and Complications summary

These will be updated as future supplements are released for the game. Check out breachworld.com for the latest versions of these and other references.

200

CHARM

WIT

Complications:

Perks:

Advanced Class: Feats:

Breachworld RPG Character Sheet Name/Race:

MIGHT Brawl Lift Stamina

AGILITY Athletics Dodge

Gear:

Character Stats

Dodge: Full Dodge: Block (unarmed): Parry ( ): Soak: Move: Fate Points: Character Points:

Wound Status

Dazed Wounded Severely Wounded Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

This document copyright 2014 Jason Richards Publishing, but may be reproduced for personal use. Open D6 and Mini Six are the properties of Eric Gibson and Ray Nolan, respectively, and are used in accordance with the Open Gaming License.

Player Races Player Race Attribute Dice Skill Dice Might Agility Wit Charm Move Racial Perks

Player Race Attribute Dice Skill Dice Might Agility Wit Charm Move Racial Perks Humans 12D 7D 1D/4D 1D/4D 1D/4D 1D/4D 15 None

Machine Men 12D+2 10D 2D/4D 1D/4D 1D+1/6D 1D/3D 15 Recall Quick Study Soulless

Demonkin Climbers 11D+1 12D 6D 6D 2D/5D 1D/3D+1 1D/4D 2D+1/5D 2D/5D 1D/4D 1D+1/3D+1 1D/3D 16 15 Healing, Lesser Climbing Armor, Light Infamous None

River Folk Tusks 11D+1 12D 6D 6D 1D/3D 3D/6D 1D/3D 1D/3D+1 1D/4D 1D/3D+2 2D+1/4D+2 1D/2D+1 15 14 Swimmer Heavy Armor Unstunnable Environ. Weakness Enemy

Racial Comps None The Holy 13D 7D 1D/3D+1 1D+1/4D+2 1D+1/4D+1 2D/5D 12 Blessed

Racial Comps Personal Code

None

Grim 12D+1 6D 1D+2/4D+1 1D+2/4D+1 1D/3D+2 1D/3D+1 15 Signature Weapon Armor, Light None

Pathos Reptil. Raiders 12D 12D 6D 6D 1D/3D+1 2D/5D 1D/3D+2 2D/4D 1D/4D 1D/2D+1 2D/5D 1D/3D 15 14 Pathos Empathy Primitive Infamous None

Dru Elder 12D 14D 5D 8D 1D/3D+1 1D+2/4D+1 1D/4D 2D/5D 1D+1/4D 2D/5D 1D+2/4D+2 1D/4D 15 16 Dru Beast Tongue Attractive Long-lived None None

Morlocks 10D+2 4D 2D/4D+2 2D/4D+2 1D/3D 1D/3D 15 Direction Sense Nightvision Disabled Primitive

Epics Advanced Class: Epic

Required: Wit attribute of at least 3D Cost: 3D in starting skill dice, or 45 CP The new Epic immediately gains the following: • The Epic skill, starting at the Wit attribute level • Two Aether Feats of choice • The ability to learn Aether Feats with character advancement • The ability to purchase Epic Perks • The ability to take Epic Complications

Aether Feat List Air Manipulation Broadcast Control Weather Fog Shriek Sphere of Silence Vaccuum Biomedical Manipulation Beast Tongue Heal Induce Fear Hallucination Paralysis Possession Slumber Still Mind Telepathy Electricity Manipulation Depower Object Electric Field Interference Lightning Bolt Magnetic Telekinesis

Power Electronics Stun Bolt Heat Manipulation Body Heat Chill Extinguish Fire Feed Fire Fireball Heat Radius Resist Heat Spontaneous Combustion Kinetic Manipulation Accelerate Break Fall Deflect Projectile Fly Increase Gravity Kinetic  Suspension Field Push Telekinesis Light Manipulation Dark Vision Flash Hologram

Invisibility Lantern Laser Blast Snuff Light Matter Manipulation Aether Weapon Animate Armor Conjure Simple Object Create Food Create Water Death Spell Disintegrate Growth Mask Space-Time Manipulation Dispel Aether Feat Divination Hasten See Aether Aura Sense Aether Feat Sense Breach Slow Time Teleport

Skills, Perks, and Complications Skill List Might

Axe* Blunt* Brawl* Knife* Lift Pole-Arm* Stamina Sword* * combat skill ^ special skill

Agility

Athletics Bow* Dodge* Drive Gunnery* Handgun* Pilot Rifle* Sleight of Hand Stealth Throw*

Perks

Armor, Light (1) Armor, Heavy (2) Attractive (1) Blessed (2)

Climbing (2) Daredevil (2) Destiny (2) Direction Sense (1) Eagle Eye (1) Extra Sense (1) Famous (1) Fast Draw (2) Favors (1) Fearless (2) Hardiness (1) Healing, Lesser (1) Healing, Greater (2) Keen Sense (1) Loot (1) Lucky (2) Natural Weapon, Light (1) Natural Weapon, Heavy (2) Nightvision (1) Patron (2) Perceptive (2) Prehensile Limb (1) Quick Study (1) Recall (1) Reflexes (2)

Wit

Aliens Breach Science Computer Craft Epic^ Language Medicine Navigate Pick Locks Repair Search

Resistance (1) Sidekick (3) Signature Weapon (2) Special Breathing (1) Swimmer, Minor (1) Swimmer, Major (2) Unstunnable (2)

Epic Perks

Astrological Power (1) Familiar (1) Mentor (1) Sanctus Sanctorum (1) Specialist (1) Spirit Guide (1)

Science Survive Track

Charm Command Courage Diplomacy Persuade Ride Seduce Streetwise

Complications

Age Allergy Crazy Debt Diet Disabled Doomed Enemies Fearsome Visage Gremlins Hazardous Environment Illiterate Infamous Marked Pariah Personal Code Primitive Skeletons in the Closet Unlucky in Love Unlucky in Money Soulless

Epic Complications Astrological Flaw Crutch Demonic Pact Dogma Narrow Focus White Wizard

4.2

In-Game Aids

This section contains reference charts for modifiers, expanded and compiled in one place for easy use during the game. Included in this section: • Scale Modifiers • Difficulty Descriptions and Modifiers • Dealing Damage • Healing Damage

These will be updated as future supplements are released for the game. Check out breachworld.com for the latest versions of these and other references.

205

+2D +0D +0D +0D +0D +0D

To Hit

+4D +2D +0D +0D +0D +0D

+6D +4D +2D +0D +0D +0D

+12D +6D +4D +2D +0D +0D

+24D +12D +6D +4D +2D +0D

+0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0

+6 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0

+0 +0 +6 +12 +30 +66

To Dodge

+12 +6 +0 +0 +0 +0

+18 +12 +6 +0 +0 +0

To Soak

+0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +36

+36 +18 +12 +6 +0 +0

+0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0

+72 +36 +18 +12 +6 +0

+0D +2D +4D +6D +1 2D +24D +0D +2D +4D +6D +1 2D +24D +0D +0D +0D +0D +0D +0D

To Damage

+0 +6 +12 +18 +36 +72

+0 +0 +0 +6 +24 +60

+0 +0 +0 +0 +18 +54

+0D +2D +4D +6D +1 2D +24D +0D +2D +4D +6D +1 2D +24D

+0D +0D +0D +0D +0D +0D Character, Animals Air Cycle, Car, Little Dragon, Wagon +2D +0D +0D +0D +0D +0D +4D +2D +0D +0D +0D +0D Big Dragon, Galley, Mecha, Tank Fighter, Lt. Transport, Heavy Mecha +6D +4D +2D +0D +0D +0D Capital Ship, Elder God, Space Station +12D +10D +8D +6D +0D +0D +24D +22D +20D +18D +12D +0D Mega Space Station, Planets

Character, Animals Air Cycle, Car, Little Dragon, Wagon Big Dragon, Galley, Mecha, Tank Fighter, Lt. Transport, Heavy Mecha Capital Ship, Elder God, Space Station Mega Space Station, Planets

Scale Modifiers +0D: +2D: +4D: +6D: +12D: +24D:

+0D: +2D: +4D: +6D: +12D: +24D:

The tables are read as per the following examples: • A character shoots a rifle (+0D) at a tank (+4D). The character gets +4D to hit. The tank gets no bonus to dodge. The character gets to bonus to damage. The tank gets +12 to soak. • A heavy mech fires a cannon (+6D) at the tank (+4D). The heavy mech gets no bonus to hit. The tank gets +6 to dodge. The heavy mech gets +2D to damage. The tank gets no bonus to soak.

Difficulties and Modifiers Difficulty TN Description

Very Easy Easy Moderate Difficult Very  Difficult Heroic

2-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-30 30+

Cover

25% cover 50% cover 75% cover Light smoke/fog Thick smoke/fog Very thick smoke/fog Poor light, twilight Moonlit night Complete darkness

Nearly everyone can do it. Player characters will seldom have trouble. Average characters have a reasonable chance of failure. Success requires luck or superior skill. Only the extremelly well skilled will regularly succeed. Only true masters can succeed consistently.

Modifier +2 to TN +5 to TN +10 to TN +3 to TN +6 to TN +12 to TN +3 to TN +6 to TN +12 to TN

General Conditions

Range

Modifier

Point blank -5 to Dodge Short No modifier Medium +5 to Dodge Long +10 to Dodge

Character attempting the skill has a great advantage Character attempting the skill has some advantage Character attempting the skill has no advantage Character attempting the skill is at some disadvantage Character attempting the skill is at a great disadvantage

Modifier

-6 to -10 to TN -1 to -5 to TN No modifier +1 to +5 to TN +6 to +10 to TN

Dealing Damage Damage* > Wound Wound Soak by: Level Effects 0 or less 1 to 3

4 to 8 4 to 8 9 to 12

13 to 15

Unharmed None. Dazed

-1D for all remaining actions for the current round and the next round. -1D to all actions until healed. -2D on all actions until healed.

Wounded Severely Wounded** Incapacitated As a free action before losing consciousness, the character may try to stay "in the fight" with a Moderate (15) Stamina roll. If successful, he or she may continue to act, but with a -3D penalty. A failed check means the character falls unconscious for 10D minutes. Mortally The character is near death and immediately knocked Wounded unconscious. Toll the characters's Might each round; the character dies if the roll is less than the number of minutes he or she has been Mortally Wounded. Dead The character has perished.

1 6+ *Note: Any additional damage less than or equal to the character’s current Wound Level moves him or her up one level. **Note: A character is Severely Wounded if the result is between 4 and 8 and he or she is already Wounded.

Damage > Soak by: 0 or less 1 to 8 9+

Stun Level

Stun Effects

Stunned Severely Stunned

-1D on all actions for 2D6 rounds. The character is knocked unconscious for 2D minutes.

Unharmed None.

Healing Damage The tables are read as per the following examples: • Kevin Cobra took some minor damage in a fistfight and is Dazed. He will automatically recover after one minute. If a companion helps him out by making an Easy Medicine check, Kevin's penalties are immediately dropped and he is fine. • April took a bullet for a Wound Level of Incapacitated. After one day, Dr. Souk attempts a Difficult Medicine check, but fails. April remains Incapacitated. After another day, the doctor again attempts the Difficult Medicine check and succeeds, upgrading April to Severely Wounded. • Catembe is Severely Wounded and without medical attention. After three days of rest, he attempts a Might check with a TN of 6, and succeeds. This improves his condition to simply Wounded. After three more days, he again makes a Might check against a TN of 6 and succeeds. He is now fully healed and without penalty.

Natural Healing Wound Level Dazed Wounded Severely Wounded Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

Frequency 1 minute 3 days 3 days 2 weeks 5 weeks

Might TN automatic 6 6 8 9

Frequency Immediate 1 day 1 day 1 day 1 day

Medicine TN Easy Moderate Moderate Difficult Very Difficult

Assisted Healing Wound Level Dazed Wounded Severely Wounded** Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

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Welcome to the

BREACHWORLD RPG

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Nicolas Thivierge (order #6744067)

BREACHWORLD A Complete RPG

BREACHWORLD

The Earth is an untamed wilderness, unrecognizable from centuries ago when humanity enjoyed a Golden Age of peace and science. A global disaster produced untold numbers of rips in space and time, collapsing society overnight. Known as Breaches, these portals into our world continue to bring monsters, aliens, and otherworldly environments to Earth. The result is an endless wilderness dotted with villages and ruins, where incredible technology exists alongside paranormal power, and the impossible is the norm. Player Characters are farmers or warriors, adventurers or survivors. Will you seek truth, or fortune? Protect the weak, or look out for yourself? Pillage, or rebuild? Will you discover your potential as an Epic and bend reality to your will, or help to reclaim a world that once was? All of these possibilities, and more, are before you. Breachworld is powered by Mini Six, part of the Open D6 family of games. With the whole ruleset included in these pages, and simple mechanics for character creation and gameplay, you can get started in just minutes. Also included in this complete RPG: • An open world to be explored, with its own history, culture, and technology. • 13 unique, playable races from across dimensional space. • 42 Perks and 27 Complications to customize your character. • The Epic, Breachworld's reality-bending psychic and sorcerer, complete with 63 amazing Aether Feats to master. • 12 Breach Creatures, ranging from minor to gargantuan. • 3 Places of Interest, mapped and described. • 212 pages of endless possibilities.

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