Broken Rooms - A Game Of Parallel Worlds.pdf

Credits Original Concept: Stephen J. Herron Original Design Development: Stephen J. Herron with Colin R. Sinclair and Tony Maguire Design: Stephen J. Herron, Jamie J. Gooch, Matthew W. Somers Lead Writer: Stephen J. Herron Writers: Jamie J. Gooch, Matthew W. Somers, Colin R. Sinclair, Sarah Callaghan Lead Game Mechanic: Matthew W. Somers Mechanics: Stephen J. Herron, Jamie J. Gooch Lead Editor: Jamie J. Gooch Editors: Stephen J. Herron, Matthew W. Somers Copy Editors: John M. Kahane, Heather Pittinger Warning: This game deals with mature issues Art Direction: Jamie J. Gooch, Stephen Herron that may be disturbing. It’s just a game. Graphics and Layout: Jamie J. Gooch Project Manager: Jamie J. Gooch Cover Photography: Peter Clarke Illustrator: Mark Hyzer, Adam Severin Interior Photography: See page 458 Acknowledgements: Barry Gibson, Tom Bisbee, Rob Donoghue, John Newman, Richard Rieger, Panera Bread Co. Playtesters: Tessa Teixeira, Adam Cerling, April Snyder, John Ireland, Joshua Bonner, Cory Atwill, Andrea Steyer, Rob McKinley, Kenneth Ryan, Mark Frein, Kevin Hughes, M De Smet, Ki Skogen Johnson, Aaron Walker, Chris Branett, Aaron Kempf, Travis Mancour, Bryan Rennekamp, Frank Prassel, Chris Wilms, Jason Pasciak, Brian Carpenter, Dan Vloedman, Rachel Dunscombe, Brett Thorne, Adrian Liddington, Andy Mitchell, Daz Veal, Amy Mitchell, Simon Mallet, Shel Bourne, Lynne Thorne, Kev Buchanan, Gav Veal, Mario Dongu, Jason Cannata, Melanie Radkiewicz, Adam R., Nick Keulmann, Michael K., Ciara Cumiskey, Ari Jones, Jeff Lennerth. Dedication: This book is dedicated to David J Herron. He taught me, through his love of science fiction, technology and wargaming, that not only was it fun to explore other worlds, it was acceptable. Perhaps even necessary. The hobbies I’ve loved the most are the ones he shared with me. Thanks, Dad.

Greymalkin Designs www.greymalkindesigns.com

© 2012, Greymalkin Designs, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purpose of reviews. Greymalkin Designs, Broken Rooms and logos are trademarks of Greymalkin Designs, LLC. Momentum Roleplaying System is a trademark of Greymalkin Designs, LLC. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted, and distinctive likenesses thereof are copyrighted by Greymalkin Designs, LLC. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Edition 1.3

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Table of Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2. Setting Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3. Character Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . 20 Signature Characters & NPCs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 50 4. Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 75 5. Distance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 89 6. Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 102 7. Meridians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 8. Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 154 Example of Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . 175 9. Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 10. Storytelling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 11. Sample Scenario: A Dreadful Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . 233 12. Allies & Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . 243 13. The Nearside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

Earth1: The Ordinary World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . 284 Earth2: Vanished. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Earth3: The Fall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 297 Earth4: Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Earth5: Still Born. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Earth6: Hothouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 Earth7: Ice Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 Earth8: Dread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 371 Earth9: Dead Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 Earth10: Outage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 401 Earth11: Afterlife. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421 Earth12: Unvisible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Earth13: The Reef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441

Afterword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 455 Character Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456 Broken Rooms

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1: Introduction

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ost people live ordinary lives. A few blaze brightly before burning out. Sometimes they become famous for their looks, their skills or their talents. Some shining souls never find their potential, but instead go down in flames of selfdestruction, or worse, never realize their potential at all. A few try to save the world in silence, toiling away in research labs or behind enemy lines, forever anonymous but just as important. They are the minority. But given the right opportunity, the most ordinary person may become something more. While most of us dream of an extraordinary life, we have counterparts on nearby parallel worlds that dream of a peaceful mundane existence, safe and blissfully ignorant of the horrors they must face every day. They think back upon a world that used to be, wistful for even the worst day in an ordinary world. What if you could travel to those parallel worlds? What would you see? What would you do? Walking between these worlds is the ultimate exploration of what if. And while you might be able to return to where you started, you’ll have been changed by what you’ve seen and done. Once you’ve walked upon the Nearside, you can never really come home.

thing happened, some terrible incident that resulted in a significant loss of some kind. It might have been the death of a loved one, an accident, a medical emergency or a financial loss — something that fundamentally altered your life from that point on. That moment of profound loss activated a seemingly harmless anomaly in your hindbrain. You could have lived your whole life without ever knowing it was there. The Hindbrain Anomaly (HbA) is the key to the Nearside — only those who are HbA+ can walk between worlds, though it comes at a price. That price is Distance, a kind of neurological damage that accumulates as you travel to other worlds. You will feel changed by your travel — different than others — but Distance pushes you even further away from what you once considered normal. It’s not all bad. As your Distance increases, so does your understanding of the Nearside. You gain the ability to change things around you, subtly at first but as you become more distant, your powers increase — which only serves to remind you how far you’ve drifted from the rest of humanity.

A Roleplaying Game of Parallel Worlds The Nearside is a tightly clustered network of 13 parallel realities that came into existence on August 13, 2002. Up until then, there was only our reality, the ordinary world. Then something happened, something that split one time line into 13. This was Divergence. Divergence events set each world down a very different path from our own. On one world, aliens invaded. On another, an asteroid collided with the Earth. On yet another, nearly everyone vanished in an instant. Each divergence event was global in scale, resulting in fundamental changes that would forever shape that world and set it apart from our own. These parallel realities are called variations. You are a Nearsider, and you suffered your own divergence event on or after August 13, 2002. Some-

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Broken Rooms

Broken Rooms

A Life Less Ordinary

These are places (not always rooms) that briefly coexist on two variations at the same time. The barrier between worlds wears thin in certain places, especially where strong emotions are regularly invoked. When a broken room opens, Nearsiders can slip through from one variation to another, passing through the lacuna, the space between realities.

Once a Nearsider from the ordinary world has seen what’s out there, all the suffering and pain across the worlds, why would they ever leave home? Many don’t, at least at first. However, circumstances eventually conspire to sweep the Nearsider up into world-spanning events. Organizations seek out reluctant Nearsiders, either to recruit them or kill them. Even your own counterparts from other worlds might try to drag you out of your world, to take your place or because they need your help. Once you’ve taken your first step onto the Nearside, there is no turning back. In the end, the call of the Nearside is irresistible.

Take a Side The majority of Nearsiders travel alone or in small, tightly knit groups of trusted companions. Most fall in with one of the many trans-Nearside organizations, each with its own agenda and reasons for travel. Some, like The Regency Group, want to learn more about the Nearside and though they are technically neutral, Regency does try to help as best they can. Others, like Monarch, are much less interested in the well-being of the native populations. Monarch is dedicated to finding and recruiting Nearsiders as part of an epic but mysterious scheme of their own.

Threats The Nearside is a dangerous place. Some worlds are still in the middle of their apocalypse, and a Nearsider risks his life each time he visits. From the devastating “nuclear winter” of the Fall to the blistering heat of Hothouse, each world presents its own distinct risks and dangers. Other Nearsiders present a threat, too. Those with high levels of Distance are often plagued by a variety of psychological problems, making them violent and unpredictable. Others remain quite sane, though their agendas may be dangerously at odds with your own, leading to bloody disagreements. There are stranger things than Nearsiders out there. Several variations are plagued by nonhuman entities, collectively known as lacunae, each with terrible hungers. An invading alien race has fought mankind to a standstill on Earth 4, ghosts haunt Earth 11, and monsters battle children on Earth 12, while shapeless shadows take form at night on Earth 13, the Reef, born from the nightmares of those who live there. Thankfully, these monsters cannot travel to other worlds ... mostly.

Themes Broken Rooms explores a number of themes revolving around travel and change over time.

Travel broadens the mind Nearsiders travel across the network of parallel worlds, seeing things that only a few other people will ever see. Most of the variations are dying, in different ways, with either the population slowly perishing or the entire Earth burning or suffocating. Other worlds survive, perhaps even prosper, but at mankind’s expense. The Nearside is a place where the world we know and take for granted is being taken away or changed, one way or another. Nearsiders cannot help but be changed by visiting these worlds. Travel broadens the mind, some people say. They have no idea.

You can never go home As Nearsiders travel, they accumulate Distance, caused by the psychological and supernatural stresses associated with entering a new parallel world. The Hindbrain Anomaly, the very thing that allows a Nearsider to travel, is slowly driving them insane. They become literally distant, emotionally and intellectually. Eventually they will find themselves unable to relate to non-Nearsiders. As Distance accumulates, everything becomes less real, and less important. A very Distant Nearsider is not the person they once were, and can never return to that state of innocence.

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Introduction Common Terms Nearsiders tend to be fascinated by obscure terms and meanings. It’s the same thing that makes them look for 13s everywhere, a kind of self-defensive pattern-seeking behavior. This also manifests itself in a quickly adopted common lexicon of words and phrases to describe the indescribable. Broken Room: a place that coexists on more than one variation at the same time. It is not the same place replicated across the parallel worlds, it is literally one single place existing on many worlds at the same time. Depth: a measure of a Nearsider’s potential power. Distance: the cumulative psychological stresses that build up in a Nearsider’s HbA as they travel. It’s like a “high-water mark” or an accumulated radiation dose. Divergence: the moment when the 13 worlds split apart, on Aug. 13, 2002. First Fall: the first time a Nearsider travels to another variation. This is often an involuntary reaction to a stressful situation, though it can also be the result of another Nearsider introducing an individual to travel in a more personal, directed fashion. Hindbrain Anomaly (HbA): the physiological oddity within each Nearsider’s brain that gives him or her access to the Nearside, Momentum and Distance Abilities. Roughly 1.3% of the population possess the HbA, though not all of those individuals have experienced First Fall. Lacuna: the unknown “space” between the variations, which Nearsiders pass through when using a broken room. Lacunae: a collective term describing all non-human entities across the Nearside. Meridians: special powers that Nearsiders can learn and use. The HbA allows Nearsiders to channel Distance and Momentum in amazing ways. Momentum: determined by a character’s Distance, Momentum represents a Nearsider’s ability to channel and use

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the energies they pick up through travel and interaction with the Nearside. Monarch: a loosely-affiliated organization dedicated to locating and empowering Nearsiders, no matter what the cost. Monarch considers negs to be completely without worth. Nearlysider: individuals with a Distance of 1, who do not yet have access to Meridians or travel. Not all Nearlysiders achieve Distance higher than 1. Nearside, The: the network of 13 parallel worlds. Nearsider: a person who can and has traveled across the Nearside. Only Nearsiders can travel. All Nearsiders possess a Hindbrain Anomaly (HbA, see below). Negs: a term for non-Nearsiders, derived from HbA negative. The overwhelming majority (98.7%) of the population are negs. It is a derogative term, not used or encouraged by The Regency Group. The Regency Group: an Earth1-based organization dedicated to the exploration of the Nearside and the defense of Earth1’s neg population. Also known as “Regency,” and “the Group.” Tourist: a mildly derogative term describing visiting Nearsiders, especially those who are merely there to attune and nothing else. Variant Self, Other, Counterpart: a version of you from another variation. Variation: a generic term for one of the 13 parallel worlds that comprise the Nearside.

Broken Rooms

Introduction The Worst-Case Scenario x 12 A Nearsider takes on the burden of witnessing the worst-case scenarios playing out across a dozen worlds. When they return home, they will either be grateful that their world isn’t suffering as much as others, or they will be envious of those variations that are less awful than theirs.

Ordinary is Safe, not Boring Bizarrely, the shining jewel of the Nearside is our world. This ordinary world has its troubles, but it is a place of safety and solace compared to the dying worlds that surround it. There are Nearsiders who would kill to come here and stay. And they have.

Mood The worlds of the Nearside are, for the most part, dying. Some worlds are right in the middle of their apocalypse, while others are watching it approach and are powerless to stop it. Other worlds may not even realize their fate, not yet. Nearsiders are faced with unrelenting tragedy across the entire Nearside, ranging from the mixed blessing of a world without humans to the powerlessness of watching a black hole approach, knowing that nothing can be done to stop it. It would be easy to succumb to the darkness, but in the midst of it all is hope. Few variations are going gentle into the night. Ordinary people across a dozen different worlds are doing their best to survive, eking out sparse existences where they can or bravely trying to get on with their daily lives in the face of madness and chaos.

What is Roleplaying A roleplaying game is a way to tell stories together. Unlike online roleplaying games, most of the action takes place in your imagination and is shared with the other players. It’s an opportunity to gather with friends — both old and new — to create epic stories that you’ll talk about for years as you explore the Nearside together. Roleplaying games aren’t new. In recent years, they’ve become very sophisticated, making the leap from paper to the online world of the internet, and merging with the war games and board games from

whence they originated. At their heart, however, they’re no different from the childhood games of cops and robbers we enjoyed so much. Just like those games of “let’s pretend,” roleplaying games are better shared with friends and like-minded souls, and they’re more exciting when there’s a set of easy-to-use mechanics to keep everyone on the same page. Broken Rooms is a modern-day roleplaying game that explores many additional themes, including science fiction, horror, conspiracy and more. Though the backdrop is a network of parallel realities, each with a distinct alternate (recent) history, Broken Rooms offers many kinds of settings, from post-apocalyptic to war with aliens, religious paranoia, environmental disaster and more. There are conspiracies aplenty, with groups vying for power. In the middle of all this, the player characters get to explore not just the Nearside itself, but their own potential what-ifs, reflected in the mirror of a dozen dying worlds. In fact, you could call Broken Rooms a modern-day post-apocalyptic science fiction conspiracy horror roleplaying game of parallel worlds. There really is something for everyone.

The Momentum System Broken Rooms is powered by the Momentum Roleplaying System, which is designed to emphasize storytelling and fast, streamlined play. The Momentum system gives you the freedom to create characters with truly unique characteristics, in as much detail (or as little) as you want. The Momentum system uses 12-sided dice to simulate character’s actions as they interact with the Nearside. Dice are only rolled when the outcome of an action is in doubt, such as in a life-or-death situation, or when an important plot point depends upon a character’s success or failure. For routine or non-critical activities, dice rolls shouldn’t be needed.

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Observe and Report

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There he is. No question at all,” said Kirkwood. He was standing over by the grimy east window Carson looked up from a crumpled two-weekold newspaper and stared at Kirkwood. “Can’t get a moment’s peace on this job,” he said. Kirkwood lowered his binoculars, tapped a gloved finger on the frosted glass. “That’s the guy. I’d recognize him anywhere.” Carson sighed, folded the newspaper and set it to one side as he dragged himself out of a comfortable armchair. He struggled a bit in the thick layers of cold-weather gear. “Kirkwood, you’ve never even seen the man. How the hell would you know him from a hole in the ground?” As soon as they got back home, Carson thought, I’m going to ask for a transfer or a re-assignment or something. Anything to get away from Kirkwood’s endless know better, know all crap. Monarch had a bunch of criteria for new hires. Not being a grade-A macho douche-bag was nowhere on the list. Kirkwood turned again to the window, binoculars back in place. “Forty degrees below ass-freezing out there. I got a rake-skinny white male heading this direction wearing dress shoes, gray pants, black tail coat, and a real natty top hat. Sound familiar?” “Shit,” said Carson, reaching for his rifle. “That’s him.” l l l Topper walked out of the cold without a care and stood in the abandoned hospital foyer brushing snowflakes off the brim of his hat. By his feet sat a dark-red duffel bag with an old battered kettle tied onto it with rough sisal rope. Two figures wrapped in padded coats bundled out of a heavy swing door to his right and stumbleslid to halt a few yards away. They had weapons, winter-white assault rifles, barrels pointing down. No sudden moves. Topper placed his hat back upon his head. “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” said Topper. “Lovely day for it, no?”

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“Day for what?” asked the thinner man, his face half hidden beyond the fur-edged hood of his coat. “Kirkwood,” the fatter man was clearly exasperated. “Take some advice, once in your life. Ease off.” Kirkwood snorted. “The brass hats are all ‘Oh noes, it is the big scarey bogey man.’ Come on though, Carson, it’s just one guy. How much trouble could he really be?” Carson started to respond, but Topper spoke first. “Travel,” he said. “They say it broadens the mind, but not for all, apparently.” Kirkwood seethed visibly. The fatter man pulled down the hood of his coat, raised a hand, palm out. “I’m Carson, this is ...” “Kirkwood, I gather” said Topper. “My name ...” “We know who you are,” said Kirkwood. “What do you want?” “Shortest distance between two points is a straight line,” said Topper. “Moving swiftly from A to B, the line, on this occasion, leads me here.” “Monarch controls this room,” said Kirkwood. “We’re the trolls under the bridge.” The statement and the challenge hung there for a while as quiet seconds ticked along. “Look at it from my perspective,” said Topper. Kirkwood stared at him. Carson had to spell it out. “The man’s traveling in a straight line, Kirkwood. We’re just standing in the way.” Topper’s smile showed bright white teeth. l l l

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“It’s not our job,” said Carson. “That’s why.” “We could have him,” Kirkwood whispered as they led Topper downstairs to the broken room. “Above our pay grade, kid. Monarch’s got specialists, trained to take down guys like him,” Carson glanced back at Topper, striding along behind them down the dimly lit corridors. “No offense.” “None taken,” said Topper. “We’re here to back up November Three in case the X-site goes south,” Carson went on. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Kirkwood. Anything else is strictly observe and report. No volunteering. That’s rule number one.” Kirkwood grunted something that Carson ignored. They’d arrived at a gray painted door, worn black stenciling spelled out: “STEAM PIPE ANNEX.” Carson nodded to Kirkwood and they grabbed hold and hauled the sliding door to one side. It moved smoothly on greased runners. Carson turned back to Topper. “I’d offer you a nice cup of tea, but I don’t think you have the time.” “You sense it too,” Topper moved into the open doorway as Kirkwood stepped to one side. “The turning of the wheels, the rising of the tide.” “Something like that, yeah,” said Carson. A little tingle in the center of the brain, that was as close as Carson ever got to reckoning a room. His skills were elsewhere — bit of fixing up, bit of an edge in games of chance. Nothing too flashy, because flashy got you noticed. Got you volunteered. Topper headed on in like he owned the place, did a little pirouette thing in the middle of the bare concrete floor, shiny black shoes going tap-tap-tap. “Don’t let me keep you. I’m sure you fine fellows have important work to be doing.” “If you’re sure? Well …” Carson gave a half hearted wave and started backing away. “Mind how you go and all that. Good meeting you.” “Likewise,” said Topper, raised his hat and gave a slight bow as the door slid closed. Kirkwood and Carson stood quietly in the corridor for a few minutes. Eventually, Kirkwood shrugged. “Do we need to wait or ...“ “Our work here is done,” said Carson, and turned to trudge back to the day room and the armchair and the heaters running full blast. l l l

“We have a Visitor,” said Albrecht. “Fascinating,” said Hetherington, reclining on a leather sofa, his head stuck in a bulky, dog-eared novel — something about pirates and lusty maidens, judging by the cover. “Don’t you want to ...” “Look,” said Hetherington, lowering the book and frowning. “I get that you are keen. First assignment. Shiny and new. Need to make an impression. I was like you once. Maybe.” “I think ...” “Do not interrupt,” Hetherington held up a hand. “I am imparting valuable intelligence to you. It’s a gift. Calm yourself. Pay close attention. Very. Close. Attention.” Albrecht began to speak, stopped as Hetherington’s scowl burned on. “We have SPIRE clearance, making us the officer class of the Regency Group,” said Hetherington. “Checking credentials at the door is not in our remit. We have troops for that. The same salt-of-the-earths soldiers who took care of that awkward Monarch situation when we arrived.” “He’s just …” Albrecht took a step back as Hetherington swept his legs from the sofa and stood up, pointing emphatically with the book in his hand. “You will learn nothing if you continue to prattle on.” “… stood there in the center of the Room,” Albrecht finished quietly. Hetherington blinked. “No wailing or bleeding, puking or railing?” asked Hetherington. “No quivers and shivers?” Albrecht shook her head. “Experienced,” said Hetherington. “Lot of travel under his heels, certainly. One of the Names? Let us not get ahead of ourselves …” “I’m not sure I follow,“ said Albrecht. “Describe the visitor,” said Hetherington, eyes bright. “Spare no detail.” “Old looking geezer in a seriously weird outfit — one of those retro Victoriana jackets with long tails. And a top hat. Have you ever seen the like?” Hetherington’s book made a hefty thud as it slammed into the floor. l l l

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Observe & Report Headaches, nosebleeds, muscle spasms, dizzy spells — people had all sorts of reactions to traveling the Broken Road but Topper got beyond all that a long, long time ago. These days it was painless, effortless, easy as breathing. Sometimes it felt as if the worlds were simply moving into line, arranging themselves to better suit his purpose. Best not to think like that though. Too much of that and he’d get too big for his shoes. Who knew where that would end? In a hospital basement room, Topper waited for the welcoming committee. There were cameras in the corners, bright lights angled in his direction. From the scattered brass and the trails of blood down the corridor, it was clear the place had changed hands recently, and the argument had been intense. Better to watch until he established the lay of the land. The temperature was higher here. Whatever troubles they had, a worldwide freeze wasn’t it. A low cough, from some distance away, the sound of footsteps. Two sets. Topper waited. The first arrival, male, suited, early 50s but fit, strode into the room with a hand held out and a big, bright smile. He looked like a car salesman who played squash to keep in shape. Too much tan, too much hair dye. Standards were slipping, thought Topper. They shook hands, firm but brief. “Wonderful, wonderful,” the man said. “My name is Hetherington and I have to say you are just the chap we are looking for, just what we need.” Topper waited. Hetherington had been followed by a woman, much younger, wearing a military style outfit, meaningless insignia all over the place and a pistol holstered at her waist. Typical Regency Group flash and polish. They did love a palaver. “Albrecht here had never even heard of you,” Hetherington chuckled. “Unbelievable. Man of your stature and skill set. What are the trainers up to …” Topper tipped his hat in the direction of Albrecht. “Pleasure meeting you, love to chin-wag, but I ought to be going.”

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Hetherington and Albrecht shared a glance. “We have a lot to discuss. Monarch has been making heavy inroads in all sorts of areas. We are finding our resources stretched ever so thin,” said Hetherington. “Now, if we could avail ourselves of a talented individual such as ...” “No, really,” said Topper. “I must insist. This is not a negotiation.” Hetherington shook his head. “There is no need for getting overwrought and anxious. We would like you to hang around for a sit down with some of our technical boys and girls. Iron out a few issues. Fill in some blanks.” Albrecht had her right hand on her holstered pistol, and placed her left hand on Topper’s shoulder as he moved in the direction of the open door. “Just a chat,” said Albrecht. “We don’t want …” Topper grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard, wrenched her fingers backwards and kept twisting as Albrecht sank to her knees, pistol forgotten, screaming at the vice-grip grinding of broken knuckle bones. Hetherington was backing far away. Topper let go of Albrecht’s hand and she curled up on the floor, wounded cat mewling. Hetherington had already scuttled up against the far wall, face pale, arms waving, breath heaving. “Don’t mistake courtesy for weakness,” said Topper. He stepped over Albrecht and headed for the doorway. “We are on the same side,” blustered Hetherington, peeling himself off the wall. Topper paused and looked back. “We are the good guys,” Hetherington said. “Whoever told you that?” asked Topper.

2: Setting Overview

S

tories are born from one question: What if? What if I was a millionaire? What if I was a superhero? What if she loved me and not him? What if she hadn’t died? What if I had? Science, as always, plays catch-up with science fiction, and while writers and dreamers have long imagined the what-if of what-ifs: parallel worlds, the physicists have recently caught up. It’s far from a widely accepted fact, but many respected theoretical physicists and cosmologists now believe that a number of current theoretical blank spots can be explained by the existence of parallel realities, brother and sister universes wrapped up in infinitesimally tiny gaps between dimensions. One popular idea is that every single quantum event causes a new universe to come into existence. As long ago as 1957, Hugh Everett developed a “many worlds theory” to explore the possibility that there wasn’t a single outcome of a single event. All outcomes were not only valid, but actually occurred.

For example, in a set period of time an atom of a certain radioactive material will either decay or it won’t. If it does decay, that happens in our universe. But it instantly creates another universe where it didn’t decay at that point in time. Likewise, if you are standing outside a McDonald’s and decide you’re going to skip the burgers today, you just walk away to find another place to eat. In another brand new universe, you walk inside and guiltily order that double-cheeseburger. In yet another universe, a cosmic constant changes value, just a little bit, and the forces that bind atoms together vanish and everything turns into ionized plasma. No burger for you. And so countless parallel dimensions surround us, created by our actions and inaction. There is little hope of completely understanding the true extent of such a multiverse, at least not in one lifetime. Even the worlds of the Nearside, just a hair’s breadth away in quantum terms, are unreachable. The best we can hope

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Setting Overview for is spotting ripples in the fabric of space-time, ghostly evidence of old collisions between universes. But Nearsiders can travel to them. Specifically, they can travel to a very tightly knit cluster of parallel dimensions, almost entirely identical to this one. No one knows for sure what brought the Nearside into existence. It could have been as small as the collapse of a single but complex probability waveform at the wrong time in the wrong place, spinning a dozen new universes into existence. Or it could be much more complex than that — and given some of the rumors and stories out there, there’s much more to the Nearside than a random quantum event.

Divergence Just as a single event or decision gives birth to two different realities, so the Nearside was born out of a single moment in time, when 12 seemingly random events occurred — or didn’t. For a single instant, on August 13, 2002, just after 1 p.m. EST, reality blinked.

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The 12 new worlds (or variations) seem to have spun off from this one, the so-called ordinary world. We can assume this because it’s obvious that up until that point in time, those worlds were identical to ours. That means those worlds didn’t exist until that point in time. When you travel to those worlds, walking the streets of your hometown, it really is your hometown. It’s just a “what-if,” one of many. Likewise, other versions of you were once really, actually, you. As soon as your realities diverged, the only difference would be your experiences as that world’s events unfurl.

Earth1: The Ordinary World This is our world, the normal everyday reality that we know so well. Nothing of significance happened on August 13, 2002, at least nothing on the scale suffered by the rest of the Nearside. Instead, every August 13 since then, every Nearsider has suffered their own personal divergence event, an experience powerful enough to activate part of their brains known as the Hindbrain Anomaly (HbA) and change their lives forever (see Personal Divergence, below.)

Broken Rooms

Setting Overview Earth2: Vanished

Earth7: Icebox

The entire non-HbA positive population vanish in a single instant, leaving nothing behind. The first hour is filled with the explosive aftermath of humanity’s sudden departure. Once the dust settles, the native Nearsiders discover that they are completely alone, with only each other (and the suddenly blood-thirsty wildlife) for company. Nature is quickly reclaiming the empty world, despite the best efforts of the remaining Nearsiders.

An experiment to alter the Earth’s atmosphere in an attempt to stop climate change backfires, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface. An ice age has begun. Mass population migration toward the equator has resulted in international tension and even a few wars, and those willing to risk the journey can make a fortune recovering valuable resources from the frozen remains of once-great cities.

Earth3: Fall

Earth8: Dread

The world is blasted by fragments from an asteroid, and is sent into a long darkness that is slowly killing the survivors of the initial impacts. Most of the world is dead, and those who remain fight over what little food and fresh water remains.

A black hole is spotted in the outer solar system, heading toward Earth. Its arrival date? August 13, 2015. Civilization has begun to crumble under the shadow of certain destruction.

Earth : Invasion

Nanotechnology, designed to reduce oceanic pollution, mutates into a form that can infect humans. The nanovirus is transmitted in liquid with high salt content, including blood and other bodily fluids. The coastlines have been evacuated as even the ocean spray can spread the virus.

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An alien race invades ... but fails to conquer. Instead, a long, drawn-out war begins. The aliens hold territory in Asia and have recently expanded into South America after years of silence. For many Americans, the war is now on their doorstep, while Europe and the rest of the world still struggle to recover from their own periods of alien occupation.

Earth5: Still Born The last human baby is born and no woman is able to get pregnant, except for a handful of individuals who are now “guests” of governments around the world. Only HbA+ women can carry a child to term, making them priceless assets to be cruelly exploited. Some flee to other variations, but even female visitors to this world risk capture and forced impregnation.

Earth6: Hothouse Solar output increases dramatically and the Earth is heating up fast. Working together, several nations have achieved some incredible technical advances. Humanity’s last hope are the arks being built in orbit, a last attempt to try to escape the coming burn. There are limited places available onboard the arks. The world teeters on the brink of chaos as the launch window steadily gets narrower.

Earth9: Dead Water

Earth10: Outage Strange fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field exponentially increases resistance in electrical circuits, effectively forcing civilization to a pre-electricity state. An ever-present aurora hangs in the sky, day and night, driving people insane or worse.

Earth11: Afterlife Indisputable evidence of an afterlife drives many into the arms of a religion that is now drunk on power. Nearsiders used their special talents to infiltrate the leadership ranks of the world’s religions and unite them under one twisted vision of God.

Earth12: Unvisible Monsters are real, and only children can see them. Children are the soldiers in this crusade to save humanity. Most children lose the ability to see the Unvisible when they enter adolescence, but a few — those with the HbA — will always see the monsters.

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Setting Overview Earth13: The Reef Reality itself has twisted and changed, rendering this world a dark reflection of all others, where nightmares become real and the flotsam and jetsam of myriad realities washes up upon the shore.

key that allows Nearsiders to travel between variations. Being HbA positive (HbA+) does not guarantee a journey to another world. Someone possessing an HbA might never travel to another world, but they are capable of it. The term Nearsider, though, is used for those who have traveled at least once. The majority of humanity are HbA negative (HbA). They are often called “negs” by Nearsiders who, after extensive travel across the Nearside, have become detached and distant from the rest of mankind. The majority of HbA+ individuals who never leave their native variation may still gather and use Momentum. These “Nearlysiders” are usually unaware of the larger reality of which they were almost a part, but their lives are filled with strangeness anyway. They subconsciously manipulate reality with their Momentum.

The Hindbrain Anomaly

The Well While there’s no physical structure to the Nearside, those who have traveled extensively describe it as a “well” with a distinct “emotional gradient.” As one travels “deeper” into the well, the worlds get stranger and more distant from the ordinary world in many respects. The Reef, which lies at the bottom of the well, is the most mysterious and bewildering variation of all, where the geography of the world itself doesn’t seem to match ours. This world is completely broken. Many who have been there sense that it doesn’t fit somehow, that it doesn’t feel like the other variations. One thing is for certain. Most of the Nearside is in a bad way. The majority of variations are suffering and dying, with little hope for their populations. For most, escape is impossible, because only Nearsiders can move from one world to another.

Deep within the brain of every human being is a complex and ancient bundle of structures. This is the hindbrain. It controls many basic biological functions, such as breathing and heart rate. Parts of the hindbrain control learned movement, like walking or playing the piano. Yet another part of the hindbrain, the reticular formation, is involved with deep and

Nearsiders A few individuals possess the ability to move between the parallel worlds. Up to 1.3% of the population possess a structure in their brains called the Hindbrain Anomaly (HbA) — the exact number varies across the Nearside. While in itself harmless, the HbA is the

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Broken Rooms

Setting Overview specific focus. If you’re about to be in an accident, your reticular formation blocks out everything else, letting you focus on avoiding the accident, all without thinking about it. Some people have an unusual but apparently harmless flaw in these structures. It’s not noticeable unless you’re really looking for it, and even then only a handful of doctors could find it. This “Hindbrain anomaly” differentiates a Nearsider from an ordinary person. Thanks to this unusual (and difficult to detect) minor structural deformity in the subject’s Hindbrain, travel across the Nearside is possible. The HbA usually expresses in the region of the medulla oblongata called the posterolateral sulcus, specifically near the rootlets of the vagus and the accessory nerves (cranial nerves X and XI). The structure contains an unusual concentration of Carbon 13 that can be used to determine the source variation of the subject, and is one of the methods of detecting the presence of the HbA, though it’s almost impossible to find if you’re not specifically looking for it, and it requires powerful MRI scanners that are not generally accessible to the public. This localized concentration of C13 is similar to the presence of magnetite crystals in some animals (e.g. pigeons and bees) that is used to aid navigation. The HbA can be surgically removed, though at significant risk to the subject. Few subjects survive the removal. Most fall into a coma from which they do not awaken. Those who do survive eventually exhibit the HbA structure close to the original, excised, structure. The HbA cannot currently be artificially induced, and the structure is never completely identical in two different subjects. It’s tough to pin down the precise number of Nearsiders, because not everyone who possesses a Hindbrain Anomaly has experienced First Fall, that singular moment that changes their lives forever and makes them a Nearsider. In fact, only years of research on Earth2 hint at the true numbers of HbA+ individuals. Roughly 1.3% of the population of that world did not vanish on August 13, 2002. Unfortunately most of them died in the immediate aftermath, in crashes and explosions caused by the disappearances.

Identifying Nearsiders

The only way to be completely sure someone is a Nearsider is to run the tests that determine the presence of the HbA. More practically, it’s safe to say that if a particular individual from one variation is a Nearsider, his variant selves are also HbA+, though those variants may not yet have traveled. This is usually the easiest way to determine who is or isn’t a Nearsider, which is why both Regency and Monarch have standing orders to their operatives to try to ascertain the identity of anyone they see using a broken room. Nearsiders traveling between variations automatically flag all surviving variant selves. Many Nearsiders wear masks or hoods to hide their identity when using broken rooms, not just to protect themselves, but to protect their counterparts. Personal Divergence Anyone can possess the HbA. It’s not based upon age, race, gender or environment. It simply lies dormant in the person’s brain, unnoticed and harmless, until the right set of circumstances occur. Just as each variation had a unique Divergence Event in 2002 that set that world off on its own path, every Nearsider experiences his or her own Divergence Event. On an August 13, at some point since 2002, the Nearsider-to-be suffered some kind of loss. It might have been a death, either of a close friend or family member. It might have been an accident resulting in loss of a different sort, perhaps literally (an amputation or loss of some

Broken Rooms

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Setting Overview physical functionality) or metaphorically (the time lost in recovery). The potential Nearsider may have been robbed at gunpoint (and perhaps even injured) or they might have lost an important job or got divorced. Not every Nearsider is a victim, nor is their loss exactly what they may think it is. Many are directly responsible for the loss, making it entirely their own fault. A drunk Nearsider at the wheel of a car might consider her Divergence Event the moment they took a life, resulting in the loss of their innocence, both actual and metaphorical. A Nearsider who attempts suicide might be upset to find that it not only failed, but it caused him to start having hallucinations of other worlds. Nearsiders may feel as if they have lost their minds, but really they lost the right to determine their life’s direction once they tried to end it. There is a distinct difference between the individual before their Divergence Event and the same individual after it. Most feel as if their lives have jumped the tracks, to head in a direction they were never meant to go. For some, this loss was extreme enough to facilitate the First Fall, their initial involuntary journey to another variation. For others, it was the first in a series of events that would, perhaps years later, lead to that all-important moment. First Fall The Hindbrain Anomaly first activates during a moment of extreme stress, when the possessor is in great danger or has actually suffered an accident or injury. Stress hormones kickstart the HbA, which flares and throws the Nearsider through the walls between the worlds and onto another variation. For a few hours, or days, fledgling Nearsiders struggle to understand the situation and surroundings until, eventually, they snap back to their native reality. They have to account for the missing time, without sounding insane. Indeed, many assume that they have gone mad because after First Fall, no Nearsider is ever the same again. Life takes on a dreamlike (or nightmarish) quality as the Nearsider tries to deal with his or her experiences. As the days and months go by, the Nearsider

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may become obsessed with finding out what really happened. It may be some time before he or she travels again, but sooner or later the entire Nearside opens up before them. This freedom of movement comes at a cost.

Haecceity A person is the sum of their experiences. This is especially true of Nearsiders, given that there may well be several versions of the same person traveling the Nearside. It is possible to meet one of your variant selves, though it’s risky. Two (or more) versions of the same Nearsider within close proximity create a kind of neurological feedback called Haecceity (pronounced Hexacity). This connection (also known as being “hexed”) can result in the sharing of memories and emotions between the two Nearsiders, usually on a subconscious level. This connected state only lasts while the individuals are within about 200 ft. of each other. Haecceity is a problem for several reasons. First, it drains Momentum energy from both variants. Second, it can cause Displacement, forcing one or both Nearsiders off that variation. Finally, the sharing of memories and emotions can be confusing for a Nearsider, leaving him with experiences that never happened — not to him, at least.

Broken Rooms

Setting Overview Distance

Frame Dragging

Nearsiders accumulate a kind of “background radiation” as they travel between variations. This effect, called Distance, is irreversible and cannot be avoided. When Nearsiders visit a variation for the first time, they begin to become “attuned” to that world. For a while they are just visitors, not quite in sync with the world. Eventually, however, as they spend time there and come to understand the place and it’s problems, various “things” click into place allowing them to gain Distance. What Attunement entails differs significantly among individuals and tends to take some time — it rarely occurs immediately. Over time, Distance pulls and tears at a Nearsider’s psyche until he begins to suffer psychological problems. These negative Qualities are called Distance Psychosis, and happen to every Nearsider as he becomes more Distant. The psychoses can range from annoying to debilitating, and are accumulated as the Nearsider’s Distance increases.

The presence of Distance and Momentum give Nearsiders a kind of metaphysical gravity, distorting reality around them in much the same way that a planet or star distorts space-time. This effect, called frame dragging, increases as Distance climbs higher. The actual impact this has on reality depends upon the Nearsider and their Prime Meridian and is usually fairly harmless. However it cannot be consciously controlled, nor can it be “switched off.” Another effect of this “gravity well” is that Distance is always drawn to itself. Even before they fully understand what they are, Nearsiders subconsciously seek each other out, their paths crossing over and over again. Obsessions can develop with a specific location, the Nearsider unaware that it might be a

Momentum A side effect of Distance, Momentum represents a kind of energy unique to Nearsiders. The presence of an HbA results in Nearsiders handling stress hormones in a very different way from non-Nearsiders It is somehow converted by the HbA into a form of energy, one that only Nearsiders can use. Momentum is generated when a Nearsider is proactively dealing with a significant situation, either a life-threatening or life-changing one. Interacting with the world and trying to control the outcome of events enables Nearsiders to “metabolize” this energy in ways that can alter reality. This can range from subtly nudging the outcome of events in favor of the Nearsider to full-on reality-altering abilities called Meridians. With these, a Nearsider can heal injuries (and cause them), fix broken machinery, provide electrical power for an entire building and even open portals between realities. Meridians are fueled by Momentum, with the amount depending upon the kind of power used. Momentum is replenished when traveling to other variations.

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Setting Overview broken room. Such instincts bring Nearsiders together more often than not, or lead an individual to a person, place or situation that triggers First Fall. For more on Distance and Momentum, see Chapter 5, Distance, on page 89.

Nearsight The Hindbrain Anomaly is more than just a key that unlocks the doors between worlds. It connects each and every Nearsider to each other and the Nearside itself. Nearsiders are sensitive to Distance and Momentum. The presence of more than one HbA in close vicinity causes a kind of resonance or standing wave to set up between them. The more intense the source of Distance (such as a welltraveled Nearsider, a powerful Relic or a broken room close to opening), the more noticeable the resonance. This is Nearsight, the HbA’s perception of and reaction to Distance. Every Clock is a Map Nearsight is especially important because it enables Nearsiders to find and detect broken rooms by using Clock Maps. Any analog clock face, with moving hands, will always look different to a Nearsider. The hands seem to flicker or shimmer, not quite looking real. By not focusing on the clock face, the Nearsider sees a second set of hands. This second set of hands is the Clock Map. It tells a Nearsider where the nearest broken room is, even if that room is hundreds of miles away.

Presque Vu Sometimes very distant Nearsiders will experience dreams or visions, featuring highly symbolic imagery that can provide the Nearsider with insights and knowledge that they might not normally experience. Sometimes these visions can hint at future events. However, they are so often wrapped up in abstract and obscure symbolism that a Nearsider can become obsessed and frustrated in their attempts to decipher their vision. Often, the most a Nearsider who has experienced Presque Vu can hope for is a “tip of the tongue” feeling when they

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encounter something related to their dream, a strong sense that they know exactly what’s going to happen, though they may be powerless to truly affect the outcome of events.

Broken Rooms Travel between variations is only possible in places where the walls between realities are thinnest. Strong emotions and terrible events cause the barriers to weaken, as can use of some Meridians. These places are called broken rooms. Sometimes a broken room will temporarily coexist on more than one variation at the same time. In that moment, anyone within the boundaries of that weak spot will shift from one world to another, as long as they possess the Hindbrain Anomaly. Broken rooms aren’t always rooms, despite the name. Sometimes they are in open fields, or are sections of abandoned railway tunnels, lift elevator shafts or even stretches of road. They are spaces that don’t always belong to a single world, regardless of actual location. A broken room “cycles” over a regular period of time, though that differs from room to room. Some Nearsiders can force rooms to cycle sooner, or lock them entirely. Given that they are the only reliable method of travel, broken rooms are valuable strategic locations. There are organizations of Nearsiders dedicated to ensuring the free and open use of broken rooms, while there are others who would like to lock them shut, forever. For more on broken rooms, see chapter 6, Travel, on page 102.

Broken Rooms

Setting Overview Deep Cover

The Regency Group’s history can be found on page 246, but there are rumors that it’s not the only government-sponsored organization on Earth1. There are stories of a small black-ops team called Project BITTER COMPASS answers to no one, dedicated to taking care of problems deemed too important for Regency. If it exists, no one at the Regency Group knows about it ... or talks about it.

enous to particular variations, others a loose collection of traveling Nearsiders who barely count as an organization. One thing they all share is a strongly held belief in something, whether it’s the right of free travel across the Nearside, or the exact opposite. Few Nearsiders are truly independent — those who claim to have no affiliation are either lying, or are powerful enough to avoid the politics. Either way, there’s cause to be wary.

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Organizations Few people know about the Nearside. On the ordinary world, both the US and UK governments have been aware of the Nearside since late 2002, when they first encountered visitors from another variation. The Nearside Project was created by both governments to study the Nearside and determine what kind of risk it posed, but it was quickly infiltrated by parallel versions of some of its members. That operation was shut down, and the research was taken up by the Regency Group, an already existing consultation organization made up of ex-federal and military personnel. This would act as the front for the group’s real work: to explore the Nearside, defend Earth1 from outside threats, and determine how and why the Nearside came into existence. There are other organizations, and many are less benevolent. Made up of Nearsiders and negs alike, some are simply concerned with protecting their own variations and helping the native populations there. Others just want to plunder the Nearside for resources and wealth, taking unwanted gold from abandoned banks or unguarded nukes from dusty silos. Arguably, the worst is Monarch. Active on every variation, it is impenetrable, like the Illuminati or the highest ranks of the Masons. Monarch infiltrates other organizations, eroding them from within, all for its own purposes. Monarch’s stated goal is the salvation of all Nearsiders, but from what and how it isn’t saying. This might not be a problem, except Monarch considers all negs to be worthless and expendable, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands across the Nearside through inaction or worse. There are other, smaller groups, some indig-

One thing every Nearsider quickly notices is the significance of the number 13. Nearsiders start to see 13 everywhere. This is not a coincidence. It pervades the very essence of the Nearside, just as the value of pi is a universal constant. There are 13 variations. The date of Divergence, 2002, is a multiple of 13. Thirteen has long been considered an unlucky number in western society. Hotels and office buildings will often skip the 13th floor entirely (Floor 12a, anyone?) The 13th guest at a table brings bad luck to all seated there, while Friday the 13th has entered popular culture as an unlucky day (especially if you mess around at abandoned camp sites). Thirteen crops up in many other places in the ordinary world. There are 13 lunar months in a year. The number is important in Tibetan cosmology. In many cultures, a 13th birthday is considered pretty special. A gallows has 13 steps and there are 13 cards in a suit. While the number is still considered “unlucky for some,” for Nearsiders it can sometimes be a matter of life and death. After First Fall, when the number crops up, it’s

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Setting Overview usually important. A guy at the bar drops his box of matches, and 13 fall out. You pick up some groceries and the total comes to $13.13, after tax. The doctor in front of you, who is standing in for your usual doctor who is out sick, has laid out 13 tongue depressors on the metal tray. An experienced Nearsider avoids the guy at the bar, or takes a different route home from the grocery store, perhaps “accidentally” leaving one of the items behind. They leave the doctor’s office in a hurry, wondering what was really in the flu shot they just got. It may seem like paranoia or superstition gone mad, but each and every Nearsider develops a healthy obsession with the number 13 for good reason. Recognizing the right 13 at the right time could save their life. (By the way, including these words, there are 351 words in this section, a multiple of 13.)

Scary Monsters As if a network of parallel worlds wasn’t strange enough, some are home to entities that are at odds with mankind. These are the Lacunae; the K’thari invaders on Earth3 are one example; the Unvisible are another. On the Reef, darkness itself takes form, pulling myriad shapes from the dreams and nightmares of the natives. While none of these creatures are aware of one another, there is a strange and unexplainable singled-mindedness behind their actions, as if something had decided that humanity’s time was up and the best thing would be to erase them from each and every world. Whatever will is behind the slaughter of mankind, it is at its most pure and mindless on the Reef, where the Malvolent roam and the shadows move faster under a new moon. In the end, the scariest monsters are Nearsiders themselves, especially those who have traveled far and seen too much.

Convergence Many of the worlds seem to be headed for a final cataclysmic event in 2015, 13 years after the creation of the Nearside. No one is certain what will happen in 2015, but some claim they have answers.

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They call this final event Convergence, and say it spells the end of this version of the Nearside — but that another will be born out of that moment of collapse. Some believe that it has happened before, perhaps thousands of times. A few Nearsiders claim to have survived previous Convergence events. These exiles are few in number, but many of their stories seem to corroborate the idea that this might not be the first Nearside. Relics are objects that predate this Nearside, seemingly mundane items that possess great power and potential in the hands of Nearsiders. There is no proof either way, but one thing is for certain — something is going to happen in 2015.

Exiles Individuals who claim to have come from a previous iteration of the Nearside, one that existed before the current network of worlds, are known as Exiles. In fact, a few say that they come from Nearsiders before that one, suggesting a long history for the Nearside. Those who have visited the Reef and explored the debris that make up the actual reef itself will attest to discovering objects that seem to go back hundreds of years, though no Nearsider has ever claimed to be that old. Exiles somehow survive Convergence, though no one is able to describe or explain the events that occur, nor how they survive it. Exiles claim that their memories are reformed during Convergence, though most eventually remember their “past lives” within

Broken Rooms

Setting Overview a few years of the new Divergence. Not all do regain their memories, suggesting that there may be many Exiles who are not aware of their past and are reliving the cycle over and over. Tales of Convergence and Exiles are usually taken with a grain of salt by the majority of Nearsiders, who have little time for fairy tales when there are entire worlds dying. Most wonder why one would ever want to go through this all again, dismissing the idea as being born of Distance psychosis. Ultimately, no one knows for certain. There is mounting evidence, however, that this iteration of the Nearside might not be the first, though there is no hint of how or why this should be so.

Travel Given the evidence, one might wonder why anyone would voluntarily walk the Nearside. Not that Nearsiders have any choice, at least the first time they travel. Once that door has been opened, it can never be shut. Once other Nearsiders know about you, they are likely to come looking for you, either to help or to punish you for something one of your variant selves did or didn’t do. You’re dealing with an increasingly insane kind of person, after all. And you might even be forced into travel by one of your own counterparts, mad with Distance and jealous of your dull but peaceful life. Sometimes your worst enemy is yourself. Literally. It runs deeper than that, though. Perhaps it’s the presence of Momentum, or perhaps it’s a deeper connection with the Nearside, but after you’ve walked the Nearside, you are filled with a deep disquiet, a dissatisfaction with ... well, everything. After your personal divergence event, your life changed. It wasn’t necessarily the end of the world (not yours, anyway) but it was certainly an evolution. Between Divergence and First Fall that sense of detachment never goes away. But First Fall is the first time that you feel like there might be answers, that there might be a reason for what happened. That alone is enough to push you out onto the Nearside. Another reason for travel is simply to keep feeding the need for Momentum. Staying for too long on one world causes Momentum to ebb away, until the Nearsider has none left. This leaves them unable to use Meridians

and vulnerable to Displacement (see page 111), a kind of attack by one of their variant selves which could potentially kick them off the current variation. The only way to gather Momentum is to place yourself in harm’s way or in situations that take you way outside your comfort zone. Leading a dull, safe life is possible, but without Momentum, a Nearsider will feel empty, somehow less than before. Some say that Momentum is addictive and that Nearsiders are nothing more than thrill-junkies. This may well be true. While some or all of the above factors may come into play, ultimately each individual Nearsider will have his own reasons for traveling to the other worlds. It might come down to something as simple as power, wealth, safety or thrill-seeking, but it’s usually much more complicated than that. Most Nearsiders are reluctant to share their personal motivations. When they can be used to hurt or harm you, your loved ones or even other versions of you, this reluctance is perfectly understandable.

Broken Rooms

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3: Character Creation

I

f you’re going to explore the Nearside, you’ll need a character. Each player controls a character that interacts with the game world created by the Gamemaster (GM). Together, players and the GM build an interactive story that is fueled by the actions taken by players via their characters. In Broken Rooms, each character is a Nearsider — an individual with the ability to travel between the network of parallel worlds that make up the Nearside. At its heart, this game is about travel and how it can change people. During the course of the game, your character will take a journey. He’ll change and grow as he travels, learning new skills and information, developing new powers and relationships and discovering the truth about the Nearside and himself. Creating a character is a straightforward process. The hardest part is deciding on the kind of character you want to play. The rest is just getting it down on paper so that there is no question as to what your character can and cannot do. When creating your character: 1. Get your concept approved by the GM first. No one wants to spend time creating a character only to have it vetoed. 2. Make sure your character is distinct within the group. It’s no fun to play in a group where every character can do the same things and acts the same way. Diversity is the name of the game if you want your character to have a chance to shine. 3. Make sure your character is multi-dimensional. Your character is more than a set of numbers. He should exist to do more than shoot a gun or hack a computer. Don’t make a character that is only good at one thing and worthless in every other situation.

Overview

Step 1: Character Concept (page 21) The first step is coming up with a basic character concept — just a sentence or two that can be used to describe your character.

Step 2: Milestones (page 22) Once the concept has been sketched out, consider how three certain milestones in your life occurred.

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This will help expand your character’s motivation, personality, history and appearance (MPHA) in step 3. Divergence Event The character experienced a significant personal loss between 2002 and the present. This loss occurred on August 13 of the selected year. First Fall The first time the character traveled to a variant world, leaving him with more questions and deep curiosity. Recruitment The character is approached by other Nearsiders and becomes fully immersed in the Nearside. This may not have yet occurred when the game begins, so check with the GM.

Step 3: MPHA (page 24) Using the character’s concept and milestones as a base, flesh out the character by defining his motivation, personality, history and appearance. This can be as simple as a few words and sentences, or as elaborate as a short story.

Step 4: Attributes (page 26) There are only three attributes in Broken Rooms: Mind, Body and Soul. You must assign one as your primary Attribute (best), one as your secondary Attribute and one as your tertiary Attribute (worst).

Step 5: Skills (page 28) Select your character’s Skills. These reflect the knowledge and training gained from their professions and background. There are 20 different Skills that represent what your character knows, along with countless Concentrations. You get to select three Skills at the Familiar (9+) skill level for free. Once these Skills have been chosen, you have 13 points to spend on: 1. Improving an Unfamiliar (10+) Skill to Familiar (9+), which costs 3 points for each improvement. 2. Increasing the level of a Concentration, which costs 1 point per Skill level increased.

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Step 6: Nearsider Abilities (page 36)

Step 1: Character Concept

A Nearsider begins the game with 2 points of Distance, 4 points of Momentum and a Depth of 3. As they grow in power, these will increase. Distance is an overall measurement of how far a character has traveled through the Nearside. Momentum and Depth are both used when a Nearsider uses a Meridian — one of 13 extraordinary abilities that set a Nearsider apart from normal people. A starting character begins with only one Meridian — his or her Prime Meridian. This Distance power will help to define the character. Prime Meridians are almost like occupations within the Nearsider community. Along with the Meridian, a Prime Quality must also be selected. This will give the character additional bonuses when using his power or certain Skills in a specific way.

Coming up with an idea for your character is the first and most important part of character creation. You want to create a character that is not only interesting to you, but one that will also fit the tone and mood that your GM is setting for the game. Creating a Mexican wrestler named El Gato may seem like fun, but it might not belong in a game that focuses on political intrigue and secret societies. However, ask your GM — you might be surprised at what she thinks would work. Because Broken Rooms is set in modern-day, the kind of character you can play is limited only by your imagination and common sense. There are no such things as classes or races or archetypes to determine your capabilities or career paths. Rather, you build your character from the inside out — starting with a simple concept sentence or two. This concept sentence can be a powerful tool to encapsulate the essence of your character. Below are a few examples of famous characters (real and fictional). If you can name each character, then these simple concepts have been successful: l A scoundrel with a heart of gold. He is one of the best smugglers around, being almost as good with a gun as he is piloting a ship. l Famous for simply being famous, she is an heiress that is as a beautiful as she is spoiled. She has tried her hand at acting, but her only real talent is being herself. l A body builder turned actor, this man is ambitious and driven. Despite his thick accent, people love him thanks to his charisma and machismo. l Struggling to prevent an apocalypse no one else believes in, she trains herself and her son for war. Most believe her crazy, but she is relentless in her convictions. If possible, it is a good idea to name your character early in the process. A name has power and helps

Step 7: Qualities (page 42) Select your character’s Qualities. A Quality is a word or phrase that helps describe your character. Characters begin the game with two positive Qualities. Each one can be invoked once per game session to gain a bonus to an Action Check or help drive the story. They also start with one negative Quality, which can be invoked (by the player or GM) once per session to gain a point of Momentum. However, invoking a negative Quality incurs a penalty to an Action Check or creates an obstacle in the story.

Step 8: Other Details (page 47) Most of your character’s details are encapsulated by your MPHA, but you will want to select your starting equipment and figure out how he fits into the rest of the group. In addition to this, you will need to determine how much Mind, Body and Soul damage your character can take.

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Character Creation to anchor and visualize the character. It makes it easier to imagine a history and personality. A bookie named Everett Windsor evokes a much different picture than one named Pookie. Example: Jessica wants her character to be a reformed thief. That’s an OK start, but it needs a little more. After developing a few more ideas (and talking with the GM), Jessica’s final concept is: Cassidy Clarke is a cat burglar who gave up crime when a job turned bad. Now living under an assumed identity, she is trying to start over as a gym teacher name Kimberly Smith.

Step 2: Milestones The default Broken Rooms campaign model assumes that the character begins on Earth1 and has experienced the three milestones described below. These milestones are fundamental to characters’ development as Nearsiders and give them common frames of reference when meeting one another. Some GMs may want to begin the campaign before some (or all) of these milestones have occurred. If this is the case, simply adjust character creation as needed. The most likely change will be the elimination of Meridians and a reduction in skill points.

Personal Divergence Event Just as each Variation experienced on August 13, 2002, your character suffered his own Divergence event. Every Nearsider experiences this. It’s always some type of devastating loss, traumatic, often violent and fundamentally life changing. The loss may be literal, emotional, physical or even spiritual. The character may be fully responsible for the loss (driving when drunk, or taking part in a robbery or even murder), or may be an innocent victim of fate. The character’s personal divergence event can have taken place in any year between 2002 and the present day, though it must have occurred on August 13 of that year. Examples include: l the loss of body part or functionality, l diagnosis of a potentially fatal medical condition, l the death of a sibling, l the end of a friendship,

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The Five Stages of Grief

In 1969, Swiss psychologist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross published a book called On Death and Dying. The book outlined Ross’s observations on how people coped with death or sudden loss. It outlined the five stages that individuals experience as they cope with their loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Any kind of significant loss or life event can cause an individual to enter the stages of grief, not just the death of a loved one. The loss of a job or financial stability can start the process, as can divorce or the onset of a serious long-term illness (diabetes, even curable cancers). The invasion of an alien race, or the onset of endless winter can also evoke these feelings, though those situations also point to loss: the loss of innocence, or the death of an entire world. l memory loss or loss of freedom through incarceration. It can even be an event that signals the beginning of such loss, like an affair that costs the character her marriage, or the loss of an important package that gets the character fired — or worse. No matter what has been lost, your character has been changed by the experience. He will always look back at this event as a turning point, the moment his life jumped the track. Your character begins to feel a distance settling in, detached from a world that cannot understand what he’s gone through. Consider how this Divergence event has influenced your character. How did he deal with the loss and how did it color how he deals with stress and danger today? Was he angry when it happened? Deeply saddened? Was he in denial? There are classic “stages of grief” that surround any kind of major loss, so consider those as possible inspiration (see sidebar). Your character’s personal Divergence event, its cause and consequence and how he dealt with it, should influence his motivation and personality (see step 3 below) although it doesn’t necessarily completely define him. It should play a part in how your character develops, as he learns to deal with that particular loss and the greater horrors he will witness on the Nearside. Example: Cassidy was in the back room working on a safe when she heard the gunfire and her fiancé’s

Broken Rooms

Character Creation screams. That was the day she lost her partner-in-crime and lover. It was also the day she turned away from her old life. She didn’t even bother to collect her tools — she just ran and has kept running ever since. In terms of the stages of grief, she has dealt with the loss through denial. She wants to live a normal life and pretend she was never a criminal and never saw the love of her life die.

First Fall At some point after Divergence, your character traveled to another variation. This was triggered by moment of extreme stress or emotion, possibly related to your character’s Divergence event. Life-threatening situations are often responsible for a First Fall, like a safety mechanism that takes the character out of that particular dangerous situation (and possibly into another). Nearsiders from Earth1 rarely First Fall further down the well than Earth4, with Earth2 and Earth3 being the most common destinations. Some Nearsiders do end up much further down, but this is very rare. Nearsiders from other Variations always end up on Earth1. Regardless of the destination, the experience is often disorienting and usually shocking. Your character

may be immediately attacked, or may spend his First Fall wandering around alone. Depending upon where he is when it occurs, your character could be in the middle of a desperate firefight with the K’thari, or at the bottom of a mile-wide crater that used to be his home town. After a few minutes, or a few hours, your character finds his way back to his home variation, snapped back like an elastic band pulled too far. First Fall, far from confusing your character further, seems to promise answers to the strange sense of detachment and unreality that set in after his Divergence event. Instead of feeling directionless and detached, your character now has a purpose again — to understand what happened during First Fall and to get answers to ... maybe everything. Example: After she had adopted identity of Kimberly, she was taking a walk through the woods one summer day. Leaving the hiking trail, she slipped and fell down a steep ravine. Instead of smashing into the dry river bed, she found herself in 6 ft. of water, a rushing torrent where there had been none before. Pulling herself from the unexplained river she noticed things seemed different, quieter somehow. A strange man in

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Character Creation dirty clothing watched her from a distance, but she saw no one else. She ran and tried to find her car but couldn’t. She was forced to spend the night in a cave. When she woke up the next morning, she found a park ranger and her car was where she left it.

Recruitment At some point after First Fall, sometimes months or even years, your character encounters the Nearside once more — this time it’s ongoing and life altering. He might be approached by one of the many organizations that exist across the Nearside. Some organizations will attempt to recruit him. Others will threaten or warn him about further travel. Others may coerce or even try to kill him. This is Recruitment, when your character finally fully engages with the Nearside and starts to have his questions answered. It’s the beginning of the process to resolve his Loss and progress through the stages of grief until he finally accepts what happened and moves on. Note that your character may actually refuse to join with a particular group or organization. He has still been Recruited, however. It is the Nearside itself that has chosen this time for your character. Work with the GM and the other players to determine how long after First Fall that your character was Recruited. It might be that the GM wants to make recruitment part of the game, so you and the other players can share the experience. Check with your GM for the kind of campaign she wants to run. For more experienced players, or players who want to dive into the action, the campaign should start with the Recruitment or at some point very soon after that, giving characters a chance to be affiliated with a faction or organization, established as a novice Nearsider. Example: About a month after her event in the woods, Cassidy thought the FBI had finally caught up to her. A man in a suit showed up out of the blue and made it clear he knew who she really was. He explained the Nearside and offered her a job with the Regency Group. If she really wanted to run away, he was offering her a way to run further than she could imagine.

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STEP 3: MPHA Once you have settled on your basic character concept and milestones, your next steps are to flesh him out. You can spell out his motivation, personality, history and appearance. These ideas directly drive the attributes, qualities and skills of the character. A good MPHA makes the rest of the process much easier. The more detail you add, the more life you bring to your character. When fully realized, the MPHA can be used to very quickly and easily guide your character’s responses to different scenarios. Motivations and personality are two most common drivers, which have been forged by the character’s history.

Motivation Motivation explains why your character does what he does at a very high level. Sometimes this motivation is very apparent to the character and sometimes it is hidden below the surface. But at the end of the day, it is what drives him to keep going in the face of danger or adversity. Motivation can come from many sources – here are just a few: tragedy (redemption or revenge), the heart (faith or love), upbringing (duty or honor), the mind (discovery or knowledge), or it could more base (greed, fame or power). Regardless of the source, it plays an important part in determining how your character views the world. Example: A character could have become a soldier and joined the army for a number of reasons – each stemming from a different motivation. He could have felt it was his patriotic duty, thought it was the best way to protect his loved ones, or just had a desire to see the world. Answering these questions will help define your character’s motivation: 1. What were the character’s goals, ambitions and dreams before Divergence? 2. Who or what did your character lose during his Divergence event? 3. How did the realization of the existence of the Nearside change your character’s motivation? 4. What drives your character after his Divergence event? 5. How do his post-Divergence goals relate to those set before Divergence?

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Character Creation Example: Cassidy used to be driven by the thrill of the crime. But ever since her fiancé died, she has been looking for a way to make up for her past life. She obviously is worried of going to jail, but her motivation isn’t just fear. She knows that if she gets caught she’ll never be able to even the score for her past misdeeds.

Personality Personality tells you how your character views the world and reacts to it. It gives insight in how he will try to accomplish his goals and deal with adversity. 1. What was your character’s outlook on life before his Divergence event? How has it changed? 2. Does your character’s race, religion and/or country of origin affect his outlook? 3. How does he view the existence of the Nearside? Is he angered, saddened, remorseful, stoic, accepting, happy, crazed? 4. What in your character’s personality gives him hope? 5. Does your character think anything good has come from the knowledge of the Nearside? 6. What opportunities does your character see in a post-Divergence reality? 7. What does he miss most from his former life? Why? Example: Crime was only life that Kimberly knew. She acts as normal as she can and tries to blend in with her co-workers. She doesn’t get too close to anyone though, lest she slip up and expose her secrets. Deep down, she misses the excitement of her past life. Like a drug addict who has been given the keys to a pharmacy, she fears being recruited by the Regency Group could lead her to a bad place — but at least she won’t have to teach gym classes anymore. She is quick to volunteer for exciting and dangerous tasks but has a hard time asking for help. Others may think she has a death wish. She doesn’t want any more blood on her hands and will go out of her way to help a trusted friend.

History History tells you where your character came from and what he endured. Answering these questions will help mold your character’s history: 1. Where is your character from? 2. How did your character make a living before his Divergence event? How about now?

3. Who are his family, friends, co-workers and enemies? 4. What hobbies did your character enjoy? 5. Why has your character always felt distant — or slightly out of place with the world and people around him? 6. Where was he and what was he doing during his Divergence event? 7. How did he survive the First Fall? 8. Where did his First Fall take him? 9. How was he recruited? 10. Has he met the other characters in the party? If so, how? What does he think of them? 11. Has he been wounded, scarred or disabled — physically or emotionally? How? Example: Cassidy’s father was a small-time crook who always wanted better for his little girl. But she was a chip off the old block and grew into the family business. She eventually met up with another burglar and fell in love. They had a good run together until things went horribly wrong and she went on the run. She has traveled across the country trying to start a new life, but nowhere seemed right. Personal Divergence events and First Fall are an excellent opportunity for characters to take a variety of positive and negative qualities (see step 6 below). Keep them in mind as you develop your character’s history.

Appearance Describing how your character looks is one of the first things you will do when meeting other characters. This first impression is something that will linger in the minds of other players (and their characters), so it is a good idea to think about it during the creation process. You want everyone else to have the same mental picture of your character that you have. Appearance goes deeper than listing the items found on a driver’s license and saying how good looking (or ugly) your character is. For example, a woman can be attractive in many different ways. Is she like the girl next door, a sexy bombshell, timelessly elegant? Similarly, a man’s build can be described numerous ways: heavy, athletic, trim, skinny, obese, rangy, etc. In addition to your character’s basic looks, you should also think about other things people will notice about her. How does she dress? How does she groom

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Character Creation herself? What is her posture like? Does she have any obvious mannerisms or distinctive features? Example: Cassidy is plain woman that wears very little make-up or jewelry and tries to remain unremarkable. She has mousy brown hair she almost always keeps tied in a simple ponytail and doesn’t worry much about the latest fashions. She almost never wears a dress or skirt, preferring pants. Standing only 5’2”, she is on the slender side, but is obviously athletic. She has a nervous habit of chewing on her hair.

Step 4: Attributes In Broken Rooms, your character only needs three attributes: Mind, Body and Soul. Each of these is abstract in nature and broadly defines a character’s aptitude in those particular arenas. You can add further detail to these attributes through the use of qualities — both positive and negative — as mentioned above. Attributes are used in conjunction with Skills and Defenses to perform actions and resolve contests. You are better (i.e., you get to roll more dice) when performing actions related to your Primary Attribute and worse (you roll fewer dice) when performing actions related to your Tertiary Attribute. You must decide how to rank these attributes, because no one

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is equally balanced. One is your Primary, one is your Secondary and one is your Tertiary Attribute. Ranking

Number of Dice to Roll

Primary

5

Secondary

4

Tertiary

3

Mind The Mind Attribute not only represents the character’s basic intelligence, but it also includes her judgment, cunning, logic, awareness and problem solving ability. Just about anything that goes on between the character’s ears is covered by the Mind Attribute. A character with Mind as her Primary Attribute is more likely to think her way through problems and wants to outwit opponents rather than outfight them. Mind is used if a character spots something out of the ordinary. It is also used to examine an object to try to figure out how it functions. It is used for most technical and professional skills. When used for defense purposes, Mind is used to ignore distractions, make sense of new realities, pierce deceptions, repel attacks against their memories, and deal with the seemingly impossible or illogical. When a character is unable to properly defend

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Character Creation again mental assaults, they suffer damage to their Mind and become confused. Some characters with Mind as their Primary Attribute include: scientists, investigators, mechanics, programmers, businessmen and doctors.

Body The Body Attribute not only represents the character’s strength and vitality, but it also includes her agility, coordination, speed, endurance, perception and overall fitness. Just about anything physical in nature is covered by the Body Attribute. A character with Body as her Primary Attribute is likely a woman of action who relies on physical skills and brute force over finesse. In short, she prefers brawn over brains. Body is used if a character is trying to notice or detect something based purely on their physical senses, such as catching something out of the corner of their eye or hearing a faint noise. It is used for most combatoriented skills and many criminal skills. When used for defense purposes, Body is used to dodge out of harm’s way, ignore pain and fatigue, resist toxins and endure environmental extremes. When a character is unable to properly defend against physical attacks, they suffer damage to their Body and will eventually die.

Some characters with Body as their Primary Attribute include: soldiers, athletes, explorers, criminals, police, laborers and martial artists.

Soul The Soul Attribute not only represents the character’s raw charisma, but also includes her determination, confidence, creativity, inner peace, conviction and strength of personality. Just about anything that is social or spiritual in nature is covered by the Soul Attribute. A character with Soul as her Primary Attribute is likely to try to talk her way out of a situation before resorting to violence. She relies on her ability to connect with others (and sometimes her ability to manipulate them) to make her way through life.

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Character Creation Soul is also used if a character is attempting to “sense” something without directly perceiving it or engaging directly with it — this includes reading people’s emotions or trying to get a feel for a particular situation. Soul is used for most interpersonal and performance skills. When used for defense purposes, Soul is used to resist temptation and manipulation, overcome fears, fight off mental control, remain composed when confronted with horrors and generally represents willpower. It also used to withstand attacks against Distance or Momentum. When a character is unable to properly defend against spiritual or interpersonal attacks, they suffer damage to their Soul and will become uncertain and doubtful. Some characters with Soul as their Primary Attribute include: lawyers, con artists, socialites, salesmen, clergy, performers and politicians. Example: Cassidy has lived by her wits for most of her life and relies more on brains than brawn. Most of her training has required patience and concentration, although being a cat burglar requires some athleticism. She decides that Mind is her Primary Attribute and Body is her Secondary Attribute. This leaves Soul as her Tertiary Attribute.

Step 5: Skills Unlike an Attribute, which reflects inherent ability, Skills must be learned. They are gained through traditional schooling, life experience or other kinds of specialized training. Regardless of the method, these are things that can be honed and expanded through regular use and practice. Skills are used in tandem with Attributes to make Action Rolls (see Rules, page 80). Unlike Attributes, which seldom change after character creation, a Nearsider’s Skills are constantly changing and improving. In the Momentum System, the better someone is with a Skill, the lower the Target Number. During Action Checks, each d12 rolled that is greater than or equal to the Target Number is a success. The following table lists the Skill Levels and their Target Numbers. All Skills are at Unfamiliar (10+) level unless improved during character creation or through game play. The Inferior level can only be obtained when a negative Quality is in play.

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Skill Level

Target Number

Inferior

11+

Unfamiliar

10+

Familiar

9+

Trained

8+

Professional

7+

Expert

6+

Distinguished

5+

World-class

4+

In reality, there are hundreds of skills that a person can possess to varying degrees. Just think about yourself and all the different things you can do or know about. Between schooling, your job, knowledge your parents’ passed down, hobbies and just things you’ve picked up during your life, you could probably make a list of dozens of skills that you are at least Familiar with. But characters in Broken Rooms are a different story – we have simplified things for them.

Skills To make things easier, Broken Rooms only has 20 very broad Skills. These Skills cover many different sub-skills and specialization - collectively called Concentrations. These Skills require the same kind of aptitude to perform, are common to an environment or are commonly used together. Some Skills are comprised of pre-designated Concentrations, while others are a more loosely defined and open to player input. For example, the Marksmanship Skill has a hard list of several Concentrations (Handguns, Rifles, Archery, and Heavy Weapons). The Higher Learning Skill, however, is more ambiguous. It encapsulates so many different Concentrations that there are too many to list – for example: history, philosophy, law, education, etc… The best level a Skill can be is Trained (8+) or Familiar (9+). After that, only individual Concentration can be improved. Whenever someone begins learning the basics of an entire Skill, they are able to apply some of that knowledge to all the Concentrations falling under the Skill. This could be called a halo effect and is only possible during character creation.

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Character Creation In most cases, however, only Concentrations are improved. When this happens, other Concentrations within the Skill do not benefit from the halo effect. Rather, they must be improved separately. A Concentration can be improved to any level, regardless of the level of its parent Skill or other Concentrations within the Skill. Continuing with one of the above examples, a character improves their Marksmanship Skill during character creation from Unfamiliar (10+) to Familiar (9+). This means that all Concentrations within Marksmanship are at Familiar (9+). If the character later improves the Gun Concentration to Trained (8+), it would not make him better with a rifle, bow, etc… During the course of game play, the character improved the History Concentration within the Higher Learning Skill to Trained (8+) while the Skill itself remained at Unfamiliar (10+). He is not any better at other Concentrations that fall under the Higher Learning Skill. Skills and their Concentrations encompass more than just performing an action. They also include the

Professions and Careers

It may be a challenge to match your character concept with a selection of skills or qualities that you feel might be interesting to play. For example, playing a housewife and mother of two might be a challenging experience for some players, not least because they may not be able to figure out a way to “justify” their character being able to fire a gun or swing a punch. The important thing is not to make assumptions. Labels such as “housewife”, “student” or “cop” are only a part of the character’s identity. There’s a lot more to her than that. As part of your character’s history, consider what she has done for a living over the years. This might not always literally have been a job or career. Your character may have been brought up on the streets or spent time in prison after which they completely turned their life around. Likewise, before getting married and having children, she may once have been in the army or air force and have extensive combat experience. There is an almost endless combination of life experiences that can provide you with exactly the kind of character you want to play.

knowledge surrounding the skill - its history, theories, important persons and other related facts. It covers an understanding of equipment, protocol, jargon and even related rumors. For example, Jim’s Marksmanship Skill doesn’t just allow him to know how to fire a weapon. It also covers how to act at a gun range, how to clean and maintain his firearm, who he could contact to get his weapon modified, etc…

Unfamiliar Skills and Specialized Knowledge If a character has not improved a specific Concentration, then he simply uses the Skill Level of its Skill to determine the Target Number. If a character has not improved a Skill, then he is Unfamiliar with it. This means that he can still attempt to perform actions that would be covered by Concentrations within the Skill at a Target Number of 10+. Some applications of a Skill, at the GMs discretion, may require the character to possess a relevant back story or Quality to use. Although the characters are Nearsiders and possess the ability to defy reality and accomplish seemingly impossible things, there are some things that require some kind of specialized training or knowledge to even attempt. A good example of this is the Surgery Concentration. While just about anyone can try to perform first aid, no one is going to go remove a brain tumor unless they are a neurosurgeon. Some simple surgery might be attempted if there is someone to walk the character through it (like an emergency tracheotomy).

Starting Skills Each character begins the game with a certain amount of Skills and Concentrations that represent his abilities. Make sure that your character is well rounded, but do not choose Skills that do not make sense for your character.. The Skills you choose should be reflective of the knowledge and training that your character has gained throughout his life. These could come from his interests, schooling, professions or history. Just make sure that they make sense for your character. The Meridians Skill cannot be improved during character creation.

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Character Creation Step 1: Select 3 Skills at a Familiar (9+) Skill Level Think about your character’s core concept and history. The Familiar (9+) Skills should cover his most commonly used and prominent skill sets. These should encompass knowledge and talents played an important part in the character’s history or profession. Cassidy used to be a burglar, so her most pertinent Skills should be Larceny, Athletics and Deception. Step 2: Purchase Additional Skills and Concentrations Once these two Skills have been chosen, you now have 13 points to spend on either: l Improving and Unfamiliar (10+) Skill to Familiar (9+) – 3 points l Increasing the level of a Concentration – 1 point per Skill Level, up to Professional (7+) Sometimes, three Skills just aren’t enough to cover the variety of skills that you envision your character having. If this is the case, you can improve any of the remaining Unfamiliar (10+) Skills to the Familiar (9+) Skill Level. This costs 3 points per Skill improved. Remember that this will be the last time a Skill can be improved. After character creation, only Concentrations can be raised! You can improve Concentrations within a Skill, regardless of whether it has been raised or not. It costs 1 point per level of improvement. Don’t forget that Concentrations are the same level as their parent Skill. During character creation, no Concentration can be improved by more than two levels above it’s parent Skill. So, the maximum Skill Level a character can have is Professional (7+). The Meridian Skill and Concentrations within it cannot be improved during character creation. However, all characters begin with a Meridian Concentration reflecting their Prime Meridian at Familiar (9+). Cassidy’s player (Karen) decides that she should also have the Technical Skill at Familiar (9+) because Cassidy often has to hotwire, bypass and otherwise deal with various technical issues. It will also give her a synergy bonus (see page 87) with alarm systems. This will cost 3 of her 13 points, leaving her 10. She next decides to make a list of Concentrations that she wants to improve with the ones Cassidy should be best at first: Intrusion, Stealth, Climbing, Notice, Unarmed Combat, Streetwise, Handguns and Disguise. Below is how she decided to spend her points:

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Hobbies and Interests

It is important to remember that the first rule of the Momentum System is that a player shouldn’t make an Action Roll unless it’s important to the story. That means, although it may seem like it makes your character more well rounded, Skills based around specific hobbies and interests aren’t needed. Your character is not likely to find themselves in a situation where such things will require an Action Roll. So if you want your character to be into comic books, macramé or Dallas football trivia, just say so in the MPHA. If it’s a core aspect of the character, give them a Quality like “Sports Nut” or “Marvel Zombie.”

l Larceny: Intrusion to Professional (7+) = 2 points l Larceny: Stealth to Professional (7+) = 2 points l Athletics: Climbing to Trained (8+) = 1 point l Perception: Notice to Trained (8+) = 2 points l Personal Combat: Unarmed to Familiar (9+) = 1 point l Gather Information: Streetwise to Familiar (9+) = 1 point l Marksmanship: Handguns to Familiar (9+) = 1 point l Deception: Disguise = cannot afford l Meridian: Prime Meridian = free Her character now has all her Skills and Concentrations which now look like this:

Skills @ Familiar (9+) l Athletics l Deception l Technical Concentrations l Athletics: Climbing @ Trained (8+) l Gather Information: Streetwise @ Familiar (9+) l Larceny: Intrusion@ Expert (6+) l Larceny: Stealth @ Professional (7+) l Marksmanship: Handguns @ Familiar (9+) l Perception: Notice @ Trained (8+) l Personal Combat: Unarmed @ Familiar (9+) Everything else @ Unfamiliar (10+)

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Character Creation Skill List

Athletics

Skill

Concentration Examples

Artistry

Specific Artistic Endeavor: Writing, Singing, Painting, Acting, Sculpting, Photography, etc.

Athletics

Specific Sport or Activity: Swimming, Running, Football, Weight Lifting, Mountain Climbing, etc.

Computers

Hacking, Software Design, Repair, Infrastructure

Deception

Forgery, Con, Disguise, Sleight of Hand

Gather Information

Socialize, Streetwise, Research, Forensics, Interrogate

Higher Learning

Specific Academic Pursuit: History, Law Philosophy, Education, Etc.

Interpersonal

Seduction, Persuasion, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Bargaining

Languages

Specific Language: Spanish, Russian, German, Chinese, etc.

Larceny

Intrusion, Stealth, Pick Pocket, Appraisal

Marksmanship

Handguns, Rifles, Heavy Weapons, Archery

Computers

Medical

Specific Medical Specialty: First Aid, Surgery, Psychiatry, Veterinary, etc.

Meridians

Specific Meridian: Opener, Closer, Finder, Keeper, Juicer, Mover, etc.

Perception

Notice, Investigation, Empathy, Nearsight

Personal Combat

Armed, Grappling, Thrown Weapons, Unarmed

Outdoors

Survival, Tracking, Orienteering, Riding, Animal Handling

Science

Specific Scientific Field: Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Cryptography, Physics, etc.

Technical

Specific Area of Expertise: Auto Repair, Home Appliances, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.

Tradecrafts

Specific Trade or Craft: Plumbing, Carpentry, Masonry, Smithing, Welding, etc.

Transportation

Specific Vehicle: Driving, Motorcycle, Watercraft, Aircraft, etc.

This skill represents the knowledge necessary to operate and understand computer systems – this can range anywhere from analyzing and developing software to designing hardware and network infrastructures. Characters with this skill are also familiar with standard protocols and recent advancements, knowledgeable about others in the field and able to follow industry (and underground) trends. Characters that possess this skill may include: Communication Officers, Data Base Engineers, Desktop Support, Hackers, Network Administrators, Programmers, Students, Scientists, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines found within the computing world, here are the most common: l Administration – managing large computer systems l Software – developing programs l Hardware – building/repairing computers l Hacking – breaking into systems

Artistry This skill represents the ability to create and perform artistic works – this can range anywhere from singing and dancing to drawing and sculpting. Characters with this skill are also versed in art theory and history, plugged into the artistic community and able to evaluate the merit of others’ work. Characters who possess this skill may include: Actors, Architects, Art Thieves, Dilettantes, Film Makers, Forgers, Musicians, Painters, Performers, Photographers, Writers, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Artistic Endeavor (acting, composing, singing, stand-up comedy, writing, etc.)

This skill represents the ability to engage in common physical activities usually found in sports and other recreational activities – this can range anywhere from running and jumping to swimming and climbing to catching and throwing. Characters with this skill are also familiar with necessary training and equipment, knowledgeable about other athletes and able to understand strategy and game play. Characters that may possess this skill include: Extreme Athletes, Football Players, Hikers, Marathon Runners, Mountain Climbers, Military Personnel, Swimmers, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Sport or Physical Activity (baseball, free running, gymnastics, track & field, weight lifting, etc.)

Deception This skill represents the ability to fool and misdirect others – this can range anywhere from telling convincing falsehoods to creating fake documents to changing one’s appearance. Characters with this skill also keep abreast of the latest scams and cons, know others with similar talents and are better able to spot a deception. Characters that possess this skill may include: Ac-

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Character Creation tors, Confidence Men, Forgers, Investigators, Magicians, Performers, Policemen, Thieves, Spies, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve deception, here are the most common: l Con – fast talking and lying l Disguise – hiding/changing appearance l Forgery – creating false documents l Mimicry – copying/changing voices l Sleight of Hand – manipulating small objects secretly

Gather Information This skill represents the ability to collect and analyze information – this can range anywhere from looking up facts in a library to interrogating witnesses to picking up gossip. Characters with this skill are also familiar with the best sources, know the latest research techniques and are better equipped to spot deceptions. Characters that possess this skill may include: Academics, Criminals, Fixers, Gossips, Historians, Investigators, Librarians, Reporters, Policemen, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve gathering information, here are the most common: l Interrogate – wringing information from a suspect l Investigation – gathering clues from a crime scene l Research – perusing documents and paper trails l Socialize – searching for answers at parties and other social events undetected l Streetwise – finding underground or illegal sources

Higher Learning This skill represents the academic knowledge gained from universities (or extensive study) in non-technical or scientific fields – this can range anywhere from liberal arts and humanities to the soft and social sciences. Characters with this skill are also knowledgeable about important institutions, significant persons and other topics related to academia. Characters that possess this skill may include: Academics, Historians, Lawyers, Professors, Students, Teachers, Writers, etc.

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Concentrations: Any Specific Academic Pursuit (anthropology, history, literature, law, philosophy, religion, etc.)

Interpersonal This skill represents the ability to interact with others and influence them – this can range from winning an argument to changing opinions to convincing others to do what you want. Characters with this skill are also familiar with other influential persons and are better able to recognize and resist manipulation. Characters that possess this skill might include: Dilettantes, Diplomats, Gold Diggers, Leaders, Politicians, Salesmen, Thugs, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve manipulation and influence, here are the most common: l Diplomacy – using protocol and etiquette l Inspire – using hope and emotion l Intimidate – using fear and violence l Persuasion – using logic and guile l Seduction – using temptation and sex

Languages This skill represents the ability to read and speak a foreign language – these can range anywhere from the common (Spanish, Chinese) to the exotic (Swahili, Apache) to the ancient or extinct (Latin, Old Norse). Characters with this skill are also able to translate languages they know, recognize accents and dialects, and are knowledgeable about the cultures surrounding their languages.

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Character Creation Characters that possess this skill may include: Academics, Diplomats, Businessmen, Historians, Military, Translators, Travelers, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Language (French, Gaelic, Japanese, Klingon, Portuguese, Russian, Sign Language, etc.)

Larceny This skill represents the ability to commit theft in its various forms – this can range anywhere from burglary to safe cracking to picking a pocket. Characters with this skill are also familiar with important criminal organizations and significant people, knowledgeable about crime prevention procedures and keep up to date with the latest security innovations. Characters that possess this skill may include: Bank Robbers, Fences, Locksmiths, Policemen, Thieves, Security Experts, Spies, Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve larceny, here are the most common: l Appraisal – determining an item’s worth l Intrusion – bypassing locks and security systems l Pick Pockets – taking items from another person secretly l Stealth – avoiding detection though silence and hiding

Marksmanship This skill represents the ability to accurately use projectile weapons to hit a target – this can range anywhere from simple firearms to ancient weapons to heavy military weapons. Characters with this skill are also familiar with other important marksmen, knowledgeable about acquiring firearms, keep abreast of the latest innovations and are able to maintain and evaluate weapons. Characters that possess this skill may include: Archers, Assassins, Criminals, Hunters, Government Agents, Home Owners, Policemen, Private Eyes, Soldiers, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve marksmanship, here are the most common: l Artillery – heavy or vehicle mounted weapons l Archery – bows and crossbows l Handguns – pistols and revolvers l Rifles – shotguns and semi-automatic weapons l Machine Guns – automatic rifles

Medical This skill represents the ability to treat injuries and ailments – this can range anywhere from creating a splint for a broken arm to diagnosing lupus to performing a complicated surgery. Characters with this skill are knowledgeable about the human anatomy, trained in the latest medical innovations and procedures, are part of the tight-knit healing community and are familiar with medical terminology and protocols. Characters that possess this skill may include: Doctors, Firemen, Nurses, Paramedics, Scouts, Soldiers, Specialists, Therapists, veterinarians, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve the medical field, here are the most common: l Diagnosis – figuring out ailments and injuries l First Aid – giving immediate but limited medical attention l MD – healing complicated injuries and ailments l Psychiatry – treating mental illnesses and conditions l Surgery – performing operations and invasive procedures

Meridians This skill represents the ability to alter reality by tapping into Distance and Momentum. What this entails varies by the Meridians possessed by the Nearsider, but can range anywhere from enhancing senses to opening broken rooms to reading minds to instantly healing grievous injuries. In addition to wielding their Distance Powers, characters with this skill may also

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Character Creation be familiar with other potent Nearsiders who share Meridians, understand the scope and limitations of their powers and are well-versed in their Meridians’ sub-cultures. More information on Meridians can be found in the Meridians chapter (see page 117). Only Nearsiders can possess this skill. Concentrations: Only the thirteen Meridians are available for concentration, although a character must possess the actual Meridian first.

Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve personal combat, here are the most common: l Armed – fighting with melee weapons l Grappling– holding, throwing and wrestling l Unarmed – fighting without weapons (kicks, punches etc.) l Thrown Weapons – knives, javelins, grenades l Unarmed – fighting without weapons

Perception This skill represents the character’s awareness of the world around them. This encompasses the acuteness of one’s actual senses, the ability to notice the subtle, out of place and hidden, as well as a certain degree of intuition. Characters with this skill also understand techniques that can enhance their senses and searching, are familiar with surveillance equipment and may know others with similar specialized skills. Characters that possess this skill may include: Detectives, Diplomats, Journalists, Socialites, Soldiers, Treasure Hunters, Watchmen, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve perception, here are the most common: l Empathy – sensing moods and emotions l Nearsight – detecting other Nearsiders (see page 92) l Notice – noticing the faint, distant or subtle (passive) l Search – looking for the odd, hidden or incongruous (active)

Personal Combat This skill represents the ability to fight without guns – this can range anywhere from throwing kicks and punches to using ancient or makeshift weapons to using pressure points and holds. Characters with this skill are also familiar with other important combatants, knowledgeable about acquiring weapons, keep abreast of the latest fighting techniques and are able to maintain and evaluate weapons. Characters that possess this skill may include: Boxers, Criminals, Historical Re-enactors, Martial Artists, Policemen, Soldiers, Wrestlers, etc.

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Outdoors This skill represents the ability to cope in a primitive environment and deal with animals – this can range anywhere from hunting and fishing to training a dog to finding water in the desert to navigating by the stars. Characters with this skill are also well versed in common flora and fauna, understand weather systems, know about the latest gear and are familiar with important outdoorsmen and landmarks. Characters that possess this skill may include: Bird Watchers, Boaters, Campers, Cowboys, Hikers, Hunters, Mountain Climbers, Naturalists, Scouts, Trainers, etc. Concentrations: Although there are a number of disciplines that involve the outdoors, here are the most common: l Animal Handling – calming and training animals l Orientation – navigating and using maps l Riding – using animals for transportation l Survival – enduring and living off the land l Tracking – following and identifying trails

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Character Creation Science This skill represents knowledge of theoretical and applied sciences, typically gained from a university or intense study. This includes the life sciences and natural sciences which can range from math and physics to cosmology and astronomy to biology and chemistry to geology and meteorology. Characters with this skill also know about the latest research and theories in their field, are familiar with other important scientists, are aware of large learning centers and research facilities, and are well versed in the practical application of their discipline. Characters that possess this skill may include: Biologists, Doctors, Mathematicians, Pharmacists, Professors, Scientists, Teachers, Zoologists, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Scientific Field (astronomy, biology, chemistry, cryptography, geology, math, physics, etc)

Technical This skill represents the ability to design, repair and improve mechanical and electrical devices– this can range anywhere from installing an electrical outlet to modifying an engine to repairing a windmill to disabling an elevator. Characters with this skill stay current with the latest innovations and jargon, are familiar with other important technicians and their handiwork

and are knowledgeable about manufacturers and suppliers. Characters that possess this skill may include: Architects, Auto Mechanics, Electricians, Engineers, Handymen, Repairmen, Superintendent, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Area of Expertise (auto repair, electrical systems, home appliances, HVAC, mechanical engineering, etc.)

Tradecrafts This skill represents the ability to maintain, repair and build items systems (and items) not covered by the Technical Skill - often used in the construction trade or possessed by craftsmen. This can range anywhere from installing a toilet to framing a house to repairing a stone wall to forging a sword. Characters with this skill are well versed with tools of the trade, understand the most current (and sometimes oldest) techniques, are familiar with important craftsmen and are knowledgeable about laws and regulations surrounding their field. Characters that possess this skill may include: Carpenters, Craftsmen, Handymen, Missionaries, Plumbers, Roofers, Welders, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Trade or Craft (blacksmith, carpentry, gunsmith, masonry, plumbing, welding, etc.)

Transportation

Diverse Concentrations Some Skills cover a very large number of possible Concentrations, some of which are more related to one another than others. Depending on the character’s background and the specific Concentration learned within the Skill, it might not make sense for the halo effect to come into play. A good example of this is the Tradecrafts Skill. If the character is a blacksmith, it probably doesn’t make sense for them to know about demolition. Likewise, a military engineer probably wouldn’t know how to smelt steel. When a Skill does fall outside the halo, the GM might require the Action Check to be made at the Unfamiliar (10+) Skill Level. As usual, common sense and character background will drive these decisions.

This skill represents the ability to pilot a vehicle – this can range anywhere from an everyday vehicles (automobiles and motorcycles) to more specialized crafts (airplanes and boats) to the exotic (hovercraft and submarines). Characters with this skill are also knowledgeable in the basic maintenance and limitations of their vehicles, keep abreast of the latest innovations, understand laws and regulations surrounding their vehicles and are familiar with other important pilots and drivers. Characters that possess this skill may include: Boaters, Commuters, Race Car Drivers, Pilots, Soldiers, Truckers, Wheelmen, etc. Concentrations: Any Specific Vehicle (aircraft, cars, large trucks, helicopters, motorcycles, snow machines, tanks, watercraft, etc.)

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Character Creation Depth

Creating Skills and Concentrations

Skills were created to be broad enough to contain numerous Concentrations – even ones that are not listed within this book. You should feel free (and are even encouraged) to create new Concentrations that help define your character’s abilities. Just be sure to get the Gamemaster’s approval when you do. For example, if character is a financial wizard and wants to have a Stock Market Concentration, it could reasonably be placed within the Higher Learning Skill. New Skills are a different story. GMs should think long and hard about defining a new Skill and set of Concentrations. It is certainly possible to come up with valid new groupings, but be cautious of overpowering a new Skill. These new Skills should not be created to help a character put all their desired Skills in one basket or realign existing Skills. For example, creating a Military Skill to include Rifles, Hand to Hand Combat, Demolition, Stealth and Survival is too much. Although an entire Skill can only be improved to Trained, these Concentrations belong apart.

Step 6: Nearsider Abilities Characters typically begin play as a Nearsider who is just beginning his travels across the multiple variations. In addition to the standard attributes and skills that normal humans have, starting characters will also possess Distance, Depth, Momentum and a Prime Meridian. The first three of these are assigned during character creation, while the Prime Meridian must be selected.

Distance Starting characters begin the game with a Distance of 2. This is a representation of how many worlds to which they have become attuned. It also represents their understanding of the Nearside and their place within it. Those with a higher Distance are more in tune with reality and are better able to manifest their unique abilities. As they grow in Distance, they will manifest new abilities, gain additional insights and generally grow in power. But there are also downsides to this expanded awareness. A more detailed explanation of Distance can be found in the Distance chapter (page 89).

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Depth can almost be considered a Nearsider’s fourth attribute. It represents his ability to harness Momentum and use his Meridians. It is the Attribute a character ALWAYS uses when attempting to use a Meridian. As the character increases in Distance, his Depth also increases, albeit much slower. A starting character with a Distance of 2 will begin the game with a Depth of 3. Depth is also used for other purposes for dealing with Distance, Momentum and the Nearside. For example, it limits how much Momentum can be spent to improve an Action Check and is used when making Nearsight checks. Using Meridians is covered in more detail in the Distance chapter, but it is important to note that Depth can be enhanced (or reduced) much like his other Attributes due to Qualities and Skill synergies.

Momentum Momentum is a pool that allows the Nearsider to affect reality in a number of ways. A starting character begins with the maximum amount of 4, which is equal to twice his Distance. Momentum ebbs and flows within a character, especially during times of action. A more robust description of Momentum can be found in the Distance chapter (page 93) and Rules chapter (page 82), but its main purposes are outlined below. l It can be used to gain an automatic success on an Action Check that doesn’t use Depth. l It can be used to roll an extra d12 on an Action Check l It can be used to fuel the successes gained during a Meridian Check.

Prime Meridian Nearsiders often identify themselves by their Prime Meridian – also called their Prime. This is the first Distance power they receive, which allows them to bend reality in a specific way. There are 13 different Meridians a player must choose from – each limited in scope, but potent in its own way. Nearsiders will be able to gain up to two additional Meridians during the course of their adventures, though they will be limited in power when compared to their Prime.

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Character Creation Meridian Concentrations Meridian

Effects and Prime Qualities

Blocking

Slowing people/objects and hampering travel. Prime Qualities: Anchor, Guardian, Pacifier

Breaking

Damaging people/objects and enhancing entropy. Prime Qualities: Bruiser, Gremlin, Demoralizer

Chancing

Manipulating probability and affecting fortune. Prime Qualities: Gambler, Jinx, Rabbit’s Foot

Changing

Transforming simple objects and adjusting properties. Prime Qualities: Alchemist, Architect, Purifier

Closing

Locking portals/containers and dampening abilities. Prime Qualities: Grounder, Deadbolt, Off Switch

Finding

Locating people/objects and expanding senses. Prime Qualities: Locator, Sentinel, Tracker

Juicing

Interacting with electronics and controlling electricity. Prime Qualities: Generator, Remote, Shocker

Keeping

Concealing people/objects and creating deceptions. Prime Qualities: Cloak, Waldo, Wig

Mending

Repairing people/objects and preventing deterioration. Prime Qualities: Patch, Sawbone, Shrink

Moving

Shifting people/objects and facilitating travel. Prime Qualities: Marksman, Strings, Wheelman

Opening

Unlocking portals/containers and utilizing broken rooms. Prime Qualities: Diplomat, Key, Usher

Reading

Gathering information from people/objects and communicating mentally. Prime Qualities: Jack, Peeker, Rosetta

Writing

Implanting information into people/objects and controlling minds. Prime Qualities: Loader, Inker, Splicer

A character’s Prime Meridian is more than just a set of powers. It can help to define him as a person. Certain personality traits and world views are commonly found within Nearsiders who share the same Prime Meridian. Even with these common bonds, there is variation between Nearsiders with the same Prime. To use Meridians (Prime or otherwise), a Nearsider always uses his Meridian Skill in conjunction with his Depth. Starting characters will have a Meridian Skill of Unfamiliar (10+), but will be able to improve Concen-

trations within the Skill during play. Each Concentration is tied to a Meridian he’s obtained. See the Meridians chapter (page 117) for more information on using Meridians. In addition to simply selecting a Meridian to be their characters’ Prime, players must also choose a Prime Quality to go along with it. Each Meridian has a separate set of Prime Qualities that are only available at certain time during a Nearsider’s lifetime. These help to enhance abilities within the Prime and further refine the character. You will find each of the Meridians fully defined starting on page 126, but the list to the left gives a brief overview.

Prime Qualities Guardian – Prime Quality; Blockers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Blocking Meridian to create protective shields or armor. Character can also place himself in front of physical attacks he can see that are leveled against a nearby person he has designated to protect. He gains a 1d bonus to his defense rolls when intercepting such an attack. He can only designate a single person per combat. Anchor – Prime Quality; Blockers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Blocking Meridian to slow the movements of a vehicle or person. The character can also hold his ground exceptionally well. He gains a 1d bonus to his Personal Combat rolls when attempting to physically immobilize someone (such as grappling or entangling) or when defending himself from being similarly immobilized. Pacifier – Prime Quality; Blockers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Blocking Meridian to slow the thought processes or calm the emotions of someone. The character is also deliberate in thought and able to control her emotions extremely well. She gains 1d when attempting to focus or defend against negative emotions (such as fear or anger). Bruiser – Prime Quality; Breakers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Breaking Meridian to cause direct physical damage to someone. The character is also skilled at causing harm to others. He gains 1d to Personal Combat rolls against a targeted opponent. He can only designate a single person per combat.

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Character Creation Gremlin – Prime Quality; Breakers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Breaking Meridian to cause direct damage to mechanical or technical objects. The character is also skilled at sabotaging and disrupting such devices. He gains 1d to Technical or Tradecraft rolls when attempting to disable or destroy objects. Demoralizer – Prime Quality; Breakers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Breaking Meridian to destroy morale, reduce confidence or sow doubt. The character is also skilled at applying pressure and breaking other people’s spirits. He gains 1d when attempting to Intimidation and Interrogation rolls. Gambler – Prime Quality; Chancers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Chancing Meridian to manipulate games of chance and random events. The character also pushes her luck on a regular basis – and fortune favors the bold. She gains 1d

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to Athletic rolls when attempting something dangerous or foolhardy. Jinx – Prime Quality; Chancers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Chancing Meridian to cause bad luck that inflicts harm on another. The character can bring about unfortunate future events with uncanny precision. She gains 1d when setting plans of ill intent in motion – such as spreading rumors, setting traps, etc. Rabbit’s Foot – Prime Quality; Chancers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Chancing Meridian to create a serendipitous or lucky break that benefits herself. The character also leads a charmed life and often gets lucky when trying new things. She gains 1d to a single Unfamiliar (10+) Skill or Concentration for the remainder of the session. This can change from session to session. Alchemist – Prime Quality; Changers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Changing Merid-

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Character Creation ian to transmute objects. The character is also skilled in the sciences behind transmutations and the more mundane means of duplication. He gains 1d to chemistry and forgery rolls. Architect – Prime Quality; Changers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Changing Meridian to weaken or strengthen an object. The character is also well versed in the sciences behind materials and construction. He gains 1d to tradecraft, engineering and demolition rolls when structural integrity is involved. Purifier – Prime Quality; Changers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Changing Meridian to make something clean, potable or edible. The character is also unusually resilient to impurities and has an instinctive understanding of food. He gains 1d when defending against poison or when making cooking rolls.

Passive Quality Effect

A character’s Qualities are continuously in effect, even when not activated. These passive effects will not provide the same level of impact directly on the game, but they are always present. These non-mechanical game effects are used during the course of the play to affect characters’ opportunities, NPC reactions and the direction of the story. Jim, who has the “Member of the Cloth” Quality, will have access to certain resources and may be afforded more respect than others. A grieving family might be more willing to speak with him, or he may be questioned less if found late at night roaming the halls in a hospital. Sally, who has the “On the Lam” Quality, likely has a warrant for her arrest and is unable to go to the police for help. The GM might also decide to put a bounty hunter on her trail as a nemesis to create additional complications for her. These passive effects can have even less impact than the examples above, and simply be used to add flavor to the game and character. A character with the “Drop Dead Gorgeous” Quality will have construction workers whistle at her and get drinks bought for her at the bar. On the other hand, a character with the “Scared of Clowns” Quality might decide never to eat at McDonald’s or like people with bright red hair.

Deadbolt – Prime Quality; Closers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Closing Meridian to lock or seal normal portals and containers. The character also possesses an uncanny ability to prevent unwanted entry. She gains 1d to technical and tradecraft rolls when setting up security. Grounder – Prime Quality; Closers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Closing Meridian to remove Momentum from opponents. The character is also unusually stable in her thought processes and difficult to sway through emotional appeal. She gains 1d to resist attempts at persuasion that try to play on her feelings. Off Switch – Prime Quality; Closers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Closing Meridian to shut down a line of thinking or thought process in an opponent. The character also possesses uncommon mental fortitude and ability to protect her thoughts. She gains 1d when resisting mind reading and mind control. Locator – Prime Quality; Finders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Finding Meridian to sense or detect a generic object. The character is also adept at locating and processing information. He gains 1d to a single Concentration found within the Gather Information Skill for the duration of a session. This can change from session to session. Sentinel – Prime Quality; Finders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Finding Meridian to enhance or extend his physical senses. The character is also preternaturally observant. He gains 1d to Notice rolls with a particular sense (sight, smell, taste, hearing, or touch) for the duration of a session. This can change from session to session. Tracker – Prime Quality; Finders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Finding Meridian to sense or determine the location an individual. The character also possesses an uncommon knack for tracking his prey. He gains 1d to Tracking and Search rolls when hunting down a specific target.

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Character Creation Generator – Prime Quality; Juicers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Juicing Meridian to power or recharge electrical devices. The character also possesses an ingrained affinity for electricity and things it powers. She gains 1d when making Tradecraft and Technical rolls to repair electronics or deal with electricity. Remote – Prime Quality; Juicers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Juicing Meridian to control electrical devices from a distance. The character is also naturally gifted when it comes to understanding innovation and mastering new technologies. She gains 1d to Computer and Technology when trying to analyze or operate unfamiliar equipment and devices that are electrical.

character is also adept at hiding his location against mundane searches. He gains 1d when using the Tracking Concentration or Computer Concentration to cover his tracks or conceal his identity. Waldo – Prime Quality; Keepers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Keeping Meridian to hide people and objects in plain sight. The character also possesses a talent for being unobserved or remaining hidden. He gains 1d to Stealth rolls. Wig – Prime Quality; Keepers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Keeping Meridian to cause others to perceive people (including himself) and items as something (or someone) different. The character is also naturally gifted at altering his mannerisms and appearance. He gains 1d to Disguise and Mimicry rolls. Patch – Prime Quality; Menders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Mending Meridian to repair damage suffered by non-mechanical and non-electrical objects. The character is also gifted at reassembling or fixing items. She gains 1d when repairing items using the Tradecraft Skill. Sawbone – Prime Quality; Menders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Mending Meridian to heal wounds and damage suffered by persons. The character also has a deep understanding of the human body and how it operates. She gains 1d when making Medical rolls.

Shocker – Prime Quality; Juicers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Juicing Meridian to inflict electrical attacks on opponents. The character also possesses an uncanny resistance to electricity and its effects. She gains 1d to Defense checks against electrical attacks (such as lightning, tasers, etc.). Cloak – Prime Quality; Keepers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Keeping Meridian to obscure people and objects from being detected via Nearsight or the Finding Meridian. The

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Shrink – Prime Quality; Menders Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Mending Meridian to heal Mind or Soul damage. The character also has a keen understanding of the fragility of the human mind. She gains 1d when making Psychology or Empathy rolls. Marksman – Prime Quality; Movers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Moving Meridian to alter the path of projectiles so they can avoid cover (around corners, barriers, etc.) The character also possesses uncanny accuracy. He gains 1d when making a called shot.

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Character Creation Strings – Prime Quality; Movers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Moving Meridian to telekinetically lift or move a person or object. The character is also able to react intuitively with his powers. He gains 1d to his Defense Checks versus the first surprise attack of a combat.

Key – Prime Quality; Openers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Opening Meridian to open portals and containers. The character is also hard to prevent from going where she’d like to go. She gains 1d to Intrusion rolls. Usher – Prime Quality; Openers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Opening Meridian to open and manipulate broken rooms. The character is also unusually aware of her own connection to the Nearside. She gains 1d to Defense Checks when resisting attempts to affect her Momentum. Jack – Prime Quality; Readers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Reading Meridian to intercept digital or glean information directly from the air, hard drives and other media storage. The character also possesses an almost empathic connection with computers. He gains 1d when using computers to find or retrieve information. Peeker – Prime Quality; Readers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Reading Meridian to penetrate someone’s thoughts and memories. The character is also unusually aware of the subtleties of body language. He gains 1d when trying to detect lies and resist cons.

Wheelman – Prime Quality; Movers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Moving Meridian to control or keep a vehicle moving. The character also has an unnatural affinity with all vehicles. He gains 1d to Transportation rolls. Diplomat – Prime Quality; Openers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Opening Meridian to cause someone to reconsider an idea or open their mind. The character is also adept at changing people’s minds through mundane means. She gains 1d when attempting to persuade or convince someone to reevaluate a decision or idea.

Rosetta – Prime Quality; Readers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Reading Meridian to trying to understand a foreign language or encrypted information. The character also has an ear for the spoken word and is naturally adept with foreign tongues. He gains 1d to Linguistic rolls when listening or speaking. Loader – Prime Quality; Writers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Writing Meridian to input or transfer information directly to hard drives, magnetic tapes and other media storage. The character is also very sensitive to transmissions and can almost see data flow. She gains 1d to hacking and electronic forgery rolls. Inker– Prime Quality; Writers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Writing Meridian

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Character Creation to make information permanent or prevent it from being erased. The character is also highly skilled a capturing images and conveying emotion. She gains 1d when making Artistry rolls. Splicer – Prime Quality; Writers Only Provides a 1d bonus when using the Writing Meridian to alter and insert memories. The character also has a keen understanding of the human mind and how to toy with it. She gains 1d when attempting to seduce or inspire someone.

Step 7: Qualities Qualities are simple words or phrases help to give your character dimension and flair. They are the traits, talents, quirks and flaws that help set him apart from others with similar Attributes and Skills. They help encapsulate your character’s MPHA and give a frame of reference for how the character reacts, views or fits into the world. Qualities can be positive, negative or doubleedged. Even the most heroic person has flaws and vices, while the most villainous has talents and strengths. Without both, a character quickly becomes dull and two-dimensional. It is important to realize that Qualities are driven by the character, not vice versa. A character doesn’t act afraid of spiders because he has the “Arachnophobia” Quality. Rather, he has the Quality because he is scared of spiders.

Positive Qualities A positive Quality is one that is helpful to the character and is generally looked upon by others as something to be admired. These might be called redeeming qualities in someone who is otherwise considered unsavory. Often considered gifts or virtues, they define the aspects that set the character apart in a beneficial way and can give them an advantage in situations where the Quality is applicable. Examples of positive Qualities include such things as “Good with Numbers,” “Killer Smile” and “Quick Learner.” In the right situation, each of these could be useful and give the character a leg up. It’s hard to think of a situation in which they would be detrimental to a character.

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Negative Qualities Negative Qualities, on the other hand, are problematic to the character and generally viewed by others as undesirable. Often considered weaknesses and flaws, they define the aspects that set the character apart in a detrimental way, often putting them at a disadvantage in situations where the quality is applicable. Examples of negative Qualities include such things “Bad with Computers,” “Never turns down a bet” and “99-pound Weakling.” In the wrong situation, each of these could be harmful and put the character behind the eight ball.

Double-Edged Qualities Some Qualities can be both good and bad. These are called double-edged Qualities and can be taken by a character at no cost. Depending on the situation, these can prove to be either a boon or a hindrance. The determining factor of how a double-edged Quality affects a situation is based on how others perceive the Quality. To qualify as double-edged, the chances of a positive and negative reception should be fairly equal.

Qualities, Skills and Professions

Even though many people define themselves by the skills they possess, Qualities should not be used to reflect these. Characters should let their skills speak for themselves. Qualities are meant to help define the character, not for min-max synergies to create an unstoppable killing machine or other nonsense. If a Quality seems like it could be a skill or specialization, it probably should be. Professions should also be treated with caution. Although many people define themselves by their jobs and careers — especially if the career is glamorous or high paying — most of these are too broad to be qualities. It is acceptable to create a Quality to help illustrate a lifestyle, experience or contacts gained via a profession. But it is not OK to take a Quality in the hope of getting a bonus die to all actions pertaining to the job. Example: “Ex-Military” is an acceptable Quality that is based on a profession. It has a broad range of applicability besides combat - such as dealing with other veterans. It speaks about the character’s past. “Killshot”, on the other hand simply exists to make the character more lethal with a gun. This should be reflected in their Marksmanship skill.

Broken Rooms

Character Creation For example, the “Looks Like a Cop” quality would be double-edged. It could cause the character serious trouble when dealing with the criminal element, but could be of assistance with the law-abiding public.

How Qualities Work Each Quality a character possesses can be activated once per session and can only be activated if it is applicable to the situation at hand. Only one Quality can be activated per Action Check. This means it can be used along with a Prime Quality, which is always active. Prime Meridians do not need to be activated with Momentum. Positive Qualities A positive Quality can be activated by the player to impact the character or story in a beneficial, yet meaningful way. This can include (but is not limited to): adding 1d to an Action Check, gaining resources, improving NPC perceptions/reactions or providing more avenues to act. Example 1: Julie has the “Delta Delta Delta” Quality. She can activate her Quality to gain 1d to her Interpersonal check while flirting with a city clerk to gain information. The next session she activates the same Quality to have a waitress belong to a sorority and become more disposed to help her. Example 2: Don has the “Built Like a Bull” Quality. He can activate his Quality to gain 1d to a Body Check to resist being drugged. The next session he activates the same Quality to make sure he doesn’t flinch or show pain while being punched, which grants him a 1d bonus to intimidate his opponent.

Quick Rule of Thumb

Boring qualities are bad qualities. For example, take “Smart,”“Strong” and “Tough.” These are too broad, generic and uninspiring. An interesting Quality should be better named and defined. The aforementioned could be renamed to: “Good at Math,”“Good Throwing Arm” and “Can Take a Punch.” If possible, try to give the Quality a distinct name that ties it to your character and truly captures the spirit of the Quality. The above examples could be refined and renamed to: “Human abacus,”“Rocket Arm” and “Jaw of Granite.”

Negative Qualities A Negative Quality can be activated by the player or the GM to impact the story in a harmful, yet meaningful way. This can include (but is not limited to): subtracting 1d to an Action Check, deteriorating NPC perceptions/reactions or limiting avenues to act. Example 1: Carly has the “Computers Hate Me” Quality. The GM activates it one session to have an ATM eat her card when she needs cash. During another session, she activates it herself when trying to override a security system during a heist, gaining a 1d penalty to her Intrusion check. Example 2: Tony has the “A Bit on the Husky Side” Quality. He decides to activate it when trying to chase after an attacker and treats his movement as if his Body were 1 lower. The next session the GM activates it to make a situation more trying. There are not guard uniforms that will fit his character, making the players’ plan go awry. Some of these negative qualities reflect the compulsions and fears a character might possess. It is possible to temporarily overcome these behaviors and limitations with a Daunting (3) Soul Check. But this should only be done at appropriately cinematic or character-driven moments to keep the game moving. If Frank’s character had the “Fear of Heights” Quality, he wouldn’t want to walk out on a skyscraper’s window ledge. If he really needed to go out onto it, he would need to make a Daunting Soul Check to overcome his fear. Double-Edged Qualities Double-edged Qualities can actually be activated twice in one session — once as a negative Quality and once as a positive Quality. The usage of a double-edged Quality must alternate. If used as a positive Quality, it must be used as a negative Quality before it can be used positively again — even between sessions. Example: Karen has the “Unusually Tall” Quality, which is double-edged. She activates it positively to get a 1d bonus when trying to save a friend falling off a ledge. In the same session, the GM activates it negatively and gives her a 1d penalty to her Stealth check.

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Character Creation

Applicable Situations It should be easy to know when a Quality comes into play. But sometimes the GM and player will need to work together to determine whether a Quality applies to a situation. While the player is likely to be the one suggesting a Quality is applicable, it is the GM who has final say. Qualities have a certain amount of interpretation and are not designed to be black and white. For example, a character with the “Blue Blood” Quality may be better at interacting with other privileged folk, but this bonus would not extend to shooting one. On the other hand, a GM might allow a “Gifted Artist” to get a bonus interacting with someone at an art show who likes their work.

Starting Qualities A character starts out with two positive Qualities and one negative Quality. Players select these with the approval of the GM. If they wish, they can add additional Qualities to the character. However, these must be selected in pairs – one positive and one negative. A character cannot have more than three positive Qualities, though NPCs may possess more than three.

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Finally, as an option, a character can add one double-edged Quality. Example: Elizabeth’s character starts out with the two positive qualities. She wants to reflect that her character is attractive with sex appeal and loves horses. She takes: l “Blonde Bombshell” - She is extremely attractive and buxom. l “Born in the Saddle” - She has a natural affinity for horses. She also starts with one negative Quality. She wants to reflect that her character is condescending. She takes: l “It’s Not My Fault I’m Better” – She believes she is better looking than everyone else and deserves preferential treatment. She also decides that her character is vain and fashion conscience. This is a negative Quality, so she decides to offset it with a positive Quality to reflect her gymnastic past. She takes: l “Always Has to Look Her Best” – She cannot stand to be unattractive and goes out of her way to always be presentable. l “Used to be a Gymnast” – She has a good sense of balance and better than average flexibility from her days in gymnastics. She decides she doesn’t need a double-edged Quality.

Selecting Qualities There is no “complete” list of qualities in Broken Rooms, although a set of examples is provided. Rather, it is up to the player to create her character’s Qualities. Players are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with descriptive words and phrases that distinctly capture how they envision their characters. For example, there is a difference between calling someone “clumsy” and “accident prone” and “bull in a china shop.” All of those descriptions encompass a lack of grace, but each has a different connotation. Determining your character’s Qualities shouldn’t be a trying or laborious process. Rather, with a strong concept in place, it should be straightforward. Make sure you keep your focus on defining the character instead of maximizing abilities. A good place to start is by looking at your character concept and MPHA.

Broken Rooms

Character Creation Positive Qualities

Descriptions

Negative Qualities

Descriptions

Born in the Snow

You thrive in cold climates.

Always Loved Bambi

You are a vegetarian & abhor hunting.

Drop-Dead Gorgeous

You are very attractive and alluring.

Always Pays Retail

You refuse to haggle or look for bargains.

Gearhead

You have a natural affinity with motors and mechanical repair.

Arachnophobia

You are afraid of spiders, especially hairy ones.

Highly Educated

You have an excellent education from a university.

Arthritic

You have poor manual dexterity.

Inherited Money

You are the heir to a large amount of money.

Bad Speler

You cannot spell well and can misread things.

Black Thumb

Member of the Clergy

You are a good standing member of an organized religion.

You are bad with plants and cannot grow crops. You do not like being under the gun.

Natural Leader

You are gifted at motivating and organizing people.

Buckles Under Pressure Claustrophobic

Nimble

You have a natural grace and are light on your feet.

You have a fear of small or enclosed spaces.

Clumsy

Off the Grid

Your existence is hidden or people think you’re dead.

You are not very graceful and tend to trip over things.

Curious

Runs Like the Wind

You are a natural runner.

You need to know what’s in the box … even when warned.

Sees the Big Picture

You are good at solving puzzles and connecting facts.

Dirty Rat

You have a reputation for being a turncoat or squealer.

Strong as an Ox

You are strong and excel at lifting, pulling or hitting things.

Easily Winded

You are out of shape and have a hard time with extended actions.

Fast on the Draw

You have quick hands and reflexes.

Gives it Away

You are known for being easy, even if you aren’t.

Friends in Low Places

You know a few people of the criminal persuasion.

Math is Hard

You are not good at math, especially in your head.

Human Crime Lab

You excel at examining a crime scene.

Nemesis

You have an arch rival with whom you are always in competition.

Never Finished School

You don’t cotton to book learnin’.

Life of the Party

You know how to fit into a party and have a good time.

OCD

Local Celebrity

You have achieved minor fame.

You have an obsessive/compulsive habit that interferes with your life.

Never Met a Stranger

You are good at interacting with people you just met.

On the Lamb

You are wanted by the police or other agency.

Pacifist

You abhor violence.

Surgeon

You are a surgeon and can perform operations.

Self Centered

You always look out for No. 1.

Time Keeper

You are skilled at reading broken timepieces.

Smoker

You are addicted to smoking cigarettes.

Voice Like an Angel

You have a great singing voice.

Sour Disposition

You always see the glass half empty and are moody.

Squeamish

You do not like the sight of blood.

Technophobe

You have a hard time using new technology and strange machines.

Two Left Feet

You are not very coordinated and terrible at dancing.

Unsavory Past

You have a criminal record.

Wallflower

You are not very good at mingling.

Weak as Kitten

You are physically weak and have a difficult time lifting things.

Wife and Kids

You have a family you need to protect and provide for.

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Character Creation Double-Edged Qualities

Descriptions

Looks Like a Cop

You have the appearance and mannerisms of a police officer. Positive: Law abiding citizens look favorably upon you. Negative: Criminals do not.

Minority

You are the member of race, religion or other discriminated group. Positive: Other members of the group may look favorably upon you. Negative: Other people may not.

Infamous

You have a reputation that makes you infamous. Positive: Some people may respect (or fear) you. Negative: Others may hate and distrust you.

Tall

You are unusually tall. Positive: Your height can be an advantageous physically. Negative: Your height can make you stand out or not fit.

Obsessed

You are driven to obtain a particular goal. Positive: Your obsession motivates you onward. Negative: It may lead you down a dangerous path.

Cold-hearted

You are cool to the point of being callous. Positive: You can be unflappable. Negative: You have trouble with some personal interactions.

Your character’s motivation, personality, history and appearance (step 3 of character creation) should be rife with adjectives and key concepts that stand out and encapsulate your character. Ideally, these can be transformed into Qualities. Personality and appearance are the most common sources, although any facet of your character’s MPHA is up for grabs — heritage, goals, accomplishments, resources, problems, fears and even relationships. Some example Qualities based on personality might be “Good Samaritan” or “Doesn’t Like Doctors.” Some based on appearance could be “Blonde Bombshell” or “Dresses Like a Slob.” Additional Qualities from motivation and history could include “Ex-Marine – Semper Fi,” “On the Lam” or “Trust Fund Baby.” Qualities can also be used to help qualify and refine the three Attributes – Mind, Body and Soul. Each of these is fairly abstract in nature so they encompass many different facets of the character. Qualities can

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be used to help reflect that some parts of an Attribute may be stronger or weaker than the rest. For example, it is easy to imagine a character who is quick, but not overly muscular. He could have an average Body but take a “Cat-Like Reflexes” Quality. Another character may have an above average Soul, but lack courage. She could take the negative Quality “Runs From a Fight.” Qualities can also reflect certain inherent aptitudes and inborn affinities your character might posses. These Qualities are typically a certain something that’s special — call it a knack or a gift — that helps set them apart from others. Most people end up using these gifts in their careers, but that’s not always the case. For example, a person may be born with “Perfect Pitch,” “An Ear for Languages” or as a “Human Calculator.” A character with “Perfect Pitch” might get +1d on an Artistry check when singing. In another situation, the GM may allow the character to immediately figure out a phone number just by listening to the touch tones, with no Check necessary. Faced with a pair of guards outside a base in South America, a character with “An Ear for Languages” might receive +1d to a Notice Check to ascertain what the guards are saying. Alternatively, the GM could just inform the character that the guards are speaking Russian and it sounds like they’re suspicious. A “Human Calculator” could get +1d on her Science/ Cryptography Action Check. In another situation, the GM tells the character that he instantly figures out that the list of numbers on the page add up to a multiple of 13.

Broken Rooms

Character Creation Step 8: Other Details At this point, you should already have your character concept and have selected all the appropriate Attributes, Skills and Qualities. Now all you need to do is record the last set of numbers you need to play the game, outfit the character and flesh out any gaps in the MPHA. Once the final touches are taken care of, your character is ready to play.

Damage Tracks and Thresholds When attacked, a character could suffer damage to any of the three Attributes (Mind, Body and Soul). Although physical harm to the Body is the most common threat, taking damage to any Attribute can lead to serious consequences. (See Damage and Injuries, page 168.) The amount of damage a character can take to an Attribute is equal to three times its rank. These are tracked as “points”. A character has separate damage tracks for his Mind Points, Body Points and Soul Points. l Mind Points = 3 x Mind. Mental damage erodes a character’s clarity and focus, causing confusion and disorientation. Characters who have lost all their Mind Points can have their mind and memories permanently altered. l Body Points = 3 x Body. Physical damage reduces health and vitality, inflicting pain and wounds. Characters who lose all their Body Points will end up dead. l Soul Points = 3 x Soul. Spiritual damage destroys confidence and determination, leading to doubt and uncertainty. Characters who lose all their Soul Points are susceptible to total mind control and blind obedience. Examples: Sasha’s character has Mind: 3, Body: 5 and Soul: 4. She would have 9 Mind Points, 15 Body Points and 12 Soul Points. Todd’s character has Mind: 4, Body: 3 and Soul: 5. He would have a 12 Mind Points, 9 Body Points and 15 Soul Points. Whenever a character accumulates damage to an Attribute that is greater than the Attribute rank, they suffer a penalty to their actions with that Attribute. This is due to pain, confusion, doubt, etc. Depending on the strength of the Attribute, this damage threshold will either be 3, 4 or 5. These damage tracks and thresholds can be easily represented with a series of circles separated with lines. Each group of circles is equal to the number of

Attribute damage points, separated by the lines that represent the thresholds. As your character suffers damage, just mark off a circle. When you mark off a circle in the next group, you have crossed a threshold and need to make a check to continue acting without penalty. Example Damage Tracks: Mind: OOO | OOO | OOO | Body: OOOOO | OOOOO | OOOOO | Soul: OOOO | OOOO | OOOO | Sasha’s character suffers 4 points of damage to his Body. The next round he suffers and 2 points of damage to his Body. This is now past the Body damage threshold of 5. He must make a Body+Defense Check to ignore the pain and continue acting without a 1d penalty. Later, he takes 5 points of Mind damage due to a mental attack. This is above his Mind damage threshold of 3. He must make a Mind+Defense Check to shake off the pain and confusion, otherwise he suffers a 1d penalty to his actions.

Money and Equipment Broken Rooms is not intended to be a game where the accumulation of wealth or the tracking of resources is the focus. The excitement comes from exploring new worlds, not trying to figure out how to pay for groceries. With that in mind, it is up to the player and Gamemaster to decide what starting money and equipment a character possesses. It is important to make sure this is reasonable and in character. Un-

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Character Creation less there is a Quality indicating extreme wealth or poverty, it should be assumed that characters have a modest income and own the appropriate amount of clothing, housing, transportation, etc. based on their profession. The campaign style may dictate that characters start with more or less than an average person. For example, if they wake up naked on Earth2, they will have far less. If they are part of a special recon team for the Regency Group, they could have far more. Remember that not all resources will be available on all worlds. For example, a rich character on one world could travel to a world with no banks and be a pauper.

Filling in What’s Missing At this point, your character should be ready (or nearly ready) for play. Take a look at your MPHA, character concept and Qualities to make sure there aren’t any giant holes. Every character can always be fleshed out more, even if you’ve written a 10-page history. Some things can be filled in along the way, but others should be decided before starting. For example, the names of your parents or hometown probably don’t need to be decided before the game starts. But if you have a negative Quality called “Daddy’s Little Girl” because you have a daughter, you need to decide on her name and age. It is also good to determine what relationship or shared history (if any) your character has with the other characters. Trying to figure out a common bond or unique tie to others will make your group more cohesive... not to mention that it can be a fun and creative exercise in and of itself.

Advancement In Broken Rooms, characters can become more powerful by gaining experience. The GM will award experience points for good roleplaying, overcoming difficult tasks, advancing the storyline and meeting certain goals in the game. Players can then use the experience points they earn to improve their characters’ Concentrations, Attributes, and/or Qualities.

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Improving Concentrations Concentrations are the most likely part of a character to improve during the course of game play. As a character travels across the Nearside, she will pick up information and contacts, refine existing talents, develop new skills and find herself in situations she never imagined. Most of this is reflected in a character’s Concentrations. Only Concentrations can be improved during play. Characters cannot improve entire Skill Groups after character creation. During the game, a player should keep track of the Skills and Concentrations they use — even if they failed at the attempt. The easiest way to do this is by putting a check mark next to the Skill and/or Concentration whenever it is used. Don’t forget to do this even for things in which the character is Unfamiliar. Example: Greg’s character shoots his rifle during a gunfight, so he put a check mark next to the Marksmanship Skill Group and the Rifle Skill. He later tries to climb a cliff, using the Athletics Skill Group, in which he is Unfamiliar. He doesn’t manage to scale the cliff, but he still puts a mark next to the Athletics Skill Group. When it comes time to spend experience, it will be easy to see what a character has used and is available for improvement. If a Concentration hasn’t been attempted, there usually isn’t a good reason for it to be improved. GMs will have the final say as to what Skills can be improved. In some cases, they may require time for training. Example: Greg knows that the next mission will require some stealth. However, he hasn’t recently done anything remotely sneaky, so the GM doesn’t allow him to spend his experience points on that. Concentrations should only be increased by a single level each time experience is spent. Once experience has been spent to improve a Concentration, the player should erase the previous check marks and begin the process again. Concentration Level

Experience Point Cost

Unfamiliar (10+) to Familiar (9+)

13

Familiar (9+) to Trained (8+)

14

Trained (8+) to Professional (7+)

15

Professional (7+) to Expert (6+)

16

Expert (6+) to Distinguished (5+)

17

Distinguished (5+) to World Class (4+)

18

Broken Rooms

Character Creation Learning Through Failure

Some people say that the best way to learn is through your mistakes. As an optional rule, GMs can lower the cost of Skill purchases by 2 points if the character has botched an Action Check using that Skill. This is to encourage people to try new things and act out of their comfort zone.

Improving Attributes It is very difficult and expensive to improve Attributes, as they are the foundation of the character. These can only be changed through an extreme and rigorous process that takes many months. An Attribute can never be improved beyond 6d. The cost to improve an attribute is 13 times the current Attribute Rank. Attribute Level

Experience Point Cost

3 to 4

39

4 to 5

52

5 to 6

65

Improving a character’s Mind requires devoted study and introspection. A character must learn to gather and process information more effectively, increase his focus and gain a clearer perspective on the world. This process is usually only accomplished some kind of mentor. Body can only be improved through a rigorous exercise regimen that encompasses strength, agility and durability. This kind of dramatic physical transformation will require the character to undergo grueling training and personal sacrifice. This requires some kind of trainer. Soul is perhaps the most difficult to improve, requiring the character to understand both himself and the world around him better. This kind of growth is accomplished by becoming confident in one’s own identity. This kind of growth can only be experienced under the guidance of a spiritual teacher.

Changing and Gaining New Qualities Over the course of time, a character will undoubtedly change and grow. It is likely that their Qualities will change along with them — both the positive and the negative. Some will better themselves by overcoming fears and correcting flaws, while others

will suffer through traumatic events and personal setbacks. Regardless, it is important for the character’s Qualities to be accurate and reflective of who he is at the moment, not who he was at the time of character creation. With that being said, changing, gaining or eliminating a Quality is not a simple thing. Qualities are an important part of the character and should never be changed or eliminated without the GM’s permission. Temporary changes in mood or situations are no reason to change Qualities. Before altering a Quality, make sure that the changes are profound and long term. Distance and Prime Qualities (both positive and negative) can never be eliminated or changed. Changing Qualities Swapping out one positive Quality for another doesn’t cost the character any experience, nor does swapping out one negative Quality for another. Negative Qualities gained due to Bargaining must be eliminated, not changed. (See page 170 for more on Bargaining.) Gaining Qualities Players can add a new positive or double-edged Quality to their characters for 13 experience points. Characters can never have more than three positive Qualities, and can only possess a single doubleedged Quality. Negative Qualities cannot be purchased with experience points, but may be assigned to the character by a GM due to Bargaining or other unfortunate situations. Eliminating Qualities Getting rid of a positive or double-edged Quality doesn’t occur often. But If a character is determined to reduce the number of positive Qualities they possess (or eliminate their double-edged Quality), they can do so without spending or gaining experience points. A character must have at least two positive Qualities. A character must always have at least one negative Quality. However, if they wish to eliminate other negative Qualities gained through Bargaining or during character creation, the cost is 13 experience points.

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Signature Characters Trent Bullock1, Breaker Concept: A former professional football player and television pitchman who now devotes his life to uncovering the secrets of the Nearside. Body: 5d Mind: 3d Soul: 4d Depth: 3d Armor: 0

Def: 5d 5/10/15 Def: 3d 3/6/9 Def: 4d 4/8/12 Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Speed: 25 Initiative: 2d+5

Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@7+), Grapple (0B, 5d@8+), Baseball bat (1B, 5d@8+), Heavy Pistol (3B, 5d@9+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Athletics (Football), Personal Combat (Unarmed) l Trained [8+]: Athletics (Track and Field), Gather Information (Research), Perception (Notice), Personal Combat (Armed, Grappling) l Familiar [9+]: Artistry, Athletics, Personal Combat, Marksmanship (Handguns), Meridian (Breaker), Perception (Nearsight) l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + Showman: He is at home in front of a camera or microphone. + No Pain No Gain: He can push through pain and resist fatigue better than most. -/+ Open to All Possibilities: He believes anything is possible, making him very adaptable, but also very gullible. - Real Men Don’t Hide: He thinks that all threats should be confronted head on. M Bruiser: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Breaking Meridian to cause direct physical damage to someone. Trent is also skilled at causing harm to others. He gains 1d to Personal Combat rolls against a targeted opponent. He can only designate a single person per combat. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation To uncover the truth about the Nearside and the various organizations that travel it. To try to regain his reputation. Personality Paranoid, fidgety, open to any possibility, curious. Doesn’t like a lot of talk; impatient. History Trent was living every football player’s dream. He got a full scholarship to a top tier university and his team had just won the championship. He was predicted to be a top 10 draft pick as a hard hitting linebacker. Soon he would be able to make all his dreams come true with the guaranteed money. But that all ended thanks to a wobbly step. He fell and tore his ACL and MCL. He dropped to the sixth round of the draft. And although he was going to be playing in the NFL, he didn’t get the prestige or money he had worked so hard to get. Then, his girlfriend left him. It took several years of rehab and work to earn his way back into the line-up. But slowly he regained his former status. His team was winning and all the reporters knew he gave the best locker room interview. He was handsome, funny and well spoken. There was even talk of some tennis shoe endorsements if his team won the Super Bowl. But the night before the big game, he got a visit from his ex-girlfriend. She came to tell him that he had a son and that she was filing for child support. He stormed out of the locker room to clear his head, but somehow ended up on a variant earth where everyone had vanished years ago. He wandered around the abandoned world for several days before returning home. He missed the big game and everyone assumed he went on a drug-fueled bender. He tried to explain himself, but he just sounded crazy. His reputation was ruined. Trent’s career unraveled and he attempted to uncover what actually happened to him. But the only explanations he could find were wrapped in fringe science and conspiracy theories. After appearing on a few late night radio programs, he unexpect-

edly became a celebrity again. He parlayed this newfound fame into becoming a late-night pitchman, weaving his conspiracy theories and football background into every product. In his spare time, he continued to try to uncover the truth. The truth finally came to him in the form of Father Juan Diego, a fellow Nearsider who explained what had happened to him and invited him to join a group called Regency. Now the two of them travel together to unlock the mysteries of the Nearside. Trent still has questions, and is frustrated by how slowly Regency gives answers, but they are his best chance.

Appearance A large, muscular African American man. He often wears his lucky leather jacket over a short-sleeved button up shirt, which shows off his muscles, and a tie.

Milestones Divergence Event: A fluke injury cost him a top 10 draft position and millions of dollars. First Fall: Just before what would have been his first Super Bowl experience. Recruitment: Work for Regency as a field agent and muscle.

Equipment l Heavy pistol l Digital voice recorder l Note pad, pen l Smart phone l Laptop

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Signature Characters Father Juan Diego1, Reader Concept: Faithful priest seeking the truth. Body: 4d Mind: 3d Soul: 5d Depth: 3d Armor: 0

Def: 4d 4/8/12 Def: 3d 3/6/9 Def: 5d 5/10/15 Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4

Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@8+), Baseball bat (1B, 4d@9+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Interpersonal (Persuasion), Perception (Empathy) l Trained [8+]: Higher Learning (Theology), Interpersonal (Diplomacy), Perception (Notice), Personal Combat (Unarmed) l Familiar [9+]: Interpersonal, Languages, Perception, Athletics (Boxing), Larceny (Stealth), Meridian (Reader), Personal Combat (Armed) l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + One with the Woodwork: He doesn’t stand out from the crowd. + Subtle Strength: He is stronger than he looks. -/+ Man of the Cloth: His position with the church can open doors (or have them shut in his face). He also has obligations and duties. - Truthful: He does not lie. M Peeker: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Reading Meridian to penetrate someone’s thoughts and memories. Juan is also unusually aware of the subtleties of body language. He gains 1d when trying to detect lies and resist cons. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation To bring the word of the Lord to those who need it. Personality Steadily calm, a bit smug, kind. History Juan’s parents, older brother and two older sisters came to the U.S. illegally while his mother was pregnant with him. His father died during the crossing when the “coyote” who had been paid to get them across demanded more money. Juan’s father was shot and the rest of the family scrambled to get across the border, eventually settling in Los Angeles. Juan’s mother, Maria, was a devout Catholic who worked as a hotel maid. To keep her kids off the streets, she tried to convince her daughters to be nuns and her sons to be priests, but Juan’s older brother, Carlos, quickly became entrenched in a Los Angeles gang. His sisters soon married and left home. Carlos was a father figure to Juan, but Juan resisted the gang life by spending his time at a local gym and becoming involved in church activities. Eventually, however, he felt he had no choice but to join his brother in the gang. On Aug. 13, 2008, Carlos, who had always told Juan that his gang-related crimes were nonviolent, stabbed a man in an alley while Juan was watching from behind a dumpster. Terrified at what his brother had become, Juan ran to the church for protection and soon was on a path to the seminary. He thought had found his calling doing God’s work until his mother was murdered in gang violence, causing Juan to question his faith. But then God showed him suffering and pain like nothing he had ever experienced, making his grief seem small by comparison.

First Fall: He learned that his mother had been killed by a gang that was a rival to his brother’s. Juan, a young priest by then, suffered a crisis of faith. His First Fall was to Earth3, where everything appeared to be destroyed. He took it as a sign from God and emerged stronger in his faith. Recruitment: Regency Group approached him, asking for his help to banish evils from this world and others. It solidified his belief that God had a plan for him, one that included saving worlds. Regency is grooming him to infiltrate the religious zealots controlling Earth11, but has not yet shared that information with Juan.

Equipment l Bible l Holy water l Fallsteel crucifix l Smart phone

Appearance The epitome of nondescript when not wearing his collar. Black hair, dark eyes, sort, wiry build.

Milestones Divergence Event: He saw his brother, who he looked up to, kill a man in cold blood.

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Signature Characters Madeline “Maddy” Kearns1, Blocker Concept: Highly trained marksman and abuse survivor with anger issues. Body: 5d Mind: 4d Soul: 3d Depth: 3d Armor: 0

Def: 4d Def: 5d Def: 3d Distance: 3 Speed: 25

5/10/15 4/8/12 3/6/9 Momentum: 3 of 6 Initiative: 2d+5

Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@9+), M-16 Rifle (4B, 5d@7+), Heavy Pistol (3B, 5d@8+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Marksmanship (Rifle), Outdoors (Survival) l Trained [8+]: Athletics (Long Distance Running), Athletics (Swimming), Marksmanship (Heavy Weapons, Handguns), Outdoors (Tracking), Personal Combat (Armed) l Familiar [9+]:Athletics, Marksmanship, Outdoors, Interpersonal (Intimidate), Meridian (Blocker), Personal Combat (Unarmed) l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + I’ve Been There: She can relate well with other women. + Anything He Can Do …: She excels when competing against or trying to best men. -/+ Ex-Military: Her ex-military status can open doors (or have them shut in her face). She must also uphold the image and integrity of her background. - Short Fuse: She can lose her temper easily, especially when dealing with bullies. M Guardian: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Blocking Meridian to create protective shields or armor. Maddy can also defend against physical attacks she can see that are leveled against a nearby person she has designated to protect. She gains a 1d bonus to her defense rolls when intercepting such an attack. She can only designate a single person per combat. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation Stay in control of her anger; prove she can be a better mother; help other women.

Appearance Tall, lean, athletic, not pretty (has previously broken nose); dresses for comfort.

Personality Works to contain anger/frustration; competitive; protective of women; hates bullies; usually polite (trying to avoid trouble); two modes - calm and enraged.

Milestones

History Maddy was always an Army brat and lived in more than 20 places during her youth. It was a rough childhood. She endured much bullying and taunting despite her athleticism. She eventually joined the Army and became one of its top marksmen, but due to policy, she could not employ her skills in action. Instead, she was an instructor and competitive marksman. While serving, she met her husband, who was a hand-to-hand combat instructor. The marriage was not good. She suffered a lot of emotional and some minor physical abuse. A few years into the marriage, she gave birth to a daughter. The domestic abuse continued, and she eventually fell into the arms of another man. Her husband caught her cheating and a fight ensued. She ended it by shooting him in the leg. He had friends in high places, so she was discharged (honorably) and lost custody of her child. Fortunately, she did not serve jail time (although she still has a record). After the Army, she turned to online communities for help and realized that she could train and empower other women. She created her own website and training program to help women learn to use guns and defend themselves. During a recent shopping trip with her daughter, Maddy met another Nearsider. Dr. Andrew Gibson saved her daughter’s life when she suffered a severe reaction to a bee sting. He recognized her as a Nearsider and introduced her to the Regency Group. She now trains field agents in basic firearms skills and keeps in touch with Dr. Gibson, ever grateful for him saving her daughter’s life.

Divergence Event: Shot her husband during a domestic dispute. First Fall: While training a battered woman, she had to confront an angry husband (who was a cop). Things escalated and she got enraged. She was about to shoot the man when she traveled to Hot House. After an hour of wandering, she returned home. Recruitment: Works for Regency, helping to train agents in exchange for help with her legal bills.

Equipment l Hunting rifle l Heavy pistol l Smart phone l Second-hand SUV

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Signature Characters Doctor Andrew Gibson1, Mender Concept: Wealthy doctor assuages daddy-issue guilt through medical and charity work Body: 4d Mind: 5d Soul: 3d Depth: 3d Armor: 0

Def: 4d Def: 5d Def: 3d Distance: 3 Speed: 20

4/8/12 5/10/15 3/6/9 Momentum: 3 of 6 Initiative: 2d+5

Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@10+), Light Pistol (2B, 4d@8+) Skills: l Professional (7+): Medical (First Aid, Surgery) l Trained (8+): Marksmanship (Handguns), Medical (Pharmacology), Perception (Notice), Science (Biology, Chemistry), Tradecraft (Carpentry) l Familiar (9+): Medical, Science, Tradecraft, Higher Learning (Philosophy), Meridian (Mender) l Unfamiliar (10+): Everything else Qualities: + Surgeon: He is a skilled surgeon and is respected by his peers. + Jack of All Trades: He is well read and well traveled. -/+ Infamous: His family name is tainted, but it can still open many doors. - Sour Disposition: He often feels cheated and is generally pessimistic. M Sawbone: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Mending Meridian to heal wounds and damage suffered by people. Andrew also has a deep understanding of the human body and how it operates. He gains 1d when making Medical rolls. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation To pay his father’s debt to society by helping people with his medical skills. To seek out his variant selves. Personality Thinly veiled arrogance. Does not suffer fools. Frustrated by his lot in life. History When Andrew was 13, his father’s global biotech firm, Biobright, was accused of using shareholder investments to counterfeit competitors’ drugs, rather than conduct any research. Tens of thousands of investors lost everything. The resulting scandal left many of the company’s officers behind bars, tens of thousands of investors broke and one investor dead, who committed suicide on live television when Gibson’s father was acquitted of any criminal wrongdoing. However, his father was ordered to liquidate his assets to raise money to return to investors. The family received multiple death threats and had to move to a significantly smaller mansion. Though his family had gone from the upper, upper class to upper middle class virtually overnight, his father still had connections. He used them to get his son into an elite medical school. Feeling like he had to prove himself, he graduated at the top of his class, though he still heard whispers that his father bought his grades as well. Those types of whispers seem to follow him still in his professional life as he does charity work at free clinics and travels the globe with medical charities. Though he could be making seven figures in his own practice, he feels compelled to try to reverse the damage his father did to their name. Forced charity has made him bitter toward his poverty-stricken patients, whom he secretly compares to animals going to the vet. While on a recent charity mission to Haiti, he was kidnapped by a patient and held for almost a month, further reinforcing his resentment toward the poor and downtrodden. He would have been killed had he not experienced First Fall just as his captor’s machete touched his neck.

The kidnapping scared him into learning how to use a gun, but the First Fall excited him. It made him feel like he hadn’t felt since the scandal: special, entitled to something more than others and powerful. As soon as he started researching what had happened to him on Haiti, he came to the attention of the Regency Group and Doctor Ellington. He was approached and hired by the Group to help mend injured Nearsiders and assist Ellington with his ongoing research into the Hindbrain Anomaly. Recently, while on vacation, Gibson helped save a young teenage girl who was experiencing a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting. The girl’s mother, Maddy Kearns, turned out to be another Nearsider, one who had experienced First Fall quite recently. Gibson was able to explain to her what had happened, and has brought her on board with Regency. Appearance Tall, thin and attractive, except for his deformed and scarred right ear. Dr. Gibson II has thick brown hair, a hawkish nose and brown eyes.

Milestones Divergence Event: Father’s global biotech company raided by Federal Agents. First Fall: Kidnapped and about to be executed. Recruitment: Regency offered answers to his many questions.

Equipment l Light pistol l First aid kit l Smart phone l Laptop l Nice car

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Signature Characters Patrick Murphy1, Finder Concept: An ex-cop with a chip on his shoulder. Body: 4d Mind: 5d Soul: 3d Depth: 3d Armor: 0

Def: 4d 4/8/12 Def: 5d 5/10/15 Def: 3d 3/6/9 Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+5

Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@9+), Light Pistol (2B, 4d@8+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Gather Information (Streetwise), Perception (Investigation) l Trained [8+]: Gather Information (Forensics, Interrogate), Larceny (Intrusion), Marksmanship (Handguns), Perception (Notice) l Familiar [9+]: Gather Information, Larceny, Perception, Athletics (Running), Higher Learning (Law), Meridian (Finder), Personal Combat (Unarmed) l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + When the Going Gets Tough …: He gets going. He excels when he is the underdog or overwhelmed. + Pattern Recognition: He has a gift for seeing the bigger picture and putting the pieces together. -/+ Looks Like a Cop: He has the look and bearing of a policeman. This can open doors (or have them shut in his face) depending on the situation and NPC’s attitude towards the law. - Like a Dog With a Bone: He often refuses to back down, even when it would be in his best interest to drop it. M Sentinel: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Finding Meridian to enhance or extend his physical senses. Patrick is also preternaturally observant. He gains 1d to Notice rolls with a particular sense (sight, smell, taste, hearing, or touch) for the duration of a session. This can change from session to session. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation Prove to everyone (especially his father) that he isn’t a failure for quitting the force. Personality Gruff and relentless. Never backs down from a challenge or admits he’s wrong. Underneath it all, he cares about justice. History Patrick Murphy came from a long line of beat cops and detectives. Three generations of Murphy men had made it to detective, until Patrick broke the chain. Just around the time he was being considered for promotion, evidence seized during an arrest was contaminated, and the case fell through. The criminal was freed, and ended up beating his wife to death in a drunken argument the next day. Patrick was furious and went after the officers who had been in charge of the evidence. The paperwork was inconclusive, possibly indicating that it could have been Patrick’s mistake as much as the evidence officer’s, but Patrick would not back down. In the end, he was passed over for promotion and it was made clear that he’d probably never get promoted. Still stubborn, Patrick quit the force, making a bad situation even worse, especially in the eyes of his family. Disowned, Patrick left Boston and took a job as an insurance fraud investigator for a large independent agency providing services for the major insurance carriers. Patrick’s natural-born talent for solving crimes helped him clear up several outstanding cases. When a series of seemingly unrelated fires occurred across several states, Patrick suspected that they were indeed linked. Trusting his instincts, his employers let him investigate. Eventually, Patrick caught up with the arsonist in a small town in Oklahoma when he set fire to a chop shop. Patrick gave chase through the burning building, but stopped to try to rescue a young woman, the building’s owner, who had been inside the time. The arsonist, actually a powerful Nearsider, escaped using other means, but the extreme danger

caused Patrick and Mack to experience their First Fall together. The pair ended up on Icebox, in the middle of a blizzard. Mack, a Mover, was able to get a truck working and the pair drove 200 miles south through arctic conditions before being unexpectedly “snapped back” to the Ordinary World. When they arrived back on Earth1, they were arrested and charged with the arson. The Regency Group stepped in and had the charges dropped in return for the pair’s cooperation. Murphy’s talents as an investigator have been fully engaged by Regency, and he attempts to spot patterns in seemingly unrelated or impossible crimes that might have a Nearsider element. Patrick formed a close bond with Mack during their shared First Fall, though neither have explored the possibility of taking it any further. Appearance Average height, slightly overweight, classic Irish hair and coloring. Looks like a cop.

Milestones Divergence Event: Quit police force in anger, breaking generations of tradition. First Fall: Escaped a fire during an investigation. Recruitment: Regency had arson charges dropped in exchange for Murphy’s willingness to work for Regency and do what he loves.

Equipment l Light pistol l DSLR camera l Smart phone l Laptop

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Signature Characters Jane “Mack” McGillacuddy1, Mover Concept: An artist with a car, both behind the wheel and under the hood. Body: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Depth: 3d Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@9+), Thrown Wrench (1B, 3d@9+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Technical (Auto Repair), Transportation (Drive) l Trained [8+]: Artistry (Painting, Metal Working), Deception (Bluff), Technical (Car Customization), Transportation (Motorcycles) l Familiar [9+]: Artistry, Technical, Transportation, Computers (Hacking), Meridian (Mover), Personal Combat (Unarmed, Thrown Weapon) l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + Hot Brunette: She is an attractive woman. Even with grease smeared on her face. + Spit and Duct Tape: She can get things working, even without the proper tools. -/+ Mob Connections: Her connections to the mob can help her out in certain situations or make them more difficult. She has certain obligations that must be met. - Need for Speed: She hates standing still and wants to move … fast. M Wheelman: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Moving Meridian to control or keep a vehicle moving. Mack also has an unnatural affinity with all vehicles. She gains 1d to Transportation rolls. These can be used multiple times per session.

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Signature Characters MPHA Motivation Pay off her father’s debts, real or imagined. Earn her freedom, on many levels.

Mack is resentful at owing yet another organization for her freedom, but she’s coming to realize that working for Regency offers a more profound kind of freedom than she ever thought possible.

Personality Generally upbeat, but prone to moments of self-doubt. Hates the criminal justice system and organized crime alike.

Appearance Tall, curvy, good-looking woman with dark hair. Doesn’t look remotely Irish, despite her name.

History A tom-boy all her life, Mack had always been more interested in cars and bikes than anything else. When she was 18, her father brought her into his car dealership. At first, Mack’s good looks were as much of a draw as her skills with a wrench, but she soon made sure no one doubted her abilities. Her father sometimes did work for a few local “businessmen” but she just looked the other way. When Mack was 22, her father died and left her the chop shop and car dealership. Shortly after that, a night at the bar ended badly when an out-of-towner wouldn’t take no for an answer. A fight ensued, and Mack made short work of her unwanted suitor, giving him a broken nose and a missing earlobe for his trouble. This didn’t go down well with his buddies, and Mack ended up running. A brief car chase ensued, ending in a five-car pile up and several people badly injured. Mack was blamed for the accident and lost her license, though her father’s mob connections got her out of jail. One night as she was working late at the car lot, an arsonist set fire to the building while Mack was still in it. With all the paint and gasoline, the fire quickly turned into an inferno. Insurance fraud investigator Patrick Murphy had been tracking the firebug and ended up chasing the arsonist through the burning chop shop. Patrick found Mack trapped in a back office. The imminent risk of death triggered both Patrick’s and Mack’s First Fall, and they ended up on Icebox. Together, Patrick and Mack managed to survive their experience and make it back to the Ordinary World several days later. Initially suspected of setting the fire, Mack and Patrick were helped when the Regency Group stepped in to take care of the charges in return for the pair working for them. Mack works as part of a Permanent Observation Team, watching known or potential Nearsiders. She formed a close bond with Patrick during their First Fall experience, though neither of them seriously consider taking it any further.

Milestones Divergence Event: Serious accident that resulted in her losing her license and independence. First Fall: Escaped a fire that destroyed her business. Recruitment: Work for Regency in return for legal help.

Equipment l Wide range of tools and spare parts l Souped-up truck l Smart phone

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Signature Characters Rebecca Ellen Kelsey4, aka “Beck,” Opener Concept: A soldier’s daughter, looking for her lost father. Body: 5d Mind: 4d Soul: 3d Depth: 3d Armor: 2

Def: 5d Def: 4d Def: 3d Distance: 3 Speed: 15

5/10/15 4/8/12 3/6/9 Momentum: 3 of 6 Initiative: 2d+5

Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@8+), Knife (1B, 5d@8+), M4 Rifle (4B, 5d@7+), Handgun (3B, 5d@8+) Skills: l Professional [7+]: Marksmanship (Rifles), Athletics (Running) l Trained [8+]: Marksmanship (Handguns, Artillery), Personal Combat (Armed, Unarmed), Outdoors (Survival) l Familiar [9+]: Marksmanship, Outdoors, Personal Combat, Higher Learning (Military History), Interpersonal (Intimidation), Larceny (Stealth), Meridian (Opener), l Unfamiliar [10+]: Everything Else Qualities: + Battle Angel: She is fierce in personal combat. + Pale Riders Veteran: She is an experienced soldier in the K’thari Wars. -/+ Army Brat: Her history with the Army goes back to her childhood. - Cold Fish: She doesn’t do small talk well. M Diplomat: Provides a 1d bonus when using the Opening Meridian to cause someone to reconsider an idea or open their mind. The character is also adept at changing people’s minds through mundane means. She gains 1d when attempting to persuade or convince someone to re-evaluate a decision or idea.

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Signature Characters MPHA

Milestones

Motivation To find her father, who may be missing on the Nearside.

Divergence Event: K’thari invasion on her native variation First Fall: A brief, terrifying journey to Icebox.

Personality Cold, distant, with a soft spot for kids or parents with lost children. History Beck dreamed of alien invasion from an early age. Dreamed so much that she even felt guilty when it happened — like wishing could make it so. Beck was trained up, prepared; her father knew the score so Beck was ready this time, ready for life as a Nearsider, ready to go to war. She joined up when she was old enough, travelled to the training camp in Denmark, got her uniform and her rifle and her unit assignment, ended up in France with her father as part of XIII brigade. All kinds of hell and damnation followed in the battle against the K’thari incursion — burning cities, refugee convoys, the dead and dying littering the fields and roads from Dijon to Dunkirk. The whole thing went south when her father, Lieutenant Kelsey, was captured by a K’thari sweeper team at the tail end of a counter-attack on Dijon. They had a bunch of humans corralled in a peaceful little village near a lake, waiting for a jump ship to transport them all back to the hives. Beck couldn’t let that happen — she’d made a promise to her father. With the help of a special forces sniper called Cupid, Beck made sure the K’thari wouldn’t take her father away to suffer who knows what. Beck heard stories that death was just another way to travel and she still believes that’s true, but she hasn’t found her father. Yet. Beck has been traveling the Nearside for years now; looking for signs, following trails, no rest for the wicked. She has run into multiple Nearsiders during her journey, owing and being owed favors for help rendered and lives saved.

Recruitment: Not applicable.

Equipment l Heavy pistol l Assault rifle l Survival gear l Body armor

Appearance Average height, looks much younger than she is (like a teenager rather than in her mid-twenties). Blonde hair, nice smile, though rarely seen.

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Signature NPCs: The Names Doctor Neil Ellington1, Opener Concept: Worlds-weary scientist with the fate of entire realities in his hands. Body: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Mind: 6d Def: 6d 6/12/18 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Depth: 5d Distance: 9 Momentum: 9 of 18 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@9+), Light Pistol (2B, 3d@8+) Significant Skills: l Science (Physics 5+, Biology 6+, Chemistry 6+, Psychology 6+) l Academics (Bureaucracy 9+) l Marksmanship (Handgun 8+) l Personal Combat (Unarmed 3d@9+) l Meridian (Opening 7+, Mending 9+) Qualities: + The Regent: Access to all the Regency Group’s resources. + Trustworthy Face: Ellington’s appearance and demeanor engenders trust. + Cute Accent: Many Americans find Ellington’s English accent to be delightful. + Photographic Memory: Can recall practically anything he’s seen in person. +/- Detached: +1d to Bravery or Willpower checks, -1d to Empathy checks. - Slightly Paranoid: Believes his variant self is out to get him. - Soft-Hearted: Ellington is a sucker for a hard-luck story, and dislikes cruelty and suffering. M Usher: +2d when manipulating and Opening broken rooms. Other Meridians: Mender2, Reader3 Motivation: Protect the Nearside and Earth1 from exploitation, while trying to find a way to save the suffering and dying residents of each world. Personality: Upbeat, but tired. A melancholy kindness over a potentially terrible anger. History: See Chapter 12, Allies & Adversaries. Appearance: Boyish good looks, but looks like he’s thinner and older than he should be. The weight of worlds on his shoulders.

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Signature NPCs: The Names Professor Neil Ellington4, Closer Concept: Ruthless counterpart to Ellington1, dedicated to protecting Earth4 at any price. Body: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Mind: 6d Def: 6d 6/12/18 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Depth: 5d Distance: 9 Momentum: 9 of 18 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@9+), Light Pistol (2B, 3d@8+) Significant Skills: l Science (Physics 5+, Biology 6+, Chemistry 6+, Psychology 6+), l Academics (Bureaucracy 9+), l Marksmanship (Pistol 8+) l Personal Combat (Unarmed 9+) l Meridian (Closer 7+, Breaker 9+) Qualities: + Project Nearside: Access to all Project Nearside’s resources. + Trustworthy Face: Ellington’s appearance and demeanor engenders trust. + Cute Accent: Many Americans find Ellington’s English accent to be delightful. + Photographic Memory: Can recall practically anything he’s seen in person. +/- Detached: +1d to Bravery or Willpower checks, -1d to Empathy checks. - Heartless: Nothing is beyond Ellington in terms of protecting his world. Nothing. - Slightly Paranoid: Believes his variant self is out to get him. M Grounder: +2d using Closing to remove Momentum from opponents. Other Meridians: Breaker2, Writer3 Motivation: Protect Earth4 at any cost. Personality: Bitter and angry, resentful at the arrogance of travelers and his Earth1 counterpart. Brutal in his treatment of non-native Nearsiders. History: Runs Project Nearside, is dedicated to protecting Earth4 and countering Ellington1’s activities. Appearance: Boyish good looks, but looks like he’s thinner and older than he should be. Hate and bitterness have made him look older and harder.

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Signature NPCs: The Names Michael McCann3 aka Raven, Mender Concept: Angry survivor driven to save others, no matter what. Body: 5d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Soul: 5d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Depth: 4d Distance: 7 Momentum: 7 of 14 Armor: 2 (Long coat with armor plates) Speed: 25 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@8+), Soda can full of lead (sometimes on a chain) (2B, 5d@6+) Significant Skills: l Perception (Notice 6+) l Personal Combat (Armed 6+, Unarmed 8+) l Outdoors (Survival 5+, Tracking 8+) l Interpersonal (Intimidation 8+) l Athletics (Running 7+) l Meridian (Mender 7+, Juicer 9+) Qualities: + Signature Weapon: Soda can full of lead + Thousand Yard Stare: Has an intimidating gaze. + Friends in Distance Places: Has contacts in several trans-Nearside organizations +/- Detached: +1d to Bravery or Willpower checks, -1d to Empathy checks. M Sawbone: +1d when using Mending to heal people. M Cure Disease: +1d when using Mending to cure diseases Motivation: Wander the Nearside, bringing help back to Earth3. Personality: Quiet, a bit intense. Has forgotten how to act around ordinary people. History: Has spent years trying to survive in the aftermath of the Fall, losing his sister and other family and loved ones along the way. Dedicated to bringing help and supplies to his dying world. Appearance: Crow-like, with wild black hair, a patchwork coat and a seemingly endless supply of improvised weapons.

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Signature NPCs: The Names Anna Clarke1, Opener Concept: Dedicated scientist and researcher, Ellington’s shadow. Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Depth: 3 Distance: 4 Momentum: 4/8 Armor: 0 Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@8+), Heavy Pistol (3B, 4d@7+) Significant Skills: l Science (Physics 7+, Cryptography 6+) l Interpersonal (Diplomacy 9+) l Gather Information (Research 7+, Forensics 7+) l Marksmanship (Pistol 7+) l Personal Combat (Unarmed 8+) l Meridian (Opener 8+) Qualities: + Natural scientist: Her mind is constantly testing every hypothesis she faces. + Puzzle fiend: Enjoys all kinds of puzzles, from crosswords to difficult cryptography. +/- Anal-retentive attention to detail: Finds the small mistakes, misses the bigger ones. +/- Obsessive runner: Runs regularly, finds it hard to concentrate otherwise. - Workaholic: Finds it very difficult to relax and take personal time. - Convinced she’s right: Doesn’t like being argued with. M Diplomat: Excels at opening people’s minds and persuading them. Motivation: To make scientific sense of the Nearside. Personality: Dedicated, overworked and feisty. History: Seconded to the Regency Group after independently breaking several Monarch and Project Nearside ciphers. She’s been there ever since. Appearance: Anna is of average height, with brown hair in a neat bob. She generally wears casual clothes that are a bit too big for her, mainly to hide the fact that she has a slender, toned body — the result of her running obsession. She is quite capable of playing a ditsy woman if the situation calls for it.

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Signature NPCs: The Names Topper Concept: A traveling man. Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Mind: 6d Def: 6d 6/12/18 Soul: 7d Def: 7d 7/14/21 Depth: 6d Distance: 13 Momentum: 13 of 26 Armor: 2 Speed: 25 Initiative: 4d+6 Attacks: Fist (0B, 6d@5+), Knife (1B, 6d+5+), That thing there (1B, 6d@5+) Significant Skills: l Meridian (Breaking 6+, Opening 7+, Reading 8+) l Perception (Notice 5+, Empathy, 5+) l Tradecraft (Tea-making 5+) Qualities + How the Hell Did He ...: +2d to Initiative Checks + Jack of All Trades: +1d to any Skill Check once per day. + Master of Several of the Very Brutal Ones: +1d to all Attack Checks, all the time. + Instantly Likeable: It’s hard to dislike Topper when you first meet him. +1d to all Actions Checks relating to making a first impression. +/- Disconnected: -3d to all social interaction checks with negs; succeeds at any Bravery or Willpower check. +/- Pronounced Frame Dragging: Reality is messed the eff up around Topper. M Bruiser: +1d bonus when using Breaking to harm someone. M Timekeeper: +1d bonus when using Opening to estimate a room’s rotation. M One Lump or Two? +1d bonus when using Reading to find out how a person likes their cup of tea. Talisman: His top hat, which is also an artifact. Motivation: Topper is a man with a plan. Perhaps this time, he can save everything. Personality: Affable, pleasant, English. History: He is on a journey across the variations, gathering information, conversing with fellow travellers, masquerading as this and that, advising and supporting where he can and moving everything and everyone step-by-careful-step to a point where his plan can be implemented and the Worlds can be put right.

Note: Topper is an Exile. NPCs with a 13 Distance are bound to have unusual and inexplicable Qualities.

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A Soldier’s Story

I

In the scattered-glass ruins of a battered café, a man in elegant formal dress is brewing strong tea as the day turns to twilight. A soot blackened kettle is suspended over flickering flames. Dark smoke is curling upward through a ragged gap in the ceiling. There are packets of sugar arrayed nearby, lined up just so. A pale enamelled mug rests on a square of white cloth, a bright silver spoon ready and waiting by its side. Outside, through tattered awnings and collapsed partitions, across the debris of a broad street already lost to nature, a wide park sprawls into the distance, edged by office blocks and apartments. Nearly every window is shattered, every light extinguished, every room a vault of gloom and silence. Night creeps closer still, cool quiet darkness rising up to claim the land, this sputtering cook fire the last remaining beacon. The man begins to reach for the beat-up kettle with a gloved hand, crouching close to the makeshift fireplace. He pauses for a moment, turns to his left and retrieves a second cup from a bag near his feet. He sets the cup down carefully beside its twin on the clean white square. “No milk, I’m afraid,” he says. “Not a lemon to be had in this part of town. Really, I have a mind to take my business elsewhere.” He reaches for the kettle once more. “Shall I pour?” Beck had no answer for that. She had snuck this way when she caught sight of the fire. Sign of life. The first sign since she got here. Wherever “here” was. She found a man dressed up for a wedding, or a funeral maybe — tail coat, top hat, black leather shoes with a high shine. Neat and tidy, creased and pressed, standing easy as you please by the fireside in the wreckage. Experience told her some kinds of crazy were the safest of all. Besides, singletons were less hassle mostly. Groups made her wary. Beck stepped from the shadows, holding her rifle low but steady.

“I really must apologize,” said the man. He removed his top hat with a flourish, standing as he did so, inclining his head in a discrete bow, showing a crown of short cropped gray hair. “I was not expecting such fine and fair company on this cold, drab evening.” Beck shuffled closer to the fire. These were short days, and the nights bit deep into weary bones. A sliver of warmth and rest wouldn’t go amiss, that was for sure. The flames were somehow reassuring. A memory of old life — winter mornings, fairy lights and burning peat throwing colored clouds against the wall. A better life. “My name is Topper,” the man said. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” Beck turned and was caught by the appraising gaze of bright blue eyes. “My loss …” she started and the words faded away. “Your style, your mode of dress, the manner of your movement. The distance in your eyes. All of these speak to me of a terrible, terrible loss,” said Topper.

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A Soldier’s Story “I’m looking for ...“ “More on that later,” said Topper. “Important things first. How many sugars?” He poured tea for both of them and replaced the kettle on its hook, he handed Beck a heavy, thickhandled ceramic cup with a worn picture of a cartoon monkey on the side, then sat in a neat cross-legged position on a folded sleeping bag near the fire. Beck hunkered down, setting her rifle carefully to one side, close to her booted feet. Topper watched her as she wrapped both hands around the cup, noting the short clipped fingernails, pale bruises and old scars on her knuckles. “Thanks,” she said at last, her voice almost lost in the gathering silence. Topper shrugged, took a sip of tea, and said: “We fellow travelers must do right by each other, I always say.” Beck looked up. “You’ve traveled far?” Topper had to give that some careful consideration. “How far have I traveled, to be where you are …” It was a snatch of song he remembered from somewhen. Different, forgotten, worlds away. “It’s been a long journey, certainly. The wonders I’ve seen. The crawling mewling horrors. Bad business,” he said, talking to himself, more than anything. “I was there in the heart of the tempest when everything changed. Worlds gone, or gone wrong, others reborn, born wastelands, born screaming, born dead. Rooms vanished, roads lost, hearts broken.” Topper drank his tea and stared into the flames. Beck sat quietly for a while, hands still nursing the steaming cup. “Of course,” said Topper brightly, “You’re still so very young and all of this is news to you, I’m sure.” He glanced at Beck and looked away again. Then he turned, eyes locked on hers. “Let’s say I’m almost sure. Yes, that’ll do.” “I’m not following what …” Beck began. “You know,” said Topper, “I would kill for a digestive biscuit.” He held up the kettle, swaying it gently from side to side. “Ready for a refill?” The night drew in, smothering the lightless city in cold black. The ruined café became a small, shadowy cave in the darkness. “The K’thari. We’ve got their measure fair and square,” Topper was talking about the war. Some kind

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of hot-shot helicopter pilot, he said. Beck was surprised. He didn’t look the type. Then again, she thought, who really does until the fighting starts and you have to make a choice, make your stand or leg it over the hills. Topper went on: “Fast, agile, hard to kill it’s fair to say but at least they’re out in the open, eh? They don’t really go for camouflage and concealment in my experience.” A bright smile of perfect teeth. Beck simply nodded, remembering the squat purple-black shapes that crowded tangled little streets in market towns. Mutant mash-ups of scorpions and spiders, with the bad attitude of both and as big as a horse, that was the K’thari. “Around here they have the opposite problem,” said Topper. “Sleek and slippery and jagged they may be, but the local monsters are a pushover if you’ve got the mind for it.” He tapped the side of his head theatrically. “Unfortunately the battle’s been left to kids and lunatics and, being delicate about, that seldom ends well does it?” “Why are you here?” asked Beck. Topper shrugged, took a few moments to look around the dim café ruins and gaze out at the dead night beyond their small oasis. The only sound was the low hiss and crackle of wood on the fire, a murmur of distant wind and water. “I like the peace and quiet,” he said. “The monsters give our sort a wide berth, as it happens. Perhaps they don’t like the taste.” “You’re not … helping?” Beck knew some travelers liked to get involved, do their bit for humanity, or whatever remained of that anyway. “Heavens no,” said Topper, shaking his head. “Far bigger fish to fry, dear. Delicate plans in motion, agents in the field. Schemes are very much afoot.” “If you say so,” said Beck, and concentrated on her tea. It was warm and soothing and had a burnt kind of aroma that reminded her again of Christmases long dead and gone. “In any case,” said Topper, “I prefer to play the long game.” Something resonated in those simple words and Beck struggled to grasp at it before it slinked and sidestepped and slithered out of her grasp. Her head felt

A Soldier’s Story heavy, woolly, wrapped up in the beginnings of sleep. Topper, just sitting serene by the fire, and Beck glanced at her rifle, close at hand, and wondered if she should reach for it. Would she be fast enough. “Did you drug me?” As if he would give an honest answer. Topper simply laughed and shook his head. “Adulterate a brew so fine as this? How could I dare such a travesty? What kind of man do you take me for, eh? Well, a madman obviously, but still, there are limits.” Amused dismissal seemed more reasonable to Beck than outraged denial. Topper went on talking, his voice quieter now, with a lulling cadence that reached deep. “You simply recognize a respite when you see one. You are perfectly safe here. You’re allowed to slow down, stop, take a break, take stock.” It was a compelling argument. “Besides,” said Topper. “If you tried anything unruly I’d have to kill you, and then where would we be, eh?” “Walking broken roads,” said Beck. “You believe that death is just another doorway and not a destination?” said Topper, back to staring at her directly with those bright blue eyes. “You truly believe?” “I have to,” said Beck. Nothing would change her mind on that. “Ah-ha,” said Topper, tapping his lips with one long finger. “And now we get at last to the heart of the crux of the kernel of all that matters.” He leaned forward slightly. “Draw closer to the fire, lonely wanderer, and tell me everything you know.” Beck decided to start at the beginning. She spoke, and Topper listened intently as the fire burned on through the long night. Much of what she said he knew already: The War, the K’thari, the fall of Dijon and the march on Paris. All of this was old news to Topper, but woven in and out of the telling were stories of other worlds, other travelers on the long and winding roads. All of this was useful information, all of it categorized and filed and stored away. Topper was nothing if not thorough. The child — despite her insistence on maturity Topper had difficulty thinking of her as anything else — was called Rebecca. “But call me Beck,” she said.

Aged 21, she said, or possibly 22, things had gotten a little blurry lately. She talked of her father. A man that everyone knew as Kelsey. A strong man, a brave man. A policeman, soldier, survivor type. He rescued her from bad places. Took her with him when he went to the war. Lieutenant Kelsey, then, brought his daughter along to the carnage and chaos of the front lines. No choice, really, as she had already taken her first terrifying tentative steps along the road, walked in distant lands, glimpsed the myriad horrors of the dread nights of Earth. Or was she pushed, wondered Topper. Prepared and trained and equipped. Because fathers know best. Beck told him what happened. What had to happen, she insisted, her pale eyes gleaming. The K’thari catch you, you don’t ever come back. Only one way out. “He’d do the same for me,” she said, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Traveling ever since that gray, rainy day in France, looking for signs, tracking trails, following one surefire lead and then, when that burned out to nothing, following the next. No rest for the soldier’s daughter. When the story was done, Topper said: “You get some shuteye now, child. I’ll take first watch. And second, too, if it’s all the same to you. I have little use for sleep of late.” “Bad dreams,” said Beck. Tears had left clear trails on her grimy skin. “Not that,” said Topper. “It’s waking up and finding the nightmares are real that’s starting to bother me.” So Topper watched over Beck while she slept,

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curled on a plastic bedroll with a thin blanket drawn around her, leaving combat booted feet sticking out. Her gun lay beside her. On the left shoulder of Beck’s combat jacket, Topper could see the insignia of her fighting unit. At the top it said COALITION NORTHERN COMMAND. The overarching battle group headquartered in Denmark and Sweden, they operated against the K’thari forces on Earth4 throughout Europe. Beneath this was a stylized emblem of a white flower, a rose on a black background, part faded now with years of hard use and with dark gray stitches on one of the petals: XIII. Below the rose were the words “PALE RIDERS.” Subtle, thought Topper, and went back to stoking the fire and scanning the darkened street outside. There was no trouble in the night. In the morning, Topper was gone. Beck woke up in the shade of a fallen awning, with the sun casting harsh white squares on the floor beyond. She heard a gentle sound of metal on metal, moving away; enamel cup rattle against an old tea kettle. Beside her sleeping mat was a wax-paper bundle tied up with a red bootlace. Beck opened the package with care. Six packets of Demerara sugar and a collection of teabags. A note in neat script read: “You’ll need to find your own kettle of course. Two mugs in case one has company. Head west. There are people there. They don’t bite.”

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There was no signature, just a little drawing of something that looked a lot like a top hat. Beck gathered up her meagre belongings and began walking west. lll The dark vault of the shopping concourse was striped with feeble beams of early winter sun, slanting down in dusty columns through the still air. Two figures moved across the broad floor space, wending their way through shadows amid the gaudy painted wreckage of another world. One figure, the shorter of the two, stopped abruptly at a hexagonal concession stand, a dusty multi-colored box with grimy windows, full of empty shelves and mysterious equipment. “What’s candyfloss,” he said. “Or salt water taffy?” Sergeant Jellenko, in the lead, stopped and sighed and turned back. “Marky, how come you got so old and know so little?” “I’m only nine,” said Marky, a touch of trembling hurt in his voice. “I was your age,” said Jellenko, “I was running Last Check and scoring high on the Fire Range down at D-section.” Jellenko raised her rifle for emphasis. A short-barrelled fat thing Big Science called Experimental Weapon Twelve. Small caliber, low velocity, low recoil. Just the thing for children at war. Jellenko called it the Needler. She had decided to cover up the kidstuff paint job. “How old are you now?” said Marky. “Sixteen next birthday, thanks for asking,” said Jellenko. “Raggedy edge.” “What do you mean?” Marky had a question for every answer. “This is what I’m talking about,” said Jellenko. “Let’s keep it moving. Stick to routine.” Marky scampered after her, deeper into the darkness of the abandoned mall. Away from the relative safety of the underground hives and habitations. Further into No-land. “The trouble with you clockwork refugees is that you don’t get out and see the world.” They were entering a narrow tunnel now, a downslope leading to the watch post and the gate. “Clockwork?” said Marky. “What we call you hiders in the Deadground,” said

A Soldier’s Story Jellenko. “You got your low-tech tricks and traps, good food stores, not a lot of people and little need for extended hunting and gathering. No reason to go outside for most of you.” “Only five families,” said Marky. “Ain’t seen so many people at once until I got here.” “There it is,” said Jellenko. “It’s like that joke about Titanic survivors. Have to be a small kid in a big air pocket near the kitchens, yeah?” Marky frowned. “What’s a Titanic?” Jellenko snorted. “Kids these days. No sense of history, that’s the trouble. You got to get yourself an education. Spend some quality time down in the class-tombs.” “That’s why I’m with you,” said Marky. “Because you’re a mental.” Jellenko’s laugh was short and sharp, with an echo bounce of the narrowing walls. “It’s pronounced mentor, kid. Mentor.” They were nearing the end of the tunnel, nearing the 10-ft.-high blast door between here and the watch post. “Means I get you squared away. Make sure you don’t stay dumb enough to get yourself killed. More important, don’t get me killed. I’m here to show you the ropes. You following me?” “What are the ropes for?” “We use them to haul open the outside gate,” said Jellenko, and unhitched the lock mechanism in the center of the door. Beyond, a zig-zag stretch of sandbagged corridor, low-lit with red emergency lights. Jellenko re-secured the locks and moved off slowly, Marky trailing in her wake. “We got a gather party coming in. Impossible Five providing security. They’re overdue. Might be nothing, could be something. You never know,” said Jellenko. “You mean the monsters got ‘em?” the tremble was back in Marky’s voice. Jellenko shrugged. “That’s the risk you take going outside.” She saw that Marky’s pace was slowing to a crawl. “No worries though. Monsters are easy meat when you got a good crew with you. Safe as houses.” Marky’s voice was loud in the dim maze of corridor: “I’d like to kill me some monsters.” “That’s the fighting spirit, kid.” Jellenko smiled.

“I reckon you kill them in the daytime, they aren’t around to haunt your dreams at night.” Marky’s reply was lost in the rattle of mechanical alarms, a heavy clatter jangle of bells on the walls around them. In the distance, an air-raid siren wailed a long plaintive note. “What’s that?” shouted Marky. “I think the lesson’s begun,” said Jellenko, and started running. lll Jellenko provides cover while the scouts are moving up on her right, hustling the grown-up gatherers along the thin winding trail to the gate. She left Marky back in the watch house. Seeing this close up might be too much of an education for a first day. Impossible Five got hit out by Red Corner, bringing back a full load of food and supplies, marshaling the grown-ups pushing heavy, squeaking shopping carts. A bad scene all around. At least they had gotten in sight of the gate. A few wounded and lost, but the main problem was speed. The carts are slow, the monsters are fast. Jellenko rushed out to assist, and now she is 100 yards or so from the gate, helping out the Impossible Five rear guard while the main body is charging ahead at a pace that would make molasses look energetic. If this went on they would have to dump the kit and run. A wasted trip and wasted lives. Further forward to Jellenko’s right, a huddled clump of scouts hunkers behind some tumbled concrete blocks and took wild pot shots down range. Jellenko stands tall, braced on a half collapsed wall of red brick, Needler rifle at the ready, sighting on the lead Zip-zap bouncing along the trail. It looks like a big stupid old dog, but with shiny metal teeth all grim and grinning. Just breathe, Jellenko reminds herself, and squeeze. The gun jammed. Jellenko works the action on her rifle as the Zipzaps bound on. The scouts to her right are still firing blind. The main column behind her is losing grown-ups fast to the Bad Energy washing up the Narrows. Everyone is jumbling together as the Impossible Five shooters

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A Soldier’s Story with the group start unslinging their rifles, start dealing with grown-ups stumbling into the line of fire. The Zip-zaps are nearly on Jellenko and nothing would stop those shining teeth. Let this be a lesson to you, Marky, she thinks. Then she hears a clatter of loose stones and gravel just upslope and left of her position. She turns to look. A lone figure is stumble-running down the steep incline. It’s a female figure dressed up in frayed black. She reaches flatter ground, stepping quick through the broken-down rusted tangles of old, decayed machinery. She’s moving at a half-crouch, weapon raised and heading straight for Jellenko. “Stay low,” she says, and starts firing. The muzzle of her long black rifle is lost in searing bright flashes, heavy thunder slamming off the steep sides of the Narrows as the woman advances. She’s down on one knee and taking single aimed shots, turning side to side and constantly scanning the world ahead. Jellenko turns to look, down the Narrows, back toward the monsters, watching them being torn apart by the heavy hand of death. Suddenly there’s silence. Then scuffles and yelps are heard in the distance. More monsters on the way. The stranger is shouting now. Not at Jellenko, across her toward the scouts. Indicating strong points and defenses. Just like an instructor. “You three. Left by the fallen down fridge. You two. Right. There near the dead car.” Everyone is following her orders. Jellenko is close enough to read a gray cloth badge on the stranger’s jacket pocket: BECK. And she is old, so very old, thinks Jellenko. Like 19 or 20 at least. Definitely a Crazer. No question. “Here they come,” Beck shouts. “Watch and shoot,” Beck raises her rifle to her shoulder again. “50 yards and closing. Watch and shoot!” lll The kid beside Beck, a skinny blonde girl who looked about 14, sorted out the stoppage and got back in the fight. She had a steady hand and a good eye, hitting stuff Beck hadn’t even spotted yet. The monsters had no tactics. They just ran into the guns until they were all dead. It did not take long. Some of the kids hung about for a while, trying not to stare at Beck, risking sidelong glances and glimpses,

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looking wary and relieved and maybe a bit lost. Then they hustled back to the grown-ups and the traffic-jam of shopping trolleys and started herding everything up trail to a wide and high metal gate. “Thanks for the assist,” said the blonde girl. She was wearing sergeant stripes and a name tag: Jellenko. “No trouble,” said Beck. “Mind if I take a look at your rifle, Sergeant Jellenko?” “No trouble,” said Jellenko, and handed it over carefully, receiving Beck’s rifle in exchange. “Geez, this is serious weight,” said Jellenko, holding the weapon awkwardly in both hands. “Special Ops M4,” said Beck. “I’d prefer a heavier round but the 5.56mm ammunition is easier to find. Does the job real well. That’s all you can ask for.” Jellenko nodded. Jellenko’s rifle was compact, plastic light, and recently painted black. Stars and wide stripes could still be discerned beneath the paint job. When Beck checked the magazine she saw rounds that looked more like stubby knitting needles than real bullets. Beck handed it back. “Does the job,” said Jellenko. “Can’t ask for more,” said Beck. “I best be going. Looks like you got stuff under control here.” “You don’t want to come in and meet the higher-ups? Some Big Science types would prolly like a word …” Beck shook her head. “Not really my thing. Troubled loner, you know?” she smiled. Jellenko nodded. “Gotcha. They ask a lot of dumb questions anyway. Best avoided.” “Need to make some more miles before nightfall. Maybe swing north.” “There’s a research station about 20 klicks that way, near the turnpike. Not a lot of people. Friendly folk though. Tell them I sent you they’ll give you a hot meal and a place to bed down,” said Jellenko. “Least we can do for you.” “Don’t have any lemons, do you?” said Beck. “No, sorry. Is that … important?” “Just a thought,” said Beck, smiling. “Good to meet you Jellenko.” “Stay safe, soldier,” said Jellenko. Beck threw up a salute and stepped off. Heading back upslope and into the wilderness and silence. Back on the broken road.

4: Rules

R

oleplaying games (RPGs) are, by their very nature, elaborate games of make believe. We’ve been playing them since we were children – pretending to be cowboys and Indians, astronauts or our favorite super hero. As we grow older, these stories have gotten more complex, and the characters we play have grown more interesting, but it’s still all about putting yourself in the shoes of someone whose life is more exciting, exotic or dangerous. Novels, movies and television are other common outlets for this desire. People can lose themselves in the universes created by Hollywood and identify with characters that leap off the written page. A compelling story can transport you to distant places, unexpected situations and even through time. Unlike books and film, RPGs allow you to create the story yourself and dictate the actions of the characters. It is similar to a television series where you and your friends get to be the writers, actors and director. This is a collaborative process in which the players and the gamemaster (GM) react to the actions of one another, building and evolving the story as they go along. As with all games, there must be rules. This is especially important for a game fueled primarily through imagination. In an RPG, rules let you know if you can accomplish something and help to simulate the shared reality of your story. They make sure everyone is on a level playing field and keep the game moving along. Think back to your childhood and the arguments that may have come up when you were pretending to be a spy — did you hit the double agent when you shot at them, could you resist the knockout gas, did you dodge the laser beams, could you defuse the bomb in time, etc … Rules let you answer these questions. More importantly, they let you fairly answer these questions differently for different characters. Broken Rooms uses the Momentum Roleplaying System to determine the outcome of actions.

It is a flexible system that values ease of use over realism and complexity. As its name implies, it values moving the story forward by keeping the game mechanics to a minimum.

Rolling Dice (or not) Often, the Momentum system uses dice to determine the outcome of an action. However, a dice roll shouldn’t be made unless necessary. A player doesn’t need to make a roll to perform common, routine, or unimportant actions. If the story depends upon the outcome of a particular action, or if failure would have serious consequences, then a roll should be made. When this occurs, it is called an Action Check. For example, picking a lock would not require an Action Check if the character has plenty of time to accomplish it. However, if he needs to pick the same lock in the middle of a gunfight or has to do it quickly before a security guard returns, it would require a check. Everyday or mundane tasks, such as driving a car, spotting your friend across the street, turning on a normal computer, cleaning up a scratch and bandaging it are all examples of actions that would not require an Action Check.

Action Checks The Momentum system uses a dice pool of 12-sided dice (d12) for Action Checks. A success is gained for each d12 that is equal to or greater than the target number. Both the number of dice in the Action Check and the target number depend on the action being taken. The number of dice is based on a character’s Attribute, while the Target Number is based on his Skill — or lack thereof. This means that different characters will have different Actions Checks for the same actions. Depending on the difficulty of the action, more than one success may be required. All Action Checks consist of the following steps. The concepts involved are described in more detail later in the chapter.

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Rules 1. Describe the action. This will determine the Difficulty Level of the check and which Attribute is being used. If a Skill is being used, the character’s Skill Level will determine the Target Number needed for a success. If no Skill is being used, a Target Number of 10 is used by default. 2. Roll the dice. The number of d12s rolled is based on the Attribute being used plus or minus any applicable modifiers (Qualities, gear, etc.). Momentum can be spent to gain automatic successes or extra dice (depending on the type of roll). 3. Count the successes. Every d12 equal to or greater than the Target Number is a success. 4. Generate Momentum. If two of the d12 add up to exactly 13, you have generated a point of Momentum. Multiple points of Momentum can be generated. These can either be banked for future use or used immediately to make a Momentum Roll. 5. Make Momentum Rolls (optional, repeating). If Momentum was generated and additional successes are needed (or desired), a Momentum Roll can be made. This is done by rolling 2d12. If either of the dice is equal to or greater than the Target Number, another success has been gained. If the two dice add up to exactly 13, you have generated another point of Momentum, which can either be banked or used to make another Momentum Roll. This cycle can repeat indefinitely. 6. Activate Successes (Meridian Checks only). When using a Meridian, each success must be activated by spending a point of Momentum. This can come from newly generated Momentum or previously banked Momentum. 7. Determine Outcome. Depending on the number of successes needed to achieve the action and the number generated by the Action Roll, the outcome can vary. It can range from a critical failure to an exceptional success, with varying degrees of failure and success in between. Example: Harry is examining a makeshift bridge to see if it is stable enough for his truck to drive across. The GM determines that this will be an Average (1) difficulty, which means Harry will need to get one success on his Action Check to succeed. Harry has a Mind of 3 and a Tradecraft Skill at Trained (8+).

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He decides not to spend a point of Momentum and just roll — getting a 1, 4 and 9. This gives him the one success he needed, and also generated one point of Momentum. He banks the point of Momentum for future use. The GM tells him it looks like the supports won’t hold.

Difficulty Level As described earlier, an Action Check should only be made when it helps to drive the story or failure would have real consequences. This means that most actions will not require an Action Check. With that in mind, most tasks a normal human would attempt only require one or two successes to accomplish. However, the Nearside will often require characters to accomplish some tasks that are more complex or difficult. The GM determines the difficulty of an action. These are described in Broken Rooms in the following way: “Climbing the cliff is Daunting (3).” The number of successes required appears in parentheses after the Difficulty Level. Skill Difficulty

Successes Needed

Easy

0

Average

1

Challenging

2

Daunting

3

Formidable

4

Ridiculous

5

Easy — 0 Successes Needed These actions are simple to perform and have no ingame consequences. They are tasks that millions of people perform every day. They are routine, and can be accomplished without really thinking about it. Examples: Jumping off a curb, solving a child’s riddle, buying a girl a drink, turning on a computer, lifting a shoebox, taking an aspirin. There is no such thing as an Easy (0) Meridian Check. Average — 1 Success Needed These actions are the most common. They can sometimes be accomplished even by those with no skill or training. Those who do have the proper training would dismiss these actions as simple to perform. If it were

Broken Rooms

Rules not for the story or possible consequences of failure, these tasks would not require an Action Check. Examples: Jumping across a creek, solving a crossword puzzle, picking up a girl at a bar, learning a new computer program, lifting a heavy box, treating poison ivy. An Average (1) Meridian Check is typically inwardly directed or has little perceptible effect on reality. These effects can only affect the world in superficial ways. They produce results similar to that which can be gained from a simple piece of equipment (hammer, magnifying glass, etc.) or by someone without training and/or minimal effort. A non-Nearsider should not notice these effects. Challenging — 2 Successes Needed With the right training, or enough luck, these tasks are not beyond the capabilities of most people. The typical person will rarely need to perform such actions, which would be considered real challenges. Nearsiders will find themselves facing these tasks more frequently, but they still require the proper training for success. Examples: Jumping across rooftops, breaking a code, seducing a stranger, hacking into a computer, setting a broken bone. A Challenging (2) Meridian Check can create small but noticeable effect on reality. These effects can affect the world in simple, but straightforward ways. The can produce results similar to those that can be gained from common tools (microscope, soldering iron, etc.) or by someone with training and hard work. A non-Nearsider should be able to easily explain away these effects as natural phenomenon or coincidences A Challenging (2) Difficulty is the maximum effect a Nearsider can achieve with his third Meridian. Daunting — 3 Successes Needed These actions are usually only attempted in the movies and by Nearsiders. Olympic athletes, worldrenowned scientists and highly trained super spies are the only non-Nearsiders capable of accomplishing these tasks on a regular basis. Most characters will find such actions beyond their abilities and may fail as often as they succeed.

Examples: Jumping though an open window from another building’s rooftop, breaking a code in a foreign language, seducing someone of the opposite sexual orientation, breaking into a government website, performing an emergency tracheotomy. A Daunting (3) Meridian Check can create strong effects that are measurable and within the realms of possibility. These effects can affect the world in significant (typically strong but uncomplicated) ways. They can produce results similar to those that can be gained from everyday technology (computers, cameras, etc.) or by several people with expertise and maximum effort. These are the most potent effects that a non-Nearsider could still believe as naturally occurring. A Daunting (3) Difficulty is the maximum effect a Nearsider can achieve with his second Meridian. Formidable — 4 Successes Needed These are tasks that a character will only consider when there are no other options. Although within the realm of possibility, only the very lucky and very skilled have any chance of success. Non-Nearsiders who attempt these are almost certainly doomed to fail. Even Nearsiders should say a prayer before attempting one of these tasks. Examples: Leaping from a helicopter onto a moving car, breaking a code in a dead language, seducing your enemy’s loyal wife or henchman, writing a computer virus to infect a foreign operating

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Rules system, amputating a limb with a pocket knife. A Formidable (4) Meridian Check can create effects that break or bend reality. These effects can have an impact on the world in powerful and complicated ways. They can produce results similar to those that can be gained from advanced technology (artificial intelligence, medical diagnostics, etc.) or the work produced by machinery. These effects are so blatant that non-Nearsiders would perceive them as magic or supernatural. Ridiculous — 5 or More Successes Needed These are actions that no character should attempt, let alone have a chance of accomplishing successfully. But thanks to Momentum, the impossible can become possible. These are once-in-a-lifetime actions that legends are made of. Non-Nearsiders cannot accomplish these actions. Examples: Leaping from an airplane and landing on another plane without a parachute, breaking a code in an alien language with a pencil, seducing your arch-enemy, writing your own operating system from scratch on a smart phone, reattaching a limb.

A Ridiculous (5+) Meridian Check can create effects that have a profound impact on reality. These effects can affect the world in incredibly potent and sophisticated ways. They can produce results that cannot be gained from existing technology or replicated through human effort. A non-Nearsider should look upon these effects with awe and disbelief.

Levels of Success (and Failure) In Broken Rooms there are varying degrees of success (and failure). Ranging from a critical failure to an exceptional success, Action Checks do not always provide a simple yes or no answer to a character’s attempts. Critical Failure Also known as a botch, a critical failure occurs when an Action Check generates no successes and only 1s and 2s are rolled. This results not only in the action failing, but also in some kind of additional setback or negative consequence for the character. It is up to the GM to determine what this is, but it could include things like: l A gun jamming l Accidentally insulting someone l Tripping or falling l Recalling a fact incorrectly Example 1: Jess wants to fix a car, but rolls a 1, 1, 2 when using her Technical Skill (3d@10+). This results in her not only failing to repair the car, but she also pulls out a part and isn’t sure how to put it back. This will increase the difficulty of future repairs. Example 2: Paul is trying to gain information at a seedy bar. He rolls a 2, 2, 2, 2 when using his Streetwise Concentration (4d@9+). Not only does he not get the information he needs, but he has unknowingly broached a taboo subject and turned the bar against him. Example 3: Caitlin is chasing someone across some rooftops and must leap across an alley. She rolls a 1, 2, 2 when using her Athletics Skill (3d@8+). Not only does she not jump far enough to make the next roof, but she has tripped and is diving headfirst into the side of the opposite building. Failure A failure occurs when an Action Check generates no successes, but manages to include at least one die greater than 2. A failure results in the character simply

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Rules failing at what they’ve attempted. There might still be negative consequences, but they are the natural result of failure. Example 1: Jess attempts to fix a car, but rolls a 1, 5, 6 on her Technical Skill. She failed and cannot get the car to run, but she is no worse shape than when she started. Example 2: Paul tries to get information, but rolls a 4, 5, 6, 6 on his Streetwise Concentration. He failed to gather the information he needed, but has not worsened his situation. Example 3: Caitlin tries to leap across some rooftops, but rolls a 3, 7, 7 on her Athletics Skill. She failed to clear the alley. The GM gives her a Body Defense Check to grip the edge of the opposite roof, otherwise she will plummet to the ground. Partial Success If the player does not get enough successes to achieve their intended goal, but has at least some successes, he has achieved a partial success. The GM is encouraged to inconvenience the character and leave them in a situation where he can have a second try. For example: Malcolm is sneaking across downtown rooftops. He comes to a wide gap between two buildings and decides to jump across it. The GM decides that this is a Challenging (2) task. Malcolm makes an Athletics Check, but only achieves one success. The GM decides the single success means that Malcolm nearly made it and is now hanging by his fingertips from the edge of the rooftop. He will be able to pull himself up the next round, if he can succeed at his next Athletics check ... Success A success occurs when an Action Check generates the needed number of successes, but has not exceeded it by three. This means a player has met the Difficulty Level exactly, rolled one extra success or rolled two extra successes. Regardless, the task is performed successfully and has achieved the desire outcome. The one or two additional successes should be taken into consideration when describing the out-

come. They show that they character has performed the task better than expected, but should not provide any additional benefits or immediate advantages. It is important to also note that these additional successes could be important when making an opposed or extended Action Check. Example 1: Jess needs to repair her car that broke down on the side of the road. To get it up and running well enough to make it to the next town is an Average (1) Technical check. l She rolls and gets 1 success. She was able fix the problem. The car runs but is on its last legs and makes a clunking sound. l She rolls and gets 2 successes. She was able to fix the problem and figure out that it was with the transmission. It runs a little quieter and will make it past the next town. l She rolls and gets 3 successes. She has fixed the problem completely and will not need additional repairs. The car runs smoothly. Example 2: Paul wants to get some information from the bartender at a seedy bar. To find out what he needs to know, he needs to make Challenging (2) Gather Information: Streetwise check. l He rolls and gets 2 successes. He is able to find out the name and location of a local fence. l He rolls and gets 3 successes. He not only gets the name and location of a local fence, but also learns that he is a sucker for pretty women — especially blondes. l He rolls and gets 4 successes. He gets the whole lowdown on the local fence, including the fact that he is currently in the market for some ammunition, and he has a sawed-off shotgun under the counter. Exceptional Success An exceptional success occurs when an Action Check generates three more successes than it needs. The character has not only achieved the outcome desired, but she has also gained an additional advantage above and beyond the task at hand. The exact nature of this advantage is at the GM’s discretion, but could include some of the following: l Critically injuring a target l Surreptitiously making a friend

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Rules l Moving with extra panache or speed l Gaining unusual insight When making an opposed check, 4 Net Successes are needed to get an Exceptional Success. Example 1: Julie gets 4 successes when she tries to fix her car with an Average (1) Technical check. She not only fixes the problem, she also modifies the car for better handling. Example 2: Paul gets 5 successes when trying to get information with a Challenging (2) Gather Information check. He not only gets all the information he needs, but he and the barkeep are both lifelong fans of a sports team and become friends.

Types of Action Checks There are several kinds of Action Checks, although they are all resolved using the steps described above. The main difference among them is what Skill is used to determine the Target Number (if any) and what Attribute is used to determine the number of d12 to roll. Skill Check — This is used when the character is using a Skill or Concentration. Attribute Check — This is used when a Skill is not applicable, but the character is still attempting an action. Defense Check — This is used when trying to avoid or resist damage. Meridian Check — This is used when using a Meridian effect. The Target Number is based upon the Meridian Skill. The attribute used is always Depth. Unlike a Standard Action Check, each success must be activated with Momentum in order to count. Initiative Check — This is used to determine who goes first in combat. Only 2d are rolled. See the combat chapter for more detail (page 155). Skill Checks The most common Action Check in Broken Rooms is the Skill Check. Whenever a character attempts a task, it will likely be covered by a Skill. When an action is attempted, a character should use a Concentration whenever possible, as it will have a lower target number than the Skill. If the character does not possess the Skill or Concentration needed, the default Target Number is 10 (Unfamiliar). Example: There is a river that the characters must swim across.

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Quincy has the Swimming Concentration at Trained (8+), which falls within the Athletics Skill. Athletics is only at Familiar (9+), so he uses the Swimming Concentration and has a Target Number of 8. Martha only has Athletics at Familiar (9+), so her Target Number will be 9. Jim doesn’t even have the Athletics Skill, so his Target Number is 10. Skills are not intrinsically linked to a specific Attribute. Rather, they are linked to the Attribute that works best for the action in question. This allows a single Skill to be used in multiple ways without a reduction in Skill Level. It also creates some degree of overlap among Skills, allowing players to excel in areas their characters are focused on without purchasing multiple Skills. Example 1: Jim has the Athletics Skill at Trained (8+). He has Body 4 and Mind 3. To climb up a rope would be Body and Athletics. He would roll 4d@8+. To remember a sports fact would be Mind and Athletics. He would roll 3d@8+. Example 2: Kim has Marksmanship at Professional (7+). She has Body 5, Mind 4 and Soul 3. To shoot a gun at someone would be Body and Marksmanship. She would roll 5d@7+. To repair a rifle would be Mind and Marksmanship. She would roll 4d@7+. To see if she knows any local gunsmiths would be Soul and Marksmanship. She would roll 3d@7+. Attribute Checks An Attribute Check occurs when an action does not fall within a Skill. This should be an infrequent occurrence, as most actions can be covered by a Skill. When an Attribute check is made, simply use the related Attribute to determine the number of d12s to roll with a Target Number of 10. Like any Action Check, this can be affected by Qualities and other modifiers. Some characters may have a Concentration that relates to the task at hand. If so, they are able to use that Concentration’s Target Number in lieu of the default Target Number of 10. It is up to the players to suggest Concentrations they possess that could be used in place of the Attribute Check. Example: The characters need to memorize a se-

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Rules quence of numbers. The gamemaster tells the players to make a Mind Check. Frank has Mind 3, so he makes a 3d@10+ Action Check. Susan has Mind 4, but has Science: Mathematics at Professional (7), which the GM allows her to use. She makes a 4@7+ Action Check. Defense Checks A Defense Check is very similar to an Attribute Check, but it typically happens reflexively. When a character is informed that they need to make a Mind, Body or Soul Defense Check, they must make an Action Check with a default Target Number of 10. A character can use an applicable Skill or Concentration’s Target Number if it is below 10. Defense Checks are often used in opposed checks and during combat, so getting as many successes as possible is important. Sometimes there

will be a Target Number needed (such as when resisting poison) and other times, they will be trying to get more successes than someone else trying to harm or influence them. Like any Action Check, this can be affected by Qualities and other modifiers. A GM can always just use the generic Attribute name when asking for a Defense Check, but sometimes it is nice to be more descriptive so that is easier to understand what Skills or Qualities might be applicable to the check. Here are common Defense Checks: l Endurance Check (Body) — Used to overcome fatigue. l Dodge Check (Body) — Used to get out of the way of something. l Tolerance Check (Body) — Used to ignore pain and avoid suffering action penalties. l Recall Check (Mind) — Used to remember facts. l Focus Check (Mind) — Used to ignore distractions. l Wits Check (Mind) — Used to avoid confusion and combat mind control. l Willpower Check (Soul) — Used to overcome temptation. l Composure Check (Soul) — Used to keep or regain composure in the face of traumatic situations. l Bravery Check (Soul) — Used to resist fear and retain morale. Example 1: Jeff has a Body 3 and just been drugged. He must make a Challenging (2) Tolerance Check of 3d@10+ to avoid passing out. Example 2: Someone is trying to fast talk Heath, who has the Deception Skill at Trained (8+) and Mind 4. He rolls Mind and Deception (4d@8+) to try to see through the ruse. If he did not have the Skill, he would have made a Wits Check of 4d@10+. Example 3: Someone is trying to seduce Kelly. She has Soul 4, so she would make a Willpower Check of 4d@10+ versus her seducer’s Interpersonal: Seduction check. Meridian Checks As the name suggests, a Meridian Check is made when a Nearsider attempts to use one of his Meridians. Arguably the strangest types of Action Check in

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Rules Broken Rooms, Meridian Checks require Momentum to be successful, and always use Depth instead of the other Attributes. Determining the difficulty of a Meridian Check can be one of the most difficult parts of the game, but becomes easier with practice. Reality bending effects simply aren’t as easy to comprehend and can’t be compared to normal actions. Meridian Check Difficulty

Description

Easy (0)

Not possible

Average (1) Challenging (2) Daunting (3)

Inward or imperceptible effect on reality Small but measurable effect on reality A definite and noticeable change in reality

Formidable (4)

Effects that break or bend reality

Ridiculous (5)

Effects that have profound effects on reality

When using a Meridian, the character uses a specific Concentration within his Meridian Skill to determine the Target Number. As he advances, he will be able to improve these individual Concentrations. Unlike other Skills, which use a different Attribute depending on how the Skill is being used, A Meridian check always uses Depth. A character’s Depth slowly improves as he gains more Distance. Example: Hank’s Prime Meridian is Reading. He also has the Breaking Meridian. He has increased the Reading Concentration within the Meridian Skill to Trained (8+), but has not improved the Breaking Concentration. If he tried to read someone’s mind (using the Reading power), the Target Number would be 8. If he tried to cause a window to shatter (using the Breaking power), the Target Number would be 10. Meridian Checks can still be modified like other Action Checks. Skill synergies and Qualities are the most likely way to affect the number of dice rolled. Example: Jake’s Depth is 3 and his Meridian Skill is Unfamiliar (10+) with no Concentrations. When he uses his Prime Meridian (Juicing), his normal roll is 3d@10+. However, he has a Prime Quality called Generator that gives him an extra 1d when trying to act like a battery, so he would roll 4d@10+. Each potential success generated by a Meridian Check must be activated (or fueled) with Momentum. If

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the character does not have the Momentum to activate the success, it does not count as a success. A character can use Momentum banked prior to the check and any Momentum generated during the Action Check for this purpose. Meridian Checks cannot be attempted if the character has no banked Momentum. Example: Hank wants to use his Mending power to fix a broken computer. The GM tells him it is a Challenging (2) effect, requiring two successes. He has four Momentum and rolls the two needed successes. He uses two of his Momentum to fuel the successes. He fixes the computer and is left with two points of Momentum. Hank later wants to reattach a freshly severed finger. The GM tells him it is a Major (3) effect, requiring three successes. He only has two points of Momentum banked, but decides to try anyway, hoping to generate the extra point of Momentum during the Meridian Check. More help in understanding Meridian Checks can be found in the Meridian Chapter on page 117. Initiative Checks This check is used to determine the order of combat. The character simply rolls 2d and adds either his Mind or Body, whichever is higher. The total is his initiative score. Like other checks, the character is able to apply Qualities and generate Momentum. Momentum rolls do not generate successes during Initiative Checks. Rather, the character adds the higher of the two dice to his total. Example: Corey’s character has Body of 5 and the Catlike Reflexes Quality, which she decides to use. She rolls 3d and gets a 6, 7 and 12 — this totals 25 and generates a point of Momentum. She decides to make a Momentum Roll to make sure she goes first, and rolls a 2 and 3. She adds the 3 to her previous total along with the 5 from her Body. Her final initiative is 33.

Momentum Whenever a Nearsider makes an Action Check, Momentum may be generated. This is a mechanism that represents a Nearsider’s potential and ability to accomplish tasks that most people cannot. A success

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Rules generated via Momentum is the same as a normally rolled success and can be used to create exceptional successes.

Generating Momentum Each time that 2d can be paired to equal exactly 13, a Nearsider has generated a point of Momentum. Multiple points of Momentum can be gained from a single Action Check. Dice can count as a success and also be used to generate Momentum. However, each die can only be paired once to gain Momentum. Example 1: Heather punches a thug. She uses her Unarmed Combat Skill (4d@10+). She rolls a 1, 6, 7, 12 — getting one success and two points of Momentum (1+12=13 and 6+7=13). Example 2: She decides to hit him the next round. This time she rolls a 4, 9, 9, 10 — getting one success and only one point of Momentum. The 4 can only be used with one of the 9s to equal 13. Once a point of Momentum is generated, there are two things you can do with it: 1. Cash in the Momentum for an immediate Momentum Roll. This option is useful when additional successes are needed in the Action Check or the character already has his maximum amount of Momentum banked. It allows a player to immediately roll an additional 2d. 2. Bank the Momentum for future use. This option is useful when the character already has his needed successes or wants to replenish his Momentum for future Action Checks or to fuel Distance Powers.

Momentum Roll A Momentum Roll consists of 2d — these are separate and distinct from the dice rolled in the original Action Check. If either of the two dice is higher than the target number, an additional success is generated. If both dice are higher than the target number, there is still only one additional success generated by the Momentum Roll. Momentum Rolls during Initiative Checks are slightly different. Rather than possibly gaining a success, the highest die is simply added to the initiative total.

If these 2d equal 13, another point of Momentum is generated and can used to make another Momentum Roll or be banked for future use. This cycle can continue indefinitely. Momentum Rolls cannot generate a botch. Example: Susan makes an Intrusion Check (4d@10+) and gets 1, 5, 8, 12, generating two points of Momentum. Because she only rolled one success, she decides to make two Momentum Rolls. The first comes up 2 and 5, so no additional successes or Momentum is gained. The second comes up 3 and 10, generating one more success and one more point of Momentum. She uses the point of Momentum to make a third Momentum Roll, getting 11 and 12. This produces one more success, as she only uses the higher of the two Momentum dice to check for successes. She ends her Action Check with 3 successes.

Banking Momentum The maximum amount of Momentum that a Nearside can store is equal to twice his Distance. This banked Momentum can be used to influence future Action Checks and fuel Meridian Check successes. Example 1: Barry needs to sneak past some guards, so he makes a Stealth Action Check at 5d@8+. He rolls a 5, 8, 8, 9, 11, getting 4 successes and 1 Momentum. Because he already has so many successes, he decides to save the Momentum for future use. Influencing Action Rolls Nearsiders can spend banked Momentum to increase their chances at succeeding in an Action Check. Dur-

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Rules ing most Action Checks, each point of Momentum spent can be used to either gain an automatic success or gain an additional d12 to roll. The maximum amount of Momentum that be spent influencing a single Action Check is the character’s Depth or the Attribute being used in the check, whichever is lower. The limit does not apply to Momentum spent to activate successes for a Meridian Check. At least 1d must be rolled during an Action Check. Automatic Successes Before the roll, a Nearsider can spend Momentum to gain automatic successes. For every point of Momentum spent, one automatic success is gained and 1d is removed from the dice pool. This means that the number of automatics successes is limited by the character’s Depth and the number of dice in the original pool. Obviously, if only one die is rolled, the character cannot generate Momentum. Example: Julie has a Depth of 3, a Soul of 3 and Body of 5. If making a Body-based Athletics check, she could only purchase 3 automatic successes (limited by Depth). If making a Soul-based Artistry check, she could only purchase 2 automatic successes (limited by needing 1d to roll). If enough automatic successes are purchased to succeed at the Action Check, the player can elect not to make the roll at all. It is impossible to get a critical failure if an automatic success has been purchased. Automatic successes cannot be purchased for Initiative or Meridian Checks. Extra Dice Instead of gaining a success, characters can elect to simply add another 1d to their dice pool. This both provides an extra opportunity to gain extra successes and improves the chances of replenishing Momentum. The number of extra dice added cannot exceed the Attribute involved in the Action Check. Extra dice can be purchase to increase the dice pool of an Initiative or Meridian Check. Only 2d can be added to an Initiative Check. Meridian Checks are limited by Depth. Example: Larry has a two points of Momentum left and needs to succeed at a Challenging (2) Merid-

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ian Check. His Depth is 3 and his Meridian Skill is at 10+. He decides to spend one of his points of Momentum to increase his roll to 4d@10+, hoping to get the two successes he need and generate at last one additional point of Momentum. He rolls and gets a 1, 7, 11 and 12 — he got his two successes and generated the extra point of Momentum needed to fuel his successes! Automatic successes and extra dice can be used on the same Action Check, but the amount of Momentum spent is still limited by the character’s Depth or attribute involved. Example: Frank has a Depth of 4 and Mind of 5. While attempting to disarm a bomb, he decides to use two points of Momentum to gain two automatic successes and two points of Momentum to replace the 2d lost from the automatic successes. He rolls his 5d like normal with two automatic successes already in the bag.

Types of Actions Basic Actions

When a character purposely tries to accomplish something that does not require a lot of time and cannot be opposed, it is a basic action. Basic actions require a single Action Check and must meet the action’s Difficulty in order to be successful. Although many actions occur almost instantaneously, some actions represent much longer durations of time — from a few minutes to weeks or months. Example: Alice wants to examine a corpse for clues, which the GM determines is an Average (1) difficulty check. She has an Intelligence of 4 and a Familiar (10+) Investigation Skill. She rolls 4d@10+ and gets a 2, 5, 7 and 10. She got the single success she needed and discovers the needle mark.

Opposed Actions Oftentimes, your character will be at odds with someone else when attempting an action. These opposed actions can include shooting someone with a gun, playing a game of chess, sneaking past a guard, seducing someone or even beating someone in a foot race. As you can see from the examples above, this action can range from a simple contest to life-and-death struggles. Depending on the complexity of the task and the nature of the story, there are different methods for pitting opponents against one another. The simplest of these opposed Action Checks involves a single roll by each character involved. Each

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character rolls the appropriate Action Check and whoever rolls the highest number of successes is the winner. This used for settle straightforward contests that will not see a lot of back and forth or drama. Sometimes both characters will make the same Action Check to see who is better at a particular task. This occurs frequently in direct competitions such as arm wrestling, singing in a karaoke contest, haggling on price or a playing a game of poker. When ties occur, the GM can either declare a draw or both sides can roll again. For example, Jim and Sheri’s characters are both climbing a rope to reach a platform. Each of them makes an Athletics check. Jim gets two successes, while Sheri only gets one. His character reaches the platform first. Other times, the characters will make Action Checks using different Skills. This typically happens when someone is trying to take an action against someone else — shooting them, sneaking past them, bluffing them, etc. It is up to the GM to determine the appropriate opposing Skill or Defense. These opposed checks typically have an initiator and a defender. For example, Suzie wants her character to sweet talk her way past a guard. She makes an Interpersonal check and her opponent makes a Soul Defense check. She rolls 3 successes and the guard only get 1 success. She manages to use her feminine wiles to charm the guard and get where she needs to go. If a tie occurs, the defender is typically declared the winner. The exception is when defending against a Meridian attack. Meridian attacks must be beaten to be resisted. If one side or the other botches, the side that did not botch is considered to have an additional Net Success in

regard to determining the outcome. There are occasions (such as combat), where it is not only important who won the contest, but to also know by how much. If you subtract the loser’s number of successes from the winner’s number of successes, you have Net Successes. The number of Net Successes is often used to help determine the effectiveness of an action — such as an attack’s damage, how much a price can be lowered, how believable a lie is, etc. Example 1: Julio tries to punch a gang member and makes a Personal Combat check. The gang member makes a Body Defense check to try to avoid the attack. Julio gets three successes and the gang member only gets one. Julio is successful with his punch with two Net Successes, causing two points of bargain. Example 2: Liz is trying to get a pawn broker to sell her a gun for less money. Both she and the pawn broker make a Interpersonal check. Liz gets two successes while the pawn broker gets three successes. The pawn broker actually has the Net Success and raises the price!

Extended Actions Sometimes actions are more time consuming or complicated and require multiple Action Rolls to complete. These are actions that often build upon themselves or need many small steps to complete. This can encompass very complex, expansive, exhausting or delicate tasks. Depending on the action attempted and the difficulty involved, the GM will determine a time frame that each Action Roll represents. The time frame can range from a single combat round to an entire month. As a general rule of thumb, an extended action multiplies the Action difficulty by three to five.

Optional Rule: Active vs. Passive Opponents

Sometimes fortune favors the bold. There are instances where the GM might want to let ties go to the character initiating the action. The most common instance of this is when the opponent is unaware that an opposed action is even taking place. A good example of this stealth. If a character is sneaking into a house (Stealth vs. Notice) and no one is expecting an intruder, ties could go to the sneaking character.

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Rules Example 1: Orlando wants to restore a car. The GM tells him it is Daunting (3), which would normally require three successes. He multiplies this by five, so Orlando needs 15 successes to restore the car. The GM also declares that each Action Roll will represent one week’s worth of effort. Example 2: Carla needs to hack into a computer terminal while a gunfight is going on. The GM determines that this is the equivalent of a Challenging (2) check, so he tells Carla she needs 10 successes. She can make an Action Roll once every combat turn.

Contests Sometimes, if an opposed action is lengthy or involved, the GM could require multiple opposed Action Checks — these extended opposed series of Action Checks are called contests. There are two kind kinds of contests that involve different levels of interaction between the opponents. These are called “the race” and “the chase.”

first person to get five successes using the Transportation Skill will be the winner. Example 2: Dave and Mary want to see who can run the farthest in an hour. Each Athletics check represents 15 minutes. The person with the highest number of successes after four checks is the winner.

The Race This contest is very similar to a standard opposed check, but the number of successes required is much higher. Each member of the contest makes an Action Check and tallies their successes. The first person to get or exceed the needed number of results is the winner — there is no comparison or calculation of Net Successes. In a slight variation, there could be a fixed number of rolls and whoever gets the most successes is considered the winner. Regardless of the method, race contest checks do not rely on direct interaction between characters — that is to say, they do not factor into one another’s success. These contests don’t have a difficulty, as such, but GMs can set the number of needed successes (or rolls) to prolong the contest and add drama. If one side is more skilled than the other, prolonged contests help to reduce the randomness of extremely lucky or unlucky dice rolls. Most race contests require between 6 and 10 successes or range between 3 and 5 rolls. Botches give the opponent an extra success in either case, while exceptional successes aren’t possible because there is no difficulty. Rolling lots of successes is its own reward in races. Example 1: Dave and Mary are in a drag race. The

The Chase In a chase contest, opponents are directly battling against one another and affecting the outcome of each opposed check. In the chase scenario, the winner of the contest is the first person to reach the targeted number of Net Successes. However, an opponent’s Net Successes subtracts from the other side’s total if they are behind. This can lead to a see-saw battle and is often used in battles of wit and chase scenes. The number of Net Successes needed to end a chase usually ranges between 3 and 7 depending on how long the contest should last. The larger the number, the less likely luck (instead of skill) will come into play. Botches give the opponent an extra success, while exceptional successes aren’t possible because there is no difficulty. Example: Gary is trying to hack into a computer system that is being monitored by the head of security. The GM determines that this is a cat-and-mouse game, and the first person to get three Net Successes wins. In the first round, Gary gets three successes while his opponent only gets one. Gary has 2 Net Successes. The next round, the head of security gets two successes while Gary only gets one. The head of security’s Net Success cancels out one of Gary’s previous Net Suc-

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Rules cesses and Gary now only has one of the three Net Successes he needs to gain access. This will continue until someone gains three Net Successes. A simpler version of the chase is to count victories instead of Net Successes. A victory is gained by the person with the most successes in each Action Roll. The winner of this chase scenario is the first person to get a preset number of victories. However, if an opponent is behind, his victory subtracts from the other side’s total. Botches give the opponent an extra victory. The number of victories needed to win a contest usually ranges between two and five, with three being the typical number used for a car chase. Using the same example above with the simplified chase method: Gary is trying to hack into a computer system that is being monitored by the head of security. The GM determines that the winner is the first person with two victories. In the first round, Gary gets three successes while his opponent only gets two. Gary gets a victory. The next round, the head of security gets two successes while Gary only gets one. The head of security’s victory cancels out Gary’s previous victory and the two are back to square one. This will continue until someone can accumulate two victories.

Modifiers Modifiers affect the character’s ability to perform an action, both for the good and the bad. They should not be confused with the difficulty of the actual task. While this may seem like two ways of saying the same thing, they are different. l An action’s difficulty is independent of the person(s) involved. No matter who attempts the action, the difficulty remains the same. l A modifier is something that helps or hinders the person(s) involved during a particular Action Roll. Modifiers either add or subtract dice to an Action Check. Depending on the severity of the modifier, this could be as many as 5d. The maximum number of bonus dice a character can receive on an Action Check is equal to the rank of the Attribute being used. Below are some more common modifiers characters will encounter.

Extended Actions and Interruptions

Some extended actions can result in partial successes, while some are “all or nothing.” It is up to the GM to determine what occurs (if anything) if an extended action is interrupted or incomplete. Some tasks will not be affected by an interruption, meaning that accumulated successes are not lost. When a character returns to the task, he can add more successes to his total. Examples include various Crafting checks, such as building or repairing something. Some tasks require constant attention; otherwise a character must start over. In such cases an interruption results in the loss of all accumulated successes and the character must start over. In some cases, failing to accumulate the required number of successes doesn’t mean total failure. Repairing a vehicle may require 6 successes, but even if 4 are gained, the vehicle might still work, just not well. In this example, since the repair was missed by 2 successes, the GM might apply a -1d penalty to all Action Checks involving the vehicle.

Synergy / Teamwork Sometimes a character will have multiple Skills that can apply to same situation. This is called synergy and will add 1d to an Action Check if the character is at least Familiar (9+) with one of the involved Skills (or Concentrations) and at least Trained (8+) with the other. The Action Check should be made using the best Target Number. Characters can also gain help from others, typically because they share the Skill and can provide new insights, perspective or manpower. For each person (up to 2) who can provide aid, an additional 1d can be added to the Action Check. If a specific Skill is involved, the additional aid must have the Skill (or Concentration) at Trained (8+) or better. Example: Julie needs to figure out where she is based on the night sky. She has Orienteering at 9+ and Astronomy at 8+. Because they both can be helpful, she is able to make an Astronomy check with a +1d bonus. Example: Fionna has a Body of 4 and needs to lift a heavy iron gate, requiring a Body Check. She has two people helping her lift it. It doesn’t require a specific Skill, so she adds 2d and rolls 6d@10+ instead of 4d.

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Rules Time

Gear

The most common modifier is the time crunch — trying to perform an action that normally takes a lot of time in a compressed time frame. When this happens, the character suffers a 1d penalty for a moderate rush and a 2d penalty for hurrying to meet a severe deadline. The flip side of this — taking more time than necessary — is usually a reduction in difficulty. A character who takes his time can sometimes alleviate the need for an Action Check altogether. Example 1: Erin needs to fix the airplane before it crashes into the ground. This is only a Challenging (2) repair that could be accomplished by most mechanics if the plane were one the ground. But due to the rushed circumstances, she will need to make her Technical check at 3d instead of 5d. Example 2: Darren received a strange message that would normally be a Challenging (2) check to decode. He decides to take his time and spend an entire day on it. The GM decides to reduce the difficulty to Average (1).

Actions that require special equipment do not gain a bonus for simply having that equipment. Rather, you are penalized for not having it. There some instances where possessing high-quality gear will provide a bonus, but it must be approved by the GM. l Not having the necessary gear: -1d l Having necessary gear: 0d l Having high-quality gear: +1d l Having extremely high-quality gear: +2d Example 1: Karen needs to disguise herself. She doesn’t have a disguise kit, make-up or wigs, so she has to make do with some clothes from a secondhand shop. Instead of a 3d check, she must now make a 2d check. Example 2: Iris wants to draw a portrait. She has a set of high-quality pencils and a professional sketch pad. This gives her an additional 1d to her Artistry check.

Trying Again Some action cannot be attempted once failed, especially if the end result was a botch or an opponent winning an opposed check. Sometimes a respite may be required to refresh the character or allow him to come at a task from a fresh perspective. Other times, the player can take a stab at the task right away. The character typically suffers a 1d penalty when trying a task again. As always, whether a check can be attempted again and any penalties are determined by the GM. Example 1: Tina just tried to fast talk her way past a guard and failed. The GM decides that she cannot try again on the same guard. Example 2: Rick just tried to climb up a wall and failed halfway up, causing him to fall and take two points of Body damage. The GM figures he has suf fered enough and lets him try again without penalty. Example 3: Lester just tried to pick a mark’s pocket and failed. He wasn’t spotted, but it’s odd to brush up against the target again. He allows Lester to try again, but his 4d check is now a 3d check.

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Qualities Qualities are traits — both positive and negative — that help define a character. Described in more detail in the Character Creation chapter (page 42), Qualities change the number of dice in an Action Roll. Positive Qualities can give character a 1d bonus to Action Checks while Negative Qualities may inflict a 1d penalty to checks. The maximum number of Qualities that can be applied to a situation is two — an activated Quality and a Prime Quality, which is tied to a Nearsider’s Prime Meridian.

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5: Distance

N

earsiders accumulate a kind of “background radiation” as they travel between variations. Called Distance, this effect is irreversible and unavoidable. It can be helpful to think of Distance as a scar left by travel, or a high-water mark that always increases and can never be reversed or healed. Travel alone does not “cause” Distance. Rather, it is prolonged exposure to each variation that inflicts Distance. It’s possible to spend short amounts of time on one variation or another and not accumulate Distance, but eventually a Nearsider will attune to that parallel reality and his Distance will creep upward. Distance is rated between 1 and 13, with 1 being the least amount of Distance that a Nearsider can possess.

Theories While no one knows the precise biological processes involved in the accumulation of Distance, the damage it causes is visible using high-resolution MRI scanners. The area around the Hindbrain Anomaly physically changes as Distance increases, with certain neuron clusters becoming much stronger and resistant to damage while other parts atrophy and become more fragile. Lesions appear, not just around the HbA, but in other parts of the brain, especially in areas relating to the limbic system and memory. This partially explains the erratic behavior of Distant Nearsiders, though not fully. There is

also evidence that time spent on the Reef temporarily alleviates some of the outlying damage in the memory centers. The leading theory on Distance states that passing from one brane to another during travel exposes the Nearsider to a slightly different set of quantum energy levels. While the HbA allows the Nearsider’s atoms to slowly “shift” to this new level, it causes permanent damage as it does so. This shift of frequencies does not occur immediately, which is why it takes a while for Distance to increase and why Nearsiders can leap back and forth between worlds and not accumulate large amounts of Distance quickly. However, the need to Attune to a new variation seems to indicate an emotional and/or spiritual component to the process, the consequences of which are not yet fully understood. Non-Nearsiders lack this ability to shift energy levels, and therefore cannot travel at all. Suddenly existing in a new universe, with almost identical (but not quite) physical laws, also causes a sudden “jolt” to the Nearsider’s system. This is what causes the rush and replenishment of Momentum when traveling to any variation other than the Ordinary World (Earth1), almost like an immune reaction. Eventually, the HbA attunes to that world’s energy signature, adjusting all the way from the quantum scale to the macro biological level, causing the structural changes mentioned above. This physiological change is permanent, resulting in more Distance.

Side Effects of Distance Being able to heal the sick or read minds is all very well, but it comes at a price.

Emotional Detachment As a Nearsider travels and gains experience, they slowly begin to become emotionally detached from non-Nearsiders. This is not just a function of increasing Distance, though that plays a large part. The increased amount of activity in the Hindbrain

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Distance Anomaly appears to dampen activity in the limbic system, specifically in the nearby hypothalamus and the cingulate gyrus, which compounds the feelings of detachment. A Nearsider’s expanded experiences and insight gained from travel simply make it difficult for them to relate with negs. Some have compared this to a worldtraveler that has returned to his small home town and finds himself unable to relate and connect with those he left behind. The worst effects of this detachment do not occur until the Nearsider has accumulated 5 points of Distance. Once past this point, a character will begin to notice an actual change in her responses to certain situations.

Frame Dragging Nearsiders change reality around themselves without even thinking about it. This altering of reality has happened since the Nearsider first gained a point of Distance. Related to the Nearsider’s Prime Meridian, these, these effects are more pronounced at high Distance and may even directly impact HbA- individuals in the Nearsider’s proximity. This effect is called “frame-dragging,” after the

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relativistic side-effect that mass has on space-time and other objects. Frame-dragging represents the distorting effect very high Distance has on reality as these Nearsiders move around. Those in proximity to a high-Distance Opener, for example, may find that doors unlock, shoe-laces unravel and even that wounds do not heal. A Distance 13 Closer’s frame-dragging may cause jars to become impossible to open, or locks to become jammed and broken. It may even cause arterial blockages, leading to strokes or heart attacks in high-risk individuals nearby. Such effects do not occur quickly or all at once, but the mere presence of a high-Distance Nearsider significantly increases the chances of these things occurring. Nearsiders have no control over frame-dragging, though having low amounts of banked Momentum significantly reduces these effects. This is one reason why a Nearsider might want to bleed Momentum (see page 99).

Achieving Distance 13 Once a Nearsider achieves a Distance of 13, nothing feels the same. The Nearside itself seems almost claustrophobic. The most Distant hunger for new horizons,

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Distance which is one reason so many seem to support Convergence of the variations in hopes of a new network of realities afterward. Some Nearsiders cannot bear their lives once they understand everything about the Nearside. Some come to understand secrets and truths that they cannot share, for they cannot find the words to describe the reality they have uncovered. These Nearsiders find a way to end their existence, usually violently. Others decide that they’ve seen enough and that travel can no longer sate their curiosity or need to adventure. These individuals become solitary and hermit-like, avoiding the company of other Nearsiders, to spend their time contemplating what they’ve seen and experienced.

Haecceity and Memory Leakage When variant selves encounter each other, their proximity causes their HbAs to resonate, causing distress and draining their Momentum as they get closer to each other. This is Haecceity, a dangerous side effect of spending quality time with oneself. Aside from the risk of Displacement, Haecceity also causes each Nearsider to remember things that their “other self” has seen and done. Haecceity causes a sharing of experiences, a memory “leakage” that connects both individuals. This psychic feedback, like holding a live mic in front of a speaker, builds and intensifies as the two remain in proximity. Some memories have powerful emotions attached, which also transfer. These free-floating foreign experiences cause stress within both Nearsiders’ minds. Initially, the HbA can cope with these errant memories, but as Distance accumulates, it is less effective at sorting out the real memories from the shared. Even after the Nearsider’s counterpart has left the vicinity and neither party is suffering Haecceity, these shared memories can cause confusion and present problems for both individuals. The sensation of shared memories exhibits as something that feels like powerful deja vu. A Nearsider faced with a place, situation or person that actually comes from a counterpart’s memory will not quite be able to put a name to a face or remember

exactly what happened, but the sense of it having occurred to them is strong. Unlike true deja vu, where the sensation of familiarity is false, leakage represents real but incomplete memories. Another difference is that the feeling of familiarity is not based in the “present” but feels like a memory. The Nearsider will not feel as if the presence event or situation has occurred before, but will recognize people and places that they could not possibly know. This is represented by a 1d penalty to Mind Checks in situations where the shared memories are

Talk the Talk

The Regency Group and other organizations also categorize Distance as a number between one and 13, though usually this number only appears on medical reports and psychological evaluations. Nearsiders use their own terminology to describe various levels of Distance. Nearsiders with low Distance (5 or less) are sometimes called Tourists or Day Trippers (or Newbs by younger Nearsiders). They have attuned to less than half the worlds of the Nearside, and have less experience and raw power than more well-travelled Nearsiders. They are learning more about the Nearside and in turn, themselves. They are generally treated dismissively by other, more Distant Nearsiders, or with pity. Nearsiders with Distance between 5 and 10 are called Journeymen or Travelers. They have attuned to more than half of the worlds and have extensive experience and a great deal of power. Less Distant Nearsiders often regard Journeymen as being dangerous and political, as if they are in the process of leaving their humanity behind. Journeymen view these young Nearsiders as upstarts and potential threats. Nearsiders with Distance greater than 10 are sometimes called Frequent Fliers or Farwalkers. They have attuned to all, or nearly all, worlds and have reached the pinnacle of their powers. Their understanding of the Nearside is almost complete and they may seem almost inhuman to other, less Distant Nearsiders, ranging from cold and uninvolved to dangerously unhinged. Particularly well-known or infamous Nearsiders are usually referred to as Names, as in “is the target a Name, or just an ordinary Tourist?” While this kind of notoriety isn’t specifically limited to the very Distant, Frequent Fliers do tend to attract more attention than most.

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Distance relevant. This effect lasts 1 day for every point of Momentum lost during Haecceity.

usually safer than risking being overwhelmed by using Nearsight.

Nearsight

To use Nearsight, the character makes a Depth+Nearsight check. Each success reveals a piece of information. 1 success: Can sense that Distance is present. Cannot detect a Nearsider with zero Momentum. 2 successes: Can sense whether that Distance is higher or lower than the character’s. Cannot detect a Nearsider with zero Momentum. 3 successes: Can determine the target Nearsider’s actual Distance and current Momentum. Can detect a Nearsider who currently has zero Momentum. A failure results in no information, while a botch results in the Nearsider being overwhelmed by the other’s Distance.

All Nearsiders possess the ability to sense Distance and Momentum. This can be Distance possessed by a place, person or object. It also allows Nearsiders to use analog clock faces as maps to the nearest broken room. Nearsight is “always on,” though a character does have to make an effort to sense Distance or use a clock map. Characters can become better at using their Nearsight by increasing the Nearsight Concentration located within the Perception Skill. Using Nearsight is similar to using any other Skill, but Depth is always used to determine the size of the dice pool.

Sense Distance Distance changes not just characters, but the world around them. Much as the Nearside itself has a “gravity” associated with it — a sense of up and down — Distance creates its own “gravitational field” around a character that can be sensed by other Nearsiders. Given this sensitivity to the presence of Distance, those who are HbA+ can use Nearsight to determine if another person is a Nearsider, and if so, just how Distant (and powerful) he is. A Nearsider can “feel” Distance when it’s nearby. Low levels of Distance create a mild dizziness, like when you stand up too fast. As levels increase, the sensation becomes stronger and more uncomfortable. High levels of Distance produce a yawning vertigo, a sense of standing on the brink of a great fall. Normally, a Nearsider has to be actively trying to sense Distance, though very high levels of Distance can be detected passively, especially if a very distant Nearsider is bleeding Momentum or spending it freely to power Meridians. Should a character bleed their Momentum away completely, she becomes much more difficult to detect, requiring at least 3 successes to sense. A character may often have other ways to tell if someone else is HbA+, such as looking for occurrences of 13 in the other person’s attire or by asking a question only a Nearsider knows how to answer (“Can you count to thirteen?” The correct answer is “no.”) This is

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Nearsight can also be used to determine the spin of a broken rooms (see page 103), read Clock Maps or see an object that has been marked.

Imbuing Objects All Nearsiders can create special items with varying amounts of power to assist them on their travels. When imbuing an object, the character actually transfers some of their own Momentum into the object.

Marked Items The simplest form of imbuing is called Marking. To Mark an item, a Nearsider simply concentrates for 13 seconds while touching it to transfer a point of Momentum into it. This doesn’t have any effect other than making the object “light up” to Nearsiders using Nearsight. The Momentum lingers around the object until it fades away 13 hours later. Any kind of item can be Marked as long as it isn’t a living thing and is smaller than an average car. A Marked item is visible to anyone achieving at least one success with a Nearsight check. The maximum number of Marked items a character can have in existence at one time is equal to his Distance.

Talismans Upon achieving a Distance of 6, Nearsiders can turn one deeply personal item into a Talisman. This item must have been carried by character to at least three of the worlds she has visited. By slowly pouring all of his Momentum into the object over the course of 13

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Distance hours, the character succeeds in creating an item capable of storing extra Momentum for her. This item can only be used by the Nearsider creating it, and is only able to hold up to the creator’s Depth in Momentum. For example: Eliza wants to turn her pocket knife into a Talisman. It belonged to he father, and grandfather before that. Both of them are now deceased, but she has always carried the knife and remembered her family motto of “Cut quick and cut true.” The Momentum within the Talisman can be used for any purpose a character’s normal Momentum can be used. As long as she has the Talisman in her possession, she can use the Momentum within it. However, the Momentum stored within the Talisman cannot be tapped unless the Nearsider’s personal Momentum pool is empty, and it cannot be refilled until the Nearsider’s personal Momentum pool is full. A Nearside with no Momentum cannot make Meridian checks, even if he has Momentum within his Talisman. For example: Mike only has 1 point of Momentum in his personal pool, but has 3 stored within his Talisman (an engraved metal flask). He wants to influence his next Marksmanship check by increasing his dice pool by 2. He spends the one point of Momentum from his personal pool and one from his Talisman. He now has zero Momentum and his Talisman has two points of Momentum. Upon stepping though a broken room, a Talisman is drained of all Momentum. It can, however, be refilled normally. If lost, the character cannot create another Talisman. Because of this, many Nearsiders guard their Talismans ferociously.

Trinkets Nearsiders with a Distance of 7 can create items called Trinkets, which can hold one Average (1) or Challenging (2) effect from the character’s Prime Meridian. A Nearsider creates a Trinket by making a Meridian Check and spending twice the normal amount of Momentum to activate the successes — once to fuel the effect and once to imbue the effect into the item. If the character does not get the needed num-

ber of successes or doesn’t have enough Momentum to fuel and imbue the effect, the Trinket is not created. Each attempt to create a Trinket takes 13 hours. Once created, the Trinket will contain the effect until unleashed or the creator makes another Trinket. For example: Misty is a Blocker who wants to turn a broach into a Trinket that will provide 2 points of armor to reduce damage. This is a Challenging (2) effect, so it is within the allowable capabilities of a Trinket. She makes a Meridian check and gets the 2 successes she needs. She spends 2 points of Momentum to activate the successes and another two points of Momentum to bind the effects to the item. Although a Nearsider can carry as many Trinkets as he wants, he can only have one of his own creations in existence at one time. If he creates a second Trinket, the first Trinket becomes a standard item. A character can use any Trinket he is holding, even if he doesn’t know what it does, or its effects are from a Meridian he does not possess. Trinkets can be examined with Nearsight. One success reveals that it is a Trinket, two reveals what Meridian the effect comes from and three reveals what the effect actually is. To unleash the effect of a Trinket, all a Nearsider needs to do is imbue it with one point of Momentum. This takes a standard action in combat. Once the Trinket’s effect is unleashed, it becomes a standard item. Trinkets are sometimes altered when traveling through broken rooms, making their effects permanent. This is how Artifacts are made. The exact process behind this transformation is random and unknown.

Push Distance A character can share her Distance with another individual for a moment. For negs, this is a highly disorienting experience as they suddenly experience a rush of images and thoughts that they cannot process. The sensation causes dizziness, nausea and leaves the target reeling and unable to think or act coherently for several seconds. Characters can inflict Distance on other Nearsiders, but only if they have a higher Distance than their target. If not, nothing happens and the target merely “feels” a weak, fleeting wave of pressure.

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Distance

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Distance To push Distance, the character makes a Meridian check using their best Meridian concentration. The target makes a Soul check to resist. If the attacker achieves more successes than the target, he can then activate as many of the Net Successes he desires for one point of Momentum each. Each activated Net Success results in a 1d penalty to the target’s action checks for a number of turns equal to the net successes. For example, if the attack gets 4 net successes, the target suffers a 4d penalty for 4 turns. Distance can be pushed to non-Nearsiders or to Nearsiders with a lower Distance than the attacker.

Clock Maps For Nearsiders, analog clock dials tell more than just the time. They also give them the direction of the nearest broken room and a rough idea of the time remaining until it cycles. Nearsight allows Nearsiders to see a second pair of hands on any clock face. This ghostly set of hands indicates the distance and direction of the nearest broken room, as well as its current destination. The “other hour hand” indicates the nearest broken room’s current destination. In the case of broken rooms that open to multiple locations at once, the other hour hand seems to flicker in both locations. Rooms that open to the Reef do not possess an hour hand at all. The “other minute hand” determines how far away the broken room is. The closer it is to noon, the closer the nearest broken room is. This works in a clockwise direction. A minute hand located between 12 and 1 indicates that the nearest broken room is possibly hundreds of miles away, if not more. A minute hand located between 11 and 12 indicates a broken room nearby. A minute hand located a sliver before 12 might indicate a broken room within a few hundred feet of the clock. The “other second hand” indicates when the broken room is going to cycle next. In much the same way as the minute hand works, the closer the second hand is to midnight, the sooner the room will cycle. If the character watches the hand long enough (which can take some effort) they will see it move, but it’s not a reliable way to determining how much actual time is left. The speed at which the other second hand moves is also a clue. If it’s seemingly immobile, then the room is hours or days (or longer)

This broken clock tells a Nearsider he is right on top of a oneway broken room to Earth1 that’s almost ready to cycle open. away from cycling. If the other second hand has any kind of perceivable movement, then the room is due to cycle sooner. Once the hand moves around to 12, the room cycles open. Finding a broken room requires either a clock map or a Pocket Watch. The Nearsider must roll Depth+Nearsight. One success determines direction. Two gives distance and direction and three offers distance, direction and cycling information. The clock face indicates these three qualities through shadowy hour, minute and second hands, each of which becomes visible as more successes are achieved. Using a working clock as a Clock Map isn’t as easy as using a broken clock. The real hands get in the way, as does the burden of collective perception by negs who are pulling real times from the clock. Using a working clock applies a 1d penalty to the Nearsight check. Using a clock (or watch) that is broken makes it easier for Nearsiders to use. They can peer at a clearly

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Distance broken clock (it may even be missing a minute or hour hand) and gather the information they need much faster. Taking a working watch and smashing it hard against a wall will also produce a more accurate and useful map. A trail of smashed clocks can be a clear indicator of a Nearsider’s passage through an area. Note: There is no penalty to Nearsight checks when using a broken clock.

Distance

Momentum

Depth

1

2

3

Nearlysider

2

4

3

Starting character; Gain Prime Meridian

3

6

3

Gain Simple Framedragging

4

8

3

Gain 2nd Meridian

5

10

4

Gain Depth of 4; Gain Detached Quality

6

12

4

Gain 1st positive Distance Quality or Gain Talisman

7

14

4

Gain Moderate Frame-dragging, Gain Create Trinket

8

16

4

Gain 3rd Meridian

Pocket Watches Born of the Reality Engines of the Reef, the strange, almost-alive pocket watches that bond with individual Nearsiders are the ultimate clock map. Nearsight allows characters to use Pocket Watches as regular timepieces. A non-Nearsider will just see a clock face without hands. Pocket Watches are much easier to use as Clock Maps, offering a 1d bonus to Nearside checks to determine distance and location. Pocket Watches have other effects in the hands of different Nearsiders. For more information see page 189.

Gaining Distance When a Nearsider visits a variation for the first time, they begin to become “Attuned” to that world. For a while they are just visitors, not quite in sync with that world. Eventually, however, as they spend time there and come to understand the place, the Nearsider

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Benefits

9

18

5

Gain Depth of 5

10

20

5

Gain Distant Quality

11

22

5

Gain 2nd positive Distance Quality

12

24

5

Gain Pronounced Frame-dragging

13

26

6

Gain Depth of 6; Gain Disconnected Quality

will gain 1 point of Distance. This will lead to other changes in the character, which are detailed in the table above. Attuning is a strange process. It differs from person to person, but it always includes spending an extended period of time on the world — days rather

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Distance than hours. Interacting with natives is also a part of attuning to a world. Whether neg or Nearsider, these interactions help to “entangle” the visitor’s destiny with that world, which is part of Attunement. Once the GM has determined that enough interaction has taken place between the character and the new variation, the character gains a new point of Distance. As Distance increases, other aspects of the Nearsider’s abilities also increase. The character’s maximum Momentum is always equal to two times Distance. He could also gain new Meridians, increase his Depth and receive new Distance Qualities. But Distance can be a mixed blessing. While it provides access to extraordinary powers, Distance can also causes long-term psychological problems. No expenditure of experience points is required to gain Distance or the other newly acquired Qualities or advancement. Any additional Meridian Skill specializations must be purchased, however.

Benefits of Attunement

Vertigo

Any time Momentum is spent on an Action Check, the character is channeling enormous and abstract amounts of energy through his Hindbrain Anomaly. This presents risks. The most serious is Vertigo. If a Momentum-enhanced Action Check is botched (i.e. the entire dice pool is 1s or 2s), the Nearsider suffers the Distance equivalent of an ice cream headache. The ability to generate or spend Momentum is temporarily disrupted, leaving the Nearsider unable to use Meridians or to add dice to their Action Checks. Vertigo is an alarming but temporary condition. In order to recover from Vertigo, a character must make a Soul Check to reconnect with his HbA and achieve a number of successes equal to the number of dice in the botched roll on the Botched check. This is an Extended Check, though the character must concentrate fully on the Soul Check and cannot do anything else. Interrupting the check does not reset already accumulated successes.

Nearlysider

Depth of 4

A character with a Distance of 1 has not yet gained a Meridian, but can still use Momentum to gain automatic successes on Action Checks and attempt to use Nearsight.

The character now rolls 4d when making Meridian and Nearsight checks.

Starting Character A starting character selects his Prime Meridian and Prime Quality (see page 36 in the Character Creation chapter). The character can use their Prime Meridian to achieve effects of any difficulty level.

Simple Frame-dragging Small, almost imperceptible changes to reality occur relating to the Nearsider’s Prime Meridian. If noticed, these events are easily explained away as coincidence. Frame-dragging is much less pronounced if the Nearsider has a Momentum of zero.

2nd Meridian The character gains a second Meridian. They do not gain a Prime Quality for this Meridian and can only achieve effects that require 3 successes or fewer.

Detached Quality Situations that may once have provoked intense emotional responses now have less of an impact on the character. This can have some positive side effects. Bravery or Willpower checks relating to fear become easier (+1d). However, the Nearsider finds it hard to relate to negs, and suffers a 1d penalty to Empathy Action Checks in those situations.

1st Positive Distance Quality The character gains a +1d to Meridian checks when using Prime Meridian in a specific way. This can be an increase to the existing bonus gained from a Prime Quality to +2d, or can be an entirely new bonus. This Quality must be approved by the GM.

Gain Talisman Instead of gaining his first positive Distance Quality, the character designates a unique and personal item to be

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Distance his Talisman. This stores additional Momentum equal to the character’s Depth.

Moderate Frame-dragging Changes to reality reflecting the Nearsider’s Prime Meridian become slightly more pronounced and noticeable. Close associates may detect a pattern of happenstances that would be difficult to explain away as coincidence.

Create Trinket The character gains the ability to create Trinkets. These objects can hold Average (1) or Challenging (2) Meridian effects.↜

3rd Meridian The character gains a third Meridian. They do not gain a Prime Quality for this Meridian and can only achieve effects that require 2 successes or less.

Depth of 5 The character now rolls 5d when making Meridian and Nearsight checks.

Distant Quality The character finds it even more difficult to connect with others, especially non-Nearsiders. Situations that may once have provided intense emotional responses now have almost no impact. This can have some positive side-effects. Bravery or Willpower checks relating to fear are much easier (+2d). The Nearsider finds it hard to relate with non-Nearsiders, or Nearsiders below 7 Distance. All interpersonal interactions with negs and Nearsiders with low Distance get slightly harder (-1d). This replaces the Detached Quality.

2nd Positive Distance Quality If the character chose to gain a Talisman upon reaching Distance 6, he gains his first positive Distance Quality (see above) now. If not, the character gains a +1d to Meridian checks when using their second Meridian in a specific way.

Pronounced Frame-dragging Obvious changes that have an impact on reality occur reflecting the character’s Prime Meridian. Still random and uncontrollable, they follow the character wherever she travels.

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Depth of 6 The character now rolls 6d when making Meridian and Nearsight checks.

Disconnected Quality The character has is barely clinging onto his humanity and finds it almost impossible to relate with other people – whether they be Nearsiders or negs. Although they now automatically succeed at any Bravery or Willpower checks, they suffer a -3d penalty to all social interaction checks. This Quality replaces the Distant Quality and renders the character unplayable. They become an NPC under the GM’s control.

Momentum If Distance is a slowly rising high-tide mark, Momentum is the raging torrent of power that rushes through a character. How much is determined by the character’s Dis-

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Distance tance. The maximum amount that the Nearsider can store is equal to twice his Distance. A Nearsider placed in a dangerous, stressful situation will generate Momentum. A Nearsider who just lets events wash over them, or deals with these life-or-death situations by hiding or fleeing, isn’t going to generate much Momentum. Fortune favors the bold, and so does the Nearside. As Momentum is used, it is lost, though it is quickly replenished through adversity and risk. Momentum is also gained when a Nearsider travels to variations other than Earth1. This completely replenishes a Nearsider’s “bank” of Momentum. But that isn’t always a good thing. The ebb and flow of Momentum is a powerful experience, almost addictive in its intensity. The constant exposure to life and death situations needed to generate Momentum becomes a way of life, and even the most reticent Nearsider becomes a thrill-seeker of sorts. Only the presence of the HbA allows a character to contain and convert Momentum into reality-altering effects. Exactly how much Momentum can be stored and channeled depends upon one’s Distance. Nearsiders can control the release of this stored energy, using it to make changes to reality. Typically these are small, subtle nudges to probability that occur when the character uses Momentum to affect Action Checks. More blatant changes can be made with reality-altering abilities called Meridians. Meridians are fueled by Momentum, with the amount needed depending upon the size of the effect. The more powerful the effect, the more difficult it is to achieve and more expensive it is to fuel. Full rules on using Meridians can be found on page 117.

experience. Even though a Nearsider remembers only an instant of nothingness, the brain reacts in a more appropriate way to the experience. As soon as the Nearsider arrives at their destination, their Momentum is fully replenished.

Using Momentum Momentum is used to buy automatic successes for Action Checks (see page 84) or more significantly, to fuel the use of Meridians. One point of Momentum must be spent to activate each success on a Meridian Check. Bleeding Sometimes you need to get rid of a lot of Momentum. Characters may want to avoid detection (having zero Momentum makes it much harder to be spotted via Nearsight), or may wish to just rest, without the temptation of using Meridians or the risk of frame-dragging effects.

How do you get it? 1: Thirteens on Action Checks Any time an HbA+ character makes an Action Check using 2 or more d12, they have a chance to generate Momentum. If the total on any two dice equals 13, the character generates a point of Momentum – and had the chance to generate even more. Full rules on using Momentum during Action Checks can be found starting on page 75. 2: Travel Moving through the lacuna from one world to another is perhaps the single most stressful thing any Nearsider will

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Distance Spending Momentum on Skill Checks is one way to get rid of it, but it also runs the risk of generating even more. There is a way to dump Momentum that doesn’t also potentially create more — this is called bleeding. Though the name evokes images of “cutting” and other self-destructive activities, bleeding does not always involve actual blood or bodily harm — although it certainly can.

Note: The first time a character uses bleeding to get rid of Momentum should always be played out. Subsequent bleeds don’t have to be covered in that much detail, unless there’s a good story reason. A Nearsider can bleed Momentum by focusing on a mentally draining or physically exhausting activity. For some, it’s dancing, hard. For others, it’s mindless copulation. Others will actually cause themselves small amounts of physical harm. The bleed method varies from person to person and tends to be a reflection of their personality and, sometimes, their Divergence event. e.g. Kyle’s divergence occurred when he witnessed a violent stabbing that left him deeply shaken. His chosen method of bleeding is literally that — a shedding of blood. He was even more disturbed when he accidentally discovered that it did not need to be his blood. Marie’s divergence was a painful miscarriage. However, her bleeding method is unrelated to that event. Instead, she is able to dump her momentum by screaming until she passes out, her throat raw. Paul is a successful horror writer. His bleeding method is to write a nonsense stream of consciousness on any available surface, be it a notebook, a wall, or his own skin. The resulting text is always disturbing and sometimes reveals more about Paul’s inner workings that he feels comfortable with, though there have been some prophetic tidbits in there, too. A character may have several bleed methods that she uses — she is not limited to just one. However, it usually does revolve around a theme that is very important to the character. For every hour the character spends bleeding, they

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may reduce their Momentum by an amount equal to their Mind, Body or Soul, depending upon her bleed activity. e.g. A character with Body 4 who spends two hours dancing can reduce her Momentum by up to 8. A character with Mind 3 who spends an hour working on very difficult math problems can reduce his Momentum by 3. A character with Soul 5 who spends an hour singing her heart out or frantically producing a crazed work of art can reduce her Momentum by 5. Alternatively, the GM may not require any Action Check for a bleed. In this case the activity can also be resolved through story-telling and role-playing. In the case of bleed methods that inflict harm (on oneself or others), at least one wound should be suffered when it’s over. Alternatively, the GM may require the character to take a temporary Injury Condition to reflect the damage that’s been done. For example, a character who actually cuts himself to bleed Momentum may suffer the flaw Blood Loss for a day or so. Should a bleed attempt be interrupted or unsuccessful, there are no consequences other than those that might befall the character as a result of the bleed method itself. For example, a character who chooses to inflict actual injuries upon themselves will still be hurt, even if he was unable to reduce his Momentum. Bleeding Momentum is “visible” via Nearsight over considerable distances — sometimes several city blocks. The emotions of the bleeding character can also leak out, inflicting those feelings upon nearby negs. An angry Nearsider bleeding Momentum in the middle of a crowded nightclub could conceivably start a riot, while a heart-broken Nearsider could make everyone burst into tears. Ebbing Momentum slowly leaks away on its own, regardless of a character’s actions. Should a Nearsider live a quiet, reserved life with no risk or danger (i.e. being boring and thus not making any Action Checks), she will eventually lose all of her Momentum. This slow, steady ebb occurs at a different rate depending upon where the character is. Spending “quiet

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Distance time” anywhere other than a native variation is called sojourning and results in the loss of one point of Momentum per week. A character resting on her home variation is grounding and loses Momentum at a rate of one point per day. Inertia Once a Nearsider has reached 0 points of Momentum, he cannot use his Meridians until he generates at least a single point of Momentum. This state is called inertia. Given that Momentum is only generated during stressful and significant situations (or by travel), a Nearsider who places himself far from trouble or excitement may be without Momentum for some time. The additional consequences of having no stored Momentum (inertia) is that characters can’t spend it to improve Action Checks, nor can they fuel Meridians. A Nearsider suffering inertia is highly susceptible to Displacement, and will not be able to generate more Momentum while hexed. However, a Nearsider at zero Momentum is much harder to detect using Nearsight and is surrounded by much less pronounced frame-dragging effects.

Presque Vu Almost the opposite of deja vu, which is the sensation that something has happened before, presque vu is the feeling that you know what is about to happen. It is vague sense of knowing, but the answer is just out of reach. Very distant Nearsiders will sometimes experience dreams or visions that are filled with symbols and imagery. These can linger in their subconscious and haunt their thoughts. More than one Nearsider has become obsessed with unravelling their meaning. Common themes include: l Items that can be climbed or fallen from, such as stairwells, ladders, cliffs and precipices. l People and places that have never been visited, often speaking nonsense. l The number 13 and collections of 13 items. Others may have a fleeting understanding of events or recognize a person because their variant selves have interacted with them before. GMs may offer characters a chance to move past the feeling of presque vu and seize pertinent information from the tip off their tongue a recesses of their mind. If the character can make a Daunting (3) Soul Check the GM can give them a 1d bonus to the action or situation involved in the presque vu.

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6: Travel

T

ravel between parallel realities should be almost impossible. Some theoretical physicists have suggested that it might be possible to open wormholes within and between universes, with enough energy — like the output of entire galaxies’ worth of stars. Humanity is thousands of years away from that kind of technology, if it’s even possible. The Nearside is somewhat easier to explore, but not by much. Whatever barrier lies between variations is strong enough to keep the individual realities separate but weak enough to allow some things through (as long as those things possess a specific resonant structure in their hindbrain.) The barrier between variations cannot be breached just anywhere. Only in those places where the barrier has worn thin can Nearsiders pass through. These places are called broken rooms and are by far the most common method of travel between variations. Broken room is a bit of a misnomer. While the vast majority of them have four walls, a floor and a ceiling, many do not. Doorways, corridors, sections of lonely country roads, even spots in mid-air, hundreds of feet above the ground, could all be broken rooms, if conditions are right. It’s the space that matters, not the container. Broken rooms vary in size, from bubbles in the quantum foam smaller than the Planck length to vague shapes the size of a barn. Most are the size and shape of the place they’re found, usually a room in a building, even if that building is no longer there.

harmony with itself on another variation. For a few moments the broken room coexists, becoming a single location existing in both variations simultaneously. Broken rooms are not portals, in the conventional sense of the word. There isn’t a line to cross that takes you from one world to another. The barrier between realities is not literal, it’s not a shimmering surface you can push your hand through. The space itself is shared, for an instant, and you swap from one space to another, like a coin in a magician’s hand, vanishing here and appearing there.

So, how big is a broken room? As big as the GM needs it to be. If the plot requires a room big enough to get a truck through it, then that’s how big it is — but it may be 400 miles away, through blizzards and ice storms. It may be guarded by Monarch operatives, or buried under a collapsed building The Nearside is many things, but convenient isn’t one of them. Broken rooms share a special connection with their corresponding locations on specific variations. Travel takes place when a broken room resonates in

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If a Nearsider is occupying a room during this instant of coexistence, they will leave that variation and be shifted to the other. When the room “closes” the Nearsider cannot use it to travel back until it cycles again. If HbA- humans are in the room at the same time as a Nearsider, they will notice that their Nearsider companions have suddenly vanished, perhaps to be replaced by a different group of people.

Birth of a broken room The weakening of the barrier between variations is caused by powerful emotions, usually born of suffering and terror, death and destruction. Given the devastation and horror across the Nearside on August 13, 2002, it’s no wonder that so many broken rooms exist today. The damage caused to the barrier at the moment of Divergence was considerable. To this day, weak points exist in many places, especially places where those negative emotions were at their strongest. This makes it possible for powerful Openers to create new broken rooms, if they’re strong enough and if they can find one of the weak points. A powerful enough emotion could leak through to the corresponding location on other variations. Alternatively, the same emotion may have been invoked at both locations, either accidentally or by design. This links the two locations across the Nearside and creates the broken room. This emotion is called a Key. All rooms have a Key. You don’t need to know what a particular room’s Key is, though it can come in useful, especially for Openers. Most rooms will still cycle open according to their particular rhythm, but an Opener who knows that room’s Key can significantly increase their chances of opening the room. Sometimes broken rooms just happen. Spontaneous creation of rooms can occur for no apparent reason whatsoever, and they can disappear again without a trace. This is, perhaps, the mechanism behind First Fall, though it can happen much later. Indeed, it could occur without any Nearsiders ever knowing about it, like a light blinking on and off in an empty house.

Spin Every broken room connects at least two worlds, and most allow for travel both ways. Spin indicates whether a room takes one deeper into the Nearside toward Earth13 (down) or heads back toward Earth1 (up). This means that when a room cycles open between, say, Earth1 and Earth3, Nearsiders on each variation will travel to the other, swapping their position. Depending upon which side you’re on, you will either be traveling “up” (toward Earth1) or “down” (toward the Reef). This is the room’s “Spin Vector” (usually shortened to just Spin) and it completely depends upon which side of the room you’re on when it opens. It’s possible to know a room’s Spin before it cycles open. Openers can always tell whether a broken room goes up or down. Non-Openers can sometimes get a feel for the direction, but not always accurately. Clock maps and pocket watches can also be used to determine which direction the room opens, though interpreting the signs requires some experience (see page 95). One-Way vs. Two-Way While most rooms are two-way, some are not. These one-way rooms almost always have a down Spin. One-way rooms that Spin down are called oubliettes

Anatomy of a Broken Room Regardless of where they are, broken rooms are defined by the following specific qualities: Spin, Rotation and Friction.

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Travel (or “snakes” by some). The vast majority of broken rooms are two-way, though their Friction may vary depending upon the direction of travel. Traveling up is usually more difficult, fighting as it is against the “gravity” of the Nearside. Why up? Why down? Nearsiders rarely agree on anything, but they do agree on this: There’s a strange kind of gravity to the Nearside, a sense that as you travel further from Earth1, you are going down somehow. This supports Earth1 natives’ theory that theirs is the real world, but it also speaks dark volumes about what the Reef might really be. A few one-way rooms Spin up. These are called skyhooks or ladders, and can skip multiple variations on their way up out of the deeper Nearside. King’s Gates and the Royal Road Some broken rooms open to more than one variation, sometimes shifting between them or, in rare cases, opening to many destinations simultaneously. A broken room like this is called a King’s Gate and together they form a network called the Royal Road. While no one is sure where this name originated, many suspect a connection with Monarch. It’s certain that they would be very interested in finding these kinds of rooms. It’s only possible to determine the Spin of the gate’s next destination, though with time and research (and multiple journeys through it) one can map out the order of destinations for a particular room, because that remains constant. When a King’s Gate opens, it cycles through its multiple destinations. It opens once per destination, every few minutes before becoming inactive. Nearsiders wishing to travel to a specific destination must be in the broken room during that particular cycle — otherwise they must wait just outside the room until their destination comes around. A Nearsider who arrives on their destination unconscious or unable to move risks being transported to another variation when the room cycles a few minutes later. Note: Given that a Nearsider must be attuned with a variation to gain a new point of Distance, a King’s Gate

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cannot be used to rack up a lot of Distance quickly, and Momentum can only be maxed out once.

Rotation Broken rooms only allow travel for a brief moment before closing. The length of time between openings is that room’s Rotation. Most rooms have a Rotation measured in days, or even weeks. Some are measured in hours, and those tend to be more heavily traveled. The Regency Group’s leading theory on Rotation describes a steady accumulation of energy in a broken room that, when it reaches a critical point, causes a quantum-level super-resonance between the branes of both realities, allowing travel while the resonance dies down. They don’t know what kind of energy is involved, or what the side effects might be of exposure, though it could be related to

The Wall Between Worlds

No one really understands what separates the variations. There are plenty of theories, most of which involve probability theory and super-string interactions. Of all the terms Nearsiders use to describe the barrier, only one is even remotely scientifically accurate. Brane is derived both from the word membrane and M-theory, the latest incarnation of string theory, which (very) basically states that all matter (and all subatomic particles) are ultimately made up of vibrating “strings” of energy. These strings, also called branes, can expand and become multidimensional constructs of no mass but almost limitless dimensions, perhaps even encompassing (and separating) entire universes. These “sheets” ripple like the surface of an ocean around each variation, which are separated by the most infinitesimal distance. Sometimes the ripples almost touch. Those are the weak points between the worlds, the places where broken rooms are formed. The other, more commonly used, term is lacuna, after the musical term describing an extended pause in a piece of music, though the word is sometimes used to mean “forgotten.” This is especially evocative for those Nearsiders who theorize that something happens to a Nearsider during that instant of travel, that moment between tick and tock when they are neither here nor there, but whatever that is, it is forgotten upon arrival.

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Travel the surge of Momentum each Nearsider experiences after travel (see Lag, below). Openers can speed up a room’s Rotation, forcing it to cycle early. Conversely, a Closer can slow a room’s Rotation, delaying its opening. This upsets that room’s Rotation, though it will quickly return to the original timing. This is called a reset and can be an unpleasant surprise for a Nearsider in a hurry. It also makes it difficult to have a reliable “timetable” of room rotations. For example, Beck is running from a pressgang, eager to pick up Monarch’s bounty. She uses her pocket watch to find a nearby broken room that has a Friction of 2. When she gets there, she realizes it has a Rotation of a week, and is due to open about 12 hours from now. That won’t do, so she uses her Opening ability to speed up the Rotation and she gets 4 successes. Instead of waiting 12 hours, she now just has to wait for 90 minutes (12 hours/2 because it’s a Challenging effects, and then further divided in half for each additional success:12 to 6 to 3 to 1.5 hours). She has shifted the room’s opening forward, but rather than altering the Rotation permanently, she has merely “used up” that particular opening. The Rotation resets as soon as the room cycles, but instead of opening in 12 hours, it will now be eight days before it opens again. After that, it will open every seven days as before. Indeed, for broken rooms with very long Rotations, constant Opening can prevent that room from cycling normally. In such cases, the room rarely has a chance to cycle on its own. Locked Rooms Finding a broken room is not always a guarantee of being able to use it. Some do not open on a schedule at all, but instead require some kind of interaction in order to open. Some are naturally reluctant to open, though Closers can interfere with a room’s Rotation, shutting it down entirely and locking that room until an Opener forces his way in. Openers can use brute force to unlock a room, but this is difficult and exhausting (and sometimes dangerous). Knowing something about the room and its origins can help find that room’s Key. Some locked rooms will only cycle open if circumstances specifically relating to its creation are recre-

ated. For example, a Nearsider may have to approach the room wearing a red rose before it’ll open, or she may have to sacrifice something personal (or, even worse, an actual person). Keys can be simple, like whispering a line from a particular song, or reciting a riddle. It can be much more complex, like collecting a series of items and placing them around the perimeter of the room. Openers, Finders and Readers will sometimes get flashes, memories relating to that room, which may give them clues as to what the Key might be. They call this “picking locks” and it can take hours or even days to complete. System: Sometimes a roll may not be necessary to actually open the Lock. If the proper conditions have been met, the room will automatically open, though determining those conditions may require extensive research and investigation. It’s possible to force Locked rooms open using a mixture of brute force and educated guessing. Locks are rated by the number of successes needed on an extended Opening Meridian Check. A simple Lock may require 5 successes, while a very complex Lock could require 15 or more. Openers who have some skill with Reading can pick up extra clues about the room’s origin, and may use successes from a Reading check to supplement their Opening attempt. A character can try to pick a Lock once an hour and may need to make several Action Checks over several hours to accumulate the required number of successes.

Friction A broken room is fundamentally wrong. It’s a mistake, a tear in the walls between worlds, something that

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Travel shouldn’t happen. It’s not an accident that they’re described as broken. Nearsiders are forcing their way through this tear whenever they travel, breaking the rules and going somewhere they shouldn’t. There are consequences. The most immediate consequence involves the actual journey itself. All Nearsiders meet with resistance as they move from one world to another. This resistance is called Friction, and depends upon how often that room is used. The more well-known, high-traffic locations have a low Friction, like a path worn smooth over the years by countless feet. Less used broken rooms have higher Friction. A brand

new broken room, freshly opened, will have the highest Friction of all. Friction manifests as an overwhelming exhaustion experienced by Nearsiders upon arrival on the new Variation. In some cases, a Nearsider might be rendered unconscious or insensible by the fatigue, which can leave them very vulnerable. Friction is rated 1 through 5. Upon arriving on the destination Variation, Nearsiders must make a Mind Check at a Difficulty equal to the room’s Friction to succeed. Failure indicates that the Nearsider is suffering from Lag.

Broken Room Etiquette

Given that broken rooms are the only reliable method of travel between worlds, there is a kind of “code” followed by Nearsiders when using a room, especially if several are using it at the same time. Well-traveled broken rooms are treated like neutral ground. No one wants trouble, so no one causes trouble. Anyone that does try to start something will have to deal with several annoyed Nearsiders, and that’s usually enough to keep things civil. Most of the time, Nearsiders won’t congregate near a room until it’s ready to cycle. There are many reasons for this, most of which are highly practical. First, no one wants to give away the location of a broken room to non-Nearsiders, just in case it attracts too much attention from curious authorities or greedy (armed) locals. Nearsiders don’t like to linger too long in any one place as a general rule, especially if they are being hunted or trying to stay off the grid. Broken rooms are too predictable a place to stay, making it easy to be tracked down. Next, a room could be unexpectedly opened from the other side, causing anyone already in the room on this side to travel, potentially without any time to prepare. Finally, there’s a general feeling that spending too much time in a broken room is somehow unhealthy, like living under power lines or too close to a landfill. While waiting, many Nearsiders don’t want to talk to anyone else, either because they are dealing with high Distance and not wanting to deal with others, or because they just want to keep their business private . It’s not considered impolite to wait in silence, though idle chit-chat is common enough. Usually, Nearsiders will share some small pieces of news about other variations, trying to keep personal details out of it. These reports are not always reliable, but tend to be the way most Nearsiders hear what’s going on. Less experienced Nearsiders may have many questions for their fellow travelers. If it’s obvious that this is somebody’s First Fall, some Nearsiders will try to lend some assistance, even if it’s only a brief explanation of what’s going on, remembering their own confusing experiences. Experienced Nearsiders may wear masks or hoods to obscure their faces, not wanting their identities to be known. Usually this is for their own protection, but sometimes it’s to protect their variant selves, who may not yet be aware of their “condition.” Such untapped Nearsiders are a tempting target for organizations such as Monarch, which would be eager to bring a new recruit into the fold. Unexpectedly, Openers are not always welcome at a broken room, especially if other Nearsiders are not ready to travel. That’s usually on their own heads, because it’s assumed that an Opener in a hurry is going to try to make the room cycle sooner. Nearsiders who are not nearby may assume the room is on its original Rotation and may get very angry if they miss their window because an Opener “used up” the next cycling. Regardless of how many enemies an Opener might make, they are generally given some leeway. Because they can cycle a room fast in an emergency, most Nearsiders realize they might one day appreciate an Opener’s skills.

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Travel Using a Broken Room

Step 2 – Determine Spin and destination

Step 1 – Find one

As mentioned earlier, broken rooms are not always rooms. They can be as small as a paving stone or as long as a stretch of road. Some abduction tales could be descriptions of broken rooms opening, while more than one ghost story hints at a house filled with the portals. Almost any space can be a broken room. Finding such places can be difficult. Many Nearsiders describe a feeling of “precognition” regarding these places, and are often drawn to them. A gathering of Nearsiders at an unusual location is usually a good sign that a broken room is about to open. Clock maps (see page 95) are also a way of finding the rough location of a broken room, though by the time a Nearsider is within a few hundred feet of one, the gut feeling usually takes over, leading them to the exact location. Most Nearsiders can sense a broken room with varying degrees of success. Certain kinds of Nearsiders, such as Finders, are especially talented when it comes to locating rooms. Eventually, a powerful Opener can even create rooms, though not without time and effort (and, sometimes, sacrifice). While there’s hardly such a thing as a typical or common broken room, certain locations seem to attract them. Highly emotional situations leave a trace behind, and if the same emotion is layered upon that place over and over again (on multiple variations) that place seems to blur across the Nearside, like a bullet hole through a stack of books.

Once at the broken room, a Nearsider may attempt to determine its Spin. The easiest method is research and experience. If other Nearsiders are there, they may already know the room’s destination, though they may not wish to share that information. Still, some things will be obvious. A Nearsider preparing for cold weather (in the middle of summer on her current variation) is probably heading to Icebox or Fall. If she’s well-dressed and (apparently) unarmed, she might be heading to one of the more “civilized” variations, or even the Ordinary World. Also, a Nearsider may already know where the room goes, based upon stories he has heard or information gathered earlier. Openers can attempt to determine a room’s Spin by opening it very slightly, just enough to “peek” through, but not enough to actually enable travel. Well-traveled rooms are easier to peek through. An Opener cannot peek through a locked room until they determine its Key. As some rooms have multiple destinations, it’s only possible to determine the Spin and direction of that room’s next destination. The Opener makes a Meridian: Opening check with a difficulty equal to that room’s Friction to peek and determine the room’s destination. In the case of rooms that open to more than one variation, he discovers only the next destination. A Reader can try to get a feel for the emotions and energy infusing the broken room, leading to an educated guess as to its Spin (darker emotions tend to go down, while happier emotions tend to lead up). Any Nearsider can try to determine the Spin of a room using Nearsight at a difficulty equal to that room’s Friction to determine its Spin. Particularly deep delving rooms, or rooms with an unpleasant emotion tied to their origins, are easier to read, giving Nearsider a 1d bonus to their checks.

Step 3 – Determine Rotation Figuring out when the room is due to open next can be a difficult task. By far the easiest way is by using a clock map or pocket watch, which can impart direction, destination and Rotation if read correctly.

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Travel Experienced Nearsiders will watch others, seeing if they are setting up for a long stay or are ready to go right now. A Reader or Opener can also attempt a Meridian Check to determine when the room will activate. To succeed, they must make a Meridian check with a difficulty equal to the room’s Friction to succeed.

If the room is Spinning up, the Opener subtracts 1d from the check. This represents the “gravity” present in the Nearside — it’s easier to go further down the well. A successful check halves the waiting time. Each additional success further halves the waiting time. If the wait will be reduced to less than 10 minutes, the room can be activated immediately if desired.

Step 4 – Determine Friction

Finally, the broken room cycles, and for an instant it exists in two places at once, the same location on two different worlds. All Nearsiders present when it cycles will shift from one world to the other, along with whatever they’re touching or carrying.

A Nearsider can also attempt to discern the Friction of the broken room. This can be a concern if the room is unfamiliar or not marked with a “hobo code” indicating how bumpy the road will be. Readers and Openers can learn the Friction of the room by making an Easy (1) Meridian check. Openers also have the ability to smooth out the ride if they desire. The must make a Meridian: Opening check with a difficulty equal to the Friction of the room. If successful, the Friction is reduced by 1. The Friction can never be reduced to below 0.

Step 6 – Travel

So, What’s it Feel Like? Traveling between variations is never fun, and it’s never easy. It changes between broken rooms, too. Each room has its own “flavor,” a characteristic fin-

Step 5 – Wait, or use Opening Now it’s just a matter of time. If a room isn’t due to cycle for several hours or days, it’s not a good idea to wait in the room itself (see Broken Room Etiquette, on page 106). Most Nearsiders will find somewhere safe nearby, or having confirmed the room’s location, will leave to take care of other matters and come back later. Some Nearsiders describe an active broken room as opening but most use the term cycling, as in: “Has the room cycled yet? When is it cycling next?” or “When the room cycles, we have to make sure we’re each touching the corpse, otherwise it won’t come through with us.” A Nearsider in a hurry can attempt to use Opening to speed up the room’s Rotation and make it cycle early. An Opener must make a Meridian: Opening check to Open a broken room. The difficulty of the check depends on two factors. First, the room’s Friction determines the number of successes required. Second, if the room is Spinning down, the Opener adds 1d to make the check.

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Travel gerprint that it leaves upon the experience. However, there are similarities between experiences. First, as the room starts to get close to cycling, the very quality of the air changes. It starts as a highpitched whine, nearly above the range of hearing, a bit like being in a room with an old TV set; you know it’s on even if you can’t see or hear it. Next, the air pressure in the room starts to change, usually increasing. Ears start to pop and your sense of taste and smell become duller. Indeed, there can be an unpleasant metallic taste in your mouth as the room starts to cycle. Light appears to dim, even if the room is in bright sunlight, and the sounds of the world outside the room start to fade and become muffled. In the final few seconds before the room cycles, your vision starts to falter as bright flashing shapes and blind spots (like those experienced by migraine sufferers) flood your vision. Finally, like a great wave breaking or the final notes of a discordant crescendo, silence and darkness crash over everything. Travel is instantaneous, but this moment of nothingness feels eternal. And then it’s over and you’re on another world. Depending upon whether you successfully overcome Friction, you might be fine, or you might be aching and shivering, or in tears over some forgotten heartbreak. You might be barely able to stand, or you might be filled with nervous energy. It’s possible that you will be unconscious, completely overwhelmed by Friction and the experience of travel. No matter your condition upon arrival, you’re now lit up with Momentum, filled to the brim with that energy.

But ...

Lag A character succumbing to the Friction of a room can suffer a range of consequences, depending on the number of Net Failures. All damage suffered is immediate, potentially causing threshold penalties. Net Failures

Effect of Lag

1

3 points Mind damage

2

4 points Mind damage 3 points Soul damage

3

5 points Mind damage 4 points Soul damage 3 points Body damage

4

6 points Mind damage 5 points Soul damage 4 points Body damage

5

7 points Mind damage 6 points Soul damage 5 points Body damage

Risks On some worlds, entire cities are in ruins, buried under snow, or even completely gone. This can present a challenge to Nearsiders, not to mention a high risk of death or injury upon arrival. A room that exists in a 10th story hotel room on Earth1 might open 100 ft. in mid-air above the smoking ruins of the hotel on Earth3, with no walls or floors to facilitate safe arrival. Likewise, a room in the basement of an art gallery on Earth5 might be filled with rubble from the collapsed version of the gallery on Earth3. It pays to know about your destination. In the case of the first example, a Nearsider arriving in mid-air on Earth3 is going to have a long fall. An enterprising Mover could set up shop near the room

The only time Momentum is not completely replenished is when traveling to Earth1. Arriving on the Ordinary World completely drains a Nearsider’s Momentum.

Step 7 – Arrival. Increase Momentum and determine Lag. Once on the destination variation, each Nearsider must make a Mind Check against the room’s Friction. If they don’t equal or exceed the room’s Friction, they are suffering from Lag to some degree. Momentum cannot be spent on this check.

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Travel

to soften falls or help lift Nearsiders up to the right level to use the room for departure. In the second example, the Nearsider’s body is just going to add to the mess in the art gallery’s basement. The risk of horrible arrivals is one reason Nearsiders tend to use well-known broken rooms, those that are regularly used and have high traffic. Using an unknown room presents some serious risks, though they can be mitigated using research and common sense. Nearsiders are very cautious about rooms that open to certain variations, such as Fall and Icebox. These are always considered to be “high risk” until proven otherwise. If they exist in known “bad places” on a world, they are generally entirely avoided unless it’s an emergency. For example, if you know that Berlin was destroyed by a large meteorite on Fall, you would not risk using an unknown broken room in Berlin that points to Earth3. Likewise if you know that Paris and London suffered nuclear explosions during the K’thari Invasion, you would avoid using a broken room in Paris or London on any other variation if that room opened to Earth4. Some broken rooms have been secured despite the damage. On Earth1, there’s a pile of old mattresses in the bottom of an empty elevator shaft in an

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unfinished office building just outside Cleveland, Ohio. On Earth5, construction on the building went ahead and was completed two years ago. The broken room is just between the 2nd and 3rd floor, and is only reachable by stopping the elevator car between the two floors. It opens on Earth1, where no elevator exists. The mattresses were added by some compassionate (or practical) Nearsiders who probably found out the hard way that this broken room wasn’t without its risks. On Still Born, there’s a broken room in a Chicago bank vault that opens to Icebox. On that world, the bank (along with Chicago) is buried under several feet of ice and snow, though the vault itself is still accessible. The Regency Group uses this broken room regularly, so they have cut tunnels through the ice into the building and

Broken broken rooms

A broken room that is blocked or buried won’t allow anything to move through. Travel only occurs if the Nearsider (and whatever they are touching, holding or carrying) fits into the space available on both sides. That’s not to say that a trap couldn’t be rigged on a variation and set to collapse a roof or walls once the room has cycled, but usually a room will only cycle for the mass that fits within it.

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Travel keep those entrances clear. They have left a cache of winter clothing and survival gear in the vault for anyone coming through. Without their intercession, the vault would have either collapsed or anyone arriving on Icebox would be trapped within the bank until the room cycled again.

The Broken Road The Broken Road is the collective term for all methods of travel across the Nearside. Sometimes also called the Four Doors, most Nearsiders will never experience all methods, though they all experience the first. The first method travel only occurs once for each Nearsider. This is the First Fall, that moment when a Nearsider takes his first trip to another world. This does not always depend upon the presence of an existing broken room, though it can result in the creation of one. The second method, broken rooms, are by far the most common form of travel. The third method is Displacement, a potential outcome of two or more variant selves meeting. This does not happen often, as most Nearsiders avoid deliberately seeking it, but it can be used as a kind of attack by one variant self against another.

The fourth, and least confirmed method, is called Dreamwalking. Nearsiders in comatose states can sometimes shift their consciousness to another variation, where they manifest as a bewildered amnesiac version of themselves. Nearsiders using this method rarely do so intentionally, and their presence is always temporary. Reports of Nearsiders mysteriously vanishing, without use of Distance powers or a broken room, could indicate a Dreamwalker. Rumors tell of a fifth method of travel, though no one has direct evidence that it’s possible. No one is in a hurry to find out, either. The final method of travel is death.

Displacement Established broken rooms or the trauma that causes a First Fall aren’t the only way to travel from one variation to another. Displacement occurs when a Nearsider is forced off a variation and onto another simply by being in the presence of one of their counterparts. This is always a potential outcome of two or more variant selves meeting. This does not happen often, as most Nearsiders deliberately avoid it, but it can be used as a kind of attack by one variant self against another.

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Travel The most common reason for Displacement is “hexing,” when one variant self accidentally or deliberately spends time in proximity to another variant self. This drains Momentum from both Nearsiders, and the one who suffers Inertia (0 Momentum) first has the greatest risk of Displacement. Whoever has the highest Distance determines the area of effect; their “shadow” is bigger. In general, a Nearsider must be within a number of miles equal to the other Nearsider’s Distance to even sense their other self. This means that a lower Distance individual can sense their high Distance counterpart first. The higher Distance Nearsider would have to get much closer. For example: Michaela5 has Distance 10. She can be “sensed” by her counterparts up to 10 miles away. Michaela8 only has Distance 3. Her counterparts can only sense her up to 3 miles away. This “long range” feeling is distracting, like a missing tooth or a spider on a wall at the edge of your vision. When in range, the sensing Nearsiders will find it difficult to concentrate on anything very important, and will suffer from 1d penalty to all actions. A Mind Check negates this for 10 minutes. Hexing only occurs when the Nearsiders are within 169 ft. of each other. At this range, Momentum drains at the rate of 1 point every 10 minutes. As the Nearsiders approach each other, the repulsion effect gets stronger, like bringing the north poles of two magnets closer together. The sensations are stronger, a vertiginous dizziness and of the world seeming less real and more like watching a movie. If the Nearsiders are within roughly 40 ft. of each other, both Nearsiders are losing Momentum at a rate of 1 point every 5 minutes. The sensations are potentially overwhelming, but only for the less Distant variant. That variant must make a single Soul Check to avoid a 1d penalty to all Action Checks. Nearsiders within 10 ft. of each other create a powerful feedback loop of Distance. Momentum drains at a rate of 1 point per minute. Should both Nearsiders be engaged in Momentum-generating activities, it’s possible that this struggle can be a protracted one. While it’s true that Nearsiders with higher Distance (and therefore higher potential Momentum) are more likely to displace a less Distant counterpart, it’s not a guarantee.

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One or both Nearsiders will eventually reach 0 Momentum and suffer from Inertia. At this point, whoever reached 0 must make a Displacement Check (Soul Defense) to avoid being Displaced. Modifications A Nearsider on a variation they are attuned to stands a better chance of resisting Displacement. They get a 1d bonus to their Defense Checks to resist Displacement if their opponent is not attuned. Keepers and Closers get a 1d bonus, because their powers are more about being rooted or avoiding travel. If the hexing occurs on the Nearsider’s original world, she also receives a 1d bonus. Should both Nearsiders reach 0 Momentum at the same time, both must make Displacement checks. It’s entirely possible for both Nearsiders to be Displaced. A Displaced Nearsider is sent to the original

Shortcuts

A Nearsider who has at some point dreamed about a childhood home, or an old school, or a workplace, may have been dreaming of a broken room. This is especially true if, in those dreams, that place from the past had doors or rooms that never really existed. These are places of significance for a Nearsider who imbues those places with power and potential. They are significant across every world, a touch-point for that Nearsider in every variation. Most Nearsiders have one of these personal places, even if they don’t realize it. They are called shortcuts. A shortcut is a broken room specifically attuned to an individual Nearsider. A Nearsider does not need to know the room’s Rotation or Spin because it opens whenever they want and always goes home. Shortcuts only lead to that Nearsider’s home variation, and are always one-way. They can’t even be found using clock maps or pocket watches. However, if the shortcut’s owner brings other Nearsiders with him, even once, those Nearsiders can then use the shortcut, too, with or without the owner. For this reason, any Nearsider who wants to keep their shortcut for their own use will neither share the location nor take others with them through it, unless they can be completely trusted.

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Travel world of the Nearsider who Displaced them. If that is the world they are currently on, they are Displaced to another variation at random (excluding the Reef). Displacement is a form of travel without the need for a broken room. It doesn’t create new rooms, but it also doesn’t have any associated Friction. The displaced Nearsider arrives at their destination confused but fully intact. His Momentum is not replenished, as it would be when using a broken room. The character appears in their corresponding location on the new variation, which could result in injury or death depending upon the conditions at that spot on the destination variation.

Dreamwalking Another method of travel is very difficult to deliberately invoke. Although it’s called Dreamwalking, it requires more than mere sleep. It most commonly occurs for Nearsiders in highly altered states, or in drug- or injury-induced comas. It’s as if a Nearsider’s soul must always be traveling, regardless of the status of the physical body. A Nearsider usually Dreamwalks either to the destination of their First Fall (suggesting a deeper connection with that variation) or to her native variation. She can appear almost anywhere on that world, but usually arrives in places associated with strong emotions or vivid memories. While Dreamwalking, the Nearsider will appear in a physical form, fully capable of interacting with the world. She may appear confused and bewildered, suffering from amnesia and unable to explain how she got there and why. Dreamwalks can last for minutes or hours at a time, but rarely longer. Even if the Nearsider remains unconscious elsewhere, she is not always Dreamwalking. When the Nearsider first appears, she may literally flicker into existence, though this hasn’t been witnessed often. When she disappears, it is literally that — one moment she’s there, the next she is gone. This can be quite shocking for witnesses, Nearsider or not. Nearsiders rarely remember a Dreamwalk. Some may awaken with a vague memories, snippets of conversation or the image of a stranger’s face. Such memories can be sparked much later, should a Nearsider run into someone she previously encountered while Dreamwalking. This can be surprising for both parties. Deliberately invoking a Dreamwalk has proven almost impossible, though it’s been tried by all three ma-

jor factions (Regency, Project Nearside and Monarch). Given the lack of control over where the Dreamwalker appears and the seeming inability to Dreamwalk with any kind of specific intention or goal, there appears to be little value to it. Dreamwalking remains a curiosity that hints at a deeper relationship between Nearsider and Nearside.

Death’s Door The final method of travel is something of a legend among Nearsiders. Almost everyone has a story, a “friend-of-a-friend” tale about someone who was killed on one world only to appear unharmed on another. There are two common threads that run through these stories, neither of which have been proven. It’s rumored that some Nearsiders who die on one variation have their consciousness immediately “awaken” in the body of one of their variant selves on another variation. This kind of “body swap” initially causes great confusion for the new “host,” which fades quickly, replaced by a sense of that consciousness “always having been there.” Nearsiders who experience a brief moment of disorientation seemingly out of nowhere may just have been on the receiving end of a variant self’s soul. Some stories describe a Nearsider dying violently in a selfless act, whose body cannot be found afterward. Instead, the “dead” Nearsider appears on another variation, far from the place he died, confused and suffering from severe amnesia. As described, it sounds a lot like Dreamwalking, leading some to theorize that Death’s Door is exactly that — a form of Dreamwalking where

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Travel the body isn’t comatose, but dead, and the Nearsider’s consciousness has been permanently ejected. Cynical Nearsiders (which is most of them) think of Death’s Door as a fairy tale, a life-after-death delusion that gives Nearsiders a sense of hope, a reason to live. For others, Death’s Door explains some of their odder experiences and ultimately is no more strange than being able to travel the Nearside at all.

Example Broken Rooms As mentioned, broken rooms are often found in places associated with strong emotions, especially negative ones. These emotions are “written” onto the place, over and over again, wearing it thin. Negative emotions seem to erode the wall between worlds faster than positive emotions, though single powerful moments of either can be enough to spontaneously create a new broken room. The following are some examples of general locations, with more detailed descriptions of potential broken rooms that could be found there.

Airports, Railway Stations, Turnpike Service Plazas Not only do places intrinsically linked with travel make it easier to create a broken room, they are also sites where people say tearful farewells and embrace in joyful reunions thousands of times each day. These kind of rooms can go anywhere on the Nearside. There’s a lost-luggage room in the bowels of Newark Airport in New Jersey. It’s lost in more than one sense, since it’s been long forgotten by the airport staff and baggage handlers. Within the room are hundreds of bags and suitcases. Countless personal items, gifts for children and loved ones, keepsakes and memories are buried here, creating enough emotional gravity to punch a hole through reality itself.

Funeral Homes, Cemeteries, Crematoriums A more final kind of farewell is said in some places. The emotions involved are obvious, but they are tinged with memories of better days. Family members and friends are brought together to mourn, which can

Communications Between Variations

Broken rooms can sometimes be very small indeed. Just as physicists postulate that micro-black holes can pop into existence and evaporate almost immediately, so too can sub-atomic broken rooms emerge and remain stable. They are incredibly difficult to detect. Only specially trained Openers stand even the smallest chance to find one. Using a quantum broken room is even more difficult, and requires very expensive technology along with the full-time presence of an Opener. But with all the right equipment, it’s possible to entangle particles through the broken room and use this to transfer the quantum state of those particles, up to and including electrons. The bandwidth is almost negligible, slower than the modems used in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Even so, this is more than enough to send short text messages from one world to another. It’s closer to a telegraph system than short messaging service, with one-way communication that takes seconds, rather than milliseconds, to fully transmit. It’s primitive, but when you consider the enormity of transmitting information between universes, it’s a miracle it works at all. It’s obviously easier (in some ways) for a Nearsider to bring a disk or USB drive through a regular broken room, but it’s not always convenient. Data transferred manually also runs the risk of being intercepted, copied and corrupted. A sub-atomic broken room cannot be tapped, though the computers attached through it must depend upon more traditional security methods. Few such systems exist. Monarch is known to maintain a connection across several variations, though the location of its linked computers are unknown. Regency has been attempting to develop the technology and has met with some success (thanks to “recovered” Monarch hardware), but does not have a reliable connection with any variation. So, in theory, a Nearsider on Earth1 can send an almost-instant message to a Nearsider on Earth5. Practically, however, this requires the system on each variation to be connected to the Internet (securely) and for the message not to contain sound or video. A 100-character text message will take only a few seconds to be transferred, but it may be just one of a thousand such pieces of data waiting to be sent. Because quantum broken rooms can only transmit in one direction at a time (“simplex” versus “duplex”), it’s impossible to use standard TCP/IP protocols. In other words, you can’t connect to Earth5’s Internet.

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Travel cause a myriad of emotions, good and bad. Particularly tragic deaths seem to have more gravity, as do large numbers of souls being interred. The burial of famous public figures also carry weight. These rooms tend to go to variations where many people have died and seem especially drawn to, like Earth11 (Afterlife). It made the papers. An entire family killed in the same gas explosion. Silent death had leaked into their home throughout the night and all it took was a spark to end six people’s stories. The oldest child was 10, the youngest was 13 days old. Hundreds came to the funeral: relatives, friends, strangers. Thousands of wreaths and bouquets from all over the country decorated the wide headstone and were tended for weeks afterward. All that grief had to go somewhere. Now the space above the grave, where you would stand to pay your respects, opens seven times a year, each time to a different variation.

Maternity Wards, Hospitals, Operating Rooms Hospitals are places of hope and fear, of beginnings and endings. Families and loved ones sit and fret, waiting for news one way or another, while the sick and injured struggle for life. Sometimes the news is good: the cancer is in remission or the new drugs are working. Sometimes it’s unexpected twins, or a healthy baby after a decade of trying. No matter what, these are important places in many people’s lives. Broken rooms in these places tend to go to worlds of great suffering and pain. Maternity wards, however, do seem to be attracted to one specific variation more than any other ... It used to be a maternity ward, but as the young people left town to find jobs, babies stopped being born and the hospital closed the wing entirely. But 10,000 children came into the world in those rooms, with doting mothers and proud fathers. Today, it remains a place where children can come into the world. One of the birthing rooms is connected to Still Born, and is regularly used as an escape route for pregnant Nearsiders.

Courts and Prisons Places of judgment and confinement both evoke strong emotions, just different kinds. Courts are a place of hope and fear, as the innocent battle for free-

dom, while the guilty wait to see if they are going to live or die. The families of victims also bring their own passionate drive to make sure justice is served. Prisons are a slow burn of despair and fear, especially in states with the death penalty. Broken rooms in these locations often open to worlds that are open and free — either of human life entirely (like Earth2) or of any kind of law or limitation (such as on Earth3 or even the Reef). There’s a blind spot between three buildings just off the prison yard. It’s not big, maybe 10 ft. by 5 ft., but there are no cameras, and no line-of-sight to any of the guard positions. Most prisoners use it to do drug deals or settle debts, spending just a few moments out of sight. For some prisoners, with the right kind of knowledge and Hindbrain, it’s a way out. The blind spot opens to three other variations, but the only useful one is on Earth2, where the prison has long since fallen into disrepair. On the other two destinations, the prison is still in use, so it’s not really an escape at all.

Museums, Art Galleries, Theaters Places of contemplation and inspiration are also prime areas for broken rooms. Lingering traces remain of the artist’s emotions. Stronger are the feelings evoked by art, theater and music, but these are still only subtle emotions compared to other places. The sheer numbers of people that visit such places allow these feelings to build and can open shallow broken rooms, going to the next world along. Museums may feature

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Travel Artifacts that have so much history/gravity that they are like broken room generators: Leave them in one place long enough, and it’s like they slowly sink through the skin of the world. Every single person who has visited this gallery has stood before this obscure artist’s painting, marveling at the play of light and shadow, of color and texture. It was created by a Nearsider who could not come to terms with his Divergence event or his First Fall. Shortly before he took his own life, he created a painting that was, for him, how he saw the Nearside. The painting was donated to a small art gallery and it draws a slow but steady stream of visitors who hear about the work, and are drawn to it. Some viewers notice how the painting seems to shift as the light changes. And if the light is just right, and falls across the painting in a very particular way, the entire room seems to shift, taking Nearsiders with it.

Churches, Temples, Sacred Sites Some of the strongest human emotions are evoked by religion, both positive and negative. Some religions feed on fear, but most wish to inspire hope and evoke a sense of awe and respect. More ancient sacred sites carry deeper, darker memories, of blood and sacrifice, with every new visitor bringing their own mental imagery of how that must have been. Many broken rooms in these places include Afterlife as a destination, while many others go to Dread. The older sites, the ones that are thousands of years old, sometimes open to the Reef. St. Matthew’s Church isn’t a big cathedral, or a modern confection of glass and steel. It’s just a small, wooden church up on a hill that was built in the early 1900s to serve the farming families in this obscure corner of Illinois. The congregation is comprised of quiet, humble folks whose faith, while it won’t move mountains, has remained steady and constant over the decades. There’s a small storeroom, just off the entrance, where the Christmas decorations are stored. Sometimes, in the middle of the Sunday evening service, when voices are raised together in song, the storeroom briefly exists in two places at once. The room opens to Icebox, where the church stands above a town that’s been buried under ice and snow for the last five years.

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Stadiums, Bars, Nightclubs Sporting events generate powerful emotions, especially when fervent fans are all gathered in one place. These same locations often host concerts, which generate a similar kind of energy. Bars and clubs are also scenes of strong emotions, fueled by alcohol and desire. Broken rooms in these places punch deep holes through the Nearside, but tend to connect with worlds where those same emotions get evoked in those same places. Jake’s Pub is a bar about three blocks from Fenway Park. Until 2004, it was a place where Red Sox fans came to drown their sorrows. Since then, fans have been a lot more upbeat, and the pub is a slightly brighter place to visit before or after a home game. There’s a spot about halfway between the pub and the park, a shortcut down an alley, that connects to other worlds. Once a week, every week, the broken room cycles through to Earth4 and a Boston where the Red Sox honor freshly fallen military heroes before every home game.

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7: Meridians

A

s if being able to travel across multiple worlds isn’t enough to set Nearsiders apart from normal humans, they also possess at least one Meridian. This interaction between a Nearsider’s Hindbrain Anomaly and Momentum gives them the ability to bend reality to their will and create supernatural effects. Each of the 13 Meridians is constrained to specific theme or concept, but gives the Nearsider a wide degree of affinity and control within it. Although there are examples listed in this chapter, there is no definitive list of effects. Rather, the possible effects are limited only by the player’s imagination and scope of the Meridian being used. For example, an Opener is able to open doors, broken rooms, containers and even minds.

Prime Meridian

when they gain their second point of Distance. Only with this Prime Meridian will the character be able to create Formidable (4) or Ridiculous (5+) effects. Lisa decides to mix it up and takes Juicing as per Prime Meridian. This means she could potentially create very potent electrical effects. Along with this Meridian comes a special Prime Quality, which gives the character a bonus when using the Meridian and other Skills in certain ways. This Prime Quality is almost like a fraternity or profession that the Nearsider belongs to. She selected the Shocker Prime Quality. This will allow her to be better in combat where she might be otherwise lacking. She now gains a bonus when attacking others with her Juicing power and may feel a special kinship with other Shockers. A Prime Meridian and Prime Quality are selected in tandem, typically during character creation. How-

A Prime Meridian doesn’t just tell you what powers the character has. It is an important decision and influences the entire direction of the character. Although the personality of Nearsiders with a particular Meridian can vary, there are often commonalities, stereotypes and even prejudices that will follow them. For example, Lisa is playing a con artist. She must decide if she wants her Prime Meridian to complement and enhance her mundane skills or provide a new avenue of action that may catch others off guard. She is torn between taking Writer or Juicer. This choice will send her character into wildly different directions as the story progresses. Certain personalities seem to be drawn to particular powers, and this is especially true of a Prime Meridian. Inquisitive characters may become Readers or Openers, while angry, bad-tempered characters will tend towards Breaker or Juicer. Sometimes it’s not always obvious why a particular character’s Prime Meridian is one thing rather than another, but it will always come back to the kind of person they are at heart. Sometimes the Prime Meridian represents what the character needs to do, rather than what they might want to do. Every Nearsider receives their Prime Meridian

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Meridians ever, some campaigns may begin before First Fall, prior to characters gaining their second point of Distance.

Additional Meridians Upon reaching Distance 4, a Nearsider gains access to a second Meridian. This secondary Meridian does not come with a Distance Quality and is limited in scope. Characters can only create effects of Daunting (3) difficulty or lower. Lisa gains her fourth point of Distance and selects the Writing Meridian. She knows she will never be able to erase a memory or totally take control of a target. Still, she will be able to implant suggestions and enhance her attempts to manipulate others. When they reach Distance 8, a Nearsider gains access to their third and final Meridian. This tertiary Meridian is even more limited in scope. Characters can only create effects of Challenging (2) difficulty or lower. With her final Meridian, Lisa selects Reading. She figures the ability to read surface thoughts could come in handy.

Combining Meridians As a Nearsider travels and gains access to additional Meridians, they will able to combine them with one another to create unique effects. These combined effects must include the Prime Meridian. These combinations are limited by the less powerful of the Meridians involved. So a Prime Meridian combined with the second Meridian can only create effects of Daunting (3) Final Difficulty or lower. A combination that includes the tertiary Meridian can only create effects with a Challenging (2) Final Difficulty or lower. A combined Meridian Check is made using the character’s Prime Meridian skill Concentration. For example, Lisa wants to create an effect that combines Juicing and Writing. She wants to create a shock that causes damage and makes the target forget what caused the damage. The GM decides this would be a Daunting (3) difficulty check and allows it. Later, she wants to create a shock that would make the target’s life flash before their eyes and transfer it into her mind. This is definitely a combination of Juicing and Reading. But since Reading is her tertiary Meridian and the difficulty would be higher than Challenging (2), the GM does not allow it.

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Meridian Skill Characters use the Meridian Skill to create Meridian effects, just as the Marksmanship Skill is used to fire a gun or the Athletics Skill is used to climb a wall. The entire Meridian Skill itself can never be improved beyond Unfamiliar (10+). Rather, characters can only improve the individual Concentrations that correspond to the Meridians they possess. Using the Meridian Skill and its Concentrations to make a Meridian Check is a standard action and follows the same basic structure as other Action Checks, although there are several important differences. l Depth is always used to determine the dice pool of a Meridian Check, regardless of the intended effect. l Successes must be fueled (activated) with Momentum. This Momentum can be previously banked or generated during the Meridian Check itself. l Successes always generate some kind of effect – even if it’s not what was intended. l Momentum cannot be used to gain automatic successes. l If the character has no Momentum, he cannot even attempt a Meridian Check. When using Meridians, characters are tapping into the Nearside and using their Momentum to bend reality. All this really requires from the character is focus and determination. When employing their Meridians, most Nearsiders look as if they are in deep concentration or trying to control some unseen force within them (which they are). Although it doesn’t require special gestures, words or totems, some Nearsiders employ them to assist with their concentration (and to deceive others as to the source of the effect).

Meridian Overview

Step 1: Describe the Effect Tell the GM what your Meridian effect will look like, what it is doing, and what you hope to accomplish. Be descriptive. A good description makes it much easier for the GM to assign a difficulty in step 2. Example 1: China is playing a Chancer whose car has been forced off the road and is about to go over a cliff. She is going to jump out of the car and hope she gets lucky enough to find something to grab onto. She describes what she hopes will

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Meridians happen to the GM, “Looking around the area, it seems like there’s a chance there will be roots and branches sticking out from the cliff face. I’d like to be lucky enough to have one or two within arm’s reach as I fall.” Example 2: Jay is playing a Closer who wants to close all the exits from a room. He describes it to the GM, “I’d like all the ways out of the room – the doors and windows – to close at the same time, like an army of ghosts are slamming them shut at the same time. Immediately after they close, each of them latch or lock tight, one after the other in quick succession.”

Step 2: Determine the Difficulty The GM determines the Base Difficulty and Final Difficulty for the effect your character is trying to achieve. The Base Difficulty is used to determine the defense successes needed to resist the effect. The Final Difficulty is equal to the Base Difficulty, plus or minus any modifiers. This is the number of successes needed to be rolled and fueled. Example 1: The GM decides that creating a likely, but serendipitous, effect has a Base Difficulty of Challenging (2). There are no other modifiers, so the Final Difficulty is also Challenging (2). Example 2: The GM decides that closing and locking a simple portal is an Average (1) difficulty. However, since he wants to affect so many at once (2 doors and 3 windows), he increases the difficulty by two levels. It has a Final Difficulty of Daunting (3).

He also has the Deadbolt Prime Quality. This gives him an extra die when shutting portals. He will roll 5d@8+.

Step 4: Count Potential Successes A potential success is generated for every die that is equal to or higher than the character’s Meridian Skill or Concentration. Even more potential successes can be generated in step 6, thanks to Momentum! Example 1: China rolls 4d@9+ and gets a 4, 6, 8 and 9 – giving her one potential success. She is one short of what she needed. Example 2: Jay rolls 5d@8+ and gets a 4, 8, 9, 10 and 12 – giving him 4 potential successes. That is more than enough for his effect. He also gets a point of Momentum that he will use later.

Step 5: Generate Momentum Just like any other Action Check, any 2d that add up to exactly 13 generate a point of Momentum. This Momentum can either be: banked, used to make a Momentum Roll (step 6) or used to fuel a potential success (step 7).

Step 3: Roll the Dice The dice pool for a Meridian Check is always based on Depth. Additional dice can be gained from various Qualities, Skill synergies or by spending Momentum. Example 1: China’s character only has a Depth of 3 and the Meridian: Chancer Concentration at Familiar (9+). She really doesn’t want to plunge to her death, so she spends one point of her precious Momentum to add an extra die to her Meridian Check. She will roll 4d@9+. Example 2: Jay’s character has a Depth of 4 and the Meridian: Closer Concentration of Trained (8+).

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Meridians Example 1: The 4 and 9 add up to 13, generating one point of Momentum. China will make a Momentum Roll in the hopes of getting another potential success. Example 3: Jay’s character is already at his maximum Momentum, so he will use the point he just generated as part of the Momentum used to fuel his potential successes.

Step 6: Make Momentum Rolls A Momentum Roll consists of 2d. If either of the dice is greater than the target number, another potential success has been generated. If the 2d add up to exactly 13, another point of Momentum has been generated, which can be: banked, used to make another Momentum Roll (step 6) or used to fuel a potential success (step 7). Example 1: China rolls 2d and get a 6 and 7 – neither is a potential success. But they add up to 13, so she makes another Momentum Roll. She rolls an 11 and 12, getting the additional potential success she needed.

l Success – Just enough successes. The effect desired is achieved. l Extra Successes – More successes than needed. The effect goes off better than intended. Example 1: As China’s character dives from the car and tumbles off the cliff, she finds herself bouncing off the scratchy arms of a tiny evergreen and her descent is slowed. The GM gives her a Challenging (2) Body check to grab onto the next branch that will soon be within reach. Example 2: Jay’s character claps his hands together. As they slap together all the doors and windows slam shut simultaneously. Then, one after the other, everyone in the rooms watch as the doors lock tight and the windows latch shut. Thanks to his extra success, the GM determines that all of these will be harder than usual to open and will increase the difficulty of all future attempts to open them.

Step 7: Activate Successes Potential successes do not become actual successes unless Momentum is spent to activate them. It costs one point of Momentum to activate one success. Players can also decide how many potential successes to activate and may even choose not to activate any of them. Example 1: China spends two of her four banked Momentum to fuel the two potential successes she rolled. The effect goes off as planned and she is down to two points of Momentum. Example 2: Jay spends the point of Momentum he just generated plus three points that he had banked. This fuels the four potential successes and the effect goes off better than planned. His is now down to five points of Momentum.

Step 8: Resolve the Effect There are five possible outcomes when using a Meridian: l Botch – All dice rolled are 1s or 2s. The effect fails and something bad happens. l Failure – No successes. The effect fails. l Partial Success – Not enough successes. The attempt fails, but will likely have limited effects.

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Step 9: Target Resists If the Meridian effect is directed at an unwilling or unsuspecting target, they get a chance to resist it. Defending against damage or an effect is resolved the same way. The target makes an Attribute Check with a difficulty equal to the Base Difficulty of the effect. If the defender gets more successes, they have completely resisted the effect. Neither example has an effect directed at an unwilling target.

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Meridians Describe the Effect Meridians are free form. It is up to players to determine what they’d like to accomplish with their character’s Meridian effect. As long as the effect is within the realm of the Nearsider’s Meridian, he can attempt it. Each Meridian has a specific set of capabilities and limitations that must be adhered to. See Meridians later in the chapter for more information. Creativity and resourcefulness are the most powerful traits a player can possess while playing a Nearsider. Each Meridian has its limitations, but most obstacles have more than one solution. The entertaining and clever use of Meridians is a great way to earn experience and generate Momentum, which is sure to come in handy. Players should explain not only what their characters are trying to do, but why they want to do it. What do they hope the outcome will be? It is well and good for a player to say he wants to read someone’s mind, but is the intent to find a particular piece of information, or to see if they’re lying or to acquire one of their skills?

Determine Difficulty The free-form nature of Meridians can present challenges for GMs because it’s important to consistently assign Base Difficulties and Final Difficulties for every effect players create during a story. The Base Difficulty is used to determine how hard an effect is to defend. This is the heart of the effect and encapsulates what is trying to be achieved without modifiers (such as range, area of effect, number of targets, etc.). The Final Difficulty represents the number of successes a player must roll in order to successfully use their Meridian. This is simply the Base Difficulty plus or minus any modifiers.

Base Difficulty Guidelines Effects use the same difficulty levels as standard Skills. It’s relatively easy to determine that a leap across a 10’ gap is easier than jumping across a 15’ gap. But it much hard to consistently judge what difficulty level a reality bending effects fall into – especially when compared to other reality bending

effects. Is it easier to read a mind than to turn water into wine or to create bad luck? Determining difficulty is more of an art. It should embrace consistency and story over number crunching. Many examples and guidelines are presented to help in this process, but it is not an exact science. When in doubt, GMs are encouraged to err on the side of a lower difficulty. Average (1) Effects These are typically inwardly directed or have little perceptible effect on reality. These effects can only affect the world in superficial ways. They produce results similar to that which can be gained from a simple piece of equipment (hammer, magnifying glass, etc.) or by someone without training and/or minimal effort. A non-Nearsider should not notice these effects. Challenging (2) Effects These can create small but noticeable effect on reality. These effects can affect the world in simple, but straightforward ways. The can produce results similar to those that can be gained from common tools (microscope, soldering iron, etc.) or by someone with training and hard work. A non-Nearsider should be able to easily explain away these effects as natural phenomenon or coincidences. A Challenging (2) Difficulty is the maximum effect a Nearsider can achieve with his third Meridian. Daunting (3) Effects These can create strong effects that are measurable and within the realms of possibility. These effects can affect the world in significant (typically strong but uncomplicated) ways. They can produce results similar to those that can be gained from everyday technology (computers, cameras, etc.) or by several people with expertise and maximum effort. These are the most potent effects that a non-Nearsider could still believe as naturally occurring. A Daunting (3) Difficulty is the maximum effect a Nearsider can achieve with his second Meridian. Formidable (4) Effects These can create effects that break or bend reality.

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Meridians Affect an Attribute Nearsiders can both increase or decrease a target’s Mind, Body or Soul. Depth cannot be affected. Changing an Attribute by 1 point is a Daunting (2) effect. Every additional success allows an additional point of change. Affect a Skill or Defense Changes to Skills, Concentrations and Defenses are reflected by changing the dice pool when using them – not by changing the Target Number. Increasing or decreasing one of these is a Challenging (2) effect. Every additional success allows an additional die worth of change. Affecting a Quality Removing a negative Quality or condition from someone is a Formidable (4) effect. Adding a Quality is typically better reflected by increasing a Skill or Attribute.

These effects can have an impact on the world in powerful and complicated ways. They can produce results similar to those that can be gained from advanced technology (artificial intelligence, medical diagnostics, etc.) or the work produced by machinery. These effects are so blatant that non-Nearsiders would perceive them as magic or supernatural. Ridiculous (5+) Effects These can create effects that have a profound impact on reality. These effects can affect the world in incredibly potent and sophisticated ways. They can produce results that cannot be gained from existing technology or replicated through human effort. A non-Nearsider should look upon these effects with awe and disbelief.

Common Effects It would be impossible to list every possible effect available from every possible Meridian. However, here are some common effects that many Meridians are capable of achieving. These effects can come about in many ways and can take many different forms, but the end results are the same.

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Damage /Stun Hurting others is a common occurrence and is possible via multiple Meridians in countless ways. l 1 Success: 1 point of Damage l 2 Successes: Net Successes vs. Defense + Depth in Damage l Each Additional Success: Deal 1 additional point of Damage Attempting to stun someone so they lose an action is an Average (1) effect. Disrupt Effect Characters with the same Prime Meridian or opposite Prime Meridians (such Opener /Closer or Finder / Keeper) can attempt to disrupt the effects the other. The Base Difficulty to disrupt (or undo) an active effect is the Base Difficulty of the original effect. The resulting damage and consequences of effects cannot be disrupted, e.g. the damage caused to a target. Effects cannot be instantly interrupted unless the disrupter has held their action and is waiting for an effect to be attempted. Healing When healing damage, the more successes the better. Body damage is the most common type that needs

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Meridians healed, although it is also possible to repair Mind and Soul damage. l 1 Success: Heal 1 point of damage l 2 Successes: Heal Depth points of damage l Each Additional Success: Heal 1 additional point of damage Gathering Information Whether it comes from within someone else’s mind, the Internet or the Nearside itself, knowledge is power. The more heavily buried, protected or obscure the information, the more difficult it is to obtain. Perform Task The end results of pure physical labor can be replicated by a Nearsider, especially if the proper tools are present. The more skill, time or effort required to perform a task, the higher the Base Difficulty. Extra successes can be used to reduce the amount of time taken for the task or to improve the quality of the end results. Modifiers Once the Base Difficulty of an effect has been determined, the following modifiers can be used to determine the Final Difficulty. There are also useful as guidelines for the application of extra successes. Area of Effect/Object Size Only a small object or area (3 foot radius) is affected by an unmodified Meridian effect. A larger area can be included in the effect by increasing the Final Difficulty. l +1 Difficulty: 10 foot radius l +2 Difficulty: 30 foot radius l +3 Difficulty: 60 foot radius l +4 Difficulty: 120 foot radius Duration (in combat) Meridian effects last an entire combat by default. Their duration can be increased (or decreased) by modifying the Final Difficulty. l -1 Difficulty: Single Round l +1 Difficulty: Entire Scene l +2 Difficulty: Multiple Scenes l +3 Difficulty: Entire Session l +4 Difficulty: GM’s Discretion

Duration (out of combat) When used out of combat, Meridian effects last an entire scene by default. Their duration can be increased (or decreased) by modifying the Final Difficulty. l -1 Difficulty: Next Action Only l +1 Difficulty: Multiple Scenes l +2 Difficulty: Entire Session l +3 Difficulty: GM’s Discretion l +4 Difficulty: GM’s Discretion Extra Targets Only a single target is affected by an unmodified Meridian effect. Additional targets can be included in the effect by increasing the Final Difficulty. l +1 Difficulty: 2 Targets l +2 Difficulty: 4 Targets l +3 Difficulty: 8 Targets l +4 Difficulty: 12 Targets Range A Meridian Check has a default range of up to 25 feet. This can be extended by increasing the Final Difficulty using the following ranges: l +1 Difficulty: 26 feet to 50 feet l +2 Difficulty: 51 feet to 150 feet l +3 Difficulty: 151 feet to 500 feet l +4 Difficulty: 500 feet to 1500 feet Resistance Difficulty The default difficulty for a target’s Defense Check is equal to the effect’s Base Difficulty. Each additional success on a Meridian Check can be used to increase the difficulty of the target’s Defense Check by one.

Dice Pool Meridian Checks use the character’s Depth to determine the amount of dice to roll. This number can be increased by skill synergies, spending Momentum, or using Qualities. Negative Qualities can also reduce the dice pool. In order to use a skill synergy, the effect must revolve around a Skill or Concentration in which the character is at least Trained (8+). For example, a bonus die could be added to a Mending Check to repair a car if the character has the Technical: Auto Repair Concentration.

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Meridians All or Nothing vs. Diminishing Effects

In most cases, the target’s defense successes help mitigate the impact of the effect. This is called diminishing effect and often comes into play when dealing damage. With other non-damaging effects, the GM may take the number of defense successes into account for storytelling purposes, such as determining the duration or other details. Other times, the Meridian’s full effect is in play unless it is fully resisted. This can especially be true when the desired effect doesn’t have obvious scalability. As an optional rule, characters can use extra successes to ensure that a non-damaging effect must be completely resisted. Unlike other Action Checks, Momentum can only be spent to add additional dice to the Meridian Check – not to create automatic successes. This amount of Momentum that can be spent to add extra dice is limited by the character’s Depth. Remember, the character can’t use his Meridian if he doesn’t have at least one point of banked Momentum when he rolls the dice. Momentum within a Talisman is not considered banked. A character can never add more than 2d to his Meridian Check from Qualities. This includes Prime Qualities, Distance Qualities and standard Qualities. Only one standard Quality can be applied to a roll.

Potential Successes The target number of a Meridian Check is based on the Meridian Skill or Concentration. Each individual Meridian the character possesses can have its own Concentration. If not, the Meridian Check is made with an Unfamiliar (10+) target number. Each die rolled that is equal to or higher than the target number is a potential success. It is not considered a true success until fueled by Momentum.

Momentum Characters will often generate Momentum during a Meridian Check. Just like with other Action Checks, this Momentum can either be banked or used to make a Momentum Roll to generate additional potential successes.

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As a third option, the Momentum can be designated as fuel for the effect. It is not banked, so it is possible for a character to completely fuel an effect and still have the maximum amount of Momentum banked. Characters can also use Momentum stored in Talismans to fuel their effects. This Momentum cannot be tapped until all their banked Momentum has been used up.

Activating Successes Manipulating reality isn’t easy and isn’t free. The Meridians require fuel. This energy is drawn from the character’s Momentum. Each success achieved on the Action Check requires one point of Momentum to activate. It is up to the player to decide how many (if any) of the potential successes they wish to activate and turn into actual successes. They may not want to spend their Momentum to achieve a partial success. Similarly, they may not want to activate additional successes if they are not needed. The Momentum used to activate these successes can either come from the character’s banked Momentum or from Momentum generated during the Meridian roll.

Resolving Effects A Meridian’s outcome depends on the number of fueled successes achieved vs. the Final Difficulty of the effect. The GM will weave whatever the end results are into the story and describe its immediate impact to the characters and NPCs. If no successes were rolled (or fueled), the effect fails and nothing happens. Botches, on the hand, can result in unpredictable or even harmful effects. A partial success will generally result in a limited or weakened version of the intended effect. The GM will determine what this might be. If extra successes have been rolled and fueled, the player and GM must work together to determine how it impacts the Meridian effect. These can be used various ways, such raising the difficulty to resist, increasing the duration, or even boosting the overall effectiveness.

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Meridians Resisting Effects When a Meridian effect targets an unwilling or unsuspecting target, that target gets a chance to resist it. He may be able to minimize the effect or resist the effects altogether. Meridians attacks are resisted by making an Attribute Check (Mind, Body or Soul) against the effect’s Base Difficulty. Unlike other Defense Checks, the target must beat the difficulty to successfully defend against it. Example 1: Kim tries to use her Breaking Meridian to inflict harm on an NPC. The Base Difficulty of this effect is Challenging (2), which successfully rolled and successes activated. The NPC makes a Body Check and gets two successes – this is not enough to ignore the Meridian attack! The attack still succeeds, so Kim adds her character’s Depth of 3 to the Net Successes of zero. Example 2: Billy tries to use his Writing Meridian to fill an opponent with fear and make them flee the combat. The Base Difficulty of this effect is Daunting (3), which Billy achieves. In fact, he gets an additional success, which he uses to make the effect harder to resist. The NPC makes a Mind Check and gets 2 successes – that is not enough to ignore the Meridian Attack. Billy ended the attack with 2 Net Successes and fills his opponent with fear. The GM determines that the opponent will flee the combat for two full rounds and try to stay away from Billy’s character for the duration of the combat. Whenever a character tries to resist a Meridian attack, it counts as a defense action. Many effects are unseen, but Nearsiders always get a chance to resist – even when caught by surprise. The Minds, Bodies and Souls of a Nearsider are attuned to the Nearside and reality. It will reflexively defend itself from Meridian Attacks. Normal humans, however, can be caught off guard by a Meridian attack and may not get a chance to resist (just like any other surprise attack). During combat, Nearsider and normal humans alike can attempt to resist Meridian attacks – even if unseen.

ferent Qualities, but also because they have different personalities. Players will view problems and solutions from their own perspective – and the free form nature of Meridians allow them to attack them in their own unique way. Meridians (especially a character’s Prime Meridian) are more than just a set of powers. They influence how others perceive them and how they perceive the world. They create new avenues of action for the character and introduce new roleplaying opportunities for the player. Meridian

Effects

Blocking

Slowing people/objects and hampering travel.

Breaking

Damaging people/objects and enhancing entropy.

Chancing

Manipulating probability and affecting fortune.

Changing

Transforming simple objects and adjusting properties.

Closing

Locking portals/containers and dampening abilities.

Finding

Locating people/objects and expanding senses.

Juicing

Interacting with electronics and controlling electricity.

Keeping

Concealing people/objects and creating deceptions.

Mending

Repairing people/objects and preventing deterioration.

Moving

Shifting people/objects and facilitating travel.

Meridians

Opening

Unlocking portals/containers and utilizing broken rooms.

Although each Meridian has a definite scope, no two Nearsiders will be the same. They will use their abilities different, not only because they may have dif-

Reading

Gathering information from people/objects and communicating mentally.

Writing

Implanting information into people/objects and controlling minds.

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Meridians Blocking Nicknames: Barrier, Brake, Shield Keywords: Stop, Impede, Reduce A Blocker’s power focuses on preventing, reducing or stopping motions and emotions. Unlike Closers, they can completely prevent the flow of motion. Blockers do not redirect or prevent motion, as Movers do. Blockers can only slow or stop them. The opposite Meridian to Blocking is Moving.

Roleplaying Tips An object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless there’s a Blocker nearby. Blockers are hard to move, both physically and emotionally. They tend to take a stand, and to be fairly inflexible in attitude. Some use this to support moral causes and prevent harm to others, while some are just hard to talk out of a foolish course of action. Blockers are often stubborn people who rarely make decisions based upon instinct or impulse. They often put the brakes on other people’s fun as well. They are the first to veto a hasty plan, shoot down an inspired idea and take an off-track project back to square one. Blockers are often familiar with various material sciences, especially when it comes to the strengths and weaknesses of an object. Others are more interested in systems and processes, and how they can be stymied. A few are attracted to behavioral sciences, either in an earnest attempt to understand how anyone can be impulsive or to learn more about preventing such behaviors.

complete its downward journey once the Blocker had run out of Momentum. The speed and mass of an object both matter to a Blocker, because kinetic energy depends upon both. The more kinetic energy that needs to be removed, the harder it is to Block. It’s about as difficult to stop a small, fast moving object as it is to stop a slow, massive one. A car moving at 60 mph is harder to stop than a bullet at 750 mph. A runaway truck is about as hard to stop as a hail of machine gun fire. A baby falling from a third floor window is about as hard to stop as a baseball hurled at you by an angry Mover. Blockers can also stop more abstract things, such as thoughts, emotions and sound waves. A talented Blocker can, for a moment, stop a person from feeling angry, for example, or temporarily interrupt a person’s train of thought. A sneaky Blocker might use his Meridian to muffle the sound of his footsteps, or his sniper rifle.

What Blockers Cannot Do Blockers cannot cause anything to move. They can only

What Blockers Can Do Blockers can slow and stop movement, whether it’s a runaway train, a ticking clock or the sound vibrations from a gunshot. They can also create barriers to motion that a layman would call a shield. Finally, they can prevent an non-moving object from moving. Rather than nudge a bullet out of the way, a Blocker can stop it dead in the air, even if it’s only a millimeter from its target. A moving vehicle can be slowed or brought to an immediate halt, its momentum causing it to flip. A falling person can be slowed down, their own kinetic energy nullified, reducing a fatal plummet into a gentle landing. A falling object can even be stopped and held in mid air, though it would eventually have to

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Meridians

l Guardian — Excels at creating shields, armor and intercepting attacks l Anchor — Excels at slowing motion and holding their ground. l Pacifier — Excels at calming others’ emotions and controlling her own.

cesses, and then spends a point from her bank of Momentum to activate the second. The GM makes a Body check at 10+ for the K’thari to resist the effects of the Meridian. The K’thari rolls 5, 6, 6, 7, 10, 11. It gets two successes, normally enough to defend against a regular attack, but since it is a Meridian Check, the tie favors the Nearsider. This is enough to slow down the galloping K’thari to a walk, and it thrashes wildly around as it tries to free itself of the Blocking effects. Elizabeth turns and runs, and Jessica considers making another Meridian Check next turn to boost her character’s armor, just in case ...

Example Distance Qualities

Blocking Effect Examples

prevent, slow or stop movement. Blockers cannot affect something they can’t directly see or touch, such as a heart beating inside someone’s chest, the air moving through someone’s lungs, or water inside a pipe. They cannot stop the flow of electricity.

Blocker Prime Qualities

l Muffler — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when blocking sounds. l Parachute — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to slow descent. l Valve — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to slow or block water.

Average (1 Success Required) Molasses — Reduce the movement of a medium-sized living creature by 50% for one round. Light Armor — Reduce the damage of an attack by 1. This Armor increases by 1 point for every additional success activated. Alter Mood — Block a minor emotion, such as sadness, happiness or frustration. Challenging (2 Successes Required)

Blocking Example (Challenging) Jessica’s character, Elizabeth, is a Blocker. She is part of a strike force against a K’thari hive deep in the Central American jungles. She has been separated from her team and finds herself face to face with a K’thari warrior across a wide clearing. It turns at her, hissing, and charges. Jessica wants her character to stop the K’thari in its tracks to buy herself enough time to get to cover and await the air strike she’s just called. That will take 30 seconds, 5 rounds of in-game time. At the very least, she wants to slow the K’thari down so that it moves much more slowly. The GM tells Jessica that it is going to be a Formidable Difficulty (4) to stop the creature from moving completely for 30 seconds, but that it will only be Challenging (2) to slow it down enough to not reach her in that 30-second timeframe. Jessica rolls her Depth (4d). Her Meridian (Blocking) is Average (8+). She has the Anchor Prime Quality, which gives her an extra 1d to the roll. She rolls 2, 5, 5, 8, 9, giving her just two successes. She uses the point of Momentum generated with the check to activate one of the suc-

Hit the Brakes — Reduce the movement of a small vehicle by 25%. Every extra success reduces movement by 25% more, e.g. 3 successes reduces movement by 75%, 4 successes reduces movement by 100%. Safety Net — Slow and stop the descent of someone to prevent injury. Morphine — The target can ignore penalties from Body injuries for the duration of the scene. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Lazy Sunday — Slow the target such that they can only take either a move or attack action each combat round. Armor Vest — Create a field that blocks 3 points of damage from any attack. Lasts for the scene. Silencer — Block sound waves from leaving the immediate vicinity, whether it’s a person speaking or the sound of a gun. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Calm Riot — Block the hostility and anger in a large group of people. Lead Feet — Stop a medium-sized living creature in its tracks for the scene. Wheel Clamp — Completely stop a small vehicle, regardless of speed. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Force Field — Create a bubble about 13 feet across that acts as armor, blocking 5 points of damage per attack. Dam River — Create a barrier that can stop the flow of a river for the scene. Immovable Object — Cause a large item to become completely immovable.

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Meridians Breaking

Most Breakers are highly skilled at some form of combat, with most preferring to be up close and personal when fighting.

Nicknames: Heavy, Glitch, Smash Keywords: Destroy, Disrupt, Entropy, Injure, Pain The Breaker’s domain is inflicting harm and encouraging destruction – from giving someone a minor headache to causing a metal girder to rust from within. Their ability to hurt others, destroy objects and cause devices to malfunction makes them natural warriors across the Nearside. The opposite of a Breaker is a Mender.

Roleplaying Tips Breakers are often aggressive and direct. When they encounter a problem, their first thought is going through it (not around it). They have a black-and-white view of the world – you are either with them or against them. And if you are against them, then you are an obstacle that needs to be removed. They can also be impulsive and short sighted in their actions – making them poor diplomats. As a general rule, Breakers are very dedicated to those they hold in high regard. While this makes them loyal companions, it also makes them fierce enemies. Although not all Breakers are quick to anger, most can be terrifying to behold when they lose their temper. They are especially intolerant of betrayal and have been known to hold life-long grudges that span across worlds.

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What Breakers can do Breakers are primarily known for harming other people. If you can think of a way to cause pain, injury or weakness in a person, a Breaker can accomplish it. This can range anywhere from inflicting a simple back spasm or nausea to breaking bones and tearing flesh. Powerful Nearsiders have even been known to handicap and accelerate the age of their opponents. In addition to the physical, Breakers can also inflict mental and emotional damage. They are able to weaken resolve, tear down confidence, disrupt concentration and generally break their opponent’s spirit. They also damage and weaken objects. The more fragile the item is to begin with, the easier it is to destroy. This destruction can occur as a brutal attack, causing an item to be broken and shattered as if hit by an unseen force. Or it can occur as an acceleration of entropy, causing the item to weaken and decay. Breakers can also cause devices and machinery to malfunction. This sabotage can physically break external or internal components. The larger or more complicated a device, the more difficult it is to break.

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Meridians What Breakers cannot do Breakers cannot permanently inflict something with entropy. The effects of this kind of attack are always temporary. This includes weakening structures, aging individuals, inflicting blindness or deafness, reducing sanity, etc. True damage is lasting, however, at least until repaired or healed. Despite the use of the word “break” in common vernacular, a Breaker cannot use his Meridian to do the following: break the sound barrier, break the laws of physics (except as described above), break dance, break codes or break the ice (socially).

Breaker Prime Qualities l Bruiser — Excels at hurting people and fighting an opponent hand to hand. l Gremlin — Excels at disrupting devices and sabotaging equipment. l Demoralizer — Excels at breaking spirits and intimidating others.

Example Distance Qualities l Jammer — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to cause guns and rifles to jam. l Rotter — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to weaken or destroy wooden objects. l Virus — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to inflict sickness.

Breaking Example (Challenging) Hank is playing a Breaker that is being chased by a pack of hunting dogs through a forest. He has made it across an old rope and wooden bridge that crosses a wide gorge. He wants to cut all the supporting ropes on the left side of the bridge when the dogs are crossing, causing it to turn sideways and drop the dogs into the gorge. Normally, causing an old rope to break would an Average (1) Meridian Check. But since Hank wants to cause four ropes to break all at once, including two that are about 100 ft. away, the GM decides the difficulty of the Meridian should be Daunting (3). Note: It would be easier to just cause all the ropes on his side of the gorge to break, but he doesn’t want to leave himself completely stuck on this side of the gorge. That would have only been a

Challenging (2) difficulty. Although Breaking is his Prime Meridian, his Prime Quality is Demoralizer, which doesn’t help. His Breaker Meridian Skill is at Familiar (9+) and his Depth is 3. It will be difficult to get three successes, but he figures even a partial success will be effective against his pursuers. He rolls a 3, 4 and 10 — one success and one point of Momentum. He makes the Momentum Roll and gets a 12 and 12 — giving him one more success (only one can be counted on a Momentum Roll). With his two successes, he is only able to break the ropes on his side of the gorge. Hank spends the two points of Momentum needed to activate the successes and the ropes snap. The GM gives each dog a chance to make it across the unstable bridge – but some are sure to fall to their doom.

Breaking Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Weaken — Make an object weak at a certain point, like the handle of a mug or the leg of a stool. Intimidate — Break the spirit of someone to give you a 1d advantage to Intimidation checks. Headache — Cause mild pain to someone. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Shatter — Cause an already fragile object, like a window or bowl, to break into pieces. Fear — Break down someone’s feelings of courage, causing them to run in fear. Wound — Break open an opponent’s skin. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Smash — Cause a non-fragile item, like a steel door or brick wall, to give way. Break Bone — Snap an opponent’s bone without even touching them. Paranoia — Cause someone to be unreasonably fearful for an entire scene. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Rust — Cause a steel beam to break down into a weakened, rusted state in one round. Blind — Break someone’s optical nerve, causing blindness. Teller Glass — Shatter bulletproof glass as if it were expensive crystal. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Aging — Temporarily break down the cell structure of someone, causing them to age. Insanity — Break a person’s mind. Tunguska — Knock down a forest of trees for 10 sq. miles in all directions.

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Meridians Chancing Nicknames: Calculator, Boon, Charmer, Fluke Keywords: Luck, Fate, Fortune, Risk A Chancer’s powers focus on manipulating probability and affecting fortune. They can bring good or bad luck, according to their whim. Unlike most Meridians, the Chancing Meridian has no opposite.

Roleplaying Tips Chancers are risk takers, by nature. Some are daredevils, while others are walking calculators, reducing every risk to a percentage of success. Either way, their minds are awash with possibilities. That may explain why it’s difficult for Chancers to live in the moment. They’re always looking ahead, trying to figure out what one action will cause or prevent further down the line. It’s not that they worry about the future. In fact many Chancers are happy-go-lucky, carefree types. They focus on the future so they can influence it. Since

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they know what to expect, and know they can alter outcomes when needed, what is there to be worried about? They are often perceived as being arrogant, flippant or even naively optimistic. But a Chancer in a foul mood is a frightening thing. Small possibilities — a car might run a red light, a gun might jam during a firefight, an electrical wire might be loose in a petroleum refinery — can have big consequences. Most Chancers are accustomed to being blamed when something goes wrong, so it’s natural for them to take credit when things go right — whether they had anything to do with it or not. Others get sick of the blame game and keep to themselves, or even lie about their Prime Meridian. Most Chancers are skilled in Gathering Information and using their Perception to detect small clues to help figure out what might happen next. Some are experts in Mathematics.

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Meridians What Chancers Can Do

Chancers cannot control fate. They can only influence it. This is an important distinction. A Chancer can’t cause anything to happen, they can only increase the odds of it happening. If the odds of something happening are extremely slim, a Chancer can only make it a bit more likely to happen. On the flip side, if something is already likely to happen, it’s easier for a Chancer to make it happen. A good Chancer knows the difference, and can make it appear as if they can control fate.

an’s work boots weren’t tied. Dawn would like Rico to use his Chancing Prime Meridian to cause Big Sean to trip and hurt himself, and maybe even fall on his machete. The GM says tripping him will be a Difficulty 2 check, but since it’s less likely he’ll fall on his machete, that would be a Difficulty 3. Rico is a Jinx with a Depth of 3 and a Chancing Concentration of 8+. Because her character’s Jinx Quality applies to the situation, Dawn will get to roll four dice. She decides to just try to trip Big Sean. She rolls a 2, 12, 8 and 10, getting the two successes she needs plus one more. She activates them all with her Momentum. With the extra success, the GM says Big Sean trips and does indeed fall on the blade. Rico doesn’t turn around to look at his handiwork. He just smiles at the little girl and keeps on walking.

Chancer Prime Qualities

Chancing Effect Examples

Chancers can manipulate the odds of something happening or not happening. Call it luck, fate or destiny — Chancers can influence it. Since everything has some possibility of happening, powerful Chancers really can do just about anything. Of course, some events are more likely than others.

What Chancers Cannot Do

l Gambler — Excels at manipulating games of chance and foolhardy actions. l Jinx — Excels at causing bad luck and setting devious plans in motion. l Rabbit’s Foot — Excels at creating lucky breaks and trying new things.

Example Distance Qualities l Fortune Teller — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to determine what is likely to happen next. l Mojo — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks recover from bad luck. l Albatross — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to cause a minor injury to someone else.

Chancing Example (Challenging) Rico heard a scream and booted footsteps on the ground behind him. The scream came from a little girl in front of him. The boots belonged to Big Sean behind him, whose mother he had insulted before turning and walking away. Chances are, the girl wouldn’t have screamed just because the mook was running at him. Big Sean had probably pulled the machete Rico had noticed beneath the man’s long coat. Luckily, he had also noted that Big Se-

Average (1 Success Required) Card Shark — Win a hand of cards. Head or Tails — Make the right choice when there’s only two choices. Sherlock — Anticipate a person’s next action, based on their previous actions. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Fast Food — Help someone choke on the food they’re wolfing down. Lucky Shot — Make a called shot one threshold below what the size would normally dictate. A Natural — Make a non-Meridian Skill Check at the Trained (8+) level. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Why Not Now — Greatly increase the chances that a rickety structure will immediately collapse. Break Down — Greatly increase the odds of a machine malfunctioning. Lucky Guess — Cut the correct wire on an extremely complicated bomb timer. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Make it Rain — If skies are cloudy, they release a deluge. Big Winner — Break the bank at any casino. Accident Avoidance — Turn a Botch into a success. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Fault Line — Substantially increase the chances of an earthquake immediately occurring. Mayday — Substantially increase the odds of a plane crashing. Miracle Worker — Ensure a mortally wounded person survives.

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Meridians Changing Nicknames: Chemists, Filters, Modders, Alter Boys/ Girls Keywords: Purify, Recreate, Mold, Transform, Mutate, Modify, Transform, Alter A Changer’s powers focus on transforming simple objects and adjusting their properties. Small changes can make a big difference. Unlike most Meridians, the Chancing Meridian has no opposite.

Roleplaying Tips Changers are all about the here and now. Their powers let them make what they need from something else, or just transmute the money they need to buy it. There is no reason to save or plan. It’s no wonder they have a difficult time thinking long-term. The transient nature of everything in the Changer’s world makes it hard for them to respect others’ rights as property owners. For example, a car is broken down into its elements — steel, silica, petroleum — in a Changer’s mind. Those elements are so common, it’s tough for a Changer to imagine anyone caring if they borrow them and maybe introduce some new ones — say wood from a tree he crashes into.

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Even more so than other Nearsiders, Changers embrace transience. A month-to-month apartment lease is too long for some. They often find it nearly impossible to maintain steady relationships — instead preferring to pop in and out of their acquaintances’ lives with little more explanation than “I needed a change.” Even before realizing their abilities, they’ll often take jobs that allow them to be in flux, such as longhaul truck driving, international missionary work, migrant farm labor, carnies, or as corporate road warriors. Of course, there’s little real need for them to work because money is not an object once they understand their Meridian capabilities. But even powerful Changers do take on different jobs, often just for a new experience or a change of scenery. Many Changers are skilled in hands-on artistic endeavors, disguise, and creative tradecrafts. Others specialize in scientific and/or medical pursuits, engineering and architecture, finding them helpful when using their powers.

What Changers Can Do Changers can alter physical properties of non-complex items to morph them into something else. A blank piece of paper can become legal tender, a cup can become a

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Meridians bowl, a revolver can become a hammer. Simple objects can be transformed into other objects that are about the same size and weight of the original. Size, complexity, and final composition can make alteration more difficult. The larger an item is, the more difficult it is to transform because of the sheer mass a Changer is trying to reconfigure. Objects made of many different materials are also more difficult to transform because they have so many different chemical properties. Likewise, turning a homogeneous item into one with different types of materials is more difficult, as is recreating an item with many intricate features or moving parts. For example, turning a sheet of paper into wood is more difficult than turning a sheet of paper into cardboard. Turning paper into metal is even more difficult, but not nearly as difficult as turning paper into a pistol. Changers most often turn “likes into likes.” This can be extremely powerful in the right situation, like a Changer using their Meridian powers to turn impure substances, including poisonous air, food or drink, into their pure versions … or vice versa.

Changing Example (Average)

What Changers Cannot Do

Changing Effect Examples

Changers cannot create anything from nothing. They can only transform something into something else, and those things have to be about the same mass. They cannot change minds. They cannot change hearts. They cannot affect living tissues. Changers cannot change anything they’re not touching.

Changer Prime Qualities l Alchemist — Excels at transmutation of objects and mundane duplication efforts. l Architect — Excels at weakening or strengthening objects and understanding construction. l Purifier — Excels at making things clean, potable or edible and defending against poison.

Example Distance Qualities l Midas — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when transforming objects into precious metals. l Jackhammer — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when transforming stone. l Pharmacist — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to transform one drug into another.

Rob’s character, Tony, is about to be kicked in the face by his attackers. The handcuffs on his wrists prevent him from properly defending himself. Unfortunately, he only has one point of Momentum left, so even if he succeeds mightily in using his Changing Prime Meridian, he can only activate an Average success (unless he generates Momentum in his roll). Rob decides to keep it simple and change just one link on the steel cuffs to a soft gold that Tony can easily break. The GM agrees this will only require 1 success. Tony has an Average (8+) Meridian: Changing Concentration. His Prime Quality is Purifier and he has the Jackhammer Distance Quality, neither of which help him in this situation. Tony has a Depth of 3, so Rob rolls three dice: a 1,7 and 6. Because none of the dice are above 8, he doesn’t immediately succeed. However, the 7 and 6 add up to 13, so he has another chance. He rolls for Momentum and gets … a 3 and a 4. It’s just not Tony’s day, thinks Rob, as a boot slams into his character’s face.

Average (1 Success Required) Refreshing — Turn a glass of saltwater into a glass of fresh water. Tasty — Make a bland meal taste perfectly seasoned. Mud in Your Eye — Turn a handful of mud into a stone. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Chef Special — Turn a loaf of bread into a cooked steak and potatoes. Who Dealt It? — Change a room full of noxious gas into fresh air. Open Says Me — Turn a heavy wooden door into rotten wood. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Michaelangelo — Turn a block of stone into a statue. Distillery — Convert a bathtub full of water into quality gin. Flypaper — Turn asphalt into tar. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Gunsmith — Turn a sword into an unloaded, but fully functional, revolver. Big Bad Wolf — Turn a small log cabin into a mass of toothpicks. Reverse Rust — Turn a rust-covered warehouse into a shiny metal structure. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Dodge City — Turn a small car into a pile of loaded guns. Highway to Hell — Turn a 100 yards of road into magma. Black Lagoon — Turn the water in a small pond fetid.

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Meridians Closing Nicknames: Deniers, Jammer, Slammer Keywords: Close, end, deny, bind, reduce Shutting, locking, denying. These are the things that Closers do best. They are the opposite of the Opener, undoing their work and giving them much more to do.

Roleplaying Tips Closers are usually tight-lipped and reserved, though sometimes they will appear gregarious without ever actually showing their true feelings or opinions. Closers feel uncomfortable in open or unsecured locations, and won’t feel comfortable in a house if the doors are unlocked.

What Closers can do Closers are able to shut and lock doors, windows and other portals. If a door does not possess a locking mechanism, the Closer can cause the hinges to jam or the doorframe itself to stick, making it difficult or impossible to utilize the portal. Closers are also able to influence Broken Rooms, causing them to slow down in their cycle, increasing the Friction by making the Room harder to pass

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through, and can even permanently shut down a Broken Room, though such things are incredibly difficult. Closers can shut down human emotions and responses, as if the soul itself were a portal. The ability to turn an opponent’s rage into sullen anger is one thing. The ability to turn devoted love into complete impartiality is much more difficult. Closers can also subtly alter subjects’ minds, making them less likely to accept a new idea or concept, or make them firmly stand their ground on some matter. Closers can also shut down perceptions, reducing their effectiveness. This isn’t the same as what Keepers do — a Closer can literally make someone’s eyes close or make someone deny to themselves that they really heard or saw something. Closers often have skills similar to Openers, especially those relating to construction or locking mechanisms. Some Closers make a study of human behavior and psychology — they are more interested in what makes people tick ... or how to stop them from doing so.

What Closers cannot do Closers cannot completely shut down a flow of energy or matter, such as a river or someone’s breathing. That’s what Blockers do. Closers cannot permanently seal portals, entries or doors, though they can effectively ruin locking mechanisms and locks.

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Meridians Closer Prime Qualities l Deadbolt — Excels at closing or sealing normal portals and setting up security. l Grounder – Excels at removing Momentum from opponents and resisting persuasion. l Off Switch — Excels at shutting down a line of thinking or thought processes and resisting mind control.

more quickly and to render them temporarily as a cosmetic feature, making it impossible for them to be opened until early tomorrow morning. The doors swing closed, faster than they could normally move, and there is first a hiss and a clunk as the mechanisms seal, then a subtle shimmer as the line between the door and wall vanishes.

Closing Effect Examples

Example Distance Qualities l Vault — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to secure portals or containers used to hold valuables. l Dams — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to interrupt Momentum. l Clogger — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to interrupt bodily functions.

Average (1 Success Required) Lockup — Lock and secure a simple door or other portal, if a lock is already present. Interrupt Momentum — Cause a Nearsider to be unable to use Momentum on Meridian Checks during their next action. (The target can still generate Momentum and use it on Action Checks.) Zip It — Make someone stop talking for one combat round. Challenging (2 Successes Required)

Closing Example (Daunting) Colin’s character is a Closer, and has just started a chain reaction in a nuclear reactor. This was not his intention, but now he has to try to seal the reactor to prevent a devastating radiation leak. It’s not just enough to close the giant steel doors around the reaction chamber, his character must make sure that nothing can get through, at least until the proper authorities arrive. The GM tells Colin that he’ll need 3 successes to seal the giant lead-shielded doors, which should be enough to keep the radiation from leaking. However, if Colin gets 4 successes, he can render the safety doors a “cosmetic feature” for the next 13 hours, meaning that they will be impossible to open since they won’t really be doors at all for that period. Colin’s character has a Meridian: Closing skill of Average (8+) and a Depth of 5. His Prime Quality, Deadbolt, gives him an additional die. He rolls 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11 - three successes and two points of Momentum. Colin uses both points of Momentum to roll for an extra success, and gets 4, 8 on one pair of dice and 5 and 9 on another. Neither rolls generate additional Momentum, but he does get 2 extra successes. Colin’s character has achieved 5 successes, and only needed 3 to close the door. He activates all 5 successes, allowing him to close the doors

Slow Cycle — Attempt to slow a room’s opening cycle, with every two successes doubling the regular cycle time. Rooms have a chance to resist based on their Friction. Pinch Artery — Very briefly reduce the blood flow to a target’s brain, causing Body damage. Rusty Hinge — Increase a broken room’s Friction for its next cycle, making it more difficult to pass through. Rooms have a chance to resist based on their Friction. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Secure — Lock and secure a sophisticated portal, such as a bank vault, submarine hatch or electromagnetic doorway. Obdurate — Cause someone to be stubborn and immovable on a matter that is not likely to be true. Dam Momentum — Completely shut down a Nearsider’s access to his Momentum for 13 seconds (about two rounds). The Nearsider can still generate Momentum as normal, he just cannot spend it. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Sealed — Close a door or anything that can be opened so effectively as to render it a cosmetic effect on the surface for 13 hours. Lockdown — Close and lock all standard doors and windows in a building up to two stories. Lobotomy — Completely remove an emotional response, e.g. burning hatred into absolute neutrality. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Collapse Broken Room — Attempt to permanently close a broken room, effectively destroying the room for all but the most powerful Openers. (Collapsing a broken room may require 10 or more successes.) Lockalypse Now — Disable all locks in a 1-mile radius, rendering them useless. Unlocked locks cannot be locked, while locked portals cannot be opened. Denial — Shut down a Nearsider’s HbA, removing his ability to generate Momentum, use Meridians, or travel for 13 days. Only time, or an Opener can unlock the HbA. Closers cannot deny a Nearsider with more Distance than they themselves possess.

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Meridians Finding

that lost item or person. Others become obsessed with sharing the truth, which can make them a liability. Most Finders are skilled in Gather Information, Perception and Survival Skills that allow them to use their Meridian.

Nicknames: Spot, Nose, Hunter, Snoop, Scout Keywords: Locate, Sense, Uncover A Finder’s powers focus on expanding his senses, locating people and objects, and discovering information. They’re in high demand by organizations who need to find off-world objects and other Nearsiders—but sometimes find themselves unnecessary after rendering their services. The opposite of Finding is Keeping.

Roleplaying Tips Finders are drawn to hobbies and careers that revolve around uncovering secrets, seeking out treasures and finding the lost — from detective work to collecting stamps to curating museums. Many Finders are collectors. They want things to be in their proper place, tagged and organized. Some Finders can become obsessed with the need to know the unknown, to the point of forsaking less important concerns, like social niceties, personal hygiene, or even their physical health. That may suit them just fine, since many feel like everyone they meet is out to use them to find this or

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What Finders Can Do Finders are able to sense the location of objects, people, and broken rooms to various degrees. This can range from sensing the general direction of a type of object to the exact location of a particular item, person or location. Powerful Finders can expand their senses to the point of being able to see, feel, smell, hear, and even taste what they’re looking for from a distance. Finders are especially attuned to discerning whether someone else is a Nearsider and some basic facts about them. With this sixth sense, they could, for example, tell how much Distance a Nearsider has as well as their Prime Meridian. Likewise, they can sense if an object is from a foreign Variation, and even visualize bits of an item’s history. Perhaps their most useful ability is to sniff out broken rooms. Finders can use their talents to learn more about the destination, timing and lag of broken rooms.

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Meridians What Finders Cannot Do Finders cannot use their Prime Meridian to uncover secrets by reading minds, mentally forcing people to tell them information, or improve their abilities to intimidate, trick, or coerce information from others. Their Finder powers relate only to their senses, including a sixth sense that pertains to the Nearside.

Finder Prime Qualities l Locator — Excels at finding objects and gathering information. l Sentinel — Excels at expanding her senses and becoming more observant. l Tracker — Excels at finding people and other living creatures via his sixth sense and tracking.

Example Distance Qualities l Bloodhound — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to track a particular type of prey. l Bonded — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to find a single particular item that has previously been chosen. l Hypersense — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to gain unnatural senses.

Finding Example (Daunting) As expected, Erich’s Finder, Tucker, is lost. What’s worse, the men paying him to get them in and out of the jungle are not the understanding type. They are starting to grumble. Erich knows Tucker has to find the broken room quickly. This isn’t his first expedition, so he had wisely placed a memento — a broken compass from the first Keeper he had ever killed — under some leaves next to the Broken Room when they left it. Erich decides to combine his Locator Prime Quality and Bonded Distance Quality to get them off the hot, humid, and dangerous variation. He wants to know the direction of the broken room and about how far away it is. Tucker stops the party, letting them drop the K-tech weaponry they had stolen and take a short rest. He looks critically at the position of the sun, picks some leaves off a nearby tree and watches the wind blow them as he sprinkles them out of his hand. He inspects a tree for moss and even makes a bird call for good measure. None of this is necessary, but Tucker has the Showman Quality, so Erich is hoping the GM will look favorably on his actions. Tucker’s Meridian: Finding Skill is at Average (8+) and

his Depth is 3. Because of his Prime Quality, he gets to roll an additional die, plus one for his Bonded Distance Quality to locate the broken compass. The GM must be in a good mood tonight, because he even rewards Erich’s roleplaying of his Showman Quality with an additional die. The Difficulty is Daunting (3), so Erich needs to roll 8+ on at least three dice. No problem. He lets the 6d fly and gets the successes he needs on a 1, 3, 9, 6, 11 and 8. No two dice add up to 13, so he generates no Momentum on the roll. He activates the three successes he needs using the Momentum he has banked. Tucker smiles and confidently points toward the broken room that lies directly to the east. He knows the direction and that it’s just a little over a quarter mile away, but he has no idea there is a 40-ft. sheer cliff face between it and his current location.

Finding Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Reminder — Instantly remember where you left any object, no matter how long ago. Enhanced Nearsight — Identify a Nearsider in a crowd and plumb his Depth. Expand Sense — Increase one sense (vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, sixth) check by 1d. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Over There — Discern the direction of a type of object or group of people. Fact Finder — Use research materials (books, websites, etc.) to discover one needle in the haystack of a fact. Nearest Exit — Discern the exact direction of, and distance away from, the two nearest broken rooms. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Backtrack — Find the direction to and distance from a location you’ve been to before, no matter how far you’ve traveled from it. Hunt — Track a particular person through crowds and over hard terrain where no tracks are left. Unerring Path — Find your way around an unfamiliar building or area as if you know it like the back of your hand. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Find Owner —Use an item to find its owner. Tracer — Always know where one person or object is, even as it’s moving. X-ray Vision — See through a brick wall. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Fix Room — Know the exact location, destination, timing and lag of a nearby broken room. GPS — Know the exact location of any distinct person or object that has been described to you, no matter where it is. Sensory Overload — Increase all perception checks by 2d.

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Meridians Juicing Nicknames: Spark, Battery, Volt, Switch, Arc Keywords: Electricity, Shock, Power, Drain, Electronics The Juicer’s domain is all things electrical – from a simple static charge to the inner workings of generation technology. Their ability of generate, control, enhance and dampen the flow of electricity and electrical signals make them a valuable commodity in most situations and a necessity on Outage. Unlike most Meridians, the Juicing Meridian has no opposite.

Roleplaying Tips Juicers tend to be excited by technology. They thrive on owning the most cutting edge gadgets and learning about the latest innovations. The often have short attention spans and get bored easily if not properly stimulated. This also makes them adept at multi-tasking and shifting focus. They also enjoy being shocked and surprised and this often leads to thrill seeking, which can range from a simple love of horror movies to the thrill of the hack to literal life-threatening ventures. Juicers, much like the force of nature they control, can be unpredictable – sometimes even manic. They are as quick to wind down as they are to rev up. When

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they run out of energy or get bored, they can be difficult to restart. Many Juicers’ personal nightmare is to be stuck on a week-long camping trip in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. Most Juicers have at least a passing familiarity with electronic devices and are often adept with at least one of the following Skills: Computers, Technical or Tradecraft.

What Juicers can do Juicers are able to generate and transfer electricity from within themselves and the world around them. This can be used to recharge batteries, power devices, overload circuits and otherwise act as a generator. They can also discharge and redirect energy. This discharge can range anywhere from a small spark to the equivalent of a lightning bolt. They are also able to dampen and disrupt electricity. This allows them to drain batteries, cut off the flow of current, switch off devices and block electrical signals. Juicers are able to resist electrical attacks and sense the flow of electricity around them. Juicers can also connect with and control electrical devices through touch or remotely. Devices built to receive remote instructions are far easier to manipulate in this manner. The Juicer can send instructions, are pull informa-

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Meridians tion and communicate through these devices. Juicers who also posses the Finder Meridian can even use these devices as an extension of their senses.

What Juicers cannot do Juicers can only communicate with and control electrical devices. Purely mechanical or steam powered devices might as well be a rock. They also cannot alter the basic functionality and programming of a device without the Writing Meridian. They cannot imbue electrical devices with intelligence or sentience. While they can send a set of instructions, the device cannot react independently or make decisions for itself. Juicers cannot control or drain the bioelectric energy from another person.

Juicer Prime Qualities l Generator — Excels at recharging devices and repairing electrical systems. l Remote — Excels at controlling devices from a distance and learning new technologies. l Shocker — Excels at inflicting and resisting electrical damage, especially in combat.

Example Distance Qualities l Damper — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to drain power from devices. l Firework — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to create and control sparks. l Jammer — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to block electrical signals.

Juicing Example (Challenging) Debbie is playing a Juicer that is trapped inside the trunk of a car that has been driven into a river. She wants to try and cause the trunk to pop open. Unfortunately, the car is an older model and does not have remote trunk opening. The trunk is purely mechanical and must be opened with a key. Thinking quickly, she decides that maybe she can alert her friends to her presence by making the horn honk and lights flash. The GM decides this reasonable and tells her that it will be a Challenging (2) Meridian Check for her cause both of those to turn on and for them to remain on. Juicing is her Prime Meridian and she has the Remote Prime Quality. Her Meridian Juicing Skill is at Average (8+) and her Depth is 4. Because of her Prime Quality,

she gets to roll an additional die. She rolls her 4d and gets a 1, 3, 4 and 10 – one successes and one point of Momentum. She makes a Momentum Roll and gets a 6 and 9 – giving her the second success she needed. She spends two points of Momentum to activate the successes and the car comes to life, honking and flashing!

Juicing Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Reading Spark — Create a small spark on your fingertip bright enough to read by. Recharge Battery — Fully charge a handful of small batteries. Sense Electricity — See the flow of electricity around you. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Shocking Touch — Inflict a damaging electrical shock to an opponent. Dead Battery — Completely drain a car battery. Change Channels — Change the channel on every TV in a sports bar to PBS. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Forked Lightning — Shoot one lightning bolt at two opponents. Lens Cap — Turn off every camera in a large casino. Mr. Edison — Generate enough energy to power a house. Formidable (4 Successes Required) On the Fly — Take control of a military drone. Mr. Tesla — Generate enough energy to power a city block. Radio Silence — Fill the air with static, jamming radio waves for 4 sq. miles. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Fusion — Power a nuclear reactor. EMP —Create an electromagnetic pulse capable of disrupting all electronic devices for 1 sq. mile. Faraday Field — Enable all electronic devices within 1 sq. mile on Outage (Earth10) to work normally again.

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Meridians Keeping Nicknames: Chameleon, Shade, Mask, Shush Keywords: Hide, Disguise, Subterfuge, Obfuscate, Lie A Keeper’s powers focus on concealment of objects, people, powers and secrets. They have a reputation as silver-tongued masters of disguise, and are often found (when they choose to be found) at the right hand of the worlds’ most powerful people. The Keeper’s opposite Meridian is Finding.

R oleplaying Tips Keepers value their privacy and prefer not to discuss anything that reveals their true thoughts or feelings. That doesn’t mean they’re anti-social, they’re just really good at lying. Keepers are consummate role-players, and so are often drawn to careers in acting, undercover police work, espionage, and politics. Their ability to disguise people and objects opens doors from them in artistic professions as well, from makeup to painting to fashion to philosophy. And, of course, many use their abilities to become successful criminals. Keepers often find comfort in chaos, where it’s easier to keep things hidden. Some find themselves drawn to the seclusion of the shadows, while others

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revel in being able to keep their true selves hidden even in the brightest of spotlights. When the chips are down, most Keepers prefer subtlety — a knife in the back vs. a straight up fight, a whispered rumor instead of the truth. It’s not that Keepers can’t be trusted, it’s that you don’t realize they can’t be trusted. Keepers can come off as disingenuous until they have increased their Depth, and some become arrogant because they always know something others don’t. It’s easy for Keepers to get lost in their own camouflage and become one of the characters they take on as a disguise. You never really feel like you know a Keeper, even if you are one. Most Keepers are skilled in Artistry, Deception, and Larceny, as well as Interpersonal and Trade Skills that allow them to use their Meridian.

What Keepers Can D o Keepers are able to hide objects, people, secrets and emotions — both their own and others’. They do this through disguise, roleplaying, half truths, outright lies, and double dealing. They’re able to make objects blend in with their surroundings, turn outlandish people into easily overlooked wallflowers and — to the untrained eye — make themselves disappear.

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Meridians Keepers can shield their own and others’ Meridians, and even the fact that they are HbA+, from Finders. They can also confound a Finder’s sense of direction when obscuring a broken room.

What Keepers Cannot D o Keepers cannot use their Prime Meridian to have any real effect on others’ minds or senses. Their abilities are limited to perceptions. They cannot actually make items or people disappear, but they can make others overlook items and people. They cannot block Nearsight, but they can obscure other Nearsiders’ sixth sense enough to camouflage and disguise items and people.

K eeper Prime Qualities l Cloak — Excels at obscuring people from detection and covering his tracks. l Waldo — Excels at hiding in plain sight and being sneaky. l Wig — Excels at changing perceptions and disguising his appearance.

Lyla’s Meridian Keeping Concentration is Professional (7+) and her Depth is 4. Because of her Prime Quality, she gets to roll an additional die. The Difficulty is Challenging (2), which means Carrie needs to roll seven or above on five dice (four dice for her Depth and one extra because she’s using her Prime Quality). It should be an easy roll, but what she doesn’t know is that the guard is a Finder. Carrie rolls the dice and gets a 1, 3, 10, 4, and 7. That’s two successes, and because the 10 and 3 add up to 13 she gets a point of Momentum. Because it’s an opposed check, she decides to use it immediately to make another roll and gets a 7 and 9. While both dice are 7+, only one die of a Momentum roll can be used as a success, so Carrie now has a total of three successes. The guard rolls four dice, but only gets two successes. Lyla strides into the bank like she owns the place.

Keeping Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required)

E xample Distance Qualities l Born for the Role — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to Acting like a particular character type. l Wall Flower — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to blend into a crowd and go unnoticed. l Honest Abe — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to lie.

K eeping Example (Challenging) Carrie is playing Lyla, a Keeper who is trying to infiltrate a Monarch bank subsidiary by assuming the identity of the branch manager. She just has to hope her disguise fools the guard at the door so she can get into the manager’s office. Because she has to act like the manager and rely on her disguise, the GM says the guard will get the chance to oppose her check. Carrie decides to use Lyla’s Wig Prime Quality to fake her way in. Lyla approaches the building, being careful to mimic the manager’s hurried walk. She keeps her head down, pretending to read paperwork as the doors slide open, and she walks past the front desk toward the manager’s office.

Magic Hands — Use prestidigitation like a trained magician. Overlooked — Make yourself harder to spot by a particular person. Dampen Nearsight — Reduce a Nearsider’s Nearsight roll by 1d. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Shroud — Make yourself harder to spot by a crowd of people. Many Faces — Take on the appearance of someone else. Obscure Item — Make an item difficult to find by anyone looking for it. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Lost Room — Hide your location and everyone in it from a Finder. Stolen Identity — Take on someone else’s looks and mannerisms. Forgettable — Make someone forget they ever met you. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Blindsight — Completely disappear to Nearsight. Snake Oil — Lie to anyone believably. Electronic Invisibility – Become invisible to cameras and microphones. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Presto — Hide large objects from view. Invisibility — Vanish from sight. Off the Grid — Cease to exist in any records for a session.

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Meridians Mending Nicknames: Fixits, Medics, Wrenches, Stitches Keywords: Heal, Repair, Rejuvenate, Restore The Mender’s domain is removing damage and restoring things to their original state – from fixing a shattered window to knitting a broken bone. Their ability to heal injuries and keep equipment functioning makes them an invaluable resource and respected ally. The opposite of a Mender is a Breaker.

Roleplaying Tips Menders tend to be exacting and fastidious in nature. They are creatures of habit and are firm believers in order and preparation. They live by the motto that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. They are well composed and highly organized. They are the early risers that make sure their suit is ironed and no hair is out of place. They never miss an oil change and make sure they put away their tools when they are done with them. They also tend to compassionate and nurturing, often seeing the good in people before the bad. Rather than seeing someone that needs to be killed, they see a situation that needs to be fixed. They have a hard time standing by and not fixing problems – making them natural activists. Menders try to avoid conflict and destruction whenever possible, but when it cannot be avoided, they prefer to resolve disputes as quickly and precisely as possible. Most Menders are familiar with the items they spend a lot of time fixing, which often includes people. They are good with their hands and are often adept with at least one of the following Skills: Medical, Technical or Tradecraft.

chological trauma as well. Any condition that can be treated with therapy and pharmaceuticals can also be healed by the Mender. Generally, this kind of injury is more difficult to heal than physical wounds. Just as Menders can heal the body, they can also fix the inanimate. The simpler the object and the smaller the damage, the easier it is to repair. Complicated machinery or electronics are especially difficult for a Mender. In addition to simply fixing damage, they can also help restore an item to its original state – removing the subtle (and not too subtle) effects of wear and tear. This often looks like it is simply cleaning an object, but is more than skin deep.

What Menders cannot do Menders need to be near (preferably touching) the person or object that they are mending. The majority of what they are fixing needs to be present and in its original state. For example, they cannot restore a dress from a scrap of cloth or recreate a book from a pile of ashes. They also cannot create amalgams or new items

What Menders can do Menders are able to heal the physical body (both human and animal). As a general rule, the more difficult an injury or ailment is to heal through traditional medicine, the more difficult it is to heal with Mending. Nearsiders are even able to cure ailments and repair injuries that modern science cannot – such as paralysis or the common cold. They are also able to remove the effects of drugs and toxins. They are capable of helping with mental and psy-

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Meridians from disparate components. They cannot raise the dead or reverse the effects of natural aging. They are also unable to regenerate limbs. Conditions that are congenital cannot be permanently cured by Menders, although they be temporarily relieved. They also cannot revert items back to their original elements. For example, once a coin has been minted, it is a coin. It cannot be changed back into a metal ingot. If that coin is melted down and forged into a ring, it cannot be mended back into a coin.

Mender Prime Qualities l Patch – Excels at repairing damage to simple items and using the Tradecraft skill. l Sawbone – Excels at healing damage to people and practicing medicine. l Shrink– Excels at undoing mental trauma and understanding others.

Example Distance Qualities l Gearhead – Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to repair machinery. l Miracle Worker – Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to relieve impairments (blindness, deafness, etc.) l Tailor – Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to mend or restore clothing.

Fortunately, she has enough Momentum to activate all these successes and Joe is healed 5 points of Body damage. Those around them stand amazed as a gunshot wounds closes and fades into a bruise.

Mending Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Darn — Repair a small tear in clothing, or re-attach a button or fastener. Bandage — Heal a small injury, cut or bruise. Spit-Spot — Make a small item as clean as new.

Mending Example (Average+)

Challenging (2 Successes Required)

Sally and her companions just survived a terrible fight with some other Nearsiders. Her friend Joe is particularly bad off, so she decides to try and patch him up first. She knows that for every success she rolls, she will be able to heal Joe of one point of Body damage lost. So the more successes she gets, the better her healing attempt will be. Mending is her Prime Meridian and she has the Sawbone Prime Quality. Her Depth is 4 and her Meridian: Mending Skill is at Average (8+). She rolls 5d (getting an extra for being a Sawbone) and gets a 3, 5, 8, 8, 12 – three successes and one point of Momentum. She makes the Momentum Roll and gets a 4 and 9 – giving her another success and other point of Momentum. She makes another Momentum Roll and gets a 7 and 8 – one more success. This adds up to 5 successes!

Fix Simple Item — Repair an uncomplicated piece of equipment. Calm — Bring a hysterical person back from the brink. Heal — Heal up to 2 points of Body damage. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Fix Simple Device —Repair basic electronics. Heal Mind/Soul — Heal 2 points of Mind or Soul damage. Pristine — Restore an old, working item, back to its original condition. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Repair Laptop — Repair complicated electronics, such as a laptop. Remove Mind/Soul Injury — Remove a mental disorder, phobia or bring someone out of a coma. Cure Disease — Cure one person of any disease. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Restore Junker — Completely repair and restore an old, broken down car to new condition. Restore Sanity — Cure a mental illness. Good as New — Completely heal all Body damage.

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Meridians Moving

What Movers Can Do

Nicknames: Speedster, Teek, Geist, Keywords: Motion, Telekinesis, Fluidity

Movers can make physical objects move without touching them, from bullets to trucks, to a breath of air or a rushing torrent of water. Movers can also take that which is still and cause it to move and flow. They can alter the direction of objects or items already in motion. They can, for example, deflect the course of a bullet with enough control to save themselves and catch an enemy instead. Likewise, a Mover can nudge an off-target bullet enough to make it hit its target. Movers can also enhance moving objects. For example, a Mover can increase the normal maximum speed of a vehicle and improve its handling. Even if an object is not moving, a Mover can use her Meridian to lift heavy weights, throw people against walls or levitate items from one part of a room to another. Movers often have to choose between speed, accuracy and the sheer mass of what’s being moved. A small item can be moved quickly or accurately, while a heavy object can be moved slowly or precisely. Very powerful Movers can often pick two of the three, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

A Mover’s power focuses on motion, moving objects, items and people from a distance. Movers facilitate motion where it already exists, and creates motion where there is none. Their power can be both blatant and subtle, depending upon the imagination of the Mover. The Mover’s opposite Meridian is, in many ways, the Blocker.

Roleplaying Tips Movers are constantly in motion, whether it’s the nervous tapping of a foot or taking frequent vacations. They dislike staying still for long, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Patience is not a virtue of Movers. They are always ready for the next thing, whether it’s seeing what’s over the next hill or carrying out the next step of a plan. Movers are drawn to sports and careers that involve travel and motion, like running, racing, or even driving trucks or taxis. They do not excel at desk jobs. Thanks to their natural affinity for motion, Movers are often skilled in Transportation or Athletics.

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Meridians What Movers Cannot Do Movers cannot levitate themselves, though they can assist their own existing movement (adding speed, or increasing the length or height of a jump, for example). Movers cannot move anything they cannot see, or anything that would be too small to see with the naked eye. They cannot move anything that is physically restrained or connected to an immovable item, unless that item could be detached with some uncomplicated manipulation.

Mover Prime Qualities l Marksman — Excels at enhancing the movement of projectiles and making called shots. l Strings — Excels at moving objects telekinetically and reacting to danger. l Wheelman — Excels at keeping vehicles moving and stunt driving.

Example Distance Qualities l Crane — 1d bonus when moving large or heavy objects. l Tweezer — 1d bonus when moving small, intricate objects. l Athlete — 1d bonus to affect his own movement.

Moving Example (Daunting) Stephen’s Mover, Susannah, is trapped in a dingy cell on Earth2. A group of starved apocalypse cultists is getting a fire ready outside, as they prefer their human flesh to be cooked before being eaten. At the end of a long hallway, just barely visible to Susannah, hangs the rusty key to her cell. Susannah’s only chance is to get it and open her cell before the meal preparations are completed. Concentrating hard to keep the panic at bay, Susannah reaches out with her mind to the key hanging across the building. Because the key is so far The GM determines that to move the key over to the cell has a Difficulty of Daunting (3). Susannah is a Marksman, so her Prime Quality isn’t useful here. However, she has the Quality “Grace under Pressure” which she activates to get an extra die. Susannah’s Moving Meridian is @8+. Stephen rolls Susannah’s Depth and gets a 3, 7, 9 and 10 - two successes. Not good enough, but better than nothing. She

takes the point of Momentum generated by the 3 and 10, and uses it to activate one of the successes. She activates the other two successes with Momentum already banked. With the three successes, the key lifts from the hook and flies across the room. It lands just in the floor in front of the bars, just beyond her physical reach. It’s not quite close enough. The noise of the key landing prompts the GM to make a Perception check for the guards outside, but they hear nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, Susannah reaches out with her Meridian once more to move the key that last few feet towards her grasp.

Moving Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Nudge — Move a small object a foot without touching it. Near miss — Improve Defense against the next Body attack by 1d. Leap — Jump 5 ft. higher vertically or 10 ft. further horizontally than you normally could. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Slam — Force a person to fall hard against a nearby wall or the ground. Nitrous Boost — Double your or someone else’s speed/ movement rate for the next turn. Quick draw — Cause your weapon to leave a holster/scabbard/ pocket or other holder on your body and move it into your hand without moving your hand. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Motivator —Enhance the speed of someone such that they can take an additional move or attack action each combat round. Power Lifter — Move an extremely heavy object a foot without touching it. Noose — Finely manipulate a string or rope so that it knots or becomes untied without touching it. Formidable (4 Successes Required) 360 — Cause a small, speeding object, or large, slow-moving object to turn around and travel in the opposite direction. Stop Hitting Yourself — Cause someone’s digits and limbs to move with enough control to make his fingers form a fist and his arm throw a punch. Clean Room — Move multiple small objects simultaneously in different directions. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Keep on Trucking — Lift a fully loaded semi truck and throw it 50 ft. in any direction. Dancing Building — Cause a high-rise building to sway and shake as if a non-damage causing earthquake was occurring. Machine Gunner — Cause many small items to move toward a target with the speed and accuracy of bullets fired from a machine gun.

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Meridians Opening Nicknames: Crowbars, Liberators, Picks Keywords: Open, Unlock, Unblock, Untangle, Unrestrict, Allow, Free Openers have a natural affinity for opening that which is closed, be it a door, lock, or a jar with a stuck lid. When an Opener actively focuses on something and brings Momentum to bear upon it, few things remain closed for long. The opposite of Opening Meridian is the Closing Meridian.

Roleplaying Tips Openers tend to be easy-to-read and honest, sometimes to a fault. They despise closed doors and locked rooms, believing in responsible access to everything. They are the kind of people who always like to have a window cracked in a car or apartment, or who have trouble remembering to lock their own doors. Openers tend to feel uncomfortable in enclosed places, or at least as long as the doors are closed and locked. They prefer openness in every sense of the word, from perhaps saying too much in a conversation to wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

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Most Openers are at least a little familiar with locking and securing mechanisms, even if they don’t realize it, and sometimes have related Technical or Tradecraft skills.

What Openers can do Openers are able to open that which is closed, whether it’s a lock, a door, a tightly-sealed container or a blocked passage. Openers can re-open things like wounds and scars, if they are desperate enough. skilled Openers can connect doorways or portals to one another, even if only briefly. Openers can also untangle things, like ropes, wires, laces, and pop handcuffs or other restraints. They are able to interact with broken rooms in a way that other Nearsiders cannot, coaxing them to open sooner or more easily. Indeed, Openers and broken rooms are very closely connected, making them useful allies when traveling, especially when facing a broken room with a very long cycle. Openers can also connect to people’s minds, to find the closed parts and open them to new ideas and concepts. This more abstract use of Opening requires a delicate touch and a diplomatic attitude.

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Meridians What Openers cannot do Openers cannot create doorways or openings where there are none to begin with. They are unable to lock or seal openings, or to hide entrances. Openers do not gain any special knowledge about what is behind a locked doorway or portal, nor do they gain any special understanding about the method of sealing.

Opener Prime Qualities l Diplomat — Excels at opening people’s minds and persuading them. l Key — Excels at opening portals and bypassing security. l Usher — Excels at opening broken rooms and resisting Momentum loss.

Example Distance Qualities l Scab — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to open wounds. l Key Card — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to open electronic locks. l Slim Jim — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to open vehicles.

ian Check to activate the second success. She does not need to activate the third success, unless she wants an improved or enhanced result to her action. Getting the door open is enough for her, and she hears a heavy clunk from within as the mechanism unlocks.

Opening Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Lockpick — Open a simple lock. Untangle — Untie a complicated knot in rope or cable. Dramatic Entrance — Cause a light, unlocked door to swing open without touching it. Challenging (2 Successes Required)

Opening Example (Challenging) Anna’s character is an Opener facing a large, sealed door in an underground base. She has only a few minutes before a nuclear reactor melts down and floods the base with deadly radiation. Her only chance is to get inside this heavily shielded panic room and don a protective radiation suit. The room is locked, and the heavy protective door requires a magnetic key card to open. Of course, Anna’s character has no such card. The GM tells her that it will be a Challenging (2) Meridian Check to unlock the door. Opening is her Prime Meridian and she has the Locksmith Prime Quality. Her Meridian: Opening Concentration is at Trained (8+) and her Depth is 5. Because of her Prime Quality, she gets to roll an additional die. She rolls her 6d and gets a 3, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11 – three successes and one point of Momentum. As the difficulty of the Action Check was 2, Anna only needs to activate two successes. She spends one point from her Momentum pool, and uses the other point generated by her Merid-

Safebreaker — Open a sophisticated locking system, such as a combination lock or multi-number keypad. Force Cycle — Speed up a broken room’s cycle. Old Wounds — Cause a scar or wound to re-open, causing pain and bodily harm. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Dismantle — open or undo every nut, bolt and seal on a complex mechanical device, such as a car engine or handgun. Open Sesame — Unlock or Open highly sophisticated door or entrance, such as at a military facility or bank. Wedge — Force an existing small crack in a wall to widen enough to squeeze through it. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Smooth Sailing — Reduce a rarely used broken room’s Friction to zero. Create Portal — Connect one door to another, possibly miles or even continents away. Follow the Leader — Persuade a room full of people to agree with your point of view. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Create Broken Room – The Opener can pierce the veil between variations, creating a high Friction, temporary broken room. Open Door Policy — Unlock and open every door in a large office building. Door No. 2 — Cause a broken room on one variation to lead to a different broken room on another variation.

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Meridians Reading Nicknames: Bytes, Gleans, Snoops, Specs, Worms Keywords: Download, Receive, Scan, Translate, Understand The Reader’s domain is gathering knowledge and uncovering information – from speed reading a book to invading his opponent’s mind. Their ability to ferret out the truth, reveal secrets and discover the seemingly unknowable makes them unparalleled researchers and detectives. The opposite of a Reader is a Writer.

Roleplaying Tips

nication. They can pull vast amounts of data directly from disc drives, read information off of jump drives and even intercept data flowing over cables and airwaves. They are able to process and scan this information quickly, acting almost like a human search engine. Their talents are not just limited to the digital world. At the hands of a Reader, bookshelves and file cabinets can be processed and scanned as quickly as a computer drive. They are able to read between the lines and gather information buried within the text. Readers are capable of understanding the underlying meaning of text. This means they can break codes, translate languages and identify ciphers. Handwriting

Readers tend to be very inquisitive. They dislike being in the dark about a subject and can be obsessive when in pursuit of answers. They can be relentless in their search for knowledge, with some believing that the search for truth to be their highest calling. This thirst for knowledge can be insatiable, as one answer invariably leads to more questions. While no one can know everything, you wouldn’t know that when meeting some Readers, who often come across as know-it-alls. This arrogance often asserts itself when dealing with the headstrong or uneducated. Readers usually prefer to think things through and understand all the variables before rushing into action; unless there’s something on the other side of the door they really want to know. This conflicting behavior can be very confusing to new companions as the Reader will tread cautiously in some situations but let their curiosity overtake them in others. Most Readers have a broad range of interests and knowledge, but are well versed in investigation skills such as: Gather Information, Larceny or Perception.

What Readers can do Readers are best known for their ability to read others’ minds. It is easiest to read surface thoughts and current emotions, but they are able to penetrate deep into the subconscious and recover memories that even the subject has forgotten. The fresher and more vivid the memory, the easier it is for the Reader to get at them. It is also more difficult to pull out information and secrets that the subject wishes to protect. Just as they can invade the mind, they are also able to infiltrate computer systems and electronic commu-

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Meridians can be especially telling, as it can provide information about the writer and his state of mind. Readers can also read the history of an item. This can range from understanding its basic functionality to seeing its recent usage to gaining a recollection of its entire history. The more unique or important an item is, the easier it is for this ability to work.

What Readers cannot do Readers are only able to read and process information. They cannot add, modify or delete it. They can examine vast amounts of information to make an educated guess about what may occur or discover a pattern of behavior, but they cannot read the fates or know the future. Readers cannot permanently retain large amounts of information quickly gained. Most of the information and details will be lost the next time she sleeps. Similarly, most memories pulled from a subject eventually fade from the Reader’s own mind like a hazy dream.

Reader Prime Qualities l Jack — Excels at reading electronic information and searching the digital world. l Peeker — Excels at reading minds and understanding body language. l Rosetta — Excels at decoding unfamiliar languages and has a keen ear for translation.

Challenging (2) Meridian Check. Carlos’ character has a Depth of 4 and the Reading Meridian Concentration at 7+. His Prime Meridian is Reading, but his Prime Quality is Jack (which doesn’t help). So he rolls 4d@7+ and gets a 5, 7, 8, and 9 – giving him three successes (one more than he needs) and one point of Momentum. He decides to use the newly gained Momentum to activate one of the successes and spends two additional points of banked Momentum to activate the other successes. The GM decides that in addition to just finding the files, Carlos also knows that the information is a military file, heavily redacted and missing pages. The next step for Carlos is to actually read the military file. His powers could be used to find out what information has been blacked out.

Reading Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Cliff Notes — Achieve a high level understanding of a small book or set of documents. Mind Skim — Read the surface thoughts or emotions from a target. Know PIN — Read which of the numbers on a keypad have been used the most. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Speed Read — Read an entire novel in minutes. Pluck Info —Pull a specific piece of information from someone’s mind. Fingerprint —See who the last person was that held or used an item. Daunting (3 Successes Required)

Example Distance Qualities l Graphologist — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to gain information and insight from handwriting. l Librarian — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when dealing with books. l Archaeologist — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to understand an object’s origin and history.

Reading Example (Challenging) Carlos is playing a Reader that is tracking a serial killer across variants. He has recently made it to Earth4 and found a set of filing cabinets that he hopes will contain information about the killer’s past. He doesn’t have all night, so he wants to scan through the files to see if there is information about the killer. The GM determines that this will be a

Data Dump — Pull large amount of information from a computer directly into your mind. Retrieve Memory — Experience the memory of an event as if you were the target. Profiler — Look at a crime file or murder board and gain insight into the killer’s possible next move. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Encyclopedia — Gain all the information from a set of books or filing cabinet by touching it. Skill Mimic — Gain a specific knowledge-based skill at the same level of the target. Security Camera — View an area as if a security camera were present up to 13 hours ago. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Web Crawl — Pull information on a subject from multiple online sources. Brain Clone — Copy all the thoughts and memories from a target. Historian —View all the important events in an object’s history.

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Meridians Writing Nicknames: Burns, Etches, Pens, Shouts Keywords: Broadcast, Modify, Record, Overwrite, Transfer, Upload The Writer’s domain is creating and manipulating information and images – from making instant graffiti to deleting computer hard drives to implanting mental suggestions. Their ability to alter information, create art and toy with others’ minds makes them versatile and well suited for the intrigue of the Nearside. The opposite of a Writer is a Reader.

Roleplaying Tips Writers are generally expressive and open, leaning toward the dramatic (and even flamboyant). They are almost always artistic in some way. Even those whose abilities focus on the digital world tend to have large egos and certain flair – even if it’s just online. They have big personalities and enjoy sharing their thoughts and emotions with others. They have a hard time dealing with people who refuse to listen or are close-minded. Writers are not shy about voicing their own opinions and trying to change others’ minds. Because other Nearsiders know Writers can actually change peoples’ minds, many are leery of them. Writers like to leave their mark on the world. And once it’s there, they want it to remain. They like the things they create to endure and be remembered. Destruction for the sake of destruction, especially in regard to art and literature, is the quickest way to raise their ire. Most Writers spend a great deal of time communicating thoughts, emotions and ideas. They are usually highly accomplished with Artistry, Computers and/or Interpersonal Skills.

nected server on the other side of the world. Even digital broadcasts can be altered in this way. Writers also make excellent forgeries. Their Prime Meridian allows them to duplicate or alter documents.

What Writers cannot do Writers cannot process the information they create and manipulate. They cannot use their Meridian to read minds, or discover what data is on a hard drive, or even the read the contents of a closed book. That is the Reader’s domain. Memories cannot be permanently added, altered or deleted. Most changes will be lost the next time the subject sleeps. The Writer’s work will be remembered like a hazy dream. Writers must be touching what they’d like to write to or touching something connected to it. This means that any computer connected to the Internet can be accessed by a Writer touching any other Internet-connected computer, assuming they know how to find it. Likewise, a Writer must touch a person whose mind they hope to affect, or a paper document they want to alter or copy.

What Writers can do Writers can alter, implant and overwrite memories. They more recent the memory, the easier it is to alter. They cannot read minds, so the memory would need to have been shared or related to the Writer for him to know about it in order to change or overwrite it. Similarly, Writers can copy or alter digital data just by touching a machine connected to it — be it simple hard drive data on a local PC, or data on a network-con-

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Meridians Writer Prime Qualities l Inker — Excels at making information permanent and creating art. l Loader — Excels at uploading digital information and hacking information. l Splicer — Excels at altering memories and manipulating others.

Example Distance Qualities l Bullhorn — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when projecting his thoughts to others. l Author — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks when dealing with books. l Sketch — Gains 1d to Meridian Checks to create artwork.

Writing Example (Daunting) Mike is playing a Writer named Chuck who was just pulled over in a stolen car. He rifles through the glove box for the owner’s registration papers to find out the name of the person the car is registered to. Unfortunately, it’s a woman named Lisa Warren. Mike’s initial plan was to use Chuck’s Meridian to change the name on his driver’s license as he handed it over, but the cop isn’t going to believe Chuck is Lisa. Plan B is to make the policeman forget why he pulled Chuck over. The GM reminds Mike that Chuck must touch the officer to alter his memories. Assuming he can pull that off, the GM says it will be a Daunting (3) Difficulty since Mike doesn’t know much about the memory, like how the officer learned about the car being stolen. Mike rolls Chuck’s Depth of 4 dice. Chuck has an Average (8+) Meridian: Writing Concentration, so he needs dice at 8 or higher to count as successes. The dice tumble across the table and come to a rest showing 8, 5, 3 and 9. That’s only two successes, but since the 8 and 5 add up to 13 Chuck decides to make a Momentum Roll. He gets lucky and rolls a 12 and 10. Only one of the dice can be counted, but it gives him the third success he needed. He activates all three. “License and registration,” says the officer through the open drivers’ side window. “Here you are, officer,” Chuck says. As he hands his license and registration over, he makes

sure to touch the cop’s outstretched hand. “Do you know why I pulled you over today?” asked the officer. “No, why?” asks Chuck. “I … I don’t know,” says the officer, obviously confused. “But I do know the name on this license doesn’t match the name on this registration.” If Mike had forged the registration, his plan might have worked. Plan C is for Chuck to gun the gas and hope for the best.

Writing Effect Examples Average (1 Success Required) Touch Type — Transfer your thoughts in writing to a piece of paper, simply by touching it. Mind Text — Send someone a brief mental message by touching them. Corrupt —Jumble the data on device you’re holding, such as a digital camera, cell phone or laptop. Challenging (2 Successes Required) Copy Machine — Duplicate the information on one document onto a blank piece of paper. Data Entry — Input simple data to a specific place on a digital device you’re touching, such as adding a contact to a cell phone, a date to a PC’s calendar program or a page of text to an e-book. Remember Me? — With just a little bit of previous knowledge about someone, such as where they work or live, you can convince them they’ve met you before. Daunting (3 Successes Required) Forget You Ever Saw Me —Delete the memory of someone you just met to make them forget you. Broadcaster — Simultaneously transfer your thoughts to multiple people you are touching, or to people they are touching. Download — Touch a node on a local computer network and transfer huge quantities of digital information to a storage device you’re holding. Formidable (4 Successes Required) Rewrite History — If you have intimate knowledge of a particular memory, you can alter it completely or remove it entirely. News at 11 — Display your thoughts, complete with audio and video, onto every screen within a mile that is connected to a particular network you’re touching. Bread Winner — Modify a stack of $1 bills to make them look like $100 bills. Ridiculous (5 Successes Required) Virus — Add, modify or delete data from a computer connected to the internet anywhere in the world, simply by touching any computer connected to the internet. Long Distance — Change a person’s mind by speaking with them over the phone. Set in Stone — Engrave a Hollywood sign-sized message in the side of a mountain.

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Mending

H

is name was Michael McCann, but these days most people called him Raven. There had been a sister once, though he was sure that Alice was dead now. She had probably been dead when he ran from the ruins of the hospital where she had been running her free clinic, there in the midst of what used to be Glasgow. Gangs ruled that place, much as they ever had, though this time the gangs were properly tooled up with whatever they could grab from the dead soldiers they had crucified opposite the hospital in Queen’s Park. Raven wasn’t proud of what he’d done that day, even if she’d made him promise to get out, to take the last of the tetracycline and get it to safety. The plague had made a reappearance in Glasgow, just over 100 years after its last appearance in 1900. Modern antibiotics were effective enough, but at that point, three years after the Fall, there was very little left. Alice had saved as much of her supply as possible, hoping to help as many people as possible. He had long wondered if saving Alice would have made more sense, given how many people she could have helped in the years since. Now Raven sat in a bar, seven years, 4,000 miles and three worlds away from that particular Glasgow. He had escaped, alright, but he’d be going back soon. His long tattered coat and skinny frame wasn’t out of place in this bar, not tonight. He was surrounded by hundreds of punk-wannabes and gothemo types, no one giving him a second glance. Most avoided him, in fact, despite his authentic look. There was something about Raven that unsettled people, especially negs. No one could spend much time near him without feeling a subtle kind of undirected anger. Fights would break out around Raven, especially when he was on this world. That’s how much he hated it here. Not just the bar, filled with stupid, ignorant people, but the variation itself. The Ordinary World, such a name, a world that didn’t appreciate how lucky it was. A decadent, lazy world with no point. A tourist trap for his kind, a place to get away from it all. A girl walked through the crowd, seemingly

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oblivious to the effect her clothing was having on others. Her expensive white Italian suit, complete with bow-tie, made her look like a stage magician rather than a bar patron. It worked on her, though. Even Raven was mildly impressed. Her black hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail, which only made her angular face seem sharper. Her companion was an untidy older teenager, maybe only a few years younger than the girl. He looked as uncomfortable as Raven did, though the girl was aloof to the point of indifference. She slid into the booth opposite Raven. The teenager just stood there, and turned his back. He was muscle, it seemed, despite the fact that he looked like he weighed maybe 120, soaking wet. Raven was curious. Since when did bodyguards need guarding? Suzanne worked for the Regency Group, though Raven knew that it wasn’t quite as simple as that. She really worked for Doctor Neil Ellington, the prim, scruffy English genius who ran the Group. He and Suzanne seemed to go back a long way, and he was rarely seen without her. Raven had always thought that she was Ellington’s bodyguard. Anything else wouldn’t have occurred to him. He and Suzanne had met several times in the past. He’d been her escort on his dying home variation on more than one occasion, so she knew all too well where he’d come from and what he’d seen. And done. He basically liked her, which was saying a lot for Raven. “Suzanne,” said Raven quietly, in way of greeting. “Michael,” said the girl, smiling. There was some warmth there, but mostly the long-practiced insin-

cerity that only the truly Distant learn to fake. Even if Raven didn’t already know her, he would be able to sense how far she’d traveled, how far she’d drifted from the rest of humanity. It came off her in waves, silently crashing inside his head, the edges of an ocean of despair. “Stop that,” she said, not harshly. Raven realized he had been Reading her, just a little. “Sorry. Force of habit,” he said, smiling apologetically. She seemed to relax a little, but only a little. A tight smile flashed briefly. “This is a nice look for you,” he told her. “I’m used to seeing you in combat gear.” The smile flashed again. “Ellington does like us to dress up nice when we’re on business. He’s not specific, so I like to find some fashion loopholes, just to see his face.” “What would he do without you?” asked Raven. Suzanne didn’t respond. Instead, she reached into a pocket inside her jacket, and pulled out a credit card. It was matte black, unmarked. It was the kind of credit card that could buy a small country. She held it out to Raven, then pulled back a little. “This is a big favor, Michael,” she said, smiling a little more genuinely. She never called him Raven. He found that he liked that about her. “Mind telling us what it’s for?” “The usual. I need some very expensive medicine and your wee card here is very helpful.” She’d had to ask. It was routine. She knew better, but the Regency Group would have been pissed if she’d not asked. Raven didn’t mind. She seemed satisfied with his answer. Then, almost off-hand, “What’s in it for me?” Raven looked at her for a long moment, his eyes searching. Then he put out his hands. Suzanne looked at them, at his dirt-tattooed skin, then looked curiously at Raven. Hesitantly, Suzanne placed her hands on his, the credit card between their right hands. Raven closed his eyes, and reached deep within himself, remembering long conversations with his sister, the doctor. He had been a fast learner, and could have been a doctor himself, if he’d tried harder in school and if his world hadn’t ended. He found the hot spot deep within her right breast,

the little cluster of cells that had only recently started to go crazy. He whispered silently to them, a song of stop, a song of no. The heat seemed to falter and fade, and the cells remembered what they were meant to do. Slowly, steadily, tissue healed and blood vessels re-knitted, returning to normal. When Raven let go of her hands, both his and hers were trembling. He wiped sweat from his brow, and slipped the credit card into one of a dozen hidden pockets. Suzanne sat back, her face white with shock. “You didn’t know?” he asked. She shook her head, still speechless. Raven shrugged, suddenly tired and uncomfortable. This particular Mending had taken a lot of out of him and he could feel the dull leaden weight of Inertia pulling him down. He would have to go do something dangerous and stupid to get his mojo back. The younger man who had accompanied Suzanne turned to look at her. “We’re out of time, Miss,” he said politely, but firmly. Perhaps, thought Raven, he wasn’t just protection. Perhaps he was something else. Raven could feel the flicker-touch of the teenager’s Meridian, keeping track of a nearby broken room. Suzanne stood, her eyes wet, unable to trust herself to say anything through the thick clot of emotion that had stuck in her throat. “I’m sorry if I upset you,” said Raven, meaning it. She shook her head, seeming to regain some composure. “No, Michael,” she said quietly, “I just forget sometimes that you’re one of the good ones.” Suzanne and her companion made their way out of the bar. Michael remained there for a while, wondering if she was right.

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8: Combat

T

he Nearside is a dangerous place where characters get into trouble like it’s going out of style. Most of the fights in a Broken Rooms campaign will likely be physical in nature, but there are countless ways for people to hurt one another. Although attacks against the Mind or Soul may be less common, the possibility of injury or incapacitation is very real. Fortunately, regardless of whether it’s a straight-up fist fight, a mind control attack, the clashing of swords, a battle of wills or a full-scale guns versus plasma battle between humans and K’thari, the system is the same.

the target is unaware of the attack, he cannot attempt to avoid it. Most gunfire cannot be defended against unless the character is taking a special defensive maneuver.

Combat Overview

Step 6: Determine Final Damage

Step 1: Determine Initiative Each player makes an Initiative Roll to see the order in which their character will act during the combat. This roll is only made at the beginning of the combat sequence. The character with the highest Initiative Roll acts first, and the character with the lowest goes last. Ties act simultaneously.

Step 2: Declare Attack A player must declare their character’s actions. This is typically limited to moving, attacking and defending, but other actions can also be attempted. If the action requires an Action Check, the Skill and Attribute involved must be determined, as well as the difficulty and any applicable modifiers.

Step 3: Make Attack The attacker makes the Action Check determined in step 2 and counts the number of successes. Most attacks can be defended against or have a difficulty that must be met. Regardless, the attacker wants as many successes as possible.

Step 4: Target Attempts to Avoid If the target is able to avoid the attack, he can make a Defense Check. He needs to meet or beat (in the case of Meridian attacks) the number of successes gained in step 3 to avoid the attack. If

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Step 5: Resolve Attack If the attacker gets more successes than the target, the attack succeeds. For each additional success the attacker gets, he increases his damage or effectiveness of his attack. Ties result in the attack barely missing or connecting with superficial force. Meridian attacks may have additional effects that must be resolved.

Many attacks and weapons have a damage modifier. This is added to the number of additional successes the attacker rolled. This amount is then reduced by any armor the target is using, even if the target is unaware of the attack.

Step 7: Apply Damage or Effect If the final amount of damage is greater than zero, it is subtracted from the affected Attribute’s damage track. Any additional consequences must also be applied — such as passing a damage threshold, new conditions and Meridian effects. After step 7 (or 5 if the attack failed), it is the next player’s turn to act (as determined by Initiative). Go back to step 2 and repeat the process. After everyone has acted, start again with the person with the highest Initiative Roll.

Combat Turns In order make sense of the chaos and speed of combat, the action has been broken into six second increments called Turns. Combat is fluid and can be confusing, but by using Turns to organize it, both the players and GM can make better sense of the drama and events unfolding. Each character (and NPC) gets to act during a Turn, but the sequence is determined by their Initiative.

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Initiative At the beginning of a combat, an order of Initiative must be determined. This is done by having all players make an Initiative Roll. Unlike a standard Action Check, the number of dice is not determined by an Attribute, nor is there a Target Number or difficulty. Characters cannot botch or get exceptional successes during Initiative Rolls. Skill synergies do not apply to Initiative Rolls but Qualities do. An Initiative Roll is made by rolling 2d and adding Mind or Body (whichever is higher). If any two of the dice add up to exactly 13, an additional 2d can be rolled and the highest 1d is added to the total. If these add up to 13, another 2d are rolled and the highest 1d is added to the total. This can continue indefinitely. Once the rolling is done, the final total is the character’s Initiative. Characters act in the order of their Initiative, with the highest going first and lowest going last. Ties act simultaneously. The Initiative order stays the same during the entire combat unless the character chooses to change it. The order of Initiative does not affect a character’s ability to defend themselves. A character who had not yet had a chance to act can still try to defend against an attack (if they are aware of it). Example: Jim, Sheri and Cris are about to enter a nasty combat. Jim has the Quick Draw Quality which gives him an extra 1d to Initiative Rolls involving gunfights. They all roll and get the following: Jim (4, 5, 7) + Mind(4) = 20, Sheri (9, 12) + Body(5) = 26, Cris (6, 7) + Mind(5) = 18. Cris achieved a 13 total from his 2d, so he rolls an additional 2d and gets a 2 and 10, but only gets to add the 10 to his previous total of 18. Based on this, the Initiative is: Cris (28), Sheri (26), Jim(20).

Those launching the surprise have an advantage when rolling Initiative. They gain a 1d to their Initiative Roll. Example: Sally and Charles are walking down a dark alley and three thugs are laying in wait. The GM makes a secret Notice check for each character. Sally fails, but Charles succeeds. As the thugs jump out of the shadows, he has the players roll for Initiative. Charles gets a 8, Sally gets a 15 and the thugs get a 20. Only Charles and the thugs get to act the first round. Sally will have to wait until after the thugs act in the second round for her chance to act.

Waiting to Act Players can choose to wait until later in the Initiative order to act. This is often done to see how the combat is going to play out or to let someone else throw the first punch (so to speak). When a player waits, their character will not act until after the current character has completed their action. This will be character’s new place in the Initiative order. The character can react to situation however they choose at this point. Example: Jim’s character has an Initiative of 23. He is low on Momentum and wants to wait and see

Surprise Character can be attacked without warning. This can be in the form of a trap, an ambush or some other unexpected situation. Players are typically given a chance to spot hidden attackers to prevent such an attack, but if they fail they will not be able to act during the first turn. Initiative is still rolled by all players. Unless the attack is completely unseen and unpreventable, the target still has the ability to defend himself.

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Combat what the enigmatic stranger does before acting. The stranger has an Initiative of 12, so Jim will not be able to act until 11. He will go on 11 for the rest of the combat.

Holding an Action When a character holds their action, they are waiting for specific even to occur that will trigger a specific action of their own. These often involved words like “if” and “when” — such as punching someone if they talk or opening a door when someone gets close. A held action occurs before (essentially interrupting) the event that triggers it, but it must be the specified action. Example: Hal’s character has an Initiative of 18. He is arguing with a woman who is holding a knife. He declares that he wants to shoot the woman if she takes a step towards him. She acts on 12 and charges him. The condition for his held action was triggered, so he gets to interrupt her. He fires his gun at her before she can reach him. He will go on 13 for the rest of combat. A character can decide to discard a held action and do something else if the anticipated event doesn’t happen or situations have changed rendering the held action moot or ill-considered. When this happens, the character’s action occurs as if she were waiting to act (see above) and occurs after whoever is currently acting. Regardless, the character’s Initiative is changed for the remainder of the combat. Example: Sheri’s character has an Initiative of 19. She wants to shoot a soldier if he draws his weapon, so she holds her action. He acts on 15 and turns and flees. She cannot shot him before he runs, as he did not perform the action that would have triggered her held actions. She can still try to shoot him, but will not go until 14. This will be her Initiative for the rest of combat. If he had drawn his weapon, she would have acted first and her Initiative would be 15.

Penalties and Bonuses Combat is a continuous flow of actions. Penalties, benefits and conditions that affect a character do not suddenly end or reset at the beginning of a Turn. Rather, effect durations are based around when the

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character’s action occurs. Example: Jim goes last in combat. He attempts a special action that gives him a -1 penalty to Defense Checks. At the start of the next Turn, he is attacked. Even though the penalty was incurred the previous Turn, he will suffer the penalty until he has a chance to act again. The penalties to his defense are removed when he has a chance to act again.

Combat Actions There are many things that a character can do during a combat turn. Just as combat is simplified by breaking it into turns, a turn is broken down into types of actions. During each turn, a character can take one movement action and one standard action. They can also take defensive actions, but they suffer penalties if they take more than one. Free actions, which have no impact on the combat, are also possible. Characters do not have to take each type of action. In fact, there are special maneuvers that can only be taken if they give up one or take penalties to certain types of actions. These special maneuvers cannot be used in conjunction with one another. A character cannot attempt a special maneuver with a weapon unless they are at least Familiar (9+) with it.

Standard Actions Each turn, a character can take a single standard action. This is usually an attack of some sort, such as shooting a gun, throwing a punch, using a Meridian, trying to grab something, etc. Typically, standard actions require some kind of an Action Check. Most resolve themselves in a single Turn and take only a few seconds. There are too many possible ways to hurt someone that can occur during combat to list out fully however, the vast majority can fall within several categories: l Gunplay – Attacks with handguns, rifles and other projectile weapons. l Fisticuffs – Unarmed attacks with feet, fists, elbows, etc. l Melee – Attacks with knives, chains, swords and other handheld weapons. l Grappling – Unarmed attacks to hold, throw or trip

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Combat opponents. l Meridian Attacks – Attacks using Meridian effects. Instead of an attack, characters can perform other actions during the combat with their standard action (picking a lock, unjamming a gun, etc.). More complicated tasks may take longer and are called extended actions. There are also a variety of special maneuvers characters can attempt. Some of these impact the character’s movement and/or defensive capabilities.

Defensive Actions A character is able to defend himself against one attack without penalty to his Defense Check, although not all attacks can (or must) be defended against. The most common defenses against attacks are: l Avoid – Getting out of the way of thrown weapons and archaic projectiles. l Block – Deflecting unarmed attacks and defending against grappling attempts. l Parry – Deflecting an armed melee attack with another weapon. l Resist – Ignoring or overcoming the effects of a Meridian Attack. Gunfire cannot be defended against, but a character can make himself harder to hit by using cover, concealment and other special maneuvers. Rules for defending against gunfire are detailed under gunplay in the combat actions. If a character defends against more than one attack, each Defense Check after the first is reduced by 1d. This reduction occurs regardless of the type of attack. A character must decide whether they are going to try and defend against an attack before the opponent makes his Attack Check. Penalties to defense go away at the beginning of the character’s next action.

Movement Actions A character’s base movement is equal to their Body x 5. This is the number of feet they can move in a single turn and still take a standard action. Qualities and Skill synergies that relate to speed or movement increase the Body by one for the purpose of calculating base movement. Characters can move further with special maneuvers. This generally makes them harder to hit

with guns, but easier to hit with other weapons as the run past opponents. Movement actions typically don’t require any kind of Action Check, although unusual or difficult maneuvers such as tumbling or climbing would be exceptions. Unfamiliar or treacherous terrain may also require checks to remain upright or reduce movement penalties. As a general rule, characters shouldn’t be considered stationary. Combat is fluid and characters are always moving slightly (such as circling one another, leaning out of the way of attacks, etc.). However, there are certain actions that require the character to remain stationary in order to focus. When this happens, they are easier targets to hit. One of several simple actions may be taken in lieu of a movement action. This can never be an attack action.

Free Actions Some actions are very minor and can be done in addition to the standard, movement and defensive actions without penalty. These kinds of actions are usually performed to add flavor the game or have no real combat impact. They can include speaking some witty banter, taking off sunglasses, blowing a kiss, etc. As always, the GM has final determination of whether an action is free or not.

Attack Actions Once the fight begins, most characters will want to go on the offensive. Some characters will be very strategic and methodical while others will be more freewheeling and chaotic. Some will rely on modern weapons, some will focus on harnessing the power of the Nearside and some will prefer to fight up close with their hands. Regardless of their style, every character will eventually be trying to hurt someone else. Gunplay Combat often involves firearms — pistols, rifles, shotguns, etc. Although not subtle, they are extremely effective. When attempting to shoot an opponent, characters make a Marksmanship Skill Check using the Body Attribute. Unlike most other attacks, gunplay attacks are not opposed checks. To determine if an attack hits the

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Combat target or not, the character makes a Marksmanship Check using the range of the target to determine the Hit Difficulty. The attack succeeds by simply meeting the Hit Difficulty. The further away a character is, the higher the Hit Difficulty. Cover also increases the Hit Difficulty. Range

Difficulty

Yardage

Point Blank

1

Touch to 3 ft.

Close

1

4 to 15 ft.

Short

1

16 to 75 ft.

Medium

2

76 to 450 ft.

Long

3

451 to 1200 ft.

Extreme

4

1201 to 4800 ft.

Beyond

5+

4801+ ft.

Many weapons are only effective up to a certain range, as noted in the Equipment chapter. Using a weapon beyond its intended range will inflict dice penalties to the Action Check, although the Hit Difficulty will remain the same. Gunplay attacks cannot be defended against unless the target is using a special defensive maneuver, which increases the Hit Difficulty. At no point does it become an opposed check. If a character is aware of the firearm attack, they can immediately declare they are taking a Full Dodge action (regardless of whether or not they have acted this turn.) When they do this, they must continue taking this defensive action when their turn to act comes up, even if it is the next Turn. Example: Sara goes on 9, but is being shot at on 17 by someone with a handgun at short

range. She is already hurt so she decides to take a full dodge and increase the Hit Difficulty. When her turns comes around at 9, she must continue on with the full dodge even though there are no more opponents with guns by that time. If a gunplay attack hits, the target suffers a -1 to future Defense Checks, regardless of whether or not they were actively defending against the attack. If a gunplay attack misses a character that is not defending against it, they do not suffer a -1d to future Defense Checks. Archery and other archaic projectiles also fall under gunplay and the Marksmanship Skill. Unlike guns, they can be avoided by the target if she is beyond short range. Firing The standard gunplay action. The character fires a weapon at a target. Benefit: None Drawbacks: None Aiming The character spends her full turn aiming a weapon to increase the accuracy of a future attack. Benefit: +2d to her next Attack Check for the first turn

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Combat spent aiming. +1d can be gained for each additional turn spent aiming. A maximum of +4d can be gained aiming. Drawbacks: The character cannot take a movement action. If she takes a defensive action or suffers damage, she loses the aiming bonus. Burst The character expends extra ammunition to increase their chance of hitting. Benefit: The Attack Check is increased by 1d. Drawbacks: Can only be attempted with a weapon that has the Automatic Quality and uses 3 rounds of ammunition. Called Shot The character attempts to hit a specific location on a target. Benefit: If successful, a specific location has been hit, causing full damage — as the attack had a Hit Difficulty of 0. Armor still reduces damage if it covers the affected location. The called shot can also inflict other effects (such as extra damage or conditions). Drawbacks: Cannot take Movement Action. -1d to Defense Checks. Rules: Called shots are more difficult and have an increased Hit Difficulty. Below are the guidelines for increasing the Hit Difficulty: l +2 – Specific limb or car tire.

l +3 – Headshot, hand or held object l +4 – Face (avoiding helmet), groin, knee cap, heart, or gas tank. l +5 – Any eye, ear, coin, rope or specific finger. Double Tap The character fires two bullets at a target. Just to be sure. Benefit: If the attack hits, the weapon’s base damage is doubled. Drawbacks: Can only be attempted with weapons that has the Automatic or Semi-Automatic Quality. Can only be attempted on a target that is at close or pointblank range and is not moving. Firing Stance The character steadies himself to fire more accurately instead of moving. Benefit: +1d to the Attack Check. Drawbacks: Cannot take Movement Action. -1d to Defense Checks. Run and Gun The character fires his weapon as he ducks and weaves to avoid attacks. He sacrifices for accuracy for mobility. Benefit: +1d to Defense Checks and +1 to Hit Difficulty.

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Combat Can fire weapon at any point during movement. Drawbacks: -2d to the Attack Check. Spray The character sends a hail of bullets towards a general area instead of a particular target. Benefit: Can target a 15-ft. area at close or short range. Anyone within the targeted area must take a Full Dodge or be hit if the Hit Difficulty is met. Drawbacks: Can only be attempted with a weapon with the Automatic Quality. -2d to the Attack Check and uses the entire clip. Two Guns Blazing The character fires a weapon held in each hand. Benefit: Makes two Attack Checks. Drawbacks: -2d to the Attack Check with his primary hand and -3d to the Attack Check with his off hand. Can only be attempted with handguns. Melee/Fisticuffs Whether it involves a 1,000 year old katana, a tree

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branch or a rusty chain found in an alley, fights often involve handheld weapons. Easier to obtain than a gun and more deadly than bare hands, some kind of melee weapon can be found almost anywhere. When attempting to stab, cut or pummel an opponent, character needs to make a Personal Combat: Armed Skill Check using the Body Attribute. Attacks with these kinds of weapons can be defended against by dodging or parrying. Thrown weapons such as knives and javelins also use the Personal Combat Skill, but cannot be parried. Even with no weapons available, combat will occur. These unarmed attacks could come from a skilled martial artist, a gritty street fighter or bruising boxer. Anytime a character tries to punch, kick, headbutt or otherwise injure someone else with their bare hands, she needs to make a Personal Combat: Unarmed Skill Check using the Body Attribute. These attacks can be defended against by dodging or blocking. Fisticuffs and melee attacks use many of the same special maneuvers.

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Combat Strike The standard attack. The character hits or throws a weapon at a target. Benefit: None Drawbacks: Weapons cannot be thrown at targets at point blank range.

the opposed check and suffers a 1d penalty to disarm attempts if the opponent is wielding a melee weapon. A target may use his Marksmanship Skill to oppose this roll if the weapon being disarmed is his firearm.

Called Strike The character targets a specific location on a target. Benefit: If successful, a specific location has been hit, causing full damage — as had not been blocked or parried at all. Armor still reduces damage if it covers the affected location. The called strike can also inflict other effects (such as extra damage or conditions). Drawbacks: Cannot take Movement Action. Rules: Called strikes are more difficult and require more successes to succeed than a normal attack. Targets that get to add automatic successes to their Defense Check when defending against a called strike. l +1 – Specific limb or car tire. l +2 – Headshot, hand or held object l +3 – Face (avoiding helmet), groin, knee cap, heart, or gas tank. l +4 – Any eye, ear, coin, rope or specific finger.

Furious Attack The character attacks with all his might, putting all his effort toward harming his target. Benefit: +2d to his Attack Check. Drawbacks: -2d to his Block and Parry checks. Non-Lethal Attack The character attacks with a lethal weapon, but is trying not to kill her target. Benefit: Damage dealt is not life threatening. Drawbacks: -1d to her Attack Check. Study Opponent The character spends time studying his opponent to increase the accuracy of a future attack. Benefit: +1d to her next Attack Check for the first turn

Charging Attack The character puts the force of his movement behind his attack. Benefit: +2d to his Attack Check. Drawbacks: Character must be moving in a straight line towards his opponent for at least 5 x Body feet. -1d to Blocking and Parrying Checks. Disarm The character relieves an opponent of her weapon. Benefit: If successful, the target has dropped their weapon. Drawbacks: None. Rules: An opposed Armed Combat Check is made. If the attacker wins, the weapon is knocked from her opponent’s hand and land 5 feet away for every Net Success. If the opponent wins, he retains his weapon. If the attacker rolls a botch, she drops her own weapon. Characters/opponents with a two-handed weapon receive a 1d bonus. An unarmed character uses Unarmed Combat in

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Combat spent aiming. +1d can be gained for each additional turn spent studying. A maximum of +4d can be gained in this way. Drawbacks: If the character attacks a different opponent than the studied one, the bonus is lost.

suffers -2 to Defense Checks. In order to break free from being held, the opponent must gain more successes in an opposed Personal Combat: Unarmed Skill Check using the Body Attribute.

Unexpected Attack The character catches his opponent off guard with an unorthodox attack, inflicting more damage. Benefit: If successful, +2 to damage. Drawbacks: -2d to his Attack Check. Can only attempt once per opponent.

Pin The character immobilizes a grabbed opponent with a wrestling hold. Benefit: If successful, the opponent is pinned. Drawbacks: Can only be used on a held opponent that has been held for the previous 2 rounds. When pinning an opponent, the character cannot move and suffers -2 to Defense Checks. Rules: A pinned opponent is unable to use his arms or legs and cannot move unless he breaks free. He also suffers -3 to Defense Checks. In order to break free from being pinned, the opponent must gain more successes in an opposed Personal Combat: Unarmed Skill Check using the Body Attribute – 2d.

Two-Weapon Attack The character attacks with a weapon in each hand. Benefit: Makes two Attack Checks. Drawbacks: -2d to the Attack Check with his primary hand and -3d to the Attack Check with his off hand. Can only be attempted with one handed weapons. Wary Attack The character attacks cautiously, making sure not to drop her guard. Benefit: +2d to her Blocking and Parrying Checks. Drawbacks: -2d to her Attack Check. Grappling In addition to trying to inflict damage, a character will also want to try and grab, wrestle, trip and throw their opponents. Anytime a character tries to grapple with an opponent, both make opposed Personal Combat: Grappling Skill Checks using the Body Attribute. Grappling typically cannot be attempted unless the character has at least one hand free. Grab The character grabs hold of an opponent, entangling them and making future grappling actions easier. Benefit: If successful, the opponent is held. Gains a 1d bonus to trip or throw a held opponent. Drawbacks: Cannot be attempted unless the character has both hands free. Once holding an opponent, the character cannot move and suffers -2 to Defense Checks. Rules: A held opponent is unable to use his arms or legs and cannot move unless he breaks free. He also

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Tackle The character charges an opponent and knocks him to the ground. Benefit: +1d to Attack Check. If successful, the opponent is knocked to ground and is held. Gains a 1d bonus to trip or throw a held opponent. Drawbacks: Character must be moving in a straight line towards his opponent for at least 5 x Body feet. -2d to Defense Checks. Rules: A held opponent is unable to use his arms or legs and cannot move unless he breaks free. He also suffers -2 to Defense Checks. For every net success, the opponent can be pushed backwards 5 feet. In order to break free from being held, the opponent must gain more successes in an opposed Personal Combat: Unarmed Skill Check using the Body Attribute. Throw The character tosses, flips or shoves an opponent in a specific direction. Benefit: If successful, the opponent is thrown 5 feet for every Net Success.

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Combat Meridian Attacks Combat in Broken Rooms can become even more interesting and unpredictable thanks to Meridians. Characters can use them in unending ways to change the battlefield and turn certain defeat into a victory. The full rules regarding the use of Meridians and other Meridians can be found in the Distance (page 89) or Meridian (page 117) chapters. Meridian Effect The character uses one of his Meridians to affect reality. Benefit: Variable, see Chapter 7, Meridians. Drawbacks: None, taken as a Standard Action.

Drawbacks: Cannot be attempted unless the character has both hands free. If throwing a held opponent, the opponent is no longer held regardless of the outcome. Rules: The character can determine the direction and distance of the throw (up to the maximum amount). The opponent suffers no inherent damage from the fall unless tossed onto a damaging area (off a cliff, through a window, etc.). The opponent must make a Daunting (3) Body Check to stay on their feet, otherwise they are prone. Regardless, they have been moved. Trip The character forces an opponent to the ground by tripping them or knocking them down. Benefit: If successful, the opponent is prone on the ground. Drawbacks: None, although a failed trip attempt against a held opponent sets them free. Wrest The character pulls an item out of an opponent’s possession. Benefit: If successful, the item is now in the character’s possession. Drawbacks: None. Rules: Opponents receive a 1d bonus to hold onto items mean to wielded or carried. They also gain a 1d bonus if the item is being held in two hands. Straps and other means of securing items can give up to a 2d bonus.

Gather Momentum The character suffers Soul damage to recharge his Momentum. Benefit: Regains 2 points of Momentum for each point of Soul Damage suffered. Drawbacks: None – taken as a Standard Action. Instant Meridian Effect The character empowers a weapon at the moment of attack. Benefit: Variable, see Chapter 7, Meridians. Drawbacks: None, taken as a Movement Action. Nearsight The character examines another Nearsider’s Distance. Benefit: Can detect other Nearsiders and possibly gain insight into their abilities. See Distance Chapter for more details. Drawbacks: None, taken as a Standard Action. Push Distance The character overwhelms an opponent with Distance. Benefit: Causes 1 point of damage for every Net Success. See Distance Chapter for more details. Drawbacks: None – taken as a Standard Action.

Defensive Actions Combat by its very nature is dangerous, but can be even more so if the proper defensive actions aren’t taken. Entering into a fight should be treated with a healthy dose of respect and fear. The foolhardy seldom live long in the Nearside.

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Combat Avoid The character gets out of harm’s way by making a Body Check. Benefit: Can be used to get out of way of thrown weapons and other archaic projectiles. Body Check can be replaced with more applicable Skill if it is better (such as Athletics). Drawbacks: Cannot be used to avoid archaic projectile attacks at point blank or short range. Block The character intercepts an unarmed attack by using his Personal Combat: Unarmed Combat Skill. Benefit: Can be used to avoid fisticuffs and grapple attacks. Drawbacks: None.

Full Dodge The character expends all their focus and effort to avoid harm. Benefit: +3d to Defense Checks and Hit Difficulty. Drawbacks: Cannot take a standard action and can only move half his normal movement.

Parry The character intercepts a melee attack by using her Personal Combat: Armed Combat Skill. Benefit: Can be used to avoid attacks with melee weapons. Two-handed weapons give a 1d bonus. Drawbacks: Can only be made if the character is holding a weapon. Non-melee weapons (such as guns) inflict a 1d penalty.

Although combat is looked at as a series of snapshots, characters are always moving. While not as glamorous as attack actions or seemingly life saving as defensive actions, not moving is both boring and can make a character an easy target.

Resist The character ignores or overcomes a Meridian Attack using her Mind, Body or Soul. Benefit: Can be used to defend against Meridian Attacks. Nearsiders always get a chance to Resist Meridian Attacks, even when caught by surprise. Drawbacks: Unlike other opposed Checks, a Meridian Attack must be beaten (not just tied) in order to successfully defend against it.

Partial Dodge The character expends some focus and effort to avoid harm. Benefit: +1d to Defense Checks and Hit Difficulty. Drawbacks: -1d to Attack Check and can only move half his normal movement.

Movement Actions

Move The character is moving his standard speed. Benefit: Moves Body x 5 feet. Drawbacks: None. Rules: Other forms of movement are slower. Use the following to determine base movement rates for different actions:. l Climbing – Body x 2 ft. l Crouching – Body x 3 ft. l Crawling – Body x 1 ft. l Rough Terrain – variable (typically Body x 2 ft.) l Swimming – Body x 2 ft. Draw Weapon The character pulls out a weapon and is ready to use it. Benefit: The character can use the weapon now. Drawbacks: None: taken in lieu of movement. Full Sprint The character is moving as fast as possible without regard to his surroundings. Benefit: Moves Body x 20 feet. Increase his Hit Difficulty by 1. Drawbacks: Cannot take a Standard Action and suffers a 2d penalty versus melee or unarmed attacks.

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Combat Go Prone The character drops to the ground. Benefit: The character increases his Hit Difficulty by 1, as he is a smaller target. Drawbacks: Taken in lieu of movement or at the end of a standard move. The character is now prone and suffers a 1d penalty versus melee or unarmed attacks. Hustle The character is moving faster than normal. Benefit: Moves Body x 10 feet. Drawbacks: Attack Check made at -2d. Suffers a 1d penalty versus melee or unarmed attacks. Scan The character is quickly surveying the combat. Benefit: The character can make a Perception Check to notice or find something. Drawbacks: None – taken in lieu of movement. Stand Up The character gets up from a prone or fallen position. Benefit: No longer suffers any penalties for being on the ground. Drawbacks: None – taken in lieu of movement.

Other Attack Rules and Modifiers Area of Attacks / Explosion

Characters caught in an explosion or area of effect attacks can still find protection if they are lucky. Those that are behind cover still receive that benefit. Others within the blast radius can attempt to dive for cover. They can make an Avoid check at -2d to avoid or reduce the damage. Prone characters can make a similar attempt, but at -3d.

Armor Armor reduces the total amount of damage suffered in the event of a successful attack. It can cover only certain locations (such as a helmet) and may be more effective against certain kinds of attacks than others. Some armor may actually reduce defense rolls due to its bulkiness. Shields do not provide armor, rather they provide cover.

Avoiding Allies Firing guns into a melee can be dangerous to the character’s allies. If a character botches, the bullet(s) hits the

closest ally to the target, causing the weapon’s damage. The ally cannot try to avoid the attacks, but armor is still applied.

Attack Objects and Breaking Things Damaging an object possessed by an opponent requires a called shot. Hitting other objects typically does not require an Attack Check unless the object is small, moving or far away. Use the standard combat modifiers to determine the actual difficulty of hitting something. If it is hit, apply normal damage (including Net Successes).

Called Shots/Strikes A character can try to target a specific location on a person or object, which makes the attack more difficult. This results in an increased Hit Difficulty (for Called Shot) or the defender receiving automatic successes to their Defense Check (for Called Strike). Cover and called shot penalties are not stacked upon one another. Below are some additional results that can result from a called shots/strikes: l Double Weapon Damage l Movement Reduction (-1 for leg, -2 for kneecap) l Blindness or Deafness l Action Check Penalties l Impotence

Concealment Darkness, shrubs, fog and other hindrances to sight makes it more difficult for a character to hit a target. The harder it is to see someone, the more difficult it is to hit them. This results in dice penalties to the Attack Check. However, if the attacker succeeds in his attack, the dice removed by the concealment penalty are rolled to see if they increase the number of successes. These lost dice are not part of the original dice pool and are not combined with them for the purpose of generating Momentum. l Slight Concealment: -1 to Attack Check / +1 to difficulty; i.e. –light fog, dim lighting l Moderate Concealment: -2 to Attack Check / +2 to difficulty; i.e. – erratic lighting; curtains l Heavy Concealment: -3 to Attack Check / +3 to difficulty; i.e. – thick shrubs/fog, moonless night l Total Concealment: -4 to Attack Check / +4 to dif-

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Combat ficulty; i.e. – total darkness, invisibility Solid objects provide cover, not concealment. Example: Larry shoots at Sally who hidden in the fog – his Action Check will be 4d@8+ due to his skills and attributes. At Medium Range, the normal Hit Difficulty for this shot is Challenging (2). The GM decides the fog gives Moderate Concealment, so instead for rolling 4 dice, Larry will only roll 2. He rolls and get a 9, 12 – two successes! Since the attack succeeds, he rolls the 2d lost to concealment and gets a 4 and 11 – another success. He has 1 Net Success and adds in his weapon damage.

Cover When the bullets start flying, most characters try to find cover. Cover provides a physical barrier between the character and his opponent’s attack. This increases an attacker’s Hit Difficulty when trying to shoot at the character. The bigger the source of cover, the harder it is to hit the character. Characters in hand to hand combat will also use cover. In this instance, the cover gives the defender automatic successes to Defense Checks. If the defender chooses not to make a Defense Check, they can just accept the automatic successes received from the cover. Cover can stack with a full or partial dodge. l Slight Cover: (25% coverage); +1 Hit Difficulty/ defense successes; i.e. – chair, small rock; pole; small shield l Moderate Cover: (50% coverage); +2 Hit Difficulty/defense successes; i.e. – low wall, car hood, looking out normal window, large shield l Heavy Cover: (75% coverage); +3 Hit Difficulty/defense successes; peering around corner, holding hostage l Full Cover: (100% coverage); +4 Hit Difficulty/ defense successes if peeking out briefly. Sometimes, the item may not be thick or strong enough to provide cover. Instead, it may just help to provide concealment and provide slight damage reduction. When this is the case, the GM modifies the attacker’s roll using the concealment rules and/or decides if the cover provides any damage reduction. If the item could provide more than 1 point of damage reduction, it is sturdy enough to provide normal cover.

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Some examples: l A sheet hanging on laundry line only provides concealment. l A car door provides cover. l Heavy theater curtains provide concealment and slight damage reduction. Some pieces of cover may not be sturdy enough to hold up under sustained attack. GMs may determine that items have been rendered destroyed or useless as cover if they have sustained enough damage. As a general rule, these items can take about twice their Body before losing their cover. Benefit: A classic example of this would be a wooden door being riddled with bullets and turned into splinters.

Death From Above Attacking from high ground or jumping down at an opponent gives the character a 1d bonus to his Attack Checks. Grenades (and other tossed objects) Character can place grenades in the area they desire by making Challenging (2) Unarmed Combat or Athletics Check. If successful, the grenade lands where they want it to land. Placing the grenade more specifically is more difficult. Use the following as a guide: l Daunting (3) – Under a car or in a normal window.

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Combat l Formidable (4) – Into a moving car or trash can. If unsuccessful, roll 2d12. The first d12 tells which direction the grenade lands from its intended spot. Read it like a clock and apply reasonable logic and physics. The second d12 tells how far off target it is – although it can never be over or under thrown by more than half the original distance: l 1-4: Terrible: Off by ½ the distance thrown. l 5-8: Moderate: Off by ¼ the distance thrown. l 9-12: Close: Only 5 ft. off target. Guns in Melee It is difficult to get a good shot off at someone when they are close enough to grab a hold of the gun. It is better to be out of arm’s reach. When within personal combat range of an opponent, a person firing a gun suffers a -1d penalty. Helpless Opponents Characters do not need to make an Attack Check when striking a helpless opponent (such as someone tied up or unconscious). Instead, they automatically inflict double weapon damage. A held or pinned opponent is not helpless. Mooks Mooks are nameless enemy NPCs that are typically easy for characters to dispatch in combat. Their real threat lies in their numbers and willingness to sacrifice themselves in the name of their boss. Full details on mooks and how they work in combat can be found on page 220 in the Storytelling Chapter. Multiple Attacks Characters cannot take multiple Standard Actions in the same turn. The only exceptions to this are the following special maneuvers: Two Guns Blazing and Two-Weapon Attack.

Hit Locations

Unless specifically targeted as part of a called shot, physical damage is not specifically applied to a particular part of the body. Areas targeted as part of a called shot may be affected in more specific ways, usually by inflicting an injury condition.

Non-Lethal Attacks Characters can deal non-life threatening wounds by suffering a 1d penalty to their Attack Check. This can include only winging an opponent with a gun or hitting someone with the flat part of a blade. Size The size of a target can make it easier or harder to hit. The smaller a target, the more difficult it is to hit. The larger the target, the easier it is to hit. l Huge: +2d to Attack Check / -2 to difficulty; i.e. – a whale or bus l Large: +1d to Attack Check / -1 to difficulty; i.e. – an elephant or car l Normal: No modifier; i.e. – a person or door l Small: -1d to Attack Check / +1 to difficulty; i.e. – a dog or mailbox l Tiny: -2d to Attack Check / +2 to difficulty; i.e. – a bird or padlock Speed Moving targets are harder to hit than targets that are standing still. The faster the target, the more difficult it is to hit. Traveling at the same speed at the target eliminates these modifiers. l Standing Still: No modifier l Normal: No modifier; 0 to 30 mph (running person, slow car) l Fast: +1 to Hit Difficulty; 30 to 100 mph (average car, thrown item) l Very Fast: +2 to Hit Difficulty; 100 to 500 mph (race car, launched projectile) l Ridiculously Fast: +4 to Hit Difficulty; over 500 mph (plane) Surrounding Opponent/Double Teaming Characters do not gain any combat advantage by simply having their friend stand near, flank or surround an opponent. However, each time an opponent takes a Defensive Action, all his future Defensive Actions for that turn suffer a cumulative 1d penalty. Touch Attacks Attacks that only require the opponent to be touched (such as an electrical shock or Meridian attacks) must be dodged to be avoided and typically ignore armor.

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Combat Damage and Injuries Damage may be listed as Body, Mind or Soul as appropriate. Unless stated otherwise, damage is always assumed to be applied against the Body damage track. e.g. A handgun may have a base damage of 2B, or 2 Body Damage. A psychic attack by a fellow Nearsider might inflict 4M, or 4 Mind Damage. Discovering that your variant self killed your wife has a base damage of 8S, which is 8 Soul Damage. The amount of harm that an attack can cause depends upon two factors. The first is the weapon or effect’s base damage, the second is the number of Net Successes that the attack achieves. A weapon’s base damage depends upon its lethality. A light handgun might have a base damage of 2B, while a mounted rifle might have a base damage of 5B. To determine how much damage the target takes, the base damage is added to the Net Successes achieved on the Attack Check. Net successes on an Attack Check represent a more lethal or effective attack, the difference between a flesh wound and a solid hit to the heart. Non-lethal weapons usually do Mind Damage, representing their ability to stun or disorient a character. Non-lethal weapons can also inflict temporary injury conditions. Damage can be mitigated with the use of armor or other protection. It takes the damage instead of the character, though it’s possible for damage to exceed the armor’s protection. Armor has a rating, usually between 1 and 5. That rating is subtracted from the damage. Anything over that is applied against the target’s appropriate damage track.

Tracking Damage Each character possesses three damage tracks – one for each attribute. Each damage track is equal to the Attribute value x 3. Whenever a character suf fers a particular type of damage, it is marked of f of appropriate damage track. As the character suf fers more damage, they suf fer more consequences. On a character sheet, a damage track looks like this:

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Body: O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Mind: O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Soul: O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Each circle indicates a single point of damage. Each track must be customized for each character by filling in the unused circles, leaving only enough open circles to equal the attribute x 3. Additional space has been left in case the character has a special Quality affecting their damage track or has increased an attribute through play. e.g. Colin’s character, Kelsey, has Body 5, Mind 4 and Soul 3. Body: O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O l l l Mind: O O O O O O O O O O O O l l l l l l Soul: O O O O O O O O O l l l l l l l l l

Damage Thresholds As damage accumulates, characters will begin to suffer die penalties to their actions, representing the distracting effect of pain, confusion or self-doubt. This is represented by a 1d penalty to actions using the damage track’s attribute. There are three Damage Thresholds per damage track, equal to the damage track’s base Attribute. They have different names, depending upon which Attribute is being damaged, but they each have the same effect on a character when they are crossed. Only when the threshold has been crossed does the Injury Condition and related dice penalty come into play. Penalties are not cumulative. For example, for a character with Body 5, the thresholds occur after 5, 10 and 15 damage has been suffered. If this character takes 5B damage, they have met, but not crossed, the first threshold. If the character suffers one more point of Body damage, they will have crossed that first threshold and will begin to suffer from penalties. Threshold Penalties l Crossing the first threshold inflicts a -1d penalty on all Action Checks with the attribute. l Crossing the second threshold inflicts a -2d penalty on all Action Checks with the attribute. l Crossing the final threshold inflicts a -3d penalty on all Action Checks with the attribute

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Combat Attribute Body

Damage Thresholds -1d

-2d

-3d

Hurt

Badly Hurt

Dying

Mind

Confused

Disorientated Lost

Soul

Uncertain

Shaken

e.g.: Colin’s character, Kelsey, has Body 5, Mind 4 and Soul 3. Body: O O O O O | O O O O O | O O O O O | l l l Mind: O O O O | O O O O | O O O O | l l l l l l Soul: O O O | O O O | O O O | l l l l l l l l l

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e.g. Quentin has taken damage, both physical and mental, during the last fight. He is Badly Hurt and Confused, having crossed the second Body threshold and the first Mind threshold. He is at a -2d penalty to all Action Checks using the Body Attribute and -1d penalty to all Action Checks using the Mind Attribute. He suffers no penalties when using his Soul or Depth. It is recommended that these thresholds be indicated on the character sheet with a simple separator so they are not forgotten. Remember, the filled in circles indicate unused points.

The End is Nigh: Dying, Lost, Broken The third and final threshold indicates that the character is either dying or at risk of suffering permanent damage to their mental capabilities or personality. A Body damage track below 0 indicates that the character is fighting to remain conscious and may be bleeding to death. The character can be easily finished off should a foe desire. The character must immediately make a Challenging (2) Body Check to remain conscious (at no penalty). A Mind damage track below 0 indicates that the character is too confused and disorientated to act effectively and may be on the edge of permanent catatonia. The character is powerless against attempts by Writers to permanently adjust and alter their memories. The character must immediately make a Challenging (2) Mind Check to remain conscious (at no penalty). A Soul damage track below 0 indicates that the character’s spirit is broken and that they may risk suffering a permanent personality breakdown. The character is powerless against attempts by Writers to change their emotional connections and attitudes. The character must immediately make a Challenging (2) Soul Check to remain conscious (at no penalty).

Stabilization Characters below 0 in one or more damage tracks must be stabilized within 3 turns, otherwise they will be rendered unplayable (by dying, or going permanently insane). l To stabilize Body damage, an extended, Daunting (3) First Aid check is required. l To stabilize Mind damage, an extended, Daunting (3) Psychiatry check is required. l To stabilize Soul damage, an extended, Daunting (3) Psychology or Empathy check is required. A character may stabilize on their own without any help. This requires an extended Daunting (3)

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Combat Check using the relevant Attribute. In all cases, if the 3 required successes are not achieved within 3 turns, the character is no longer playable.

Bargaining Reaching below 0 in any damage track results in a character potentially taking a short-or-long term flaw (a negative quality) to represent the consequences of their experience. Flaws are taken to avoid risking the permanent effects of reaching 0 in each track: death, catatonia or total personality breakdown. Body injuries are physical flaws such as Limp, Missing Arm, Blind. The character can choose to take a general or specific injury, though they do not gain any specific benefit for picking one kind over another. An Injury should reflect the incident that brought the character past their third threshold. The GM may suggest some appropriate flaws, or create a new one for your character’s specific situation. Disorders are mental or personality flaws such as Phobia, OCD, Amnesia, Violent Outbursts, Multiple-personalities and other kinds of psychological or personality disorders. The character can choose to take a general or specific Disorder, though they do not gain any specific benefit for picking one kind over another. A Disorder should reflect the incident that brought the character to 0 Mind or Soul hit points. The GM may suggest some appropriate flaws, or create a new one for your character’s specific situation.

Stunned or Unconscious are temporary. Many are removed as the character recovers. Some Damage Conditions require medical treatment before they can be removed. These represent more serious wounds that cannot heal on their own, with the potential to cause permanent disability. Others, like Blinded, Maimed, Scarred may require significant medical skills to remove and may result in a permanent Flaw.

Body Damage (Life) Stabilization A Medicine (First Aid) check can be attempted by any character. A Routine (1) success stabilizes the character, removing the Dying condition while also healing a single point of damage. While multiple attempts can be made, only one successful check can occur per day. First aid cannot be performed on the same injuries more than once - that requires ongoing medical care. Long Term Care With NO medical care, a character does NOT automatically recover wounds, and in fact may begin to deteriorate further. For every week that the character does not receive medical attention, a Simple (1) Body Check is made. A success indicates the recovery of a single wound. A failure indicates the loss of a single wound. It is entirely possible to die in this manner. However, should a character heal a

Healing and Recovery Regardless of the type of damage suffered; there are three major kinds of treatment. The first is stabilization, immediate treatment carried out in the field that’s just enough to get the character to safety. The second kind is long-term care, ongoing treatment designed to completely restore a character to perfect health (or as close as possible). The final kind is Distance related. Some Meridians can restore lost damage much more quickly than other methods. Like all other treatments, they are not perfect. For the most part, Damage Conditions like

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Combat number of wounds equal to their Body, they are out of the woods and have managed to avoid secondary infections. Badly Injured and Injured Conditions are removed when appropriate, though Conditions requiring medical intervention will remain and are likely to become permanent Flaws. Ongoing recovery from injuries can be accomplished must faster with the aid of professional medical care. A trained doctor or surgeon can make a Medical Skill Check each day to aid in the patient. Just as with first aid, only one check can be made each day. Each success heals one point of damage, which is also enough to stabilize a dying character. With minimal medical care (i.e. no medical checks, but basic care), a character will heal two damage every week. Damage Conditions are removed as the character heals past them. First, the -2 condition is removed, followed by the -1 condition, removing each condition’s penalty as they go. Meridian The most potent method of healing physical injuries is the Mending Meridian. A talented Mender with the right kind of medical knowledge can swiftly heal wounds, restoring Life to a character. Individual injuries must be treated separately, and may require specific medical knowledge in addition to Mending in order to completely restore. Healing physical damage is a Routine (1) Meridian Check, with each success healing 1 point of damage.

Mind Damage (Clarity) Stabilization Drugs and anti-psychotic medications can be used to sedate characters to prevent them from doing harm to themselves or others. These require a Routine (1) Medicine (Psychiatry) check to administer. Not only will they stabilize the character, they will improve a character’s mental condition to disorientated (-2d). Long-term care Long term recovery of mental damage is accomplished using the Medical (Psychiatry) Skill, though Higher Learning (Psychology) can also be used (at +1 difficulty). Only one check can be made each day. Each success heals one point of damage, which is

also enough to stabilize a character who is lost. With minimal psychiatric care, a character will recover 2 every week. Damage Conditions are removed as the character heals past them. First, the -2 condition is removed, followed by the -1 condition, removing each condition’s penalty as they go. Any Psychological Disorders taken instead of making stabilization checks fade, but don’t completely disappear, as soon as the character fully recovers. They could reemerge during times of extreme stress. Meridians A Nearsider with knowledge of psychology, both behavioral and clinical, can help ease a character’s mental suffering. A character who attempts to use Meridians to heal mental damage must possess either the Medicine (Psychiatry) or Higher Learning (Psychology) Skill at an Trained (8+) level or better. Healing Mind damage can be attempted by a Mender or a Writer. Either way, it is a Challenging (2) Meridian Check, with each extra success healing damage. Any failure inflicts an additional 2 points of mental damage. One such check can be made per day, in addition to non-Meridian recovery checks (see Long Term Recovery, above).

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Combat Soul Damage (Confidence) Stabilization A character can be restrained or sedated to prevent them from harming themselves or others. An Interpersonal or other appropriate Skill Check can be made to “talk him down,” with the difficulty being equal to the damaged character’s Soul. This is an extended check, and can be made every turn until enough successes have been achieved to stabilize the character. The character must still make their stabilization checks, and may fail while the treatment is taking place. Long Term Care Recovering Soul damage takes time. Characters can pursue therapy or relaxation techniques. Active therapy requires an Interpersonal or Higher Learning (Psychology) check. One such check can be made each day and each success reduces one point of damage. Natural recovery of Confidence involves spending time with friends and family, practicing a faith or religion, or taking part in other similar nurturing activities. A character thus engaged recovers 2 points of damage a week. Meridian A Nearsider with knowledge of psychology, both behavioral and clinical, can help heal a character’s Soul damage. A character who attempts to use Meridians to heal Soul damage must possess either

the Medicine (Psychiatry) or Higher Learning (Psychology) Skill at a Trained (8+) level or better. Healing Soul damage can be attempted by a Mender or a Writer. Either way, it is a Challenging (2) Meridian Check, with each extra success healing damage. Any failure inflicts an additional 2 points of Soul damage. One such check can be made per day, in addition to non-Meridian recovery checks (see Long Term Recovery, above).

Other sources of harm Weapons aren’t the only thing that can cause damage, nor is every “attack” on purpose. A falling boulder, a poisonous cloud, extremes of heat and cold, earthquakes, drowning and dehydration all have the potential to harm or kill characters.

Deprivation Finding food and water can be difficult in some variations. Each day a character goes without water, he suffers 2 points of Body damage. He also suffers 2 points of Body damage for each day he goes without food. A character that is without food or water does not possess the necessary health to heal from his injuries.

Disease Infections and diseases have an infection difficulty, symptoms, and recovery difficulty. To avoid contracting the disease in the first place, the character makes a Body

Bravery Checks

A Bravery Check is a kind of Soul Defense Check that a GM may request in order for your character to do something dangerous. Failing a Bravery Check isn’t a disaster, but it might indicate a moment of doubt or a hesitation before acting. The character can still move and defend himself, but he cannot put himself in harm’s way just then. A character can keep making Bravery Checks until he succeeds. A botch is more serious, indicating that the character is completely overcome by fear. The character will either cower in fear behind cover or turn and run. The character can still attempt another Bravery check next turn to recover. A character botching a Bravery Check takes Soul damage equal to the number of dice rolled on that Check. Bravery Checks are based on Soul, but the GM may allow a character to use another skill instead of making a default Soul Check. Suitable skills could be any of the combat skills, Empathy, or other skills that represent your character’s experience of similar situations. Likewise, appropriate Qualities may give a bonus or penalty to the check. The default difficulty of a Bravery Check is Average (1), though certain situations may be more difficult to overcome than others. These very much depend upon your character and their individual fears. Successes may be accumulated over multiple turns if necessary. A GM may not always request Bravery Checks, and after a character has been exposed to a particular situation a few times, they are not usually necessary for those situations.

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Combat Check. On the first roll he gets a 1, 3 and 6 – no successes. But his snow gear reduces the 4 damage by 3, so he only takes 1 point of damage. The next roll he gets a 4, 10 and 12 – these two successes plus the 3 armor from his snow gear completely protect him from the cold. He must make 4 more of these rolls before reaching the outpost.

Environmental Threats Threat

Check versus the infection difficulty. If they fail, they have contracted the disease and will suffer the effect. They may have future chances to shake the disease by making a Body check versus the recovery score. This is typically an extended check. Example Disease: Influenza – Symptoms: Jagged cough and lethargy; infection difficulty: 3, recovery difficulty: 1 (make a Body Check each day until 10 Net Successes are gained)

Drowning/Suffocation Characters can hold their breath for 1 minute for each point of Body. During combat, they can automatically hold their breath with an Average (1) Body check. If they fail, they suffer 1 point of Body damage every Turn. They cannot hold their breath again until they catch their breath.

Exposure/Fire Heat and cold can take its toll on a character, especially over time. Some variations contain extreme weather patterns that a Nearsider must be prepared for. Each condition has a rate in which a Body Check must be made. Damage suffered by a failed check can be reduced by specialty gear that acts as armor for the particular hazard. Example: Burt is wandering across Icebox during a normal winter day and needs to get to an outpost that is about an hour’s hike away. The cold on Icebox deals 4B every 10 minutes and he is wearing arctic snow gear that provides 3 armor versus cold. He has a Body of 3, so every 10 minutes he makes a 3d@10+ Body

Damage

Rate

Note

Bad Ohio Winter

2B

1 hour (600 turns)

Cold Weather Gear gives +3d, 3 armor

Ordinary Blizzard

4B

1 minute (10 turns)

Cold Weather Gear gives +2d, 2 armor

Typical Icebox Winter

4B

10 minutes (60 turns)

Cold Weather Gear gives +2d, 2 armor

Icebox Blizzard

6B

10 seconds (2 turns)

Cold Weather Gear gives +1d, 1 armor

Deep Desert

2B

1 hour (600 turns)

Hothouse Desert

4B

10 minutes (100 turns)

Being a little bit on fire

4B

6 seconds (1 turn)

Being on fire, a lot

8B

6 seconds (1 turn)

Drowning in lava

50B

6 seconds (1 turn)

Radiation, mild

2B

1 day

A radiation hazard suit offers 4 armor.

Radiation, moderate

6B

1 hour (600 turns)

A radiation hazard suit offers 2 armor.

Radiation, intense

10B

30 minutes (300 turns)

A radiation hazard suit offers 1 armor.

Damage listed above assumes that a character is not wearing any specialty gear. Specialized clothing and equipment will add bonus dice to checks as well as act as armor against certain environmental damage.

Falling Characters suffer 2 points of Body damage for every 10 feet that they fall. After 100 feet they have reached ter-

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Combat minal velocity and do not suffer additional damage. Landing on a soft or forgiving surface can reduce this damage, while sharp or unforgiving surfaces can add to the damage. A Challenging (2) Athletics check can normally be made to help break their fall, although the GM may increase the difficulty for a longer fall. Each Net Success effectively reduces the fall by 10 ft.

Fatigue Even heroic intra-dimensional travelers need their sleep. If a character goes without sleep they must make a progressively harder Body Check to avoid fatigue (i.e.: Day 1 is Average (1), Day 2 is Challenging (2), etc.). If they fail, they are at -1d to all checks until they sleep. If they fail a second time, they fall asleep from exhaustion.

Poisons/Toxins Many substances can be hazardous to a Nearsider’s health. These drugs, poisons and toxins are usually inhaled or ingested but can sometimes be applied topically or even injected. If a character wants to resist the effects of such a substance, they will need to resist its potency with a Body Check. Some drugs must be fully resisted, while other will have partial effects depending on the number of successes achieved. These effects can vary widely, from damage infliction to Attribute (or Skill) reduction to paralysis or even the loss of senses. Once a poison is in the character’s system, it stays there until the character has gotten it out of their system. This could be for a fixed amount of time, but often it will require an extended Challenging (2) Body roll. The stronger the toxin, the more successes needed to expel it. Substance Strength

Potency

Example

Weak

Average (1)

Alcohol, Pepper Spray

Moderate

Challenging (2)

Chloroform, Sleeping Pill

Strong

Daunting (3)

Roofie, Truth Serum

Industrial

Formidable (4)

Heroine, Knock Out Gas

Lethal

Ridiculous (5)

Cyanide, Arsenic

from mental and spiritual damage from their travels just as easily. The wounds may not show scars, they can be deeper and take longer to heal. Mind damage affects the character’s ability to think, focus and concentrate. If a character botches a defense against attacks or situations inflicting Mind damage, they suffer additional damage equal to their Mind Attribute. The following are examples situations that can cause mental damage. l Mental attacks from a Reader l Lag suffered from a high friction broken room l Viewing a traumatic or horrible event l Viewing a paradoxical event l Stun attacks (such as a taser) Spiritual or emotional threats affect a character’s confidence, sense of self and resolve. If a character botches a defense against attacks or situations inflicting Soul damage, they suffer additional damage equal to their Soul Attribute. The following are example of situations that can cause Soul damage. l Meeting a variant self for the first time: 2-4S l Killing a variant self: 10S l Meeting a variant loved one: 2S l Killing a variant loved one: 8S l Failing a Bravery Check: 1-4S

Psychological Trauma Not all threats are physical. A character can suffer

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Example of Play

J

on, Tess and Rick have been playing in Mike’s Broken Rooms campaign for several weeks. They think they’ve finally found a way off Dead Water (Earth9). The broken room they used to get here was a snake — a one-way ride — but it got them close to Agent Marco, an imprisoned Nearsider they were supposed to save from a government lab. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a variant of the man they thought he was. Even worse, he disappeared last night, leaving only a note with directions to the nearest broken room back to Earth1. Jon is playing Terrell, a Breaker. Tess is playing a Changer named Chelsea, and Rick is playing an Opener named Austin. Rick/Austin: I want to look at my clock map to see when the room cycles. What’s the broken watch on my wrist tell me? Mike/GM: OK, make a Nearsight check. You’ll need three successes to get an accurate sense of when the room cycles. Austin has the Nearsight Concentration at Trained (8+) and a Depth of 3. He also has the Time Keeper Quality, which grants him 1d to Nearsight checks related to using broken timepieces. Though he can only use the bonus once per session, he decides to use it now. He rolls four dice, getting a 10, 8, 5, and 4 for a total of two successes and a point of Momentum. He uses the Momentum on another roll and gets a 1 and 9. Because he rolled his Nearsight Concentration of 8 or higher on three of the dice, he succeeds. Mike/GM: You’re really close. The shadowy hands on your watch read 10 till 1, so Marco was telling the truth about the broken room being nearby and cycling to Earth1. The shadowy second hand is pretty close too — it’s pointing to the 9. You better hurry before it gets to the 12 and the room cycles. Jon/Terrell: I’ll take the lead. I head down the hill. Mike/GM: OK. You come to a clearing. You can see a large gray building. Between you and the building is a fenced-in yard. According to a sign on the building, it is a juvenile correction center. But those don’t look like juveniles in the fenced-in yard. Tess/Chelsea: What do they look like? Mike/GM: They look like zombies. About 30 of

them. They’re just standing or shuffling around aimlessly. You also see a wooden guardhouse on the southwest corner of the yard, just outside the fence. A woman with a rifle is sitting near the guardhouse. Jon/Terrell: Must be one of the quarantine camps. They were mentioned in our briefing. They actually think they can cure those Damned things. Rick/Austin: Do you remember what else the briefing said? We’re supposed to avoid them. Those things can sense Nearsiders, especially if we use our Meridians. Tess/Chelsea: So let me guess, the broken room is in the middle of the Damned? Mike/GM: That would be a good guess, but no. You get the sense it’s in the guardhouse. Rick/Austin: Seriously? No wonder Marco ran off. Mike/GM: Time is short. What’s the plan? Jon/Terrell: I want to break part of the fence. Give the guards something to worry about. Mike/GM: OK. It will be a Challenging (2) Difficulty to take a section of the chain link fence down. Terrell has the Breaker Concentration at Familiar (9+) and his Depth is 4, so he would need to roll 9 or higher on two of his dice. However, he also has the Battering Ram Distance Quality, which automatically grants him a 1d bonus to using his Breaker Meridian Skill to knock down barriers. Jon rolls five dice and gets a 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9. That’s only one success, but because two of the dice add up to 13, they generate Momentum. He decides to make a Momentum roll. He gets two 10s, one of which he can add to his success for a total of 2. He then uses 2 of his 5 points of Momentum to fuel his successes, since it was a Meridian check. Jon/Terrell: Boom. Take that, fence. Is the guard freaking out now that her cattle are loose? Mike/GM: The fence links break apart and a section between two poles hits the ground. The Damned, which up until now had been pretty docile and unfocused, are now running straight for you. Jon/Terrell: Can they see me? I thought we were hidden in the trees. Mike/GM: No, you doubt they can see you … with their eyes. Rick/Austin: I’m running. Tess/Chelsea: Me too … away from Terrell.

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Example of Play Mike/GM: The guard heads into the building and comes out with a string on a pole — like a dog catcher would use. She’s blowing on a whistle like mad. Another guard follows her out of the guardhouse. They begin chasing after the horde of Damned heading your way. Jon/Terrell: No problem. I’ll lead them away from the guardhouse, then circle back around. Mike/GM: OK. You’ve got a decent head start and you have the Athletics Skill, so no need to roll. Rick/Austin: I run to the guardhouse when the coast is clear. Tess/Chelsea: I’ll follow. Mike/GM: Before you reach the door to the guardhouse, you see three people come out of the main building on the other side of the yard. They’re running toward you, but you can make it inside before they get there. Tess/Chelsea: I’ll close the door behind me and lock it, if there’s a lock. Mike/GM: There is a lock, but not much else. There’s a table and a chair, some papers ... Rick/Austin: How long before the room cycles? Because Rick successfully used Nearsight earlier in the scene, Mike decides to let him check again without rolling to keep the action going. Mike/GM: The hair on the back of your neck is standing up and you have that queasy feeling of anticipation. The second hand on your watch is almost on 12. Rick/Austin: As soon as the broken room opens, I want to use my Opener Prime Meridian to try to keep it open until Terrell gets here. Mike/GM: OK. Ready your action. That will be a Daunting Difficulty of 3, assuming Terrell gets here quick. Tess/Chelsea: Where is Terrell, anyway? Jon/Terrell: I’m coming home! Mike/GM: He easily outpaced the horde, but there was a straggler who is now between Terrell and the guardhouse. The Damned is about 30 ft. from the door. Tess/Chelsea: I got him. I pull my pistol and fire. The Damned is at Short Range, so it has a Hit Difficulty of 1 — that’s how many successes Chelsea needs to beat in order to hit with her shot. Chelsea has Marksmanship: Handguns @ Professional (7+). She has a Body of 4, so she’ll roll 4 dice. She gets a 2, 7, 8 and 5. Two successes and a point of Momentum. She uses the Momentum to roll two dice and gets a 9 and a 4. Because those add up to 13, she gets another point of

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Momentum. She decides to make a second Momentum roll instead of banking the Momentum. She gets a 7 and 2. That’s a total of four successes, which gives her 3 Net Success. This, plus the 3 damage from the pistol deals a total of 6 damage. She doesn’t need to activate the successes because she’s not using a Meridian. Mike/GM: Wow. There’s one Damned that won’t be saved. He only had a Body of 2. He drops. One of the people who came out of the main building yells “You killed my husband!” They’re kicking and beating on the guardhouse door. Oh yeah, and the broken room opens. Austin, do your thing. Austin has an Opener Meridian Skill at Average (8+), and his Depth is 3. Rick needs to roll 8 or higher on all three dice to meet the Difficulty 3. He makes the roll and luckily gets the successes he needs with a 12, 9 and 8. He activates them with three points of Momentum. Mike/GM: You’re forcing two variations to keep touching in this exact location for the next six seconds. Jon/Terrell: Six seconds! Can I make it? Mike/GM: If you can get past the three people banging on the door this round, yes. Jon/Terrell: I just won’t use the door. Instead, I’ll using my Breaker Meridian to smash though the wall! Tess/Chelsea: I can try to weaken it for you. Chelsea is a Changer. She wants to change the wooden wall into a rotten wooden wall where Terrell is about to ram into it. She needs two successes. Her Changer Meridian Concentration is at Average (8+), and her Depth is 3. She rolls her three dice and gets one success with an 8, 6 and 1. She fuels it with Momentum. Mike/GM: Well, you got one success, so at least the wood’s a bit more rotten than before. Jon wants to use Terrell’s Breaker Meridian to help him break through the wall before the broken room cycles. Mike would normally set the Difficulty at 2. He lowers the Difficulty by 1, since Chelsea weakened it. Terrell rolls his Depth of 3. He only needs to roll one at 9 or higher on the three dice. Unfortunately, he botches the roll with a 1, 1 and 2. Because he botched, not only did he not succeed, but something bad happens. Mike/GM: Ouch. Trying to concentrate on Breaking while running was too much for Terrell. He trips, just shy of the building. The room cycles and Chelsea and Austin are back on Earth1. Terrell is not. Jon/Terrell: Damn.

Broken Rooms

9: Equipment

T

he variations of the Nearside are filled with trash and treasure. The difference often depends on the variation you’re on and the one you’re traveling to next. Unless otherwise noted, the equipment listed in this chapter refers to the type of gear native to Earth1, the ordinary world. Including every potential weapon and bauble in one variation is a near-impossible task, never mind doing it for 13 variations. The lists and descriptions here are meant to provide a good basis for players to use to outfit their characters. Gamemasters (GMs) can approve additional items their players may request.

Equipment costs With 13 variations, many with distinct circumstances that affect the type of gear and supplies common to them, the Nearside can easily become its own stock exchange of supply and demand. Broken Rooms is not intended to be a game of resource management, however. To keep players focused on roleplaying, GMs are encouraged to downplay commerce for commerce’s sake. That’s not to say that many storylines won’t revolve around the characters smuggling or guarding much-needed supplies as they move from one variation to another, only a reminder that there are more forces motivating Nearsiders than a want for money. There are a number of reasons for this. On many variations, money’s primary use is as kindling. It’s sitting in abandoned bank vaults in Vanished, or left in ruined houses on the Fall. It’s useless to people

on many variations, and so it is relatively easy for Nearsiders to line their pockets, if they so choose. Of course, value is in the eye of the buyer. The barter system is most often used on variations that have had their economies ruined by the disasters of Divergence. Someone on Ice Box, for example, may be willing to trade thousands of dollars for a warm coat that might cost $40 in the normal world. GMs can quickly adjust values up and down by multiplying or dividing Earth1 prices, depending on the items’ relative scarcity or abundance on the variation where it’s being traded. Use a rule of thumb of doubling the Earth1 value of items that would be in low supply and moderate demand on another variation. Triple the Earth1 value of items that would be in low supply and high demand on another variation. Above all, GMs should use their own vision of each variation’s needs, as well as the motivations of the non-player characters involved in bartering to determine a fair trading value.

Types of equipment In addition to run-of-the mill equipment that bestows no additional bonuses or penalties to its users, there are six types of special equipment in Broken Rooms: 1. Equipment with intrinsic qualities. 2. Equipment that makes use of particular Skill Concentrations. 3. Trinkets imbued with one-time-use Meridian effects. 4. Talismans that can store excess Momentum. 5. Artifacts imbued with permanent, but weak, Meridian effects. 6. Ridiculously powerful Relics imbued with permanent, powerful and sometimes multiple Meridian effects.

Intrinsic Qualities Equipment that is built in such a way that it automatically grants a specific bonus or drawback to anyone using it. Just like character Qualities, equipment Qualities can have both positive and negative effects, based

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Equipment on the situation. Items with intrinsic qualities should be given descriptive names, with adjectives such as trusty, flimsy, flashy, shoddy, beautiful, nasty, or even obnoxious, to name a few. The GM should describe what specific +/- 1d benefits or drawbacks the item might have, depending on various situations. Examples: l A big scary gun grants a bonus to Intimidation rolls when using it, but it is also more difficult to conceal. l A jaunty hat, revealing dress or horn-rimmed glasses may grant a bonus or invoke a penalty to social interactions, depending on the circumstances. l A flashy diamond bracelet could help get you into certain social circles, or it could help get you robbed. l Well-made lock picks may provide a bonus to breaking and entering, but they will also look suspicious to law enforcement if they discover them on you. l A lucky rabbit’s foot may grant one bonus per day on a particular type of check. l A finely tuned rifle would provide a bonus to aiming, assuming its sensitive sights weren’t jostled beforehand. l A big, bulky coat might keep you warmer, but it will also restrict movement.

Concentrations Equipment that provides bonuses or additional uses for those who have the appropriate Skill Concentration training. Some equipment might not be usable by characters who are Unfamilar (10+) with it, while other types of equipment cannot be used to their fullest potential

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Item Quality Examples Quality

Effect

Warm/Cozy

+1d to resist effects of cold

Big/Huge/Massive

-1d to action checks involving item concealment; +1d to appropriate intimidation checks

Scary/Creepy

+1d to appropriate intimidation checks

Fancy/Flashy/Jaunty

+1d to appropriate social checks, -1d to checks involving item concealment

Well-made/Sturdy/ Awesome

+1d to item’s primary function

Lucky

+1d per day to a check involving the item

Fragile/Delicate

-1d to resist breaking

Bulky/Awkward/Heavy

-1d to athletics checks involving the item

Solid/Strong

+1d to resist breaking

Beautiful/Adorable/ Charming

+1d to appropriate social checks involving the item

Small/Tiny/Petite

+1d to concealment checks involving the item

Fast/Quick

+1d to initiative checks involving the item

Bizarre/Strange

-1d to appropriate social checks involving item

Awful/Crappy/Shoddy/ Makeshift

-1d to item’s primary function

Ugly/Repulsive/Nasty

-1d to appropriate social checks involving the item

by characters who are not Professionals (7+) or even Experts with them (6+). See the weapon descriptions beginning on page 181 for more information. Examples: l A whip might be used to retrieve an object, or as a grappling hook for anyone with a Professional Skill (7+) Concentration in Personal Combat: Armed. l A rapier can be used to attack twice per round by someone with at least a Trained (8+) Skill Concentration in Personal Combat: Armed. l A character who is Trained (8+) in Deception: Sleight of Hand and at least Familiar (9+) with Personal Combat: Armed receives a 1d synergy bonus when using the cane gun, wrist pistol and other hidden firearms. l Advanced demolitions can only be used by Professionals (7+) in Tradecraft: Military Engineer.

Broken Rooms

Equipment Trinkets Equipment that has been imbued with Meridian effects. Player characters need not know the Meridian themselves to benefit from the effect. However, once the Meridian effect has been unleashed, it is gone. See page 93 for information on creating Trinkets.

Talismans Equipment that can be used to store excess momentum for later use. These rare items allow Nearsiders to bleed excess Momentum they earn, above and beyond the maximum amount they could normally save, into the items. They can then access the item’s Momentum for use when their personal Momentum pool is empty. The maximum Momentum an item can hold is equal to the character’s Depth. A Talisman can only be used by the Nearsider who created it. For more information on creating Talismans, see page 92.

Artifacts Traveling through broken rooms can sometimes alter Trinkets, making their one-time effects permanent. These are known as Artifacts. Anyone — even an HbA- person — can use an Artifact. They do not need to be activated with Momentum. Examples: l A prybar imbued with an Opener Meridian effect that receives a bonus when used to pop a lock or pry open a door. l A compass imbued with a Finder Meridian effect that always points to the nearest broken room. l A sledge hammer imbued with a Breaker Meridian effect that receives bonuses to break certain objects. l Shoes imbued with a Moving Meridian effect that provide a bonus to Athletics/Running checks.

Caliber and Rate of Fire

When the variables of form factor, caliber, ammunition and action are taken into consideration, there are hundreds of different types of firearms. For purposes of simplified game play, those choices have been combined into groups, such as large-caliber pistols or assault rifles. These groups are intended to provide sufficient distinction to range and damage without getting bogged down in details. Likewise, rate of fire has been boiled down into three weapon qualities: single-fire, semi-automatic and automatic. These qualities enable characters who are familiar with their weapons to perform special combat maneuvers, such as Burst, Spray, and Double Tap. See page 157 for more information on these and other maneuvers. Remember that bursts and spraying bullets with a fully automatic weapon uses up ammunition quickly. It normally requires one move action to reload, but some guns require additional time as noted in the weapon descriptions. Don’t forget to track ammunition use. mad Nearsiders who claim to have survived previous Convergences. Relics are important to Exiles. They provide an anchor of sorts, allowing them to remember more about their previous life than they might normally be able to. Without Relics, Exiles only have hazy memories at best, and many do not even realize that they are Exiles until they find or recover one of their Relics. Every Exile has one or more Relic that is inherently linked to them. In the hands of other Nearsiders, Relics are much like any other Artifacts. While they

Relics Some Artifacts are even more potent and strange. These are Relics, items that have not just traveled to other variations, but from other Nearsiders — older iterations of the network of worlds. While no one is certain how this can even be possible, many are found on the Reef, or in the possession of Exiles, the

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Equipment Gear

Examples/Description

Gear

Examples/Description

Batteries

Watch, cell phone, flashlight, laptop

Lantern

Battery, propane, kerosene

Binoculars

Small, medium, large

Blanket

Solar, wool, waterproof

Lighter

Disposable, flip-top

Locksmith kit

Picks, files, small hammer, wax, wire, blank keys

Laser pointer

Bolt cutters Books

Manuals, reference, paperbacks, hardbacks

Camera

Digital, secret

Camp kit

Fire starter, compass, multi-tool, bedroll

Candles Cane

Magnifying glass Makeup kit

Lipstick, eyeliner, foundation, blush, mascara, tweezers

Map Matches

Book, waterproof

Mirror

Signal, compact

Multi-tool

Cell phone Chain

Small, medium, heavy

Clothing kit

Camouflage, upscale, business, workout, everyday, uniform, desert, arctic, laborer

Compass

Musical instrument

Harmonica, flute, violin, guitar, bugle

Pack

Backpack, gym bag, laptop bag, rucksack, purse

Playing cards Pliers

Needle nose, channel locks, vice grips

Pocket knife

Swiss army, locked blade

Poison

Rat killer, pesticides, herbicides, household chemicals

Small pry bar, large tire iron

Radio

Transistor, satellite, two-way

Cutlery

Camping, standard, silver

Rope

Disguise kit

Wigs, robe, glasses, makeup, accessories, small prosthetics, glue

Saw

Hacksaw, handsaw, coping saw

Drink

Water, alcohol, energy, coffee

Screwdriver

Phillips, standard, hex

Drugs

Prescription, illegal

Sewing kit

Needles, thread, thimble, scissors

Shovel

Foldable, large

Spikes

Small, medium, large

String

Kite, twine

Tape recorder

Cassette, digital

Computer

Desktop, laptop, handheld

Container, dry goods

Cardboard box, wooden box, metal box, map case, trunk, crate

Container, liquids

Bottle, vial, jar, thermos, cup

Crowbar

Duct tape Fire starter First aid kit

Bandages, clotting agent, antiseptic, antibiotic, burn relief, aspirin, pain killers, eyewash, tweezers

Fishing kit

Hooks, line, sinkers, collapsible rod, floats

Flares

Road, flare gun

Flashlight

LED, helmet, handheld, large

Glasses

Magnifying, prescription

Glue

Epoxy, rubber cement, superglue

Hammer

Ball peen, claw, sledge

Handkerchief Insect repellent Jewelry

180

Brooch, necklace, ring, earring

Tobacco

Cigarettes, cigar, pipe, chewing

Toiletry kit

Soap, washcloth, perfume/cologne, sponge, toothpaste, toothbrush, brush

Trash bags

Glass cutter

Grappling hook

Tent

Travel Food

Canned goods, dried meats, bread, crackers, chips, trail mix

Watch

Wrist watch, pocket watch

Waterproof storage

Freezer bag, evidence bag, sealed plastic container

Whistle

Standard, dog

Wire

Thin, thick

Wire cutter Writing utensil

Broken Rooms

Pen, pencil, marker

Equipment Ranged Weapon Descriptions

only “unlock” memories for their actual owners, a Relics will sometimes “whisper” thoughts and ideas to another Nearsider holding it, including lost moments from long-since-gone variations.

Ranged Weapons The further away your target, the harder it is to hit them. Some equipment can overcome the increased Difficulties associated with short, medium, long and extremely long ranges. Other types of equipment are only effective at point-blank or close ranges. Unless otherwise noted in the weapon descriptions, ranged weapons bestow no Difficulty penalties at point-blank or close ranges, while melee weapons can only be used at point blank ranges.

Distance

Range

Default Difficulty

Point Blank

Touch to 3 ft.

+1d

Close

4 - 15 ft.

+1d

Short

16 - 75 ft.

+1d

Medium

76 - 450 ft.

+2d

Long

451 - 1200 ft.

+3d

Extremely Long

1201 - 4800 ft.

+4d

Beyond

4801+ ft.

+5d per 1200 ft.

Anti-preacher gun Prevalent on Earth9, this weapon causes mild discomfort to humans but will disrupt electronic equipment and nanotechnology. A few “standard” models are mass produced, but APGs can be built using appropriate parts and components. They emit a series of focused electromagnetic pulses. The PREACHER nanovirus is especially vulnerable to an APG. Effective Range: Short. Special: Only damages anyone or anything infected with the PREACHER nanovirus, along with rendering unshielded electronics useless for a number of rounds equal to the damage that would have normally been taken. Requires 20 minutes to charge the APG via an electrical outlet. Assault rifle Also known as a machine gun, these rifles are typically used by military and are not readily available to the general public. Effective Range: Long; -1d at point-blank range. Special: -2d to concealment attempts. Can be used as a semi-automatic or automatic. Axes, Throwing Heavy blades attached perpendicularly to shafts, axes come in many shapes and sizes. More useful than knives, they’re also more difficult to conceal. Larger axes, such as battle axes, do more damage than hatchets. Effective Range: Short for throwing axes. Special: Throwing axes are specially balanced weapons. Other axes cannot be thrown effectively. Large axes require two hands to wield. Bolas Weights attached to cords, bolas can be used to en-

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Equipment tangle the limbs of opponents. Effective Range: Close. Special: A Concentration in Personal Combat: Thrown Weapons is required to entangle targets with bolas. Chain This versatile piece of equipment can be called into action as a weapon that has the ability to entangle its targets. Effective Range: Close. Special: A Concentration in Personal Combat: Armed is required to use a chain to entangle targets. Modern armor is doubled vs. chains. Crossbow Modern crossbows mount a short bow on a gunstock, just like their ancient counterparts. However, today’s composite crossbows are capable of longer ranges. They can be equipped with scopes and silencers. Effective Range: Medium for standard crossbows, short for pistol crossbows. Special: Crossbows grant +1d to Larceny: Stealth checks when attempting to fire unnoticed. Characters who concentrate on Marksmanship: Archery and are Trained (8+) in Deception receive a +1d when using pistol crossbows. Grenades Fragment grenades are designed to break into pieces upon detonation, sending shrapnel at their targets. Concussion grenades are designed to cause damage by explosion alone, and are especially effective in enclosed areas. Smoke and flash grenades are often used to flush people out or stun them. These military and law enforcement weapons are not readily available to the public. Effective Range: Short. Special: Concussion grenades receive +1d when used in enclosed areas of 15 sq. ft. or less. Anyone who is successfully attacked with a concussion grenade is stunned for one round. Anyone who is successfully attacked by a smoke grenade is incapacitated for one round while coughing and must leave the smoke-filled area to recover, but is otherwise uninjured. Heavy artillery Howitzers, mortars and cannons are hard to come by on most variations and even harder to keep. They must

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be towed to be moved. They require special training to aim and fire accurately. Effective Range: Extremely long; cannot be used at point-blank or close range. Special: A Concentration in Marksmanship: Artillery is required to use. Heavy machine gun Often attached to military vehicles because of their weight, heavy machine guns cannot be held and fired accurately from a standing position. When not mounted, they are typically fired from a prone position. Effective Range: Long; -2d at point-blank range. Special: Cannot be concealed on a person; must be shot from a tripod; one full round to reload. Can be used as semi-automatic or automatic weapons. Javelin The javelin is a light spear intended to be thrown. Effective Range: Short. Special: Modern armor is doubled vs. a javelin. K-Tech assault rifle K-tech is a generic term for any K’thari technological innovation that has been modified by mankind for their use. On Earth4, it is not unusual in vehicles, aircraft and, of course, weaponry. By feeding a K-Tech rifle small chunks of meat (usually 4 to 10 oz. per “reload”) the weapon generates roughly 100 tiny, surgically sharp hair-like needles that tear through flesh and bone. Effective Range: Medium; -1d at point-blank range Special: It takes about an hour to fully recharge. While the weapon is recharging, standard rounds can be loaded and fired. Can be used as semi-automatic when firing standard ammo, or as a semi-automatic or automatic when firing needles. K’thari heavy plasma cannon This shoulder-mounted cannon is similar to mankind’s rocket launcher, but more deadly. Plasma cannons fire bolts of supercharged ionized plasma at very high temperatures, vaporizing anything they touch. Effective Range: Long; -2d at point-blank range. Special: Cannot be concealed on a person; one full round to reload; Body 4+ (or strength-related Quality)

Broken Rooms

Equipment Range Weapon

Description

Damage

Rounds

Range

Special

Anti-Preacher gun

EMP gun

Assault rifle/ machine gun

M16, SKS, AK-47 assault rifles

0/4

20

Short

2H, SD

4

30

Long

2H, FA, MW, SA,SD

Axe, throwing

1

1

Short

2H, SD

Bolas

0

1

Close

SD

Chain

1

1

Close

2H, AD, SD

2

1

Medium

2H, SD

0 or 8

1

Short

AE, MW, SD

12

1

Long

AE, 2H, MW, SD

Long

3H, FA, MW, SA, SD

Crossbow Grenades

Concussion, fragmentation, flash, smoke

Heavy artillery

Howitzer, mortar, tank

Heavy machine gun

6

Javelin

2

1

Short

AD

K-Tech assault rifle Modified alien technology

4

30

Medium

2H, FA, KT, SA, SD

K’thari Heavy Plasma Cannon

Modified alien technology

12

1

Medium

3H, KT, SD

K’thari Stunner

Modified alien technology

2

6

Short

KT, SD

K’thari Venom Pistol

Modified alien technology

4

12

Short

KT, SD

1

1

Close

AD

Uzi, Mauser machine pistol

3

30

Short

FA, MW, SA,SD

2

1

Short

2H, SD

Petrol bomb, gas bomb, fire bomb

1 for 3 rounds

1

Short

AE, AH, SD

Net

0

1

Close

2H, SD

Pepper spray

0

3

Point-blank

SD

Pistol crossbow

1

1

Short

SD

3-4

5 - 30

Short

SA, SD

2

1

Point-blank

SD

2-3

5 - 30

Short

SA

4

8

Medium

2H, SA, SD

Knife, throwing Light submachine gun Longbow Molotov cocktail

Pistol, large caliber .44, .45, .454, .50, K-tech Pistol, single-shot

Wrist pistol, cane gun, pen gun

Pistol, small caliber

.22, .25, .32, .38, K-tech

Rifle, hunting Rifle, sniper

4

10

Extremely long

3H, MW

Rocket launcher

Bazooka

10

1

Extremely long

2H, MW, SD

Rocket propelled grenade

One shot, reloadable

8

1

Long

2H, AE, MW, SD

Shotgun

Sawed off, double-barrel, 20 gauge, 12 gauge, beanbag

0-4

2-8

Close/Short

2H, SA, SD

Shuriken

1

1

Close

AD

Sling

1

1

Short

AD

Taser

0

3

Close

AD, SD

Whip

1

1

Point-blank

AD, SD

Key: 2H = requires two hands, 3H = requires a tripod, AD = armor is doubled, AE = area of effect, AH = armor is halved, FA = fully automatic, KT = K-Tech, MW = military weapon, SA = semi-automatic, SD = See Description

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Equipment required. Targets that can see the Heavy Plasma Cannon are at -1d for any Bravery checks. Armor is halved vs. the heavy plasma cannon. K’thari stunner A common weapon of the K’thari on Earth4, a K’thari stunner looks like it’s alive … because it is. The stunner “fires” by excreting a liquid that can paralyze its target. It is reloaded by feeding it meat. Effective Range: Short. Special: Unarmored targets must make a Body Defense Check and achieve successes equal to the damage taken or be paralyzed by the weapon’s paralytic biotoxin for a number of rounds equal to the damage taken. K’thari venom pistol A more potent version of the K’thari stunner, the venom pistol uses a highly acidic, paralyzing liquid goo that can seep through gaps in armor or eat through it. Effective Range: Short. Special: Targets must make a Body Defense Check and achieve successes equal to the damage taken or be paralyzed by the weapon’s paralytic biotoxin for a number of rounds equal to the damage taken. Armor is halved vs. a K’thari venom pistol. Knife Knives come in all sizes, and a number of shapes. In Broken Rooms, the knife category of weapon includes everything from a pocket knife to a dagger. Effective Range: Close for throwing knives. Special: Throwing knives are specially balanced blades. Other knives cannot be thrown effectively. Modern armor is doubled vs. a knife.

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Light submachine gun Smaller than rifles but larger than most pistols, light submachine guns are typically used by military and are not readily available to the general public. Effective Range: Short; -1d at point-blank range. Special: -1d to concealment attempts. Can be used as a semi-automatic or automatic. Longbow Modern composite longbows use a system of pulleys to bend the bow, allowing the archer to use less force when drawing the string, and improve accuracy. They can be equipped with scopes and silencers. Effective Range: Medium for composite longbows, short for primitive longbows. Special: Longbows grant 1d to Larceny: Stealth checks when attempting to fire unnoticed. Molotov cocktail Easily improvised, these incendiary devices often use gasoline or other flammable liquids in a breakable container with a piece of cloth serving as a wick held in place by a stopper. Once lit and thrown, the bottle breaks and spreads burning liquid on its target. Effective Range: Short Special: Successful Molotov cocktail attacks must be defended against for three rounds as the liquid burns on the target. Net Little more than a fishing net, this 8x8-ft. net can be used in traps or flung at opponents to entangle them. Effective Range: Close. Special: A Concentration in Personal Combat: Armed or Thrown Weapons is required to entangle targets with a net.

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Equipment Pepper spray An eye irritant in a pressurized can, pepper spray can cause tears, pain and even temporary blindness to those who are successfully attacked. Effective Range: Point-blank. Special: A called shot to the face is required to successfully attack with pepper spray. Anyone who is successfully attacked by pepper spray is incapacitated for one round and suffers a 1d penalty to sightbased actions the following round. Goggles or face shields negate the effects of pepper spray. Pistol, large-caliber Also called a Heavy Pistol, pistols that are bigger than .38 caliber are used when portability and more stopping power is required. They have longer barrels but can still be concealed under a jacket with some luck, and pack more of a punch than small caliber pistols. Effective Range: Short. Special: +1d when used with Intimidation rolls, -1d to concealment checks. Can be semi-automatics. Pistol, single-shot These small pistols are only good for one shot, so you better make it count. To help the bullet reach its intended target, single shot pistols are often hidden in wrist holsters designed to deliver them to the hand at a moment’s notice, or inside walking canes or even pens. Derringers are an example of a single-shot pistol. Effective Range: Point-blank. Special: Can only fire one bullet before being reloaded. Characters who concentrate on Marksmanship: Handguns and are Trained (8+) in Deception receive a +1d when using single-shot pistols.

Pistol, small-caliber Also known as a Light Pistol, any caliber pistol smaller than a .38 is considered to be a small-caliber pistol in Broken Rooms. These guns are the most common firearm on many variations because they are fairly easy to conceal in shoulder holsters and have adequate stopping power for many situations. Effective Range: Short. Special: Small-caliber pistols can be semi-automatics. Rifle, hunting These rifles encompass any non-military rifle commonly used for hunting. Variations include bolt action, pump action, lever action and semi-automatics. Because of their size, they are not good at point-blank range. Effective Range: Medium; -1d at point-blank range. Special: -2d to concealment checks. Can be semiautomatics. Rifle, sniper Military-grade sniper rifles are not available on the open market. These sensitive instruments are specially designed for shooting over extremely long ranges. They require two specially trained people to use properly, one of whom acts as a spotter. Effective Range: Extremely long; -2d at point-blank range, -1d at close range. Special: -2d to concealment checks; -1d to shoot without a spotter. Rocket launcher In Broken Rooms, a rocket launcher is defined as a weapon capable of shoulder-launching a guided missile at ground, sea and air targets. Effective Range: Extremely long.

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Equipment Rocket-propelled grenade Rocket-propelled grenades are shoulder-fired missiles commonly used against vehicles. They do not fire hand grenades, as the name might suggest. They fire specially designed rockets equipped with explosive warheads and stabilizing fins for flight. These military weapons are not readily available to the public. Effective Range: Long; cannot be used at point-blank or close range. Shotgun A versatile weapon, shotguns come in pump and bolt actions and are capable of shooting buckshot, slugs and beanbags. Sawed-off shotguns are less accurate at longer ranges than standard shotguns. A double barrel shotgun is typically loaded manually, and is only capable of holding two shells at a time, but pump actions and autoloaders do not have this drawback. Effective Range: Sawed-off: Close; all others: Short; -1d at point-blank range. Special: -1d to concealment checks; armor is doubled vs. a shotgun shooting buckshot. Beanbag ammo has a damage of 0. Buckshot ammo has a damage of 2. Shotgun slugs have a damage of 4. Can be used as semi-automatics. Shuriken Also known as throwing stars, these flat pieces of metal are about 4 in. across. They have sharpened points meant to inflict damage when thrown at an enemy. Effective Range: Close. Special: Armor is doubled vs. shuriken attacks.

Sling One of the oldest means of extending the range of a projectile, slings are cheap and easy to make. They consist of two strings or leather straps attached to material that holds a sling stone. Effective Range: Short. Special: Modern armor is doubled vs. a sling. Taser A taser is a handheld weapon that delivers an electroshock via barbed electrodes, often attached to long wires. Designed to be non-lethal, they deliver a shock that can result in the target being incapacitated via loss of muscle control. Effective Range: Close. Special: Anyone who is successfully attacked by a taser must make an opposed Soul check to remain active. Armor is doubled vs. a taser. Whip A whip in the right hands is part weapon, part intimidation method and part useful tool. Effective Range: Close. Special: A Concentration in Personal Combat: Armed is required to use a whip to entangle targets or to use it as a grappling hook. However, anyone can use the whip to create a frightening crack that adds 1d to Intimidation checks. Modern armor is doubled vs. whips.

Ranged Weapon Accessories Laser Sight A laser sight comes in the form of a small cylinder containing a visible-light laser that is placed on a handgun or a rifle. It emits a beam over long distances, allowing the shooter to see a dot from the laser on their targets Special: Laser sights grant a 1d aiming bonus. This bonus stacks with the range penalty reduction of scopes. Scope Scopes can be attached to any large-caliber pistol or rifle, as well as modern bows and crossbows to provide a bonus to aiming and range. Special: Scopes grant a 1d aiming bonus and reduce range penalties by 1d.

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Equipment Chainsaw Great for cutting tree limbs, chainsaws can also be used as unwieldy weapons. They are heavy and not well balanced for swinging or thrusting. Special: -1d to Attack Action.

Silencers Different types of sound and flash suppressors can be purchased for many types of handguns and rifles. Gun silencers work best on small-caliber firearms, but even they do not provide truly silent shooting. Silencers can also be purchased for bows and crossbows. They work by deadening the vibration of the bowstring after it’s fired. Special: Silencers grant 1d to Larceny: Stealth checks when attempting to fire unnoticed.

Melee Weapons

Melee Weapon Descriptions Axe Heavy blades attached perpendicularly to shafts, axes come in many shapes and sizes. More useful than knives, they’re also more difficult to conceal. Larger axes, such as battle axes, do more damage than hatchets. Brass knuckles When you want your punch to pack more of a wallop, brass knuckles will do the trick. Whether made of metal or leather studded with metal, brass knuckles turn your hands into weapons. Special: Armor is doubled vs. brass knuckles. Melee Weapon Axe Brass knuckles Chainsaw Club Fist/Foot Hammer/Pick Knife Rapier Sap Spear Sword

Club When the chips are down, just about anything — from a baseball bat to a crowbar — can be used as a club. Special: Armor is doubled vs. clubs. Hammer/Pick Another tool that’s suited to use as a weapon, larger hammers such as sledge hammers do more damage than smaller ones, such as claw hammers. Special: Heavy hammers require two hands to wield. Rapier Thin and light, the blade of a rapier can be employed with blinding speed by those skilled in its use. Special: Characters who concentrate on Personal Combat: Armed and Athletics: Fencing receive +1d when using a rapier. Sap Often in the form of a small weighted sack, piece of molded lead or carved wood, a sap is used to knock someone unconscious with a blow to the head. Special: A called shot to the head is required to successfully attack with a sap. Helmets negate attacks by saps. Anyone successfully attacked with a sap must make a Body Defense Check and achieve successes greater than the damage taken or be knocked unconscious.

Description Hatchet, Battle axe, lumberjack, fireman, double-headed Gauntlet, cestus Billy club, baseball bat, heavy cane, table leg, golf club, mace, crowbar, tire iron, cudgel, cane, staff

Dagger, switchblade, butcher, hunting, stiletto, dirk

Longsword, shortsword, cutlass, broad sword, katana

Damage 1-2 1 3

Special 1H/2H AD 2H, SD

1

1H/2H, SD

0 1-2 1 1* 0 2 1-3

AD 1H/2H, SD AD AD, SD SD 1H/2H, SD

Key: 1H = can be wielded in one hand, 2H = requires two hands, AD = armor is doubled, SD = See Description

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Equipment Spear Whether it’s a hefty, pointy stick or a piece of sharpened rebar, spears are an easily improvised weapon. They cannot be thrown effectively. Sword Swords are more than sharp lengths of metal. They’re specially balanced for controlled slicing and thrusting.

Armor Heavy Coat While it might not live up to the moniker of armor, a heavy coat is very effective against unarmed attacks and some blunt weapon attacks, such as thrown stones, clubs and brass knuckles. Armor: 1 Ballistic Vest, Hard Designed to absorb the fatal impact of bullets via ceramic inserts, ballistic vests are also effective against many other types of attacks — from stabbing blades to shrapnel from grenades. Armor: 3

Armor

Defense

Heavy coat

1

Ballistic Vest, Hard

3

Ballistic Vest, Soft

2

K-tech armor

4

Full body armor

4

Helmet

1*

Shield

1*

Special

Halves movement Requires one free hand.

Ballistic Vest, Soft Tightly woven using metallic fibers, soft vests are designed to negate slashing and stabbing attacks with multiple layers of advanced materials. Armor: 2 Full Body Armor Mostly used by military personnel, full body armor combines a ballistic vest with other protective gear, such as a helmet. It commonly weighs between 16 and 25 pounds, depending on how advanced the technology is behind it. Armor: 4 Special: Movement is reduced by half. K-tech armor Modified from K’thari exoskeletons, K-tech armor is only half the weight of conventional full body armor, yet provides equal protection. Its iridescent, shelllike appearance is often covered in cloth to camouflage it. Armor: 4 Helmet Whether they are designed for the football field, motorcycle enthusiasts or soldiers, helmets serve one purpose: keep the skull in one piece. Armor: 1 Shield Shields come in all shapes and sizes, from the makeshift garbage can lid shield to the lightweight polycarbonate riot shields used by police and soldiers. They are intended to be effective against melee attacks and some ranged weapon attacks. Special: Shields provide cover, not armor bonuses.

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Equipment Example Relic Pocket Watches One of the most ubiquitous pieces of Nearsider gear, these are no ordinary fob watches. Typically constructed from silver, brass and gold, pocket watches are useful in several ways. First, but not least, they tell the time — but only if you’re a Nearsider. A pocket watch has no hour hand or minute hand, and appears useless to negs. Only Nearsiders can see shadowy hands indicating the exact time. On variations like Earth3, where there is little sunlight and few cues to the actual time of day, pocket watches unerringly keep track of hours and days. On worlds like Outage or Hothouse, where electricity is less than reliable (if it works at all), the pocket watch still works. This isn’t because it’s mechanical instead of electronic, though it does have a winding mechanism. Truth be told, no one is really quite sure how a pocket watch works. Despite visible cogs and wheels within the device, any attempts to take one apart always results in a broken watch. Not that anyone tries to do this twice. Even just the sounds they make are enough to discourage close inspection. Not only do pocket watches softly tick, they chirrup and trill, as if some kind of creature was trapped inside. And who’s to say there isn’t? Apart from its time keeping abilities, pocket watches are useful for using Nearsight. They make excellent and reliable Clock Maps.

They can also store a single point of Momentum. Should a Nearsider accumulate their maximum amount of Momentum, they can choose to bleed a point into the pocket watch. The watch can store this Momentum indefinitely, making it a useful backup energy source for a sojourning Nearsider. Pocket watches also act as small Reality Engines. They are born within the mysterious mechanisms of the larger Reality Engines in the settlements of the Reef, and they share their sire’s reality anchoring properties. On the Reef, especially, this is useful. Possessing a pocket watch offers some small protection from Consensus, preventing native residents from “believing” anything into existence while the Nearsider and watch are present. In game terms, there’s no specific advantage to this, but in story terms, having a pocket watch during these interactions prevents bad things popping into existence later that evening. Also, the presence of a pocket watch causes great discomfort to all Lacunae, but especially those native to the Reef, inflicting a 1D penalty to those entities actions. However, the first action most Lacunae will take is to destroy the watch (and its owner), so owning a watch is a mixed blessing at best. Acquiring a pocket watch is fairly easy. It doesn’t require a trip to the Reef, to poke about inside a Reality Engine. Instead, most pocket watches are either recovered from dead Nearsiders, or are stolen from living ones. Pocket watches change hands often.

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First Fall

I

don’t remember everything about my First Fall, except that it was at night and it was raining. Ever since I’d been left for dead in that alley, I’ve been nervous about the streets at night. I’ve tried to get everything done before sunset, as if it’s vampires I’m worried about and not some addict stabbing me three times. I can’t always avoid it, though. Sometimes I need to walk the three blocks to the convenience store at 11 p.m.; I have my own addiction. It was one of those nights when the nicotine cravings overruled common sense. It was raining, and I figured that would dampen the spirits of even the most psychotic lurkers. I ran most of the way there, a mixture of fear and a pointless effort to avoid getting wetter — though it was so hot and humid that I was getting soaked just by being outside. It didn’t take more than two minutes to grab cigarettes and a gallon of milk before I was on my way back. If anyone did jump out at me, they’d get a jug of 2% in their face, which was more likely to hurt their sense of violent decorum than anything else. I have to pass the alley when I go to the store. There and back. It’s still dark and filthy, filled with trash from the print shop that it runs behind. The odd heady scent of ink wafts out, a smell I always loved but that I now associate with the feel of my intestines between my fingers as I try to push them back in. As I ran past, I glanced in. I always do, even on the brightest afternoons, just in case. I never see anything bad, not since the attack. But that night, I smelled something different, a stench that was worse than the mix of ink and garbage. It smelled like rotten meat. Even though it was the middle of summer, the smell was carried on a cold stream of air, like someone had left an industrial freezer’s door open. I felt sick, though it wasn’t the stench — it was a sudden dizziness and disorientation that rushed over me, and my sudden realization that the last time I’d felt that was just before the knife slid in the first time. I turned to run, but was shocked to find that I was actually walking slowly forward into the alley. My arms hung by my side, a bag in each hand

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bouncing of my legs as I entered the alley. There was a flash of headlights from back in the street as a car made a turn, a lighthouse beam of revelation that showed me the dying figures on the ground, bedraggled and skeleton-thin. Another flash of light, this time more like lightning, showed me six bodies — adults and children — huddled around the ruins of the print shop in cardboard boxes ignoring the black and gray snow that was falling. Snow … I turned around to look back into the street, but it wasn’t there anymore. Not the street, not the city blocks around it. I was standing in the ruins of my neighborhood, in the cold wind and dirt-dusted snow. A couple of the figures looked up at me, the others might have already been dead. There was no surprise on their faces. They didn’t have enough energy left to look anything other than almost-dead. A little girl sat up, blindly reaching for me. Her eyes were clouded over. She’d heard me rather than seen me. She might have been five, or 15. She was ravaged by malnutrition, her hair lank and mostly missing. I took a step back, repulsed by the site, still in shock from my apparent and sudden descent into complete insanity. I was so sure that I was out of my mind, but the snow falling on my hair and nose and cheeks felt damp and oddly warm. I realized I couldn’t make up those kinds of details, even if I tried. I looked up. The sky was a boiling turmoil of clouds like the smoke from the largest tire fire you can imagine. Lightning played back and forth, though

I couldn’t hear any thunder yet. As I reversed back into where the street used to be, the shopping bags bounced off my legs. I was still holding the milk and the cigarettes. I stepped forward toward the little girl and took the milk out of the bag. I unscrewed the top and held it out to the child. She wasn’t strong enough to hold it, but I managed to lift it to her lips. It spilled over her face and down her rags, but she clung to it, drinking deeply and almost choking a couple of times. I offered the milk to what must have been her mother. She smiled and whispered something that looked like “thank you.” I left the jug with her. I opened up the cigarettes and lit one, standing against one of the more intact walls to shelter from the wind. I handed the mother my lighter. Maybe she could make more use of it than me, though I might need it back if this was really happening and I was somewhere else. I looked around some more, trying to come to terms with what I was seeing. Was this the future? After a nuclear war? As soon as the thought came to me, I panicked and stood, brushing the dust-ridden snow from off my face, out of my hair. Was that why it was warm? The mother smiled sadly again, and shook her head, either saying “it’s too late” or “it’s not radioactive,” I didn’t know. The mother drank some milk, which clearly made her feel better. She tried giving some to her husband, but he wasn’t able to drink it. Maybe he was already dead. I sat huddled in beside her and her daughter and asked her what year it was. Her voice was hoarse, weak as she answered. I had expected (and hoped for) a number in the 2030s or something. When she told me that it was 2010, I thought I’d misheard. That couldn’t be right. But out in the street, the rubble looked fairly modern. There were a couple of crushed cars, but I realized I could see that one was a Honda and the other one a Ford, models I recognized, though they were corroded as all hell. My skin was burning where the snow had touched it. I rubbed it, but that didn’t help. The woman shook her head again, pointed to her shopping bag. I took out a small bottle of what must have been water, though you couldn’t tell by looking at it. She indicated that I should wash my face and hands with it, so I did.

The burning eased slightly. Was the snow acidic? Was that why the cars looked like that? I helped the mother to her feet, she helped her daughter stand. The man lay there among the other corpses. The woman cried silently, her sightless daughter just clung to her legs. I led them out of the alley and we looked for better shelter. The convenience store seemed basically intact, though it had long ago been fortified and boarded up. As we approached, I could actually see light coming out from between the cracks in the wood, and the muzzle of a gun was clearly visible, aimed right at us. Two words had been painted over the store sign, in bright yellow paint. Two letters, F and S. I had no idea what that meant, but I raised my hands to show that I wasn’t carrying anything. A face appeared where the gun had been, the eyes evaluated the three of us. They lingered on me the longest, which wasn’t surprising. I was dressed in (now dusty) casual clothes and a long coat, fully intact and brand new in comparison to what my companions were wearing. Instead of a door, what had once been my onestop shop now had a large, thick metal sheet which was noisily pulled aside, just enough to let us in. We pushed through into the dry, lamp-lit interior of the store. It had been completely cleared out, some of the old shelves shoved against the back while a table and chairs had been set up instead. There was a row of cots where the hot food bar had been and there were three men staring at us warily, armed and dangerous. Only one of them had a gun. It was an old World War II rifle, but it looked clean, oiled and lethal. The others had a crossbow and a battered-looking firefighter’s axe. All three were pretty well kitted out, in a mix-and-match array of cold weather clothing. Three backpacks sat on the table, surrounded by a halo of cans, bottles and containers. “You’re safe now,” the one with the gun said. “Welcome to the Free Station.” First there was warm clothing for the mother and her daughter. Then came some warm soup, after which the pair fell asleep. Finally, there was me, the travelers and the obvious questions. The answers changed my life forever.

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11: Storytelling

T

he Nearside is made up of 13 distinctive worlds, each with a unique character, style and theme. Players will create characters to explore those worlds and in doing so, explore their own characters, too. As gamemaster (GM), you’ll need to ask both players and characters lots of questions. Broken Rooms can tell a lot of different stories in many different ways, and it’s always more effective if the characters (and players) feel like they have a personal stake in what’s going on.

We suggest that you set aside a few hours to generate characters as a group before getting into the campaign. This gives everyone the opportunity to collaborate and create well-rounded and well-connected characters. Players can discuss how and if characters know each other, while you can get a feel for what the players are looking for in the campaign. As GM, you can offer suggestions to guide the players to create characters that will work well within the stories he has in mind. If there’s time left, consider walking the characters through their First Falls in more detail, and perhaps even talk about their recruitment. It can be interesting to have recruitment be a part of the first session, though it’s not always necessary, especially if the players are already familiar with the background.

and history with players and find out what they have in mind. Good players will give you what you need right up front, offering hooks and potential plot lines in their MPHA. Take note of those hooks, and surprise players by never taking the obvious route. e.g. In his MPHA, Jake describes how his character, Bill, lost his wife in a car accident in 2004, and has never been the same since. He dreams of her sometimes and thinks he’s seen her once or twice over the years. Jake is offering up a few ideas for the GM to use. First, a dead wife on one world means living versions on other variations. Also, if he’s dreaming of her, perhaps he’s been Dreamwalking to worlds where she’s alive. Also, by suggesting that he’s seen her, he’s offering her up as a potential Nearsider herself. The Broken Rooms thing to do is to have a variant of his wife be responsible for Bill’s wife’s death — perhaps she was actually trying to kill Bill. Any future meetings between the two might not be the tearful reunion that Jake was expecting. Character development isn’t just a matter of story and plot. This is a game, after all. Players like to see their characters develop at a decent pace. Experience points should be awarded at a consistent rate, allowing characters to improve a little bit once every two or three sessions. More significant changes should take longer, but make sure players aren’t getting bored or frustrated with how fast their characters improve.

Character development (Story)

Character Development (Game System)

Character development begins when the players generate their characters and it never ends, continuing during the campaign. Every character should be treated as a “work in progress,” with steadily changing capabilities and goals. Characters get smarter and tougher as they travel the Nearside, or they don’t survive. Some may get wiser, others may become powerful and corrupt, but it’s all part of character development. As the GM, it’s your responsibility to fuel the fires that keep the characters burning. Start with their motivations, personalities, histories and appearances (MPHAs). Discuss character motivations

While playing the game is the ultimate reward in itself, many players like to be rewarded in the form of more powerful characters. Other roleplaying games formalize this reward structure into character levels, where characters gets increasingly more powerful as they accumulate experience points. The players eagerly await the next level, which will unlock some new abilities. Broken Rooms does not use levels. Instead, characters steadily improve over time, in a variety of areas, by accumulating experience points. These points can be spent to improve characters’ Skills, buy new Qualities or buy off existing negative Qualities. Players can also improve Skills relating to existing powers.

Character Generation

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Attributes can also be increased, though much more slowly. It’s a big deal to raise one of them even by a single point. It’s possible, of course. A rigorous exercise regimen over the course of months could raise Body by a point. Months spent in meditation and study could raise Mind. Spending months as a volunteer or unlocking one’s artistic talents could raise Soul by a point. The common theme here, though, is the length of time it should take for such a significant change in a character’s very essence. Increasing an attribute represents such a fundamental change in that character’s lifestyle, which should also be reflected during play. Along with the more traditional character improvement, the accumulation of Distance is also an intrinsic part of the game setting. Players and their characters know that as they gain Distance, they also gain the potential for more power. The twist is that Distance is not purchased with experience points. As an inevitable part of traveling the Nearside, Distance is an unavoidable mixed blessing. Rather than force players to spend experience points on Distance, their overall power increases by traveling and attuning to new variations. Experience points can be spent to improve a Meridian Skill concentration. Also, as a character’s Distance increases, so does his Momentum, allowing the character to activate more successes.

Character Death and Variant Selves

The second choice is to create a variant of the original character. Did you play Bill Carter from Earth1? Meet Bill Carter from Earth4. He’s basically the same old Bill, except instead for losing a hand in a car accident on Aug. 13, 2002. He was so shocked by the news of the K’thari invasion that he had to pull over to the side of the road, and avoided the truck that slid through the red light, failed brakes screeching. The original Bill spent three months in hospital, but Bill4 joined the US Army almost immediately. Leaving his wife, Bill4 went through six weeks of accelerated basic training before being sent to Europe. He took part in the New Year’s Eve offensive in 2002. His squad was one of the few to take out a K’thari queen. He was on the frontline when humanity retook Paris in March 2004, and there’s a photo of Bill4 and his squad standing in front of the Champes Elysees, or at least what was left of it. It was during that battle that Bill4 experienced his First Fall, a bewildering 20 minutes in Earth1’s Paris as a fully-armed Coalition soldier in the middle of a bustling, unharmed, French city. He assumed it was a psychic attack from a queen, and didn’t talk about it for months until he ran into a couple of other people who explained what had really happened ... This new version of Bill is going to have a similar MPHA, at least up until a point. His personal Divergence event is going to be different, as is whatever he

Broken Rooms isn’t an inherently deadly game. Because characters can elect to avoid death by taking an Injury Quality, they aren’t at the mercy of bad dice rolls. But sometimes death is unavoidable and just taking a flaw isn’t enough. Physical death isn’t the only risk. Characters who take damage to their Mind or Soul risk oblivion. Taking flaws allows a character to avoid the inevitable for a while, but there are some realities from which even the strongest willed individual cannot come back. If a character’s time is up, the player has a couple of choices. First, they can create a new character. The new character should always be given the same number of experience points that the rest of the group has accumulated, so the character can be created on an equal footing.

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Storytelling was doing when his variation’s Divergence event took place. After that, Bill is going to have new Qualities and Skills, and even a different Prime Meridian. He is his own person, and should be generated as such. Using a variant self is a simple and effective way to let a player continue with a beloved character, though if it’s done often, it will lose its effectiveness. Some questions to consider: l What was the variant of the original character doing all this time? l Have the original and variant selves ever met or crossed paths? l Was the variant self aware of the original character? If, during the campaign, characters encounter their variant selves, either in person or through reports or reputation, the GM may wish to consider these incidents as “prepping” for a character-switch later in the campaign. Indeed, why wait for a character to die if the player would like to retire one to play another?

The Momentum System Only roll dice when it’s important to the story. Otherwise say “yes,” describe the result of the action and move on. (For more on saying yes, see page 227.) The single-most powerful advantage characters have over everyone else is their ability to use Momentum to fuel Meridians or twist probability in their favor (by rolling more dice). Aside from travel, the only other way to generate Momentum is by making Action Checks. Momentum is a Nearsider’s reaction to stress. It’s their body’s way of handling adrenaline and other stress hormones. Their HbA lets them metabolize stress into something that can alter reality. What’s considered stressful enough to generate Momentum? Bringing a late library book back isn’t really that stressful. Neither is running to catch a bus. However, being shot at while doing either of those things is stressful, and should have a chance to generate Momentum. Consider the following questions when you ask a player to pick up the dice. l Will the success or failure of this Action Check change the story? l Would failure be interesting?

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If you can answer “Yes” to either of those questions, then dice should be rolled. People like rolling dice. They feel good rolling around your hand and make a satisfying sound when they bounce across a surface. Make sure the players have opportunities to roll each session. If you see people fidgeting with their dice, chances are that they’re eager to make a few Action Checks.

Quick Tips Remember that the average person is going to roll 4d@9+ for most things they’re good at, and 4d@7+ for things they’re really good at. A +1d bonus is pretty good. +2d is significantly better. A -1d penalty is bad news. A -2d penalty is terrible. If a character has the requisite equipment, time and environment to carry out a task, he probably doesn’t even need to make an Action Check. If he does, he gets no bonuses or penalties. If the character has excellent equipment, more time and an ideal environment, he will probably get a +1d or even +2d bonus to his Action Check. If the character has poor (or no) equipment, he will probably get a -1d or -2d penalty.

Combat The combat system in Broken Rooms focuses on combat between characters rather than vehicles or more strategic military engagements, since all that can happen behind the scenes or “off-camera.” Defense Checks cover the many ways character can avoid harm or resist pain, poison and so on. Characters can make Defense Checks to avoid falling off a building, having their minds read or souls crushed. While you don’t need miniatures, sketching out a rough map is useful, and you can use a few dice or other markers to keep track of everyone. If setting up a board or floor plan is going to take a long time, either prepare it ahead of time or don’t bother at all. Some players and GMs like a break between the roleplaying part of the game and the combat part, but Broken Rooms tries not to make a big distinction between the two. Like real life, most fights in Broken Rooms are going to be short, violent and bloody. They aren’t likely to last long enough to really justify going to a lot of effort with a battle map.

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Storytelling Getting Hurt and Getting Better Most roleplaying games don’t track mental or emotional damage. Broken Rooms is a game that deals with more than just physical danger, and a character’s sanity and sense of self can both be at risk. In general, with the presence of Menders, no one is going to have to worry about spending weeks in the hospital, but that can happen. If it serves the story, then it probably should happen, but never as a punishment and never as something that ruins a player’s enjoyment of the game. If you can hand-wave medical treatment, then feel free to do so. This is not to say that a player should never feel her character is at risk. Characters who suffer from Injury or Disorder flaws are going to have a constant reminder of how fragile life can be and how close they came to death. Characters get hurt because they take risks. Every point of damage they take is meaningful. Physical injuries are pretty good proof that what they’re experiencing is real. For characters who wonder if the Nearside is all in the mind, a bullet wound is a sobering token of truth. Mental injuries represent the challenge of trying to understand the Nearside and its impossibilities. Cognitive dissonance is something that we rarely experience in real life; on the Nearside, it’s common. Spiritual injuries are even more abstract and represent the emotional toll that travel takes. A Nearsider can’t help but to be affected by so much suffering, pain and madness.

Distance and Meridians Other than being able to travel to other worlds, the thing that most sets apart characters from everyone else is their ability to use Meridians and Momentum. These represent Broken Rooms’ “magic” or “super powers,” and should be treated with care. Momentum is the less powerful of the two. It lets players alter their Action Checks by adding dice to their rolls, representing a Nearsider’s subtle effect upon reality. Non-Nearsiders cannot generate Momentum, and are stuck with the dice they get. This gives Nearsiders a small, but significant, advantage over others. Small, because Momentum must be generated before it can be used, and significant because even adding one die to an Action Check can greatly improve the odds of success.

Freeform Isn’t Vague

The Meridians effects are intended to be open-ended and free-form. This is not the same as “vague.” Each power has specific abilities and limitations, but ultimately they, like everything else, serve the story. Let players explore their Prime Meridians and encourage them to be creative. Meridian powers are much more potent. With enough imagination, powers can be used to do nearly anything. They are fueled with Momentum, which does somewhat limit their use and potential, but a fullycharged character with a big enough dice pool (and some luck) can do some amazing (and plot-disrupting) things. The bottom line is to always to let a player try something, no matter how difficult it is. If it’s important, make them roll dice. If it’s not important, describe the effect and move on. In the case of Meridians, it’s no different. If it needs a roll, make them roll. If it’s something that seems way too powerful for their talents to handle, just increase the difficulty number to something more challenging to reach. Bear in mind that Formidable tasks require 4 successes, which is not easy to achieve at the best of times. To make an effect last longer, or to extend range requires additional successes on top of that. For a one-off attempt at something incredible, especially if it’s at a dramatic moment in the session or story, consider the consequences of the character’s success or failure, and try to build that into the story. If what the player wants to do with a Meridian isn’t all that disrupting or important, or if it’s actually helping the story along, don’t make them roll. Instead, have them spend the Momentum they would need to produce the desired effect, and keep the story moving. Game Breakers The real issues arise when a player discovers a cool combination of Meridians and uses that combination over and over again. For example: A Breaker who is also a gunsmith realizes that she gets a synergy bonus to make a gun spontaneously dismantle because she has a Technical: Gunsmithing Skill. She gets an extra die to add to her Meridian Check. The first time the character makes the bad guy’s guns

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Storytelling fall apart is fantastic. The second time is OK. The sixth time they do it, it’s kind of boring for everyone. News gets around. Their enemies know that there’s a Nearsider out there that does this gun thing, and it’s getting inconvenient. So, the next time the characters encounter a squad of mooks? They’re armed with baseball bats and crossbows with poison tips. Encourage players to keep thinking of new and creative ways to use their character’s powers and abilities. Even when someone thinks he’s found a loophole or hack that will always win, he will be the first one to get bored and will appreciate a new challenge as much as anyone. Dialing it Down If you’re concerned about Meridian effects being too potent, you can always dial them down by increasing the amount of Momentum required to activate successes. You can also require a certain level of Distance as a pre-requisite for certain levels of power. For example, you restrict those characters with Distances of 5 or less to a maximum of 2 successes, while only Nearsiders with Distance of 10+ can achieve 4 successes or more.

that characters must undertake some kind of physical activity, think their way through or out of a problem, and empathize or interact with some of that world’s native residents. The intention is for each character to come to an understanding about that world by interacting with it, and through those interactions, come to a greater understanding of him or herself. Attunement generally takes some time — a character can briefly visit a variation (for a few hours, or even a few days) without gaining that next point of Distance. Attunement does require a character to spend time on a variation, and they can certainly “cross off” that requirement while still needing to do more. Ultimately, the “speed” of attunement is up to the GM. You can make attunement as simple or as complex as the story requires. One idea is to have Attunement take place throughout a story set mostly on the new variation, with the new point of Distance awarded at end of the storyline. For example, Pierre has just arrived on Earth3 for the first time. On this world, the broken room opens into mid-air, 20 ft. above the surface of a flooded meteorite crater (and not the elementary school classroom Pierre left from on Earth1). The GM asks Pierre to make a Body+Athletics check

Attunement Distance is not purchased with experience points — instead characters must attune to a new variation in order to gain a new point of Distance. Attunement is a process in which a character’s Nearsider’s mind, body and soul become aligned with related aspects of the new variation. The character “syncs up” with the unique cosmic constants of that world, as well as an understanding of that world’s situation, both from an intellectual and emotional point of view. More specifically, characters must experience at least three events while on that variation — they don’t have to happen all at once, or even during the same visit, but they must happen before characters gain their new point of Distance. Each event must correspond with an Action Check for each Attribute: Mind, Body and Soul. These Action Checks may not seem immediately relevant when they occur, but they should have long-term consequences. Practically, this means

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Storytelling to avoid drowning in the flooded crater, and describes the total absence of the school building on this world. Pierre succeeds at the Action Check and manages to get to the edge of the larger crater more-or-less intact. The shocking arrival effectively illustrates the difference between Earth1 and Earth3, and the GM decides that this first experience will count as Pierre’s Body attunement check. A week later, Pierre is helping survivors at a Free Station several miles away from his point of arrival. The GM describes the sick and starving children Pierre must help. The player asks if Action Checks made to treat the survivor’s wounds might count as either his Mind or Soul attunement check. The GM agrees that this harrowing situation will count as his Soul Check. The time eventually comes for the crater’s broken room to open again. The broken room itself exists 20 ft. above the surface of the pool, so Pierre must figure out a way to get up to that point before the room cycles. He constructs a makeshift raft with a “mast” that will let him climb up high enough to enter the room. The GM asks Pierre to make a Mind+Tradecraft check and decides that this counts as the Mind attunement check. Pierre has now succeeded at all three checks. The GM thinks Pierre has spent enough time on the variation to permit Attunement, so when the broken room cycles and Pierre slips through to Earth1, the GM informs Pierre that his Distance has increased by one point. Attunement exists not only to encourage characters to interact with each variation on multiple levels of understanding, but to help characters to develop and improve at the same rate. Characters should Attune together as they travel, only limited by time and the needs of the story. The Attunement requirement also allows for travel to other worlds without the immediate gain of Distance and gives GMs the chance to develop character-specific Attunement opportunities, which also increase a character’s power and potential. For Example: Meredith’s character, Sally, witnessed a particularly violent murder as her Divergence Event. She joined her city’s police force afterward to try to “fix” what happened, though she still has trouble dealing rationally with violent crime. She has already been put on report twice for “unreasonable force” against certain suspects.

On a visit to Dread, Sally is caught up in an impromptu riot when a crowd of Doomsayers set fire to a church. The police move in and start shooting rioters without mercy, leaving Sally to decide if she’s going to help her fellow police offices or protect the rioters. She could get violent, fighting either the Doomsayers or the local police, an opportunity for Body Attunement checks. She could try and figure out a non-violent way to end the riot. She decides to use her Meridian to release the water stored in a nearby water tower. This is creative and since the attempt would require a Mind+Opening check, it could count as her Mind Attunement. Finally, Sally could try to grab a megaphone and persuade both groups to step down before anyone else gets killed. This would be a Soul+Persuade check, and would count as her Soul attunement check. Note that the situation itself is specifically significant to the character, given her past, her role as a police officer and the violent situation she finds herself in. In the space of an hour, the character could achieve all three of her Attunement Checks, though the GM may decide to wait for a natural lull in the story to allow Sally’s player to add the new point of Distance. A situation “designed for” one particular character will not always provide attunement check opportunities for other characters — it’s sometimes better for the story and for each player if they get their own time in the spotlight. Let the story determine what’s most appropriate. Handling Negative Distance Qualities High levels of Distance have consequences. As characters travel and learn more about the Nearside, they change. Even as they become more powerful, they are becoming less human. Nearsiders inevitably become detached from the emotions, needs and motivations of ordinary people. Negative Distance Qualities represent a Nearsider’s inability to keep control of all the psychological quirks and flaws that a character picks up as he travels. This is intended to remind players that their characters are changing. They get to choose which they want to have: Momentum (i.e., power) or sanity. Once a Negative Distance Quality is taken, it is permanent.

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Storytelling Making Memorable NPCs The Momentum System makes it easy to come up with spur of the moment non-player characters. An average person will have 3d in each Attribute, while a more seasoned NPC will have 4d in each. Very powerful or experienced NPCs can have 5d or better in everything, but they are the exception. So, for an average NPC, you’ll be rolling 4d most of the time, with a 9+ target number, except for a couple of things the NPC is good at, which will be rolled at 5d@8+ to reflect his Concentrations. The following guidelines can help you quickly create balanced NPCs: l Easy = 3 max attribute; max skill @ 10 l Average = 4 max attribute; max skill @ 8 l Challenging = 5 max attribute; max skill @ 7 l Daunting = 6 max attribute; max skill @ 6 l Formidable = 7 max attribute; max skill @ 5 That just covers the numbers. The harder part is breathing life into your NPCs. Like player characters, NPCs have motivations and goals. They don’t always

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need a full MPHA, though that’s not a bad idea for important NPCs, like recurring friends or enemies. The average Joe Neg on the street has simple motivations: make money, feed my family, stay alive. Once players engage with an NPC, they are a part of the story, even if no one ever asks their name. It’s not hard to give just a moment’s thought to what an NPC’s main motivation might be, even if they are never seen again.

The Big Secrets The Nearside is a strange and mysterious place with many questions that don’t seem to have answers. Such as ... l Why is the number 13 so important? l If 13 is so important, why are there only 12 alternative worlds (not including the real world)? l Why do Regency and Monarch have names relating to royalty and leadership? l If the Nearside has existed before, when did it start? When will it end? l Why do the themes of loss crop up again and again? l What are the Lacunae and where do they really come from? l What’s the reason for the Divergence/Convergence cycle? l What is the Nearside, really? A deeper story underlies the Nearside, one that describes the true reason for its existence, its origins and eventual fate. As GM, knowing the bigger truth doesn’t really change anything for the players, but it will forever alter the game if the players (and therefore their characters) know what it is. Decide what the big picture looks like for yourself. Not revealing an official reason preserves a sense of mystery for both GMs and players, but it also frees you up to do whatever you want with the background. For example, the Nearside could be: l A massive computer simulation, a virtual reality in which Nearsiders are equipped with “cheat codes.” Convergence is a system reboot. l Exactly what it appears to be, a network of parallel worlds, but someone (or something) controls how the variations turn out each cycle. l An out-of-control scientific experiment, which

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Storytelling exists as a number of “tiny” bubble universes in a high-energy physics lab somewhere. Nearsiders are abstract representations of the scientists involved in the experiment. l Hellish limbo dimensions, and the characters are souls trapped between the real world and the afterlife. Any of these ideas could work. Once you have a big idea, you can start coming up with ways to fit concepts like Distance into your version of the setting. It’s up to you to decide how much the players will ever know about the truth. At the very least, drop hints that there’s something else going on. Giving players and their characters something to uncover, even if they know they never will, adds a level of realism to the setting. Nothing is more important than what your group’s characters are doing. Their experiences are the ones that matter, since this particular instance of the Nearside revolves around them. Just never let them know that. In the early stages of a campaign, the illusion of a greater truth or deeper conspiracy are powerful tool. It’s both carrot and stick, pulling characters into the mystery in hope of uncovering more truths, even as the organizations and individuals involved are pushing the characters deeper into the Nearside. It’s a fascinating place, and whether you take it as presented here or modify it beyond recognition, it’s only ever supposed to be the place where your stories happen. The “official” background may be revealed in later products. If it is, it will be presented as an option, something to use or ignore as you see fit.

The Nearside As you read through the world-by-world guide below, keep the following things in mind: l The Nearside consists of 13 worlds. l Only Nearsiders can move between them, though at a cost. l The current Nearside came into existence on Aug. 13, 2002. l It will cease to exist on Aug. 13, 2015. l Monarch is dedicated to making sure a select few Nearsiders survive Convergence to live into the next Nearside. l Monarch has existed for many decades, across multiple iterations of the Nearside, and intends to exist forever. l Monarch does not believe that any of the variations matter, since they come and go so often. It suspects that the Nearside might not even be real, which means that the neg (non-Nearsider) populations of these worlds are unimportant. l The Regency Group wants to stop the cycle of worlds being born and dying. They believe there has been enough suffering and want to make this Convergence the last one. They don’t know how to do that, but think Monarch may hold the key. l Most of the worlds in the Nearside are dead or dying. At the very least, humanity is either gone or about to disappear. For a few, escape is possible, but where to? The only world that’s really safe or hospitable is the Ordinary World.

Convergence

Earth1: The Ordinary World

Some people believe that a new Nearside will be born on Aug. 13, 2015 with 13 worlds again. The Ordinary World and the Reef would stay constant, and 11 new worlds would be in between. This is called Convergence. It’s up to you to decide if the variations are going to come back together, just as it’s your choice whether to include Exiles, Artifacts and past-and-future versions of the Nearside. You can decide to have it occur in 2015 (13 years after Divergence) or leave the time-frame fuzzy and open-ended. You may decide not to make the call right away, and that’s fine, too. You should keep the basic concepts around in your campaign, even just as rumors that may eventually be proven untrue.

Theme: Denial It’s easy to pretend that this world is the dull, boring one that we all know and tolerate. Even visitors from other variations can come to the Ordinary World and leave their dying worlds behind, pretending there aren’t billions of souls dying and suffering across the 12 other worlds. On the other hand, some might say that no variation is as frightening or awful as our own. After all, terrible things happen on Earth1 with no global disaster, no alien invasion, no sudden change to justify what happens here. That said, Earth1 is not without its moments of beauty and wonder. People still hope, in the midst of

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Storytelling realization that you might not be the best version of yourself can be sobering.

fear and poverty. They still love and dream and create marvelous works of art and engineering. This variation has countless tiny miracles that you may not even notice, but enough to make it a highly desirable destination for those whose worlds are dead or dying. One might wonder why this variation isn’t just called “the real world” or something similar. There are a few reasons but the most important one is to remind yourself and your players that this world really is ordinary, at least compared to the rest of the Nearside. It’s obviously a world where nothing happened on August 13, 2002, and as such acts as a “what if” mirror for every other variation, just as the other variations are the Ordinary World’s “what if.” In reality, not just one Divergence Event took place on Earth1, but hundreds of thousands occurred simultaneously as Nearsiders suffered their life-changing losses. Each Nearsider has become a world unto themselves. As they travel, they may eventually find out what happened to their variant selves, discovering their own what-ifs along the way. Some of their counterparts will have walked much darker paths, if they even survived their world’s Divergence event. What is it like for a Nearsider to meet his Earth1 variant self? Imagine suffering through the aftermath of the Fall or the K’thari invasion, only to encounter a coddled, soft version of yourself whose only concern is when the next hot cell phone is being released. For the Earth1 variant self, being judged as “less” by someone who is basically you is a real possibility. Meeting a version of yourself who has been made tougher, stronger, maybe better by their harrowing experiences Â�Â�—is perhaps more confusing. The

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Earth1 Story Ideas Things happen every day in the real world that can be used as plot devices for a Broken Rooms session or campaign. Think like a conspiracy theorist. Try asking yourself how the Nearside might be involved in every news headline you read. Using current events as plot hooks can bring an element of realism to your game. For a campaign set entirely on the Ordinary World, players could even create “Nearlysiders,” otherwise ordinary people with Distance 1 and access to 2 points of Momentum, but no Meridian. Some story hooks include: l Helping another Nearsider after First Fall. l Finding and identifying potential Regency recruits. l Acquiring supplies and equipment to take to another variation. l Preventing dangerous imports from other variations. l Protecting innocent negs from Nearsiders.

Earth2: Vanished Theme: Denial Mankind itself has been denied existence, vanishing en masse. Those left behind are Nearsiders, and they have been denied the company of their brothers, sisters, friends and lovers. Even the natural world itself is trying to deny the existence of the Nearsiders on Vanished. Vanished is meant to be a lonely place. It’s a strange and tragic world. While some would argue that the absence of humanity is a good thing for the planet and the rest of nature, the truth is that humans were as much a part of the natural order as anything else. Towns and cities remain, slowly decaying, as testament to mankind’s more creative urges and a reminder of what’s been lost. All that humanity might have achieved in the years and decades to come will never happen. Even familiar places can seem alien when they are overgrown and in a state of collapse. Once you might have felt safe and comfortable walking the streets of your home town, but here on Earth2, wild animals roam those same streets and the bridge over the river on Main Street looks like it might collapse any minute. Other variations offer all kinds of distractions, new dangers and new experiences to fill one’s

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Storytelling thoughts and give one purpose. Earth2 leaves you alone with your thoughts and your memories. For some characters, that could be the worst kind of hell imaginable. Earth2 Story Ideas Vanished provides a perfect place for Nearsiders to hide in and steal from. It is sparsely populated, but full of items that are valuable on other variations. As such, characters can use Earth2 as a safe house where they can lay low or stash valuables or easily acquire unguarded riches. Banks, warehouses and stores are largely left unprotected but military outposts, gold depositories and nuclear facilities can usually be found under the control of a large organizations such as the Regency Group or Monarch. The biggest risk most “salvage teams” face is exposure to toxic chemicals and pollutants that may have leaked from storage facilities in urban areas. Some story hooks include: l Finding a particular Nearsider who has gone missing on other worlds. l Acquiring a particular item that is usually well-guarded. l Securing/guarding an important location, such as a now-empty research lab or military base. l Infiltrating an important location by going to the unguarded Earth2 version and opening a broken room back. l Hiding from enemies. l Collecting plant and animal samples. l Escorting Regency Group meteorological, horticultural and biological researchers. l Extreme hunting expeditions. l Proving they are worthy enough to be one of the 13 people granted access to a small community. Note: GMs should use severe weather events and animal attacks to enforce the idea that this is a dangerous location, but avoid using them as a stick to force players down a certain path or as insurmountable obstacles.

Earth3: Fall Theme: Depression This world is almost dead. Survivors have given up any hope that things will get better, and are deep in depression. Even the daylight has been reduced to a washed-out blue twilight that dulls the soul. Of all the worlds of Broken Rooms, the Fall is perhaps the most broken. Other variations may end up worse off (Dread, for example, is likely to be pulled

apart and turned into rubble) but Earth3 lies in utter ruin right now. This variation is called “Fall” for more than a few reasons. Nearsiders from any other variation will be shocked to see how far civilization has fallen. Small bands of people eke out the best existence they can, only slowing the descent into darkness. Groups such as the Lightbringers try to maintain some sense of order, and the Free Stations are the last gasp of any kind of civilized human behavior. Beyond the meager campfires of those places, mankind has reverted to its basest nature. Raiders sweep through entire regions, taking whatever they want and killing anyone who would show the least resistance. Some groups of survivors practice cannibalism out of sheer necessity rather than any crazed belief system. Earth3 Story Ideas Other than a sense of charity or morbid curiosity, there’s very little reason to come to the Fall. Most of the cities are gone, either vaporized in meteorite impacts or washed away by the countless tsunami. The only thing of value is meteoric iron, which is used to make Fallsteel, one of the few substances that can harm Malvolents and other entities on the Reef. That’s more than enough reason for some to visit. Some story hooks include: l Bringing medical supplies to a Regency-friendly Free Station or settlement. l Acquiring meteoric iron for trade, or to forge into Fallsteel. l Recovering weapons for sale on other variations.

Earth4: Invasion Theme: Anger Earth4 has been violated by a parasitical enemy that even looks like our fears. Humanity has been reduced to cattle and a repository for the K’thari to lay their eggs. War is the only answer — a furious crusade against the aliens that will only end when they are all dead. The “alien invasion” is a mainstay of science fiction. The standard cliche has the aliens causing overwhelming damage at the start and with advanced technology and weapons they may seem unbeatable. Plucky heroes find a weakness and strike back, defeating the foe utterly.

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Storytelling This world isn’t like that. The aliens did come in fast and sudden, but did not cause worldwide destruction. They did have a weakness, which was partially exploited. But instead of turning the entire war around, it merely brought both sides to an equal footing. If the K’thari had been interested in wiping out humanity, it might have made them easier to fight. Instead, they seem to want to stay, to feed and to breed. They have no interest in wiping out humans because they need them for food and as hosts for their larvae. When the enemy wants a stalemate, that makes them incredibly difficult to defeat. This is a world at war, though not with itself. For the most part, human conflicts have either ceased or burned out, with mankind united against the alien threat, though after nearly 10 years and no sign of a victory, some of the old grudges are starting to heat up. The world is exhausted by the very presence of the K’thari and unable to rest while the Earth is “infected” by a violent alien race. Resources across the

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planet are dwindling, with every nation on a war-footing. By this point, some countries are pulling troops back home, desperately trying to salvage their economies by spending money on crumbling infrastructures, education and health care. Nearsiders visiting Earth4 are going to find a world that is slowly falling apart, a dreary and drab world where rationing is commonplace and patriotism has turned global, where humanity seems to finally be at peace with itself. Rather than some glorious realization of universal human pride, this is unity born of desperation. Mankind has not improved in the face of the enemy. War does not redeem anyone. Earth4 Story Ideas For many, the idea of going up against an invading alien race is terrifying. For others, it’s one of the more exciting possibilities Broken Rooms has to offer. A few individuals treat it as a holy war, a crusade against the alien infidel, while others simply see it as their duty to help protect a world that might actually be savable.

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Storytelling War brings profiteers, and the K’thari War is no different. With access to abandoned weapon and supply caches on other variations, characters are in a unique position to provide resources to the beleaguered Western Coalition, no questions asked. Earth4 is also home to an organization that is aware of the Nearside. Project Nearside can present a threat to a character, especially if he has been recorded as having visited Earth4. Project Nearside classifies HbA+ individuals either as risks to Earth4 or as resources to be used against the K’thari. Getting involved with Project Nearside can be rewarding, but it could come back to bite a character later. Some story hooks include: l Volunteering for military service while keeping under Project Nearside’s radar. l Investigating Project Nearside activities unrelated to the war. l Stealing K-Tech for other variations to study. l Assisting the Coalition in acquiring K’thari and K’thari technology for research.

Earth5 Story Ideas Many stories involve HbA+ females, pregnant or not. Those native to Still Born may not realize their nature or the risks they face at the hands of Ilithya. Visitors to Earth5, especially those with little knowledge or experience of the Nearside, could stumble into a situation they don’t fully understand and end up in a breeding camp, swollen with multiple fetuses. Some characters may take a subtle approach, carefully identifying locations where Ilithya are holding Breeders and quietly extract a few at a time. Others will be more blunt, attacking and destroying anything to do with breeding operations while trying to get as much publicity as possible. Some story hooks include: l Helping a pregnant woman stay one step ahead of the authorities. l Sabotaging Monarch and Ilithya activities. l Providing underground pre-natal care for Breeders. l Infiltrating “The Show” to help the mothers and children, or to plant subliminal messages in the broadcast.

Earth5: Still Born

Earth6: Hot House

Theme: Denial Denial is present in two main forms on this variation. First, mankind has been denied the ability to reproduce, the fundamental function of life. Second, humanity seems to mostly be in denial regarding their fate, with people trying to live normal lives. Some people are angry, others are depressed, while the powers that be are bargaining their morality away as they try to figure out how to turn Breeders into saviors. On the surface, life in this variation is carrying on as normal. People get up, go to work, and live their lives without fear of alien attack, or the danger of an extreme climate. Society has collectively stuck its head in the sand, not thinking about the problems that will occur in the future because of the population gap. Instead, everyone is living for the moment, and almost desperately trying to breed the next generation, no matter what the cost. This variation is a good one to bring new players to for their first Nearside experience. At first glance it’s very similar to Earth1, but small bits of strangeness can be dropped in here and there to show just how different it is. It might be a safe haven for male characters; but for females, it’s exceptionally dangerous.

Theme: Anger Anger can be hot and bright. On Earth6, the sun itself is angry, unleashing wave after wave of flaming gas and charged particles at the Earth, which is slowly wilting and failing under the onslaught. Nerves are wearing thin among survivors, manifesting in violence and desperation. The pace of life on this variation is frantic. Time is running out and everyone knows it. Humanity’s chances for survival are based on how fast the arks can be built. An individual’s survival (a place on an Ark) depends on how rich, how clever, or simply how useful you are to those in control. Survival is grounded in competition, and that competition is cut-throat. If characters are used to taking their time to do things, or aren’t fully realizing the dangers faced by some worlds, you can use this variation to speed it all up. Nothing happens slowly, because there simply is no time to waste. Earth6 Story Ideas This is a surprisingly high-tech world, though in ways that are specifically dedicated to building the Arks

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Storytelling and getting the hell out. Consumer technology is focused on cooling, generating potable water, or building underground settlements. Some of this technology could be worth money on other worlds, or could be used by Nearsiders to help their own agendas elsewhere. Characters with an urge to go into space can come here and find a way to take a ride into orbit on a space elevator (technology that would be extremely valuable to Project Nearside and the Western Coalition on Earth4). Some story hooks include: l Having belongings confiscated by Procurement Officers. l Being responsible for “shipping” in a key piece of K’thari tech for use in the Ark building. l Getting conscripted and sent to the orbital shipyards. l Getting mistaken for a key player in some organization (the Arks, the black market) and have rivals attempt to take characters out of play.

Earth7: Ice Box Theme: Depression As the world slips into a long winter, silence falls over once loud and bustling nations. Cities like New York, Chicago, London and Tokyo are almost empty, their populations having migrated en masse to warmer climes. Only the howl of the wind through the lonely buildings remains. Unlike its bright twin, Hot House, this variation is slow. As far as the survivors of this variation are concerned, speed often isn’t worth the amount of energy it costs. They’re hanging on and waiting, and saving everything they can for the day when the clouds part and the sun comes back. It’s a long, cold grind for survival. You can use this variation to really focus in on the small details of the characters and party interactions. People have to live very close together (in the same room) to share what heat is available, which can provide a classic pressure-cooker environment for inter-player conflict in a (relatively) safe environment.

rience all kinds of risk and reward as part of a caravan making its way back and forth between iceline settlements, or going deeper into the frozen regions in search of abandoned food and resources. Even the simple act of taking cargo 200 miles from one town to another becomes a life-and-death situation when it’s 40 below zero and the once-familiar roads around your hometown are now unrecognizable under snow and ice two stories deep. In the slightly warmer climes closer to the equator, what remains of humanity is packed tightly together in regions that were once either ignored or despised by the richer nations. People aren’t getting along, and it doesn’t take much to light that powder keg. Characters may find themselves accidentally starting a violent conflict, or having to stop one using Meridians, guile or lots of guns. Some story hooks include: l Trekking through snow fields to recover a stolen or lost item or person. l Hitchhiking with a trucker, potentially across multiple variations. l Being framed for murder in an isolated community. l Performing a mercy mission to an isolated community, bringing in supplies or medical expertise.

Earth7 Story Ideas Three words: ice road truckers. Characters can expe-

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Storytelling Earth8: Dread Theme: Anger Frustration is a kind of anger, especially when it erupts into violent protests and desperate outbursts that seem powerless to change the world’s dark fate. The black hole Damocles approaches, consuming everything in its path. Humanity can only raise its voice against the inevitable killing blow. The desperation of the people on Earth8 takes many different forms. Some want hope, others want to escape via drugs, alcohol or adrenaline. A few others truly believe that a solution to the advancing black hole is just waiting to be found. The dreadful knowledge of the exact date of the end of the world cannot help but influence everything on Earth8. The stark differences among how society has divided on Earth8 should not be forgotten. The center of a free zone will be a clean, orderly, efficient place. An area run by organized crime may be just as efficient — if order is good for business — or it may be a wild area full of depravity in what amounts to the complete opposite of an area controlled by traditional religious orders or martial law governments. But, by far, the majority of Dread is not controlled by anyone. Law enforcers are few and far between, and people must rely almost completely on themselves. Earth Story Ideas Stories on Dread should revolve around the basic tenets of salvation, acceptance or escapism. Characters spending any time on Dread are going to get pulled into the madness at some point — it’s impossible to avoid it. Sometimes it’s even possible to do some good. For example, characters could get work protecting and moving important people and cargo from place to place through lawless wastelands, crimeridden areas or regions controlled by corrupt governments. The Regency Group is particularly interested in getting copies of the ongoing scientific analysis of the incoming black hole, not least because they hope that they can help somehow. Some story hooks include: l Participating/avoiding participation in experiments to discover a way to mitigate the impending doom. l Rescuing people from slave traders or people’s loved ones from cults. l Sorting through propaganda to separate fact from fiction. 8

l Being worshipped as the second coming if Nearsiders are seen using their Meridians. l Avoiding assassination attempts from factions who believe the black hole will disappear when all Nearsiders do. l Infiltrating and toppling an organized crime syndicate/government/corporation/religion. l Protecting an isolated outpost from attack. l Preventing the suicide of a critical person. l Running illegal drugs and weapons for organized crime syndicates. l Running medical supplies to people in need.

Earth9: Dead Water Theme: Bargaining The plan was to clean up the oceans. The price has been humanity’s freedom. As PREACHER infects mankind, some individuals give up a part of themselves in return for some unspoken future as puppets of a nanovirus. Immunity to the nanovirus makes Nearsiders a valuable commodity on Dead Water. They can go anywhere, without worrying about infected sea-spray or other fluids, though they still have to deal with infected humans. So much was abandoned when communities moved inland, and while some has been recovered by brave and well-protected teams, much can be found by visiting characters. On the other hand, the infected can sense the presence of HbA+ individuals. Staying in one place for too long is a risky proposition, because even a powerful Nearsider will be hard pressed to fight off a flock of several dozen Damned when they gather. The stories about reviving infected people after they have been cleared of the nanovirus is true, although it

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Storytelling Some story hooks include: l Finding and retrieving an infected loved one or family member. l Recovering lost property or technology from a coastal lab or research station. l Observing and monitoring Flocks of the Dammed for signs of intelligence. l Finding and recovering a Nearsider being “examined” by a government agency. l Analyzing active PREACHER colonies to determine their potential to be used against the K’thari.

Earth10: Outage depends upon how long they have been infected and the damage done by the virus. Not every character will worry about killing infected people, but knowing that they could be cured might cause even the most cynical character to pause before pulling the trigger. The strange whispering that some Nearsiders hear on Dead Water seems to come from the PREACHER virus itself, and Readers have picked up some disturbing thoughts coming from the infected. If there is an intelligence guiding the nanovirus, it seems to be schizophrenic and appears to be acting against itself much of the time. Perhaps two intelligences are at work here ... On this variation, characters cannot move around unnoticed. They are bright beacons in the minds of the infected, and characters risk their lives and the lives of those around them just by being there. Nearsiders will constantly be on the move, and unless they have a good reason to be on Dead Water, they may consider keeping their stay as brief as possible Earth9 Story Ideas Dead Water is a good place for any zombie-apocalypse style stories. Characters can get pulled into helping native negs escape an attack or get to a safe place. Regency operatives may get sent to Dead Water to counter Monarch activity, or even sabotage their operations. Most Nearsider organizations are very nervous about PREACHER, and don’t want to risk the technology being taken offworld in a usable form.

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Theme: Depression It could have been worse, of course. The lack of electricity is a relatively minor drawback compared to the never-ending lightshow from the overloaded aurora that deadens the mind. And in the sullen green tinged twilight, as families eat by candlelight, the memories of bright fluorescent light and an evening in front of the television are still fresh enough to bring bitterness. It might have been a paradise, a chance for simplification, if it wasn’t for the aurora. This constant presence drives people mad, tearing their souls away or leaving them literally blinded. The ever-shifting light and shadow is present 24 hours a day as a reminder of what’s been lost. Nearsiders visiting Outage can take advantage of the slower pace of life and lack of technology to hide or rest. As GM, you can use Outage to tell stories about progress and how it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s a place where the characters can see that humanity keeps going in the face of disaster, and that perhaps the old ways are sometimes better. A reliance upon technology can be dangerous, and community depends upon face-to-face interactions with like-minded folk. Earth10 Story Ideas Outage is one of the better off variations, so it will attract Nearsiders who are looking to rest, recover or hide. Sometimes this will be the characters themselves, other times it will be someone the characters urgently need to talk to. The relatively peaceful way of life is also attractive to many Nearsiders, especially those from the more devastated variations. Unlike

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Storytelling Earth2, which presents risks from pollution and extreme environmental effects, Outage offers safety and anonymity. Characters might hear a rumor of a distant town entirely populated by Nearsiders from the Fall, Dread and Hothouse. Such a rumor could be especially intriguing if some of the citizens of this town are the character’s counterparts. Some story hooks include: l Braving the ruins of a city to find a missing person, Nearsider or native neg. l Guarding a caravan moving the harvest from one state to another. l Analyzing the effects of the aurora upon people. l Bringing machine-tooled parts from Earth1 to a small farm collective who cannot repair their own equipment. l Recovering technology from the wreck of a recently crashed satellite that may have valuable data on the aurora. l Bartering for useful non-electrical, flare-resistant technology to bring to Hot House.

Earth11: Afterlife Theme: Bargaining When faced with the reality of life after death, it’s inevitable that people are going to do what they can to make sure they’ll survive. The leadership of many world religions have been infiltrated by Nearsiders who have made deals with each other to consolidate belief in the One God. They promise the faithful that they, too, will have a place in the afterlife, as long as they are willing to trade freedom for eternity. This is where characters have the chance to interact with the other side. Anyone who died an unnatural death — friends and foes — can come back to haunt them. The church as police state aspect will come to the fore if characters are openly dismissive of religion, which could lead to their arrest. In game, you can use ghosts to subtly impart information, such as warnings and clues. Ghosts can speak or interact if needed, but most of the time the players can be left wondering what an apparition meant by a cryptic hand signal or a particular facial expression. Earth11 Story Ideas Characters visiting Afterlife are going to quickly run into conflict with the authorities, especially if they openly

use Meridians or react to the presence of ghosts while not wearing Ghost Glasses. The ghosts themselves can take characters in unexpected directions, pleading for help to find a killer or pass on a message to a family member. Characters could also get the chance to find closure with the ghosts of loved ones. Characters who have a history with Monarch, either as foes or potential recruits, can run into them a lot more while on this world. Seeing them act so openly (relatively speaking) could evoke responses that generate stories. Some story hooks include: l Rescuing and deprogramming a Nearsider from the Church of the One God. l Rising through the ranks of the church. l Infiltrating the church. l Securing/guarding a broken room. l Assisting the army in the Sino World War. l Interacting with the counterculture of non-believers. l Spreading the word of the One God. l Avoiding government capture. l Avoiding/embracing a religious life l Surviving “witch trials” if seen using Meridians.

Earth12: Unvisible Theme: Bargaining The children are the warriors here, and no matter how much help and support they get from adults and Nearsiders, they are trading their childhoods (and lives) away in return for protecting the world. Most adults feel a kind of powerlessness, unable to protect their children and families from the monsters, but still able to support those who can. The sheer insanity of this variation, the extreme nature of the Divergence event and subsequent events, should not go unnoticed. This close to the bottom of the “well” of 13 worlds, reality itself seems to be not-quite-right. Everything that happens here has a surreal quality to it. From the nature of the Unvisible themselves to the highly ordered society that’s sprung up to fight them, visiting characters should feel that something’s not quite right here. Earth12 Story Ideas People adapt, they improvise, and they make the

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Storytelling best of things. Different people will have very different ideas about how best to cope with the bloody chaos of monsters swarming the Earth. Characters visiting this variation will encounter settlements where children are treated almost as gods, feted and indulged on the basis of their ability to hold back the shiny sharp teeth and claws of the Unvisible. In other places, children are regarded merely as useful weapons by adults who care much more for power and control than they do for the fate of humanity. In cities, survivor colonies scrape out an existence underground and out of sight. High in the mountains, air crews operate from bases far away from the reality of Seekers and Eaters, living lives disconnected from the horror down below. In the rural wastelands, the pseudo religious clerics of The Great Crusade gather children as warriors and adults as slaves, aggressively defending their ever-expanding territory. Science teams hide on the fringes of cities, monitoring the appearance and movement of monsters, preparing early warning systems, and designing the weapons to carry on the war. Early claims of decisive victory faded quickly and the battle resolved to an endless round of street-bystreet skirmish and melee, punctuated by aerial bombardment of nesting sites if they can be detected in time. The final throw of humanity is witnessed by birds, perched high on every available edge. Gathered in their millions, the birds simply wait, and watch. Some story hooks include: l Help train the latest group of Chosen in various combat skills. l Investigate the effectiveness of K-tech against the Unvisible. l Capture a Seeker or Eater alive for research purposes. l Deliver messages or equipment between communities. l Negotiate a non-aggression pact between a Crusade chapter and a remote colony. l Investigate reports of black-clad soldiers sneaking through the ruins.

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Storytelling Earth13: The Reef Theme: Acceptance Of all the Nearside, this world contains people at some kind of peace with their existence. It’s strange and sometimes terrible, but a sense of simple acceptance pervades the Reef. This peace comes with a price and something must be left behind when you leave. Eventually all that you are is on the Reef and you must accept those parts of yourself in order to be whole. This plays into how Attunement works on the Reef. Characters cannot Attune to the Reef until they have Attuned to every other variation. Until that time, visitors to Earth13 always feels like outsiders looking in. They can interact normally with those who live there, but until they have accepted their place in the Nearside (i.e. attuned to the other variations) they cannot connect with this place, and will not be accepted as a permanent resident. That said, visiting characters are always treated well. They are always accepted for who they are right now, no matter where they’ve come from or what they’ve done. Natives speak with unattuned Nearsiders with a sense of regret, as if they know that the visit is temporary. A native will even pepper their conversations with phrases like “when you’re gone,” or “after you leave.” A resident of the Reef might pat a character on the shoulder and say “well, when you come back, we’ll have a drink together.” This world is strange, even compared to the rest of the Nearside. The geography is different. It’s an abstract set of concepts instead of places. The forest, plains, mountains and the reef itself are all embodiments of every forest, every plain, etc. It’s as if this variation is made up of thousands of others, all crammed on top of one another until all that’s left is a blurry impression of what went before. And in some ways, that’s true. Without familiar places and people to connect to, Nearsiders find that they, too, feel a great peace when they are here. It’s as if they are far enough away from their own Divergence event, in time and space, to get a sense of perspective.

could be, if the character attunes and stays. This is where the flotsam and jetsam of the entire Nearside washes up. Items that were thought lost, even in childhood, could be found on the Reef itself, or might be used as part of someone’s shack or hovel. Characters might hear rumors of a prized possession on the Reef, and it could be important enough to justify a trip. Likewise, an NPC Nearsider might have important information critical to a mission, and have left it behind on the Reef. The characters will have to bring the NPC to the Reef in order for her to remember the salient facts — but what will they all forget when they leave the Reef? Many characters will be attracted to the Reef by the fantastical stories they hear: hunting werewolves on the plains, or battling gigantic and terrible monsters like the Malvolent. They may want to see an Iron Train for themselves or walk along the Reef for as long as they can, just to see how far back the wreckage goes. They are always welcome on the Reef, as long as they are willing to pay the price for leaving. Some story hooks include:

Earth13 Story Ideas GMs are encouraged to use the Reef to make points that are specific to particular characters. It’s possible to meet people that look like long-dead friends or loved ones. Even though they might have similar names and seem to vaguely recognize characters, it’s not really them. But it

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Storytelling l Defending the Iron Train against a Malvolent attack. l Werewolf hunting out on the plains for fun and profit. l Searching for a specific piece of technology out on the Reef itself. l Finding a child lost in the forest. l Protecting a town from nightly attacks by an Always-Was.

Travel A broken room should set the mood for that variation. Broken rooms are the characters’ (and players’) first encounter with that world. This first impression is very important. Take time to describe the arrival. Use all of the character’s senses to describe the space. For example, the following broken room is in a brightly lit aircraft hanger on Earth1, busy with mechanics and engineers. It’s not the same on the destination world. The air turns cold and damp as your heads start to clear. You notice that the floor is wet, your hands slide on some kind of organic slime as you push yourselves to your feet. You’re still inside the hanger, but the high curved roof is now lost in the gloom. There are holes in the roof where water is dripping down, the drops falling in silence until they splash on the concrete floor. Dull daylight is coming through the holes, casting shadowy pools of light in the midst of the building. The aircraft stored here are ruined skeletal remains, with mold and fungus growing on their wings. In the case of this broken room, the move from an air conditioned high-tech location to a damp, decaying version of that place helps drive home that this variation is falling apart.

What Can Travel and What Can’t There are only two strict rules recommended for use of Broken Rooms: 1. Nearsiders are the only life forms that can travel. 2. If it can be touched or held by the Nearsider and still fit in the broken room, it will also come through. Rule No. 1 means that ordinary humans, animals, aliens or scary monsters cannot use a broken room for travel. For the pedantic among your group,

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Left Luggage

To cycle a broken room off the Reef, a character must give up a significant memory. In doing so, characters receive a new Quality called Forgotten. The character can genuinely not remember what they’ve given up unless they are on the Reef. If they return to the Reef and subsequently leave, the forgotten memories stay on the Reef. Characters who make frequent visits to the Reef find that they are slowly losing their entire identity, one piece at a time. The long-term effects of this are represented by the many situations when a character will suffer a -1d penalty related to their memory loss, which could potentially become dangerous. By the time most Nearsiders figure this out, they are probably ready to retire to the Reef permanently. They will have come to terms with the memories they had been willing to give up in order to leave, and will not consider their presence on the Reef as much of a burden as they once may have. you can handwave and say that yes, all intestinal bacteria, inactive viruses, parasitical amoebae or head lice will also pass through a broken room. Likewise, a pregnant Nearsider will be able to travel along with her unborn children, though they will also have the HbA. Dead bodies cannot be brought through, unless they are HbA+ and being held or carried by another Nearsider. This rule exists in order to keep Nearsiders different from ordinary folk, to set them apart in a way that is ultimately alienating. A Nearsider on Earth3 can simply leave when it gets to be too much. A native neg from that world can’t. No matter how much empathy and kindness characters show to survivors of the Fall, they must leave the suffering behind when they leave. It’s good to remind them of that, too. Rule No. 2 leaves things very much open for interpretation, which is fine. As GM, you will want disagreeable and troublesome items to be brought back to Earth1 by the bad guys — and sometimes the good guys, too. This means that weapons, nuclear material, gold and anything else that will fit into the room are fair game. Find a room big enough, and you could theoretically bring vehicles through (like the truckers on Icebox, the drug runners on Dread, etc). It might even be possible to bring through something like a K’thari hybrid vehicle.

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Storytelling But what about K-tech, a player will ask — it’s partially alive, so doesn’t it fall under Rule 1? Let the story be your guide. One response to that is to have a bunch of guys with guns kick in the door to get the story moving again. Rule No. 2 exists to give GMs a measure of control over what can be imported and exported from a particular world. If you don’t want characters coming back to Earth1 with a K-Tech supertank, then they won’t find a broken room big enough to transport it. It still allows characters to bring smaller items through, and protects the transworld economy to some extent by making some broken rooms more important than others. A warehouse-sized broken room is going to be a highly valuable asset for any organization, probably the most important room on that variation, and constantly fought over.

Why Nearsiders travel There are as many reasons to travel as individual characters. Most travel is on purpose, sometimes out of sheer necessity. A character who finds himself accidentally opening a broken room could end up anywhere. If he is an inexperienced traveler, it could take him a while to find a broken room connected with his home variation. While he looks, he will encounter a variety of people and situations that will complicate any attempt to return home. When a character has plateaued at a particular level of Distance, he eventually gets a kind of “wanderlust” that pushes him to travel to a new variation. “The call of the Nearside” is strong. Eventually, if a character attempts to resist this urge to travel, he starts suffering serious psychological side effects. Some call it boredom — the sheer excitement of travel, the danger and the risk may be what the Nearsider craves, both mentally and physiologically. Worse still are the characters who find that they have developed an inability to remain on their home variation for long. When some Nearsiders spend time on their native variation, they bleed Momentum much more quickly than if they are on a different variation. Carrots Many characters will have lost something during their lives, at Divergence or in the years since. The Near-

You’re in the Driver’s Seat

When determining pacing, it’s important that you, as GM, realize you’re in control of when the characters leave one variation for another, and where they end up. No Nearsider gets to travel unless the story is ready for it. Your responsibility to the players is to keep the story moving along so that travel occurs often, but not so rapidly that you can’t keep up with ever-changing backgrounds. side represents a chance to find what’s been lost, to see “what if” in a way that ordinary people can only dream of. Travel can answer questions and reunite loved ones. It can give characters a chance to see how something else played out, or to try again, with an almost clean slate. That said, it’s across a canvas of a dozen dying worlds, but Nearsiders take what they can get. Some characters realize that the Nearside presents an opportunity for wealth and power. Why break into a bank vault in the real world when you can travel to a world where the bank is abandoned and steal the money from there, instead? It’s rarely as easy as that, but it’s one of the reasons Monarch bought a chain of banks in California; to get access to the King’s Gate and build a bank vault around it. Groups like Monarch pay well, while the Regency Group and other organizations pay considerably less, but it’s an interesting way to make a living. Sticks Sometimes characters will travel because they must. Organizations and groups force Nearsiders into service, pushing them across worlds to do their dirty work. A character whose wife is being held at gun point (or even the silent threat of a shot to the head) may find that they do more traveling than they ever thought possible. For Nearsiders on the dying worlds, travel is a matter of life and death. There’s always somewhere better. The Ordinary World is a paradise compared to some variations, and many Nearsiders flee there from their own dying realities. More civic-minded individuals travel to bring help and relief back to their variation, becoming multi-dimensional Robin Hoods, taking from the “rich” of our reality.

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Storytelling Revelation Eventually, for some individuals, the Nearside itself becomes the reason to travel. As Distance creeps higher, Nearsiders seem to feel a deeper connection to the network of worlds. They turn within, seeking answers to the reason for its existence. As they learn about Convergence, they may either dismiss it as nonsense or attempt to find a way to survive it. The answers lie on Earth13, which is the hardest variation to reach. This, too, can become an overwhelming goal for some Nearsiders: Reach Earth13 and discover the truth behind the Nearside. Defenders of the Earth Ultimately, many rival groups and individuals share similar goals. Few Nearsiders from Earth1 want to see it contaminated by the nasties from other variations. No sane person wants Malvolents or werewolves roaming our world. They don’t want the K’thari to come through to feed and destroy. Most of the Lacunae can’t travel (only Nearsiders can) but no one is taking that risk. Living things may get filtered, but a terrorist group could find a willing Nearsider to go steal a nuclear warhead from Earth2 and bring it back. Likewise, every military outpost on Earth2 is abandoned. Those who have survived more-or-less intact in the intervening years are a fantastic source of black market weaponry. Some groups are happy to play it safe, to passively block and capture anything coming in. Others take a more proactive direction, sending out teams of Nearsiders to pre-emptively destroy weapons and explosives on Earth2, for instance. More than a few nukes have blown up in their silos thanks to the work of groups like Regency.

Genre To best understand the Broken Rooms themes and moods, you first need to understand the setting’s genre You’re already familiar with the concept of genre in media and literature and will know the difference between a movie like The Exorcist and Star Wars. The difference between these two movies is obvious: one is horror and the other is science fiction (or space opera, but that’s a whole other discussion).

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The reason genre is important in regards to roleplaying games is that it is a quick way to set expectations about what that game is going to be like. Players already have a head-full of mental short cuts in place when they sit down to play a fantasy game, for instance. Enough people have read Lord of the Rings or seen the movies to know what the basic setting should feel like. Fantasy novels are all over the best-seller lists, so even someone sitting down to play a fantasy game for the first time knows the tropes and cliches of the setting, enough to get them started, at least. Precisely pinning down where the Broken Rooms setting belongs is a tricky proposition. You could call it a “modern conspiracy horror across 13 parallel worlds.” That’s a bit of a mouthful, but it’s pretty accurate. Let’s take a slightly more detailed look at the genres that make up Broken Rooms.

Modern The game is certainly set in the present day, which means smart phones, the internet, hybrid cars and turmoil in the Middle East, on the Ordinary World at least. Other worlds have evolved differently since Aug. 13, 2002. Outage, for example, is a lot more “dieselpunk” and the Reef is basically unclassifiable. Modern day RPGs may seem fairly straightforward from a game point of view. After all, we live in the very world our characters do. It’s tempting to dive into a level of authenticity that would have you spending hours researching real people and places. While it will lend your game some flavor, don’t go overboard. Too much detail will either be irrelevant and therefore wasted effort, or will distract you and the players from moving the story forward.

Conspiracy Two large organizations, The Regency Group and Monarch, are keeping secrets from their own people, from each other and from the world(s) in general. The characters will slowly uncover the conspiracies even as they become a part of the them. For characters who prize openness and despise secrecy, it is a bitter irony that they must be a part of what they hate. The essence of a conspiracy RPG involves keeping in the shadows, possessing world-changing

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Storytelling secrets but not being able to share them with just anyone. Knowing these secrets may make you special, but it doesn’t make you better.

Horror The Nearside is a frightening place, with actual monsters, like the Lovecraftian Malvolents of Earth13 and the alien K’thari of Earth4. The less literal horrors, such as the human-originated atrocities of Still Born and the “religious” fervor of Afterlife are no less terrifying. Most of all, there’s the horror of knowing entire worlds are going to die and nothing you can do will save them. Horror RPGs focus on fear, whether it’s the more abstract fear of the unknown or the visceral fear of being painfully torn apart by monsters. Sometimes it’s about facing an unbeatable menace and accepting that all you can do is postpone the inevitable. In Broken Rooms, it’s realizing that worlds are dying all around you and that you can never really save everyone, while all that awaits you at the end of the road is an almost inhuman detachment from the horrors around you.

Parallel Worlds The “parallel world” genre is quite well-known these days. The phrase itself is almost in common parlance for describing a what-if situation. The “world where Germany won WWII” is also a common cliche, and while not exactly the same as the Nearside’s more recent alternative history, is a good starting point when trying to describe the game. Many would call this genre part of the larger “science fiction” realm, and that’s a fair point. While it’s not a major focus of the setting, Broken Rooms does contain a number of science-fiction elements, such as aliens, ecological catastrophes, etc.

Themes Broken Rooms is a game with multiple layers of meaning, assuming that you want to find them. Broadly, it’s a game of exploration, with entire worlds full of people needing help. It can also be an exploration of the much more complex and personal theme of loss and how individuals cope with that. As you delve deeper, it’s a game about transition, leaving people and places behind and moving on to something different, for better or for worse.

Distance Broken Rooms is a game about travel and how that changes people. In our reality, people grow up, live and die, all within 50 miles of where they were born. Some people have never seen the ocean, or mountains, or forests. For the majority of human history, it’s been this way. Some individuals break this pattern, striking out on their own for a day, a week or forever. If they should ever return home, they will re-evaluate everything that they once knew, based upon their new experiences. Somehow, home never feels like it used to. It takes more than a brief vacation to a tourist trap to invoke these kind of feelings. It takes immersion into another culture, a different geography. That said, this travel doesn’t have to be literal. Any kind of life-changing experience alters how we view familiar things. Phrases like “it really opened my eyes” and “everything seems smaller” are just expressions of this fundamental change within a person’s soul. Returning military personnel feel this when they come back from a war zone. While they may be glad to be home, everything seems different because they are different. There are many stories about veterans facing difficulty fitting back in to civilian life. This isn’t their fault. It’s just that they aren’t the same people who left to go to war. Now imagine walking on a dozen new worlds, each one suffering a different kind of apocalypse. Even familiar places are different, alien, if they have even

Explaining the Setting

Simply saying that it’s a game with parallel realities isn’t always helpful to a new player. Everyone has a different interpretation of what that really means. Readers of comics may think about a multiverse. Readers of Moorcock are going to be thinking about the Eternal Champion while the more elderly among us are going to think about TV shows like Silders. More recent TV shows like Fringe and the new series of Doctor Who have reintroduced the concept of parallel worlds, at least in a limited way, which are fresher references to use. Remember that the more recent “splitting” of the worlds (2002) and the generally apocalyptic fate of each variation are helpful ways to differentiate the Broken Rooms setting from others, as is the fact that only a few people are able to travel.

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Storytelling survived. After fighting aliens and monsters, bringing peace to the dying or watching a world unravel in the face of oblivion, how could you possibly avoid being changed? When you’ve seen a crater where your hometown should be, how will you feel when you return to your own version? In Broken Rooms, characters get to see the end of the world repeated over and over again. They will witness destruction and hardship, suffering and death on not just a global scale, but a multi-global one. They may encounter variants of their loved ones on the Nearside, or may simply discover how they died, again and again, in different ways. They will see the best of humanity, fighting against the darkness, but they will also see cruelty and arrogance, the very worst parts of mankind emerging in the face of destruction. They may also encounter other versions of themselves, counterparts that also travel the Nearside. Some may have broken by their experiences — leaving the character with the thought that “he could be me, if I’d experienced what he had.” Experiences like that set a Nearsider apart from everyone else. The game uses terms like “Distance” and “negs” for a reason. Distance is, quite apart from being a game statistic, a representation of removal from normal people and situations. The more Distance a Nearsider has, the more “distant” they are. There isn’t even really a double-meaning here. It is what it says it is. Likewise, calling non-Nearsiders “negs” is meant to evoke a sense of them being lesser than a Nearsider, somehow unimportant. It’s a derogatory term. These serve to drive a subtle wedge between characters and the non-player-character negs around them, and makes the Ordinary World seem dull and boring. Those Earth1 Nearsiders who decide to stay home and ignore the Nearside quickly find that it’s impossible. Even if they don’t go out onto the Nearside, it comes for them. Eventually a variant self will come knocking, looking for help or to get rid of them. Other Nearsiders will seek them out for a variety of reasons. Meeting a vengeful Nearsider who is killing all of your variants just to punish one who crossed him will threaten the lives of everyone around you. Sometimes it’s better for your loved ones if you never come home.

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The Five Stages of Grief The themes of Broken Rooms can be summarized by looking at the Kübler-Ross Stages of Grief, mentioned briefly during character generation. The five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, were first outlined in a book written by Swiss psychologist Elisabeth KüblerRoss in 1969. On Death and Dying described her observations of how people coped with loss and death. She outlined the five major stages that individuals experience as they deal with their loss. These stages can be experienced by anyone facing any kind of personal loss, not just death. The loss of a job or financial stability can start the process, as can divorce or the onset of a serious long-term illness (diabetes, even curable cancers). 1. Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of positions and individuals that will be left behind after death. Denial manifests as a refusal to accept what’s happening, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. 2. Anger occurs when the individual realizes that he can no longer deny the truth of the situation. This anger might be directed at themselves, others or the world around them. 3. Bargaining can best be summed up with the phrase “I just need more time.” The individual aches to make a deal, a few more years in return for some kind of sacrifice or change in attitude. 4. Depression represents defeat, but also understanding. It’s a painful part of the process, but is the point where real grieving begins, though the individual may find it hard to be positive about anything at all and may retreat within himself in less than positive ways. 5. Acceptance means the individual has, for the most part, come to terms with what must happen. Twelve of the 13 variations can be represented by one of the first four stages of grief outlined above. The exception is the Reef. This world is represented by acceptance, something that Nearsiders must experience personally as they attune themselves, finally, with the 13th variation. To a lesser extent, the other stages of grief are also at play on each variation, but one single stage encompasses the theme of each world.

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Storytelling As characters visit each world, they are also experiencing each stage of grief. Given the significant loss experienced by characters during their Divergence events, the Nearside itself represents a potential path to acceptance of that personal loss. It may also represent a greater acceptance, the truth of what the Nearside really is and their part in what will happen next. Each theme is repeated three times across the Nearside, so you have plenty of options if you decide to lead the players down the redemptive path to acceptance. You don’t need to beat the players over the head with heavy thematics. It’s always better if you can weave it into and through your campaign. But it does take time and effort, and any kind of exploration of grief and loss can present challenges that you may not want to get into. If you know your players, then you will have some idea about what themes they’ll be willing to explore, especially if you discuss it prior to starting the game. If you do decide to tackle difficult or dark themes, start

slowly. Take your time and take your cues from the characters and their backgrounds. Each character has had her own Divergence Event, so take that loss and see how the character deals with it in game. Some players don’t want to play a darker, more brooding game. Real life is hard enough for most of us without spending valuable hours around a table with our friends pretending to be someone with even worse problems than we have. That’s kind of the point. First, we’re with our friends. Second, our characters are facing situations that we will never have to deal with ourselves (if we’re lucky), like alien invasions, the aftermath of a terrible natural disaster or the death of an entire world. By placing characters in those situations, in the company of friends, it not only offers a cathartic way to explore our worst-case scenarios, it hopefully offers some perspective on our own issues. A game that explores dark or unpleasant themes isn’t the same as “wallowing” in said themes. Broken

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Storytelling Rooms does not make suffering look sexy, because it’s not. It’s awful. There’s no romance or poetry in the death of entire worlds. While there’s something to be said for the bravery and spirit shown by those who would stand in defiance against the end of all things, that’s not the same as glorifying the bad. Instead, recognize the good, find the positive in the midst of darkness. A darker, grittier campaign doesn’t preclude the chance of a happy ending. It can make even small victories seem important and sometimes just staying alive is the happiest ending a Nearsider can hope for. This kind of exploration is not for everyone, and as a GM, you’ll know your group better than most. If your group can take on serious and sometimes difficult subjects, explore the emotional process of grief and what it means to survive, then this could be an extremely rewarding RPG that none of you will ever forget.

Recurring Themes In addition to the stages of grief, some other common themes reoccur across the Nearside. Fall of Civilization On most variations, some kind of societal regression has occurred, damaging economies and governments, with entire nations forced into pre-20th century levels of technology. On Vanished, civilization has actually disappeared, and though technology does remain functional, not enough people remain to maintain a typical 21st century social structure. The Fall has also seen a large reduction in population, but the infrastructure has also been shattered by the asteroid impact and the subsequent geophysical effects. This renders any kind of national or international community impossible. Similar regressions occur on other variations, but to a lesser extent. World governments on Invasion survive mostly intact, though there is some technological lag compared to Earth1. Civilization on Icebox, Hothouse and Dread have also been significantly impacted by the Divergence event, though some order is maintained on each of those variations.

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Electromagnetic Effects Outage and Hothouse both suffer several electromagnetic disruptions. On Outage, electricity cannot be effectively conducted through traditional means. Superconductors may work (though at greatly reduced efficiencies). Likewise the “standing wave” of electromagnetic disruption has an effect on the human brain, as do the auroral effects that permanently fill the skill. On Hothouse, electromagnetic disruptions occur on a regular basis as a side effect of increased solar activity. While these instances cannot be predicted, there is always at least a day’s warning, as the light from the flares can be seen well in advance of the particles arriving from the sun. Equipment can be shielded, and the effects, though severe, are always temporary. Cataclysmic Geological Events Several variations have or continue to suffer severe worldwide geological or climatic events. The Fall is

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Storytelling still feeling the aftershocks from the asteroid impact, along with ongoing smaller impacts every August. The climate has been severely impacted, with an ice age under way, ocean levels altered and a large amount of heat output from the still-molten crater in the Sahara. Hothouse and Icebox are also both experiencing severe ongoing climatic change, while Dread will feel increasing gravitational effects from the approaching black hole. Hubris Humanity has done some amazing things, but often at a high cost. Pollution and other ecological damage threatens the long-term survival of many species, including our own. On Dead Water and Icebox, attempts to reverse or mitigate some of this damage has only made things worse. Perhaps the arrogance of thinking that mankind can undo the damage they have wrought is as prideful as the decades of ignoring the problem in the first place. On Afterlife, mankind has chosen a new interpretation of distinct, ancient biblical beliefs, one that ultimately serves the needs of an elite few. For the faithful, it takes arrogance of biblical proportions to rewrite the scriptures. Intrusion The concept of “intrusion” appears in a few places. The K’thari can be considered an “intrusion” in so far as they use humans for food and as hosts for their larva. The Unvisible are an intrusion into that reality from somewhere “else,” while the Malvolents and other Consensual Entities from the Reef can also be considered aspects of a metaphysical intrusion. Darkness Darkness is also a major theme. Fall and Icebox are actually dark, the sun obscured by thick cloud layers. Without electrical power, the nights on Outage are darker than they’ve been in over a century, a different kind of “lights out.”

Finding the Stories The Nearside is an extensive setting. At first, it may seem overwhelming to try to come up with a campaign that spans all 13 worlds. The good news is that you don’t have to, not all at once.

Even after a cursory glance through this book, you may have found some variations that are already sparking ideas in your mind, either for entire campaigns or for single, awesome moments that you would love to share with your players. Talk with the players, too. They’ll also have some favorites. If they do, then you’ve already got a basic road map. There may be some variations that don’t resonate with you. That’s a shame, but it’s also perfectly OK. The Nearside has something for everyone, and as long as you find a few variations that you like, you can run a solid Broken Rooms campaign. And if you’ve got your own ideas for variations, even better. Swap out the worlds that don’t work for you and replace them with whatever you like. There’s even some advice later on (see page 230) about how to customize the Nearside to your precise liking. As big as the setting seems when you first start reading, it won’t always feel that way. Once the characters start revisiting worlds multiple times, the Nearside starts shrinking fast. Eventually, in fact, characters should start to feel almost claustrophobic within the Nearside, even with 13 entire worlds to explore. By this point, characters that may have once been horrified by the concept of Convergence, or the thought of the Nearside ending may find the idea of exploring a brand new Nearside a welcome relief.

Characters Drive Stories Broken Rooms, like most roleplaying games, is designed to let GMs and players tell and share stories. While the setting may be intriguing, what’s really important about it are the stories it lets you create. Every character has his own story. These exist within the larger narrative structure of the GM’s story, true, but the priority must always be the character’s story. This is another way of saying that it’s the GM’s job to help tell every character’s story in a way that ties them all together and creates a bigger, better narrative. If you’re ever given the choice between your story and theirs? Always go with a character’s story.

Monomyth and how to use it If you haven’t read Joseph’s Campbell’s “Hero with a thousand faces,” it’s a study into the common themes

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Storytelling shared by many epic folktale narratives around the world. George Lucas reportedly used the pattern when he was writing Star Wars: A New Hope, which is one reason the movie has settled into the cultural subconscious. It was tapping into a deeply ingrained understanding that was already there. The hero gets pulled into a bigger, stranger world. He initially refuses this “call to adventure,” out of fear or lack of confidence. For a Nearsider, this can be her First Fall, which is more like a foreshadowing of the adventure. In terms of the Broken Rooms character generation process, this is closer to the “Recruitment” phase. A mentor appears who presents the hero with a magical device or talisman, giving the hero the confidence they need to actually cross the threshold and into the adventure. For a Nearsider, this is most likely the Regency Group as mentor with the magic talisman being a “magic door” — knowledge of broken rooms and how to use them. Along the way, the hero experiences various tests or trials, suffering and learning as he follows the path he has taken. He may discover something that he loves or values highly, something worth dying for. He may be tempted to abandon his adventure for this “love” but he doesn’t, because he is a hero. Next, there’s a point of resolution, where something the hero has needed to face finally gets dealt with. In Monomyth, this is usually a father figure, but for Broken Rooms characters, it could represent dealing with whatever their Divergence event was. Once this has been resolved, the hero undergoes apotheosis, a transcendent change either literally or spiritually. Often caused by death, either of the body or of an old point of view, the hero is forever changed. At this point, he has achieved the goal that he may not even have realized he had when he started out. For a Nearsider, this could be knowledge, Distance powers, or some other kind of significant gain. Having achieved his goal, the hero must now return home, but this is beset with difficulties and the need to hang on to everything that’s been learned. Overcoming these difficulties allows the character to live in both worlds — the ordinary and fantastic — and he learns to live in the moment, wherever he is.

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For characters in Broken Rooms, this last part is denied them, at least in the long term. They may feel a moment of satisfaction the first time they return home, but as their Distance increases, their ability to “cross the return threshold” diminishes until they are forced to forever be a part of the “fantastic” — and in some versions of Monomyth, this also happens. The tragedy here is that even once the character has found what he has been seeking, he will never be allowed to live “happily ever after” with it because he has been changed by the journey. In some ways, the Distance 13 Nearsider has become god-like and is standing on the cusp of a permanent change. If your campaign accepts and uses Convergence, the Distance 13 Nearsider is primed for survival into the next “universe,” reborn into an Exile.

Populate your Nearside It might seem daunting to consider populating 13 different worlds with unique and interesting NPCs. Here are a few tips and ideas to get you started. Lets look at just a few important NPC archetypes to get you started. The Mentor Usually an older person, the mentor is an “uncle/father” type who has experience he is willing to share with the character. In a Broken Rooms campaign, the mentor is almost always another Nearsider, a more experienced and well-traveled figure that steps up to teach the character about her new reality. The mentor

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Storytelling gives the newly fledged Nearsider advice and direction on what’s out there, how to use her Distance powers and what she needs to watch out for. The mentor could be an organization such as the Regency Group, though it’s always better to make it an individual. Unfortunately for mentors, it’s common for them to leave or die whenever they are no longer needed. Their death is usually a moment of change for the hero, a impetus or spurring-on that comes just at the right time. The hero and the mentor never face the “big bad” together, at least not at the end. If there is a showdown mid-way through the story, the mentor dies to let the hero get away. Mentors who leave are usually spirited away by the villain’s mooks, or are rendered powerless and silent in some other way. Regardless, the result if the same: The hero is on his own. It’s a good idea to look at your group’s MPHAs and see if the players have suggested any potential mentor figures. It’s always better if the mentor has a personal connection with the character. Other possibilities include a character’s variant self, making for a fascinating if infrequently seen mentor figure. Given the risks of Displacement, this kind of mentor is going to communicate via recorded messages, email and other well-timed information drops. The Damsel The name conjures up visions of helpless princesses in high towers, but don’t take it literally. The damsel represents something that’s very important to a character, either a person or item. This “thing”is endangered somehow, usually by the villain or the dragon (see below), and may have been stolen or abducted. Whatever it is, it needs help or rescuing. This could be a nonNearsider, perhaps a loved one or family member who has become caught up in some conspiracy or other relating to the Nearside. It could be a husband, wife, boy or girlfriend, a son or daughter. It could even be a character’s variant self who has not yet experienced his First Fall. In this case, it could be the character who ends up as Mentor to his more inexperienced counterpart. If the damsel is an HbA- individual, the drama is slightly lessened because recovering them won’t require traveling to other variations. However, in the early stages of a campaign, perhaps even as part of the “call

to action,” the damsel may have been taken to somewhere on the character’s native variation. It’s also a good opportunity to reveal that a loved one is actually a Nearsider, too, or to introduce a variant loved one who may not know the character at all, if the relationship began after 2002. If it’s an item, it could be almost anything, from a personal belonging with great emotional value to a nuclear warhead that’s been taken from one variation to another. This leads us to the next archetype. The Macguffin This is almost the opposite of the damsel, insofar as it’s something that doesn’t belong to a character in any way, but she wants or needs it. The character may need to gather her forces and allies to take the Macguffin from a villain (who will feel very put out). It may be guarded by a dragon, or it might simply be lost and no one else has it. It’s valuable, of course — but unlike the damsel, its value is clear and obvious, making the Macguffin desirable by anyone who sees it. It could present a severe temptation for some characters or NPCs, enough to tempt them off the path of adventure (see above), but ultimately it’s something (or someone) the character will use only for the better good. Most importantly, it’s something that the bad guys are also after, and whoever gets it first is going to have the advantage, or just outright win. In regards to the Nearside, a Macguffin can be almost anyone or anything, though in the case of individuals, it’s usually another Nearsider because it’s too easy to just have a Macguffin lying around nearby — one must make an effort to attain the Macguffin. A character may be seeking a powerful relic to help them achieve another goal, or it could be an exile whose knowledge and experience are desperately needed. It could be as simple as finding a deadly weapon before the bad guys do. The Villain Every story needs a good villain. The very best villain will never see himself as the bad guy. He will truly believe that what he is doing is the right thing, and may even consider the characters to be the bad guys if they are acting against him. Until the characters become a serious threat to his plans, the villain

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Storytelling won’t even care about them. Any harm directed against the characters is, at first, entirely coincidental, perhaps even unintended. The villain may even be shocked to hear that he has done the characters wrong, and depending upon how the characters act against him, he may even feel like the victim. The villain should be untouchable at first, though the characters should get a few chances to strike directly at him. They will fail to completely defeat the villain, at least until the climax of the campaign. The bad guy gets away, even if his plans are foiled for the time being. Monarch is an excellent example of a villain with what it believes to be a noble cause. For some, the Regency Group are the bad guys, resistant to change and unwilling to openly involve themselves in the affairs of the Nearside. Aside from that, anyone can make a good villain. Non-Nearsiders are effective here, though limited in scope. However, a neg villain with a Nearsider Lieutenant or mooks (see below) will have a long enough arm to give characters grief no matter where they are. The Villain’s Lieutenant Not all bad guys are so “misunderstood.” Some are just black hearted, through and through. These moustache twirlers should be rare, and often make good lieutenants for the Villain. They are typically nasty pieces of work who enjoy inflicting pain and suffering just for the sake of it. Without more of a motivation than that, they need the guidance of the main villain to give them direction. The characters should spend more face time with the Lieutenants in the early parts of a campaign. They may believe that they are facing the actual villain, only to find out later than they were dealing with a high-ranking monkey, rather than the organ grinder. The Mooks Mooks are the nameless thugs that back up the Villain. You will never see the Villain and the mooks together in the same place. The mooks answer to the Lieutenant and any time you see him, the mooks will be nearby. They are thrown at the characters

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time and again to block or compel them, as needed. They are the men writer Raymond Chandler was talking about when he said “when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.” Mooks are far from faceless, and they are not cannon fodder, because Broken Rooms isn’t that kind of game. They are probably strong, probably not as smart as the characters, and they are almost certainly being paid by the Lieutenant to do his dirty work. They will not choose to die for their boss, and they are going to run if they don’t have the advantage in a particular situation. Their main role is to stand around looking scary and, if necessary, come through the door with guns. It can be fun to have recurring mooks turn up, familiar faces that the characters encounter again and again. Eventually, they’ll need names and perhaps even MPHAs of their own. Every mook certainly does not need to have a detailed background story, but players and their characters should never lose sight of the fact that even Mooks are real people. Should players not get that, or start treating these NPCs like faceless villains, hammer this point home emotionally, with a character discovering a photograph of the murdered mook’s children, or perhaps a ticket stub to an amusement park. This might seem almost comic, but it’s actually pathos, comedy’s flip side. If you can evoke even a moment of regret, then you’ve done your job right.

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Storytelling The Dragon Every story needs a monster. Sometimes it’s a real dragon. Sometimes it’s the Villain’s true nature, his anger unleashed. The Dragon looms over the characters long before they face it. It’s something they know is waiting for them, something they must eventually seek out and defeat. The Dragon exists as an obstacle to overcome, though not easily. Whatever their goal, the characters cannot achieve it without facing and beating the Dragon. It can be an actual stand-up fight, or it can be a battle of wits. The characters may need a “magic item” to kill the Dragon, which requires an entirely separate quest to acquire. The Dragon is not the Villain. It may be a tool of the Villain, wanting to be freed itself, or it could be guarding something the characters need to defeat the Villain. In this case, the Dragon truly is a metaphorical test, requiring the characters to prove themselves by overcoming it, making them realize that they are now ready to take on the Villain. The Nearside has no shortage of monsters, with the K’thari, the PREACHER-infected, the various nightmares of the Reef and more. On some worlds, there’s no direct threat, but there’s always something. On Vanished, the Dragon could be a pack of wild feral dogs, or a terrible storm that’s looming over everything the characters try to do. On Hothouse or Icebox, it’s the heat or the cold. Either way, it’s not a routine encounter, nor should survival be assumed. If anyone’s going to die, it’s often while facing the Dragon. It should be noted that this is an excellent opportunity for the mentor to die in self-sacrifice.

Where to start the campaign Should characters be completely ignorant of the Nearside, aside from a bizarre First Fall experience, or should they have some basic knowledge about the network of worlds and what’s happening out there? If players have their own copy of the Broken Rooms RPG, it might make sense to start the game a little after First Fall, with characters traveling on their own, together, or as newly minted Regency Group operatives. Players with little or no knowledge of Broken Rooms and the background can be introduced more slowly to the game and its base concepts, especially given the potential complexity of the setting.

Pacing and Travel It is worth restating the following: No one travels until the GM is ready. No matter how hungry players are to get moving to other variations, it doesn’t have to happen until you are comfortable with moving the campaign to a new world. But it’s your responsibility to get ready. The game is about travel, so make sure that travel is a part of your plans, whether it’s in the first 5 minutes of session one (which it shouldn’t be, see below), or three sessions in. As for the destination, that’s not entirely up to you as GM. You should always be listening to the players, because they are very likely to have strong opinions about where they want to go first (or next). Are they itching for a fight? Are they in the mood for a slower, more melancholy session? Are they eager for some high adventure? There’s a world for each of those. In fact, you can find those kinds of things on most worlds, but they players are still going to be loudly transmitting their preferences. But it’s not totally up to them. Each player’s story is more important than your story, but as GM it’s your story that gives players the chance to tell and share theirs. If your story needs a trip to Earth3, then that’s where you’re all going — but if the players want a fight, have them run into raiders on the other side. If they have to go to Earth4 for the story and the players want something more thoughtful, have them travel to Paris to take a broken room, only to emerge in the ruins of the once-beautiful city. Travel within a Session Part of the bigger discussion about pacing, the timing of travel within an individual session, can also make a difference. It’s a good idea to end a session just as the characters leave one world but before they arrive on another. This is especially effective in the early part of a campaign, while characters (and players) are traveling to new worlds for the first time. First, it draws a line under the world they’ve just left, allowing players to decompress. The next session starts off fresh on the new world, letting you treat the arrival with a sense of occasion. Second, it gives you time between sessions to prepare. A new variation can be a very different place

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Storytelling from the one the characters just left, and it’s your job as GM to effectively portray these differences to the players. This is easier if you time arrival to the start of a new session. Travel & the First Session The exception to pacing travel is in the very first session, especially if it includes First Fall or Recruitment. Like the pilot episode of a TV show, you have to have a little bit of every element of the setting to whet appetites and hint at what’s to come. That might necessitate a few quick visits to one or two variations to set things up. Bringing the characters home after something like this will quickly give them a hunger for getting back out there. Travel & the Second Session Having given the characters a taste of travel, now’s the time to hold it back, just for a session. The second session will benefit from no travel at all. Travel should not feel even remotely routine yet, and should still feel like a rare and exciting event. Characters should not assume that every session will include a trip through a broken room. Later Sessions After the characters have become more familiar with the other worlds (and as you do too), travel should start to feel a little more routine and you can place it more in the middle of each session. This will diminish that sense of awe and occasion you worked hard to portray in the earlier part of the campaign, and help to turn the vastness of the Nearside into something much smaller. By this point in the campaign, the Nearside is no longer the star of the show, but is truly the backdrop. Cliffhangers and other critical dramatic moments must now revolve around the characters, their story arcs and personal revelations.

Threats and Conflict Without something to stand in their way, the characters are going to have a fairly dull time, even if they do get to explore a dozen new parallel worlds. The basis of all drama is conflict, and the best source of conflict are other people (and monsters).

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Delaying Travel

One useful GM tool is the Opener’s ability to totally mess up a broken room’s rotation by opening it early. You can use this to keep characters on a particular variation, or force them to find a different broken room. Groups with very powerful Openers may not have to worry as much about this issue, but it can still help you control pacing. Another tool you can use are the risks presented by using an unknown broken room. Just because the room is safe and accessible on one variation, doesn’t mean it’s safe and accessible on another. Characters could find themselves appearing inside a lava-filled crater on one world instead of the comfortable motel room from which they departed. Present the characters with these risks, and encourage them to thoroughly research their destination prior to a trip through a broken room. Otherwise, they are welcome to wait and use a more trafficked and well-known broken room — with the risks and inconveniences that entails.

Threats Finding foes for the characters isn’t going to be difficult — though it’s going to heavily depend upon where your campaign starts and where it goes. Threats are both carrot and stick — when they tie in closely with a character’s MPHA, they can be a source of story ideas as the character attempts to avoid or resolve her shady relationships. A character may decide to run from the problem until she is ready to deal with it, and then that turns into a whole different kind of story. Ordinary Villains The default campaign starts on Earth1, which will be the characters’ home variation. You can find entire campaigns-worth of conflict and danger on even the Ordinary World. Depending upon their MPHAs, characters may have been involved with all kinds of bad people — crime syndicates, the Mafia, drug lords, street gangs ... these are all potential threats. Characters who come from the wrong side of the tracks may have enemies among the “good guys,” such as the police, government or even military. Having to avoid the authorities gets easier when you can just leave

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Storytelling the planet, though it can be difficult if you’re wanted on several parallel worlds ... World-Hopping Dangers Some problems can’t be outrun just by traveling to another variation. Characters can make enemies of any of the Nearsider organizations. In the default campaign, the Regency Group attempts to recruit the characters. Should they be successful (and we’ll assume they are, at least at first), characters will suddenly pick up a whole swath of opponents, all of whom have reason to hate or distrust Regency. While Monarch is not precisely “anti-Regency,” that will certainly be what new recruits are told. Other groups dislike Regency’s attempts to categorize and map everything and everyone, while others feel that Regency isn’t doing enough to help alleviate the suffering and death across the Nearside. Other Nearsiders It’s all-too-easy to make enemies of individual Nearsiders. Simply looking the wrong way at a very Distant Nearsider can be enough to get his undivided attention, which is rarely a good thing. Likewise, with so many Nearsiders pursuing their own agendas, conflict is inevitable. Lacunae A collective name for all the non-human entities across the Nearside, the term Lacunae comes from lacuna, meaning a space, or gap, or a missing portion of a book or a person’s memory. It’s used in Nearsider circles to describe the theoretical space between variations, the gap between realities bridged by a broken room. The various entities across the Nearside are collectively termed Lacunae, perhaps as a nod to this gap between the ordinary world and the madness of the Nearside. Not every variation has “native” Lacunae, but many do. Those worlds without them have had brief incursions of some creatures, brought through either unwittingly or on purpose by Nearsiders. Malvolents, for example, can be brought through in the form of their egg sacs, which quickly develop into a full-sized creature. However, like all “exported” Lacunae, they do not survive long on another variation, or are incredibly weak compared to their full potential on their native world. As the GM, it’s completely up to you how easy and

often other creatures come through a broken room. They will need a Nearsider to come through, either carrying them or as a host to their larvae, but it can and will happen. What you should try to avoid is a K’thari invasion force coming through broken rooms all over the world, — unless it fits your story, in which case ignore our rules and guidelines and go for it.

Conflict Once you have a handle on the kinds of threats out there, it’s time to consider how they will come into conflict. This is critical to your campaign and story because drama comes from conflict. Certain kinds of conflict create different kinds of stories. Making a difficult choice between which sports car to spend your lottery winnings on isn’t really a very dramatic conflict. Deciding who you’re going to feed with your last remaining pack of rations on a world that’s dying is somewhat more intriguing. Individuals Versus the Nearside The very existence of the Nearside is a challenge to many people’s world view. Just because you can travel from one world to another doesn’t mean you’ll want to. While all Nearsiders do feel a deep urge to keep moving, some resist the drive. The Nearside is a dangerous place, and many individuals would rather be bored and safe. The Nearside also holds many dangers of a more personal kind. A deceased loved one may be out there somewhere, offering a second chance to say something you always meant to say. Or it might mean that there’s a second chance for your loved one to tell you they hate you. Nearsiders Versus Various Hazardous Environment The Nearside has worlds with varying degrees of environmental inhospitality. Nearsiders risk extreme cold, blistering heat, acid rain and storms more powerful than any seen on Earth1. Even with the proper equipment and preparation, these conditions can be fatal. Nearsiders will have to learn how to handle extreme conditions on multiple variations. The Regency Group Versus Monarch At the heart of the conflict between the Nearside’s

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Storytelling two most influential organizations is Convergence and each group’s opinion on what might or might not happen if the alternate realities come back together. Related to this are the organizations’ attitudes toward the Nearside and those who live on each world, as well as the Nearsiders who travel between them. Monarch believes Nearsiders are the only people that matter — indeed, that they are the only people who are even real across the Nearside. The constant cycle of Divergence and Convergence has convinced Monarch that the billions of negs suffering across the Nearside are background noise, that their worlds come in and out of existence so often that they are rendered meaningless. Only the natives of Earth1 matter, since that’s the real world, but even they might not be as important as Nearsiders. Regency believes that everyone matters, regardless of whether this is the first, last or only Nearside. But if given their way, they would end the cycle of birth/death/rebirth and prevent any needless suffering. Just because a reality is parallel and new doesn’t mean it’s any less real. Regency doesn’t know how to end the cycle, and if faced with the chance, might not have the courage to take that final step. But in the meantime, it does what it can to help and prevent Monarch from taking advantage of each variation for its own purposes. C13 Versus Everyone Little more than an angry group of anarchists, C13 doesn’t really like anyone who wants to control the Nearside or those who walk it. They tend to focus their more violent proclivities on Monarch operations or smaller black-hat INDIGOs (indigenous organizations) across the Nearside, leaving Regency more or less alone unless they cause problems for C13. Still, it can be annoying for a character to have her plans stymied by C13, if not downright deadly. Project Nearside Versus the Rest of the Nearside The Regency Group’s bastard child, Project Nearside, is one of the more proactive INDIGOs, with operatives on almost every variation. In some ways, Project

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Nearside is the “what if” of the original Nearside Project. That said, Project Nearside’s motivations are understandable: protect its world from dangerous incursions from elsewhere on the Nearside. Unfortunately, its definition of “dangerous” includes everyone with a Hindbrain Anomaly. In some ways, Project Nearside has taken on an impossibly huge task, but that doesn’t stop them being devious and merciless. Characters may end up sympathizing with Project Nearside even as they fight against them. Individuals Versus their Counterparts It’s entirely possible that one or more of a character’s variant selves might view the player’s version of the character as either a threat to be dealt with or a problem to solve. Those counterparts who live on very hostile variations might see Earth1 as a safe place, a refuge from the horror. While it’s relatively safe for two versions of the same person to coexist on the same variation, they need to be fairly far apart and unlikely to accidentally bump into each other to avoid risking Displacement. Individuals Versus Themselves In a game where characters can literally be their own worst enemies (or at least, another version of the characters can be), Nearsiders face their own demons. Dealing with their Divergence event is one thing. Discovering that you can run away from your problems and leave them behind on Earth1 is another thing. Not every character will be trying to find or fix something on his travels. Many are going to be avoiding issues and hiding from the real problem, which could be themselves. Lacunae versus Nearsiders It’s not that Lacunae deliberately target Nearsiders, it’s that Nearsiders tend to get involved in situations that put them right on the front line. That said, some of the more intelligent Lacunae are aware of the Nearside in some fashion, especially given the strange powers exhibited by a few of those pesky humans. The K’thari might well be experimenting with Nearsiders, causing them such pain and suffering as to force open broken rooms where they can sit like spiders, waiting for unsuspecting visitors to come through.

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Storytelling The consensual entities of the Reef are a stranger group of entities. The Malvolents, especially, seem to sense Nearsiders and come after them. Perhaps they sense the presence of the HbA and realize on some level that those that possess it pose a very real threat.

Campaign Models

Children of an Ordinary World The Broken Rooms RPG assumes that, for first-time players at least, the default campaign model starts on Earth1, with all characters being native to the Ordinary World. Among the many reasons to start on the Ordinary World, the most important is that it allows you to establish a familiar normality, a mundane routine for the characters in stark contrast to the chaos, danger and excitement of the Nearside. Characters don’t start out working for the Regency Group, though eventually they will be approached by the Group who will offer answers in return for service. The default campaign presents a slow-burn mystery, where the characters briefly encounter strangeness (via First Fall or some other Nearside-related incident) and come together to try to find out what happened. Characters should be fairly ordinary. Housewives, office workers and beat cops are all great examples of characters that may not, at first, seem like typical heroes, but who all have the potential to become powerful figures on the Nearside. If your players would like a more action-packed campaign, their characters could be ex-military, police or FBI agents assigned to a seemingly mundane case that soon turns out to be deeply connected to the Nearside. At first, groups like Regency and Monarch may appear shadowy and sinister. For all the characters know, they might be to blame for what happened. At some point in the first or second session, Regency agents will step forward and help the characters, either saving their lives or helping them return to Earth1 after an unexpected journey to another variation. Characters shouldn’t get an uncomfortable infodump as soon as they sign up with Regency. There should be a trickle of information prior to any official contact or recruitment. NPCs are a perfect source of information and disinformation. Have another Nearsider give advice to the characters that’s either partially correct or even completely untrue. Characters should

hear different things from different NPCs, often contradictory. This keeps characters and players on their toes, since they won’t be sure who’s telling the truth, if anyone. Characters should end up with even more unanswered questions after dealing with NPCs, questions that they feel might get answered by the Regency Group. Once the characters join the Regency Group, it’s not a guarantee of full disclosure. Instead, the Group will spoon-feed useful information to the characters, such as how to handle other Nearsiders and how to master their own emerging Distance Powers. Even as they learn more about the Regency Group and the Nearside, characters should not immediately trust anyone, except maybe each other. Characters asking questions will either be ignored or told that answers will be given later, or when appropriate. Regency will keep them focused on the task at hand rather than risk any dangerous distractions. At this point, you can take the campaign in any direction you wish. This model just encourages the slow, steady introduction of basic concepts while giving you all the control you need to get to grips with the Nearside. Within the first three or four sessions, the characters should have traveled to at least two or three worlds, perhaps only briefly to one of those. They should be introduced to the major concepts of travel via broken rooms, use of Distance powers, Attunement and the overall nastiness of the Nearside. They will still have unanswered questions — hopefully every time they get an answer to one of those questions, that answer only generates more questions.

The Nearside Files The Ordinary World is not a boring place for Nearsiders, or for those investigating them. A campaign could run for several sessions without characters ever traveling. It’s possible to play an investigation campaign where the characters are in federal law enforcement or are working for an intelligence agency where they have to deal with the strange consequences of Nearsiders, Distance powers, broken rooms and more. In such a campaign, characters may be negs, or “Nearlysiders.” Regency is also responsible for protecting Earth1 and cleaning up the messes left by visiting Nearsiders. Regency operate an “Editorial Department,”

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Storytelling consisting of a Reader, a Writer and an armed neg escort; this team’s only responsibility is to visit scenes where negs have witnessed a Nearsiderelated incident and altering their memories. Sightings of ghosts, bigfoot or UFOs are often the result of a visit from the Editorial Department.

Fringeside There haven’t been a lot of good TV shows about parallel realities, but a very recent one comes to mind. One of the most interesting inspirations for a Broken Rooms campaign has the characters working for an organization dedicated to stopping travel between worlds. Protecting your own world is a very valid position. It’s what Project Nearside is doing on Earth4. Treating Nearsiders as the enemy becomes even more dramatic when you are a Nearsider, too. If the best defense is a good offense, then protecting your home variation may require traveling to other worlds to strike first.

Switch and Bait (Advanced Model) In this model, characters start on another variation, but they think it’s the real world. This is a great model to use for players who aren’t familiar with the Broken Rooms RPG. The parallel worlds twist could be very exciting if you’re not expecting it. When characters eventually travel, the Ordinary World should be their first destination. The players will realize that they have been on a parallel world all along, while their characters will still be convinced that their world is the “real one.”

A Dozen Different Suns (Advanced Model) Here, each character comes from a different variation and no one comes from the Ordinary World. This is best saved for groups who have already played Broken Rooms because everyone will have a level of knowledge and comfort with the basic premise of the background, so you can jump right into the main story. If one or two players haven’t played Broken Rooms before, it can be fun to set up the more experienced players as mentors to the newer Nearsiders, perhaps with a secret agenda you’ve worked out with them ahead of time.

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Getting the Characters Together One challenge every GM faces, especially with a new campaign, is how to bring the characters together. Nearsiders don’t grow on trees, so it may seem like a stretch if they already know each other prior to Divergence or First Fall. It might seem even more unlikely to have two or more characters experiencing First Fall together. However, given the nature of personal Divergence, there can easily be story-based justifications for having characters share their experiences.

Shared Divergence A personal Divergence event is just that: personal. But it can also occur during an incident that affects many people, some of whom may also experience Divergence as a result. e.g. Tom and Jeff are discussing their new character’s MPHAs with the GM. They ask if their characters can have similar Divergence events and the GM agrees, asking them to describe how it happened. He stipulates that their characters must not know each other before the event and must experience loss as a result of the event. Tom and Jeff suggest that on Aug. 13, 2002, their characters and their families are both on the same passenger jet on a flight from New York to Los Angeles when it experiences a serious malfunction. As the plane dives toward a serious crash, both their characters experience terror and fear, and realize that they and their loved ones are going to die. They describe the plane crash and how they and a few others survive, but their loved ones die. During their recovery in hospital and the subsequent inquiry, the two characters meet and become friends, bonded by their shared loss. Later, when they separately experience First Fall, they seek each other out to try and discover what happened. The GM thinks this is OK, and that it certainly acts as a bonding experience for both characters.

Shared First Fall Two or more HbA+ characters may experience First Fall together if the dangerous or stressful event occurs to them both at the same time. This is especially interesting if another Nearsider is responsible in some way for the First Fall.

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Storytelling e.g. Matt and Jamie’s characters both experienced completely different personal Divergence events, a thousand miles apart. However, fate brings them both to the same business conference on the same weekend. The two strangers are both sitting in the same seminar when an announcement comes over the speaker system. There has been a bomb threat, and everyone is asked to leave the conference center. As they make their way out, an explosion occurs, killing and injuring many. Matt and Jamie’s characters wake up buried under rubble. They are pulled out, not by emergency crews, but by a scruffy group of starved refugees into a cold, dark and devastated version of the city they were just in. Rain and sleet fall, even though it’s summer. The characters realize that something impossible has just happened.

Shared Recruitment Organizations such as The Regency Group, Monarch and C13 exist, in part, to help the GM gather characters together at the start of the campaign. Walk each character through Divergence and First Fall separately, up to the point of Recruitment. As the organization approaches each character and makes them an offer, the other characters can watch and anticipate how it’ll happen for them. You can then involve each already-hired character in the Recruitment of the next one. This can be a fun and fast-paced process, a brief 5-minute vignette for each of the characters as they are approached and given the offer and a phone number to call, or an address and a date and time. It’s the same date and time for each character, of course, so when they arrive, they arrive together, curious and wondering why these other strangers are involved. e.g. Bill is teaching a high school class when the principal arrives at his door with a man in a tidy black suit. The man tells Bill that he’s needed somewhere else. Bill is confused, but when the man says that he knows what happened to Bill last week, and knows where he went, that’s enough to get Bill’s attention. As they leave, the man tells Bill that he’s about to start a whole new career, one that pays triple his teacher’s salary ... Then the GM switches to the next character, without a break.

Trying to forget her recent First Fall that took her to Earth4, Annie is working at a downtown bar when a woman in a business suit sits down and orders an orange juice. Annie gets her the drink, and the woman hands her an unfamiliar kind of bank note. On the back is a picture of a space shuttle, the note is from the Western Coalition Bank. Annie’s seen one of these notes before, but not on this world. She stares at the woman, who just smiles back and hands her a mobile phone. “There’s someone who wants to speak to you,” she says politely, “someone who can answer the question that’s running through your head right now.” And then the GM switches again. Everyone gets a turn and gets to share in each other’s form of Recruitment. When the characters finally meet, at a Regency training facility (or somewhere else), this experience is one more thing they have in common.

Gamemaster Tips Always say Yes

It’s been said a lot in the Broken Rooms RPG, but it’s important: as GM, one of your responsibilities is to always try to find a way to say yes — or at least, to not say no — when a player wants to try something. It really comes down to two choices: yes or roll dice. Yes is good. Yes moves the story forward, and lets players stay in control of their character’s fates. Players like that. Momentum, in many senses of the word, is a critical part of running Broken Rooms and any kind of pause or lag in the game takes away from that. Rolling dice puts the outcome firmly in the player’s hands. They can certainly attempt the action, but there’s a chance of failure, resulting in potentially serious consequences. If players want to do something that their characters really just couldn’t do, it’s OK to let them try and fail. For instance, a character with no stealth skills to speak of probably can’t sneak their way into a Monarch-run outpost, but they should always be allowed to make an Action Check, probably at a penalty, even if they’ll be seen and caught. Failure is fine, and sometimes it takes the story in an interesting direction. You may not have intended to have the characters captured by Monarch, but it can still move the story forward — just in an unexpected direction.

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Storytelling Failure also reminds players that their characters have limits, and might be a sign that the player isn’t sticking to his original character concept, and perhaps needs to develop his character in a new direction. Eventually, after earning some experience points, players can buy the Skills or Qualities they need to better match the new direction they wish to take, and all will be well. Sometimes, no matter how many times a player asks, what they want to try is just impossible. No matter how hard a character tries, they are not going to be able to breathe in a vacuum, nor are they going to be able to talk a K’thari into playing a game of poker. If players are constantly attempting impossible or illogical actions, this can be a sign that they might be bored with the story, or the pacing of the scene. This is an excellent time to move on.

Be Prepared, but be flexible Preparation is good. It’s essential until you’re comfortable enough with the rules and setting to start winging things. That said, the only thing worse than no preparation is too much. If you’ve been running games for even a little while, you’ll know that no scenario or adventure survives contact with the enemy, er, players. They are always smarter than you think they are, and no matter how much you try to anticipate their every

move, they will surprise you. And that’s brilliant. Some of the best twists and storylines come from players surprising you. A casual suggestion or throw-away remark can inspire you right then and there. Sometimes players will speculate wildly about what’s really going on in your story, and their idea will be so much better than yours. Just change the plot slightly so that they were nearly completely correct. That’s a nice reward for attentive players.

Pay attention to MPHA Between character concepts, Divergence events and their motivation, personality, history and appearance, most players put a lot of effort into developing wellrounded and interesting characters. That’s their job. Your job is to get to know each character’s MPHA and to weave threads from there into your storylines. Good players will give you lots to work with, providing all kinds of hooks and plot ideas. Use them sparingly and give every character equal time (as best you can). Some players put more effort into their MPHA than others. This isn’t always a sign of lesser or greater interest, but it can be. Players with less developed MPHAs may just be giving you permission to throw anything you want at those characters. It’s still important to give everyone a chance to shine.

Maintaining that First-Time Feeling

The first few times you play, everyone is exploring the Nearside together. As you, the players and their characters play more, you will all get to know the worlds much better. Eventually it may seem like everyone knows the place inside and out. From a story arc point of view, that’s inevitable. It reflects the feelings that the characters should be having. The Nearside, for all its size and wonder, can seem like a small place, just as the world will seem smaller to someone who travels a great deal. Travel broadens the mind, but it always makes the world seem smaller, too. Eventually, characters should start to feel a bit bored. This ennui is part of being very Distant, and is part of the detachment process a Nearsider goes through. It’s one of the reasons many Nearsiders look forward to Convergence, as it’s a chance to start over on a new set of variations and to begin that exploration process all over again. So what happens if experienced players want to start over with new characters and the current version of the Nearside? The Nearside is only as interesting as the characters who explore it. Every character should have a different reason for traveling, a different connection with the Nearside and a different reaction to what they see. If your first campaign was Regency-focused, then make them the bad guys this time. If this first campaign was Earth1-heavy, start the new campaign on an entirely different variation. Have the game start with the K’thari Invasion, or with the first fragments of Nemesis screaming out of the sky. The Nearside really is a big place, and there are always opportunities to take characters (and their players) places they’ve never been. If you’ve run a truly epic campaign that has taken each character to every world, and developed each character all the way up to Distance 13? They’ve earned a new Nearside via Convergence. Whether you want to create 13 new worlds, six or just one giant parallel reality, the Nearside belongs to you and your players now, so make it your own.

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Storytelling Equal Time It’s impossible to completely balance player time. Some players are simply louder than others and seek the spotlight. Others enjoy the spectacle and actually prefer to quietly watch (and then do something devastatingly clever that steals the show). This mix of player types is absolutely OK and is, in fact, essential. A group filled only with brassy proactive players is a GM’s nightmare, as is a group made up entirely from the more withdrawn kind of player. Still, don’t let one or two players (or characters) dominate the session. In long-term campaigns, this can and should happen — if a particular story has come to the point where one or two characters are about to resolve an important plot line, then it’s appropriate to concentrate on them. One of your (many) responsibilities as GM is to take characters and weave them into the overall storyline by taking a character’s strengths and weaknesses and creating situations in the campaign that are best resolved by a particular character’s skill set, background or qualities. There should be many such moments throughout each session, and GMs are encouraged to go out of their way to give every character their time in the spotlight. It’s not always only about what the character does well. Consider his flaws, too and think about how his Divergence event and related personal loss can echo forward and throughout the campaign.

Take notes As a GM, you’ll be constantly required to make stuff up on the spot. Names are a great example. For some reason, every player eventually takes an inexplicable interest in one of these unimportant extras. You’ll need to make up names for waitresses, civil servants, cab drivers and pizza delivery guys. Write those names down with a brief note about who, where and when because you never know when one of these once faceless NPCs could come back and turn out to be someone really important. You’ll look smart if it seems like you planned it all along. As players mention ideas and theories, always be writing, just in case they come up with something you can use later. Encourage your players to take notes, too. Not every character has the “Photographic Memory” Quality, and while it may not be realistic to let players refer to notes

every time their character has to remember a name or date, it’s much better than having to remind them out of character. Notes help keep the game moving forward for everyone. It can also be useful to have one or two players recap the events of the previous session to everyone in the group. As GM, you can chime in now and then with corrections or clarifications. It’s also very valuable for a GM to hear a player’s version of what happened — you might be surprised at what stuck in players’ minds. Take notes about what your players found especially memorable and give them more of that in subsequent sessions.

Make Consistent Judgment Calls Sometimes, you’ll need to make a quick decisions about how to cover a situation not covered in the rules. There is nothing wrong with talking it over with the players, but that should happen later. To keep the story moving, make a decision and stick with it, at least until the end of the session. That’s the time to talk about it and decide if a different decision needs to be made. As always, with any rule decisions, if it’s a matter of life or death for the characters, make sure to rule in favor of moving the story forward. This will almost always be a good thing for the players, but don’t worry — they will have many opportunities to get themselves killed honestly instead of by a quirk of the rule system. All things being equal, in any situation where the rules aren’t clear (or don’t help) and there’s a decision that must be made, always take the path that moves the story forward — or makes it even better. This will tend to also favor the characters over NPCs, which is how it should be.

Create memorable enemies The single most important thing about a memorable enemy is to give them realistic and complex motivations. It’s been said before, but no one ever thinks of himself as a villain. Misunderstood, perhaps, but even the most insane and brutal individual or organization has goals they wish to achieve, for their own betterment or the world’s. The best bad guys truly believe in what they are doing and may even believe they are

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Storytelling helping the characters out. A villain may consider the characters to be potential allies or friends. When he eventually realizes that the characters are opposed to his plans, he might even be surprised or upset. From then on he’ll consider the characters as his enemies, which can inform all future interactions in a very interesting way. In short, don’t do stereotypes and don’t do the expected. Surprise the players with unexpected actions and decisions that leave them second guessing the villain’s plans and perhaps their own perception of their foe.

Playing God You may like some of the 13 variations in Broken Rooms more than others. That’s OK. Broken Rooms is designed to be a sandbox in which you can build whatever game you want to play. Feel free to change the K’thari from insects to reptiles, or change Nemesis into a comet and make the impact less destructive. It’s completely up to you. It is also absolutely correct to dump variations you don’t like and replace them with your own.

Getting Started First, you can just ask “what if?” What if aliens invaded? What if an asteroid hit the planet? What if everyone vanished? Those are the what-ifs for Earths2, Earth3 and Earth4. For the purposes of creating a new variation, make the Divergence event and then start to think through the consequences of that event. The second method is to take your idea for a weird and interesting current-day setting and backengineer it to one single moment of global change in 2002 (or whatever year you choose). That’s your Divergence event, and that’s where your new variation begins. For example, you might be watching a TV show about alien visitors promising medical miracles and peace. You like the thought of a secret underground resistance force trying to prevent the aliens from advancing their real agenda. From there, it’s easy to say that the aliens arrived on Aug. 13, 2002, with their bright shiny ships appearing in orbit over major cities. Take the idea and

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run with it. Consider all the things that could have happened on Aug. 13, 2002 and make it happen.

Walk through the timeline Next, consider the consequences of the Divergence event, both immediate and in the long term. What major events will still have occurred since Aug. 13, 2002, or could not have occurred? Would things have gone in a different direction? Perhaps a war would have not started, or a new war starts instead. Think about what the first five minutes after your Divergence event were like. Then think about the first hour. Then the first day, the first week, the first month, the first year and you’ll soon be constructing your variation’s alternate history. Using the example above, let’s think about how the world reacted to the arrival of “friendly” aliens? Was there panic or elation? Did the military counterattack out of fear or were diplomats on their way to the motherships before they’d even slowed down? How did the major institutions react: the church, government, military and media? The first five minutes were panic-stricken, with people praying and hiding in their homes. After an hour, there was still fear, but also curiosity, as the aliens had said and done nothing since their arrival. A couple of hours later, the aliens announce that they are here in peace and bring technology and medical advances for all mankind. The rest of that day is filled with jubilation and hope, while deeply suspicious authorities attempt to contact the aliens and figure out what’s really going on. The first week sees the aliens coming to the Unit-

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Storytelling ed Nations and speaking to humanity. They request only water in return for their help, from the oceans. They will barely take enough to lower sea levels by a foot, which is met with some relief by ecologists. In return, they’ll slowly begin to give out advanced technologies. The first month sees humanity settled down with the visito … uh, arrivees, with TV interviews, reality shows and magazines dedicated to humanity’s saviors. Only the church remains vocal about being cautious, while some individuals begin to investigate what the aliens are really up to. And so on. By the end of the first year, you can have the initial “terrorist” attacks taking place against alien ships and buildings, with the truth slowly coming out, past the stranglehold the aliens now have on the media.

The Nearside Effect Now that you have your variation’s background worked out, consider what effect the Nearside would have on your variation, and vice versa. Now we get into some “game stuff.” Nearsiders should have some kind of advantage on this variation, something that resident non-Nearsiders can’t do. The ability to travel is only one of those things, but it’s the default that all characters get. There may be a Meridian that’s especially useful on your variation — think about what

that could be, and why it’s so useful. Finally, is there a localized environmental effect to which Nearsiders are either immune or resistant? As mentioned previously, you should think of Nearsiders as an “immune system,” unknowingly dedicated to protecting the Nearside and its inhabitants against whatever change or intrusion has taken place. This will help you place Nearsiders into the right context for your variation. In the above example, we fast forward to 2011 when the aliens have consolidated much of their power and are now openly in control of humanity. They have all the water they want, now they are harvesting humans for food. They have laced the air and water with a psychoactive chemical that makes humans slightly more docile, and completely unable to defend against the alien’s mild telepathic control. As a result, there is almost no violence anymore, while aliens are able to walk the streets and simply take people away to eat, with no resistance offered. First of all, Nearsiders should be immune to the chemical and to the alien’s telepathic control. This sets them apart (and remember that being detached and distant from humanity is an important theme in the game, as it describes the ultimate fate of each Near-

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Storytelling sider) and also gives them a slight advantage against the unsuspecting aliens. A couple of Distance powers could be useful here. The first, Writing, could be used to counter alien mental control. The second, Mending, could be used to immunize negs against both the chemical and telepathy.

The Long-Term Future What’s this world’s ultimate fate? If you buy into the Convergence concept, each world faces a significant and dramatically negative fate 13 years after the Divergence event. Consider what that variation’s story arc looks like, how it, as a kind of character, is going to develop and change. In our example, this could go in a few directions. One would be that the full alien invasion fleet is due to arrive in 2015, and rumors have already started to circulate about this next wave of arrivals. The aliens’ plan may reach fruition in other ways, from an all-out effort to round up the remaining humans for freezepacking, or a “salt the Earth” plan, where the aliens leave, but not without poisoning the planet with chemical and biological weapons.

it’s only a matter of time before their advanced medical technology discovers the HbA. Will the aliens try to replicate the anomaly in hopes of invading other variations? Have they their own version of Nearsiders, aliens with HbAs, that are happy to flee their own reality in search of something better for themselves? Humans may be a threat here, too, from the alien sympathizers and governments that are benefiting from collusion. Some freedom fighters may consider Nearsiders to either be some kind of alien-hybrid, or another invading force altogether — just one more enemy to fight. If you’re building your own Nearside, the only other things to consider are whatever overarching themes you might want to portray, or how some worlds interact with each other, at least thematically, and potentially in terms of actual back-and-forth. For example, Fallsteel specifically requires meteoric iron from Earth3, yet it’s useful on many other variations, especially as weaponry against Lacunae. As long as you follow the guidelines presented above, you’ll find it pretty easy to develop variations from scratch.

Setting the Scene Just as you did when you were developing the variation, think about what characters will see and hear when they first arrive on this world. What do they see and experience in their first five minutes here, first day, week, and so on? Consider what the various Nearsider organizations are doing here, and what their agendas are. Is there a significant natural resource that’s suddenly easier to access? Monarch will like that. Are there widespread violations of human rights? The Regency Group is going to get pulled in, no matter how much they try to avoid it.

Making Threats A safe variation is, potentially, a boring variation, so what risks will a character face on your new variation? Some dangers may be generic, while others may only be a problem for Nearsiders. Obviously, the aliens are a big threat. For Nearsiders, however, there’s more at stake. Aliens will have noticed that a few humans are immune, and

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11: A Dreadful Mission

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he following sample scenario is designed to quickly expose gamemasters and players to roleplaying, combat and travel via broken rooms. Characters will need to use their Meridians to successfully complete the mission in time. It is suggested that GMs limit actual gameplay to two hours to build a sense of urgency and keep the game’s momentum flowing.

GM Background As agents of Regency on Earth1, the characters have been ordered to go to Earth8 and rendezvous with Jessica Heyn, who has been stationed there for two years. The variation, also known as Dread, will be destroyed by an approaching black hole (named Damocles) in 2015. Everyone on Earth8 knows this, which has contributed to the fall of society. Areas of martial law abut areas of lawlessness, some multistate areas are completely controlled by organized crime. Slavery is rampant, and there are a huge number of doomsday religious cults. But it’s not all hopeless. People work to find a way to avoid destruction in safe zones, which are government-controlled research and development centers in parts of cities that are well maintained and patrolled. Heyn is in a safe zone in Wichita, KS, at the Mid-Continent Airport. Wichita is one of the most high-tech cities in the U.S., and is known for its aerospace manufacturing sector. On Earth8, the government controls the area between the Wichita

Mid-Continent Airport and the McConnell Airforce Base, but the rest of the city is lawless. Near the same location on Earth1, there is a broken room in a maintenance shed in a park, which exits very near, but not in, the safe zone. On Earth8, the park is home to a tent city. Many in the tent city trade drugs, firearms and other contraband for the food and water rations provided to those living within the safe zone. The characters have been given IDs that will allow them to enter the safe zone where they can meet up with Heyn. They just need to cross a few hundred yards of the tent city to get to the gate. The characters will be accosted as soon as they step out of the maintenance shed, which is being used by the self-appointed “mayor” of the tent city to store alcohol he sells to those “sheltered” inside the safe zone walls. He accuses them of stealing his alcohol and a fist fight may ensue. Upon reaching the gate, they are shown to Heyn’s office, where she chides them for being late. She explains the file needed from Earth4 is on an un-networked computer in the basement of a lab on Goose Island in downtown Chicago, but doesn’t have time to tell them much more. She hands them a manila folder and whisks them away to a loading dock just in time to enter a broken room that will take them to Chicago on Earth4. Earth4 has been invaded by an alien race that mankind has fought to a stalemate. Note: Normally, broken rooms only cycle between the same location on different variations. The ability to travel between Witchita, KS, on Earth8 and Chicago on Earth4 is highly unusual. It is only made possible through the unique talents and coordinated efforts of two young Openers, who risk their health to keep the broken room open for the characters. After arriving on Earth4, they characters emerge in an abandoned service station near Goose Island, which is across the river from them. They’ll see a bleeding Opener lying on the floor.

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A Dreadful Mission Outside, they’ll note propaganda posters, strange K-tech vehicles and soldiers on leave as they look around. In the folder Heyn gave them, they’ll see a short list of orders, photos of the lab, the location of the office and the name of the file, as well as some background on Earth4. They need to get to the lab, grab a file from a computer and get out via a cycling broken room that leads back to Earth8. Before they get to broken room out, they’ll encounter two K’thari Warriors as the aliens break free from their cells and kill several scientists and guards before turning their attention to the characters. There will be K-tech weapons on tables in the lab that the characters can use in the fight. Note to GM: This scenario is designed to take place in real time. For instance, whenever the characters get to Heyn, have her tell them the broken room to Earth4 is cycling in whatever is five minutes ahead of the actual time. They’ll need to rush to the broken room while she barks orders about their mission and hands them the manila folder. She’ll tell them the broken room on Earth4 will cycle back at whatever time the scenario is supposed to end. This will give the players a sense of urgency and help them get the mission done on time or be stranded on Earth4 for who knows how long.

Part I: Player Introduction The characters work for the Regency Group, a quasigovernmental agency based on Earth1 that is trying to better understand the Nearside and save lives on the doomed variations. They were summoned to a park in Wichita, KS on a sunny Sunday afternoon. They meet an Regency agent named James Klein near a small green maintenance shed. Klein is in his 60s. He is sitting on a park bench feeding pigeons. They were told to dress business casual for this mission. Klein hands the characters an envelope of IDs and tells the characters they need to travel to Earth8 (Dread), get their orders from Jessica Heyn, an undercover Regency agent with access to a broken room to Earth4 (Invasion). Once there, they need to break into an office, copy a file from a computer, and leave via

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another broken room. The broken room to Earth8 is in the maintenance shed. That’s really all he knows. Questions from the characters should be answered with: “Agent Heyn will fill you in on all the details” or “That’s on a need-to-know basis” or “The broken room is about to cycle, you better get into the shed.”

Part II: Earth8 Arrival

The characters arrive in a dark, cramped space that smells like body odor, fertilizer and stale beer. It appears to be the same maintenance shed they were in on Earth1, but now it’s filled with cardboard boxes of beer bottles and a few cases of wine bottles. The characters also notice the wooden shed now looks deteriorated, with rusty hinges and dry-rotted wood. Note to GM: The room’s Friction is 1, so each character must make a Soul Defense check to resist the effects of Lag. Anyone who fails to get a success will suffer −1d to all checks for a short time. (10 minutes or so). Passing through the room also recharges everyone’s Momentum to maximum. The door is locked from the outside, but it can be kicked open without much difficulty due to the rusty hinges on the rotten doors, or opened via Meridian effects without any difficulty (no need to roll in either case). Upon opening the door, the characters will see what was formerly a city park. It is now a stretch of dying grass surrounded to the north, west and

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A Dreadful Mission south by rubble-strewn streets, dilapidated city blocks and crumbling infrastructure. To the east, surrounded by concrete barriers and guarded by armed soldiers, is a large safe zone that looks cleaner and better maintained than any city on the normal world. The park itself has become a city of makeshift and mass-produced tents. It is littered with trash, dirty, drunken people and smells of their waste. If the characters spend some time watching, they’ll notice a number of clean-cut people (from the safe zone) among the unwashed, trading food and fresh water for things like alcohol, cigarettes, hand-made items and prescription drugs. Upon leaving the shed, the characters are immediately confronted by its owner, the “Mayor,” and five of his goons. They’re standing in front of a Frankenstein-like jalopy of a vehicle that has the box of a small rental truck and the front end of a Cadillac, complete with oversized tires on an elevated suspension.

The Fight The Mayor (which is the only name he is called or will give) is upset that the party somehow broke into his stash of alcohol in the shed. He is obviously drunk. He will accuse them of being thieves, even if the party did not take any of the bottles (he’ll think they drank some). He orders his followers to attack. They are armed with fists and three have makeshift clubs: a tree limb, a baseball bat, and a chair leg. If anyone pulls a gun, they will scatter and The Mayor will jump in the truck and drive away, nearly killing some bystanders in his haste. The denizens of the tent city will keep their distance, but the guards in the safe zone will not intervene unless shots are fired in their direction. If anyone uses overtly scary Meridian effects, the entire park will clear and the soldiers guarding the safe zone will take notice. No one should die during this encounter, but if anyone does, the guards down the street along the safe zone wall will not bother to leave their posts to investigate. In any case, the fight will attract the attention

of the tent people, none of whom are welcoming to the outsiders. Any attempt at engaging them in conversation will be Challenging (2 successes) and trading will be Daunting (3 successes). If anyone was killed, grumbling and a general sense of mob mentality will be picked up by the characters. The safe zone is only a few hundred yards to the east.

Meeting Jessica Heyn After showing their IDs to the armed military guards at the gate of the safe zone, the characters are saluted by the soldiers and led along an airport tarmac (by a gangly teenage boy dressed in jeans and a Tshirt) to a warehouse that’s been partially converted to offices. The guards did not search them. The IDs were high level. If the characters question their escort, he may tell them: l He works as a gopher for the soldiers. l He couldn’t enlist because of “problems with stress.” He won’t want to talk much more about that. l They are in Wichita Safe Zone 11. l General Thomas Dane is in charge of this safe zone, but he’s never met him personally. l The government workers here mainly focus on aerospace research. “We’re gonna blast that black hole back into space,” he says. l Other workers here focus on marketing. By “marketing,” he means government propaganda, but he won’t call it that. l He knows Jessica Heyn, but not very well. She always seems too busy to chat. l They should be careful if they plan to leave the safe zone. It’s dangerous out there. l It’s not bad living here in the safe zone. Some people think it’s dull, but at least there’s food and water rations, and it’s clean and safe. l He truly believes mankind will find a way to avoid Damocles. This airport warehouse was partially converted to house government employees. Even the part that was “finished” is not completely done. There are no finishing touches like trim, outlet covers, ceiling tiles, carpeting or even drywall in some places. Ductwork, plumbing, wiring and timbers are all vis-

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A Dreadful Mission ible here and there. The 20-or-so office workers don’t seem to notice as they tap away on beige Windows 95 computers using 15-inch CRT monitors. Heyn’s office, behind a door that reads “Director,” is not much better. Her walls are only partially finished and back up to the half of the building that is still untouched warehouse. A plastic sheet over a doorway into the warehouse marks where construction stopped. Once the characters are in the office and the escort is gone, Heyn will show how upset she is that the characters have almost missed the broken room cycle. They’ve only got five minutes to get to the loading dock. The Opener can’t hold it much longer. She grabs a manila folder from her desk and pulls aside a piece of thick plastic construction sheeting that is covering a door frame. She rushes them into an unmodified warehouse toward a row of loading docks. She heads for bay 13 at the far end of the warehouse where a teenage girl (an Opener) is kneeling. Even from here, it is obvious the girl is in pain. The characters can hear her sobbing. Heyn walks as she talks, answering as many questions as she can in rapid-fire succession. Heyn will tell them: l She needs a copy of a file from a researcher there who developed a mathematical model that theorizes how black holes are created. The idea is to reverse the model to see whether black holes can be “dissipated,”

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or maybe fight the Damocles black hole with black holes. l She doesn’t understand the science. She’s just doing her job for Regency. l It should be easy for a group of their talents. l They’re going to Chicago on Earth4 (Invasion) to Goose Island, which is in the middle of the Chicago River. l It’s a lot like Earth1, just you know, at war with aliens. But Chicago is a long, long way from the nearest front line. l They just need to break into an unguarded office, copy a file to the thumb drive in the folder and leave through a broken room in the basement. l They’ve got to be quick. The broken room cycles in exactly two hours. It’ll take them to Chicago on Earth1. l Last she heard, there are no aliens in North America, so no worries there. l Everything she knows is in the file she hands them. l She wishes them luck (she uses her Chancer Distance power to provide each of them with a 1d bonus to their next Skill check). Depending on what the characters ask (and how fast they talk in the five-minute walk to the broken room), Heyn may tell them: l She is Director of the Popular Culture department in the Office of Strategic Influence. l She’s a Writer/Chancer. l Her department makes government propaganda – books, comics, and movie scripts – to try to keep peoples’ spirits up. l A few members of her department help her guard the broken room. l She is from Earth3 (The Fall) and works for Regency group, unbeknownst to the government here. l Don’t let anyone here on Earth8 know you’re a Nearsider, or they’ll want to dissect your brain. l She took her variant’s place here in order to try to save this world. Her variation is already pretty much destroyed. l Earth4 has a lot of specialized technology that has been adapted from the aliens. If anything else looks interesting, feel free to bring it back. l She’s been stationed on Dread for two years. It’s depressing as hell, but better than Earth3. The back part of the warehouse is mostly empty. The teenage girl kneeling on the concrete floor with her hands to her head. She is crying and blood is running from her nose. As the room cycles, the characters see the girl collapse in a heap.

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A Dreadful Mission Part III, Chicago, Earth4

The Lab

Arrival

The characters arrive in a boarded up service garage on Earth4. Note to GM: The room’s Friction is 2, so each character must make a Soul Defense check to resist the effects of Lag. Anyone who fails to get 2 successes will suffer a 1d to all checks for a short time. (10 minutes or so). Passing through the room also recharges everyone’s Momentum to maximum. A young girl lies on the floor, barely breathing. Blood runs from her nose and ears, pooling on the floor. She appears to be unconscious. She is clutching a worn iron key in one hand, and cannot let go of it. Note to GM: This young, but powerful Opener was helping to keep the broken room open between Wichita on Earth8 and Chicago on Earth4. The strain was too much for her, however, and she fell unconscious. The characters can tend to her, but they don’t have time to wait for her to wake up. The key is a powerful Relic that allows her to connect two geographically unrelated broken rooms, but at a very high price.

Getting into the lab and getting the file is easy. It’s too easy. The service entrance door is well-marked and unguarded. The key code from the folder opens it. It is monitored by a security camera, though no one is watching (unbeknownst to the characters, unless they use their Meridian effects to somehow find out that the security desk is empty). Once inside, the characters see typical hallway in a typical office building, with rows of numbered doors along the hallway and nameplates beside each door. Signs along the hallway provide directions to the offices, as well as to the stairs and elevators. Office B-26 is nearby with Dr. Frank Ogden’s nameplate on the wall beside the door. The characters can literally follow the signs to “Offices B-1 to B-30.” The office door is locked, but can be easily (Difficulty 1) picked or forced open. Inside, it looks like any other office. There’s a desk with a calendar, phone and computer on it. On the walls are what appear to be family photos with a son in uniform. There’s also a framed print of the Milky Way on the wall. The computer springs to life when the keyboard is touched and displays a login screen. The password

At first glance, the scene outside looks like Earth1. People line the busy sidewalks of downtown Chicago. However, there are a few differences the characters will notice as they make their way across the bridge to Goose Island. There are a greater number of uniformed servicemen in the mix. In addition to the usual U.S. patches and insignias, they all have “Coalition Force” patches on their chests. They are not armed, however. “Squash the Bugs!” Army enlistment posters can be found tacked on telephone poles, fences and buildings everywhere the characters look. American and Coalition flags wave on many buildings’ flagpoles. High above, an oddly organic-looking zeppelin hums quietly. Thanks to K-Tech, the city buses don’t emit the familiar belch of diesel, and many of the newer looking cars run almost silently. Using the map and photos that are in the manila folders, the characters can easily identify that Global Lab Corp. is just across the West Division St. bridge and a few blocks north. They can see the bridge from the garage. It’s a short walk.

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A Dreadful Mission is not in the manila folder so the characters may try to hack it (2 successes) or use their Meridians to figure it out. However, the password can be found on the desk calendar (Routine notice to find), where it is written: “Monthly password change: Singularity08.” Once they’re in, it’s no problem to find the file they need and save it to the thumb drive in the manila folder and head toward the lower level.

R&D A red “Restricted Access” sign is on a metal doorway to the basement R&D labs. The door is locked and a keypad is on the wall beside it. A camera in

the corner near the ceiling watches over the door. None of this was mentioned by Heyn and is not in the manila folder. The lock and camera can be overcome in a number of ways, such as with Juicing to overload them, Breaking to power through them or Changing to temporarily change part of the door to an easily breakable material. Of course, Skills can also be used. Checks should be either Challenging or Daunting, based on the means being used. Beyond the doors is an unusually long, white stairwell leading down. It’s a completely different feel than the mundane offices. The long stairs (they seem to go down at least 30 ft. and are not spiraled) end in an open vault door. Beyond the door is a short hallway, which ends in a guard station — a little desk beside a steel door with a large computer monitor on it. However, no one is at the desk. As the characters enter the short hallway and approach the second door, an alarm sounds. They did nothing to set it off, but they will not know that. Next, they hear sounds of gunfire and screams. The vault door behind the characters (which they entered through) slams shut, and water begins coming in from under the metal door in front of them, which is slightly ajar. Note to GM: Beyond the metal door in front of the characters are two K’thari Warriors that were being researched by the Navy. They have escaped and killed two researchers and three guards, but not before one of the guards hit the lab’s panic button, which seals off the basement and begins flooding it with water from the Chicago River. Water flows in through the metal door, filling the hallway with ankle-deep, pinkish water that appears to be rising quickly. If the characters look at the security guards’ monitor, they’ll see it flips among five black-andwhite cameras labeled on screen as lab, C-1, C-2, C3- and C-4. As the lab view appears on the monitor, they can make out a number of dismembered bodies in the water. There are tables full of beakers, burners and other lab equipment. The entire floor appears to be a grate, through which water is flow-

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A Dreadful Mission ing into the room. In C-1 is a large operating table. Cameras in C-2 and C-3 show tables of what appear to be odd-looking weapons, some of them quite large. Camera C-4 shows an empty room before flashing back to the lab camera. The lab camera finally reveals a looming, giant insect-like shape for a split second before the cameras short out and the screen displays only static. If the characters enter the lab, they’ll see it consists of one large main room with a room on each corner labeled C-1 through C-4. Two steel and bulletproof glass cells in the center of the main room have been ripped open somehow. The characters emerge midway between room C-1 and C-2. Five dead bodies, most missing limbs or heads, lie in the water in the center room. If the characters get into a position to see into rooms C-1 through C-4, they’ll find the doors are open and there are tables with K-Tech weapons and devices on them. But, most importantly, there are two K’thari Warriors in the main room who rush toward to open door. If the characters do not enter the lab, the K’thari will burst through the door to the short hallway and attack. The characters must make a Bravery check, Difficulty 1, to engage the K’thari in combat. Failure means that the characters cannot

attack or engage the aliens, other than to defend themselves from attacks. Characters with combat experience get +1d to their Bravery checks. The characters can choose to fight the aliens to the death, or time it so that the characters are in the broken room (lab room C-4) when it cycles, making good their escape. The K-tech weapons in rooms C-2 and C-3 can be used in the fight against the K’thari Warriors. Whatever the characters’ actions, the game should end at the two-hour mark when the broken room cycles and the room fills completely with water.

Debriefing Should the characters succeed and return through the broken room, they will be escorted to a secure Regency location for debriefing and medical treatment. Regency will be very interested in news of the K’thari, and will insist any alien or K-tech weaponry be left with the Group’s researchers for further study. Commendations will be added to the characters’ official Group records.

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A Dreadful Mission Earth4 K’Thari Warriors side report --- extract from intercepted Project Near

K’thari Warriors are Warriors are mix of scorpion and mantis. ior species. They can by far the most common example of the Warr size of a very large range in size from about 150 lbs. (the of an SUV). On average, dog), up to around 3,000 lbs. (the size , weighing around 1,000 however, Warriors are the size of a pony lbs.

protection from fireTheir chitinous shells provide superior protected. They are arms, though their heads are much less running on all sixes, fast. Even the larger K’thari Warriors, a time, and can leap 30 can reach 30 mph for several seconds at feet or more.

protection from fireTheir chitinous shells provide superior protected. They are arms, though their heads are much less running on all sixes, fast. Even the larger K’thari Warriors, a time, and can leap can reach 30 mph for several seconds at generally too heavy 30 feet or more. The larger Warriors are smaller Warriors (also to climb trees, though the lighter and er ground during combat. known as Sweepers) can and do seek high y to climb trees, The larger Warriors are generally too heav (also known as Sweepthough the lighter and smaller Warriors ng combat. ers) can and do seek higher ground duri

form of powerful mandiThey all possess natural weapons in the on their front legs. bles and they retain razor sharp plates Do Do Do Do

not not not not

engage engage engage engage

without without without without

vastly vastly vastly vastly

superior superior superior superior

numbers numbers numbers numbers

and/or and/or and/or and/or

firepower. firepower. firepower. firepower.

form of powerful mandiThey all possess natural weapons in the on their front legs. bles and they retain razor sharp plates

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A Dreadful Mission Earth8 Current Affairs -- extract from intercepted Project Nearside report -By 2011 the world is in a state of disrepair. The war against the K’thari aliens has been dragging on for nearly 10 years. The aliens have dug in, and continue to threaten humanity. North Americans were recently jolted out of their growing ennui about the war by the K’thari invasion of South America. The military hasn’t had this level of support in nearly two years and enlistment is at an all time high. Truth is, the aliens are now too close for comfort. For citizens of Coalition nations, the sense of patriotism is strong, if a little weary. This is more than just national pride, but a pride in being human. Human scientists have been developing captured alien technology in order to alleviate the looming power crisis, but the technology is truly alien. Still, “K-tech” (as it’s popularly known) has already started to filter down into civilian life. Cars and trucks are being converted to K-tech biofuel engines, as strategy oil reserves are depleted. K-tech weapons and military transports are common sights, with strange organic airships with Coalition markings moving quickly through the skies. The organic nature of K-tech (based as it is almost entirely upon an alien lifeform) is mostly disguised for the general public. Most people are pragmatic, though they still don’t like being reminded that their SUV is being powered by a bioengineered creature.

Memorize and destroy these orders. • Global Lab Corp. a front for Coalition K-tech experiments. Sits on northern point of Goose Island. • Enter service entrance in back. Key code: 3139 • Take stairs to lower level. • Need copy of file named singularity_simulation_theory.ans from a desktop computer in lower level office B-26. • Researcher’s name is Frank Ogden. 4 • Office should not be guarded — not that important on Earth . • Exit via basement R&D labs, room C-4. May be guarded. • Don’t be late. Very long cycling broken room. Project Nearside is not a friend of the Regency Group. Avoid.

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A Dreadful Mission C-4

C-3

Torn apart holding cells

C-2

C-1

Note to GM: The report extracts on pages 240-241 are included in the manila folder given to the characters by Jessica Heyn. The map on this page of the R&D labs is not in the manila folder. It is here to help you explain the layout of the rooms.

Empty guard station

Stairwell

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12: Allies & Adversaries

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n August 13, 2002 at 1:13 p.m. EST: the Nearside was born. Twelve parallel realities diverged from our own, each suffering a unique event that would come to characterize that reality. On the Ordinary World, nothing significant occurred — at least on a global scale. However, from this point on, millions of individuals would begin to experience their own personal world-changing event. They would lose loved ones, suffer injuries, witness sanity-shattering incidents, and so on. On this date, and on every August 13 from then on, people would enter their own parallel reality of sorts, a world where their lives suddenly went in a direction they wish it hadn’t. They might believe their problems to be insignificant compared to the fates of their counterparts on other worlds, but they would be incorrect. These events were enough to activate the HbA and inflict the first hint of Distance upon each and every Nearsider.

The First Travelers Some individuals did not survive their Divergence events, on Earth1 or beyond. On some variations, the risks were obvious and unavoidable. Even on the Ordinary World, some personal divergence events were not survivable. Not every one who suffered an accident survived the incident, with many dying from their injuries a short time later, HbA or not. A few experienced First Fall right then and there, the stress of Divergence enough to cause a reflexive “clench” of the HbA, removing the newborn Nearsider from the danger. Many First Fallers would die soon after reaching their destination, especially within the first few hours or days after Divergence. A Nearsider about to be hit by a car on Earth1 might have found themselves First Falling to Earth3, just as a 100-yard wide meteor slammed into the heart of their city, destroying everything for miles around. The first 24 hours after Divergence saw many First Falls, confusing and often horrifying journeys to suddenly dying worlds, or worlds in the grip of panic. A few variations made for better destinations

than others, such as Afterlife, Still Born, Hothouse and Icebox, though even those variations had their share of shocking events in the first few days and weeks. One thing was common for all Nearsiders during these first weeks and months — no one had any idea what was going on. That would change, however, especially once the first broken rooms were discovered and Nearsiders began to understand what they were uniquely capable of. It was inevitable that the military and intelligence agencies on some variations would notice what was going on and attempt to control it. What was unexpected was how the official “first contact” between variations would occur and how quickly curiosity would turn to paranoia.

Discovery In 1999 a team of researchers in the United Kingdom had been employed by the Ministry of Defence to investigate direct neural interfaces with computer hardware. The work was highly theoretical, but involved extensive neural mapping using the latest scanning technologies. The team was led by a young but talented research scientist, Doctor Neil Ellington. On August 13, 2002, an accident occurred. One of the test subjects had a fatal brain hemorrhage

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Allies & Adversaries while undergoing neural mapping. The post-mortem found no specific cause of death (other than a stroke) but Ellington discovered a pre-existing anomaly in the patient’s hindbrain that he had missed during initial testing. He concluded that this anomaly was really to blame. Doctor Ellington took the death very personally, feeling entirely responsible despite evidence to the contrary and an all-clear from a medical board inquiry. Ellington was given a leave of absence when he had an “emotional incident” a few days later, but returned to active duty on September 1, determined to find out more about why this death occurred. He produced a report describing the “Hindbrain Anomaly” but it was classified as top secret under the auspices of the brain interface research. Prior to the incident, Ellington was considered aloof and somewhat uncaring. After, he seemed much more driven and personally involved in his work, taking the time to talk to test subjects and fellow researchers, getting to know them on a more personal level.

First Contact In mid-November 2002 a strange blood sample was delivered to Dr. Ellington’s desk. He was unable to trace where it came from, but subsequent tests, including spectrographic analysis showed an unusual concentration of Carbon 13 pervading the sample. Ellington traveled to London to where he believed the sample originated. It had been sent to him from a doctor’s office in the city. The doctor in question, Henry Poole, was missing, though a thorough search of his files indicated that he had treated a patient suffering from severe radiation burns, suffered as a result the detonation of a nuclear weapon. The blood sample was sent to the first name Dr. Poole could find on a restricted list within the Ministry of Defence: Dr. Ellington. The patient’s file was sealed, but Ellington managed to get a name: Captain Cassandra Vasquez, a US Air Force officer stationed with the 7531st Ammunition Squadron’s munition depot at RAF Welford, in Berkshire. When Ellington attempted to contact the officer, he was told that she had died in a car accident three months earlier. Ellington knew this wasn’t possible, since the blood sample he’d tested had been taken from the patient only hours before he’d received it. Had

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they faked the officer’s death? Ellington quickly discovered that she was indeed dead. He saw copies of the autopsy report that included photographs and, unusually, a DNA profile that matched what he’d pulled from the original blood sample. At this point, his investigations drew the attention of the Defence Intelligence section of the Ministry of Defence who contacted him and asked for his advice regarding some unusual activity and radiation readings from a small group of detainees at a secure facility in Wales. They thought they were dealing with terrorists who had gotten their hands on a nuclear device. Ellington told them that they were wrong; they were dealing with people who had been exposed to radioactive material resulting from the fallout of a significant nuclear incident. He told them he had already seen this, and mentioned Captain Vasquez.

The Debriefing As a guest of the UK Ministry of Defense and US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Ellington spent the first six months of 2003 examining the “terrorists” at the secure facility. The scientific results were astonishing, but more amazing was their story. Captain Vasquez was very much alive. She had indeed been stationed at RAF Welford. Just not the one on this world. She explained that, on her world, the UK had authorized the use of a nuclear weapon on an enemy encroaching on the south coast. The missile had malfunctioned and exploded over London. Tens of thousands

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Allies & Adversaries had died, and more were suffering from the effects of radiation and fallout, including Vasquez and her team. This had happened in late August, 2002. They claimed to be at war with an alien race called the K’thari, which had invaded their reality in 2002. Two of the four survivors (all of whom were dying of terminal radiation poisoning at various rates) even claimed to have met travelers from other parallel worlds, including one where every human had vanished and one which had suffered a devastating asteroid impact. The visitors had been discovered inside the munitions depot, preparing to steal ammunition and explosives to bring back to her beleaguered version of Earth. The supplies were needed for the war. Vasquez hadn’t realized that her counterpart on this world had died, so she had assumed that her pass codes and security authorizations would still be active. Ellington asked Vasquez how she had traveled between the parallel worlds. She explained that she was able to sense places that seemed to temporarily coexist on more than one world at once. She said that not everyone could use these portals, but she didn’t know why. Ellington realized that these places represented weaknesses in whatever separated the worlds. His next goal was to discover why Vasquez and her team could move through these “broken” places and others couldn’t. Ellington naturally ran CAT and MRI scans of the subjects’ brains. He was shocked to find the same anomaly in their hindbrains that the deceased test subject had possessed. The structure was absolutely and impossibly identical in all four patients. Ellington surmised that this Hindbrain Anomaly could be responsible for allowing travel between realities. On a whim, he ran scans on his own brain and discovered that he, too, possessed the HbA. Alarmed, he kept this discovery secret, though he wouldn’t find out until later that others already knew of his status. Suddenly the situation became more personal and urgent. He recorded 200 hours of audio and video interviews with the dying subjects, entered a deep friendship with them, and wept as each one died. When the last one died, Ellington expected the investigation to be closed, pending additional research into the evidence. He fully intended to explore

How To Keep Secrets

Something as big as the Nearside is hard to keep secret. Or at least, it should be. It’s a common misconception that governments are good at keeping secrets. They’re really not. The business world does a much better job at keeping secrets. By privatizing certain projects and putting them in the hands of contractors, the government effectively removes themselves from the loop, making it much easier to maintain secrecy. It also helps to have Nearsiders with mind-wiping Distance Powers on your team. the situation on his own, to see if he could also travel to other worlds. Just before he left the facility, a representative of the US Department of Defense approached Ellington, explaining that the British government wished to work with the DIA to aggressively pursue this research further. There was a clear and present threat to this world, especially if creatures like the K’thari could also travel between parallel dimensions. Ellington traveled to Washington DC to give a briefing to a Congressional Select Committee. He outlined everything that had been discovered so far, including a device he’d developed to analyze the carbon 13 content of a biological sample — effectively a “visitor detector.” It was during this briefing that the word “Nearside” was first used to describe the network of parallel worlds. The name stuck and eventually fell into common use. Ellington immediately signed up. The Nearside Project was formed, and Ellington was lent on permanent assignment to the US.

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Allies & Adversaries The Nearside Project Formed in July 2003 as a Special Access Program attached to the US Air Force based at Wright-Patterson, the Nearside Project made some initial forays out into the Nearside and reported back what they uncovered. One of the first missions was to return to Earth4 via the first broken room discovered on Earth1. The small team was captured and briefly detained by authorities on that world, who quickly understood what was going on.

Parallel Projects Project Nearside was immediately created on Earth4, using Earth1’s Nearside Project terminology and research. However, the two groups quickly diverged in both tone and mission. Earth4’s Project Nearside was a much more aggressive operation. Involved in K’thari research and special ops against the alien enemy, it was quickly proposed that the organization should visit other worlds to obtain weapons, technology and resources to use against the K’thari. The members of the Nearside Project spent more time on Earth4 assisting Project Nearside there. Their trips away grew longer and longer, and when they came back, they seemed slightly different than before. An error in one of the standard tests taken administered to the returned team revealed a significant discrepancy in the proportions of carbon 13 in the subject’s HbA than was expected. From this and an in-depth debriefing, Ellington was able to prove that the project team that had come back was not the one that had been sent out. Project Nearside had swapped out the team members, and the Nearside Project on Earth1 had been compromised. Ellington recommended that the project be shut down until more evidence could be gathered, and recommended questioning the variants of their team members. Ever the optimist, he did not suspect foul play, but rather a sort of surreptitious exchange program. In the meantime, the operations of the project came into disrepute as rumors of sabotage and espionage filtered back to the Congressional Select Committee that had been set up to monitor operations. On November 6, 2004, it was decided that something needed to be done.

The Curtain Falls Two days later, the Nearisde Project was closed down

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in a violent series of events. Three of the four operational team (or their variant selves) were killed in unrelated “accidents.” Ellington, the last of the four, was terrified by these events and immediately went into hiding. He considered fleeing to another variation, but was contacted by the very committee that had ordered the death of his colleagues. They made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. It had been decided that while the project had become untenable, the phenomenon still required research. An organization already existed that could be used as cover, one that would afford researchers more freedom and more security.

The Regency Group The Regency Group was a successful consulting group formed in 1989 by ex-Federal employees. Intended to be a place for retired FBI agents and cops to earn supplemental consulting fees, the Regency Group has been co-opted by a high level military and governmental conspiracy. It’s the perfect cover organization for a cabal that’s dedicated to investigating the strange and bizarre as it relates to the Nearside and those who travel it. As a corporate organization, it is protected by enough private sector laws and regulations to hide its work from the very government that gave it that work. In spite of its somewhat suspect origins, Regency can be considered good guys, “white hats,” doing what they can to help. This is as much a reflection of the people in charge as of any specific corporate mission or vision. The Regency Group explores the Nearside, protects the Ordinary World and strives to find a way to save as many people as possible — Nearsider

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Allies & Adversaries and neg alike — on every world. Regency still does what it originally set out to do, it just now has a secret agenda to protect the world and to potentially save billions. The group’s leadership was happy to oblige their friends in the military, and made room for the new agenda. Doctor Ellington was placed in charge of Regency’s “special projects” department. Since then, Ellington and the Regency Group have been responsible for investigating the Nearside and taking any steps necessary to protect Earth1.

The Cover Story The Regency Group is a consultation agency made up primarily of ex-law enforcement and academics. They provide short- and long-term consultation services to federal and private organizations. These services include security, legal advice, employment pre-screening and forensic or scientific analysis. With more than 300 employees in support, administrative and investigation roles, Regency also employs hundreds more scientists, engineers and researchers on a contract basis. Regency’s consultation skills are highly sought after, with a waiting list of six to 12 months for organizations wishing to engage the Group. It maintains and runs several impressive laboratories, and employs some of the best computer programmers and engineers in the world. Small law enforcement agencies sometimes use the Group for crime science, lacking their own facilities. Corporations find the Regency Group’s skill base attractive when it comes to training their own security teams and operational specialists. A few companies use the Regency Group’s training facilities to run courses for their own personnel. The Group also handles recruitment services for other organizations, specializing in high-level executive roles. The Regency Group has links with the US Military, and holds a number of contracts for the US Department of Defense. Privately owned, the Regency Group is rumored to have an annual revenue in excess of $100 million.

Typical Operations The intention of the Group is to provide expertise for outside groups, mainly law enforcement, military

and corporate organizations. This expertise is drawn from a pool of full-time Group members and a small number of private individuals who offer their services to the Group on a case-by-case basis. Group members will typically work on one case at a time. Some have a number of clients, and remain on retainer for these organizations. Law Enforcement Consultation A local law enforcement agency cannot afford to employ certain experts on a full-time basis. Budgets are tight, and many agencies do not have forensic

Security Levels within Regency

The Group has a few unique classifications for sensitive information, especially as it relates to the Nearside. Most non-Nearside projects are considered CONFIDENTIAL with all information being covered by Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with individual client companies. Information relating to Regency Group operations are all classified as RESTRICTED, meaning that it is not to be shared with non-Group employees, except as required through reports to, and for, clients. TOP SECRET is saved for specific military or government projects that require clearance at that level in that client organization. Typically this means that only high-level ex-military or government personnel have access to this information. The vast majority of Regency employees are rated at either CONFIDENTIAL or TOP SECRET. However, two more levels exist above TOP SECRET, but if you don’t have that clearance, you do not have access to anything above it. It’s not a guarantee of access, either, just a minimum requirement. SPIRE ( SPecial Intelligence REstricted) is the first level above TOP SECRET. It covers 90% of all Nearside-related activity. Not every Nearsider has this clearance, but those on “field duty” (i.e. “off-world” missions) will have it. SCEPTRE is the highest classification, and isn’t actually an acronym for anything. This is the clearance level held by about five people in the Regency Group. Information considered too sensitive even for Nearsiders is covered by SCEPTRE, including details relating to Monarch, Convergence, Exiles and Relics.

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Allies & Adversaries psychologists or computer programmers on their fulltime staff. The Group provides skilled personnel on a consulting basis, often for particular cases or on longer term contracts. There are several SPIRE level operations taking place in the UK and US at the moment. Most are related to missing persons reports, while a few relate to reports of sightings of people known to be dead. Military Consultation The military have a wider base of skills than most law enforcement forces, but they often find outside civilian contractors to be of greater flexibility at times. The US Army regularly uses Regency Group per-

The Nearside and Secrecy

The existence of the Nearside is a closely kept secret. While acknowledging the existence of parallel realities would be one thing, public awareness of travel between these realities is quite another. It is not in any nation’s best interest for the general population to know about the Nearside. A Special Access Program (SAP) is a way of reducing a project’s risk of public exposure. This works in two important ways: by making information secret, and by making it private. Those are two very different things. First, any project or program dealing with national security can be classified as a SAP if knowledge of the project, its existence or its funding, would endanger the public or national security. Once this has been determined, all public and federal records of the project are classified at a level above Top Secret. This is done to protect a project’s funding from revealing anything about the actual project itself — a black budget. Second, many of these SAPs are run almost entirely by privately-owned companies, which converts any information from being under government control to being trade secrets, protected by proprietary privilege. Any politician who is asked about a particular subject or program that is protected by SAP status can honestly state that the government has no knowledge of the project (there is no written evidence, thanks to the SAP status) and that any such information is not in government records (because it’s an industrial trade secret now).

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sonnel when they are evaluating their recruitment procedures. There are also several SPIRE-level operations on which the Regency Group consults. These include interviewing Air Force pilots who have reported UFO sightings, military personnel who report cryptozoological evidence, and other unusual phenomenon. Corporate Consultation This is the Regency Group’s most lucrative area of operation. The Group is increasingly in demand from corporate clients who require the wide skill base offered by its members. From recruitment to personnel work, computer system design and analysis, project management and competitive analysis, the Group offers a range of consultation services. There are few SPIRE-level corporate consultations, though the Regency Group has engaged several independent contractors to design and build diagnostic equipment relating to SPIRE-level medical anomalies.

The Nearside Agenda The current Regency Group is the latest incarnation of an organization made up of high-ranking military and government interests, whose only concern is the Nearside and the dangers it presents to our world. Within a few weeks, the existing Regency leadership had been ‘retired’ to places like Hawaii, Jamaica and the bottoms of more than a few lakes and rivers. Dr. Ellington was placed in one of three brand-new leadership positions within the Group. Two others were brought in, neither of whom Ellington had met before, though their knowledge of the Nearside was impressive. Although the Regency Group predates knowledge of the Nearside, and was originally founded for the purpose stated, it now has a different primary objective. This is to support investigation into the Nearside, to monitor Nearsiders native to Earth1 and to protect the Ordinary World from outside threats. The misuse of our world’s resources, as well as the influx of material that could present risk (either physical or economic) from other variations is of great concern to the Regency Group. In the modern world, another variation’s gold could be as dangerous as a nuclear warhead.

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Allies & Adversaries Recruitment The Regency Group has three distinct paths for recruiting new members and consultants. One is fairly normal, with newspaper ads and postings on job search sites on the Internet. The Group finds its administrators and trainers in this way, filling most of the non-field positions. Some Group members are brought on board this way, but not many. The second method is to head-hunt potential recruits from other organizations. The Regency Group has contacts in Federal agencies and government departments in the US and Canada, as well as the UK and some other countries. They will flag certain people as possible recruits and inform the Group, who will privately approach these individuals and offer them interviews and buy-outs from current contracts. Regency’s best field agents were recruited in this way. Most of these recruits are encouraged to maintain ties with their parent organization, in hopes of later work opportunities and keeping future recruitment chances open. The third recruitment method is secret, and deals with the real purpose of the Regency Group, not the vast cover of consultation and investigation work that pays for it. Acquisitions Dr. Neil Ellington exclusively heads up the Acquisition department, which attempts to track down and possibly recruit Nearsiders who are unaware of their nature. Many leads come from referrals Ellington receives from other physicians, who would be familiar with a number of papers Ellington has published regarding unusual neurological problems such as those caused by Hind-Brain Anomalous Disorder. Regency Group Nearsiders, upon returning from

CV - Dr Neil Ellington, HbA+

Date of birth: 30th May 1970 Qualifications: BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Physics, King’s College, London 1991. MSc in Medical Physics, University of Cambridge, 1994. Ph.D. awarded by the University of Cambridge for a program of work titled: “Physiological Neurological Variations Revealed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Schizophrenic Subjects” 1999.

a mission on another variation, are debriefed immediately. Part of this return interview involves drawing up a list of other Nearsiders met during the operation. This information is used to track down that subject’s Earth1 variant self, who may not yet be aware of the Nearside. If that person is alive and well, a Permanent Observation Team are assigned to monitor that persons activities. Also known as “Potters,” these are usually three man teams, none of whom need to be Nearsiders, though this job is sometimes given to new HbA+ recruits as a training exercise. Potters observe and report on a daily basis. They are also tasked with drawing up a full life-history of the subject, specifically from August 13, 2002 on. They attempt to ascertain that person’s Divergence Event and seek evidence of any Distance-related incidents since then. Potters will also try and find out if the potential has already experienced First Fall. This is usually done by checking mail, listening in on phone calls or by finding evidence of lost time or psychiatric breakdowns since August 2002. If the subject experiences First Fall while under observation, the Regency Group immediately sends out a team to the possible destinations, to try and find and help the confused Nearsider. Sometimes, they even succeed. Meeting the Talent Eventually, a team is dispatched to meet with the Nearsider. Depending upon the individual Nearsider, the Acquisitions team will either contact them directly or simply show up at the Nearsider’s home,

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Allies & Adversaries … Or else

While the Regency Group is reluctant to strong-arm or intimidate anyone into signing up, some potential recruits require a slightly different approach. Potential recruits in trouble with law enforcement (or already in jail) are offered deals, with vastly reduced sentences or “community service” with Regency in lieu of jail time. Those owing money to criminal organizations are bailed out, and it’s strongly suggested that they help Regency in return for certain “photographs” and other incriminating evidence being destroyed. Sometimes, a Nearsider is too dangerous to be allowed to exist freely in society. These individuals are usually not recruited at all, but are dealt with in other ways ... current place of employment, or at their favorite place for lunch. The Acquisitions team always has at least one Nearsider, and usually one with Reading abilities. If the potential recruit is sick or suffers from a long-term illness, a Mender is sometimes engaged to heal the recruit, either as an incentive or to prove a point. Potential recruits are made a job offer. The rate of pay offered is always based upon their current salary, and is at least triple that amount in order to pique that person’s interest. Often, those approached are deeply suspicious of the Regency Group and their intentions, and Nearsiders are a paranoid bunch at the best of times. Regency tends to have a light touch in most circumstances. An HbA+ individual does not have to join up, but it’s made clear that they will be under constant surveillance in the event that they decline an offer. If that person is deemed to have enough potential to actually be of use to the Regency Group, they are brought on board and sent to a training facility in either the US or the UK. If not, they are paid a retainer and treated as an “external resource” that can be contacted when necessary, with the reminder that they will be under surveillance. Exposure to the Nearside is not guaranteed. Not every HbA+ recruit will be a field agent. If it is determined that knowledge of the Nearside is something they could handle, then they are offered the truth and the chance to have some actual adventure. Otherwise, they are kept close, but given other jobs to do. Some

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recruits may have Skills and Meridians too valuable to risk in the field. They are encouraged to stay put and are often given high levels of personal protection to keep them safe. Nearsiders who do not show interest in the Group are usually observed for a few more months, and then approached again. This process is not common. There have been less than 100 operations related to hiring Nearsiders, 40 of which were successful. The rest either refused or fled, and are still under observation wherever possible. Unless these rogue Nearsiders act in some way to harm the Group or its operations, or discover the Nearside on their own, they are left alone, though under continual observation. Nearlysiders As part of the process of finding and observing potential Nearsiders, the Regency Group has discovered a number of individuals who possess the HbA, though not in a fully active form. The term “Nearlysider” has come into widespread use within Regency, though Ellington prefers the term “HbA Present” as a more scientific term. Examination Prior to training, each new Regency Group member is given an extensive medical examination. Ellington is

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Allies & Adversaries only present if the member is a Nearsider. The examination includes a CAT scan, MRIs and psychological testing. No Nearsider has ever failed these tests, which Ellington describes as “profiling important to the training process.” A basic level of physical fitness and intelligence is required for field agents, though even these standards are waived for Nearsiders, if necessary. Ellington always checks the Carbon 13 percentages in every recruit’s HbA to confirm their home variation. After what happened with Project Nearside in 2004, he remains very wary about possible impostors. Once the examination is over, a recruit must wait for the next Initial Training session to begin, which may be several weeks away. During this waiting time, recruits may stay at their previous employment. Regency offers a stipend program that pays a percentage of the recruits’ salary during this period. Training Those hired by the Group are usually termed members or recruits during this time. The terms officer or agent are usually reserved for the actual field workers hired by the Group, though the generic term member is still sometimes used. There are three areas of operation within the Group: Administration, Field and Support. Administrative staff do all the behind-the-scenes work that supports the Group. They can be found in every Regency office, and handle all the paperwork and organizational duties. Field agents do most of the investigative work. They meet with clients, do the stake-outs and ask the questions. And, in some cases, they are the ones that get shot and hurt, or do the shooting. Finally, the support staff include pilots, drivers, trainers and lecturers, gunsmiths and scientists who carry out requests from the field agents. Support staff are usually based out of a single location, though they are often transferred between these locations on a regular basis.

First Mission For non-Nearsiders, the first posting after training is to an established field office in a large city. Usually this is as close as possible to the member’s home,

but the option is there to be placed anywhere, even internationally. They are assigned a mentor, and work with them for six months after which they return for follow-up training. After this second training course (lasting a week) they go back to their field office and are assigned a partner, either a new recruit (whom they shall now mentor) or their previous mentor. Negs with a track record of reliability or high clearance levels at previous jobs may get SPIRE level assignments once they have been fully briefed on the Nearside. Should the revelation of the existence of the Nearside be received badly by the recruit, Ellington has a Writer quickly remove the memories of the briefing. This is almost always done within 24 hours of the briefing, for the most effective memory alteration.

Away Missions A Nearsider’s first mission is always very different from a non-Nearsider’s. Ellington uses a couple of terms for operations on other variations. He uses the term “away mission” in reports that might be read by sub-SPIRE clearance staff. Among SPIRE rated Group members, Ellington sometimes uses the term “off-world mission.”

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Allies & Adversaries Titles and Terminology

Many Group employees are retired FBI agents, or ex-law enforcement officers, while others come from more academic backgrounds. Some are ex-military, and a large number of employees are civilians, with no special training in security or forensics. The Regency Group is a privately owned company, but given the backgrounds of many of its members, the Group releases that certain titles hold more weight than others. Every employee is considered a “member” of the Regency Group. Not only does this provide a sense of ownership (in theory), it also allows the Group to impart certain legal benefits and privileges that mere employees would not get. When dealing with law enforcement and other federal agencies, Regency is careful not to step on any toes. A Group member working with a team of FBI agents is not going to refer to themselves as an agent — that would not go over well with their federal clients. Instead, more neutral terms such as “consultant” are used. The term field agent is used internally, especially for Nearsiders who operate off-world (a term for cross-variation operations, and a term that Ellington tries to avoid using around non-Nearsiders). Field operations is a more accepted euphemism for Nearside-related activities. Given Ellington’s background with the UK civil service, he quite likes the term officer as a generic term for employee, though that hasn’t caught on with US members. Ultimately, there isn’t one specific title that a Regency Group employee will use over others. Instead, the situation often determines how a member will refer to themselves. They may call themselves an agent to impress a rural sheriff’s office, while humbling themselves as mere consultants while working with more sensitive federal organizations. Needless to say, many Nearsiders get the science fiction references quite quickly, though Ellington claims to have not watched TV for nearly 20 years. Field Operation teams are usually made up of three or four HbA+ agents, who will have been in training together. Sometimes, the Group will recruit Nearsiders who already know each other — these individuals are usually placed in the same team. Prior to leaving Earth1, the away team will be taken to a town or city near a suitable broken room. The Regency Group has at least one safe house in most major cities

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across the US. Cities located near a large cluster of broken rooms tend to have better facilities and equipment. A safe house is really more of a supply depot, containing useful equipment and suitable attire appropriate for the nearby broken room destinations. For example, one of the safe houses in Seattle has cold weather gear, practical horse-riding equipment, and a well-stocked arsenal of hunting rifles and survival gear that matches the needs of three major destinations for Seattle’s known broken rooms: Vanished, Outage and Icebox. The team will be briefed en route to the safe house. Ellington tries to meet with each away team in person before they leave, though this isn’t always possible. He has a couple of trusted SPIRE level assistants and colleagues whom he trusts to deliver mission briefings. None of his assistants are HbA+, for their own safety. Once the team has been equipped and given details on their destination and the tasks that await them there, they are taken to the appropriate broken room. If it’s a room under Regency control, they are simply escorted in and left to wait for the room to cycle. If the room isn’t under their control, or “belongs” to a different organization, the first stage of the operation is to gain access to the room. It’s these room clearing operations that present the most risk to Regency Group members on Earth1, as they can get violent quickly.

Working for Regency In general, Regency is a good organization to work for. They pay a lot more than usual, regardless of the current economy. Their military contracts are lucrative, and the company shares the wealth. Working conditions are top-notch, and staff are well looked after. New hires with a more traditional corporate background are likely to wonder if there’s a catch somewhere. For non-Nearside related operations, the work is steady and interesting. With hundreds of HbA- staff and a backlog of consulting jobs and requests for assistance, the mundane side of Regency is always busy. For SPIRE-level operations, it’s like working for a different company. In many ways, it’s like working for an intelligence agency. Support staff travel, and have access to leading edge technology. They get a vast budget to work with,

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Allies & Adversaries though they would be surprised if they knew how much money was available to them. Pilots and drivers get to play with planes, helicopters and luxurious cars, the computer technicians get chips that manufacturers haven’t even told the press about yet, and sometimes get handed extremely interesting toys to play with — the result of trips to the Nearside. A select team of the best technicians get SPIRE clearance and are given recovered K-Tech hybrid technology or items from the Reef. Field agents have it tougher, but are well rewarded with pay and benefits. Depending upon the operation, some of which can take months of 24/7 attention and involve personal risk, they get about one week in five off. They have access to Regency Group facilities in Scotland and Mexico for fully paid R&R. They get the best medical treatment available, and their families are also covered. Nearside-related operations are much more dangerous and stressful. Members who return from a particularly bad mission can be dangerous to themselves and others, even with slowly draining Momentum. Ellington personally attends to returning Nearsiders, and runs his Carbon Isotope test to make sure that they are the same people who left Earth1. Protocol dictates that field agents returning from other variations be confined and immediately moved to one of the several safe houses across the country, or to one of the R&R retreats that have specially assigned sections exclusive for Nearsiders. They are supposed to receive medical and psychiatric treatment, and be closely observed for signs of unusual abilities or powers. However, that protocol is rarely followed. There are a limited number of field agents and an ever-increasing need for their services, so they are often put back into service immediately.

weeks. Most of the time, Nearsiders working for Regency are encouraged to observe and take notes, not to interfere in the lives of those they meet on other variations. And, most of the time, they don’t get involved. This is especially true of non-Regency Nearsiders they may meet. The Group is frustrated by their lack of success trying to explore Earth13. The Nearsiders they’ve sent through, repeatedly and often, are in bad shape and recovering in a padded room somewhere out of the way. Gatekeepers and Toll Booths Of particular interest to Regency is finding and securing broken rooms. There is always one Nearsider team on this task at any particular time. Their job is among the most dangerous and rewarding of anyone working for the Group. These are called “Gatekeeping” operations. “Gatekeeper” teams are sent to follow up rumors (on any variation) of strange places, weird lights and sounds coming from buildings, tunnels, etc. On Earth1, they are usually HbA- Group members, working with a single Nearsider who will try

Nearside Activities On most variations, Regency Group operations are subtle and low-key. With relatively few active Nearsiders on their payroll, they cannot spread themselves too thinly on other worlds. In general, operations are carried out with small groups of Regency Nearsiders, three or four at a time, visiting a variation with a specific purpose. These missions do not last more than a couple of

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Allies & Adversaries CV - Prof. Sandra Jacoby HbA-

The Special Projects Committee

to sense broken rooms when they investigate such incidences. Once a broken room has been located, Regency makes every effort to purchase the land or building where it is located. Once this is done, they move a security team to that location to fully secure it, and offer assistance to Nearsiders who wish to use it. If they can, Regency will try and secure both sides of the broken room, though this isn’t always successful. Non-Regency Nearsiders call these secure locations “Toll Booths.” Since many Nearsiders arrive ready for a fight and potentially suffering from debilitating lag, the security teams are well armed, though use of non-lethal weapons is favored. All personnel have basic first-aid training. Toll Booths that connect to high-threat variations (i.e. worlds that present high risk of injury to Nearsiders) often have HbA- EMT personnel standing by. Nearsiders using a Toll Booth do not actually pay for using it, at least not in any fiscal sense. They are photographed and, if possible, DNA and blood samples are taken for variation ID later. No Nearsider is held against their will, and Regency does not accost them or restrict their movement. Medical treatment is offered for free, and the armed guards ensure that the room remains peaceful and neutral. This doesn’t go down too well with most Nearsiders, though it is ironic that many also find using a Toll Booths is safer than using other broken rooms. There is less likely to be trouble between Nearsiders on the other side, and it keeps things “civil” upon arrival. Many resent the intrusion into their lives by Regency, and are worried that this kind of control over travel is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Nearside aspect of the Group’s work is supervised by three members. Called the Special Projects Committee, they are on the lookout for very specific reports or information and possess the highest security clearance, SCEPTRE. The Regency Group follows up leads from other parts of the government and federal offices. Some of these reports “smell funny.” It is these reports the SPC looks for and flags to determine if they require investigation. The Group has made many friends and connections within government (federal and state) and in law enforcement and the military, as well as fairly large corporations. The SPC make good use of this when they investigate Nearside-related incidents. The SPC often use individuals from these outside organizations in their work, bringing them in when necessary, paying them a retainer for their services, and letting them go later. The Group seeks the permission of the subjects’ superiors before the individual is approached. Often, these people are approached later for more help. The Group likes to use others whenever possible, usually only because they can’t be everywhere they’d like to be. They will happily hire the oddest of retainers for a skill or ability that might seem insignificant to that person. Members of the SPC like to surround themselves with an air of mystery. While it’s not a secret that the Group holds at least one defense contract, the fact that it’s a USAP can raise eyebrows, and could potentially lead a very curious investigator back to the Nearside Project, which is unacceptable. The SPC is aware that they answer to a higher power. The Congressional Select Committee that monitored the Project’s work is now in charge of the Group’s activities on the Nearside. The US Government is embarrassed by the Nearside Project, and its failure — or rather, their failure to maintain control of the situation. They have higher hopes for the Regency Group. The first member of the SPC is Dr. Ellington. He has no delusions that this high position reflects his standing within Regency, merely that he was the first recruited. The second member is Professor Sandra Jacoby of MIT. In her late forties, Jacoby was a brusque and talented biologist, interested in Ellington’s research into

Date of birth: 27th September 1960 Qualifications: BSc in Chemistry, UCLA, 1984, MSc in Organic Chemistry, UCLA, 1986, Ph.D. titled “Radio-isotropic tracking of genetic expression,” MIT, 1989. Employment: Post-doctorate position at Queen Mary University of London, 1992-1994. Lecturer in organic chemistry, MIT, 1994-2003. Chair of Organic Chemistry at MIT, 2000 to present day. Currently on sabbatical to work in industry (the Regency Group)

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Allies & Adversaries the presence of carbon 13 isotopes within biological material. Ellington was forced to open up this branch of his research, and though he has gained much knowledge from Jacoby, he feels uncomfortable working that closely with someone. The other member of the three has never met either Ellington or Jacoby in the flesh. He attends meetings via voice-only conferencing. Known only as “Casanova,” he or she has never directly spoken with either of them, since the person that attends the meeting is just relaying the real Casanova’s words. It’s pretty obvious to Ellington and Jacoby that Casanova works for the US military. They suspect he carries the rank of general. His interests seem to concentrate around the potential threat posed by the Nearside and its inhabitants. He controls many small special forces units that work for Regency and guard their establishments on Earth1. Nearsiders are often recruited by Casanova, and are used for similar services on Regencycontrolled broken rooms across the variations. Casanova tends to not interfere with Regency activities, nor does he dictate procedure or pull rank, other than where it pertains to security operations. He leaves the scientists to do all the science and is always civil and efficient on calls. Ellington is frightened by Casanova, and suspects that he was behind the closure operations that marked the end of the Nearside Project. Ellington feels he survived that operation only by the grace of his knowledge, and that’s another reason he doesn’t feel obliged to share too much with Jacoby. Ironically, Jacoby could be Ellington’s greatest ally, if he were to trust in her. Her interest in the Nearside is purely academic, and she is guilty of no other agenda. She is frustrated at Ellington’s silence and lack of openness, though she understands his paranoia, to some extent. She is 10 years older than Ellington, and considers him a little-brother figure. Jacoby has protected Ellington more than once since she started with Regency, covering for him several times when his actions or opinions seemed out of line with Regency policy or the Congressional Select Committee’s intent.

The Congressional Select Committee The Congressional Select Committee was put in place by the US government before the Nearside Project was

shut down in 2004. It was clear that directly exposing a military operation to the Nearside was too dangerous, given the almost immediate infiltration of personnel from Earth4. Of the six committee members, only one has a military background — this is Casanova, who is also directly involved with the Special Projects Committee. The remaining four places consist of a member from the CIA, another from the FBI, a wellknown US senator and the CEO of a leading technology company. As a Special Access Program, no written memos or transcripts are permitted. The Select Committee is not allowed to claim written expenses for the meetings, nor are they allowed to schedule the meetings on their public or private calendars. As a result, the group does not meet often.

Regency’s Regard Other Nearsiders regard the Regency Group with some suspicion, ranging from a curious caution to full-

The Nearsider Detector

The Carbon 12/13 Test requires a sensitive mass spectrometer that identifies the proportion of C13 versus C12 in a sample of organic material (e.g., blood, human tissue, wood, etc.). The percentage of the total carbon in the sample that’s carbon13 can be used to determine which variation the test subject comes from. l Earth1 has 1.1% of the total carbon being carbon 13 l Earth2 has 1.2% l Earth3 has 2.0% (due to all that extra-terrestrial dust from Nemesis) l Earth4 has 0.4% l Earth5 has 0.5% l Earth6 has 1.6% l Earth7 has 0.7% l Earth8 has 0.8% l Earth9 has 0.9% l Earth10 has 0.1% l Earth11 has 1.0% l Earth12 has 1.3% l Earth13 tends to have inconclusive results as the proportions change after every test.

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Allies & Adversaries from the other variations, something that the Regency Group intends to stop. They are unsure as to how to do this, but have many theories and ideas that they are more than willing to try out. The Regency Group is the most organized and professional party with knowledge and interest in the Nearside, and they have now spread a bit of their influence across nearly the entire matrix of worlds. They have agents on almost every world, and are learning as much as they can about the Nearside.

Project BITTER COMPASS

blown, high-Distance paranoia. Many Nearsiders just want to be left alone, and those who have specific agendas find themselves at odds with the Group in some manner. Where deals can be made, they are made. Some Nearsiders with variant selves on Earth1 are used as spies and scouts across the variations, meeting from time to time with Regency to share information and intelligence about the Nearside in general. Payment is rarely in money — it’s usually in equipment or useful information from Regency. The locations of broken rooms are always useful, and in high demand, especially if they’re not Toll Booths. Most Nearsiders probably view Regency as slightly sinister good guys, cleaning up messes, capturing killers and generally enforcing law and civilization. They are not quite policing the Nearside, but they generally protect ordinary people (and ordinary Nearsiders) from the worst of the worst. Agendas When the Convergence Event begins, major changes will start to occur across the Nearside, and not even Earth1 may be safe, though it may be one of the safer variations. This could result in an influx of Nearsiders

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The Regency Group is not the only governmentsponsored operation currently involved with Nearside-related activities. A week before the Nearside Project was shut down, several high-ranking officers in the US Military were approached by representatives of several members of Congress. Plans were well under way to commandeer the Regency Group for “official” Nearside research but the fact that it had been so easy for members of the Nearside Project to be replaced by their variant selves was still a cause for great concern. They acknowledged that Ellington would do his best to screen and monitor agents, but that they needed a back-up plan and it would be better if no one knew anything about it - especially Ellington. Based out of the once-decommissioned radar base at Camp Hero, Montauk, NY, Project BITTER COMPASS was instigated by the US Air Force mere days before Regency operations began. Entirely made up of “Nearlysiders,” BITTER COMPASS would be able to monitor Nearsider activity and, given the fact that Nearlysiders could do everything but travel to other worlds, there was no risk of replacement or infiltration by variant selves. BITTER COMPASS operatives are either existing members of US military forces or are compulsorily drafted under the Homeland Security Act. A recruit undergoes as much basic training as he can stand before being promoted to warrant officer and given an assignment somewhere in the United States. Each operative is fully briefed on their own status and capabilities, instructed about Momentum and how to use it, and given access to whatever training they need to fully utilize their limited power.

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Allies & Adversaries Currently, the project has 46 operatives, stationed at various air bases across the United States and overseas. They are instructed to keep their eyes open for any Nearside-related activity and to regularly use their limited Nearsight to identify any HbA+ individuals they may come across. BITTER COMPASS also runs missions to observe Regency Group members and to track and record Nearsider movements via Broken Rooms. BITTER COMPASS has access to all Regency files, though individual operatives are only given information on a need-to-know basis. Some operatives are glad to have the chance to serve their nation — and world — by acting as watchmen over the Regency Group and their HbA+ cousins. Others know all too well that they are as much a threat as a rogue Nearsider and realize that they were only recruited so that the US military could keep an eye on them, too. Typically, two or three operatives will be assigned to a long-term mission, such as monitoring a broken room for a month, or observing a known Nearsider as he or she goes about their daily lives. Regency and BITTER COMPASS Officially, Project BITTER COMPASS is a secret US Air Force project doing research into the effect of electromagnetic fields on the human brain, especially in regards to analyzing the risks of powerful RADAR and other similar technologies. Regency has no idea that the project exists, though several members suspect the presence of some kind of “shadow group” within the US Government. Ellington is especially paranoid about the possibility, though he tends to believe that there are spies within Regency rather than a completely separate organization.

Except, it’s not quite that simple. If you’re not part of Monarch, you are never sure of its motives. You know that it operates on every variation, and may even be in control of one (or more). It has a hand in almost every organization across the Nearside, especially the ones that cause problems for Nearsiders. If you are part of Monarch (assuming that you even know that you are) then its motives aren’t much clearer. There’s no training manual, no headquarters, no onboarding process for new operatives. Unless you’re part of a very particular group within Monarch, it’s a life of dead drops, coded messages and exchanging envelopes with strangers in parking garages and railway stations. It’s all very “classical” spy stuff, which is the point. Monarch is hard to amuse, and making others play spy games is a source of some entertainment. It’s also a practical way of steadily increasing the stakes for the recruit. Making a dead letter drop is one thing — asking them to leave a ticking package in a child’s stroller outside a bus depot is quite another. It would be very easy to assume that Monarch is dedicated to opposing Regency at every turn, given that it looks that way. The reality is that Monarch

Monarch and BITTER COMPASS Monarch don’t take BITTER COMPASS very seriously, though they have at least two agents within the project, if only to keep track of their activities. BITTER COMPASS has no reach beyond the Ordinary World, but Monarch recognizes the project’s potential as a distraction for the Regency Group.

Monarch If the Regency Group wears the white hat, then Monarch is the moustache-twirling villain.

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The King is Dead, Long Live the King. The king is not the throne. The throne is not the realm. He just keeps the seat warm. ‘Til the next one comes along. The Nearside is Dead. Long Live the Nearside. doesn’t really care — not about Regency, not about the dying populations of a dozen different worlds. Monarch is in the survival business, nothing more, nothing less.

What most people know By the time a Nearsider has visited a couple of variations and gotten into a few tight scrapes, they will at least have heard things about Regency, Monarch and some of the other organizations. They may even have been contacted. At some point after First Fall, every single Nearsider encounters a Monarch operative. It might be as little as a candid photograph taken from afar, or a casual and forgotten conversation at a bus stop. The meeting is recorded, the Nearsider’s identity checked and confirmed, and compared to a very secret list of names. If that Nearsider’s name appears on the list, they’ll be observed more-or-less full time for the rest of their life. If not, that Nearsider may never again encounter a Monarch operative. Monarch has a reputation for secrecy, for cloak and dagger conspiracies and behind-the-scenes string pulling. That much is accurate. Many Nearsiders, especially compassionate souls dedicated to helping the victims of the Fall or fighting against the K’thari, consider Monarch to be cold or heartless. That’s not strictly true. Monarch places great value upon the life of a Nearsider. It works hard to avoid killing or seriously hurting another Nearsider, preferring to use non-lethal weapons in any combat situation (which Monarch tries to avoid anyway). Monarch doesn’t place any value on the lives of non-Nearsiders. They aren’t cruel, nor do they victimize those without an HbA. They simply don’t care if they live or die. As far as Monarch is concerned, the “negs” are already dead.

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Monarch operatives are constantly observing other Nearsiders. They sometimes go out of their way to prevent something bad happening to a particular Nearsider, to the extent of sacrificing innocent (neg) lives to do so. Most of these observing agents have no idea why they are doing it. The truth is reserved to only a few, at a much higher level. Another common activity for Monarch operatives is locating and securing Relics. Those unique items are often in the possession of individual Exiles, and can often help Monarch to locate these important Nearsiders. Most Nearsiders only ever hear about Monarch. Actual identifiable encounters are rare. Most of the time, a Nearsider won’t even realize that it’s happened. All they’ll know is that something went wrong, or somebody died, and they can’t quite figure out why. If you’re Regency, you’ll be looking out for the signs of betrayal, an inside job. You might also see signs of negs being treated inhumanely or sacrificed to save a Nearsider. Very experienced Regency members become paranoid, treating any stranger as a potential Monarch operative.

A Virtual Organization When compared to Regency, Monarch is almost non-existent. It doesn’t have much of a formal structure. Indeed, it exists as a kind of parasitical entity, with agents based in other more traditional organizations (whether they are Nearside-aware or not) using those group’s resources and access for their own ends. Recruitment is likely to involve a hushed conversation in a grubby coffee shop or a untraceable phone call in the middle of the night. Sometimes, a potential recruit will find a chess piece in their pocket (a king, naturally), a portent of more mysteries to come. Eventually a recruit will be given a job to do, one that marks them as part of Monarch. Typically these tasks are innocuous and seemingly harmless and are easily carried out while the Nearsider is going about their other tasks. For example, Monarch may ask a Nearsider to drop a letter off in a particular mailbox, or to sign for a package that’s not for them.

Broken Rooms

Allies & Adversaries Many of these tasks are related to people or places from previous iterations of the Nearside. If the recruit is an Exile, these tasks may spark memories of their previous life, awakening them to their status. That’s what Monarch is ultimately hoping for, but it is always happy to recruit Nearsiders into the next batch of Exiles. As the new agent proves that they’re capable of carrying out instructions reliably, they get new orders. These are much more complex and tend to demand much more of the Nearsider’s time. If the recruit is in a good position within a company or organization of interest to Monarch, they will not be given anything that would draw too much suspicion, though from time-totime the recruit may find themselves doing things that seem unethical or against their own best interests. Finally, if the recruit proves themselves further, Monarch will bring them fully inside the organization. It’s only then that the recruit gains the full “operative” status and will meet someone higher up in the chain of command. At these middle levels, working for Monarch can become a nightmarish maze of double-dealing, with agents becoming unsure as to who they are really answering to. Suspicion and paranoia are rife, but that’s how Monarch likes it. The whole thing is a test. Those agents who thrive within the complex and shadowy organizational structure are deemed suitable for inclusion into Monarch’s inner circles. Only then are they told about Monarch’s true motives and intentions. The rest are quietly ignored, given minor tasks and left to their own devices. Monarch is confident that such individuals will bring destruction upon themselves.

The Inner Circle A Nearsider brought into the top echelons of Monarch will be told a truth about the Nearside. They will be told that this Nearside is not the first one. There have been other networks of worlds, each coming into existence on August 13, lasting 13 years and then collapsing. The next Nearside is born from that collapse. This collapse is called Convergence and it is Monarch’s single goal to help as many (worthy) Nearsiders survive it as possible. The Inner Circle knows that this is possible, be-

cause they’ve done it before. This isn’t their first rodeo, or indeed, their first Nearside. Monarch has been doing this for a while.

What Monarch Wants At the highest level, Monarch wants to survive the coming Convergence. All members wish to maintain their existence into the next iteration of the Nearside, with memories and personalities (along with their resources and wealth) intact. Monarch makes a promise to its members — that it will seek them out and find them after Divergence and restore to them all they have lost or forgotten. This is why Monarch is constantly searching for surviving Exiles from previous Nearsides. Most are scattered across the variations after Divergence, many with hazy memories of their previous life. While Monarch is watching and evaluating Nearsiders, it is also gathering Relics, both for its own use and to return them to their rightful owners (now highlevel Monarch operatives).

The Interregnum Ironically, Monarch do not consider themselves rulers of anything other than their own individual destinies. Surviving Convergence makes you king of your own fate, they say, and that’s all that matters. They even refer to the moment between one Nearside and another as the Coronation. Until then, no one can be certain who will survive, which is why they refer to the current period as the “interregnum.” The leaders of Monarch are the Interrex, a group

What’s in a name?

Monarch and the Regency Group. Two different organizations named around a theme — that of rulership and control — except with the subtle distinction of right to rule. These concepts run very deeply within the mindsets of those in charge of both organizations, even at a subconscious level. The name “Regency” implies that they are ruling in place of an absent king or queen, protecting the kingdom and the throne from those that would rule without authority. Monarch implies the opposite. A rightful king in his rightful place, no matter what.

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Allies & Adversaries of 13 Nearsiders who have survived previous Convergence events. Being a Nearsider does not grant immortality, so the oldest Interrex is in his late eighties and is unlikely to survive the next Convergence. However, he has survived six previous Convergence events, starting in 1937 when he was a teenager.

The Line of Succession Monarch’s carefully selected group of Exiles and Exiles-to-be is called the Line of Succession or just the Line. It is used internally in a reverential manner. The Line, after all, is what’s to be saved. Some members of Monarch are Nearsiders who will not be allowed to survive Convergence.

In the End When Convergence approaches, Monarch will step out of the shadows. Operatives will “out” themselves and the Interrex will travel to each variation, meeting with past and potential future Exiles. Monarch will gather the Line into one place and split the group up. Half will travel to the Reef, and half will travel to the Ordinary World. These two groups will isolate themselves in a prepared locations where the destruction will be minimized. As Convergence approaches, certain very Distant Nearsiders are trained to use their Distance Powers to protect the Line during the final days and hours. Closers will be taught how to use their Meridians to isolate the “safe house” from the merging of variations. Keepers will be taught how to shield the safe houses from detection by other Nearsiders and the now-free-roaming entities from other worlds. And so on. Each Nearsider will be shown how to use their Prime Meridian to protect the Line. Unclaimed Relics will be given to the Honor Guard to help them in their task. These Relics are then theirs, should they survive. Given that Convergence is always different, there’s no one standard procedure in place for what happens next. A few Exiles will have clear memories of who they are and their place in Monarch — they are the seed from which the next iteration of Monarch grows. Choosing the next Interrex is usually a matter of seeing who has kept their memory best and still retains their Skills and Meridians best. They

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are responsible for building Monarch up once more, keeping the cycle going.

Monarch’s Attitudes The Regency Group: Toothless and frightened and far from ready. We weep for our lost brothers and sisters and hope that the truth will set them free. C13: Amusing in many ways, but ultimately expending all that energy for nothing. They make useful tools, but be careful. They have no love for us.

Exiles & Advanced Meridians No one is sure if what Monarch says is true. Very Distant Nearsiders tend to be unreliable at the best of times, though the whole Convergence thing seems a bit too well-thought out to be simple paranoia. The other thing that worries certain individuals within Regency is some of the evidence that’s been found in autopsies of Monarch agents, Nearsiders and negs alike. In more than one case, small implanted devices have been found that have no apparent purpose but test positive for Momentum. These tiny objects are

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Allies & Adversaries Cloak and Dagger

Monarch agents sometimes use cover names with some connection to royalty. For example, Mr. Crowne, Mr. Regal, Ms. Chamberlain, Miss Regina, etc. Each agent is given a unique cell-phone number to which they can text requests for equipment, information or even the use of a broken room or artifact. Such things are not always guaranteed, but most agents can expect to receive some help when they need it; as long as it suits Monarch’s interests. often found near the eyes and ears of Monarch agents, acting as bugs for Monarch Readers who can apparently access their spies from afar. One unfortunate individual fell into a coma during questioning, as a result of having his mind wiped by a Writer, by way of a similar device implanted deep with his brain. With reports of Nearsiders who can perform magiclike feats, or who can fly or hurl cars half a block, it’s hard to tell the known Meridians from the potentially unknown. Despite this, Regency believes that Exiles have access to Distance powers far in advance of what Regency has yet discovered. If Monarch is telling the truth about Exiles and previous versions of the Nearside, it’s possible that such advanced powers and technology are from those older iterations.

Trans-Nearside Organizations Though not the most sociable of people, it was still inevitable that Nearsiders would eventually form groups and organizations existing across multiple variations. Some of these are small, tightly knit groups of like-minded individuals, with very specific intentions and desires.

C13 Little more than a loose alliance of Nearsiders, most members of C13 used to work for either the Regency Group or Monarch. C13 does not agree with either organization, finding Regency too passive (or too controlling) or Monarch too extreme (or too crazy). It believes that Earth1 is no more important than any other world and that resources should be taken from one world to help another (a more proactive version of Regency’s philosophy, they admit). C13 also believes that travel across the Nearside must not be limited or controlled and as such is violently opposed to any attempts to stop travel.

The majority of members start in the Regency Group, slowly becoming disillusioned with that organization’s slow pace or hands-off attitude. Some, after hearing Monarch’s propaganda, come to sympathize with that organization’s ultimate goals, even while rejecting their methods. A fair number of C13 “activists” were never aligned with any other organization and simply fell into C13’s circles thanks to a pretty smile or the promise of help. These members usually have very little real knowledge of groups like Regency or Monarch, instead relying upon hearsay and the bitter rantings of ex-agents. Activities C13 is regarded by most as little better than anarchists. This view is held by many C13 members themselves, who rankle at the thought of being part of any group. Indeed, some quite like Monarch’s label for them — agitators. Most members of C13 like to think of themselves as a wrench in the works, an unexpected variable or element of chaos in the plans and schemes of the “big boys.” For some, that’s plenty and enough in itself. For others, it’s a sad reflection of their inability to do anything serious or have any kind of meaningful impact on the Nearside. C13 tends to react to situations rather than cause them, though that is changing. In the last year, C13 has actively sabotaged Regency and Monarch activities, demonstrating increased strategic abilities and better equipment than ever before. In fact, C13 is singularly responsible for organizing the Midwives on Earth5, a significant achievement that has impressed even Regency. C13 has sympathizers within the Regency Group, none in Monarch. C13’s mostly concerned about being used as a pawn by either organization. C13’s Attitudes The Regency Group: They are too passive, too careful. They say they just want to watch and document what they see, but most of them end up getting involved anyway. We just want them to let go of their reticence and fully embrace their instincts to help. They are better than Monarch, but not as good as they could be. They aren’t our enemies, but we can’t let them get in our way. Regency could be such a shining beacon of hope across the entire Nearside, if they wanted. What’s holding them back?

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Allies & Adversaries Monarch: If half of what they say is true, then we’re probably all screwed anyway. Survival can’t come at the cost of our humanity. We have to deserve to survive. Otherwise we’ll just be monsters the next time around, no better than the K’thari or the Malvolents.

The Blood Red Moon Scavengers are commonplace across the Nearside, whether they are HbA+ or not. Few are as organized as the Blood Red Moon, based on Earth3. Originally part of a multinational military force training in northern Canada, the members of the Blood Red Moon survived the Fall with a significant amount of equipment and resources intact. The group started out with the best of intentions, securing military facilities across North America first, and then beyond, potentially using supplies to help other survivors. Shortly after meeting their first Nearsiders, a schism formed within the group. Some believed that they should indeed do their best to help the survivors. Others decided that they could make the best of their situation by trading weapons and other hard-to-obtain military equipment on the black market of other worlds. Those members of the Blood Red Moon that couldn’t leave

Earth3 would live in as much luxury as possible, while the Nearsider members would make a tidy profit acting as the organization’s traveling salesmen. With the right contacts on other worlds, weapons can be moved from Earth3 to another variation, then across national borders, only to be moved off world once again. Government organizations dedicated to preventing international weapons smuggling are often left bewildered when a large shipment vanishes off the face of the Earth ... literally. Activities Today, the Blood Red Moon has moved beyond Earth3, scavenging weapons and equipment from other variations, including Earth2, where they are most likely to run into Regency Group operatives attempting to prevent the inter-variation arms trade. The Blood Red Moon doesn’t care who it sells weapons to, Monarch makes as good a customer as any random warlord on Earth8 or Earth10. It also trades in information and, it’s rumored, will happily collect on a bounty for any rogue Nearsiders it may run into. They may also have connections with the Husbandry on Earth5, which trades in HbA+ females. Blood Red Moon’s Attitude The Regency Group: Annoying do-gooders who have, in recent years, become a lot more militant about stopping our activities. Anyone is a potential customer, however, and a desperate Regency operative in need of a gun is suddenly a sale waiting to happen. Monarch: All customers are good customers, but Monarch is to be treated with a cautious respect. Their agents are arrogant and aloof. They don’t like dealing with negs. They always seem vaguely disappointed in us, as if we could be doing so much more.

The Iron Kings Almost as soon as widespread travel between the variations became common, small groups realized that Earth3 meteorites made a good source of metal for trade on other worlds. It didn’t take long before weapons forged from this metal were proven to be extra-effective against creatures like the Unvisible, or the Never-been and Always-were. The original Iron Kings were a group of a dozen

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Allies & Adversaries entrepreneurial Nearsiders who had already noticed how effective meteoric iron from the Fall was against the threats on other variations. What started as frequent trips to get more iron turned into something of an industry. Earth3 had millions of tons of raw meteoric iron just lying around, after all. In return for off-world food and supplies (easily obtained by the Iron Kings), there was a ready workforce in the form of surviving natives. Sometimes, local leaders and militia would seize control of craters, hoping to ransom access to the iron in return for weapons and ammunition. Only rarely would this cause problems — there was always another crater. Eventually, those same militias and leaders would travel for hundreds of miles to the nearest Iron King operation to ask that they consider coming to one settlement or another to mine there, in return for much needed supplies.

Activities Today, the Iron Kings consist of a loose affiliation of nearly 30 Nearsiders with neg connections on other variations. These relationships help transport raw and processed iron across less damaged worlds to broken rooms that lead to the true customer base fighting the K’thari and the Unvisible, and making Fallsteel to construct the Iron Trains of the Reef. Most Iron Kings do other things as well, with their mining work being a sideline at least, or a part-time job that they do six months out of the year. Few spend all their time on Earth3, but visit frequently to check in on things. They employ some of the best equipped and armed forces on Earth3, with fanatical guards who would die to protect their sweet deal. Iron Kings’ Attitudes The Regency Group: A bit naive, but well-meaning. It’s hard for them to argue with free trade, especially since those survivors on Earth3 are relatively well looked after in return for their work. Regency has purchased iron from us in the past, and sometimes uses our infrastructure to help get their agents from one place to another. It’s a good trade, since in return we tend to get left alone or even some help. Monarch: Best left alone. They don’t bother us, we don’t bother them. We know they are interested in Fallsteel, but let them buy it on the Reef.

The Lightbringers Almost a religious cult, most members of this group are not Nearsiders at all, but simply believers. Coming from a dozen or more different faiths, they travel the world, trying to save as many as they can or help to bring a quiet, dignified death to those they cannot help. Lightbringers gather knowledge and supplies, sharing both when able, but saving some of what they find to construct caches of information and equipment for some later time when they will be needed. This can sometimes make them targets on Earth3, but for the most part, Lightbringers (or “stars”) are left alone. Their skills and knowledge make them very useful — especially since among their Nearsider members Mending tends to be the most commonly encountered Meridian. Activities HbA+ Lightbringers spend a great deal of time using their Meridians to help survivors. Menders, especially, are in demand. Nearsiders spend as much time as they can afford off world, searching for medical supplies, food and water purification equipment to bring back. They are not very respectful of other worlds’ laws, which isn’t surprising considering where they come from. They will beg, borrow or steal what they need, and are more than willing to deal with just about anyone to get it. This makes them wild cards, at best, or significant threats at worst, regardless of how noble their cause might be. Lightbringers’ Attitudes Regency: They are helpful, but not as much help as they could be. They are hypocrites. They say everyone on the Nearside is important, yet they seem to spend most of their time protecting their Ordinary World. They are selfish, but they have their uses. Guilt works best on them. Monarch: Cold, heartless bastards. They are worse, by far, than Regency because they ignore the suffering of non-Nearsiders while trying to persuade our own to leave the cause behind, deeming it worthless and pointless.

The Husbandry Just as meteoric iron is a resource to the Iron Kings, human HbA+ females are the Husbandry’s stock-in-trade. Made up of very well paid Nearsiders, most of whom are native to Earth5 (and most of whom are male), the Husbandry travels the Nearside looking for female

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Allies & Adversaries so it’s not worth risking physical harm to the target. Once the target is secured, members of the Husbandry are likely to kill any and all companions of the female to prevent anyone coming after her. The Husbandry’s Attitudes Regency: Our biggest problem, in terms of interference. They watch broken rooms as well, and are the most likely reason for an aborted grab. They are very aware of our activities, and female Regency agents are not likely to ask questions first. Monarch: Despite what some people might think, we’re not in bed with Monarch. They are unpredictable. Sometimes they’ll take an interest in one of our targets, and stop an abduction. Other times, they’ll offer up intelligence to help us nab someone. Best to stay away from them entirely.

The Midwives

Nearsiders. Its primary employer is Ilithya Exports, a multinational operation dedicated on carrying out horrific (but, they argue, necessary) experiments on HbA+ females. Activities The Husbandry tracks down the counterparts of known Earth5 HbA+ females, while gathering intelligence and information about other female Nearsiders along the way. If they encounter an unknown female Nearsider, they pass that identity back to Ilithya, who picks up the Earth5 version. The Husbandry is in this for the long game. Members will settle in an area around a known broken room and begin to observe those who use it, making note of any female Nearsiders who pass through. At least 75% of their time is spend in this observation mode, with actual abductions restricted to situations that present the least risk to the female in question, while presenting the greatest likelihood of success. Non-lethal weapons are used during abductions, not out of any sense of mercy, but simply to protect their investment. The Husbandry are paid on a “per female” basis,

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Set against the Husbandry are the Midwives. One of C13’s most significant successes, the Midwives are a kind of underground railroad, helping to extract HbA+ females from Earth5 to another variation, or keeping them protected and in hiding on Earth5. Considered terrorists by almost everyone on that world, the Midwives are fully aware of the truth behind Ilithya Export and the Breeder farms. Some members even work for Ilithya, providing information and access at great personal risk. Nearsiders and negs alike work together to find and help HbA+ females, using similar techniques as the Husbandry. Most of the risky work concerns rescuing pregnant women who are already in the clutches of Ilithya or governments, or saving their children if they are beyond help. Activities Nearsiders can be found securing broken rooms ready for transporting rescued women off world. They are also at the forefront of the risky raids into the Breeder farms, or against Ilithya facilities. Negs are usually working in more subtle, quiet ways, such as providing safe houses, or even simply driving or flying women from one place to another. Some Midwives have strong opinions on how their operations should be run, and lean strongly toward violence, blowing up Ilithya warehouses rather than simply

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sabotaging them. They aren’t the norm, since most Midwives realize that being branded as terrorists is already enough of a problem without giving the average person reason to be actually afraid of their activities. On other variations, Nearsiders will be helping to find safe places for the rescued women to live, away from prying eyes of the Husbandry and other organizations who might frown on potentially having more than one version of a person living full-time on the same world. The Midwives’ Attitudes Regency: Next to C13, arguably our biggest sympathizers, though to call them allies wouldn’t be completely accurate. Still, they help out more than one might expect, and they’ll never turn their backs on us if we’re in desperate need. They don’t like our more ... militant members, and frown upon activities that cause death, on any world. Monarch: We mostly don’t hear anything from them. Our few encounters have been unpredictable, to say the least. They’ve helped us at least once, and we’re pretty sure they’ve been the reason a couple of missions failed. Whatever their agenda is, we run the risk of being used by them, so stay clear.

The Truckers Not all of the Truckers on Earth7 are Nearsiders, but enough of them are to give them a very particular edge in their work. Driving for thousands of miles through ice fields and along frozen rivers, the Truckers are a lifeline for the hundreds of small, scattered settlements in the permanent ice zones. At risk from the weather, the altered terrain and from raiders, the Truckers keep a loosely-knit community alive, thanks to the advantages of having “alternate routes” though some of the worst areas. Only a few broken rooms are big enough to take

an entire truck, but those are well-known to the Truckers, who make good use of them. Sometimes it’s useful to refuel on Earth1 and then hit the roads of Earth7 once more. And it can be lucrative to pick up a load of fresh fruit and veg and bring it back to trade for things that are no longer useful, like jewelry, precious metals and bank vaults full of what might now be considered fuel for a cook fire. The Truckers stay in communication using modified CB radios that seem to use a kind of modified satellite technology that is oddly advanced given the situation they face. The radios make use of military relay technology as well, some kind of disasterproof radio network that the public shouldn’t have access to. With rumors of radios that can communicate across variations, the Truckers are certainly a group that may be more than they appear.

Activities Most HbA+ Truckers ply their trade on Earth6, only occasionally popping over to another variation when they need very particular items or cargo. The majority are negs who are in the know, helping out their Nearsider brothers and sisters by picking up imported loads and moving them around. Some Truckers aren’t too fussy how they get their cargo on other variations, and will sometimes steal a container from a truck stop and race to the nearest broken room to take it through. Such acts of piracy are frowned upon by Regency, which attempts to restrict such exports through broken rooms under its control. The Truckers’ Attitudes Regency: Harmless enough, but sometimes a pain in the ass if you want to use one of “their” broken rooms. Fortunately, they rarely demand payment, it’s just a kind of bureaucratic bullshit we thought we’d seen the back of. Monarch: Oddly enough, while everyone else is freaked out by this lot, we’ve never had any problems with them. They never stop us using broken rooms, or give a damn about what we carry. We’ve heard that some of our drivers might be members, or even Exiles (whatever they are), but there’s no proof of that.

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Allies & Adversaries Scary Men, Women and Monsters What follows is a list of examples highlighting the most commonly encountered creatures, entities and NPCs on the Nearside. This is nowhere near an exhaustive list; as mentioned in the Storytelling chapter (see page 198), coming up with NPCs on the fly is very easy. Refer to the challenge rating table below, and assign attribute and skill values accordingly. l Easy = 3 max attribute; max skill @ 10 l Challenging = 4 max attribute; max skill @ 8 l Daunting = 5 max attribute; max skill @ 7 l Formidable = 6 max attribute; max skill @ 6 l Ridiculous = 7+max attribute; max skill @ 5

For example, a typical Mook (a nameless, faceless thug NPC) should be Easy, and have Body 3, Mind 3 and Soul 3. They will make all Action Checks using 3d@10+. Mooks don’t hang around once they get hurt, so they should go down once they have crossed their first injury threshold, i.e. once they have taken their Body (3) in damage. More important NPCs should have a rating of at least Challenging or higher, and will probably fight until at least their second injury threshold (Body x2). Assign Qualities as you need them. The lists in Character Creation chapter (pages 45-46) provides many good examples. For the Lacunae featured below, you’ll see Qualities that your starting character would probably not be able to take. These reflect the alien nature of the Lacunae, and are presented as much to provide flavor and texture as to explain unique rules that are applicable to specific entities.

Earth 2 Vanished The Vanished Animal quality reflects the greater feral nature of animals on Earth2. They are no longer afraid of humans and will attack on sight, gaining +1d to their attack and defense checks. For a list of animals, see page 278. Every animal on Earth2 has the Vanished Animal quality.

Earth4: K’thari The K’thari (Kith-ari) are an extraterrestrial race with multiple physiological stages within their life cycle, the exact number is unknown. Largely unintelligent, with two notable exceptions, the various K’thari life stages

represent a very grave threat to humanity and its place in the terrestrial food chain. Known K’thari range from small hatchlings (Swarmers, see below) to varieties of adult (Warriors, Queens) and possibly a final, post-chrysalis form (the Hai-Kio). Drones are another form of adult K’thari, but they are effectively harmless and dedicated to hive maintenance duties. Swarmers hatch en masse from eggs implanted in living hosts. Eggs are laid by Queens, but tend to be implanted in hosts shortly after by drones dedicated to the task. Eggs are relatively small, about the size of a ping-pong ball, and at least a dozen are implanted at a time. When they hatch, they burst out of the host creature and immediately feed upon it. They will eat anything in the vicinity, though they seem to recognize K’thari and Litchon as being inedible, possibly due to pheromone programming. Humans are being farmed and harvested to provide hosts for K’thari young. Warriors are considered to be the most “typical” K’thari form, resembling a cross between a scorpion and a praying mantis. The smallest are around 150 lbs and the size of a Great Dane, while the largest are over 3000 lbs and as big as an SUV. It’s thought that size increases with age. On average, a K’thari Warrior is around 1000 lbs and as big as a pony. Smaller Warriors, also called Sweepers, are nimble compared to their larger kin, though as Warriors grow, they get significantly harder to hurt. Sweepers are used as scouts and fast-response against hive incursions. Larger Warriors are used as front-line soldiers as well as doing the heavy lifting when constructing hives. Resembling giant dragonflies, the Hai-Kio represent a mystery. Much less numerous than the Warriors, but no less deadly, the Hai-Kio seem completely different to the other K’thari stages. Genetic analysis indicates that they are the same species, so most experts think that the Hai-Kio represent a later, and perhaps ultimate, stage of development. Hai-Kio are highly telepathic and are capable of jamming human senses over quite a large area (several hundred feet). Their telepathic attacks, when highly focused, can kill the average human. Hai-Kio are much more intelligent than Warriors, demonstrating a soulless cunning that can make them unpredictable.

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Allies & Adversaries except head which has 1 point. l Terrible Bite: Base damage for Bite is 4 l Scything Claw: Base damage for Claw is 2. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor vs. Fallsteel weapons. l Scary as Hell: Facing K’thari in combat requires a Challenging (2) Bravery Check. l Nimble: Smaller K’thari are surprisingly nimble. They get +1d to Defense Checks and make them at 8+. l Fast: +1d Body to determine speed and initiative.

K’thari Warrior, Large (Daunting)

The K’thari reproduce using Queens, large and mostly immobile creatures that are even more telepathic than the Hai-Kio. The average Queen is about the size of a small house, and spends most of its life laying eggs and coordinating the activity of an entire Hive, including patrols of Warriors and Sweepers. While under the mental control of a Queen, other K’thari act with supernatural cooperation. Queens are also able to take control of human bodies, though it is a brutal and mentally devastating process. Once a Queen has overwhelmed a human mind, it can treat the subject like a puppet, though movement and actions are clumsy and badly coordinated. Under a Queen’s control, a target cannot use any higher functions (thought, speech) but can certainly make physical attacks against others, up to and including using firearms.

Body: 5d Def: 5d@10+ 5/10/15 Armor: 3 (Head:1) Speed: 25 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Bite (5B, 5d@7+), Claw (3B, 5d@7+), Venom Rifle (4B, 5d@7+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) 4d@7+, Athletics 5d@7+, Personal Combat (Armed) 5d@7+, Marksmanship 5d@7+ Qualities l Hive Mind: While under control of a Queen, +1d bonus to all Action Checks. l Mindless, Soulless Killing Machines: K’thari Warriors cannot be affected by Mind or Soul attacks. l Chitinous Shell: 3 points of armor on all locations, except head which has 1 point. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Terrible Bite: Base damage for Bite is 5B l Scything Claw: Base damage for Claw is 3B. l Scary as Hell: Facing K’thari in combat requires a Challenging (2) Bravery Check.

Warrior, Small (Challenging)

Swarmer (Easy)

Body: 3d Def: 4d@8+ Life: 3/6/9 Armor: 2 (1 head) Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Bite (4B, 3d@8+), Claw (2B, 3d@8+), Venom Rifle (4B, 3d@8+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) 3d@8+, Athletics 3d@8+, Personal Combat (Armed) 3d@8+, Marksmanship 3d@8+ Qualities l Hive Mind: While under control of a Queen, +1d bonus to all Action Checks. l Mindless, Soulless Killing Machines: K’thari Warriors cannot be affected by Mind or Soul attacks. l Chitinous Shell: 2 points of armor on all locations,

Body: 1d Def: 5d 1/2/3 Armor: 0 Speed: 30 Initiative: 2d+6 Attacks: Sting (1B & 3M, 4d@9+) Qualities l Mindless, Soulless Killing Machines: Swarmers cannot be affected by Mind or Soul attacks. l There’s Too Many of Them: Each birth consists of between 1 and 12 Swarmers. l Gross, Did You See That?: Witnessing the birth of a swarmer requires a Daunting (3) Bravery Check. l Nasty Sting: Swarmers possess a highly venomous sting. Base damage is only 1, but any Damage Inflicted results in the injury condition Stung, which

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Allies & Adversaries does 3 Mind Damage. Characters that suffer Mind damage past their second threshold are numb and at -1 to all actions. l Really, Really Fast: +5d Body to determine speed & initiative. l Swarm: +4 to Defense Checks, +3 to Attack Checks

Hai-Kio (Formidable) Body: 3d Def: 5d@10+ 3/6/9 Mind: 6d Def: 6d@10+ 6/12/18 Armor: 0 Speed: 30 Initiative: 2d+6 Attacks: Jam Senses (3M, 6d@8+), Psychic Blast (3M & 3B, 6d@10+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) 6d@8+, Athletics 3d@8+, Marksmanship (Psychic Attack) 6d@10+ Qualities l Hive Mind: While under control of a Queen, +1d bonus to all Action Checks. l Alien Psyche: Hai-Kio are sentient and self-aware, and possess the Mind attribute. They do not possess a Soul attribute compatible with human mores. l Nimble Flight: Hai-Kio are capable of sustained flight at speeds of up to 60 mph. In combat, they may double their Body to determine movement. Moreover, their darting movement makes them hard to hit. They receive a +2d bonus to Body Defense checks. l Brittle Wings: The wings of a Hai-Kio are more vulnerable than the rest of its body. Targeting the wings is a Daunting (3) Called Shot. If the wings take 3 or more points of damage, they are destroyed, rendering the Hai-Kio immobile, if it survives the fall. l Jam Senses: Hai-Kio can overwhelm mammalian sensory systems with psychic noise. Base damage is 3M. A target taking any damage must make a Challenging Body Roll or be Nauseated (-1 to actions). l Psychic Blast: A focused beam of psychic energy from an Hai-Kio can cause actual brain damage as well as overwhelming confusion and disorientation. Base damage is 3B and 3M. It is resisted by Mind Defense.

Queen (Ridiculous) Body: 8d Def: 4d 8/16/24 Mind: 8d Def: 8d 8/16/24 Armor: 0 Speed: 5 Initiative: 2d+8 Attacks: Jam Senses (6M, 8d@8+), Psychic Blast (6M & 6B, 8d@10+)

Significant Skills: Knowledge (Strategy, Tactics) 8d@6+, Marksmanship (Psychic Blast) 8d@10+ Qualities l Queen of the Hive: Queens can perceive anything its minions can, up to 120 miles away. They cannot be surprised or ambushed in combat. l Alien Psyche: Queens are sentient and self-aware, and possesses a powerful Mind attribute. They do not possess a Soul attribute compatible with human mores. l Enormous, Slow and Clumsy: Queens divide their body by 8 to determine speed and reduce their Body by 4 for Defense Checks. l Jam Senses: Queens can overwhelm mammalian sensory systems with psychic noise. Base damage is 6M. A target taking any damage must make a Challenging Body Roll or be Nauseated (-1 to actions). l Psychic Blast: A focused beam of psychic energy from a Queen can cause actual brain damage as well as overwhelming confusion and disorientation. Base damage is 6MB. Resisted by Mind Defense only.

Litchon (Formidable) Body: 3d Def: 4d 3/6/9 Mind: 6d Def: 4d 6/12/18 Soul: 3d Def: 1d 3/6/9 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+6 Attacks: Alien Wrench (1B, 3d@11+) Significant Skills: Technical 6d@7+, Technical (K-tech) 6d@6+, Perception (Notice) 6d@9+, Qualities l Pacifist: The Litchon have had all aggressive instincts burned out of their brains over centuries of genetic manipulation by the K’thari. They must make a Challenging (2) Willpower Check in order to act violently. l Broken Spirit: After thousands of years of slavery and mental control, Litchon have very little willpower or individuality. They suffer a -2d penalty to Mind and Soul Defense checks. l Tinkerer: Litchon are incredible talented mechanics and engineers. They always gain the +2d equipment bonus regardless of what equipment is available.

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Allies & Adversaries Earth9: Dead Water Damned (Easy)

Body: 3d Def: 3d 5/10/15 Armor: 0 Speed: 5 Initiative: 2d+1 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@10+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Unarmed) 3d@10+, Perception (Notice) 3d@10+ Qualities l Aimless Shuffle: The damned move in a slow, unsteady manner. Their Body is reduced to 1 for the purposes of determining speed and initiative. l Detect Meridian Use: The damned can detect the use of Meridians from a great distance. l Overwhelming Numbers: The Damned will attack static or slow moving targets en masse, whittling down defenses through sheer numbers.

Drowned (Daunting) Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@10+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) 3d@10+ Tradecraft (Random) 1d@10+ Qualities l Feral Intelligence: The drowned possess an animalistic intelligence that renders them immune to Mind and Soul attacks. l Slow: The Drowned move slowly, but steadily. Their Body is reduced to 2 for the purposes of determining speed and initiative. l Hive Mind: While under control of a Hub, groups of Drowned can move in a coordinated manner, gaining +1 to Action Checks. l Detect Meridian Use: The drowned can detect the use of Meridians from a great distance.

Hub (Formidable) Body: 6d Def: 6d 6/12/18 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Armor: 2 Speed: 30 Initiative: 3d+6 Attacks: Enhanced Fist (3B, 5d@6+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) 5d@6+, Armed Combat (Unarmed) 5d@6+, Technical 5d@9+ Qualities l Aura of Decay: As a side effect of their enhancement, Hubs stink of decay and death. This aura pro-

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vides a +1d bonus to Outdoors (Tracking) checks to find them. l Nanoviral Enhancements: Gains +1d to Initiative Checks, natural armor (2) and enhanced skills and natural attacks. l Control Drowned: A Hub can control all Drowned within a mile of its location, and be fully aware of whatever they see and hear. l Detect Meridian Use: Hubs can detect the use of Meridians from a great distance.

Earth12: Unvisible Monsters There are different types of both Seekers and Eaters, but Eaters display the most variation. Seekers exist in only five or six forms or roughly equal size, while Eaters have been cataloged in more than 100 varieties — from the fly-swarm death cloud of Smidgens, to the towering canine horror that is the Half Dog.

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Allies & Adversaries Seekers Seekers travel in groups of between 3 and 20 creatures. They are rarely found on their own. One example of a Seeker is the tumblecrab. It resembles an ordinary tumbleweed, except that it is made up of chitinous limbs and claws apparently gripping itself into a skeletal sphere. Tiny dark eyes blink randomly in corners and joints. Tumblecrabs require no wind to move, rolling in small groups of 3 to 6. They attack by first brushing past a target (or rendering them unconscious using Bad Energy), then gripping on, claws and talons biting deeply into flesh. Eventually, the target is overwhelmed and the tumblecrabs feed. Tumblecrab - Seeker (Formidable) Body: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Mind: 2d Def: 2d 2/4/6 Soul: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Armor: 2 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+3 Attacks: Bite (3B, 4d@7+), Bad Energy (6M, 5d@7+) Significant Skills: Outdoors (Tracking) 2d@7+, Running 3d@7+, Personal Combat (Unarmed) 3d@7+ Qualities l Bad Energy: The Unvisible are surrounded by an aura that is dangerous to children, and fatal to adults. HbA+ are immune. Bad Energy has a range of 50 feet. l Sense Life: Seekers can taste and smell living creatures very easily. They receive a +1d bonus to Outdoors (Tracking) checks l Chitinous Skin: has 2 points of natural armor l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Brutality: Savage and merciless, Seekers seem to enjoy tearing their prey apart. They receive a +1d bonus to Attack Checks while using their claws or teeth. l In Your Face: The very presence of Seekers is destructive. It’s worse when they are up close. Seekers gain +1d to their Bad Energy attack at Close and Point Blank Range. l Sensitive Eyes: Seekers don’t like bright light, specifically natural or artificial daylight, suffering -1d penalty to all Action Checks.

Flogs Flogs are an example of a typical Eater. About the size of a large dog, they are vaguely toad-shaped blobs of rippling darkness that hop and jump through the ruins of the Deadground. Though they appear shadowy, they are dreadfully solid, and can leap with great force on to a potential target, knocking them over. Snakelike tongues flicker out and cut their prey to ribbons. Flogs - Eater (Daunting) Body: 3d Def: 2d 3/6/9 Mind: 2d Def: 2d 2/4/6 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Armor: 2 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+3 Attacks: Leap and Slam (0B, 5d@7+), Tongue (3B, 3d@7+), Bad Energy (6M, 4d@7+ (see below) Significant Skills: Outdoors (Tracking) 2d@7+, Athletics (Jumping) 3d@7+, Personal Combat (Unarmed) 3d@7+) Qualities l Bad Energy: The Unvisible are surrounded by an aura that is dangerous to children, and fatal to adults. HbA+ are immune. Bad Energy has a range of 50 feet. l Leap and Slam: The flog is very adept at knocking prey down. It gains +2d to its slam attack, and the target must make a Body Check versus the number of successes gained in the initial attack to avoid being knocked prone. l Easy to Kill: Eaters are clumsy and slow, suffering a -1d penalty to Body defense checks. l Shadowy Flesh: Possess 2 points of natural armor. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Dumb as a brick: Eaters are not bright at the best of times, and suffer a -1d penalty to all Mind Checks when threatened. l Scaredycat: Unlike their Seeker cousins, Eaters prefer the daylight. They suffer a -1d penalty to all Action Checks at night or in darkness.

Eaters

Earth13: The Always-Were and Never-Been

Eaters travel in large groups of between 20 and 100 creatures. They are never found on their own. They are easier to kill than Seekers, but large numbers make them extremely dangerous.

These are the most terrible of the shadow entities, and are perhaps the most “pure” incarnation of whatever lurks in the Forest. No two look exactly the same, but

Malvolents

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Allies & Adversaries they tend to be enormous black oily masses, ever shifting, perched upon long spikes that act as legs. They loom, a hundred feet high, moving far too quickly for things that big, like Martian war machines born from the nightmares of many-legged things. Indeed, some have called Malvolents the gods of all insects, as only their alien minds could worship something so awful. The touch of a Malvolent is death. Malvolents can extrude prehensile limbs made of oily shadow, to grab and crush those on the ground, or to pull them up high into the air to either absorb or throw back to the ground. Malvolents seem to enjoy the sound of screams and the breaking of bones, emitting shrill bubbling trills of something like pleasure while they play with their prey. When they tire of their games, they impale victims on the end of their long slender legs, slowly twisting and rotating the spike to maximize the agony. Malvolents begin their existence as football-sized, pod-like black bundles, dormant until something living touches it. The pod then unfolds blasphemously, too much mass in such a small space. It quickly expands in size, exponentially fast, and within a few minutes it is shivering on brand new limbs, six feet tall and growing even larger. Malvolents are almost invulnerable; only Fallsteel or Distance Powers can truly harm them. Throw enough lead at a Malvolent, and you might slow them down. That’s the theory behind the barrage of gunfire unleashed by the Iron Trains at pursuing Malvolents, in hope of simply outrunning the entities.

out in myriad shapes and forms, inflict 4B, 1M and 1S damage. l Terrible Darkness: Facing even a small Malvolent requires a Challenging (2) Bravery Check. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons l Leech Life: Damage inflicted by the Malvolent heals the Malvolent.

Malvolent, Small (Formidable) Body: 6d Def: 6d 6/12/18 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 0d Def: na na Armor: 4 Speed: 30 Initiative: 3d+6 Attacks: Tendril (4B &1M & 1S, 6d@8+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Armed) 6d@8+, Perception (Notice) 6d@8+, Athletics (Running) 6d@8+ Qualities l Swift as Shadows: +1d initiative l Lissom Horror: Dark tendrils of shadow whip

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Malvolent, Large (Ridiculous) Body: 20d Def: 5d 20/40/60 Mind: 5d Def: 6d 5/10/15 Soul: 0d Def: na na Armor: 8 Speed: 100 Initiative: 3d+5 Attacks: Leg Spike (10B, 5d@8+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Armed) 5d@8+, Perception (Notice) 5d@8+, Athletics (Running) 5d@8+ Qualities l Gigantic: Body is treated as ¼ its value for the purposes of Defense Checks, attacks, skill checks and initiative. l As Fast as a Speeding Iron Locomotive: Body is not reduced to determine speed. l Legs like Telephone Poles: 50-ft.-long legs like iron spikes can punch through anything, and do a base 10B damage. l Towering Terror: Facing a large Malvolent requires a Daunting (3) Bravery Check. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Leech Life: Damage inflicted by the Malvolent heals the Malvolent.

Resembling the classic “greys” from UFO lore, these creatures appear in the middle of the night and abduct children from settlements and homes on the far edges of the Plains and Salt Flats. They travel in groups of three, using small, fast flying saucers to abduct their victims. Glek (Daunting) Body: 3d Def: 3d Mind: 5d Def: 6d Soul: na

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Allies & Adversaries Armor: 1 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Ray Gun: (Sleep Ray 6M, 3d@8+, Disintegrator Beam 4B, 3d@8+), Anal Probe (3M+3S, 3d@5+, requires grappled opponent) Significant Skills: Marksmanship 3d@8+, Perception (Notice) 3d@8+, Transportation (Flying Saucer) 5d@6+, Personal Combat (Anal Probe) 3d@5+ Qualities l Alien Mind: +1 to defense for determining Mind Defense and hits l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Sleep Ray: Alien ray gun does 6M damage. The target falls asleep if first Mind Damage threshold is passed. l Disintegrator Beam: Alien ray gun setting does 4B damage

Werewolves Roaming the Plains in small groups of 5 to 10 creatures, the werewolves of Earth13 are not shape-shift-

ers, but are vaguely humanoid wolf-shaped animals that can only be killed with silver or Fallsteel. They are extremely dangerous. Werewolves (Challenging) Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Armor: 1 Speed: 30 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Claw (3B, 4d@7+), Bite (5B, 6d@7+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Unarmed) 4d@7+, Perception (Notice) 4d@8+, Athletics (Running) 4d@8+, Outdoors (Tracking) 4d@6+ Qualities l Fallsteel and Silver Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons and Silver l Fast: +2 Body to determine speed. l Luxurious Pelts: Werewolf skins make nice coats, and are also worth decent bounties in frontier settlements. l Claw: Werewolves do 3B damage with claws. l Ferocious Bite: Werewolves do 5B with their bite. They can only bite if their opponent is grappled.

Foranel These are nightmare doppelgangers of sleeping humans, carrying out dreadful acts of evil before the human awakes, leaving them to be punished for a crime they didn’t commit. Hunting solo, they steal the teeth of their chosen victim, wearing them while they carry out their dark deeds. Indeed, the only way a victim can be told apart from their doppelganger is that the human has a bloody mess where their gums should be. Foranel (Easy) Body: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Mind: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Armor: 0 Speed: 15 Initiative: 2d+3 Attacks: Fist (0B, 3d@10+), Remove Teeth (3B, 3d@6+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Unarmed), Personal Combat (Remove Teeth), 3d@6+) Qualities l Doppelganger: Completely resembles their target, as long as they are wearing their teeth. Requires a Formidable (4) Perception (Notice) or Perception (Empathy) Check to notice the disguise.

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Allies & Adversaries l Sweet Dreams: Foranel can place sleeping targets into a much deeper sleep, allowing them to remove their target’s teeth. l Tear Teeth from Mouth: Expert at removing all a sleeping victim’s teeth from a mouth. Can still try to pull them from an awake victim using Personal Combat. This is a Formidable (5) called shot.

Yaneth These creatures are the plant equivalent of the Malvolents. Small flocks (3 to 6 entities) of these triffidesque plant demons uproot themselves at night and seek patches of farmland. They wait until morning to feed upon those who tend the crops. Their roots can whip out from under the ground in an unpredictable manner, giving them a slight edge in combat. Yaneth (Daunting) Body: 5d Def: 3d 7/14/21 Armor: 2 Speed: 15 Initiative: 1d+5 Attacks: Whipping Root (4B, 5d@7+) Significant Skills: Marksmanship (Whipping Root)

5d@7+, Perception (Notice) 5d@7+, Outdoors (Tracking) 5d@7+ Qualities l Tough Fibrous Bulk: Yaneth don’t have traditional muscle and nerve structures, rendering them harder to hurt. They have 2 armor and gain +2 Body for the purposes of determining hit points. l Lumbering and Slow: Yaneth suffer -2 Body for the purposes of determining Defense and Speed, and lose 1d to initiative. l Fallsteel Vulnerability: 0 armor versus Fallsteel weapons. l Whipping Roots: Yaneth can attack up to 5 yards away with their stinging roots, doing base 4B damage. These attacks, like gunfire, cannot be avoided with Defense Checks.

Oryquin These are fairy-like sprites, and are unspeakably cruel. Appearing in groups of 5 or more, they rarely leave the Forest and have been known to steal humans away, forcing them to dance or have sex until they die of exhaustion. They can overwhelm a lone target with their magic. They lack the motivation and imagination to use a target’s skills or meridians usefully, but they might make a compelled target attack a friend ... or try to copulate with them. Oryquin (Easy) Body: 3d Def: 5d 3/6/9 Mind: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Armor: 0 Speed: 25 Initiative: 3d+3 Attacks: Tiny knife (0B, 3d@10+), Compel (3M, 3d@10+) Significant Skills: Personal Combat (Armed) 3d@10+, Personal Combat (Compel) 3d@10+, Perception (Notice) 3d@10+ Qualities l Small: +2 to Body to determine Defense. l Fast and Nimble: +1d to Initiative, +2 to Body to determine speed. l Compel: If target’s Mind is reduced to zero, the Oryquin take over, forcing the target to dance, copulate or sing until they pass out or die.

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Allies & Adversaries Non-Player Characters Regular Joes

Typical Hired Thug (Challenging) Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Armor: Leather Jacket (1) Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Fist (0B, 4@10+), Club (1B, 4d@10+), Light Pistol (3B, 4d@10+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) @9+, Personal Combat @8+, Marksmanship @9+, Interpersonal (Intimidate) @9+ Qualities l Money Talks: A hired thug’s only loyalty is to money, and he doesn’t care what he does in order to get it. -1d penalty to resist Willpower checks relating to greed. l Discretion, Valor, Etc: A hired thug isn’t going to hang around once they are either Hurt, Confused, or Uncertain. As soon as they cross the -1 damage threshold, regardless of the type, they will cut and run. Professional Hitman (Daunting) Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Mind: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Armor: Kevlar (2, Head 0) Speed: 25 Initiative: 3d+5 Attacks: Signature Weapon (e.g pistol) (3B, 6d@7+) Significant Skills: Perception @7+, Personal Combat @7+, Marksmanship @7+, Larceny (Stealth) @7+, Tradecraft (Cleaning) @7+ Qualities l Slay for Pay: A professional hitman is good at what he does, and once they’ve taken a job, they see it through, regardless. The hitman receives a +1d bonus to Bravery or Willpower checks relating to the current job, but cannot cancel or give up on the job or else he will ruin his reputation (at best). l Combat Reflexes: +1d to determine initiative. l Signature Weapon: A professional hitman will use the right weapon for the job, but he usually has a soft spot for one particular item. The hitman gains a +1d bonus to all Attack Checks using their signature weapon.

Survivors Example: Sickly, Nearly Dead Fall Survivor Body: 2d Def: 2d 2/4/6 Mind: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Soul: 2d Def: 2d 2/4/6 Armor: 0 Speed: 10 Initiative: 2d+3 Attacks: Improvised weapon (1B, 2d@10+) Significant Skills: Perception @8+, Personal Combat @8+, Outdoors @8+ Qualities l Pathetic: Survivors on Earth3 vary from brave and bold to pathetic and pitiable. This is one of the pathetic ones. Pathetic survivors get a +1d bonus to Soul checks relating to asking for help or appealing to the better nature of non-native Nearsiders. l Nothing Left to Lose: Possessed of a strength born of desperation, the survivor does not suffer Injury penalties to skill checks.

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Allies & Adversaries Typical Armed Security Guard (Challenging) Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Armor: 2 (Armored Vest, Helmet) Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@8+), Baton (1B, 5d@8+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) @8+, Personal Combat @8+, Athletics (Running) @8+, Interpersonal (Intimidate) @9+ Qualities l Non-lethal Training: +1d when using non-lethal weapons to subdue targets. l Not paid NEARLY enough: Will surrender or run away when a second damage threshold is passed or is obviously outnumbered.

Elite Security Force (Formidable) Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Armor: 3 (Full Riot Gear, Helmet) Speed: 25 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist/Gauntlet (1B, 6d@7+), Baton (1B, 6d@7+), Heavy Pistol (4B, 5d@7+) Significant Skills: Perception (Notice) @6+, Personal Combat @8+, Marksmanship (Handguns) @7+ (Rifles) @7+, Outdoors (Tracking) @8+, Medical (First Aid) @7+ Qualities l Non-lethal Training: +1d when using non-lethal weapons to subdue targets. l Ex-Military: Spent time in the military, in actual combat situations. +2 to Bravery Checks relating to combat. l Paid Pretty Decently, Actually: Will continue fighting despite the odds or wounds suffered.

Nearsiders Average Regency Agent (Challenging) Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Depth: 3d Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Armor: Typically 0 Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@8+), Light Pistol (3B, 4d@8+) Significant Skills: Athletics @9+, Gather Information @8+, Marksmanship (Pistol) 8+, Perception (Notice) @8+, Prime Meridian @8+, One non-combat Skill Concentration @7+ Qualities l Meridian: Prime (random) l Regency Agent: Has access to Regency Group resources. l Professional: Pick one Skill Concentration at Professional (7+). Experienced Regency Agent (Daunting) Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 5/10/15 Depth: 4d Distance: 6 Momentum: 6 of 12 Armor: Light Armor Vest (2) Speed: 25

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Allies & Adversaries l Monarch Operative: Has access to Monarch resources. l Stealthy: +1d to Stealth Checks.

Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@8+), Heavy Pistol (4B, 5d@8+) Significant Skills: Athletics @8+, Gather Information @8+, Marksmanship (Pistol) @7+, Perception (Notice) @7+, Prime Meridian @7+, Two non-combat Skill Concentrations @6+ Qualities l Meridian: Prime (Random), Secondary l Distance Quality: (Random) l Detached: +1d to Bravery/Willpower Checks, -1d to Empathy. l Regency Agent: Has access to Regency Group resources. l Experienced Field Agent: Can pull rank on less-experienced Regency Agents. l Top Man in His Field: Pick two Skill Concentrations at Expert (6+).

Experienced Monarch Operative (Daunting) Body: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Mind: 5d Def: 5d 5/10/15 Soul: 4d Def: 4d 5/10/15 Depth: 4d Distance: 6 Momentum: 6 of 12 Armor: Light Armor Vest (2) Speed: 25 Initiative: 2d+5 Attacks: Fist (0B, 5d@8+), Heavy Pistol (4B, 5d@8+) Significant Skills: Athletics @8+, Gather Information @8+, Marksmanship (Pistol) @7+, Perception (Notice) @7+, Prime Meridian @7+, Larceny @8+ (Stealth @7+), One non-combat Skill Concentration @6+ Qualities l Meridian: Prime (Random), Secondary l Distance Quality: (Random) l Detached: +1d to Bravery/Willpower Checks, -1d to Empathy. l Monarch Operative: Has access to Monarch resources. l Waiting in the Wings: Is being groomed as a potential to survive Convergence. l Expert: Pick one Skill Concentration at Expert (6+).

Average Monarch Operative (Challenging) Body: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Mind: 4d Def: 4d 4/8/12 Soul: 3d Def: 3d 3/6/9 Depth: 3d Distance: 3 Momentum: 3 of 6 Armor: Typically 0 Speed: 20 Initiative: 2d+4 Attacks: Fist (0B, 4d@8+), Light Silenced Pistol (2B, 4d@8+) Significant Skills: Athletics @9+, Gather Information @8+, Marksmanship (Pistol) @8+, Perception (Notice) @8+, Meridian @8+, Larceny @8+ (Stealth 5d@7+) Qualities l Meridian: Prime (random)

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Allies & Adversaries Animal

Body

Def.

Dmg.

Attack

Armor

2

2

2/4/6

Talon (2B, 2d@10+)

Qualities

Bird Bird of Prey, Large Bird of Prey, Small

1

3

1/2/3

Talon (1B, 1d@10+)

Flightless, Large

3

3

3/6/9

Kick (3B, 3d@10+)

Small & Fast (+2d to Body Defense)

Flock

1

5

1/2/3

Beak (1B, 4d@10+)

Bull

7

6

7/14/21

Gore (4B, 7d@10+)

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense)

Camel

6

5

6/12/18

Bite (2B, 3d@10+)

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense); Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Cow

6

5

6/12/18

Kick (2B, 3d@10+)

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense); Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Dog, Large

3

3

3/6/9

Bite (3B, 3d@8+)

Trained Attack Dog (Bites @8+)

Dog, Small

2

2

2/4/6

Bite (2B, 2d@10+)

Small, Yappy-Type Dog (-1d to Mind actions due to distraction while yapping)

Donkey

4

4

4/8/12

Kick (2B, 2d@10+)

Goat

3

3

3/6/9

Bite (2B, 3d@10+)

Horse

5

5

5/10/15

Kick (3B, 3d@10+)

Pig

4

4

4/8/12

Bite (1B, 2d@10+)

Ox

6

5

6/12/18

Gore (4B, 3d@10+)

Insect Swarm

1

5

1/2/3

Sting (1B, 1M, 4d@10+)

Scorpion

1

3

1/2/3

Sting (1B, 1M, 1d@10+)

Spider, Poisonous

1

3

1/2/3

Bite (2B, 2M, 1d@10+)

Small (+2d to Body Defense) ; Venomous Bite (Attacks also cause Mind damage) Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Flock/Swarm (+4d to Body Defense, +3d Attack)

Domesticated

1

Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

1

Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack) Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense); Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Insects & Arachnids Flock/Swarm (+4d to Body Defense, +3d Attack); Poisonous Stings (Attacks also cause Mind damage) 1

Small (+2d to Body Defense)

Marine Barracuda

3

3

3/6/9

Bite (3B, 3d@7+)

Dolphin

4

4

4/8/12

Bump (2B, 4d@10+)

Eel

1

3

1/2/3

Shock (4B, 2M, 1d@10+)

Stingray

2

2

2/4/6

Stinger (6B, 2d@10+)

Octopus

2

2

2/4/6

Piranha School

1

5

1/2/3

Bite (3B, 4d@7+)

Flock/Swarm (+4d to Body Defense, +3d Attack)

Sharks

5

5

5/10/15

Bite (4B, 5d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Squid, Giant

4

4

4/8/12

Squeeze (4B, 4d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Swordfish

4

4

4/8/12

Stab (3B, 4d@10+)

Whale

10

2

10/20/30 Ram (4B, 5d@10+)

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Small and Fast (+2 to Body Defense); Electrical Shock (Attacks also cause Mind damage)

Giant (-8d to Body Defense); Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Allies & Adversaries Animal

Body

Def.

Dmg.

Attack

Armor

Qualities

Wild Animals & Reptiles Alligator

4

4

4/8/12

Bite (3B, 4d@7+)

Ape, Large

6

5

5/10/15

Fist (2B, 5d@10+)

Ape, Small

4

4

4/8/12

Fist (1B, 4d@10+)

Badger

2

2

2/4/6

Bite (1B, 2d@10+)

Bat

1

4

1/2/03

Bite (0B, 1d@10+)

Bear, Large

6

5

6/12/18

Claw (4B, 6d@7+)

2

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+) Large (-1d to Body Defense)

Small and Fast (+3 to Body Defense); Diseaseridden (May pass on a disease with a bite) 1

Large (-1d to Body Defense); Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Bear, Small

4

4

4/8/12

Claw (2B, 4d@10+)

1

Boar

4

4

4/8/12

Tusk (3B, 4d@10+)

1

Buffalo

5

4

5/10/15

Gore (3B, 3d@10+)

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense); Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Coyote

3

3

3/6/9

Bite (2B, 3d@10+)

Crocodile

5

5

5/10/15

Bite (3B, 4d@7+)

2

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Deer

4

4

4/8/12

Bite (1B, 2d@10+)

Usually Harmless (1/2 Body to determine attack)

Elephant

8

7

8/16/24

Stomp (2B, 8d@10+)

Great Cat, Large

3

3

3/6/9

Claw (3B, 3d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Great Cat, Small,

2

2

2/4/6

Claw (2B, 2d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Hippo

6

5

6/12/18

Bite (3B, 6d@10+)

Large (-1d to Body Defense)

Hyena

2

2

2/4/6

Bite (1B, 2d@10+)

Monkey

2

2

2/4/6

Fist (0B, 2d@10+)

Rat

1

2

1/2/3

Bite (0B, 1d@10+)

Rhino

6

5

6/12/18

Gore (4B, 6d@10+)

Snake, Constrictor

3

3

3/6/9

Squeeze (3B, 3d@10+)

Snake, Poisonous

1

2

1/2/3

Bite (3B, 3M, 1d@10+)

Small (+1 to Body Defense); Venomous Bite (Attacks also cause Mind damage)

Weasel

1

4

1/2/3

Bite (0B, 1d@10+)

Small and Fast (+2 to Body Defense)

Wolf

4

4

4/8/12

Bite (3B, 4d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Wolverine

4

4

4/8/12

Bite (3B, 4d@7+)

Professional Predator (Attacks at 7+)

Animals Animals can be found on all of the variations, to some extent. While attacks by wild animals may be rare on most variations, the table above allows characters to hunt and herd as the need arises. The Quality Usually Harmless indicates an animal that would, under normal circumstances, not be aggressive. These animals would normally show a fear of humans. Such animals might include domesticated livestock, or wild animals that have learned to be afraid of

1

Large (-1d to Body Defense)

Small (+1 to Body Defense); Disease-ridden (May pass on a disease with a bite) 2

Large (-1d to Body Defense)

mankind. If these animals are forced to attack, their Attack Check is based on half their Body rating, rounded up. On Earth 2, however, creatures gain the Quality Vanished Animal, which removes the Usually Harmless Quality and adds 1d to the creature’s attack and defense checks. There are other times animals could be embolded to lose their fear of humans (and therefore the Vanished Animal Quality), such as when they’re diseased, starving or even under the influence of a Nearsider.

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A Visitor

I

f you stared at things for too long they stopped making any sense at all. Ellington sighed and blinked and shoved the bundled papers away from him. Incident reports, monitoring station data, interview records from scattered research teams on at least seven worlds. If there was a pattern there he wasn’t sure he fully grasped it. Not at the moment anyway. Maybe it was the travel, or the fog of despair that hung around this shattered city, or maybe he was simply too wound-up-worn-out exhausted to maintain focus. Whatever the cause, the files and documents squatted in the centre of a vast glass-topped table and coldly mocked him. Ellington was seated in a large padded chair in a tall ceilinged corner office on the third floor of some corporate building or other, right in the dead heart of an empty metropolis. Outside the opened door he could hear the soldiers of the Regency security detail: low talking, moving of furniture, orders and arguments here and there. They were establishing a perimeter, checking arcs of fire, counting the exits; all of that tedious but necessary gung-ho business. And Ellington… Ellington was catching up on some paperwork, keeping on top of the situation, staying in touch with the Project. Trying to, anyway.

280

He blinked and yawned and settled back in what really was a very comfortable high-backed leather chair. Perhaps a quick forty winks would freshen him up for the work ahead. What the Americans called a power-nap, or something of that nature. Ellington preferred the English term. It seemed to have more poetry. He thought of contented cats, curled up on broad, dark hearth rugs in front of blazing coal fires, hiding out from the howl of wild winter afternoons … lll Ellington startled awake to the sound of knocking on the door. A soldier stood in the doorway, scruffy dressed with war-paint on his face, rifle held loose in one hand. “Begging your pardon, sir.” Ellington sat straight and upright, began shuffling some loose leaf sheets back and forth. He thought about launching into that whole conversation where he told the soldiers not to call him “sir,” but it had never worked before. “What is it?” “Visitor for you, sir. He was most particular about the urgency.” “A visitor … I don’t … I’m very busy.” Ellington played with some more papers, managing to straighten some and knock others on the floor. “Yes, sir.” Ellington reached down to pick up the papers. The soldier did not move away from the door. Ellington frowned. “Is there something else?” The soldier — name of Norris or Harris judging by the patch on his chest — nodded. “He’s on the list, sir.” “List, what list … Whatever do you ... Oh.” “Yes, sir.” Ellington stood up. “You’d best send him along at once,” Ellington brushed a hand through his hair. “And get a brew on, would you? I think I may need a cup of tea.” “Funny you should mention that, sir. Chap’s brought a kettle with him.”

The man was known as Topper. There were countless reports of his fleeting appearance from locations all over the Nearside, but very little information beyond that. He was enigma embodied. Magic and mystery, dressed up in a finely tailored suit of morning dress, black tailed coat and all. Topper was seated across the desk from Ellington, drinking tea from a battered enamel mug. “Very fine,” he said. “Complements to the chef and all of that.” Ellington was having difficulty thinking much of anything. Topper went on: “Excellent bunch of lads you have out there,” he gestured beyond the office to the soldiers keeping watch. “Very steady. Young and fresh and taking baby steps along the winding way, if I’m any judge. Not old hands like us.” “Have you travelled far?” Ellington blurted out the words and felt foolish even as he said them. Topper simply smiled. “In more ways than one,” he set the now empty mug down on a scattering of loose pages at the edge of the desk. “I have walked through war and hell and emptiness from one end of the road to the other.” “And now you’re here.” “Exactly,” Topper nodded. “It’s sometimes hard to remember the awe and wonder and newness of it all. Easy to become jaded by the experience. Lose your way entirely.” Ellington sipped his tea without tasting it and struggled to find words. His initial plan had been to squeeze Topper for as much information as possible. One of the Names. Turning up on his doorstep like it was nothing. Sitting down for a chat and a biscuit and Ellington could scarcely string two useful words together. It was embarrassing. Topper leaned forward slightly, as if weighing him up. “You seem ill at ease. Then again it’s true what they say,” Topper settled back again. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” There it is again, thought Ellington. Everywhere you went these little hints and echoes. Royalty, the regal, the reign of kings and warring princes. Words and rumors and memories. There was a thread there

he could not quite follow. Topper was speaking. “In times of radical change, when events are in the balance, it is not unknown for a man to emerge who understands the shifting of the gears and the turning of the keys. Consider a man who can reckon the flow and ebb of the tide, a man who can see how far and how fair the dice will fall and plan for every awkward eventuality. That sort of man could bring his sharp intelligence and broad knowledge to bear on the chaos that besets the worlds. Imagine a wise man, strong and yet compassionate lest his power become a tyranny. That kind of a man could very well fix everything. “ “And this is you, is it?” asked Ellington. “The man of the moment.” “Heaven’s no,” said Topper . “That would be you.”

281

Aug. 13, 2012

Dr. Neil Ellington

First draft of Nearside Report. Make edits and pass along.

8/15 8-16

8/17

Pretty rough, but I guess we didn’t hire them for their journaling skills.

I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t read it.

A.C.

MS

I’ll add more to the Ordinary World when I get back from Earth2 CC

Confidential /Restricted / Top Secret / Spire / Scepter

The Nearside: The Ordinary World, Earth1 The Regency Group Variation Report 1 of 13, Draft 1 Author: Recruiter Carlos Cruz Designation: Earth 1 A.K.A. “Ordinary,” “Normal” Divergence Event: None known Threat Level: Low

MEMO TO: Dr. Ellington FROM: Simon Taylor, Assistant Recruiter RE: A Guide to the Ordinary World Jan. 28, 2012 As Earth1 is the defacto base of operations for The Regency Group, and is center to our recruiting efforts, I propose writing a manual about our home variation that can be used to streamline our initiation efforts for offworld recruits. In my short time in the recruitment department, I have seen dozens of Nearsiders from different variations ask the same questions. We can save valuable time bringing new recruits up to speed by answering a majority of their questions in one place. Rather than a complete history of what happened on Earth1 since Aug. 13, 2002, the training manual would provide a brief synopsis of what new off-world recruits need to know. With your approval, I would like to draft an initial document that could be added to as a sort of living document we can print and provide to new recruits. As a former history teacher and author of multiple (as-yetunpublished) screenplays, I feel I am up to the task. Approved, but let me see the next draft before sharing it. - Ellington

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The Nearside: The Ordinary World, Earth1 A Visitor’s Guide to the Ordinary World (first draft) Welcome to the ordinary world. This guide is intended to provide answers to questions commonly asked by Nearsiders from other variations. It will provide a brief history, a discussion of the various Nearside organizations active on Earth1 and background information that will help you assimilate into our culture quickly and effectively. become more comfortable here. Divergence On Aug. 13, 2002, nothing happened on Earth1. At least, nothing world-shattering, nothing that changed the course of history for every single man, woman and child on the planet. The U.S. stock market was in a downturn, still reeling after the September 11 attacks of the previous year. The American government’s fraud investigation against Enron was in full swing. The U.S. military and its allies were fighting the war on terror in Afghanistan. A series of Palestinian terrorist attacks prompted Israeli retaliation in the West Bank and Gaza. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks in Bali, Tunisia, Yemen and Kenya. Chechen militants took hostages in a Russian theater and were killed with narcotic gas. The U.S. government was deciding how to reorganize itself and create a Department of Homeland Security. The invasion of Iraq wouldn’t happen until 2003, but President George W. Bush had already coined the term “axis of evil” to describe Iraq, Iran and North Korea. It was just another day on Earth. Just like your home variation up until that day. We saw Spider-Man and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Men in Black II. Many looked forward to the releases of the second installments of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Avril Lavigne and Nelly were playing on the radio. New England won the Super Bowl, Brazil won the World Cup and Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France again. We watched Halle Berry cry during her Oscar acceptance speech, and reality TV was all the rage. People were born, they died. It was all normal then, and it still is on Earth1. That’s not the case on the other variations, of course. On Aug. 13, 2002, the paths of the 13 variations diverged. We call this world Earth1 for the same reason countries place their nations in the center of maps and early astronomers assumed the sun revolved around the Earth. The human race has always been self-centered. We don’t know if our world really is the “ordinary” one, but we do know that before Aug. 12, 2002, all of the worlds shared a common history. I do wonder. — Ellington What happened here after Aug. 13, 2002 may not have happened on your home variations. You may not know about the capture and hanging of Saddam Hussein or the attempted genocide in Darfur. On your world, Hurricane Katrina may not have devastated the Gulf Coast (or it may have wiped it out entirely) and the first African-American U.S. president may not have been elected. You may not know what Facebook is, or an iPhone, or a Tweet. On other variations, politics, popular culture and technology may have evolved quite differently from

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The Nearside: The Ordinary World, Earth1 the way it did here, or even stopped evolving all together. Earth1 may look exceedingly foreign to you, or the devil may be in the details. Depending on your home variation, the changes could be as subtle as noticing different household-name products and companies, or as drastic as seeing shining cities whole and standing again, the world not at war, nature calm and beautiful, or as simple and profound as the laughter of children. It may feel like going backward or forward through time for some, or even paradise. If you’re going to interact with people here, it’s important to at least familiarize yourself with the high points of our post-Divergence history. While negs might just find it odd that you don’t know Arnold Schwarzenegger served as governor of California, or the Twilight movies are about vampires, such ignorance is a sure sign of a green HbA+. Standing out in the crowd is not advisable for new recruits. You should always assume other Nearsiders want to eliminate you or use you. Nearsiders aren’t the only people on Earth1 you need to worry about. On this world, the press revealed that in 2002, President George W. Bush signed an order to allow the National Security Agency to spy on Americans without warrants if they were suspected of being connected to terrorist activity. In 2006, President Bush signed the Patriot Act. As a result, government agencies have started to learn a little about the Nearside. You don’t want to get on their radar. The tell that gets a lot of recruits into trouble is not associated with interacting with people — that you can avoid. It’s much more difficult to avoid interacting with technology. Cell phones are “smart” now, which is to say they’re mini computers. (Regency will issue you one.) People watch YouTube videos on them and Google things. If that doesn’t make sense to you, just know that people can look up just about anything from anywhere, and assume everyone has a camera. Try not to look like a tourist shooting his first K-Tech weapon the first time someone videoconferences your cell phone. Popular culture changes even more quickly than technology and there’s more of it, so it would be nearly impossible to familiarize yourself with all the popular books, movies, television shows, songs and video games since Aug. 13, 2002. We suggest you spend time browsing entertainment websites, watching current television programs and at least catch up with the plot lines of recent movies. Remember to explain what a Lady Gaga is.

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The Nearside: The Ordinary World, Earth1 Nearsiders on Earth1 Because there is nothing apparently “wrong” with Earth1 — no approaching black hole, apocalyptic meteor strike, or new ice age, for example — many Nearsiders use it as a base of operations. It is a place of normalcy they can escape to, a place where they might find allies, high-tech tools and answers. It is also a place where many go for more personal reasons. For many Nearsiders, Earth1 represents the life they should have had if the Divergence had never happened. Parents, spouses, children and friends who died or became estranged on other variations may still be present and accounted for here. Mistakes that were made after 2002 on other variations may have never occurred on Earth1. It’s a siren call many Nearsiders from other variations can’t resist. They may seek their variant selves on Earth1 out of simple curiosity, or even in an attempt to reclaim their former lives — sometimes by replacing their variant selves. Need to explain why this is almost always a horrible idea. —Ellington While we did not experience a global catastrophe, all Nearsiders on Earth1 experienced loss on Aug. 13, 2002. We lost loved ones, faith, limbs, fortune ... we lost the sense that everything was as it should be in the world. We knew something was wrong without knowing why. On Aug. 13, 2002, Nearsiders on Earth1 had been born, or born again. We just didn’t all know it yet. s! Poor u When First Fall does occur for us, Nearsiders from Earth1 often have a difficult time adjusting to the idea. This may be due, in part, to the fact that most other variations appear to be worse off than Earth1. Rather than seeing the Nearside as a way to escape persecution, hauntings, aliens, and certain death, Nearsiders from Earth1 often have more to lose. This is not true in every case, of course, but may be part of the reason the incidence of insanity is higher among Earth1 Nearsiders than on other variations. Both the Regency Group and Monarch have global operations in place on Earth1. These include recruiting programs designed to bring new Nearsiders into the fold of either organization. While not directly related to any government, both Regency and Monarch have operatives in place at high levels in global governments. These operatives have control over government resources that can be diverted to Nearside causes when needed. The organizations — Monarch especially — also control multinational companies that have public-facing operations as well as clandestine ones. Most Nearsiders on Earth1 eventually work for the Regency Group or Monarch, though in the case of Monarch, they may be unaware they are doing that organization’s bidding. The inner workings of Monarch are wrapped in so many shadows across so many variations that it is nearly impossible for the average Nearsider to discern its true motives. Here at the Regency Group, we want to use you as well, but at least we’re up front about it. true =Magnitude 8/11/02 - 234 events 4>= Mag wor ld, 6.0 they are staring down the barrel of de nitu Mag 0>= nitude 5.0 8/12/02 - 143 events 5>= Mag agnitude 6.0 =M the 13> gun. 5.0 e Sometimes knowing what’s comitud agn >=M 8/13/02 - 2,197 events 169 de 5.0 6>=Magnitude 6.0 nitu ing Mag isn’t = 40> a good thing ts even 598 8/14/02 nitude 5.0 4>=Magnitude 6.0 8/15/02 - 343 events 12>= Mag - Ellington.

Article posted on NNN.com, August 14, 2002

The United States Geological Service (USGS) today issued a statement regarding yesterday’s unprecedented worldwide seismic event, which resulted in thousands of earthquakes and tremors. More then 150 were in excess of magnitude 5.0 and a dozen were rated higher than 6.0. “We have compiled a full listing of yesterday’s events worldwide. This is obviously a huge spike in activity, and while things appear to have calmed down significantly today, we are no closer to determining the cause.” Damage worldwide is estimated at more than $150 billion. Damage was most severe in Chile, New Zealand, Japan and China with hundreds of thousands reported dead or missing in those nations. “We are very fortunate that the seismic events caused relatively few tsunami or other secondary effects,” said the spokesperson for the USGS, “otherwise we would be facing losses 10 times greater than the tragedy we have already suffered.” The final death toll could reach 1 million, according to UN estimates. California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska have declared states of emergency, and President Bush has recalled several thousand troops from the Middle East to assist with recovery efforts. Other news stories USA Airways declares bankruptcy Red Cross “blood shortage” claims Astronomers lose track of Pluto

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8

Global Earthquake Roundup

Aug. 26, 2002

By ALI AARIF UniPress Writer EDITOR’S NOTE: The following are snapshots on the events since the global earthquake catastrophe on Aug. 13, 2002. SANTIAGO, Chile -- Rescue efforts will continue into a third week after the devastating earthquakes that shook the planet on August 13, President Lago announced today. More than 80% of Chile’s capital was leveled during the worldwide seismic event, which included several severe tremors over the period of four hours. Sixty survivors were found in the rubble today, bringing the post-quake recovery total to 4,423. The number of dead is estimated to be nearly 80,000. WASHINGTON DC -- President Bush today announced an unprecedented aid package to be distributed among the nations hardest hit by the earthquakes. More than $2 billion is being made available via the Red Cross. In California, the state of emergency continues as ongoing recovery and clean-up efforts proceed in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The U.S. death toll has been finalized at 2,453, much lower than initial estimates. ROME -- Hundreds of thousands of faithful continue to flock to the Vatican since the Pope would neither confirm nor deny the rumors of the global quakes as a sign of the “second coming,” which Christians believe signals the end of the world. Many roads in Rome have become default one-way streets leading to the Vatican.

SCARBOROUGH, UK -- Northeastern England is still cleaning up after a tidal wave from the North Sea made landfall south of Scarborough. The city of roughly 50,000 was spared the brunt of flooding. The area’s natural cliffs are thought to have saved thousands by blocking most of the damage from the massive wave. Still, more than 200 deaths and missing people have been reported. Damages to shipping, tourism and property is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. WELKOM, South Africa -- Little progress has been made in trying to contact the 26 miners trapped in a gold mine by the recent earthquakes, according to the South African National Union of Mineworkers. The union has made it clear that it blames the mining company, AU Amalgamated, for not having proper disaster plans in place. However, a company spokesperson says safety procedures and equipment was in place, but the unprecedented number of earthquakes and the impact they had on communications and rescue efforts could not have been foreseen. LOS ANGELES -- Nuclear power plants in southern California have been brought back online after the Aug. 13 earthquakes. Fail safes at the three nuclear plants automatically shut them down, and there were no radiation leaks reported. Anti-nuclear power groups say the plants should be dismantled as soon as possible due to the risk of more quakes. They say a quake along the San Andreas or Hosgri fault could cause a reactor meltdown. Government and company officials, however, say the recent quakes prove that the fail safes work and that nuclear power is needed to help the country recover from the global disaster.

a .mkv file in the secure briefing The following video clip is available as for the password. folder for Earth8. See your supervisor Play “LIGO_detects_anomaly.wkv”. Load subtitles.txt? Y/N Y

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 Unaired BBC America news report, March 15, 2003 Narrator: The events of August 13, 2002 left the world reeling. Across the world, 1 million people died. Several cities in Asia and South America were destroyed, resulting in mass evacuations. Even today, most of those displaced by the quakes are still living in temporary shanty towns, struggl ing to survive with inadequate amenities and irregular food and water deliver ies. After the immediate emergency was dealt with, many questions remaine d. The sudden unexplained spike in seismic activity alarmed everyone, especia lly those geologists who spent their lives trying to predict the unpredi ctable. USGS Official: We have plenty of theories, but ultimately we’re probabl y centuries away from a full understanding of plate tectonics and the ability to accurately predict earthquakes. Then a day like August 13 happens and we’re back at square one. Narrator: Answers eventually came from a most unexpected directi on. Dr. Kip Weiss: LIGO stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitationalwave Observatory. It was intended to be a large-scale physics experiment to detect gravitational waves. Until very recently, the existence of gravity waves was entirely theoretical. Albert Einstein predicted their existence in 1916 as part of his theory on general relativity. Narrator: The experiment uses large L-shaped detectors, located at three locations across the United States. Each arm of the L is 2.5 miles long and contains precisely calibrated sensors. Dr. Kip Weiss: It’s all done with mirrors. Well, mirrors and lasers. Lasers reflect off the mirrors several thousand times, giving us a beam that’s thousands of miles long. The whole setup is isolated from physical vibrati ons using some of the most advanced technology available. However, if a gravitational wave were to pass through this region of space-time, the distance between the mirrors would actually change, by an incredibly small amount, millimeters or less over 5,000 miles. The change in distance is caused by space itself flexing. We have three of these large structures, separat ed by thousands of miles. Gravity waves travel at the speed of light, so there would be a delay of a couple of milliseconds as first one locatio n detected the wave followed by another. That would let us triangulate on the source of the wave. Narrator: On August 13, 2002, science theory became science fact. Dr. Kip Weiss: We had been running tests on the system. The experim ent wasn’t even meant to go live until August 22. When the earthquakes occurred on August 13, we were sure that even LIGO’s vibration isolation systems had failed. But when we looked at the test results for that day, we saw something incredible. Narrator: The research team discovered that LIGO had indeed discove red grav-

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 of times more powerful than they had ity waves. However, they were thousands expected, and from a much closer source. we’d be detecting extremely weak Dr. Kip Weiss: We had always thought that thousands of light years away. The waves, caused by large body interactions st 13 were incredibly powerful — waves that had passed through LIGO on Augu with the USGS data, we saw that the so much so that when we matched our data earthquakes began. gravity waves occurred just before the gun. Gravity waves had caused the Narrator: LIGO had uncovered the smoking . earthquakes. But there was more bad news ce of the waves was an object in Dr. Kip Weiss: We discovered that the sour Pluto. Something massive was out our own solar system, near the orbit of of significant event on August 13, there and it had experienced some kind enough to violently change its mass. upon deaf ears. Narrator: The researchers’ concerns fell

authorities about our discovery and Dr. Kip Weiss: All we could do was alert meantime, we’ll continue to observe let them decide what to do with it. In the next serious gravity disturbance. the object and do our best to predict the rted a steadily increasing series Narrator: Since August 2002, LIGO has repo rful as the 2002 spike. However, in a of gravity wave disruptions, none as powe Dr. Weiss, he warned that LIGO data written statement provided to the BBC by ng, closer to the inner solar system. indicates that the gravity source is movi IM conversation between senior members of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Early September, 2003. Names changed. Astronomer #1: Happy birthday. Astronomer #2: It’s really not. Worst one ever, in fact. #1: I guess you read the report, then. #2: Yes, me and everyone else in the office. #1: That was supposed to be confidential. #2: Do you think that matters now? Peer reviews? Any of that crap? #1: I guess not. So you think it’s accurate? #2: Yeah. Pluto is gone. #1: What did Hubble pick up? #2: Debris, stretched out. More than there should be. We’re thinking a trail of ice and dust from the Oort cloud. It’s been dragging it along for decades. #1: Did Hubble detect any gravitational lensing? #2: You already know it did. You already know what it is. #1: Yeah. I’d hoped I was wrong. Weiss called it back in August. #2: It was the only thing that could cause that kind of local disruption. Hell, it’s messing with Neptune’s orbit now. We’re even detecting tidal effects in Saturn’s rings. #1: From that far away? It must be a monster. #2: No, but it’s big enough. We’re estimating at least 100 stellar masses. When it tore Pluto apart, there were some unusual mass transfer interactions. That’s what caused the gravity waves. #1: And it’s moving? #2: Yeah. Too fast to hold an accretion disk, that’s part of the reason we missed it. #1: So. It’s big and it’s moving closer #2: Yeah. We’re screwed.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 Dear Dr. Ellington: Greetings from the most depressing place in the Nearside. Thanks for the assignment. I’m kidding. I actually kind of like it here. Everyone is “real,” you know? Well, almost everyone. Anyway, I’ve enclosed some old news reports to give you a sense of John Q. Public’s knowledge of the events leading up to the “announcement. ” But you asked specifically for a report from my perspective, so here goes. I haven’t written a report since my college masterpiece: “A Girl’s Guide to Curing a Hangover with Asian Medicine,” (dunno how I flunked out) so forgive me if this is less by-the-book than you’re used to. I’ll start with the disclosure, which I still think was a horrible idea. If she only knew ... On Christmas Day, 2005, another round of global earthquakes caused widespread devastation. People were freaking out. No one was buying the official “natural cycle of the Earth” line anymore. Some people were actuall y blaming it on global warming. Since Aug. 13, 2002, rumors and conspir acy theories had spread like viruses across the Internet, as you can imagine . By mid 2003, it was more or less common knowledge that gravity waves had caused the initial natural disaster. As that year progressed, there was univers al speculation on the source of those waves, and the term “black hole” was on everyone’s lips.

Radio and optical telescopes track Damocles.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 of causing earthquakes was disturbThe idea of a nearby black hole capable rmation was considered outrageous ing. The almost complete blackout on info be bliss. Public demonstrations by many who didn’t realize ignorance can ed. Populations worldwide demanded turned into riots as the years progress followed China’s lead and cut Interfull disclosure. Many countries wisely ns access to their people. Propanet, broadcast and satellite communicatio s, but pockets of whistle blowers ganda calmed the masses in those countrie still persisted.

a press conference that was watched On Jan. 1, 2006, the United Nations held The U.N. admitted that it finally worldwide by those who still had access. y New Year! Surprisingly, pandemoknew what had caused the earthquakes. Happ shock immobilized everyone as they nium was not immediate. It was like the processed the news. Deer in headlights. Disclosure UN confirmed there was indeed a black As you know, the news was not good. The experiment and the IAU had confirmed hole. It had been discovered by the LIGO moving through the solar system, its existence a few months later. It was possible until recently. Black holes something that had not even been proved space ships like in the movies. were supposed to stay put and eat intrepid

UN muckety muck continued to exIn a monotone voice, the slightly balding ten on a teleprompter: plain the end of the world as it was writ k hole will approach to within “At its present course and speed, the blac sometime in 2015 before heading back less than half a million miles of Earth will be drastically altered by the out of the solar system. Earth’s orbit in the planet moving far outside the proximity of the black hole, resulting . The shearing effects upon the man‘Goldilocks zone’ where life is possible sands of earthquakes of magnitude tle and crust will result in tens of thou ver, mankind will experience vastly 10 and above. Before that happens, howe gs that are expected to kill bilexaggerated ocean tides and climatic swin of much of its atmosphere. The lions, and potentially result in the loss r system, but mankind will have black hole will eventually leave the sola ” ceased to exist long before that happens. least. They didn’t even give this guy He went on. It was surreal, to say the seem smart. He was just a talking a white lab coat or anything to make him any slides. He was so emotionless, head behind a podium. There weren’t even people just didn’t get it at first.

s such as singularity, gravitational The media fixed that. The press took term Schwarzschild radius and boiled pull, solar masses, event horizon and the .” They even gave the black hole a them down to “the world will end in 2015 name: Damocles. A classy touch, I thought. alert and many governments followed Of course, militaries were put on high a nuclear war. However, like I protocols created to ensure they survived Like the black hole itself, at first said, there were relatively few riots. there was nothing there to rage against.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 In the months following the announcement, many working-class people simply stopped going to work and stopped paying taxes. Poverty and crime were rampant. Looting was unstoppable as businesses closed and physical property became more valuable than paper money. Oftentimes, even if people wanted to work, there was nothing to do. World trade had slowed to a trickle as countries hoarded resources or struggled to maintain order. Retailers, factories and financial institutions were the first businesses to disappear. Capitalism failed. The progression of technology slowed to a crawl. Governments backed some manufacturing and high-tech corporations that they deemed were critica l to finding a solution to Damocles, but most innovation simply stopped . New technologies were developed that allowed governments to pinpoin t the black hole and computer speeds actually progressed more quickly on Earth8 than on Earth1 because of the computing power needed to run the massive Damocles simulations. However, such technologies were the not made available to the general public, most of whom have very little use for their old computers and no way to afford a new car in the barter economy that emerged. With supply low because of massive company closings, people walking off their jobs and high crime, most people learned to make due with what they already had, as opposed to trying to trade for something new. By the way, this led to the creation of some sweet rides. Talk about your urban assault vehicles -- there’s a whole cottage industry built around chop shops that turn cars into hardcore people movers with the heavy-duty shocks they need to survive what’s left of the crumbling streets and extra gas tanks since station s can be few and far between. Anyway, as time went on, national governments diverted the bulk of their resources into research and defense. Only basic infrastructure necessi ties were being met. Only roads and bridges and sewers needed by the government or the free zones are maintained.

Both survivalist communes and government safe zones are protected by guards.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 Homelessness, depression and drugs are just some of the ways people deal with the knowledge of the world’s end.

government. Here in my adopted Regions began to secede from centralized armies were called home to try country of America, for instance, far-flung t to start a war when they had so to secure the peace, but they weren’t abou ed States took no action when, in many other problems. For example, the Unit ded to form the Southwest Republic. 2006, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona sece the United States though. People still call the rest of the country

re the UN spilled the beans. A numAs I mentioned, China had gone dark befo g Iran, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Libya, ber of countries followed suit, includin advantage of the lack of interSyria and Uzbekistan. Many countries took -back to attack long-time regional national diplomacy and the military pull s were weakened more by the quakes rivals. It didn’t hurt that some countrie rmation is hard to come by, word on than others. While reliable global info n is occupied by China, as is North what’s left of the Internet is that Japa ing over how to divide Israel. Cenand South Korea. Syria and Iran are fight tral Africa is a war zone.

ed nations were hit especially hard. Large population centers in industrializ cities into more controllable zones, Many central governments began dividing k hole research and critical deand increased security in zones where blac The rest of the cities were left to fense manufacturing were concentrated. sure palaces. By the way, Yolanda’s the looters, crime lords and adult plea rested. Beyond the cities, people Den of Passion is hiring, if you’re inte were left to their own devices.

of human nature. Religious ranks But not everyone turned to the baser side God. Holy men and women worked nonswelled as the doomed put their faith in ion of the end of days. Within two stop to prepare for their religion’s vers nt were transferred to the Vatican, years, the duties of the Italian governme olic church state. Mecca has overwith the entire country becoming a Cath

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 flowed with an influx of Muslim worshippers, so much so that the city’s population tripled in size. But nowhere were the faithful more prevale nt than in Varanasi, India, where Hindus believe sins can be removed, and Budhist s and Jains have pilgrimage sites. I’m sure Bethlehem and Jerusalem would be popular pilgrimage sites as well if it weren’t for all the bombs and bullets flying there now. Current Situation They’ve made some progress on the black hole research. To what end, I don’t know. It’s kind of like learning the school bully’s middle name before he punches you in the face a takes your lunch money. To facilitate research, the IAU has access to the few secure lines of global communication that are left. (That’s what I hacked into to get the global news, but I got booted out pretty quick.) Unfortunately, its discoveries thus far reinfor ce the fact that total planetary destruction is assured. Governments are now running sophisticated computer simulations to determine which would be more humane: allowing Damocles to destroy the Earth or destroying the Earth’s population with nuclear missiles. Serious ly. Deep vaults are being created to house plants, animals, minerals and human volunteers, along with works of art and literature with the irrational hope that an alien race will someday find and investigate whatever remains of the planet. Negs are just ridiculous sometimes. The world has become less global as means of long-distance travel and communication are commandeered by the powerful. It has become dangero us to provide infrastructure over long distances, so they don’t. Phone lines that go down are not brought back online, cracked roads are not repaired, cell phone towers have been commandeered by the government or crime bosses who are in cahoots with big business. In short, it’s a lot harder to call for help, and nearly impossible for help to arrive in time. Nations have fractured into smaller spheres of influence. Some places resemble medieval kingdoms or the wild West -- where travel between communi ties is dangerous, as is being a stranger in a strange town (or a non-gov ernment controlled area of a city). Groups of like-minded people have banded together to form their own power structures with their own laws, or lack thereof. Cults, communes and crazies, I say. It’s fascinating to watch society crumble. That looks bad written on paper, but I think you know what I mean. In the U.S., the Great Plains have become as lawless as the old West. Governments and organized crime control the Eastern seaboard, and the Southwest Republic has cracked down hard with martial law. But the middle of the country, while not bothering to officially secede, receives next to no support from the federal government. State lines are just ink on old maps. This has led to a shoot first and ask question later attitude in the small towns that dot the nation’s bread basket. So called Bread Runners make a decent (but often short) living hauling wheat, corn and potatoes from indepen dent, well-armed farmers in the nation’s midsection to the population centers east and west. California, Oregon and Washington fear being cut off from the East, which would leave their huge research centers vulnerable to invasio n by the

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 around for more fresh water. Guess Southwest Republic who are always sniffing pendence thing through. they didn’t really think that whole inde rful, driven by drug and human trafCrime bosses have become especially powe ies, some claiming power over entire ficking. Many have formed large territor cally been abandoned by federal states. New Jersey, for instance, has basi Florida, including all of Miami, and local law enforcement, and southern Chicago, St. Louis and Memphis is completely controlled by crime bosses. ed by kidnappings of anyone foolare all centers for the slave trade, fuel armed guards. In New Orleans and ish enough to travel the Midwest without showing people a good time hasn’t Las Vegas, the fundamental philosophy of activities, such as selling sex changed, but formally illegal and illicit . Any pleasure imaginable is availand drugs, are now done out in the open able for the right price. s” that are secured by the governMoney is still useful in the “free zone nized crime. The free zones are ment, and in some areas controlled by orga world, if you ask me. They’re althe most frightening part of this whole of its way to ensure the nation’s most idyllic. The government has gone out ve inside a protective cocoon so best and brightest stay safe and producti zones there are still restaurants, that research can continue. In the free and, of course, law enforcement. shopping, well-maintained parks, industry gates I thought I had hit a broken The first time I was let in through the cleaner. Resources are still scarce room to Earth1, only the free zone was cine, weapons and luxuries are rathough. Food, gasoline, fresh water, medi de the free zones. They are paid in tioned to those lucky few who live insi secured areas, basic resources have goods and cash for their work. Outside become bargaining chips.

Daily Life ’s) will end affects people in many Knowing when your life, (and everyone else for instance. Your shrinks can different ways. It makes me oddly flippant, gnment. When will that be, by the tell me why when I get done with this assi end. way? I don’t want to get too close to the there long enough - time to bring her home. out been Jessica’s me less precious. Sad to say, beco has life I think for me and many others, . Die now or four years from now … but all these Negs are just walking dead norms fall by the wayside in many does it really matter? Laws and cultural rtant any more. places — they just don’t seem that impo of the world’s end. Like retirees Other people feel oddly freed by the news free to spend their final years dowithout a future to work toward, they are s, gardening or otherwise — maybe ing what they love most — be it sex, drug all of the above at once.

in denial. These losers continue The Negs that amuse me most are the ones taking comfort in the routine. They their day-to-day lives as best they can, like they’re hallucinating. They have may as well be popping mushrooms. It’s confident everything will go back seen the world change, of course, but are out incident. Morons. to normal after 2015 comes and goes with ing find a solution often work in help to d Those boy scouts who are dedicate Definitely time to bring her in.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 government safe zones and research facilities, or as “Seed Savers” who collect and store plants and animals in government-controlled vaults — just in case. In return, they are paid and given housing and rations of food, water and other necessities. The ones I hang out with are hellbent on trying as many new things as they can before the last day comes. They’re a blast. They risk what’s left of their lives to complete their “bucket lists.” A number of guides and grifters make a living helping people fulfill their life-long dreams, or taking advantage of the naive. Others have found religion, or zealously embrace it, as they look for ways to live on after the world dies. They spend their time in prayer, building temples, doing good deeds to offset their sins and protecting their communities. It’d be easy for me to ridicule them, but I’ve noticed religio us organizations filling in where governments have fallen short. They operate their own safe zones in many parts of the world, providing food, shelter and protection for those who join them. So, good for them. Then there are the ones who don’t need anyone’s help. Some of them set off on their own to live in the wilderness, or maybe they’re just looking for a safe place to die. These survivalists live off the land by hunting or farming. Their counterparts who try to live on their own in the cities — without swearing fealty to any crime lord or government — have to be just as resourceful to survive. I’ll bring you back some of their rat meat soup to try. Conspiracy theories and distrust of “the man” run rampant, as if there is a global plot to upend the world’s power structures via the threat of armageddon. And maybe there is. And maybe you’re behind it, Dr. Ellington? I kid. In fact, most governments have turned to sophisticated propaganda tactics in an effort to retain the loyalty and productivity of some of its citizen ry, and many countries have pooled resources and are working together to find a way to avoid total destruction. The usual suspects — the U.S., UK, France, Spain, Germany, and Canada — are supposedly sharing research. Good luck with that.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 Nearside Activity nts and business leaders as well as The secret’s out, a little. Many governme es know about the Nearside. It is the top bosses of organized crime syndicat likely cause of Damocles or the usually viewed in one of two ways: as the er opinion stems from the fact that best hope for mankind on Earth8. The form signs of the black hole were traced the origins of the Nearside and the first belief derived from science fiction to the same time period. Add a popular llel worlds, and it wasn’t much of that black holes are gateways between para other hand, the Nearside reprea leap to marry the two phenomena. On the et. This makes Nearsiders extremely sents the only way off of the doomed plan valuable on Earth8.

and corporations are using NearsidWord on the street is that governments if they are, in fact, connected to ers in experiments to try to determine Nearsider, these tests range from Damocles. Depending on the group and the gn experiments with broken rooms to harmless voluntary brain scans and beni in the United States, those in the partial and full lobotomies. For example, oners are tested to determine if know say death row and life-sentence pris HbA+ are forced into secret experithey are Nearsiders. Anyone coming up as Southwest Republic, any Nearsider is ments. In other countries, such as the sted without cause. a potential test subject, and can be arre their ability to leave and return Nearsiders are also in high demand for on the doomed world. Corporations, to Earth8 with supplies that are scarce such services. This I know for a crime lords and governments pay well for nologies from Earth4 are especially fact. Missions to bring back alien tech e-faring K’thari may hold the sepopular with governments who hope the spac er is going to stop a black hole? cret to avoiding Damocles. Like a bug zapp

in their needs: drugs, guns, money, Crime lords are usually more practical Nearsiders whenever they can get slaves and luxury goods. They trade with all they have to do is threaten to a good deal, and they usually can since However, one loosely organized crime expose the Nearsider to the government. the only good Nearsider is a dead syndicate, known as Loki’s Lads, thinks eve they will save the world if they one. These zealous assassins truly beli y bunch, but are pretty few in numrid it of all Nearsiders. They’re a nast on and Chicago. That reminds me, put ber. I hear they’re most active in Bost folks not to use the broken room in out and APB or whatever you do and tell Lads have it staked out. the O’Hare airport to get to Earth8. The Done. en rooms brok g usin are es boss e crim , news ” In “why didn’t I think of that of Earth8, although not directly. No as a network to connect different parts ple, the Great Lakes Shipping Company planes, no trains, no problem. For exam en rooms in Buffalo, N.Y., Erie, Pa., is a crime syndicate that controls brok use them to move high-valued goods Cleveland Ohio, and Detroit, Mich. They thy layovers on other variations. from one city to the next, albeit via leng trying to move black market items Still, it is safer and often faster than d. over land on Earth8. Capone would be prou Hints and Tips for Field Operations arrive on Earth8, they may be in a So, what to expect? When Nearsiders first

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 government/corporation-controlled area where things might just seem a bit odd -- a little too peaceful -- at first. Or it could be an area in a ruined part of a city riddled with uncontrolled crime. It could be a city/ar ea controlled by organized crime that is stable, but ripe with decaden ce. It could be inside an area controlled by a religion/cult where people seem to joyfully welcome the coming judgment day. In any case, people they talk to will be very focused on enjoying what’s left of their life, looking forward to the next life, or steadfastly refusing to believe the world will end. As Nearsiders piece information together, learning about the area and what is different from their variation, they should be careful. Because Nearsiders are so valuable to so many different power brokers on Earth8, kidnapp ings are common. It is also common for Nearsiders to receive multiple job offers from government agencies, crime lords and corporations who want to use their talents. It’s often difficult to tell one organization from another. On Earth8, the lines between right and wrong have been blurred even more than on Earth1 by the knowledge that the world will soon come to an end. The people on Earth8 are all a bit “off,” in terms of social interac tion. Knowing when the world will end has messed with their minds. Many nose-tothe-grindstone types are blunt, not wanting to waste time on pleasan tries or small talk. On the other end of the spectrum are the druggies and alcoholics. Outside of the free zones, it’s not uncommon to see people talking to themselves, hallucinating or suffering from withdrawls. Lagging Nearsid ers should feel right at home here. What can I tell you? - Do not get caught breaking the law in a free zone or you’ll be arrested and scanned. Once they find out you’re a Nearsider, things are likely to get unpleasant unless you can prove you’re more valuable working for them than as a science experiment. - If you’re in the Southwest Republic, keep your head down. If you don’t have a government-issued ID card, then you don’t exist as far as they are concerned … and no one cares what happens to someone who doesn’t exist. You can get a counterfeit card from a number of crime bosses for the right trade. - Nearsiders are the most valuable commodity on Earth8. That might sound nice, but when everyone wants a piece of you, you’re likely to be drawn and quartered. If you like to feel needed, Earth8 is the place for you. - Money’s only good in free zones and in some of the more sophist icated gang empires. Take items like cigarettes, alcohol, medical supplies and entertainment-oriented diversions like DVDs to trade. - Bring guns, and not just to trade. - If you travel the wastelands of the United States’ midsection, expect to see tight-knit agricultural communes and corporate farmlands. Everyon e there is very protective of their land, like hillbillies protecting their daughter’s virtue. Might makes right there. - Don’t bring anything “too nice,” or you’ll stick out like a sore thumb unless you’re in a free zone. - Only crime bosses and other high rollers have cell phones. Using one is like driving a Lamborghini on Earth1.

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The Nearside: Dread, Earth8 gy are more advanced here than most - Space research and simulation technolo g. places, if you’re into that sort of thin hing you promise them. anyt st almo - Hopeless people will believe How to get here a Regency agent. If you want to expeI feel like a travel agent now instead of ness, have I got the place for you! rience deep depression and utter hopeless s already in your databases, but There are a number of Earth8 broken room not be adding to this, as snooping here are a few more I’ve discovered. I’ll r to anyone paying attention. And, around these could mark me as a Nearside I’m not cut out for the slave life. quarters in DC is a heavily guarded * On the third floor of the Mason’s head it, but the government here is supbroken room. I’m not sure who controls like a joke, but I’m serious. posedly aware of it. I know, it sounds Ave. named Howard’s Place. It’s a * There’s a restaurant on New Hampshire But a lot of Nearsiders supposedly dive. There’s not a broken room there. open across the street in an apartwait there for the broken room to cycle ment building laundry room. much, but at least it’s a start. Well, that’s all I know. It may not be Yours, Jess

Tent cities sprung up in most cities because some people are afraid of earthquakes toppling more buildings.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The Regency Group Variation Report 9 of 13, Draft 1 Author: Captain Jane R. Loengard, RET, Consultant Designation: Earth9 A.K.A. “Dead Water” Divergence Event Overview: In an attempt to clean up ocean polluti on, a swarm of nanoscale machines (Pacific Plastic Reclamation Control Hubs, or PREACHERs) are released into the Pacific Ocean. Designed to process waste materials, the nanotechnology malfunctions and begins to infect living creatures, including humans. The effects vary from barely detectable memory loss, through severe emotional disturbances and “feral” behavior to other, less understood, behaviors. The “nanovirus” is transmitted through salt water and saline, including sea water and biological fluids with high salt content (such as blood, saliva, tears, etc). Threat Level: High, Visiting. High, Exports. Background: It was billed as a way for mankind to use its high-tech know-how to clean up the mess centuries of industrialization had made in the oceans. Looking back, it seems too complicated to have worked well. Here’s how Bri Jackson, CEO of PF Technology, explained it (with great fanfare, I must note). “Cathedral,” the company’s command and control center based on a retrofitted Soviet-era aircraft carrier, would control local “Stations,” which produce Hubs, which in turn carry “Flocks.” Stations refer to floating research platforms and production centers for the nanoforms deployed to recover plastics debris from the Pacific. The station s were deep-sea fishing vessels adapted with GPS controlled navigation and a variety of power supply options to enable to them to remain on site for extende d periods. They were usually unmanned. The Stations were designed to receive and sift the recovered material. Some of that material is used to produce new nano machines. Hubs are nano-scale relay units that carry a collection of smaller nanoforms called Flocks. For the sake of non-technical readers, think of the hubs as tiny submarines and the Flocks as the sailors on those submarines. Hubs organize the debris sweep at a local level, with a coordinated fleet of Hubs working in tandem to cleanse a designated volume of water. Flocks are the cutting edge of the PREACHER network. Flocks attach themselves to plastics debris and, once their quota is reached, return to the nearest operational Hub for subsequent recovery by the local Station .

What Went Wrong So that’s how it was supposed to work. Here’s what actually happene d. Cathedral and the Stations were on-site from early summer 2002, with Hub and Flock deployment taking place in August of that year – about a week before Bri Jackson gave his showy press conference in Washington, DC.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 entire PREACHER network operatEarly test runs had been remarkable — the initial teething issues were rapidly ing in excess of expectations — and any operating from Stations strung out mitigated by the on-call support teams age Patch. across the area of the North Pacific Garb

for theatricality and publicity was It should be noted that Jackson’s desire onnel where not available during the itself the reason that several key pers . incidents that took place on Aug. 13, 2002

semi-autonomous. Sensor suites and The PREACHER network was designed to be would determine the number of Hubs computer systems on individual Stations ational area, and the manufacturing and Flock elements required for each oper Hubs and Flocks as needed. facilities would produce and launch the

gear on all Stations, producing On August 13, production went into high cted and immediately releasing them larger numbers of nano machines than expe unication grid linking all eleinto the ocean. At the same time, the comm smitting high volumes of data. The ments of the PREACHER network began tran of the network. activity was propagated to every element

fic that cascaded down to the Flock In simplest terms, it was a spike in traf outside of their designated operalevel. The Hubs and Flocks began drifting Pacific. tional areas and spreading out across the

that the PREACHER network was Initial concerns were reduced by the fact its core mission to gather plastics still apparently functioning in terms of returning to their Stations for rewaste. The majority of Hubs were still uced and deployed. covery. More nano machines were being prod

and decided to cancel several adJackson was notified of these developments es with the intention of returning to ditional engagements in the United Stat Cathedral immediately. nt immediately went into high gear PF Technology’s public relations departme ogy was “running riot” in the Pacific to squelch media claims that nano-technol al Hubs and Flocks simply meant more Ocean. Press releases claimed the addition That story held for a few weeks. pollution would be cleaned up more quickly.

The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The following is a report from the day of Divergence. What no one realized at the time was that the even the test program, which commenced just before the public briefing in DC, would spiral out of control. It was already too late to stop it by the time it was made public. — Ellington

“SCIENCE IS GODLESS”

Pacific clean-up project sparks furious outburst. AUGUST 13, 2002 The unveiling of a new system to extract waste plastics from the North Pacific Gyre caused controversy early Monday morning at a public briefing in Washington, DC. The Pacific Plastic Reclamation Control Hub (also known as “PREACHER”) is in the early stages of field testing. The main speaker, Bri Jackson, CEO of PF Technology, Baltimore, MD, had just introduced his marine sciences team when a member of the audience approached the stage, brandishing what was later identified as a bible. The heckler, locally named as a Reverend Edgar Malthouse, began lambasting the bemused Jackson before being forcibly removed from the auditorium by security personnel. The briefing continued without further drama as Jackson laughed off the incident. No charges have so far been filed by local law enforcement. In a later interview with a cable news network, a still visibly angry Rev. Malthouse explained the reason for his outburst: “Science is Godless,” he said. “These little critters being released into the ocean will be the death of us all. And calling them Preachers … why, that’s just a slap in the face to Jesus.” Asked what should be done about the terrible extent of plastics pollution in our oceans — the North Pacific Garbage Patch covers millions of square miles — Reverend Malthouse said: “The Lord in his wisdom will always provide,” and then declared the interview over. An apparently relaxed Jackson, appearing on Six News Monday evening, dismissed any notion of danger in the project. “We’re going to use a network of nanoscale machines to harvest hazardous plastic pollution from the world’s oceans. It’s all carefully managed. There won’t be swarms of tiny bugs running wild.”

Some scientists and oceanographers have already questioned the validity of the PF Technology plan to remove 75-80% of the North Pacific pollutants over the next decade, but Jackson remains a committed believer. “We are absolutely certain that our dual-layered nanotech approach is the best way to handle the problem of oceanic pollution. The PREACHER units are nanoscaled distributed control units for even smaller nanoscale units that do the actual plastics gathering (the flocks). “The software is spread out across all of the Preacher units, holographically stored and shared in real time. Even at a 99% dispersal rate, the cloud can reform in a matter of days, ready to keep going. “It’s very important that we have a self-maintaining system, it would be impossible to monitor otherwise. “Pilot programs have demonstrated we have the capability, and with the launch of the first phase of the PREACHER program next week, we’re going to start making the world a better, safer, cleaner place,” he said. “I think that’s the responsible thing to do.” When questioned about the specific point that the shortened name of the Pacific Plastic Reclamation Control Hub — PREACHER — might be seen as sacreligious, Jackson was unapologetic. “It’s just an acronym. Nothing to get fired up over.” Jackson repeated his assurances about the safety of the Preacher system. “This isn’t mad science,” he said. “It’s a coordinated plan to improve the only planet we humans have. We’re all about fail safes and backups and triple checks. I’m a parent myself and I’m not the sort of guy to risk my baby boy. I totally trust Dr. Coldwell and the rest of the team. It’s a world-class team and they’re in control. Complete control.”

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The Outbreak ed motor yacht Tralfamadore used On Aug. 28, 2002, the California register an emergency, requesting nearby vesemergency radio frequencies to declare sels to stand by her.

el Hystrix reported approaching the On August 29, the Spanish research vess power in international waters off Tralfamadore, which was drifting without attempts at radio communication were the West Coast of the United States. No ely visible. The Hystrix despatched a returned, no signs of life were immediat offer help and assistance. boarding party with medical equipment to

discovery of 14 bodies on the TralfaWithin hours, the Hystrix reported the ely apparent — though initial speculamadore. Cause of death was not immediat onous fumes from a faulty engine. tion centred on possible build-up of pois Hystrix made best speed for the port The Tralfamadore was put under tow and of Seattle. gency. No further communications On August 30, the Hystrix declared an emer er Buchanan intercepted the Hystrix were received. The U.S. Coast Guard cutt the coast of Washington and immedi- still under power - several miles off back under control. The entire crew ately boarded a small team to bring her unknown. The team who boarded the of 47 were found dead – cause or causes Buchanan immediately transmitted a Hystrix were dead within the hour. The quarantine alert.

a number of research facilities, In the North Pacific, contact was lost with When search and rescue operations drilling platforms and merchant vessels. personnel were found dead – cause of finally reached these sites, all of the reported in towns and villages along death indeterminate. Sudden deaths were the Pacific coasts of Japan and Alaska.

ase Control an Prevention actiIn the United States, the Centers for Dise R) group to investigate the circumvated its Special Pathogens Response (SPU Tralfamadore and the on-going quaranstances of the loss of the Hystrix and tine situation. dark, with no further contact from Several PREACHER network Stations went toring determined that the nanothe on-board systems, although remote moni were still functioning efficiently. production facilities and control units

Infection of violence in several coastal citIn early October 2002, sporadic reports Portland, Kushiro, Quanzhou, Hong ies – Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, initial outbreak by the authoriKong — were not immediately linked to the part of a developing pattern, given ties, but each incident was regarded as In each case the violence eruptthat they shared specific characteristics. number of persons attacking those ed suddenly, with a single individual or using fists, feet, teeth or, in a few nearest to them with extreme aggression ckers were captured alive, but all cases, melee weapons. A number of the atta died in custody within hours.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 In some cases, the survivors were themselves the perpetrators of additional violent incidents in the following days, leading to quarantine protoco ls being enforced in various affected cities. All victims of physical assaults were contained for observation in secure locations. The number of violent incidents rapidly increased, and they began appearing in every city, town and village on the coastlines surrounding the Pacific. By the second week in October, apparently random acts of extreme violence were being reported along the coastlines of India, Africa, Central and South America, and New Zealand. In many areas, medical personnel and local authorities were ill-equipped to deal with incidents on such a large scale. At the same time as these incidents, a great many people in coastal regions were beginning to suffer from a more subtle manifestation of the Pacific Virus. Symptoms included aphasia, confusion and loss of motor functio ns. Some cases led to verbal aggression and self-harming behavior, and a growing number of individuals lapsed into profound catatonia, which in many instances led to coma and death. At this point, it is believed that PF Technology became aware of the full extent of the problem. The nanoforms were capable of infesting human beings (as well as plants and animals with biological fluids above a certain salt content level). Once inside the bodies, they began to “cleans e” them of pollutants such as the fats that make up 70% of the myelin, the protective sheath that covers communicating neurons in the brain.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 Pandemic people had begun moving away from In late October, 2002 large numbers of spread, and media reports of the coastal regions. As outbreaks of violence dy flood of fleeing people became a Pacific Virus became more panicked, a stea s. growing refugee crisis in many countrie

ng the National Guard and attemptThe U.S. government responded by activati ainment of their shores. Manpower and ing to impose a “cordon sanitaire” cont lvement of private military conequipment shortages necessitated the invo Crossbow and Warden began the protractors, and companies like Black Cat, to funnel refugee convoys toward cess of erecting barriers and roadblocks designated transit points.

personnel carried out security and While National Guard and active U.S. Army zones, far from the shore, private protection duties within the protected at the gates. military companies became the guardians

test was developed. Studies had alIt was at this stage that an infection non-violent strain of the Pacific ready shown that those infected with the identification of specific shapes and Virus quickly developed difficulties with out carriers before they could breach objects. A system was designed to weed the protected zone.

The suspected carrier would be The process was Kindergarten simplistic. plastic ball, a hockey puck, a trishown a number of objects: a toy car, a identify any of these objects was angle, a star and a red cube. Failure to ne for further evaluation, but as intended to result in immediate quaranti in particular tended to simply shoot the crisis went on, Black Cat personnel es. the suspected carriers and burn the bodi

n was replicated, with greater or All across the world, the U.S. situatio nts and military forces struggled lesser efficiency and success, as governme on, limitations on food and material to cope with mass migrations of populati sea transportation and fishing), and supply (caused by the abrupt halt of all ral human antagonisms and breaches outbreaks of violence caused both by natu in quarantine. hardest hit, but life for landlocked Nations with extensive shorelines were best they could with encroaching states was little better. They coped as l wars flared across the world as populations from neighboring regions. Smal s or hold on to what they had. governments attempted to seize resource

Current Situation: d. All coastal areas were completeThe PREACHER has covered much of the worl high grounds are safer, and within ly over-run by the nanotech virus. The itions and customs — life is genthese safe zones — depending on local cond and prompt penalties for transgreserally controlled by harsh restrictions by heavily armed militias, military sion. These “clean zones” are enforced forces, and often a mixture of all contractors or a semblance of government to zone. Some retain a semblance three. Systems of authority vary from zone little more than might-makes-right of democracy and civil life, others are others, but travel between regions dictatorships. Some areas are better than is where you must stay. is virtually impossible: where you are

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The low ground is home to a “zombified” mass of humanity – individ ually weak, but directed by a controlling intelligence. Humans and animals have basically become Hubs for Flocks of nanoforms. There are two kinds of infected – the Drowned and the Damned. The Damned move in flocks, ignoring everything, mostly, and the Drowned hunt in packs. The Damned are almost entirely catatonic – they move from place to place, feeding on scraps, left-overs, or on each other as the situation demands. They have poor motor skills and little awareness of their environ ment. They are entirely non-aggressive, but these Flocks have been known to swarm and gather around certain locations or non-infected individuals. The Damned are only loosely controlled by the PREACHER network, and provide little more than a visual and physical hindrance to anyone moving through unsafe areas. Their catatonic state can change if the PREACHER network recognizes aggressive acts. Or encounters Nearsiders.

PREACHER Vs. Nearsiders The Damned will gather around Nearsiders who stay too long in one

location or ostentatiously use Nearsider abilities. This proves that the PREACHER network can learn and act to defend itself. At best the Damned will simply get in the Nearsider’s way, at worst they will attempt to prevent the Nearsider from leaving the area and will endeavour to contain them there until the Drowned can be summoned. The PREACHER network can distinguish HbA+ people (Nearsiders) from HbA- people. Nearsiders cannot be infected, which make them a potential danger to the network. The PREACHER network sees Nearsiders as the harmful virus, not the other way around. Of course, Nearsiders are not immune to the rocks, clubs, fists and teeth of the Drowned that the PREACHER network sends to cleanse them. The Drowned are drawn to Nearsiders from about a quarter of a mile away. PREACHER prefers to attack Nearsiders when it has a mathematical probability of successfully cleansing its network. Therefore, a Nearsider has relatively little to fear from a single Damned or Drowned, however he can be sure PREACHER is gathering armies. This gathering could take days. The use of Distance powers increases the Nearsider’s threat level and draws a rapid response from the Damned and Drowned.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 the Damned become more active. At certain times, with no logical pattern, nological devices and gather them In this state they seek out nearby tech space; a village green, a shoptogether, piling them high in a clear open Toaster ovens, TVs, computers, cell ping mall parking lot, a baseball field. s, car stereos etc. phones, calculators, toy robots, desk lamp

tructed, the Damned simply ignore Once these pyramids of technology are cons them and move on. ent. They will attack and attempt to The Drowned are more typically belliger r. Like the Damned, their strateeither kill or infect anyone they encounte swarming - they have some rudimengies are rarely more sophisticated than little or no competence with protary capabilities with melee weapons, but gy. They retain some semblance of jectile weapons, or any kind of technolo – unlike the Damned - are capable their former skills and intelligence, and harm. of learning from mistakes and avoiding , for the most part controlled diThe Drowned are essentially a hive mind vidual with a clear connection to rectly by a nearby PREACHER Hub – an indi CHER Hub will disrupt coordinated the PREACHER network. Taking out the PREA ing to limit their aggression. attacks by the Drowned, but will do noth

form of the Drowned. While both the PREACHER Hubs represent a more advanced be regarded as alive but parasitiDrowned and the Damned are generally to orm their specific function — local cally infected, Hubs are adapted to perf ing out particular types of technolcontrol of the Damned and Drowned, seek for us, hunting Nearsiders. ogy and information and, most importantly

extremely strong. Their fully coloHubs are highly intelligent, fast, and re-built and re-organized by the nized humanscape is being aggressively s, improving muscles, increasing PREACHER nanovirus — strengthening bone this process is a general decay of stamina. An unfortunate side effect of teeth coming loose, hair falling out their outer surface: flesh rotting off, on. and a general odor of damp and corrupti Countermeasures: --Q-Camps can be found for the nanovirus inThere are a few who believe that a cure set up quarantine camps to harbor fection, and with that in mind they have d. the infected until a solution can be foun

these camps, where they are fed, waThe Damned are gathered and brought to The Drowned are avoided by Q-teams tered, cared for and extensively studied. Hubs are killed on sight. as too aggressive to attempt treatment. or remote farm, with heavily armed The typical Q-camp is a walled compound large covered corrals and sheds guards, electric fences, laboratories and for the infected. --PF Technology l aboard the PF Technology flagAccording to our mole, Bri Jackson is stil

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 ship control center Cathedral, which is currently sailing a circula r course in the frigid waters near Antarctica – cold salt water seems to provide some level of defense against the PREACHER nanovirus. In the initial months of infection, Jackson had intended to return to the U.S. to offer his assistance to the government and other agencie s in combating the plague, unfortunately this course of action initially proved unwise (due to an arrest warrant issued by the U.S. Justice Department) and later became both unsafe and impossible. PF Technology personnel aboard Cathedral have been working on combati ng the nanovirus: determining the intentions of PREACHER, developing weapons and defenses. So far their efforts remain variable. Several versions of an EMP blaster “Anti-Preacher Gun” have been developed, but most of these have proved fatal to the human host as well as the nanovirus, and are therefore regarded as weapons of last resort. Conditions on Cathedral are less than comfortable. They have been at sea since the initial nanovirus outbreak, although they have the technol ogy required to maintain power, water and food supplies indefinitely. Jackson maintains contact with various scientific groups and agencie s throughout the world – sharing information and advice. It is through these communications that he learned of the existence of individuals with a natural immunity to the PREACHER virus. He has heard these people describ ed as Nearsiders. Jackson has little curiosity regarding any of the rumors he has heard about special powers, alternate Earths or travel between realities. His interest in Nearsiders is predicated entirely on the fact that he wants to hire them to find his wife and son, currently missing somewhere in the U.S. Jackson will at the very least provide long-term safety and securit y for anyone who can return his family to him — for what it’s worth, money is no object.

The versions of the PREACHER virus: - 1.0 Vector: Airborne via sea-spray Total systemic collapse, coma, and rapid death - 2.0 Vector: Airborne via sea-speay; also carried in blood and saliva Re-wiring of brain architecture, resulting in rage (80%), aphasia, loss of motor function, catatonia(19%), death(1%) - 3.0 Vector: Blood and saliva Re-wiring of brain architecture, aphasia, catatonia, carrier becomes element of local PREACHER hive-mind subordinate to local Hub. In a few cases, nanovirus commits to extensive adaptation and augmentation of host to create Hub entity.

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to be dead bodies. Stay out of the rain to blend in and be wary of what appear

The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 This is a recovered and transcribed Monarch report. They captured and interrogated a Nearsider, one William Raglan. His testimony provides useful background on the Variation from someone who has lived through it. — Ellington Sworn statement of detainee 478-1.5.6, identified as William Raglan, AKA Billy Ragtime. Detainee presents as Caucasian male, age 37, unkempt appearance but well nourished, excellent fitness, reasonable health. HbA+. William Raglan was apprehended in the vicinity of an abandoned domestic housing subdivision located at the southern edge of the Yarrow Point wetlands; approximately 10 miles northeast of Seattle, WA, and well within the infected zone. Detainee offered no resistance to capture, and willingly accompanied the SOG team to LZ Bad Karma for subsequent return to base. Room 405/a was used for transport. Detainee is being held under strict quarantine as per Wildfire directives. Full psychological evaluation is pending. >>>>> This right here is the sworn statement of Billy Ragtime. You’re gonna let me sign as Billy Ragtime, right? I mean a name’s a name, yeah, and that’s my name. Sure, my driver’s license says William Danville Raglan. Probably got a video store card saying the exact same thing but I gotta tell you — been a long time since any of those pieces of paper meant shit around here. Well, not here, I mean, I know all about the secret doors, I got the walking bug just like you guys. Don’t look so shocked. I know your kind. I see it in your eyes. Don’t think the goggles and the gas masks can hide it neither. You walk the walk, it changes a man. Damn straight. I gotta say this is very pleasant here. Warm and dry and cozy like. Best food I’ve had in weeks. Since that fresh-caught rabbit and canned carrots I bagged down on Mercer Island. That was a sweet deal. Black Cats though, they sweep back and forth clockwork regular and snap up all the best stuff. It’s getting so an honest man can’t make a decent three-course dinner. Sure, sure, I could hoof it on up to the Q-camps and have my self a fine old time. Lot of Black Cats between there and here though. I don’t mean here, I mean there. I mean where I was staying. Is this making sense? Been on my own so long that sometimes I don’t know what I’m saying half the time or why I’m saying it at all. Hell, this could all be a dream for all I know. Are you here? Am I here? Is any of this happening? ----So I just talk on here and someone writes it all down, yeah? Sweet deal. Although I kinda miss the pleasant art of conversation these days. You guys can keep me right though, yeah? Just throw in a question to get me back on track if I tend to ramble. Here goes. The straight goods.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 Some guy, Big Brain, you know. Messing with stuff mankind shouldn’t-a messed with. Ain’t it always the way? Had a plan to fix something or other. I didn’t really follow the news back then. I was strictly classic rock on the radio and living the outdoor life. Simple man, simple means, that’s me. So the plan goes wrong, way I heard it. Real fast too, like a tide coming in strong and unexpected. One day I’m cutting logs on a little patch southeast of … well, I guess that ain’t important now. Middle of nowhere anyway. I was up there for a spell. Just the cutting crew and Deke and deep woods for miles. Suddenly all these folks start showing up. Streaming by on the access road, driving pick-ups and SUVs piled high with all their worldlies. Wars, rumors of wars. Old time biblical shitstorm stuff. That’s what I heard, back then. Now I know a little bit better though. Now I know the truth. A new disease they called it. Driving people mad, angry-mad and bitey besides. Like one of them drive-in movies with the teenagers in trouble while the world turns to chaos. This ain’t no movie though. This is real people running for the hills. High ground, you see, that’s where you found safety. This thing came from the sea. Started in the Pacific Ocean, I learned that later. Up in the north they have this spot full of rubbish dumped in the sea. Big Brain tries to clean it up with little metal and plastic critters, and what do you know they say ‘fuck that shit’ and start eating us folks instead. So it starts out there on the great wide blue, hitches a ride on a passing shipping, starts overrunning ports and harbors and little piss-ant fishing villages. Some people go down fast, hard – kill their families, kill a bunch of other folks and then kill themselves. Or maybe do a suicide by cop, but these are ordinary people, using bare hands, fists, feet, teeth. You see one of them tip over you just run like hell, yeah? But it ain’t that simple. Never is, is it? Sometimes the critters get right inside and mess people up real sleek and slow-like. Re-wire your brain, they say – a stitch here, a cut there. Make you forget, make you remember, whisper in your ear. That’s why the government came up with the Show & Tell. Maybe not the government. Maybe the Black Cats did it. They always seem to have the best gear so maybe they had big brains of their own handing down advice. You head up to one of the Black Cat reservations and they’ll meet you at the Clean Zone barricade with a shit-load of guns and a question and answer session. If your brain is wired up wrong you won’t recognize simple stuff like a toy car, or a cube, or a casserole dish. I shit you not. You get stumped by anything they show you and get a bullet in the head. One of the reasons I tend to stay clear, you know? I done a lot of good leaf in my time and I ain’t sure I’d pass the test. [laughs] ----World is fucked, anyway. Oceans clogged with dead fish, whale herds piled up rotting on the beaches, sword boats heading out and never ever coming back. Best I heard it, the critters got into everything but the sharks. I guess even a crazy virus don’t wanna mess with no shark. Anyways. Ocean transport? Forget it. You lived near the seashore? Paid hard cash for that ocean view? You got your shit together and you got gone. Not everyone was fast enough.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The crew held it together the first night, but the morning after that exodus rolled past half the guys were already missing and the rest were gathering up their gear and talking about the best route down to Tacoma or Morton or wherever. These guys had wives, kids, places to get back to in a hurry. Me, I wasn’t in no rush that day. There was nothing calling me home. Deke was the last to go. Sky darkening above, animal sounds creeping out the woods, and Deke tossing his equipment bag in the back of a company pick-up and telling me to take care. Shook my hand. I swear that sumbitch was gonna hug me ’fore he thought better of it and clambered into the truck. I watched the lights fade out and then went back into the cabin when I couldn’t hear that old Dodge engine growling no more. I had some steak and potatoes and a few beers, then I got me some shut-eye. Seemed the thing to do. No use fretting over stuff I don’t understand. That’s always been my motto. I’m in the cabin, way back in the woods, sleeping off a good meal and a few brewskis and then I’m waking up in a fallen down ruin of an icebox. No shit. Walls crumbled in by the weight of snow. Barely scraped my way out from under, crawling up among dead trees under black skies, got a flare going but I can’t see shit for snow drifts. Thing is, I wasn’t cold. You get what I’m saying, yeah? Like I wasn’t really there. Just looking in from a distance. Long ways away. You know how this goes. Anyway, I stayed out of the way and stayed safe till all of the booze and most of the food was run out. Stayed indoors mostly and pegged thick blankets over the windows. Low light, low profile, still seeing straggling refugees in all kinds of vehicles or even on foot; starting to see the Black Cat convoys moving back and forth in those big old night-dark SUVs and Hummers and armored personnel carriers. I went to town on an old dirtbike we kept around the place. Held together with rust and duct-tape for sure, but 20 years old or not it still ran smooth down the South Way trail and I looped her round to ... shit, I can’t remember the name of the ’ville I hit first. Where I saw them that first time. You’d think that would be burned in there, don’t you, seared on my brain like grill lines on a steak. What can I tell you boys? Lot on my mind these days. What you gotta know? Hell, maybe you know all the big news already, but what it is, the bugs, see, they don’t hit everyone the same. There’s this radio guy. Wild man, booming out the apocalypse jingle from some remote mountain retreat, he says, could be in a basement in Fort Lewis for all I know. He’s got documents, files, reports, secret details up the ying-yang-zoo, way he tells it. First the bugs just killed everything. Real wrath of god mojo right there. Ships floating silent in the North Pacific swells, thousands of square miles of dead water. Thing is … no use to a virus if everyone drops down lifeless in 20 paces. That bug needs to travel, needs to get that infection far out there, needs to keep its eyes on the prize and adapt, improvise, get subtle. Yeah, I know, but the way he tells it the virus has a mind, a purpose, a fucking plan. Can you believe it? The shit we’re in now might not even be part of the plan. Are you following me? Just an accident. Unwelcome side effect. Bugs got something to do and us flesh-bags standing here are just in the way. Mostly. Maybe we still have our uses, or maybe that wild man is just howling in a root cellar somewheres.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 The next part of this testimony is an indicator of what a visiting Nearsider might expect. Edge of town and I can tell it’s all wrong. Lone dogs roaming, birds on every line, no sign of cars or trucks or folks up and at ‘em. Shit, could have been a sleepy Sunday for all I knew but …

Center of town, one of those wide green spaces, band stand in the middle, overlooked by buildings with quaint little shops for cupcakes and candy and antiquing. The town square is piled high with junk. Electrical junk. Big ass TVs, microwaves, toaster ovens, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, computers. You get the idea. Heaps of stuff just set down there to ruin in the rain and sun. Seen a lot of that since then, but that first encounter was a real kick in the head. I’m turning round slowly wondering what the fuck, and I see a guy, just standing in the road across the way, staring into nothing and down the street behind him more of the same. Men, women, little kiddies in their night clothes. Just standing, staring, looking sickly with a stench of piss and shit and old food stink just rolling off them and choking the breath out of my lungs. I got a real bad headache around about then and didn’t stop to ask questions. I just gunned that bike and moved on. Next town along I moved smarter. Stopped off at an outdoor supplies store up the road aways and dug through the wreckage to snag me some more camping gear and pair of binoculars. Hid the bike in the trees and hiked up to the town limits. Got altitude for some look and learn. Similar story. Bunch of folks just standing, a few in little clumps drifting back and forth, no sense of doing much of anything, just back and forth and round about like a flock of birds or a school of fish. Creepy shit, I can tell you. Then some Black Cats came roaring up the main drag. The folks didn’t move, or flinch, or get out of the way. I saw bodies batted aside by heavy trucks, blood spray, brains popped, broken limbs and red smears on the road and then … holy shit … then … Those bastards just opened right up on them. Thousands of rounds of full automatic fire, guys jumping out of trucks to take a knee and gun down men, women, children. Little children. Some folks have just gone wrong, deep down. Just wrong. This one guy, big skinhead mo-fo with one of them M60 type guns or whatever. He’s striding up the street, firing from the hip, laughing. Fucker was laughing. I unslung my rifle and scoped him and up and I knew, shit, I knew those bastards were going to fuck me up as soon as I fired that first shot. They’d just swing those mounted guns my way and that would be all she wrote. You got to do something, though, you can’t … Are you following me? ----Didn’t get a shot off. Guy was switching mags or something and someone barrelled into him from a side street, knocked that fucker down, knocked him right down and was all over him, beating, clawing, biting. Tore half that guys face off and he’s screaming the whole time and struggling for a knife or another gun or

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 who knows what and his friends come running. And then Biter man’s got some friends of his own. There’s blazing gunfire and hand-to-hand combat and a sea, yeah, a fucking tide of angry bug-spawn just ripping into them from all sides. I slid down off that roof and got away from there. The subject now offers some valuable insights into the classifications of infected. ----- Be aware that the following is colored by his own biases and experience, but it’s informative nonetheless. — Ellington Anyways. The lesson for you to take home with you is that there’s two types of bug-spawn. Far as I can tell, I mean, I’m no expert. Still keeping a low profile best I can. There’s the Flock, they just kind of stand about. Sort of feed themselves a bit, do some weird business with collecting technology and piling it up here and there. Don’t see no pattern to it. They ain’t dangerous. Mostly. You make yourself too obvious and they seem to get a hankering for your company. Hard to keep it on the downlow with a Flock on your tail, I can tell you for free. They get in your way in a bad situation and you might have to put a few of them down. I know, I know, but, shit, priorities change when it’s you or them, that’s all I’m saying. Q-camps are working on that though. They got a system in place, go in and round up the Flocks, truck them away to a place. Keep them safe. Look for a cure. That’s the plan, but to be honest it ain’t well organized and they don’t really have the manpower to really pull it off. Barely holding back the tide. No pun intended. Got to tell you, you don’t need all that gas-gear and NBC suit stuff. The little critters don’t like our kind so much. Besides, you really have to be drowned in the dead water before it takes hold. Unless one of the Biters gets you, in which case your fancy plastic pajamas ain’t gonna do shit. The damned Biters are the real trouble. They can fuck up a bright day right quick you ain’t careful. They’re not real smart. Mostly they’re just angry and they want to take it out on the real world. Sometimes, they seem to be more organized than makes me comfortable. Like they have local Bosses. You see a crowd of Biters, there will be one guy – or gal – standing out from the crowd. More switched on to the world, a bit of smarts still ticking up top. I’ve seen them using guns, opening doors, climbing ladders. Your average Biter lost those skills a long time ago. Bosses stand in the center and the Biters just wheel around them. Another thing. I dunno what the fuck the Bosses eat, but it makes them kick-ass strong. Or maybe it’s like radio guy says and their bodies are being … adapted for survival. Like the virus is adapting them somehow making them stronger, smarter, faster. System ain’t perfect though, because I can tell you the Boss Biters smell worst of all. Seriously, they got a bouquet like a dead dog’s entrails on a skillet. I reckon they’re rotting where they stand. Seen a few of them strapping themselves up with duct tape, wearing masks to hold their faces on, I shit you not. That’s some fucked up shit right there. Gets worse, too. I spotted some of them Bosses out near Longview a couple of weeks back driving around in an ice cream truck. Music jingle on and everything.

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The Nearside: Dead Water, Earth9 Hints and Tips for Field Operatives

place, the more infected people - Keep moving. the longer you stay in one To be clear, the cleansing is not will show up in that place to cleanse you. a bubble bath. It makes you dead. vernment agencies have discovered - Note that some government and quasi-go virus. As you can imagine, most of that some people are immune to the nano re samples of Nearsiders’ brain these people will stop at nothing to secu tissue for evaluation.

cially when infection has had time - EMP weapons kill the nanovirus and, espe reported that some hosts were reto fully develop, the host. It has been nsed of the nanovirus via EMP. vived with shock paddles after being clea

you don’t have to remove their heads - Though they might look like zombies, can be killed. to kill the infected. They are alive and than human. The virus has rewired - Hubs are another story. They’re more to kill. Reports of fast healing and their systems, so they’re very difficult regeneration are accurate.

n. Not only will they attract any- Avoid using Meridians on this variatio and Damned, as well as multiple Hubs where from a dozen to a hundred Drowned attracts attention of those unin(depending on the area you’re in), it also people with immunity. fected people looking to experiment on

y more than a few days, the armies - If you stay in a non-infected communit toward you. Even if you leave before of infected will have begun their march ed that community. they get there, chances are you’ve doom

presence makes their Damned cattle - Be careful around Q Camps. Nearsiders’ nervous, which makes the campers nervous. think, does not have enough saline to - Rain water, despite what most people a good idea to run for cover if it be a vector of the nanovirus. Still, it’s the locals. rains, just so you don’t stick out from

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 The Regency Group Variation Report 10 of 13, Draft 5 Author: Field Agent Brian Tierney Designation: Earth 10 A.K.A. “Outage, “Aurora,” “Throwback”

Tierney is a good field agent, but very sweary. He has a higher Distance than most, but I suspect he just uses that as an excuse to be unpleasant. — Ellington

Divergence Event: Electrical systems no longer work, crippling most advanced nations and leaving them with technology levels from more than 130 years ago. Note for new agents — take everything written here with a large

dose of salt. The author has developed a set of rose-tinted goggles Threat Level: Low about this variation — it’s not as pleasant as he makes out. — Anna Clarke I’m not used to using a mechanical typewriter, but Dr. Ellington dislikes hand-written reports. He calls them “unprofessional” and “hard to read” but just because his handwriting looks like a crippled spider draggin g its dying corpse across a page doesn’t mean the rest of us should suffer. Anyway. If you’ve never used a manual typewriter, or if it’s been a while since you have, you might be surprised by how loud they are and how tiring it is to have to physically force a letter to slam against a page, over and over and over again. My fingers are aching. I’ll have to learn how to be more terse, I suppose. And I suppose I could power up my laptop, but that would feel fake right now. Plus, the family I’m staying with have no idea I’m a Juicer and I don’t know their opinions about superconductors - they might be fierce Luddites as far as I know, though I don’t think they’re Hackers either - they don’t seem like the type to sit around worshipping a pile of broken cellpho nes. I only mention the sound the typewriter makes because here on this variation, the keys sound even louder. It’s so quiet here, especially at night. It’s like where I grew up, out in the Irish countryside. Peacefu l, you know? No lorries on the motorway, no air conditioner or furnace rumbles . No blaring TVs or stereo systems. No thump-thump of a car’s subwoofer blaring out meaningless noise.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Now, I realize that these are all sounds you won’t hear much on Vanished or the Fall either. Here, all you’ll hear after sunset are the whistles of a distant steam train, the sounds of animals in the barn outside and the hushed laughter and chatter of the household sitting around the table in candlelight, sharing home-baked bread and the food grown and earned through hard work and toil. That’s the difference between here and elsewhere. People are still living their lives. There’s work to be done, blisters on hands and greasy smoke from coal-fired engines. There’s the unfamiliar stench of biofuel and the throaty growl of the clumsy retro-engineered diesel motors that only the really wealthy or powerful can afford to run. The cities are mostly empty. Starvation, violence and the first winter killed millions across the world. These days things have settled down somewhat. Now you have small towns and villages where everyone knows each other and strangers are, at best, warily welcomed. The high street has places to tie up your horse, just like it did 150 years ago. Hell, some of the fashions from the Old West are back. Everyone looks like a cowboy or a school marm, except for the Hackers, who mourn technology and pin microchips to the lapels of their leather jackets, which have clumsily etched motherboard circuits on their backs and sleeves. Anyway, Ellington wanted a summary for the Regency files. I’ve been here for a couple of years, living and working among the natives and trying to get a feel for the place. Irish Brian, they call me, which is fine because it’s basically true. Not too many accents like mine around these parts. But too many Nearsiders stop here just for a day or so, moving on when they find nothing of interest or use. That suits me fine, the fewer tourists we get the better. Did I just write “we”? I guess so. I feel like a native myself, these days. That’s why you’ve not had any reports since I got here, Doc, so too bad. You’re getting one now, right? We’ve lost a few field agents this way. — Ellington.

Overview If you’re reading this, then you already know the basics. Outage is a world without electricity. On August 13, the sky erupted in a dazzling array of swirling lights and flashing lightning. At the same time, all things electrical suddenly stopped working -- from the simplest battery operated toy to the most sophisticated instruments known to man. This strange storm spanned the entire globe and raged in the atmosphere for hours. Thousands died during the initial moments of the outage and many more followed in the coming days. Hospitals were without power, leaving those dependent on respirators or in surgery to perish. Planes, trains, submarines, automobiles and every other form of mechanized transportation were stalled and involved in countless crashes and collisions. People were trapped in elevators, subways, mines, bank vaults and other isolated locations. Safety systems and fail-safes were inoperable, leading to numerous catastrophes ranging from flooding to meltdowns.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Although no one knew exactly what was happening, most scientists believed it was a worldwide electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and that its effects would pass in time. They were wrong. Although the storm lessened and the aurora’s intensity faded, the effects remained. It was more than a simple surge that could be waited out or dealt with by replacing burned out parts. It was much more widespread and damaging than an EMP ever could have been. Even Faraday cages proved ineffectual at protecting devices, as did all military hardening and expensive corporate data-farm shielding. Batteries seemed incapable of providing power. Even the power of lightning could not be harnessed. Let’s be clear -- any federal or local emergency procedures depend upon the existence of radio for communications. The authorities assume they’ll have short and long range radio communications and that the average house hold will have a battery-operated radio to listen to. Most plans also assume there will be power losses across most of the population, but they also assume that military and federal vehicles will work, allowing for the distribution of food, emergency supplies and personnel. Nothing prepared them for the Disruption. Even the most extreme scenarios involving an EMP did not imagine total loss of power, nor could they have foreseen electricity actually going away. So the initial days after the Disruption were a time of confusion and chaos. The world, grown dependent on technology and electricity, was crippled by its loss. The lack of communication and transportation caused problems immediately. People were unaccustomed to the isolation caused by the inability to travel or receive news. Television, radio and the Internet all required power to operate and suddenly the world was silent. At the time when the world faced its greatest crisis, the government was unable to share news, provide hope, or effectively coordinate recovery efforts. People used to driving 10 miles to the store and back had no understanding of how long took to walk the same distance. In the northern hemisphere, the Disruption occurred in the middle of summer, when air conditioning was more than just nice to have -- it saved lives. Refrigerators and freezers, both domestic and industrial, failed. Tons of food spoiled, a loss that would be felt keenly during the coming autumn and winter. The first few weeks were filled with tension, fear and wonder. Although the Aurora’s power lessened after the initial storm, it remained in the sky. Not only did it serve as a constant reminder of the Disruption, but it also caused erratic behavior in those who gazed upon it. Reports came of people falling into a stupor, losing memories, going into violent rages, acting intoxicated and becoming ill. Some wag termed it “Skyblindness” and the name stuck, even though blindness was just one of about 12 distinct symptoms. It was quickly discovered that the effects could be blocked by wearing polarized lenses. Even sunglasses helped, though the didn’t completely block out the Aurora’s light. At first, only military and federal authorities were provided with goggles providing full protection. Later, the rest of the population would be provided with similar protection. I’ll write more about Skyblindness later. Between this new phenomena, the uncertainty of the situation and the need to

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 survive, the normal line of civility quickly broke down. Almost all major cities experienced some form of looting and rioting, while those living in rural areas found themselves with new neighbors. Some banded together during this time, pooling resources and talents, while others remained apart and jealousy guarded what was theirs. Many lives were lost during this time as law eroded and communities turned on themselves. As the days and weeks went by, the Disruption was slowly renamed the Outage, and the name stuck. It took almost two months for the states and federal government to get organized and impose martial law across the country. Until then it was up to individual cities and counties to protect their citizens and industries. Some of them quickly turned into small personal fiefdoms for the powers that be, which were not always the government. In some cases, it was the church, a company, wealthy individuals and even criminals. During this time, the majority of people were without a steady income or supply of food. The economy collapsed and what little money people had in savings were lost within the computer systems that the banking industry relied upon. As a result, most were either dependent upon others or had to take what they needed to survive. Martial law was received by most as welcome relief, but many of those in charge were not pleased to lose power over their small kingdoms. Regardless, the government seized control of excess food stores and cracked down on those taking advantage of other citizens. This led to many extended battles and the implementation of many harsh measures to regain control. Curfews, profiling, imprisonment without trial, forced labor and the confiscation of property went hand in hand with the rationing and other aid provided. This aid, however, was limited and many would starve and freeze as they tried to fend for themselves over the harsh winter. Many cities in colder northern climates became frozen tombs that first winter. When the thaw came, those particular cities became something worse. Many stay out of cities to this day out of a curious mixture of respect for the dead and fear for what might be found. Across the world, the smart folks left those regions that spend a third or Zeppelins are back in vogue on Earth10 for government surveillance .

The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 more of the year in sub-freezing temperatures. The plan was always to come back in the spring, grow crops and then flee after harvest. Likewise, those living in arid areas dependant upon electrically powered irrigation systems also realized they would have to relocate to survive. These refugees made their way to areas with better year-round climates, often meeting with resistance from those already living there. The United States was no different, despite the illusion of being one nation under god. The US government found it difficult to maintain control of the entire country and began focusing its efforts in the South and Midwest, where most of the population had moved. It soon became obvious that the northern, western and southwestern states would be abandoned along with areas where many separatists and militia made their home. Word spread of the government’s inability (or unwillingness) to protect and serve the interests of the entire nation. This just set more people on the road, all heading toward the new American heartland. The Border Wars, as they were later called in the US, lasted more than two years. There were similar conflicts in Europe and Asia. In the end, the United States found itself fractured. This second civil war ended with the US being comprised of the states east of the Mississippi and south of Chicago. This new, tighter collection of states is still officially called the United States, but is often replaced used with more descriptive words like: smaller, protected, consolidated, military or former. Two other areas were formed out of the states not included in the new union. The first is the untamed and ignored lands where what government exists is localized. Stretching from Texas to Washington state, this area was simply too vast, too sparsely populated and too vigorously defended for the US to forcibly reintegrate. It is called many things, but most simply call it the New West. Each local settlement has named itself, although some have formed alliances and trading coalitions. Between the New West and the consolidated US is a fringe area that is similarly unnamed in an official way. Although technically still part of the US, this area stands with one foot in each world. Not as wild as the New West, yet not as controlled as the main United States. The US only has a modest presence … similar to the cavalry outposts in the Old West. Those who live in the fringes often migrate into the US during the winter months. Once the wars were over, the US set its sights and on trying to restore things back to the way they were, at least as close as possible. A new industrial revolution began. Efforts were made to retrofit as much technology as possible to use steam, bio-diesel power and even vegetable oil. This included factories, public works, transportation, appliances, tools and even luxury items. This was a time of hard work and ingenuity. The government repealed martial law, but still has a tangible presence in everyday life -- especially where food is concerned. Now, nine years after the Disruption, life has returned to as close to normal as it can. Men have returned to the pursuit of money and happiness. Women are

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 no longer afraid to raise their children in this harsh world. And children are being raised who have never known the sound of a computer beep or watched a television. The world is slower paced. and is It is a strange combination of revolutionary America, the Old West and today’s sensibilities. Regency Group Field Agent Notes Here’s what you can expect on your first visit to Outage. Ellington has asked me to include some quick “tips” for visitors and you will find them attached to the last page of this report. First Impressions The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive is the sky. It’s filled with bright aurora, swirling and pulsing continuously -- even during the daylight hours. It curtains the earth and covers the entire sky. It’s beautiful and eerie. You’ll just want to stand there and stare, and you’re not alone, but unlike the native negs, you won’t be affected by it. The second thing you’ll notice is the ambient noise -- or lack of it. If your broken room is in the wilderness or away from a town, it will be very quiet on this side. Without the constant hum of machinery, power lines, cars and planes, the world is a tranquil place -- much like some of the other variants where mankind has been decimated. Once you get close to a significant population of people, then you’ll definitely hear more ambient sounds. Steam engines will be loud and clear, their whistle distinctive and ubiquitous. You’ll hear horses clopping on the tarmac roads, the chatter of people actually talking to each other and the bright, fresh sound of real music played on real instruments, or using fairly sophisticated wind-up record players. When you eventually meet a native,you’ll notice some subtle but important differences. None of them will possess digital wristwatches, cellphones or any other kind of personal electronics. You might see some wind-up watches. Most importantly, thanks to the risk of Skyblindness, everyone will have some kind of sunglasses or goggles on their person and will probably be wearing them if they’re outside. Second Impressions You’ll quickly come to understand how things work (or don’t) here. Any of your personal electronic or battery-operated devices will stop working. Don’t worry, they’re not permanently damaged, at least not yet. They will work again once you leave Outage, or if a Juicer pushes power through them here. If you have managed to find a town or settlement, you’ll witness a strange combination of steam and diesel-powered vehicles and other retrofitted technology as part of everyday life. It looks like something from a Jules Verne novel (if it had been written by a late ‘90s science fiction writer). It will become clear that food is this world’s most valuable commodity. There is no such thing as a grocery store -- only small marketplaces and government distribution centers. You’ll probably see some military or government presence and notice that people treat them with respect (and fear). Highly pro-

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 cessed food is uncommon, but can be worth quite a bit as a luxury item.Actually, with the surge in fresh produce and the decline of highly processed food, people’s diets have become much healthier. If it wasn’t for the occasional mindless Skyblind berserker, Outage might be the healthiest place on the entire Nearside. If you come through on the fringe or in the New West, things will be vastly different. Everything is less organized and you’ll be treated as a threat rather than a visitor. The level of technology is lower in these areas. Steam power will still be utilized, though only by the rich or powerful. It won’t be long before you encounter at least one person under the influence of the Aurora. You’ll get dirty looks and whispered warnings about not wearing proper eye protection, so get some and wear it. You don’t want to stand out or have natives worry about you going Skyblind. The First Night Your first night sky will be an unforgettable experience. As bright as the Aurora is during the day, at night it is richer and brighter. A totally dark sky is rare, though the Aurora can fade from time to time or spend weeks rippling through dark blues, violets and even black. Gazers come out at night as the Aurora is at its most vibrant. Why Cities Are Bad Today, most cities are just enormous ghost towns. The metropolises of yesterday have largely been abandoned. If it had a major sports team, it’s empty. Soon after the Disruption, the cities began to die. Without power, they were pointless. After the first few weeks, anything that could be eaten had been ate, or stolen away by looters. Anything that could be used to hurt or kill someone was also taken, leaving empty buildings full of useless office equipment.

Retrofitted steam power at work

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 And then there’s pollution and disease. When the food went bad, all kinds of nasty things got into the air, and with no one left to keep an eye on gas stations, power plants and other storage facilities, nasty stuff started leaking out into the streets, streams and subways. Wild animals moved in to take advantage of the rotting food and got sick themselves. The priority for government forces was to secure public records and reference materials in public libraries. These were extracted within the first couple of months, and taken to secure locations to be distributed later. This has yet to happen, however. But that’s another subject. Today, the only people who are crazy enough to live in cities are the permanently Skyblind (see below) or criminals and escaped prisoners. Many cities are haunted by angry and insane gangs who venture out into the suburbs and rural areas to raid farms and homes. From time to time, a local sheriff will raise a posse to go into a nearby city to capture and arrest known criminals. These kinds of runs are discouraged by the federal military leadership, though they are not exactly in a hurry to go do it themselves. Where People Live Now People chose to re-establish themselves in the suburbs, beyond the greenbelts and outer-belts. There they turned gardens into farmland, often shared with an entire community or subdivision. The parks and nature reserves are also tilled and worked, or given over to cattle and sheep for grazing. Go farther out, into the actual countryside, and you’ll find farmers doing what they always did, raising crops and livestock -- just on a smaller scale and with a lot more effort. Farms are now more like they were hundreds of years ago in Europe -- small villages, with multiple families living in and around the main farmhouse and working together for mutual gain and protection. These farmers will venture into the suburbs for market day, trading food in return for water, information and the latest clockwork or diesel technology.

Horsepower

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Despite the presence of a federal military, it’s important that a visiting Nearsider realizes that every community is tightly knit and insular. Knowledge of other areas will be hard to come by, and remaining anonymous will be difficult. Strangers are quickly recognized and troublemakers will be dealt with. Why Visit? Damn good question. Sadly for me and my peace and quiet, Outage has several compelling reasons for a Nearsider to visit. The most common reason is for “vacation.” This world offers a simpler life compared to many of the other worlds. Despite the lack of electricity there is still technology and there is still civilization and the world is still intact. Life moves at slower pace. It is easy for a discreet Nearsider to lose himself in the masses. Unfortunately, if you’re a nutjob Nearsider looking to create your own wee kingdom and take advantage of hard working common folk, this is a good place to start -- especially if you’re a Juicer. The New West is rife with opportunity for an ambitious Nearsider to exert his power and influence. It is easy to gain an advantage over those without electricity, though it comes with some risks. See superconductors, below. I personally invite such Nearsiders with dreams of power to go fuck themselves, cheers. Lastly, some Nearsiders might visit to plunder some of the forgotten technologies and abandoned devices. After all, there are entire cities empty and ripe for looting. Most technology will be obsolete when compared to Earth1, but some things have value no matter how old they are, especially on worlds like the Fall or Icebox where someone might be grateful for even a crappy toaster. Remember -- if gear is in working order, it will actually work once it’s taken off this variation. The Aurora This strange phenomenon has been studied by countless scientists (from here and elsewhere on the Nearside), even if some of them have suffered permanent Skyblindness in in the process. The very existence of the Aurora along with its strange properties have been pondered and talked about endlessly since it first appeared. Despite this, it remains a mystery, though it’s clearly related to the Disruption and the ongoing Outage. The Aurora appears to entirely cover the globe. It resides in the upper atmosphere. Clouds can obscure it, but it in turn obscures the stars. Both the moon and sun are bright enough to shine through the Aurora. Its intensity varies and it is sometimes filled with what appears to be lightning. It is still visible during the day, although it can be faded and washed out against the bright sky. Disruption and Outage These are two terms that you will hear often on this variation. It’s important to know the difference between them. The Disruption is the specific effect that

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Auroral Side Effect Classifications

Based upon a two-year Regency Group study, the following have been identified as the most common side effects of Auroral exposure. Classification Symptoms Type 1 Blindness Type 2 Euphoria Type 3 Passes Out Briefly (up to a minute) Type 4 Temporary Memory Loss Type 5 Fatigue and Nausea Type 6 Uncontrollable Laughter Type 7 Seizures Type 8 Depression Type 9 Disorientation and Confusion Type 10 Uncontrollable Rage Type 11 Unconscious for up to an hour Type 12 Severe Headache and Nosebleed

Goggles are required if you want to blend in

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 the Aurora has on electricity. The Outage is the ongoing situation. When discussing the Aurora, the most obvious topic is its disruption of electricity. The initial Disruption was very much like a massive EMP that burned out sensitive circuits across the planet. However, the effects of the Aurora are continuous and ongoing. They cannot be circumvented by replacing burned out parts. Indeed, the Outage has not caused any additional damage to electrical systems since the initial pulse in 2002. What it has done is cause every single electrical device in the world to stop working. From the simplest potato-powered lightbulb to military-grade hardened technologies. Even the power that could be harnessed from a lightning strike refuses to travel along a wire or be grounded (something that has caused a lot of damage to buildings since 2002). All batteries seemed drained and all attempts to recharge them have failed. To the delight of small children, however, static electricity still seems alive and well. At least enough to zap an unsuspecting friend or make a balloon stick to a wall. Some say that, like lightning, the tiny sparks of static electricity are brighter and stronger than they used to be, but so far no one has been killed by a balloon-based attack. Gazers As I mentioned earlier, the light from the Aurora has a serious effect on the human mind. The dangers are well understood now, but in the early days of the Disruption, thousands of people suffered from serious side-effects caused by exposure to the Aurora’s light. These effects, collectively called Skyblindness, range from mild euphoria and giddiness to more addictive sensations, actual blindness, seizures and even death. These days, most people wear polarized sunglasses or goggles to protect themselves from these effects. The first pair are free, but they are expensive to replace. Those without protection quickly find their eyes drawn upward and must fight off the compulsion to stare. Typically, Skyblindness is temporary, lasting no more than a few minutes or for as long as the affected individual is exposed to the Aurora. But in rare instances they can be permanent. indigenous terminology. We call them Type 2’s, but gazer is the Some find the Aurora and its effects highly addictive. Given enough repeated exposure, this addiction becomes physiological, with addicts needing to spend more and more time watching the Aurora, just to stay level. I’ve heard the term “skycrack” or “skyhead” used, but the “politically correct” term for these poor bastards is gazers, named for their mindless upward gawking. In the early stages of addiction, gazers can still hold down regular jobs and live relatively normal lives. But as they spend more time lost in the Aurora, they lose touch with friends and family and just become lost in the sky. You can see Gazers anywhere these days, sitting on street corners, lying in fields or just slowly walking around, looking up. These people are generally considered nuisances by their communities, and no one really pays them much attention, except when a Gazer wanders out into “traffic” and causes a horse to rear or a steam car to swerve.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Every person reacts to the lights in a different way. No one is sure why each person reacts the way they do, but the effects never change for that person. Nearsiders are NOT affected by these psychological effects. IMPORTANT: If you’re standing around without goggles, people are going to assume you’re a gazer, or that you’re about to erupt into Skyblinded violence. They call those guys “berserkers” and if you even look like you’re going to do something strange, you could find yourself wrestled to the ground or worse. It’s not worth attracting that kind of trouble or attention, so just find some goggles or sunglasses and keep them on when you’re outside. Technologies Innovation stopped nine years ago -- at least it stopped moving forward. This world never saw smart phones, high-definition television, widespread broadband Internet or hybrid cars. Since electricity stopped working, a lot of time and effort has been spent developing non-electrical versions of existing technology. While it has been impossible to reclaim much of what was lost, such as computers or broadcasting, there has still been tremendous strides in applying steam and diesel powered solutions to everyday needs and concerns. Antiques, museums and other historical sites have been explored and re-purposed to meet current needs. Interestingly, any information stored magnetically on disk, tape and the like, remains intact -- old 3.5” floppy disks taken from Outage to another variation have been perfectly readable. While most assume that this data is gone, a few government agencies have maintained and protected their data storage facilities. This is a good thing if you’re ever looking for pre-2002 data, since it’s unlikely to be well guarded here. Transportation Railroads have become the most common form of travel for those going a significant distance and are protected by the government. The military spent a lot of time and effort early on to make sure the railroad was up and running for the distribution of food and soldiers. Robbing or interfering with a train is now considered a capital offense. That must be why it happens so often these days. People do love a challenge. There are steam and diesel powered cars, but they are owned mostly by the wealthy or those with a lot of political clout. Most towns offer public transportation and citizens are highly encouraged to use it in order to preserve fuel. Despite this, walking, wagons and horses are once again the primary means of transportation for the common man. Although steamboats make their way up and down rivers, there is little international travel. A few large coal-powered steamships make their way to and fro across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but they are expensive to run and maintain. Sailing is popular once more, though it takes a long time to cross an ocean and without GPS and other navigation systems, it’s suddenly quite risky. Not only has the Aurora obscured the stars for navigation, compasses are completely unreliable since the Disruption.

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It is only recently that zeppelins have begun to take to the air, powered by the latest bio-diesel engines. No trans-ocean flights have been attempted, but there is an established route between several of the United States’ larger cities. Communication and Entertainment There is no television, radio or Internet. Telephones, texting and personal printers are also extinct. It takes days or even weeks for news to travel instead of the split second it takes on Earth1. Small, local presses are able to provide some news, but the most common way that information is delivered is by the military. Once delivered, it usually spreads via word of mouth. News travels slowly here, only as fast as the person carrying the message. Mail is huge these days, people are constantly writing letters to each other, sending parcels and keeping in touch. It’s quite sweet, actually, but it’s very odd to wait a month for a letter you might have gotten in a day before the Disruption. The steam and sail ships that ply their trade across the oceans are always laden down with letters bringing news and information from faraway lands. The only multinational companies left these days are ones like delivery companies that own the largest fleets of bio-diesel vehicles. Without motion pictures, video games and television, the traveling showman has regained his place in American entertainment. Circuses, performing troupes, sports teams and other side shows now criss-cross the nation. They serve as the only alternative news source to the government. Medicine Just about every facet of life has suffered due to the lack of electricity. This is especially true for health care. Unfortunately, there is no way to make a steam-powered MRI or a diesel-fueled research laboratory, though carbide lights are often used in surgery. Complex operations and procedures are now almost impossible. Folk and herbal remedies have become more prevalent than hospital visits or prescription medication. This is, in theory, a good thing unless you have diabetes or asthma or some other life-threatening condition. Needless to say, life expectancy is slowly dropping even as infant mortality rates slowly rise. Medical science may yet find a way to fully adapt to the new world, but so far, it’s been an uphill battle. Still, with better diets and more physical activity, people are generally fitter than they have been in decades. Other Wherever possible, mankind has tried to replace fallen technologies. For example, there are steam-powered elevators and diesel-driven fairground rides. As a general rule, if something just needs to have moving parts powered, it has been converted to steam. This even applies to small items that already have non-powered counterparts. A steam powered drill is feasible, for example, though unwieldy.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Ellington’s Notes There are still some vehicles that use diesel engines, though they have been massively simplified to run without any additional electrical systems. Carbide lamps provide light at night, though few choose to travel after dark. Refining diesel is not simple, though it’s possible to produce biodiesel of a quality that will power certain kinds of engines. It takes a lot of effort to start one of these engines, since they require so much compression to produce combustion. Wind-up devices that rely purely on mechanical power will still work. Some clever engineers have managed to add efficient clockwork to things like record players, power tools and other useful devices. Factories that still produce items of practical use are powered by steam or by manual labor. It’s not uncommon to see chain gangs of prisoners taking shifts at the local flour mill, turning the wheel and grinding the corn. There are blacksmiths again, and even small towns have a forge. Horses need shoes, tools need repairs and things like carpentry, weaving and other crafts are suddenly essential industries in this post-silicon world.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 INDIGOs ==Light Cults== As I mentioned earlier, some people become entranced with the Aurora and derive physical pleasure from staring up at it without protection. This pleasure quickly becomes an addiction, an experience so intense that someone will literally waste away as they do nothing but stare up at the sky. Others find spiritual enlightenment, believing that the pleasure they receive is a gift from God. These people often congregate and gaze at the lights in unison. Some try to divine messages and interpret the shifting lights. Some claim to be prophets and gather followers. As innocent and pathetic as Gazers are, some unscrupulous hucksters will always try to use these believers for their own purpose. If you’re a Nearsider, it’s easy to fake being a Gazer, but you’ll find that the general population won’t trust someone who goes outside goggle-less. Gazers are very gullible. Since Nearsiders are immune to the effects of the Aurora, they can easily fake being a Gazer without raising any suspicion. Some Nearsiders take advantage of Gazers, claiming that they are receiving messages from the Aurora. More than one regional Light Cult is led by a Nearsider translating the Aurora’s will, usually involving providing the Light’s prophet with women and alcohol. ==Communicators== There is a secret network of Juicers who stay in touch via ham radio. They communicate on a daily basis, spreading news and other important information to one another. They try to track substantial happenings and generally work for the betterment of the common man. They spread across the U.S., fringe and New West. They keep their eyes out for new Nearsiders and act as guardians of Outage. They do not take kindly to Nearsiders who take advantage of the people of Outage and actively try to rid the world of such interlopers. ==Reclaimers== The government is trying to reclaim the fallen cities of the United States. Abandoned due to the high amount of corpses, these areas may ready to be explored. The cities are filled with dangers such as squatters, crumbling infrastructure, and lingering disease. As a general rule, the cities are quarantined and off limits. Those who are caught trespassing are dealt with harshly, never allowed to re-integrate with normal society of out fear of contamination. But recently, select men and women have been trained and outfitted to start the salvage and recovery process of these cities. ==The Grid== Very few natives of this variation are aware of the Nearside and those who travel it. It was inevitable, however, that Juicers and their talents would eventually be noticed. Juicers are called Superconductors in this world’s stories and tales, the blessed few who can make a lightbulb shine just by holding it, or blow on an electrical fan to start it spinning on its own for a few minutes. Most natives to Earth10 believe in Superconductors in the way people on Earth1 believe in psychics - i.e. not really, but wouldn’t it be nice if it where true?

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 assumed to be mere illusions or Some of the more minor Juicer powers are who truly understand that what cheap conjuring tricks, but there are some they are seeing is impossible.

enemies among the true believers. Superconductors find they have allies and lf the Grid, in memory of the network This loosely organized group calls itse across the nation. Members of the that used to transmit and supply power be helped and protected. They will Grid believe that Superconductors should a night, a meal and some supplies to always give a superconductor a room for that electricity hasn’t completely take with them, all in return for proof working air-conditioner if it’s the gone away, or for five minutes beside a of underground railroad, sendsummer. The Grid see themselves as a kind providing them with small jobs and ing Juicers on to the next safe place and tasks using their power. ==Luddites== their abilities are not so friendly Some of those who know about Juicers and organized than the Grid. These Lud-- thankfully they tend to be much less rconductors are doing will just make dites are afraid that whatever the Supe ity further “away,” risking the the Aurora worse and perhaps push electric lting in the death of every livloss of electrochemical conductance resu as many electronic and electrical ing thing. They try to destroy or recycle g used again. More extreme Luddites devices as possible to prevent any bein will attempt to recycle Juicers, too. ==Ohmics== . They aren’t organized as such and Then there are the electricity cultists them the Ohmics. There are relahave no specific name, but I like to call exist and they just love to meet tively few of these cults, but they do of electrical devices, both useful Juicers. Ohmics have large collections kidnap) Juicers in so they can test and pointless, and like to invite (aka r use. To an Ohmic, there’s nothing their treasures and take pleasure in thei ic hiss from a radio or the soft glow more moving and inspiring than the stat of a computer monitor. Geography Lesson follows. United States The United States has always been immediately obvious to anyone who sive nation worked because it had states, which is the condition in

a huge place, geographically, something has ever driven across it. This masbeen born from lots of small independent which it once more finds itself.

mbus, Ohio, it’s probably abandoned In brief, if it’s further north than Colu during the winter. -

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ident Has had one election, general is now pres ribution dist and on ucti prod food Government control a passion Uses railroads a lot… protects them with es? Capitol has moved to heartland… des moin tion and agriculture liza tria ndus re-i on time Invested a lot of

The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Hints and Tips for Visiting Nearsiders * If you’re a Juicer, don’t openly use your powers. * Put away your iPad or iPhone for fuck’s sake. You may as well wear a pointy hat and call yourself Gandalf. * Assume that everyone you meet thinks you want to steal their food and boff their daughter. Or maybe that was just me. * Get used to walking everywhere or learn to ride (and steal) horses. * Learn to enjoy the smell of horse manure. * If you’re attacked by a Skyblind Berserker, just put them down as fast as you can. You’re doing them a favor, trust me.

* Treat every journey like a three-day hike somewhere. Carry food and water, even if it’s just a little bit.

* Avoid the cities. No, really, don’t go to the cities. * If you want to eat, or sleep in a bed, be prepared to work bloody hard for a surly farmer.

* If you’re going to wander around outside, get a pair of goggles. Otherwise you’ll look suspicious or crazy. * People will kill for a bar of chocolate, or a cup of fresh coffee. - Army Corp of Farmers? - Universities have been repurposed - New England is abandoned during winter … as are many northern states - Not interested in international events - Government has a presence in most settlements … even if it is just a marshall of sorts Brian clearly got bored at this point. Attached are notes from other Field Teams. -Ellington Fringe - Kind of independent, but have government outposts - Like old west cavalry - Do a lot of trading… both with U.S. and New West - Migrant … many come into U.S. during winter New West Stretching from Texas and including most of the deserts and prairie s west of the Mississippi River, the New West is a vast land filled with indepen dent settlements. Resembling the lawlessness of the Old West, this area rewards those who can take what they want and defend what they have. Filled with exmilitia, survivalist and others with an anti-government or indepen dent spirit, the New West requires its inhabitants to be self-sufficient.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 ing or communication between settleThat is not to say that there is no trad political alliances. There are also ments. There are wary trade groups and that will jealously guard what they very isolated and reclusive settlements rs that have created their own small have. There are more than a few Nearside fiefdoms in this area. e that live within the New West or Those who trade will only trade with thos with the U.S. and jealously guard the fringe. They have no direct dealings of railroad invasion. their borders … especially from any kind

The Rest of the World the world. The more advanced the naThe Disruption has affected everyone in of electricity. Some fared bettion, the harder they were hit by the loss urces and climate, but as a rule, ter than others due to their natural reso nations have focused on preservdeveloped nations suffered the worst. Most than worrying about the rest of the ing their own culture and peoples rather y. world. It is no longer a global communit

regions having to deal with their own The world has gotten much larger, with ship, taking weeks to cross oceans issues most of the time. News travels by t. By the time word arrives of an and months to get from sender to recipien s old. incident in a foreign country, it’s week Europe s before it collapsed. Individual The Europen Union lasted almost four year similar to the United States’, alnations have suffered through turmoils easier to aid (and control) their though the tighter geography has made it be any international incidents bepeople. Surprisingly, there has yet to than a few have suffered through tween European countries, although more civil war. The UK and Ireland are food shortages, uprisings and threats of food and fuel, though the coal mines having trouble importing some kinds of t. in South Wales are apparently doing grea Africa / Middle East fared better than others due to their In some ways, third-world nations have they have suffered the hypnotic efindependence from technology. However, religious zealouts have blamed the fects worse than other continents. Many eve it to be a weapon. Apparently, western infidels for the Aurora and beli States, but until they manage to war has been declared against the United not much to worry about. Places get across the Atlantic, there’s probably he with hatred and violence. like Israel and Palestine continue to seet Asia high population density, reliance on Japan has suffered tremendously. Their s has left them in dire straights. nuclear power and lack of natural resource pragmatic approach and immediChina, on the other hand, has taken a very countryside. Their large population ately evacuated their cities for their sustain the nation while others have of villagers and farmers have helped to floundered.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 Australia Nobody cares. They are the inbred descendants of criminals. Canada Nobody cares. They all came to America when it got too cold.

Please see other teams’ notes below.

Mexico Nobody cares. They were already trying to come into America. South America Nobody cares. Tribes from the rain forest rose up and ate everyon e.

Any more recent news from Brian? - Anna No. I suppose we should consider this report to be his two week’s notice. - Neil Probably for the best. Suggest we plan another trip to this variation to provide a more balanced view of the situation. I can’t help but feel that Brian’s not exactly an objective observer, and is hiding things. - Anna

Australia The majority of the population still live where they always did, on the coasts, particularly in the east and southeast where the climate is sub-tropical or temperate. Isolation has helped Australia avoid some of the civil unrest problems faced elsewhere in the world, though a wave of Indonesian refugees in 2005 caused issues in the northeast parts of Queensland. Canada The majority of Canadians did move south during the winter of 2002-2003, though many remained in slightly more temperate regions such as Vancouver. The Quebecois also stood firm, and still maintain a population of several thousand in the Montreal area. Mexico There was a period of counter-immigration from the US into Mexico during the first two years. Some residents of border regions in the south west headed south in search of food and supplies and tended to keep moving around. The borders were not enforced after the first winter. Most of the Mexican’s heading north into the US after this time were attempting to find family members already in the United States. Most were unsuccessful. South America Many of the native tribes in the Amazon basin are probably doing as well as they ever did. I believe that Field Agent Tierney may have been exaggerating somewhat. Just as everywhere else in the world, rural populations that had not integrated technology tend to survive more-or-less intact.

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The Nearside: Outage, Earth10 While we know roughly what is happening, we still don’t know why. Electricity still works, as proven by the continued electrochemical transmission of information in the brain and muscles. Basic transfer of electrons still occurs, since there is still lightning and other electromagnetic phenomena. This should be impossible, of course. In simple terms, conductors have been become resistors. The few tests that we’ve managed to run on Outage (thanks to Juicers powering our diagnostic equipment) indicate that some kind of resonant magnetic field effect is causing massive electron scattering within all conductive materials, rending any kind of current impossible. This field effect is responsible for the Aurora and possibly for the mental disruption suffered by Gazers (though this hasn’t been proven). — Ellington

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OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE FACE OF TOMORROW. GOD has come and lights the day and the night with His glory. The Aurora is the glow of His presence, proof of His intercession. YOUR EYES MU.S.T BE NAKED FOR YOUR SOUL TO BE FREE. There must be nothing between you and God’s light. Light Cults look to the heavens for salvation, and their fix. They also leave nots like this all over the place.

The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 The Regency Group Variation Report 11 of 13, Page 2, Exhibit B

Subject Matter: An article published by Paranormal Papers, a small-p ress monthly based in Chicago on Earth 11. It represents the most accurat e view of the Nearside by a non-HbA on Earth 11 that has been published. Designation: Earth 11 A.K.A. “Afterlife,” “Spirit World,” “Haunted” Threat Level: Red, Monarch controlled

No one of note will believe anything written here. — Ellington

The Truth Behind the Ghosts By James Keyes Aug. 13, 2011

Monarch

Editor’s note: This article exposes information gleaned via an in-depth investigation by this publication. Tragically, the lead journalist covering the story was murdered before he could finish the article. As Congress continues to debate the merits of a free press, the editors of this publication decided to print the unfinished story, some of which comes directly from James’ notes, while we still can. All Nearsiders can see the “ghosts.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Ghosts have existed since the beginning of mankind … in bedtime stories, nightmares and legends. But in August 2002, they became real, according to popular opinion. The near simultaneous sightings by thousands of people across the globe caused an international sensation. It put a series of events into motion that toppled governments, united religions and changed the nature of life on Earth in less than a decade. That much we know. But amid the chaos, the reason behind the appearance of the ghosts was never revealed, until now. While thousands of people began seeing shimmering forms of the dead after Aug. 13, 2002, billions of others did not. What happened on Aug. 13, 2002? Why could some people see the ghosts and others could not? A pattern emerges from one-on-one interviews, research into publicly available government records before they were sealed, and data collected from other news outlets’ interviews. Once sightings that could not be verified were removed from consideration, the following facts emerge: • Only people who died of unnatural causes have

o Must die “returned” as ghosts. le ip mult • No one who died before Aug. 13, 2002 has rens. variatio turned as a ghost. • Most people who died of unnatural causes after Aug. 13, 2002 did not return as ghosts. • Those who saw ghosts came from all nationalities, religions and social classes. • Ghosts seem to be acting out lives that may or may not mirror the lives they led. • The number of ghosts has increased exponentially. • The number of people who can see ghosts with the naked eye (Seers) has only experienced slight growth via people born with the ability. No adult since Aug. 13, 2002 has suddenly gained the ability to see ghosts. Blockers • Some Seers have the ability to banish ghosts, & Writers both. or them, communicate with es experienc body of out having • Many Seers report First Fall before and/or after seeing ghosts. from stress of seeing • Some reports of ghosts speaking or interacting “ghosts.” to begun have them around world with the physical surface. True & Susan Shaw, 43, is a Seer. Until 2002, she led disturbing what she calls an “ordinary life,” as a paralegal and n

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K-Tech

The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 mother of two sons in Fort Wayne, Ind. But that changed in August, 2002, when she saw her first ghost. “I didn’t see them right away,” Shaw says. “I remember hearing news reports of people seeing ghosts and thinking they must be crazy. Then I saw Kara, a little neighbor girl playing in our front yard. She was shimmery, like when you shine a light through fog.” If Kara Delgardo’s name sounds familiar, it’s because her abduction in 2001 made national headlines. We now know her estranged father had kidnapped the 6-year-old and murdered her a year later. But on Aug. 23, 2002, when Shaw saw the apparition of Delgardo, authorities were still searching for the girl and her father. Both were presumed to be alive. Had Shaw not heard the reports of others seeing ghosts, she says she may not have told anyone. “I didn’t know what to think,” she says. “If I was losing my mind, then I apparently had a lot of company. People seeing ghosts was all you could find on television.” Shaw went to her husband with the news and he convinced her to go to the police. She was questioned, evaluated by numerous psychologists, and submitted to a lie detector and drug tests. She was named a person of interest in the case until, a week later, the bodies of Kara and her father were found in a trailer park in Utah. The coroner estimates the murder-suicide occurred on Aug. 23, 2002. But, like most Seers, Shaw began to see more ghosts. The sightings disturbed her. She began to avoid public places to minimize her chances of seeing the apparitions. Within a year, she had lost her job. Within two years, she was divorced. Like so many others after the news of ghosts broke, Seers and non-Seers alike, Shaw turned to religion for answers. In 2003, when Ghost Glasses were released by Conglomerate Innovations, ghosts became a fact of life rather than an oddity that might be explained by mental illness. “I hadn’t been to church for years … but I knew there was something after death. Something science couldn’t explain,” Shaw said. Shaw, a Catholic, was welcomed back to the church and eventually asked to join a new order called that consisted of other Seers called the Initiates of Interrex. The order eventually came to be called the Order of the Peacemakers. Shaw Now underMonarch control

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had taken a vow not to reveal any of their secrets. A vow she broke during our interview because in her words, “I think the church has been taken over by outsiders.” At first, Shaw said she enjoyed being surrounded by other Seers. She felt normal again for the first time in years. When she was flown to Rome to take part in religious ceremonies in 2007, her life was upended again. During a particularly long ceremony, during which certain high-ranking members of the clergy performed what they called an “opening ritual,” Shaw experienced her first out-of-body experience. “I was somewhere else,” she said. “That’s the best way to explain it. It wasn’t following a bright light or anything like that. I was in the Vatican, and then I was in a city somewhere else. It was Likely destroyed. It wasn’t that I simply saw it. I was Earth3 as rubble some on there. I even scraped my knee we walked through the ruins.” Other Seers made the journey with her. The higher-ranking clergy members acted as guides. “They pointed to the ruins. They said it was Some Rome. They said it was our future if people didn’tNearsiders unite under God,” Shaw said. actually When she returned, time had passed normally. believe this. “I still had the scrape on my knee,” she said. “It was too much.” Shaw had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized in a mental institution in Rome. Her story could be discounted as the ramblings of a mad woman, were it not for the collaboration of key details. In a 2008 interview with Faith Press, Cardinal Carlo Vastano, was asked about how the huge influx of newly faithful was being handled by the church leaders. Vastano had been a member of the clergy for 52 years. “It is something we have have prayed for, of course. But we were completely unprepared for the overwhelming increase in the flock. The number of clergy worldwide was at an all-time low. In the rush to anoint new priests and put the human infrastructure in place to handle the newly religious, shortcuts were taken that I fear could fundamentally alter the direction of the church.” Killed by Cardinal Vastano died a month after the inter- Monarch view, reportedly of a heart attack. In 2007, the newly appointed Ayatol earsider lah of Iran, issued an internal proclamation that N

The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 included an unusual call to follow the holy ways of Allah down a new path. “Allah has shown me new worlds broken by a lack of belief,” he said. I have walked among the damned. The holy way is clear. The sons and daughters of Abraham will only survive by working together to restore Allah to his rightful place as ruler of men and nations.” The Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam working together to elevate belief in the One God was unthinkable just a few short years ago. But evidence points to a master plan developed by Seers, who had quickly advanced through the ranks of Christianity, Judasim and Islam, and are exerting influence on Hinduism and Buddhism. The so-called Bloodless Crusade began in 2008. As church pews and coffers swelled, religious leaders all over the world began to run for government office. At the time, it seemed like a natural extension of the new wave of faith that stemmed from the proof of an afterlife. Looking back, it’s easier to believe the conspiracy theorists who had warned of a small group s er of clergy joining together to create a new world id s order. What if the new leaders of major religions ar Ne made an unprecedented pact to join together? With faith at an all-time high, what if the world’s clergy consolidated its power? Nearly 5 billion people now worship the One God. Monarch Secret pact or not, we now know that most governments were overthrown and religious leaders elected to top government offices since 2008. A majority of the world’s governments, including the United States, are now, in effect, theocracies. Those that resisted are being overthrown with military force that is far from bloodless, as the Sino World War shows. The question remains, who are the Seers? How are they special? If Shaw is to be believed, they can do more than see ghosts. They can travel to different realities, maybe even to different times.No

Editor’s Note: The following is printed verbatim from the notes of the late James Keye.

We have her

Shaw said she had seen multiple worlds. “This is God’s plan.” Stopped returning calls in July 2010. Has not been seen since. Missing reports filed in Rome and Ft. Worth. I saw her in Ft. Wayne in September 2011. She did not recognize me and would not talk to me. Same person? Insanity? Earth2 variant Regency and Monarch groups appear too many places to be coincidental. Para-government? Quasi-religious? What/who is the Interrex?

Follow-up questions for Shaw: - If Seers can travel from this world to another/future world, can other-worldly people travel here? - Are Regency and Monarch the Illuminati? Are they the “outsiders” who infiltrated the church? - Do you know why ghosts are apparently interacting with this world more than they have before by talking, throwing things, etc. ith

Theory: W Jean Raule, president and CEO of Conglomerate s e, memorie Innovations, is a Seer. Interview 8/11, 11 a.m. timcome more be Nearsider - Earth11 Questions: “real.” Monarch on - It has been reported that you were the primary Will try to and force behind the development of Ghost Glasses engage ally. technology. Is that accurate? - Your company claims the glasses alter light in such a way as to allow people to see into a previously unknown spectrum. Did the appearance of ghosts prompt your research? - Did your Seer abilities influence your research? - Did your research find reasons for the ghosts? - The glasses were developed and marketed in a little over a year. How were they brought to market so quickly? - Is it true that the first pair of glasses were presented to the late Pope? Killed by Monarch - Are you a member of Monarch? Maharishi, a title for Hindu spiritual leaders, translates to “great seer.” Nearside = End of Days? ion See Future Outlook sect

U.S. President Jacoby is also a Nearsider.

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The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 slow to respond to the “ghost” Current Situation: The Regency Group was ing more than incarnate memories of sightings. The ghosts appear to be noth multiple variations since Divergence. people who died of unnatural causes on a direct and immediate correlaWe did not expect the population to make rlife. Monarch quickly infiltrated tion between ghosts and proof of an afte embedded agents and the new-found religious groups on Earth 11 and used its ation’s strings. China is Regency popularity of religion to pull the Vari ent philosophical beliefs that stem Group’s last foothold, thanks to its anci Many of its people resisted the One from Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. rnment fought back against the theocGod’s missionaries and the Chinese gove conversion failed. But, due to loss racies that invaded when more peaceful for surrender followed by underof life in the Sino World War, plans call ground subversion.

to completely change the rules in Interestingly, Monarch has not been able uries-long practices will likely the religions it now leads. Altering cent such as free speech and, of course, take many decades. Personal liberties, wayside. Most governments are theofreedom of religion, quickly fell by the orders are not questioned. Ancient cratic dictatorships. Religious leaders’ ing for relatively minor offenses laws, such as an eye for an eye and ston threat of harsher punishments comhave already returned to some areas. The g of the tenets of the Bible, Koran bined with the general public’s followin rates, lower poverty rates and a deand Tanakh, has resulted in lower crime cline in scientific research.

Church Typical od G e n O of

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The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 ve Must ha ny used ma rs te ri W

Daily Life: Daily life for non-HbA humans on Earth 11 is general ly good. Life centers around the Church of the One God, which combines element s of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It is not uncommon for inhabitants of Earth 11 to attend church daily, or even multiple times per day. While most have become “true believers” thanks to the appearance of “ghosts” and the “miracles” performed by religious leaders (using their Nearside powers) , some are We can skeptics who are simply going along with popular opinion . In most is theocra th use cies, it is illegal to speak ill of the One God or to profess atheism or agnosticism. Depending on the region, such law breakers are typical ly pressed into service in the war, “saved” by deep religious immersion, or killed outright via public stonings. Daily life for Nearsiders is a different story. Some Nearsiders are unknowingly supporting Monarch’s efforts. They are truly faithful and do not realize their faith is being subverted by Monarch. They often work in earnest as priests, Peacemakers, and soldiers in the war. They believe they are doing the work of the One God. Others are, of course, fully aware of the part Monarch plays and willingly go along with it. Earth 11 is a dangero us place for “neutral” Nearsiders. In its paranoia, Monarch will remove kill any Nearsiders it finds on Earth 11 who are not loyal to them, and Regency does not have enough resources there to protect them. Future Outlook: Monarch will be permitted to win the war on Earth 11, delivering Regency its greatest defeat. We will focus on holding strateg ic broken rooms and try to undermine their activities via infiltration, guerril la warfare tactics and rescues of valuable targets. Suggestions for future operations include building a counterculture of religious skeptics, carving out a breakaway religion or proving that the apparitions are not ghosts. Increased “ghost” activities have been noted, and are growing exponen tially. As the sheer number of apparitions increases, so too does the amount of interaction between them and Earth 11. In the beginning, apparit ions could be seen going about memories of their “lives,” but could not be heard. Now, some of the apparitions’ voices can be heard and there are even scattered reports of the apparitions “materializing” long enough to be a physica l presence on Earth 11. Our researchers are studying this the best they can, given our limited forces on Earth 11. — Peacemakers Begun by the Catholic church after Divergence, the Order of the Peacemakers was founded to bring peace to the lost souls trapped in Purgatory. The leaders of the church knew some people had the power to exorcise and even communicate with “ghosts.” Demand for their services soon far outstripped supply, as the Vatican unknowingly (at first) added more and more Writers and Blockers to its ranks. Those Nearsiders moved up the the chain of command and were instrumental in brokering the Bloodless Crusade with Nearsiders that Monarch had moved into positions of leadership in other religions. The Peacemakers’ services are still very much in demand, as the number of ghosts continues to increase. In the Monarch-controlled Church of One God, the price for exorcism is now quite high. It typically involves a large sum of money, swearing fealty to the Church and a year of service -usually in the army -- to fight the “nonbelievers” in Southeast Asia.

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The Nearside: Afterlife, Earth11 Hints and Tips for Field Operatives daily if you do not want to draw * Do go to church regularly, preferably suspicion.

reaction to the ghosts that Nearsid* Do wear Ghost Glasses, otherwise your as a Nearsider. ers can see without glasses will mark you Christianity, Islam and/or Judaism. * Do learn at least the basic customs of maintain their distinct identities The three faiths have merged, but still customs. through their own prayers, rituals and

g customs specific to the new religion * Do familiarize yourself with followin of the One God: Lord” or “praise Allah.” - “Praise the One” replaces “praise the interchangeably with “bless - “May the One watch over you” is used you” and “goodbye.” peace,” is almost always used - The colloquialism “may he/she rest in when speaking of someone who has died. , nor speak ill of any aspect of * Do not take the One God’s name in vain Christianity, Islam or Judaism.

nt unless you want to be arrested. If * Do not speak out against the governme trial or a lenient sentence. you are arrested, do not expect a fair person in a large population center * Do not disguise yourself as a homeless y, in many cases) by the Church. unless you want to be taken in (forcibl

f unless you are trying to dis* Do not wear a gray suit and a black scar guise yourself as a Peacemaker. ss you want to be branded as a * Do not overtly use Distance powers unle ch for testing, and potential con“miracle worker,” and taken in by the Chur version.

Ghost sighting

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 The Regency Group Variation Report 12 of 13, Draft 5 Author: Recruiter Carlos Cruz Designation: Earth 12 A.K.A. “The Unvisible War”, “Rapture,” “Wastelands” Divergence Event: An entity known as the Scavenger intersects the reality of Earth12, releasing a feeding frenzied wave of “monsters” that want to consume every living thing on the planet. The monsters are invisible to adults. Only children can save the world. Threat Level: High Visiting The following has been compiled from a number of recovered documen ts and reports. >Local Color>>>> The day started with freaky-shit and went downslope in a big hurry. Schofield’s a crook. He’s never made any bones about that. A few scams here and there, some light fingered work in a few charity offices. Always looking for an angle, searching for the big pay out. Get set for life. That was before the bad dreams started. Different worlds; dark worlds and dead places. A couple of times he dreamed, real as day, that he was walking an abandoned cityscap e. Same town, but with all the folks gone, cars scattered empty in the streets. Houses , hotels, hell – banks, even – all wide open and ripe for picking. Dreams don’t pay the rent. So he kept on working, keeping an ear to the ground, taking down scores as and when they presented themselves. That’s the game, right? There’s this all-nighter card school on the East Side. High-rollers, strictly hush-hush. Lots of cash on the barrel, so who would argue if Schofield got a taste? He crewed up with Mackenzie, tough hombre from the docks, steeled up with a shotgun and a 45. Even hooked some body armor from the back of an off-duty cop car outside a diner downtown. Homemade smoke grenade got the card sharks coughing and Schofield and Mackenz ie scooped the loot and headed for the exit. Mackenzie didn’t get 10 yards. Turns out the players were connected. These guys had big family associations. Somber men. The getaway was Swiss cheese before Schofie ld made it to the street. He glanced back to see Mackenzie scrabbling on the bloody ground, getting head-shot, going still. Leaving Schofield the only target. Schofield ran. They were persistent. Real keen. Schofield ended up out of breath and scared in an aban-

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 zone. His heart pounding, head thumping fit doned warehouse on the edge of a redevelopment building. He was screwed, no way out. He to burst open, as lights and shouts circled the elf; these folks weren’t the kind to let him might as well hunker down and eat a bullet hims go easy. found himself flat out on the ground Schofield didn’t remember falling down, he just ing outside the broken windows, everything with his head still crawling with pain. Just morn quiet. Wait. What was that?

us across the warehouse floor. Big dog A shape, dark and scaly, sliding slow and sinuo knives. sized, a wide mouth jammed full of teeth like before it decided he was breakfast. Hunting Schofield emptied a clip from his .45 into it h of shouting kids surrounded him. They his pockets for another clip when a whole bunc Shit, they were even wearing uniforms. all had weapons. Multi-colored kids toy weapons. Some insignia he didn’t recognize.

field was no honest citizen, but hell, put Playing in a place like this. It ain’t safe. Scho ting kids in harm’s way was never his style. hless. “Dunno what the sport is here, but “Kids,” he said, still kinda shaken up and breat thing lose. Big mother-“ you all gotta clear out. There’s wild dogs or some This one kid steps up, right in his face. “You saw it?” says the kid.

planning to tear my face off.” “Saw it? Of course I frikkin saw it. Thing was

reaches out a hand to grab Schofield’s “You gotta come with us. Right now.” The kid arm. You run along and tell your folks to call Schofield brushed him off. “Places to be, kid. us monster.” animal control. Cops maybe. That was one serio

of light as the kid smashed him in the face Schofield’s world vanished in a bright storm with the butt of a fluorescent blue rifle. painted box of a room. There’s no one in Schofield woke up chained to a chair in a grey While Schofield is testing the chains holding sight. Door looks like police station standard. another room. him down, a panel opposite lights up to reveal a swirling red storm of flesh and teeth. A In the other room is a cage. In the cage is “Describe what you can see” voice crackles over the loud-speaker on the wall: get better. This day, thinks Schofield, is never going to >ENDS>>>>>>>

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 Extract from Templar Marshall’s History of A Failing World

Pre Incursion The Scavenger brushed against the fabric of the world, disrupting the natural cycles and rhythms of everything that lived. In every creature – from the lowest crawling insect to the largest ocean mammal – there was an immediate sense of Something Wrong. It began on the 13th August 2002, when everyone could see the signs but no one understood what it meant. Society was drifting out of control, all across the world. Specialists and theorists appeared on all the usual channels, plying their trade on 24-hour rolling news shows, droning traditional platitudes about the fragmentation of community, or demanding a harsher law enforcement line. Endless roundtable dissection of the waves of anger and fear that had begun to ripple out across playgrounds, sports arenas and city streets. Businesses, government departments and schools reported record levels of absenteeism. Public sector services were virtually crippled in several European nations, and Americans fared little better as transport networks and utility companies faltered and fell. Hospital admissions and psychiatric referrals increased for psychoses, compulsive disorders and selfharming behaviour. The suicide level rose dramatically, as did the numbers of violent assaults and murders. Birds, insects and smaller mammals began unseasonable migrations and many of them died along the way; victims of hunters, accidents and food shortages. Humans began to move too, small groups at first, but eventually great ribbons of humanity, forming vast, seething convoys that swept from one end of a nation to the other. They crossed borders, sought out desolate, distant locations far from civilization, camped out in sprawling tented villages wherever they could find space. Small wars sparked and burned, leading to further death and mayhem and, inevitably, increasing the panic and confusion amongst these massive, disruptive gatherings of people. l UK

News Report: One zoo keeper was killed and several others injured during an attempted mass escape from the elephant paddock at the Manderville Animal Sanctuary near London. A large group of Asian elephants, led by a 20-year-old male called Bosco, tore through temporary fencing around the construction site of a new observation building and fled in the direction of the Dansom Hills. While most of the elephants were quickly captured, Bosco was eventually shot to death by armed response officers from SO19.

l Central African

News: Concerns are growing over the impact of a massive herd of wildebeest and zebra, currently well off their normal circular migration route and heading towards the east coast. Official estimates out the numbers at more than 1 million wildebeest plus an unknown number of zebra and gazelle are involved. They are trailed by numerous predators as they head in the direction of Nairobi. The military and civil authorities are on alert, preparing defences in an attempt to divert the path of the migration away from population centres. Heavily armed hunting parties are currently standing by, awaiting official authority for a widespread cull.

l U.S.

Media: Concerns have been raised over the health impact of millions of birds roosting in major cities throughout America. City officials in New York, Washington D.C. and Boston are meeting to discuss the issue of bird droppings, parasites and the predation of smaller pets. Several child safety groups have already highlighted the issue of a rising number of bird attacks on children.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 Incident Report: Sierra Six - Indigo Contact 12/5 – 1.1.2.0

Overview: * Sierra Six operational objective was achieved.

* Resultant contact with INDIGO unit during exfil phase demonstrated serious weaknesses in current retrieval team operating procedures, equipment and personnel. * Valuable intelligence was obtained relating to INDIGO activity in this theatre. * Recommend adjustment of SOP and addition of fire-s upport element to Sierra retrieval teams. >>>Timeline of relevant events: 1400 – Retrieval team Sierra Six obtained item desig nated Archer One from location Twelve-Ten (“the Rook”) and headed towar d primary extraction point at location Twelve-Three (“Spires”). 1510 – Lead elements of Sierra Six encountered armed INDIGO unit at location Twelve-Five (“Crossroads Angel”), moving on an intersecting course and blocking transit to primary extraction point. 1510 – INDIGO unit opened fire without provocatio n, assaulting with automatic rifles and grenades. Sierra Six responded with small arms fire, expending 170 rounds of 9mm ammunition, results unknown. Frien dly casualties were 2 Sierra Six KIA. (Recovered, see attached 646 records). 1515 – INDIGO unit staged a staggered withdrawal from contact, utilizing further automatic rifle fire and several smoke grena des. Friendly casualties were 3 Sierra Six WIA (minor, treated on site). 1530 – Sierra Six recovered several pieces of high value intelligence material from INDIGO unit position near Crossroads Angel and possible evidence of INDIGO unit WIA. (See attached briefing documentat ion). 1645 – Sierra Six reached primary extraction point and returned to base as per established protocol. Elements: Retrieval Team Sierra Six S-6 S-6 S-6 S-6

Zero (commanding) One (2IC) Alpha (4 personnel) Bravo (4 personnel)

KIA KIA 1, WIA 2 WIA 1

Standard equipment load out for low technology opera tions (see TO&E section 3.1). Indigenous Operatives Approximately 20 (twenty) in number; wearing graygreen patterned camouflage, armed with assault rifles, anti-personnel-fragmentat ion and smoke grenades.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 rding recovered INDIGO weapon). (See attached intelligence briefing rega INDIGO unit was comprised entireN.B. As per existent surveillance reports, range: 8 to 12 years. ly of children, males and females. Age r to additional briefing documentaNo INDIGO casualties confirmed, but refe tion. Summary of Action:

engagement, and used strength of INDIGO unit determined the tempo of the e action drills to inflict signifinumbers and an excellent grasp of immediat ing from contact. cant casualties before rapidly disengag ient combat force. INDIGO unit is a highly trained and effic

ion indicates that the individual Review of recovered intelligence informat ative behavior and as such INDIGO INDIGO unit encountered represents norm rance to further Sierra retrieval forces could present a considerable hind hological standpoint. operations from both a tactical and psyc Conclusions: inue. * Sierra retrieval team activity to cont all Sierra teams. to * Fire support element to be attached l profile for most suitable Sierra gica * PSYOPS section to establish psycholo team operatives. or co-option of suitable in-situ * COVSUR team to attempt infiltration and/ personnel or groupings.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 CLEARED ALPHA - EYES ONLY – NO TRANSMISSION The following text has been transcribed from an INDIGO document obtained by Sierra Six retrieval team as a result of hostile INDIGO contact during Op Ensign. AAR S6-3-3-7 refers, see also ICR S6 - 12/5 – 1.1.2 .0 Forty page, A5 booklet, card cover, medium weigh t paper, typewritten, possible mimeograph printing process. Inside the rear cover of the booklet, handwritte n in blue ink, the following list of phrases: Impossible Five, Boot Cramp, Magic Dog, Playing for Keats, Tower Baby. Many pages seriously contaminated with blood (huma n), currently with Forensic Section for further analysis and imaging. The document appears to be some form of ad-hoc train ing manual or guidebook. Extracts from recovered document: Jellenko’s Book of the War Nearsider I guess it’s official then. I’m Chosen. They only get Chosen to write these things. If I was too old to fight they’d make me a Teacher and I’d get to spend my days down in the class-tombs, far away from the monsters and the madness. Spend my days talking about combat drill s and naming of parts. Here I am, though, sixteen years old and I can see the Unvisible as well or better than the youngest Imp or Angel. The Bad Energy just washes over me like it ain’t nothing. It’s a Gift, yeah, the kind of gift that gets you all the worst tasks and means you spend most of your time in No-land or the Deadground. Lucky me, kids. Lucky, lucky me. See, you get Chosen, they can’t afford to take you away from the cutting edge and the hinky jobs for too long, else they’ d lose the advantage of top notch combat skills and bright, keen eyes. What happens is they make you write a report for the New Kids, give the benefit of your experience and all that. So here it is. What you need to know: * First, always remember Rule number one: Don’t Get Killed. * Second. How’d we get in this mess anyway? They say it was August in the year 2002. Long before Opening Night they say, lots of bad things were already happening all over the world. Probably low level waves of Bad Energy. Not enough to kill anyone yet, but enough to get your skin crawling and send tingles down your spine. That sort of thing. So they say. It sent the animals mad as well. Famil y pets going blood-frenzy and attacking people. Hordes of cats flooding throu gh the streets. I guess if you had a goldfish you were okay. Whatever it was, the whole world trembled and pitched up and slid ever so

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 Home. slowly over into the Hell we call stuff, you really want to know about this There’s plenty of Old News if s. cave ked and stored in the Downbelow Hivers got it all sorted and stac the over had to kill a lot of dogs all Black type on dry old paper. They birds of ms rolled. Color pictures of swar world because they couldn’t be cont or York New tops of gray-stone buildings in crowding the windowsills and roof of lots for pictures in the build up, somewhere. There was plenty of time start to wonder what was going wrong and time to sit and think and talk and dread what might happen next. * Third: Opening Night as hell or when it happened. I was sure Maybe it don’t really matter how months of mad, bad dreams and a weeks and too young to remember much beyond newsHivers got the gist of it. Not much moving and hiding and desperation. o audi ers, of scrawled diaries, kids jott print, no photographs, but acres . ived surv ws by people who were there and recordings and videotaped intervie stop crying. People with dead eyes who can’t we live That’s what happened. That’s why Mass murder on a global scale. why all why adults hardly ever go outside, underground in a military camp, the kids Upstairs have guns. eat evstorm tide of them, rising up to There were monsters, a rolling adults make t see them. Worse, the monsters erything they could. Adults can’ you like fall down dead. It’s up to kids fall down screaming or maybe even the fight to the enemy. to take up arms, take a stand, take ably has Brennan always said in Basic. Prob Like that? It’s what Instructor ion-D by now. it pinned on the wall down in Sect now. there would be no world at all by True though. Without the children ng ythi ever space and time to start putting It was kids who gave the adults ing pull g little pockets of resistance, back the way it was, kids defendin unities of humanity so we could build comm together the scattered left-overs the fight to the monsters. and strong walls and, yeah, take * Fourth: Know Your Enemy You ms, you know all of their names. You see them in your darkest drea ers and Seek erent kinds of monsters though. might not know there are two diff Eaters. very seem. Seekers travel singly or in The names are as obvious as they Seek. food of the living, searching for small groups, looking for evidence s erou dang also easy to kill and not very ers are sort of intelligent, but all of gy Ener . They generate the same Bad except at extremely close quarters out ing or brain-freezy as the stuff beam monsters, but it is not as harsh Seeker. survive a close encounter with a from Eaters. Some adults might even are, they e minute nothing and then ther Seekers just kind of appear. One hunt. the for es itself out and heads off huddled in a little group that shak rs to Eate ct and human flesh. They will dire Seekers go for large herd animals menu the on and crops if nothing else is other living things – even forests atnot t their dish of the day. They migh – but humans in large numbers is is e Ther not enough warm bodies around. tack a camps or hideout if there’s . some safety in being by yourself nearenough target, a Nest will appear big a ted spot has er Once a Seek into a ing in the air but in the end form by; first as a shake-smeary ripple

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 dark blot of inky cold ranging in size from a basketball court to a football field. Within a few days at most, Eaters will spawn from the Nest in large numbers and flood out to eat everything that’s close enough. Eaters operate in giant, seething packs of unstoppable meannes s. They don’t have the smarts of Seekers – I’ve heard people say they are as ‘dumb as bricks’ – but they are dangerous because of their speed, strengt h and sheer weight of numbers. Their Bad Energy is powerful, and any adult within range is likely to be dead within minutes unless the Eaters can be driven off or killed. Eaters kill rapidly with extreme violence. They consume the dead as well as the living, leaving only scatters of blood and ugly lumps of flesh and bone. There are haunted cities where the streets are drifts of human debris. As soon as the target has been destroyed and absorbed, both Seekers and Eaters will simply mindlessly roam the Deadground, attacking when challenged but typically avoiding direct contact unless provoked. They tend to fade away within a few days or at most weeks of an attack. There are different types of both Seeker and Eater, but Eaters display the most variation. Seekers exist in only five or six forms or roughly equal size, while Eaters have been cataloged in over 100 varieties -from the flyswarm death cloud of Smidgeons, to the towering canine horror that is the Half Dog. * Fifth: Bad Energy What can I tell you about the monster’s crazy mind-beaming? When you’re a kid it’s just a little tingle in the back of your skull, maybe a creepycrawly sense of danger on your skin. Most electrical stuff doesn’t work when the monsters are near -- which is why we are mostly underground, and why the only TVs and lights you see are buried deep in the class-tombs and the rest areas. Monsters can never get close. So kids got to live with no machines, and bad dreams, and a little skullbuzz now and then. Grown-ups, though, it’s a whole different Not-Gam e. B-energy messes them up and throws them down and stomps them out if they’re not careful. Seems to work in stages, too, like this: 1. If the monster is close enough to see the grown-up, then your mom or pop or older brother or whatever is already getting the beginnings of a mind-burn that’s fixing to snap their head right off. Ranges are different for the various Seekers and Eaters. Usually the smaller the monster the closer it has to be … like Smidgeons need to be all over you, Zip-zap s are blasting out creepy vibes from a hundred yards or so. When that wave of nasty first hits, grown-ups might start stumbli ng, or slurring their words like they had too many beers real quick. Maybe they’ll be looking scared or shivering with some kind of fever. At this point you want to figure where the monsters are and haul ass in the opposite direction fast as you can, pushing the grown-ups in front of you. Unless you’re rear-guard, in which case you get cover, get set, and protect that retreat until the grown-ups are out of sight and out of danger. Long as the grown-ups are first stage they will recover OK and double quick time. Some shake it off better than others, but most folks might need taken care of a bit more for maybe an hour.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 getting lly comes when your position is 2. Second stage is tougher. Usua the of dropped right into the middle run-over or a heap of Bounders has and gy Deadground. Second stage Bad Ener party while you’re far out in the ing claw s t be blood, twitching, wild hand grown-ups go down hard. There migh Kill . dead for them until the monsters are at nothing. You can’t do anything about the rest. all the monsters and then worry need sethe second stage they’re going to Once the grown-ups get slammed by for a pers on their feet. They’ll be Slee rious help until they can get back decan you means seeking shelter, a space while. Could be overnight. That maybe and hes Sleepers there, setting up watc fend, figuring a way to move the patrols. the Sleepyour team who will take care of There will be a couple medics on be time will just provide cover. Soon it ers long as they need. Rest of you again. to get everyone up and move out Sometimes Sleepers never wake up.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 ------^^CONTAMINATED SECTION^^----- Underground is safest, seems the monsters don’t like the dark and crawly spaces. Mazes are good too, you can protect a whole lot of people if you seal off city blocks and run them through with rat-warren tunnels and ramps from floor to floor. Monsters aren’t too clever, they get lost real quick. Only trouble is if one of them figures out the way then the rest of the gang knows it too. They don’t like shiny stuff. Which is why our secret bases are all covered with reflective stuff like old decorations, foil and things called Compact Discs. Don’t seem secret, does it, but it confuses heck out of monsters. Monsters like the air at ground level, they don’t travel in the taller mountain ranges, and their bad vibe doesn’t stray too far either. We got whole squadrons of fighter jets and bombers still operating out of makeshift airbases in the high valleys. All over America there are science camps, weapon shops, food production factories, vast underground bunkhouses to live in while we deal with the monsters. These outposts are joined together by a loosely organized ruling council, all signed up to a system of laws and a thing called a Survival Charter. Talk between outposts is irregular; radio when available, but often more reliant on messengers or signal fires depending on monsters. Too many monsters roaming means no clear radio signal. Means going outside to put them down. * Ninthly: How We Fight Adults fly high in fast jets and they carry a passenger: an Angel. Boys sometimes but usually a girl, any age from five or six up to about nine. Angels have good eyes. They watch the ground and spot the monsters Nest sites, a grumbling, glowing, roiling point on the ground, out of which the Seekers and Eaters swirl and squirm like worms out of a dead-dog belly. If the Angel is quick and bright, she can lead a heavy bomber onto target and a drop a ton of hurt right on the monster’s heads before they know what’s what. If the Angel is too late, or too slow, then it’s up to the Scouts to go out into the Deadground, hunt and kill the monsters before they escape and start attacking the bunkers and tearing up the folks inside. Sometimes the monsters take to Nesting. Maybe if enough of them have gotten away before the Seed gets torched, they’ll hole up in some abandoned supermarket or wriggle under the cars in a football stadium car-park. They’ll lurk right there until a scavenger convoy rolls by, and then they’ll be out and eating. Scouts take care of scavenger defense as well. Thing is, the monsters might be quick and sleek and swarmy … but they’re not so tough. Weapon shops have kicked out a heap of lightweight combat kits for the Imps and Scout teams. All kinds of high-capacity, low-recoil assault weapons, dressed up in brilliant colors; just right for small young hands. Couple of shots usually does the job, you just got to be careful and hit the target when the time comes. Kids not suited to fighting the war, or lacking in the skills required, perform non-combat functions like logistics, tending equipment, and carrying messages within the bunkers. There’s no shame in it, everyone does what they can. These kids are known as Doves. Everyone starts as a Dove anyway, you

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 don’t get sent outside to fight monsters on your first day! Angel It goes like this: Everyone is a Dove, unless they’re superbright take to asked be you’ll maybe ow, types. As a Dove you get to stay Downbel you make they’ll Maybe reply. a for this letter to Section Whatever and wait dreams. your about draw some pictures. Name monsters. Talk it. You’re I’m repeating myself here but this is how they told me to write places who Colony rk Clockwo from s all Scouts reading this but we get recruit start. the from out it lay to got don’t even know what an Imp is, so I fast, Also, lots of games. Games like hide and seek, tag, running really . targets moving at balls tennis g crawling under wires in the dark, throwin fight to how g learnin you’re know won’t Stuff like that. Cool fun stuff. You will be ‘til it’s too late. And all the while the Teachers and Instructors Imp. an be to e attitud checking who’s got the skills and the l, When you’re an Imp you’ll get your first gun. It’ll be small, colorfu Don’t rubber. soft of made bullets out uses a bottle of special gas to throw how Learn ere. everywh gun that carry want anyone getting hurt. You get to . Make to use it, how to change out the gas bottles, add more rubber bullets sure it’s clean and all that. Sometimes Imps get to patrol the No-land between Downbelow and the Gates. from back coming squads gather for they’ll be in watchtowers, looking out Deadground. get a big You don’t get to go to Deadground until you’re a Scout. You’ll . Scouts needles like sharp -bullets ger gun. A heavier gun with real nasty outgo to have they when ps grown-u lead the gather squads, look after the haven’t Angels the if sites Seed side, sometimes launch attacks against dropped the hammer on them. a lit Once you get too old, if the headaches start and your vision blurs are days fighting your nearby, are s tle round the edges when the monster y weapons over. That’s when you become a Teacher. Show them all the newshin from the eggheads at Big Science. s. Some of Some kids are still out and fighting when they should be Teacher why yet, knows one No Energy. Bad the them just have a higher tolerance for of lot a it giving and nodding and but a few of the Brains are muttering . routine the change to enough matter thought. Whatever that means, it don’t day. and night single Saves the world from monsters. Every * Tenth: Big Science by a network For America, all that clever research and design stuff is led older more the are These . Science Big of nerds and geeks and eggheads called suitable produce They hers. researc experienced experts, mentors and leading an down take to ways new out figure s, weapons, design defenses and habitat to s Teacher helps that program ice unseen enemy force. They lead an apprent train new scientists. with other The situation in other parts of the world is similar, they say, . If nations own their in es success science teams having greater or lesser and lot a chat to get they signals the monsters aren’t messing with radio compare notes. e than or Big Science is split into two main groups -- more of an attitud the only that s believe Eagle, as known ganized gangs or anything. One group, sharper guns, bigger : weapons better way to defeat the monsters is to build key to the that ed convinc is Raven, knives, better mines. The second group,

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12 victory is understanding the enemy, they believe that the battle cannot be finally won until we know exactly what it is we’re fighting. Both groups understand they need each other for long-term survival, but there’s a lot of low level rivalry stuff going on. While Eagle concentrates its efforts on quick and dirty methods of killing as many monsters as possible, Raven looks at intelligence gathering, recognizing feeding patterns, isolating and capturing individual monsters for indepth experimentation and observation. Raven people tend to live on remote bases, or in lonely towers like old wizards from stories. ------^^ CONTAMINATED SECTION ^^-----* Thirteen: Other Folks We’re not alone in the Deadground. There’s other people roaming about doing their thing. Sometimes we tend to get in each other’s way, but mostly we just try to get along without trouble. Crusade – A bunch of kids wearing long jerkins with black crosses on them. A real knights of old vibe. Like a ren-fair or something. They always carry long bright swords and I’ve seen them wade into hordes of monsters like they’re kicking through leaves in the fall. On the move the whole time, they have this raggedy caravan of horse drawn vehicles and big wood and metal wagons that puff out smoke and steam the whole time. Crusade kills monsters, which is good, but they also tend to preach a lot, call each other Templar, and don’t like anyone being on “their” turf. Or in their sight, really. I think there are some adults in the background somewhere running the whole show, but never spoke to any of them.

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The Nearside: Univisible War, Earth12

monsters. No one really knows why Crazers – There’s grown-ups who can see get Chosen. I figure it’s gotta be -- much like they don’t know why some kids didn’t click right. But I ain’t crathe same thing. Something in the brain . Survive on their own in the Deadzy, and Crazers are. Clue is in the name Mostly stay hidden and live quiet. ground. Fight monsters if they have to. again they’re Crazers so you never They don’t tend to attack us, but then know. ion them anyway. I mean, I know Birds – Not folks, but I figured I’d ment and billions of them. Perching ions they’re birds and all but there’s mill us all as the monsters eat humanity, everywhere up on high, looking down on seems … hinky. picking over the scraps sometimes. It just ------^^CONTAMINATED SECTION^^------

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 The Regency Group Variation Report 13 of 13, Draft 1 Author: Doctor Neil Ellington, Director. Designation: Earth 13 A.K.A. “Reef,” “Otherwhere,” “Shoal” Divergence Event: We’re not sure. Some kind of catastrophic collaps e of reality itself, fundamentally changing the geography of the world and the population’s memories of the event. Threat Level: Unknown. Attachment 13/13/a4, Reef.mp3 (right click, save as) “The Reef doesn’t care,” they say. “The Reef just runs along.” “The Reef never forgets,” they say. “The Reef just runs along.” Like a song that never seems to end. The Reef just runs along. Lyrics from The Reef (Just Runs Along), traditional folk song on Earth 13.

RED LEVEL WARNING This variation is at the bottom of the “well” and Group members can expect “high strangeness” in all of their activities here. I would place a travel ban to this world if I thought it would do any good, but broken rooms to Earth13 seem to pop up quite unexpectedly. — Ellington

Background No two people remember it the same way. Some vaguely recall the death of an important person, a prime minister or president. Others swear that there was a war or a natural disaster. Many people can describe the epidemi c that swept entire nations, some kind of avian flu. Everyone agrees that it was heartbreaking and terrifying and that on August 13, 2002, every man, woman and child realized that the world as they knew it was ending. Someone, somewhere came up with a solution, a way to save as many people as possible. One day, the Iron Train arrived, even in towns that didn’t have rail connections. Once a week, every week, the Iron Train would pass through, taking more people to the Reef. People left everything behind, save a few beloved and personal items, and no one really minded. They had their lives, after all, and that’s all that mattered. By all accounts, the journey to the Reef was long and dangerous, taking several days. The Iron Train passed through dark forests and over broad plains, being chased by all kinds of nightmarish things. The worst of these were the Malvolents, looming monstrous entities that would attack Trains during dawn and dusk. The gun crews atop the Iron Trains would fight off these attacks , though from time to time the train would be damaged, and people would be lost.

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I have spent more time here than any other Regency Group member. It wasn’t all voluntary. I was trapped for a while. It was only when I discovered that one had to pay a price to leave that I was finally able to escape. The price was too high, in the end. - Ellington. ination, they discovered that their When the evacuees arrived at their dest ocean and almost limitless salt world now consisted of an endless blue lay the Reef, made up of layers of plains. Between the ocean and the land, ly from the ocean. Some of the obflotsam and jetsam that washed in constant or even longer. Others seemed more jects had clearly been there for decades, that has existed since August 13th recent. One thing is for sure; nothing 2002 can be found there.

le to the Reef, a slow steady trickle The trains still run, bringing new peop s like August 13, 2002 was just yesof new souls. For each of them, it feel Still, they come. terday. The journey remains hazardous. The Reef llel to the salt flats and the beach, In an endless razor-straight line, para ing the bright blue shallow sea lies the Reef. It runs 100 yards out, leav , waves are constantly breaking warm and mirror-calm. On the ocean side m comes, the waves break over the against the Reef and when the annual stor Reef.

along its length. On average, it The Reef isn’t the same width or height gh there are places where it soars sits about 10 ft. above sea level, thou long destroyed, long forgotten hundreds of feet, thanks to the ruins of that makes up the Reef are smaller buildings. Mostly, the flotsam and jetsam , lost toys and a million other things; cars, telephone boxes, trash cans things.

red, with a particular kind of item Sometimes, the Reef seems to be more orde in tidy rows. These constructs don’t stacked high in a pyramid, or laid out are often striking and intriguing. seem to fulfill any purpose, though they

gs they don’t immediately recognize. A visitor to the Reef will find many thin kind seen in 1930s movie serials, There are fins from rocket ships of the Atlantropa project. atop mile-long pieces of masonry from the telephones in a pyramid... a siWhole buildings, ships, cars, two thousand lent litany of strangeness.

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The further one walks along the Reef, the older the detritus gets. I imagine that if one were to walk for months or even years, the Reef would eventually be made up of flint tools, bones and the remains of long dead civilizations. Perhaps even stranger things than that. - Ellington

The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13

The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 Settlements on the Reef living out a beach-comber existence Here and there along the Reef are people s. They pull things from the Reef amongst the debris of disordered realitie and bewildering objects. Somehow, it and build homes out of the most random rld shanty town, the people are works, and despite looking like a third-wo . There are small fresh water springs happy. No one really wants for anything to the sea. The residents grow every few miles that run in short streams and find canned food inside stillfood in small gardens, fish in the ocean tered throughout the Reef. working refrigerators and iceboxes scat

, consists of more than 300 people, One of the larger settlements, Castaway over the course of weeks and months, though many travel up and down the Reef Meteoric iron, in particular, seems gathering new and interesting materials. away, so there is a healthy and a little more common on the Reef off Cast lation of Castaway are a cosmopolitan profitable trade in that metal. The popu king 12 different languages, though mix of nationalities and cultures, spea or French. Castaway trades with everyone tends to chat in either English and down the Reef and hosts a weeksmaller settlements and communities up found items for different food and ly market where visitors trade food and found items. The Railroad the railroad track and then the salt There’s the ocean, then the Reef, then itself, you’ll see each iron rail flats. If you examine the actual railroad Railway. stamped with the words Gilpin Cosmopolitan sional cross-roads that don’t seem Now and then bells will ring at the occa Here and there a station with a to lead from anywhere to anywhere else. tell you this probably isn’t your gruff and ancient ticket seller who’ll train.

plains, bringing new refugees from Sometimes the train comes from across the the mountains. whatever has befallen the world beyond

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 The Iron Train Along the railway track run the miles-long Iron Trains. They are pulled by immense locomotives constructed from Fallsteel, an alloy of meteori c iron and other metals. The iron can be found on the Reef, though much of it is imported from Earth3. Three stories high, 500 ft. long, each locomotive weighs nearly 10 million pounds, making it four times larger than anything on Earth1. It pulls a mile of carriages, each of which is shod in the same Fallsteel from which the engine itself is constructed. The carriages don’t have windows so much as portholes, made from foot-thick glass, tinged red with the iron dust added during manufacture and the soot from the engine itself. The Iron Train billows out dark diesel smoke, though it never seems to refuel at any stop along the way. It always has enough fuel to race across the Plain and the Salt Flats at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The Train has heavy guns mounted in turrets and cupolas along the top of the engine and each carriage. They are armed with heavy machine guns, loaded with precious and expensive Fallsteel .50 calibre shells, along with more mundane machine guns, grenade launchers and flamethrowers. The Fallste el guns are kept for the Malvolents, the only material that can even hurt those entities. Sometimes, even from the Reef itself, the guns can be heard as they blaze away at the dark hungry forces that gather along the borders between the Forest and the Plains. It’s hard to tell how many Trains exist, especially since they are always referred to as the Iron Train, but there are probably several. The Train has been destroyed only twice since 2002, once through sabotage and once when it failed to escape the Malvolents. Nor does the Train always arrive unscathed. The Fallsteel cladding is often ripped and torn, and sometimes a broken piece of Malvolent claw can be found stuck in an iron panel. The Train is operated by staff who wear clean, tidy uniforms with a distinct military look. They are the engineers, gunners, mechanics and cabin crew, each well-trained and dedicated to the safety of the Train and its passengers.

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 , especially coming up to a New Now and again, the staff employ Breakers essive. These “specialists” are wellMoon, when the Malvolents are more aggr the high fatality rate. A Nearsider paid for their work, unsurprising given dollars worth of diamonds or gold can expect to earn tens of thousands of two forms of payment offered the bars for their efforts; these are the only staff of the Iron Train. The Salt Flats Salt Flats proper. Unlike the Away from the beach and the Reef lie the and a few rivers and streams, the beach, which has patches of fertile soil no roads, only worn paths that Salt Flats are wide and barren. There are while the railroad stretches connect the widely separated settlements, ns, Forest and Mountains beyond. across the Flats from the sea to the Plai

are so vast and endless. But The Flats seem empty, if only because they and ramshackle trading empires that there are frontier towns, dying cities at them. really make no sense whatever way you look

s The Plains, The Forest and the Mountain ney by foot or several hours by jour ’s week a sea, the Somewhere far from dry brown scrub, then turns into Iron Train, the Salt Flats first becomes nearly forever. In the far distance, grassy green Plains that seem to go on line of the Forest’s edge. Those however, the mountains loom over the dark always watchful of that line on the that make their homes on the Plains are tmares that come out when the nights horizon, since beyond it likes the nigh are darkest.

as the Salt Flats. In some places The plains are nowhere near as uniform t roaming herds of buffalo and bithere are rolling green hills, with grea rivers snaking back and forth, coming son, while other spots have slow brown brightly most of the time, except for and going from nowhere. The sun shines enishing the grasslands. At night, the days when rain falls in sheets, repl wolves, mammoths and other forgotten other things roam the plains, like were creatures, real and imagined. the Salt Flats, if only because of Settlements here are rarer than even on monsters that emerge from the the relative proximity of the Forest. The the most tenacious and well-armed treeline sweep across the Plains and only many of those that call the Plains homesteaders make a life here. Indeed, wolves and other beasts, trading their home make a living hunting the were l blades and ammunition. their pelts on the Flats for more Fallstee

separated by hundreds of miles, The towns and villages of the Plains are isolated existence. Unlike the ramtheir populations leading a humble and of the Plains are well-made and seem shackle homes on the Reef itself, towns bited ghost-towns of the old west, older than they should. Some resemble inha ectly-kept quaint high streets, with while others seem more modern, with perf e, right out of a ‘50s movie. an ice cream parlor and corner drug stor and another, you take the Iron If you intend to travel between one town es, and a few have very old cars, Train or you walk. Some people have hors

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 pre-1940s, but these are mostly kept prestine and polished and only brought out for special occasion. Despite being visible from almost everywhere on the Plains, it takes several days to get to the Forest. The treeline is very distinct, should you cross it you are soon in a dark green twilight under the branches and leaves. This is the kind of forest about which the Grimms wrote their “fairy tales.” Few paths exist in the Forest, and fewer settlements. No one dares to live more than a half-mile into the woods and between there and the Mountains, there are only a few crazed hunters and hermits. And the monsters. A darkness haunts the Forest and Mountains. Most of the time it is a literal darkness, a liquid black evil that flows and oozes between the trees deep within the Forest, but only glimpsed from afar. At night, especially during the new moon, the darkness takes on more coherent forms, becoming a multitude of nightmares eager to hunt and terrorize the people of the Plains. Sometimes these entities make it as far as the Salt Flats, but are diminished by distance, becoming barely dangero us shadows of themselves. If they should find a Name within the minds of the sleeping populace, they can take form and become real. Closer to the Forest, however, they present a real danger and for those brave few who make a home among the pines and redwoods, nighttime is to be feared. Beyond the Forest rise the Mountains, higher than the Himalayas. Snow-covered ridges glint in the sunlight, and disappear into the clouds when the rains come. What lies on the other side of the Mountains is the past, the lives that everyone left behind when they boarded the Iron Train to come to the Reef. No one has ever gone back.

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 The Never-Been and Always-Were Even the largest cities have less than There are few really large settlements. lation of any town is maybe 1,000. a hundred thousand people. The average popu

of people tend to have an effect on This is for the best. Large gatherings . reality here on the Reef One entity = “Always Was” while multiple = “Always Were” gs using their Distance and MomenJust as Nearsiders are able to change thin something, it tends to become true. tum, if enough ordinary people believe a Name, it solidifies and becomes one Once their belief gives this new thing always existed for as long as people of the always-were, creatures that have can remember, it’s just appeared. into facts or lies into truth. Just This consensual reality can turn rumors of thin air, it can erase them. If as belief conjures ancient monsters out g’s existence, it literally vanenough consensus builds up to deny a thin It is gone from every memory and ishes into thin air, becoming never-been. happen to people, places, objects every story, wiped from history. This can s. and events. Nothing is safe from consensu coming Natives of the Reef aren’t very good at place the fade ones old are they able to let ver, howe rs, side Near ting wonder and whim. Visi ves nati ting trus the and originality with them reality.

up with brand new ideas, nor seems to dull their sense of bring all kinds of twisted turn those nightmares into

happen all at once. The fewer peoIt doesn’t happen instantly, nor does it ies spread throughout the resiple, the longer it takes. Slowly, the stor cook and stew and then, one night dents of a town or village. The concepts s out from the Forest to ooze during a new moon, when the darkness seep s. When they find a concept ripe across the Plains, they seek out new Name are given and scurry away into the with consensus, they take the shape they dreams (or still beating heart) benight, though they might steal a child’s fore they go.

impossible. The natives don’t know Trying to control Consensus is next to s to harness it is playing with fire it’s happening and a Nearsider who trie ting ideas on purpose is a recipe for literally, if they’re not careful. Plan Nearsider intended. Playing god in a disaster and is unlikely to work as the one is not recommended. place where belief can actually create Daily Life a day looking for anything new Residents of the Reef spend a few hours taken and repaired. Usually it’ll that’s washed up. If it’s useful, it gets g that the Resident wants, they end up in the market, but if it’s somethin t piece-meal from items found on the are free to keep it. Many homes are buil fish, tending to crops or bringing Reef. They’ll spend the rest of the time stream. All the while, they are usuwater back from a spring or fresh water discussing this and that and generally accompanied by friends or family, ally taking it easy.

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 It’s a bit more lively away from the salt flats. For those seeking a more risky existence than the one offered by the Reef build villages and towns on the Plains or, if they’re particularly brave, on the border of the Plains and the Forest. Only the truly fool-hardy live in the Forest itself. The risks outside of the Salt Flats depend upon your proximity to the Forest. The Malvolents stalk through the pines and giant redwoods and only brave the Plains when there’s a Train coming through or when the moon is new and the sky is dark. Life in the towns and villages of the plains is fairly peaceful and borders on the dull. That’s just how people like it. They farm, they till, they cut down trees and make chairs, build small humble houses and eat ice cream on Sunday. Sons grow up and marry their neighbor’s daughters. Like the Reef, life just runs along. At night, candles burn in windows, keeping the darkness at bay. Reality Engines In the center of every town and village is a clock tower. It might be in the town hall, or church. It might just be on a statue or simply on a stone plinth, but it’s always at the center of the town. Everyone sees it every day and sets their watches by it. This clock is not an ordinary clock. First, its hands are made from the same material as the Iron Train. Its broad face is inset with roman numeral s, but goes up to XIII. The mechanism of each clock is a confection of brass and Fallste el, glass and oil. They are intricate beyond compare, much more so than any clock needs to function. If you could take the mechanism apart (and you can’t), there could be a million pieces. There aren’t, of course. There are many more than that. The clock and its mechanism are immovable, locked in place. The clock never needs winding, never needs cleaning and never needs adjusting. No one can remember who placed the clock there, or when. The closest thing to a maker’s mark are are words etched on each dial, in small tidy letters just above the VI. The first word is STERN. The second word is KING. The third word is always the surname of the Nearsider looking at the names. In my case it reads STERN, KING & ELLINGTON. Very disturbing, and no, I don’t know why it’s like that. If that wasn’t strange enough, two Nearsiders looking at the same clock face will always see their own second name as the last word. The natives of Earth13 don’t see the words at all, any of them.

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 within them) are the reality enThese clocks (specifically the mechanisms of Consensus from tearing Earth13 gines, and they keep the worst excesses apart.

close to the clock, you can hear If you’re a Nearsider, and you stand very ct-like chirrup, the brushing of ... something. It sounds like a soft inse her. chitinous wings or legs against one anot

will find a small pocket watch nestled Upon further investigation a Nearsider looks like it was abandoned there, among the clock’s mechanism. It always particular style and it always keeps but it always matches the town clock’s exact pace with that clock.

pocket watch, they find it impossible If the Nearsider has already acquired a out a watch, either through loss to extract this one. But if they are with able to remove this new one from the or never having acquired one, they are Reality Engine.

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Fallsteel Entry An alloy of meteoric iron, aluminum and a random hodge-podge of other metals, Fallsteel is one of the strangest and most valuable materials across the entire Nearside. It’s used in the construction of weapons and ammunition. On Reef, it’s used to build the Iron Trains. Fallsteel isn’t anything particularly special. On the Ordinary World, it would be considered an expensive curiosity, given the relative scarcity of meteoric iron. On Earth3, there’s a great deal more available and on Earth13, for some unknown reason, nodules of meteoric iron can be found scattered throughout the Reef. Certain entities across the Nearside are allergic to Fallsteel, to the extent that even being in the vacinity of the alloy causes pain and injury. Malvolents are especially vulnerable, which is significant given how invulnerable they are normally. On Earth12, the Unvisible are repulsed by Fallsteel, though they are also fairly fragile compared to their Earth13 cousins. The armored chitinous shells of the K’thari, normally tougher than Kevlar, offers little resistance to Fallsteel making it a useful alternative to regular ammunition. While the materials for Fallsteel can be found in a couple of different variations, it is only forged on Earth3.

The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 Checking In, Checking Out It’s not easy to get to the Reef. Broken rooms that come here are nearly impossible to find on purpose. I’ve found no reports of any Nearsider going there as their First Fall. Indeed, I suspect the majority of Nearsiders have yet to visit this variation. Even shortcuts don’t work here. I don’t know why. Leaving is even harder, as I discovered myself. Once you’ve found (or created) a broken room, something must be sacrificed to make it open. It can be a thought, an intent or a hope. Sometimes it’s something very personal, sometimes it’s not. The broken room will not cycle for you until you’ve made the decisio n about what you’re leaving behind. The thought or memory will be there when you return, flooding back into your mind like a suddenly remembered dream. But while you’re away from the Reef, it’s like a hole in your heart that you don’t know is there. Eventually, you have to leave too much of yourself behind so that the person who walks away from the Reef isn’t really you anymore. But ... Some memories are just too difficult to carry with you as you wander the Nearside. For some of us, the Reef is where we can unburden ourselv es of the baggage we inevitably gather in our travels. The Reef is like “left luggage” at an airport or railway station. But we always have to return and take the burdens back. Consensus Entities What follows is a quick bestiary of some of the more well-known Always-Were. There are many others. That names can be put to them is a hint to their origin. Enough people believed in a thing to give it a name and with names comes form, consist ency and, here on the Reef, existence. We can hope that someday these monsters become never-were, but some things become far too established in people’s world-view to ever be erased. Malvolents - These are the most terrible of the shadow entities, and are perhaps the most “pure” incarnation of whatever lurks in the Forest. No two look exactly the same, but they tend to be enormous black oily masses, ever shifting, perched upon long spikes that act as legs. They loom, 100 ft. high, moving far too quickly for things that big, like Martian war machines born from the nightmares of many-legged things. Indeed, some have called Malvolents the gods of all insects, as only their alien minds could worship something so awful. The touch of a Malvolent is death. Malvolents can extrude prehens ile limbs

451

The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 those on the ground, or to pull them made of oily shadow, to grab and crush throw back to the ground. Malvoup high into the air to either absorb or and the breaking of bones, emitting lents seem to enjoy the sound of screams pleasure while they play with their shrill bubbling trills of something like impale victims on the end of their prey. When they tire of their games, they rotating the spike to maximize the long slender legs, slowly twisting and agony.

ball-sized, pod-like black bundles, Malvolents begin their existence as foot it. The pod then unfolds blasphemousdormant until something living touches It quickly expands in size, expoly, too much mass in such a small space. it is shivering on brand new limbs, nentially fast and within a few minutes six feet tall and growing even larger.

only Fallsteel or Distance Powers can Malvolents are almost invulnerable and Malvolent and you might slow them truly harm them. Throw enough lead at a age of gunfire unleashed by the Iron down. That’s the theory behind the barr of simply outrunning the entities. Trains at pursuing Malvolents, in hope

UFO lore, these creatures appear Glek - Resembling the classic “greys” from dren from settlements and homes on in the middle of the night and abduct chil s. the far edges of the Plains and Salt Flat l groups, the werewolves of Earth13 Werewolves - Roaming the Plains in smal humanoid wolf-shaped animals that are not shape-shifters, but are vaguely l. They are extremely dangerous. can only be killed with silver or Fallstee

s of sleeping humans, carrying out Foranel - These are nightmare doppelganger awakes, leaving them to be punished dreadful acts of evil before the human l the teeth of their chosen victim, for a crime they didn’t commit. They stea dark deeds. Indeed, the only way a wearing them while they carry out their leganger is that the human has a victim can be told apart from their dopp bloody mess where their gums should be. uivalent of the Malvolents. These Yaneth - These creatures are the plant-eq es at night and seek patches of triffid-esque plant demons uproot themselv upon those that tend the crops. farmland. They wait until morning to feed and are unspeakably cruel. They Oryquin - These are Fairy like sprites, n to steal humans away, forcing rarely leave the Forest and have been know of exhaustion. them to dance or have sex until they die

Don’t think that because they’re fairies, they’re small. They run the whole range of sizes, from giants and ogres, to little people with wings. And they’re all very nasty.

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The Nearside: The Reef, Earth13 Hints and Tips for Field Operations - Don’t be surprised by anything you see here, or anyone. - Be careful what you say to natives. They are very gullible and if you’re not careful, they’ll believe what you say into existence. - Don’t talk about scary monsters. Regency will at the very least dock your pay if you’re responsible for a new species of Always-Was. - Carry a Fallsteel weapon at all times. If you don’t have one, get one. - Don’t ask awkward questions about the weird geography of the place. No one who lives there will understand what you’re talking about. - If you’re staying near the Forest, wear Fallsteel somewhere on your body before you go to sleep. Especially if you want to wake up with all your teeth. - Avoid Reality Engines, but if you need a Pocket Watch, that’s where you’ll find a replacement. - If you find something that you think used to belong to you out on the Reef, leave it there. Trust me. Some things are best left unremembered. - No matter how hard you try, you can’t get rid of the Malvolents or other Always-Were. They are just too well established.

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Afterword

A

good idea is worth waiting for, and in many ways, is born when it’s ready. For nearly 20 years, I’ve had an idea bouncing around in my head. That idea was the Nearside, a parallel reality that was our dark twin, twisted and horrible in the most interesting ways possible. In 1996, I even published a roleplaying game called “The Nearside Project,” which turned that one reality into 13. I printed 100 copies of that book, and sold almost all of them in the course of three months. That wasn’t enough for the Nearside. It wasn’t happy with that effort, and needed more. For the next 11 years, it took up space inside my head, a parasitic concept that demanded my attention and my concentration, on and off. It dragged other people into its realm, turning innocent readers into addicted writers and contributors. Poor souls.

Gestation Period Over that decade, I came to realize that some ideas want to be out in the world, but they don’t want to do it half-assed. Some ideas need to gestate, to become ready before they slouch toward a birthplace. The Nearside was loud inside my head sometimes, leading me to write more, or release a PDF here and there. It would lead me to new friends, drive me to new experiences, and teach me a lot about writing, publishing and about the burden of a good idea that’s not quite done cooking. Eventually, it was quiet enough to let me work on a game called Desolation, the brain-child of Matt Somers, and it stayed quiet enough to let us create Greymalkin Designs in order to publish first Desolation, then two other supplements. It stayed quiet just long enough to let us figure out what we were doing, so it could finally be born into the world properly, in the form of the book you’re now holding.

A New Birth Broken Rooms, as the game is now called, is the result of a lot of people’s time, effort and ideas. It’s been in several good people’s heads for 15 or more years now, and without them, you’d not be reading this. Not least, it owes its life to Matt Somers and Jamie Gooch. But it owes its life to our families and friends and to Colin Sinclair and Sarah Callaghan and their families and friends, who have been a part of the Nearside for oh, so very long now. There are so many others who have had a hand in this, from Anthony Maguire to Zahida Din, from Mark Severt to the Hammerdog team, and each and every person who ever played the game, even if they never realized it. Believers, all of them. Even those who were kindly doubtful that this, or any other project would ever see print, have played their part. This is for them, too. A kind of thank you for not quite believing. Without you, I might not have had the stamina to finish, that bloody-minded work ethic that gets more done than maybe anything else. I always thought that once the Nearside was done with me, was out of my head and in the real world, that I’d have time for other ideas, for new concepts to play with. There’s a lot of them, dammed up behind these 13 broken worlds and the secret that connects them. Maybe now I can start writing some of those books. Unless ... that wasn’t the Nearside’s final plan. Maybe it just needed to get out into the world, to be read by as many people as possible, which means ... Oh god. It’s just looking for more hosts. It’s trying to spread out, using your mind as some kind of storage space. It’s too late for you, now. All you can do is lend this book to a friend and wait for the Nearside to get inside their head, too. — Stephen J. Herron, July 1, 2012

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455

Character Sheet

Body

Def.

Body Damage

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Mind

Def.

Mind Damage

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Soul

Def.

Soul Damage

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Depth Distance Momentum Prime Meridian Prime Quality

out of

Combat

HbA+ Abilities

Attributes

Character Name

Armor Initiative Attacks

Speed

SKILLS

Professional (7+) Trained (8+) Familiar (9+) Unfamiliar (10+)

Q ualities

+/Â�–

Description

Used

Character Sheet Concept

MPHA

Motivation Personality

History

Appearance EQUIPMENT

Index of Photography Photographer’s Flickr Username Minnesota Historical Society AN HONORABLE GERMAN LT COL Neal Schneider, familymwr mikecogh Mikamatto philip.bitnar col&tasha xJason.Rogersx St_A_Sh JohnGoode ephotography Dakota_Starr DaMongMan Lorenzo Sernicola andrewrennie Craig Hatfield Perfecto_Insecto j thorn explains it all quinn.anya Loco Steve Declan.Merriman Elsie esq. Andy G Caitlinator Cookieater2009 Vasenka Peter Hellberg r.f.m II alexindigo Polina Sergeeva zigazou76 The U.S. Army nick@ azken_tximinoa Lau_Lau_Chan DrewCoffman Leigh_Harries robstephaustralia Quasic urbaneapts crdotx Brian Smithson (Old Geordie) _-TrippJade&hearts Angelo Gonzalez frankenstoen Leonid_Mamchenkov Capt’ Gorgeous Lenny Montana woodleywonderworks msakr llimllib Horia Varlan Garycycles4 sjsharktank quinn.anya Engin Erdogan ryaninc nic_r Images_of_Money ohsoabnormal m thierry

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Page, position 6 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 27 32 33 34 38 40 41 44 45 46 47 69 71 72 77 78 81 83 85 86 88 89 90 94 95 96 98 99 101 102 103 107 108 109 110 111 113 115 116 117 119 120 122 125 126 128 130 132 134

Photographer’s Flickr Username redjar fdecomite edkohler Original_Yandle rwkvisuals philip.bitnar See-ming Lee SML subcircle Tawheed Manzoor katerha DijutalTim michaelll fromcolettewithlove West-Point-Public-Affairs West Point Public Affairs Polina Sergeeva Official U.S. Navy Imagery DBduo Photography MSGT Dale Atkins, familymwr Polina Sergeeva USAG Benelux IlyaKhoteev Oneras Craig Hatfield US Army Africa ºNit Soto Cezary Borysiuk Chrysaora EOSoldier bobaliciouslondon adamisserlis cjc4454 Ben Fredericson The U.S. Army OakleyOriginals *Robert* Michael R Perry gluemoon internets_dairy bandita eflon shutterhacks daveparker JohnONolan HowardLake Jeffrey Beall US Army Europe Images Sir Mildred Pierce Anna Thyme atramos Marcel Oosterwijk euthman IsaacMao inyucho expertinfantry parislemon photologue_np ardenswayoflife U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region Jeremy Burgin

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Photographer’s Flickr Username Symic liberalmind1012 lorenzolambertino U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region Bader AL Bassam worak a_whisper_of_unremitting_demand freedom-studios styeb V&A Steamworks LLacertae joelogon littleblackcamera nerdcoregirl Cameraman Phil gruntzooki Valerie_Everett skampy hermzz fekaylius davededehetre jennifrog zoonabar miguelb Kristine Paulus .FuturePresent sridgway NASA Goddard Photo and Video H Dragon NASA Goddard Photo and Video Andrew Ciscel Katie Tegtmeyer TheNationalGuard samirluther bossco NASA_Goddard_PhotoAndVideo TheeErin TheNationalGuard Digital Sextant Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music belindah-98,000 Views & counting:Thank You! MyAngelG Vik_Nanda Lodo27 traceyp3031 sherrattsam greg westfall westy48 SirMildredPierce KB35 thomasfyoung RennettStowe Phillie Casablanca jsmjr isawnyu Jo Naylor Austen Hufford bark la_vaca_vegetariana lydia_shiningbrightly

Page, position 256 257 260 262 264 265 266 268 270 273 274 275 276 280 281 282 288 289 293 295 299 308 328 329 332 334 336 344 347 348 352 358 359 361 364 371 381 389 391 393 400 408 421 424 426 432 440 442 444 445 450 453 454 12, bottom 12, top 158, top 277, bottom 277, top 284, left 284, right

Photographer’s Flickr Username mdfriendofhillary Emily_Baron Metassus eflon fraktus Glamour_Schatz bdesham Paul_J_Everett BigTallGuy james.gordon6108 Harry Potts_rev1 Polina Sergeeva Marion Doss Slideshow Bruce Cova.69 Jack W Reid ToddMorris Umair Mohsin DVIDSHUB NationalGuard sidibousaid60 Clinton Steeds Colin_Kloecker USarmy Ed_Yourdon Adam_Swank mastermaq austinevan mikebaird DVIDSHUB USAG Benelux Joseph Jayanth alexkerhead pocius dbking jikatu Bobolink ahisgett Jimee, Jackie, Tom & Asha Trodel TineyHo Rob McIlvaine, familymwr quinn.anya craigCloutier Alaskan Dude

Page, position 286, left 286, right 296, left 296, right 303, left 303, right 309, bottom left 309, bottom right 309, middle 309, top left 339, left 339, right 340, left 340, right 345, left 345, right 351, bottom 351, top 362, left 362, right 375, left 375, right 377, left 377, right 378, left 378, right 384, left 384, right 386, right 386, right 394, bottom 394, top 401, left 401, right 404, left 404, right 407, left 407, right 410, bottom 410, middle 410, top 436, bottom 436, top 447, left 447, right

The photographs listed above and left were used under the Creative Commons license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/). Use of the photographs does not suggest endorsement of Greymalkin Designs or Broken Rooms by the licensor.

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Index A Action Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 80 Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 84 Attack Actions. . . . . . . . . . . 157 Defensive Actions. . . . . . . 157 Free Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Movement Actions. . . . . . 157 Activating Successes. . . . . . 124 Advancement. . . . . . . . . . . 48, 96 Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 158 Armor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 188 Artifacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 179 Attack Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Attribute Checks. . . . . . . . . . . 80 Attributes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 26 Attunement . . . . . . . . . . 97, 196 Avoid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 164 B Bargaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Bitter Compass. . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Blocking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 126 Blood Red Moon, The . . . . . 262 Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 27 Body Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Bravery Checks. . . . . . . . . . . 172 Breaking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 128 Broken. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Broken Road, The . . . . . . . . . 111 Broken Rooms. . . . . . . . 16, 103 Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Friction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Locked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 105 Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Spin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Using. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 107 Burst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 159 C C13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 261 Called Shots . . . . 159, 161, 165 Campaign Models. . . . . . . . 225 Chancing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Changing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Charging Attack. . . . . . . . . . 161 Climbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Clock Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Closing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 134 Combat Actions. . . . . . . . . . . 156 Concealment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Concentrations . . . . . . . 28, 178 Contests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 86 Convergence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 166 Crawling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 164 Critical Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Crouching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 D Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 168 Damned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 270 Death’s Door. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Defense Checks. . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Defensive Actions. . . . 157, 163 Depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 36 Difficulty Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Disarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

460

Displacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Distance. . . . . . . 15, 36, 89, 195 Benefits/Advancement. . . 96 Divergence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Personal Divergence. . . . . . 22 Dodge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 164 Double Tap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Dreamwalking. . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Drowned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Drowning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Dying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 169 E Earth1: Ordinary . . . . . 10, 199, 284 Earth2: Vanished. . 11, 200, 291 Earth3: Fall. . . . . . . . 11, 201, 297 Earth4: Invasion. . . 11, 201, 311 Earth5: Still Born. . . 11, 203, 327 Earth6: Hot House.11, 203, 340 Earth7: Ice Box. . . . 11, 204, 359 Earth8: Dread . . . . . 11, 205, 371 Earth9: Dead Water.11, 205, 385 Earth10: Outage . . . 11, 206, 401 Earth11: Afterlife. . . 11, 207, 421 Earth12: Unvisible. . 11, 207, 427 Earth13: The Reef . . 12, 209, 441 Eaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Environmental Threats. . . . 173 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 177, 180 Exceptional Success. . . . . . . . 79 Exiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 18 Experience Points. . . . . . . . . . 48 Explosions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Extended Actions. . . . . . . . . . 85 F Falling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 173 Fallsteel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450 Fatigue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 174 Finding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 136 Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 173 Firing Stance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 First Fall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 23 Five Stages of Grief, The. . . 214 Foranel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 273 Frame Dragging . . . . . . . . 15, 90 Free Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Furious Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 G Glek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 272 Grab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 162 Grappling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Grenades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Gunplay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 157 H Haecceity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 91 Hai-Kio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 269 Healing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 170 Hindbrain Anomaly. . . . . . 12, 243 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 25 Holding an Action. . . . . . . . . 156 Hub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 270 Husbandry, The. . . . . . . . . . . 263 Hustle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 165 I Imbuing Objects. . . . . . . . . . . 92 Initiative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 155

Injuries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 168 Intrinsic Qualities . . . . . . . . . 177 Iron Kings, The. . . . . . . 262, 306 Iron Train, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . 445 J-K Juicing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . Keeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ King’s Gates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K’thari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . .

138 140 104 267

L Lacuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 104 Lag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 109 Lightbringers, The. . . . 263, 306 Litchon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 269 Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 169 M Malvolents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Marked Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Melee/Fisticuffs. . . . . . . . . . . 160 Mending. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Meridian Attacks. . . . . . . . . . 163 Meridian Checks. . . . . . . . 81, 82 Meridian Concentrations. . . 37 Meridian, Prime. . . . . . . 36, 117 Meridians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Common Effects. . . . . . . . . 122 Midwives, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . 26 Mind Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Momentum. . . . . . 15, 36, 82, 98 Banking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 83 Bleeding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Ebbing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 100 Inertia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 101 Monarch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 257 Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Motivation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Movement. . . . . . 144, 157, 164 N Nearside Project, The. . . . . . 246 Nearsider Detector. . . . . . . . 255 Nearsiders. . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 276 Nearside, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Nearsight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 92 Non-Lethal Attack. . . . . . . . . 161 Non-Player Characters. . 198, 275 O Opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 146 Opposed Actions . . . . . . . . . . 84 Organizations. . . . . . . . . 17, 243 Oryquin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 274 P-Q Parry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 164 Partial Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Personality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 162 Poisons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 174 Presque Vu. . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 101 Prime Meridian . . . . . . . 36, 117 Prime Qualities. . . . . . . . 37, 117 Project Bitter Compass. . . . 256 Project Nearside . . . . . . . . . . 246 Prone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 165

Broken Rooms

Psychological Trauma. . . . . 174 Qualities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 88 Double-Edged Qualities. . 46 Item Qualities. . . . . . . . . . . 178 Negative Qualities. . . . . . . . 45 Positive Qualities. . . . . . . . . 45 Prime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 37 R Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . Rate of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ Reality Engines . . . . . . . . . . . Regency Group. . . . . . . . . . . Resist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . Royal Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Run and Gun. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

158 179 148 449 246 164 104 159

S Seekers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 271 Skill Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 28, 31 Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 27 Soul Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Special Projects Committee, The . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Spray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 160 Stabilization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Strike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 161 Study Opponent. . . . . . . . . . 161 Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 79 Activating Successes . . . . 124 Suffocation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 155 Swarmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ 268 Swimming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Synergy / Teamwork . . . . . . . 87 T Tackle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 162 Talismans. . . . . . . . . . . . . 92, 179 Themes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 213 Threats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . 222 Throwing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Toll Booths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Touch Attacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Toxins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 174 Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 210 Trinkets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93, 179 Trip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . . . 163 Truckers, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Turns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . 154 Two Guns Blazing. . . . . . . . . 160 Two-Weapon Attack. . . . . . 162 U-V Unexpected Attack. . . . . . . . 162 Variant Selves. . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Vertigo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . 97 W-Z Waiting to Act . . . . . . . . . . . . Wary Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weapons, Melee. . . . . . . . . . Weapons, Ranged. . . . . . . . . Werewolves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . . . Writing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . Yaneth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .å°“ . .

155 162 187 181 273 163 150 274