Degenesis Quick-Start Rules

P R I M A L P U N K R O L E P L AY I N G

T H E A R R IVAL O F

T h e Arrival P R I M A L o f P rimal Punk

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Primal Punk. The term was coined by German publisher Sighpress to encapsulate the style of their fresh approach to roleplaying games in the Degenesis RPG. Primeval savagery. Wild abandon. An epic post-apocalyptic survival drama. Primal Punk—a perfect fit for the material. Degenesis is the story of mankind’s struggle in the wake of Earth’s greatest catastrophe: a rain of massive asteroids. Europe and Africa have been cut off from the other continents and battle against each other for control of the known world. In Europe, the people are finally emerging from a dark age that spanned half a millennium, whereas Africa has become complacent and corrupt after centuries of wealth and splendor. Meanwhile, a new threat to mankind has emerged. With the asteroids came a new and sinister life form which poisoned the earth and its creatures.

W H AT ’ S A RO L E P L AY I N G G A M E ? Roleplaying games require one or more players and a gamemaster. The players control the main characters of the story. The gamemaster directs the action of the story and controls the opposition (known as non-player characters, or NPCs), the props, the setting, and everything else the player characters may encounter. Players and gamemasters must work together to build an intense and interesting adventure. As a player, you control a player character (PC). All of the character’s statistics and information are noted on your character sheet (see pp. 10-11). During the course of the game, the gamemaster (GM) will describe events or situations to you. As you roleplay through some situations, the gamemaster will probably ask you to roll some dice, and the resulting numbers will represent your character’s attempted action. The gamemaster uses the rules of the game to interpret the dice rolls and the outcome of your character’s action. The world of Degenesis is your world; you create the characters who inhabit it. Using your imagination and the rules system, you guide your characters through the echelons of a post-apocalyptic cult and try to shape the mythology of your culture. To play the short adventure, Under Siege, all you need are a few ten-sided dice, some paper, a pencil, and this abbreviated guide to Degenesis. For the gamemaster, we have included rules, a map and some suggestions for directing a successful adventure. For the players we have included a few pre-made characters and an introduction to the deadly world of Degenesis.

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The Day After 2073. The year of the Eschaton. The world trembled as human civilization was atomized in a cataclysmic hail of asteroids. Ten thousand years of evolution snuffed out in a single day. Europe was hit especially hard. Fires and electrostatic discharges lit the night. The days that followed were filled with smoke and dust. The rain became acidic and the air was poison. Cities stank of death. But the worst was yet to come. Earthquakes and volcanoes blasted the fragile remnants of humanity. Fault lines shifted and magma flowed across the devastated cities melting cars, filling basements, and burying bunkers. Poisonous gas wafted across the wasteland; the dying had no end. Red crater dust and volcanic ash filled the sky, casting the land into twilight. The sun became a distant, glossy marble. In Africa, however, a new age of prosperity swept over the land. Equatorial jet streams pressed the dust clouds away to the north and south and the dark continent was able to breathe. As a deep freeze settled over Europe and South Africa, a pleasant Mediterranean climate replaced the oppressive heat that defined most of Africa. Warm winds blew rain filled clouds from the Atlantic over Africa. The Sahara bloomed, while the rest of the world was poised to freeze to death.

T H I RT E E N C U LT S Five hundred years later, the world is a very different place. The great ice age is ending but the land is covered with a foul decay that twists the people and animals into bloodthirsty monsters. The survivors of the Eschaton have formed new organizations and factions, all with their own history and goals. There are now thirteen cults which vie for dominance in the ravaged lands of Europe and Africa.

ANABAPTISTS: TORCH BEARERS OF PARADISE The Anabaptists are constantly at odds with an ancient diety they refer to as the Demiurge; the destroyer of the world and the root of all evil. The goal of the Anabaptists is to purify the earth of the Demiurge’s taint and pull paradise out of the darkness through fiery baptism.

ANUBIANS: TRUE TO THE PROPHECY The Anubians possess ancient knowledge and see themselves as the custodians of humanity. For the people of Africa, they are the spirit of the continent; shamans who can see the past and weave it into a new future.

A P O C A LY P T I K S : THE RULERS OF DESIRE Everything the heart desires can be found in the houses of the Apocalyptiks: gambling, prostitution, fortune telling and the drug “burn”. These gypsies know they have nothing more to lose; their world is long past the point of salvage. The Apocalyptiks are the masters of addiction, parasites in a dying world, weeds which never wilt. The last laugh will be theirs.

THE ASHEN: T H E C AV E D W E L L E R S Equal parts warden and slave, they were locked in the depths of the earth along with their masters. Their skin is now bleached and their senses—particularly their hearing—have been heightened. The Ashen bide their time waiting for the day when they will rule the world.

CHRONICLERS: T H E I N F O R M AT I O N G AT H E R E R S The Chroniclers are the premier technical cult in Europe. Their aim is to discover and horde all the world’s lost knowledge and lead humanity back into the light of civilization. Their bizarre masked visages inspire both fear and wonder among the people.

H E L LV E T I C S : BROTHERHOOD OF ARMS The descendants of the Swiss military rule the Alps. They operate in small selfsufficient teams and follow a strict code of honor, which they hold more dear than their lives. They demand tolls from those who wish to cross the Alps, but otherwise remain neutral in the struggle between Europe and Africa.

JEHAMMEDANS: WEARERS OF GOD’S COUNTENANCE Birthed by the last great prophet, Jehammedan, this cult is as influential as it is fanatical. They dominate the eastern regions of Europe, fighting to secure God’s dominion over the Earth. They cannot be avoided or ignored, and every day their numbers grow.

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MARSHALS: G AV E L S O F J U S T I C E The Marshals force peace upon the citizens of Borca with a long established code of laws and a heavy hand. Very few balk at the decrees of this grim cult. Only the Spitalians defy them. Long simmering, the conflict between these two cults is on the verge of erupting.

NEOLIBYANS: T H E C A P I TA L I S T S The Neolibyans are the personification of capitalism. They wield the power of Africa and divide the known world into trade regions and franchise them out to those who obey their will and turn the greatest profit.

SCOURGERS: AV E N G E R S O F A F R I C A The Scourgers are the vicious claws of Africa, though at best their military force represents a loose band of mercenaries. Their ferocity on the battlefield is legendary; few have survived an assault by a pack of Scourgers.

SCRAPPERS: THE DIRT DIGGERS Scrappers rummage through the ruins searching for artifacts from a lost age. Their life, spent digging in the dirt, is hard and thankless. Life amongst the towering, shimmering tombs of a dead culture, with all its deprivations, has turned them into cold-blooded throat slitters who think only of themselves.

S P I TA L I A N S : DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH They are the last line of defense against the Foulness. Born from a mysterious medical caste of the ancients, they boldly go forth into the poisoned lands, battling the spore fields and their mutant armies with fungicides and fire.

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TRIBALS: R U L E R S O F T H E WA S T E L A N D The Tribals of the world derive their strength from the land and the gods which haunt it. The animal instinct is strong in them. Freed from the once civilized patina of morals and decency, small bands of Tribals roam the wastelands. Very few settle down; the majority see their home as anywhere they make it under the expansive sky.

S E V E N C U LT U R E S From the ashes of the Eschaton, seven new cultures arose. They span from the frozen northern regions of Europe across the Mediterranean and down into Africa. They are mere children compared to their ancestors and yet they rule over the known world.

BORCA: THE LEGACY OF THE ANCESTORS The people of Borca, which comprises most of northern Europe, are strong and robust. Those west of the Reaper’s Blow, the enormous fault created by the asteroid impact, strive to reclaim the power of the past. They comb the ruined landscape searching for traces of their ancestors. East of the gaping fault, Borcans drive herds of musk oxen across a wilderness of endless pine forests. They don’t share their western cousins’ ridiculous attachment to the past.

FRANKA: S WA R M C O U N T RY Once, Franka was a fertile land, the gem of western Europe. Its capital, Paris, now Parasite, was surrendered to invading hordes of insects. It was devastating to the people of Franka, however, the shock helped them cut their ties to the past. Over the centuries the Neolibyans completely looted the technological relics of Franka. Now the ancient buildings which dot the rotted countryside are nothing more than empty husks. Yet a new and healthy society is growing amidst the debris of the past; it is still young, but the seed of civilization has taken root.

POLLEN: E T E R N A L WA N D E R I N G In the wastelands of Pollen, mobility and adaptability are crucial. In these lands, a fertile field can decay into rotted wasteland overnight. The Pollener keep all of their possessions on armored carts and wagons, ready to move the minute the land dies. From Pandora, the largest crater in Europe, prevailing winds blow the spores southward. Strange mutated creatures appear wherever the spores fall. The Foulness is spreading feverishly here.

BALKHAN: LAND OF THE WILD The Balkhani are wild and untamed. They are passionate and explosive. The Balkhani live by the principle “Me against my brother—my brother and I against my uncle—all of us against the world!” They only stop fighting amongst themselves when a larger and more threatening enemy appears. Throughout Balkhan, the disturbing songs of the Dushani echo off the mountains. They live in remote rocky grottos with their slithering companions, and watch the affairs of the humans with mixed interest.

HYBRISPANIA: THE KILLING FIELDS Hybrispania is locked in a terrible war between African invaders and guerilla freedom fighters. The land is ravaged by hatred and rage; a murderous lust condemns its citizens to endless strife. The high plain of Castilla is the only place free of the African scourge. However there is no real peace there either— Jehammedan pilgrims prepare for a holy war against the invaders. Meanwhile their strange religion corrupts the natives, poisoning them with hatred and fanaticism.

PURGARE: LAND OF THE CHOSEN The Anabaptists see Purgare as their promised land and wage constant war on the Balkhani in the East and the Psychokinetiks in the west. In the west, they battle the unholy taint of the psychonauts hoping to seal the Reaper’s Blow with the corpses of their enemies. In the east, they fight merely to keep the small scraps of fertile land that sustain them.

AFRICA: THE RAMPANT LION Africa has grown powerful. Its cities are now some of the prettiest pearls of the new world. However, in the south, bloodthirsty mutant plants called psychovors push ever northward, swallowing the land and leaving it forever changed. Africa has become united, but it has also lost much of its ancient cultural diversity. Now, the Lion reigns supreme; it symbolizes the unified continent. The Neolibyans are its heart, the Scourgers are its claws, and the Anubians are its soul.

find other psychonauts—their true family. They have no love for humanity and only answer to the call of mother earth.

FIVE EARTH CHAKRAS, FIVE RAPTIEN Each crater, or Earth Chakra, affects the land differently. As the Earth Chakras expand, they imbue the surrounding landscape with their characteristic mutations. The Foulness acts as a catalyst, preparing humanity's body and soul for transformation. Children born near an Earth Chakra will demonstrate abilities related to the Earth Chakra, awakening the so called "raptus" in their genes. Biokinetiks The Biokinetiks of Pollen view their body as a tool which they can form and reshape at will. Their true identities have long since been discarded and replaced by the masks they construct. Dushani The people of the Balkhan know the Dushani well. The Dushani are masters of manipulation, sneaking into thoughts and hollowing out the minds of their enemies from within. Paragnostiks Paragnostiks can see into the future or past. In Hybrispania, their home, they are the self-proclaimed saviors of the oppressed people. Pheromancers Fist sized pheromone glands coat the body of these Frankan psychonauts, turning them into biochemical warfare factories. They can subdue entire villages with their pungent fumes. Psychokinetiks The Psychokinetiks of Purgare can control matter with their minds. They can levitate objects, create force fields around themselves, or ignite fires with a gesture.

THE FOULNESS The earth has changed in sinister ways. The source of these changes are the impact craters left over from the Eschaton. Spores grow in the craters and their sick seed blows across the land mutating its flora and fauna. The output of these craters has become known as the Foulness. The Foulness has dramatic effects on humanity. It changes the people—mutant children with demonic abilities are born all over Europe. The scientific community calls them psychonauts. By adolescence these children are often abandoned by their families and flee into the wilderness. They hide and scavenge until they

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Catharsys Degenesis utilizes a new, exclusive rules system called CatharSys. While the majority of a game session will unfold through the imaginative interaction between the players and the gamemaster, there are going to be plenty of times when the action will have to be decided by a random roll of the dice. When danger arises, combat ensues or a situation is just too juicy to not have a little randomness, its time to break out the dice and put CatharSys to work. CatharSys uses ten-sided dice (D10) for all game mechanics.

THE BASICS AT T R I B U T E S All characters have five attributes: Intellect (INT), Agility (AGI), Body (BOD), Charisma (CHA), and Psyche (PSY). These attributes represent the natural abilities of the character. All attributes have a rating between 1 and 10, with 10 being the highest possible natural rating in an attribute.

SKILLS Skills represent the learned abilities of the character. All skills have a rating between 1 and 10, with 10 being the highest possible rating in a skill. All skills are linked to one of the five attributes.

A C T I O N VA L U E ( AV ) Before any dice can be rolled to determine the success or failure of an action the Action Value (AV) must be calculated. The formula is a simple one: Attribute Rating + Skill Rating = Action Value (AV) The AV combines a character’s natural abilities (Attributes) and learned abilities (Skills) into one value. The AV represents the chance a character has of successfully handling a challenging situation. The lower the AV, the harder it will be for a character to perform the specific action. The higher the AV, the easier the specific action becomes.

D I F F I C U LT Y The Difficulty of any attempted action is determined by the gamemaster. The higher the difficulty, the harder it will be for the character to succeed with the action. If the Difficulty of an attempted action is greater than the Action Value, the character has zero chance to succeed with the action. The Difficulty of an action can range anywhere from 4 (ambitious) to 16 (miraculous).

SKILL ROLL Any time a character is attempting an action, the gamemaster may call for a Skill Roll. To make a Skill Roll, roll two ten sided dice (2D10) and add them together. The result of the Skill Roll is compared to both the AV and the Difficulty of the attempted action. If the

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result is lower than or equal to the AV and higher than the Difficulty, then the action is a success. Otherwise, the attempted action fails.

SELECTED SKILLS Below are descriptions of selected skills used by the player characters provided for the short adventure Under Siege, included with the Degenesis Quick-Start Rules.

INTELLECT First Aid The First Aid skill is used to prevent a wound from worsening. Wounds can be cleaned and dressed, the effects of a poison slowed, and the symptoms of sickness or spore infestation reduced.

BODY Mobility The Mobility skill simply adds to the amount of distance a character can cover in one combat round. AGI + Mobility = Maximum Movement in Meters per Combat Round Strength The Strength skill increases the amount of damage a character can inflict in close combat as well as the maximum amount of weight she can carry. Toughness A character with the Toughness skill can withstand more physical punishment than the average person. Toughness adds to the number of flesh wounds and traumatic wounds a character can sustain before falling unconscious.

AGILITY Stealth The world is a dangerous place. Oftentimes, it is better to slip into the shadows or blend in with your surroundings than to confront an enemy head on. When you need to make yourself scarce, the Stealth skill is a necessity. Firearms For a Hellvetic, firearms are a given, a birthright. For a Pollener, a gun is a rare artifact; an oddity that is feared but also wields great power within their borders. The Firearms skill allows a character to use a firearm with lethal proficiency. Without this skill, a character risks blowing their own fingers off instead of putting a bullet between the eyes of the enemy. Armed Combat Whether your weapon of choice is a Pollener stone axe or a Jehammedan scimitar, there is no disputing the ironclad foothold melee weapons have at the pinnacle of post-Eschaton arsenals. Society has devolved into a brutal struggle for survival, and those who can beat their foes into submission with whatever is at hand have an undeniable advantage over those who don’t know a blade from a twig. The Armed Combat skill enables a character to wield all varieties of melee weapons with flair and deadly efficiency.

Unarmed Combat While a weapon can be disarmed or destroyed, fists and feet are always available. Lightning quick jabs, skilled throws, and devastating kicks—this is the vicious language spoken by those who have developed their bodies into weapons. The Unarmed Combat skill is a must for any character who loves the savage art of the brawl. Reaction The Reaction skill is used to enhance a character's Initiative during combat. Thievery It takes a subtle hand to lift the key from the jailer’s belt without him noticing, or to slip something into the folds of your jacket while “perusing” the marketplace. The Thievery skill provides you with the nimble touch needed for all varieties of the fivefingered discount.

CHARISMA Seduction In the eyes of the Apocalyptiks, the ancient game of lust between the sexes is an art from which a very good living can be made. With the Seduction skill, a character is adept at playing the game and employing all its techniques—revealing wardrobe, flattering words, alluring glances, and beguiling scents.

actions in descending order of Initiative. If two combatants have the same Initiative, their actions occur simultaneously. Declare Actions The character with the highest Initiative value declares her action for the combat round. Resolve Actions Resolve the actions of the acting character before moving on to the character with the next highest Initiative value. Once every combatant has had an opportunity, in turn, to declare and resolve their action within the combat round, the round concludes and the combat round sequence starts again with Step 1.

C O M B AT M O V E M E N T During a combat round, a character can move up to two meters without increasing the Difficulty of any subsequent actions. If a character wishes to move a distance greater than two meters, she can move up to her AV in AGI + Mobility, but any subsequent actions in the combat round will suffer a Difficulty modifier. The Difficulty modifier is equal to the total distance moved in the combat round.

PSYCHE Faith Faith is the refuge of the soul, whether it is embodied in the zeal of the Anabaptists or the promise of the Jehammedans. The Faith skill allows a character to tap into the depths of their soul, when it seems there is no hope, and rise to meet a challenge. In situations when the humanly impossible is called for, or the spirit is locked up in the face of horror, faith can offer a way out. Self Mastery With the Self Mastery skill, a character can keep a clear head during volatile confrontations and can survive stressful situations with dignity.

C O M B AT In Degenesis, combat is divided into rounds. Each combat round is 3 seconds long.

C O M B AT RO U N D S E Q U E N C E Calculate Initiative At the start of the combat round, calculate the Initiative for all characters, NPCs and creatures involved in the fight. Initiative = AGI + Reaction Initiative determines when a character will act within the combat round. The character with the highest Initiative is the first to act. The rest of the combatants perform their

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C O M B AT A C T I O N S

ARMOR

For the Degenesis Quick-Start Rules, every character is allowed one action per combat round. With that action, a character may make a single attack or perform a non-attack action.

1. Determine the AV for the attack Choose the appropriate skill for the attack. There are six attack skills, all linked to AGI—Unarmed Combat, Armed Combat, Firearms, Projectile Weapons, Thrown Weapons, and Heavy Weapons.

Armor serves as a Difficulty modifier for the Damage Roll. Armor Difficulty modifiers are listed for each piece of armor by the target body zone they protect (ARM: head/torso/legs). For example, if an attack hits a character wearing a leather vest (ARM: 0/2/0) in the upper body, the Damage Roll for the attack will have Difficulty 2. If the attack hit the head or lower body, the leather vest would not provide any protection. A Damage Roll must be higher than the Armor Difficulty modifier in order for damage to be inflicted. If the Armor Difficulty modifier is equal to or greater than the damage penetration of the attack, the attack cannot do damage at that particular body zone.

AV = Attribute rating + Skill rating

WOUNDS

2. Determine the Difficulty of the attack All modifiers applied to an attack affect the Difficulty of the attack. First, declare a body region for the attack: head (Difficulty 4), torso (Difficulty 0) or legs (Difficulty 2). If the attacker does not declare a target body region before the Skill Roll for the attack is made, the attack is directed at the torso. After the target body region has been declared, determine the other Difficulty modifiers that may apply. For the Degenesis Quick-Start Rules, Difficulty modifiers only include range and movement distance.

There are two types of wounds: flesh wounds and trauma wounds.

AT TA C K When declaring an attack, the following sequence should be followed:

3. Make the Skill Roll for the attack If the Skill Roll succeeds, the attack hits the targeted body zone. 4. Determine the Damage of the attack If an attack succeeds, determine the damage inflicted.

RANGE MODIFIERS Ranged attacks have three ranges: short, medium and long. Within a weapon's short range, there is no Difficulty modifier for the attack. Medium ranged attacks have a Difficulty 4, and long ranged attacks have a Difficulty 8. Ranges (in meters) are listed as such, Range: 20/50/200.

DAMAGE Every weapon and attack has a Damage Rating (DAM). The Damage Rating consists of two numbers. The first number, called damage potential, determines the number of dice to be rolled when making a Damage Roll. The second number, always listed in parentheses, is called damage penetration. A Damage Roll must be lower than or equal to the damage penetration in order to succeed and for damage to be inflicted. Every success causes a wound. Damage Ratings are listed as such, DAM: 5(7).

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FLESH WOUNDS Each region of the body (head, torso, legs) can sustain a certain number of flesh wounds before a character suffers more serious trauma wounds. For every flesh wound a character suffers to a specific body region, reduce that region's maximum flesh wounds by 1. When a body region's maximum flesh wounds have been reduced to zero, the character is severely injured and will suffer trauma damage the next time that region suffers damage. Maximum flesh wounds are listed on the character sheet as such, Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Legs 4.

TRAUMA WOUNDS A character can sustain a number of trauma wounds equal to BOD + Toughness. Maximum trauma wounds are a total for the entire body, and therefore are not associated with body regions. For the Quick-Start Rules, when a character's maximum trauma wounds are reduced to zero, she dies. Maximum trauma wounds are listed on the character sheet as such, Trauma Wounds: 12.

HEALING Using the First Aid skill, characters can heal both flesh and trauma wounds. However, all trauma wounds must be healed before flesh wounds can be healed. In order to heal a wound, a character must make a First Aid + INT Skill Roll, with the Difficulty being equal to the number of wounds the character being healed has suffered. For example, when a character with INT 6 and First Aid 4 is trying to heal a character who has suffered 3 wounds to the upper body, she would attempt the following Skill Roll: First Aid 4 + INT 6 (AV 10, DIF 3). If a First Aid Skill Roll is a success, 1 wound is healed. For the Quick-Start Rules, one healing attempt is allowed per body zone or trauma wound per hour of gameworld time. Now, that you know all the basics of Catharsys, it's time to get grimy and bloody in the world of Degenesis. Godspeed! Under Siege provides a quick, compelling intro into the world of

Under Siege

GAMEMASTERS ONLY FROM THIS POINT ON Degenesis. The adventure is designed for four players and a gamemaster, though it can be played with fewer players. In the adventure, the player characters are a group of outlaws fleeing from a persistent and aggressive band of Marshal protectors from Justitian. After trudging through the knee-deep snow of a mountain pass, the player characters (PCs) stumble upon the entrance to an ancient highway tunnel control station. The control station serves as the home for a curmudgeonly Scrapper and his wife, a somber Ashen. When they encounter the intruding PCs, they are immediately on the defensive and extremely suspicious of the trespassers. Locked beneath the control station and within the abandoned highway tunnel, the couple is guarding a dark secret. Eventually, when the pursuing protectors are about to breach the barricaded entrance to the control station, the PCs will be forced to flee through the abandoned tunnel to escape, reluctantly led to safety by the Scrapper and his wife.

SETTING THE SCENE At the start of the adventure, the gamemaster should read the following to the players: Your pursuers draw closer. Their shouts echo from just beyond the other side of a snow covered hill. Half a dozen of them now—an irate posse of Justitian Marshals. Looking desperately for a place to run you notice you stand on the side of a mountain. The snow is knee-deep and with each step, the snow deepens. Your clothes are stiff from your frozen sweat and you feel dizzy from your exertions. There is no time to recover, however—the posse is closing in. Your

breath comes in fits, but you must keep moving. A shot rings out and snow explodes a few meters to your left. Suddenly the ground collapses beneath you and with a boom you are carried down into a deep gorge. You cling to your companions to keep from being buried in the avalanche. At the bottom of the gorge all is still, then with gasping cries you and your companions burst from the mounds of dislodged snow. As you turn to look at the distance you have fallen you discover a gaping hole in the side of the cliff. Without hesitation your group flees into the dark cavern before another avalanche can reseal the entrance and obliterate all hope of escape.

P L AY E R C H A R A C T E R S The four PCs provided for this scenario are a rag-tag mob of misfits. They are all strangers, thrown together by circumstance, and should be wary of one another. They do, however, need each other to escape and survive. The gamemaster should encourage conflict between the PCs, but also remind them that going it alone is unwise. Finally, the players should keep their backgrounds secret until the scenario begins. Then, it is entirely up to the players what they decide to reveal. Some interesting conflicts could arise during the struggle to survive if a PC decides to expose his or her true goals.

FORGANO Cult: Anabaptists In Domstadt, the stronghold of the Anabaptists, you were called before the Commission. They had a task for you. You stood before the elders in the central nave of the time-honored cathedral; stained-glass windows drenching the massive chamber in a myriad of warm colors. The faces of the old men remained gray and expressionless as they gave you your charge. Someone had released the drug “burn” into the holy water of the Anabaptist enclave of Bassham, and the resulting chaos proved devastating to the cult. It is your duty, as a respected member of the orgiast warrior caste, to locate and eliminate those guilty of the attack. The commission believed the culprit had fled to the nearby settlement of Ignatz, a gathering place for outlaws. Attributes: INT 4; BOD 8; AGI 7; CHA 4; PSY 6 Skills: AGI 7 + Armed Combat 4 (AV 11); PSY 6 + Faith 6 (AV 12); BOD 8 + Mobility 2 (AV 10); AGI 7 + Reaction 3 (AV 10); BOD 8 + Strength 4 (AV 12); BOD 8 + Toughness 4 (AV 12); AGI 7 + Unarmed Combat 2 (AV 9) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Legs 4 Trauma Wounds: 12 Equipment: two-handed sword (DAM: 8(6)), leather vest (ARM: 0/2/0)

DEIDRE Cult: Apocalyptiks Your hair is a jungle of thick dreadlocks; your gaze is sometimes timid, sometimes wild. You enjoy nothing more than to toy with your opponents, exploiting their desires and using them against them. A decade ago, Anabaptists massacred your clan, and you dedicated your life to avenging their deaths, one Anabaptist at a time. An opportunity to exact revenge on a grander scale presented itself when you procured a large supply of the drug “burn”. Without a second thought, you poisoned the well of the Anabaptist enclave at Bassham, then watched the ensuing chaos from the shadows before fleeing to the outlaw haven of Ignatz. Shortly after your arrival in Ignatz, however, you find yourself on the run from a band of determined Marshals. Attributes: INT 5; BOD 4; AGI 7; CHA 8; PSY 3 Skills: AGI 7 + Armed Combat 5 (AV 12); AGI 7 + Reaction 4 (11); BOD 4 + Toughness 1 (AV 5); CHA 8 + Seduction 7 (AV 15); AGI 7 + Stealth 5 (AV 12); BOD 4 + Strength 2 (AV 6); AGI 7 + Thievery 4 (AV 11); AGI 7 + Unarmed Combat 1 (AV 8) Flesh Wounds: Head 1; Torso 3; Legs 2 Trauma Wounds: 5 Equipment: stilletto (DAM: 4(3))

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CZABOR Cult: Marshals You are a loose cannon. Not the best quality for someone charged with upholding the law. During an argument, you went too far and shattered the skull of another Marshal with your hammer. You were immediately overpowered by your comrades and branded with the mark of a violent criminal, a permanent badge of shame—the inverted hammer. After being stripped of everything that identified you as a Marshal—your weapon, codex, and hat—you fled to Ignatz, a city infested with villainy; a city that once stood for everything you despised. Now, however, it is the only place for a marked man to be left in peace. Your tightly cropped hair, dark sunglasses, and grimy leather coat are all that are left to identify you as a Marshal. Attribute: INT 7; BOD 6; AGI 6; CHA 5; PSY 5 Skills: AGI 6 + Armed Combat 6 (AV 12); AGI 6 + Firearms 4 (AV 10); AGI 6 + Reaction 4 (AV 10); PSY 5 + Self Mastery 2 (AV 7); BOD 6 + Strength 3 (AV 9); AGI 6 + Tinker 4 (AV 10); BOD 6 + Toughness 5 (AV 11); AGI 6 + Unarmed Combat 3 (AV 9) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Legs 4 Trauma Wounds: 11 Equipment: nothing

SWITZER Cult: Hellvetic You once belonged to the fortress guard of the Hellvetics. Ofcourse, that was before you discovered the drug “burn”. Your addiction quickly accelerated to an extremely hazardous variant of burn— discordia. Discipline gave way to unpredictable violence and your memory began to splinter. Finally, there was nothing left of your former self. Your mind had slipped into complete blackness and your past was gone. The amnesia took hold during a mission and you became lost, no longer aware of who you were or that burn was responsible for your downfall. You followed the caravans into the north, hiring yourself out as a mercenary to the Justitian Protectorate. However, your stay in the service of the Protectorate was brief. After one brawl too many, the Marshals branded you with a wide, red cross running from the middle of your forehead down to your chin—the mark of a troublemaker. Following the humiliation, you fled into the wastelands and drifted to the outlaw haven of Ignatz, the nearest settlement where your brand does not mark you as a complete pariah. Attribute: INT 4; BOD 7; AGI 8; CHA 4; PSY 5 Skills: AGI 8 + Armed Combat 2 (AV 10); AGI 8 + Firearms 6 (AV 14); INT 4 + First Aid 4 (AV 8); CHA 4 + Leadership 5 (AV 9); INT 4 + Military Tactics 5 (AV 9); AGI 8 + Reaction   6 (AV 14); BOD 7 + Toughness 4 (AV 11); AGI 8 + Unarmed Combat 1 (AV 9) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Legs 4 Trauma Wounds: 11 Equipment: pathfinder rifle (DAM: 9(7), Range: 20/100/600), 10 rounds of ammo, Hellvetic chest armor (ARM: 0/4/0) 11

L O C AT I O N S Latrines (III) This room is overflowing with putrid human waste, a hole in the center of the room can serve as an emergency exit from the control center. Unfortunately, the ladder leading down is broken about 40 meters above the ground and there is no other way to safely climb down. A grill has been slid over the hole to prevent someone from accidentally falling into the pit. Ancient magazines and newspapers lie in a corner and serve as toilet paper.

T H E S TAT I O N Hundreds of years ago, this building was the control station for a six-lane Autobahn tunnel. However, the centuries have not been good to the structure. The observational equipment is completely ruined, and the walls have been blackened with moisture and decay. Since this region has been blanketed with a layer of snow and permafrost it was essentially forgotten and lost to humanity until the Scrapper Leibowitz discovered it and brought his mate, the Ashen woman Thiessen to live here.

Control Room (IV) Once, ages ago, traffic was carefully monitored from this room. Now the neat rows of computer screens are all dark, many are smashed. The station’s new inhabitants use this room for storage. The door to this room can be locked from the inside.

Supply Tunnel (I) The player characters enter the station through a heavy reinforced door on the east side of this room. Once, long ago, the western end of this tunnel could be sealed by a double blast-door. Today, the door on the left is rusted open while the right side is rusted shut.

“Bedroom” (V) This room has two soiled mattresses, an ancient dresser and a number of useless artifacts and clothing. Although it is the most used room of the facility the air is surprisingly good due to an airshaft in the southwest corner. This airshaft is also a flue for the inhabitants cooking fire/oven.

Machine Room (II) This room has many heavy objects which can be used to barricade the supply tunnel entrance. In the clutter of this room one can find all sorts of tools and a gas-powered welder which is still functional. The Kennels (III) Two large dog cages fill the western side of this room. Hidden under a heap of debris in the northernmost cage is a metal plate which opens on a metal stairwell. The stairwell descends into the darkness leading to the cavernous Autobahn tunnel below.

Storage Room (VI) This is where Liebowitz keeps the junk he finds, which he trades in the surrounding villages for food.

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N O N - P L AY E R C H A R A C T E R S L E I B OW I T Z A N D T H I E S S E N Leibowitz grew up in the broken ruins of Borca. As he aged he developed an understanding of the artifacts of the ancients. Over the years, a feeling of loneliness awoke in him. He yearned for a wife and family; he was sick of wandering alone among the ashes of the ancients. Then he met Thiessen, the Ashen. She had been expelled from her community, and he found her wandering blindly through the ruins. At first, she feared the gruff old man. He took her under his wing, however, protected her, and gave her life new meaning. Disillusioned with mankind, they retreated to the mountains and hid themselves in the abandoned control station. Less than a year later, Thiessen gave birth to their son Zak. When Zak turned four, disaster struck. At some point while his parents were busy, he slipped off into the wilderness and was lost. His desperate parents tried to track him, but the trail was cold. After weeks of searching, they were forced to abandon hope of ever finding the child. Years passed; hard, bitter years for Leibowitz and Thiessen. However, on the twelfth anniversary of Zak’s disappearance, a miracle occurred: a hunched figure trudged out of the wastes towards the control station along the same path Zak had taken so long ago. But the creature was definitely not Zak. It was a rift beast; a twisted humanoid creature driven rabid by spore infestation. Half starved and snow blind, the monster had trailed Leibowitz from one of his expeditions. Deperately clinging to the hope their son would return, they convinced themselves that the rift beast was Zak They captured the beast and released him into the traffic tunnel below the station. They fed it wild dogs and hid its existence from the outside world. Doubts about Zak’s identity were buried under the requirements of their austere lifestyle. Now Leibowitz and Thiessen are trapped by their habits. Every item has a specific and almost daily use and there is a constant activity in the control center. The appearance of the PCs threatens their grim, idyllic lifestyle causing them a great deal of agitation and fear. Leibowitz and Thiessen will keep their “son” hidden at first, since they fear not only for his safety, but also for that of the strangers. This will change the moment the PCs threaten to harm them or their home. They might be convinced to help the players, however, they are suspicious of strangers and may prove to be very uncooperative. If angered they may try to assist the invading Marshals, trick the PCs into using the sewage port in the latrine, or send the PCs into the deadly tunnel below without any precautions. Regardless of their motives, they understand the danger that awaits anyone who invades the darkness below.

THIESSEN Attributes: INT 5; BOD 3; AGI 4; CHA 4; PSY 6 Skills: AGI 4 + Armed Combat 2 (AV 6); PSY 6 + Faith 3 (AV 9); AGI 4 + Firearms 2 (AV 6); INT 5 + First Aid 3 (AV 8); AGI 4 + Reaction 4 (AV 8); AGI 4 + Stealth 5 (AV 9); BOD 3 + Strength 1 (AV 4); AGI 4 + Unarmed Combat 1 (AV 5) Flesh Wounds: Head 1; Torso 3; Legs 2 Trauma Wounds: 3 Equipment: pick axe (DAM: 8(2)); basic first aid kit

L E I B OW I T Z Attributes: INT 7; BOD 3; AGI 3; CHA 4; PSY 5 Skills: AGI 3 + Armed Combat 2 (AV 5); AGI 3 + Firearms 3 (AV 6); AGI 3 + Reaction 2 (AV 5); BOD 3 + Strength 2 (AV 5); BOD 3 + Toughness 4 (AV 7); AGI 3 + Unarmed Combat 1 (AV 4) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Legs 4 Trauma Wounds: 7 Equipment: spike pistol (DAM: 6(6), Range: 5/10/30)

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THE MARSHALS Six Marshals are in pursuit of the PCs for a number of different reasons: some are suspected of crimes, while others might simply have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Marshals are outside of the compound digging frantically at the snow drift that buried the cave entrance right after the PCs disappeared into it. The Marshals will not stop until they capture or kill the PCs. Eventually, they will gain access to the compound. The PCs should be encouraged to avoid any conflict with the Marshals and will only encounter them if they refuse to flee into the tunnel below. Attributes: INT 7; BOD 6; AGI 6; CHA 5; PSY 5 Skills: Toughness 5 + BOD 6 (AV 11); Strength 3 + BOD 6 (AV 9); Reaction 4 + AGI 6 (AV 10); Unarmed Combat 3 + AGI 6 (AV 9); Armed Combat 6 + AGI 6 (AV 12); Firearms 4 + AGI 6 (AV 10); Self Mastery 2 + PSY 5 (AV 7) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Lower Body 4 Trauma Wounds: 11 Equipment: leather duster (ARM: 0/2/2); hammer (DAM: 7(5)); shotgun (DAM: 7(7)), Range: (10/40/100)

THE RIFT BEAST The true nature of the rift beast is mysterious. In the dark depths, however, the only things that matter are its heightened senses and its vicious nature. It will attack any living entity in its path and will be momentarily distracted as it gnaws on the fresh corpse. It is extremely powerful and quick and will hunt the PCs until they are able to effectively deal with it. Attributes: INT 3; BOD 8; AGI 8; CHA 0; PSY 9 Skills: Toughness 4 + BOD 8 (AV 12); Strength 4 + BOD 8 (AV 12); Reaction 7 + AGI 8 (AV 15); Unarmed Combat 5 + AGI 8 (AV 13) Flesh Wounds: Head 3; Torso 5; Lower Body 4 Trauma Wounds: 12 Equipment: None Attacks: claws (DAM: 4(7)); bite (DAM: 3(7));

ACTS To help the gamemaster run and organize an evening of play, Degenesis divides adventures into acts. Each act usually has a specific goal the PCs need to accomplish or encounter the PCs need to deal with. Under Siege is divided into three acts, each one increasing the tension.

ACT 1: REFUGE In the first act, the PCs explore the station and discover its inhabitants. Leibowitz and Thiessen will hide themselves in the control room and try to ambush the intruders. Leibowitz keeps the safety on his spike pistol turned off. The PCs first task is to find a source of light—the station is pitch black. Rats scurry through the debris. The only source of natural light or heat is a burning log in the fireplace of the Bedroom (V). Eventually, the group will meet Leibowitz. The old Scrapper

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threatens them with his spike pistol and coarsely orders them to leave the station. The characters can attempt to disarm him—he is no longer as young or as fast as he used to be—or try to explain to him that the entrance is blocked and that it is impossible to leave the station quickly. Leibowitz is only concerned about getting the strangers out of his home and will offer to help dig the entrance free. His attitude will not change, even if someone mentions the posse of Marshals outside. He might ask the PCs what they’ve done wrong: let the players improvise and explain their crimes in full detail. The PCs may admit their guilt or try to hide it. Encourage them to act as their characters would. Thiessen will hide herself the entire time in the control room. She will only reveal herself if Leibowitz is in danger. While the PCs are searching the station, they hear muffled sounds outside of the compound. At first, they hear bits of heated conversation but eventually they turn into the sounds of excavation. Eventually, there are crashes and buzzes—the Marshals are breaking through!

ACT 2: INTRUDERS! The Marshals will make three attempts at entering the station. The first time, they try a direct approach by digging through the snow and battering the door to the Supply Tunnel (I). If the PCs figure out how to use the welder, they can attempt to barricade the door. Leibowitz’s spike pistol may also be used to rivet the door closed. On the second attempt, the Marshals feint another attempt on the supply tunnel, while two of them attempt to climb down the airshaft in the Bedroom (V). The shaft is easy to barricade—if the PCs find it before the Marshals can enter, of course. By the third attempt, the Marshals have received reinforcements and employ fire and primitive explosives. Nothing can stand in their way now! The barricades in the supply tunnel are blown-up, followed by an assault. Marshals wearing gas masks hurl burning tires into the station. Acrid, poisonous smoke spreads throughout the station forcing everyone inside to flee.

ACT 3: ESCAPE! The Marshals battle fiercely from room to room, and if the PCs try to retaliate they will quickly realize they are out-gunned. Leibowitz has not survived this whole time in the ruins to die in a war he didn’t start. He exchanges a short, grim glance with Thiessen, who nods at him, and then explains to the characters about the stairs under the Kennels (III). If the characters have handled the Scrapper well, he will warn them about his “son”. If they have not, there is a strong possibility that one of the PCs will end up as food for the beast. Down into the Depths The stairwell appears to wind endlessly underground. The handrail has been eroded by centuries of rust and the stairs are unsteady and crumbling. The walls glisten with moisture, black mildew spreads from countless cracks. At the bottom of the stairs is a final hindrance—a sealed steel door. The PCs must succeed with a BOD + Strength (DIF 4) Skill Roll to open the door. The sense of urgency is palpable; hurried boot steps echo on the stairs above. Once the characters finally manage to pry the door open, they gape awestruck at the sight before them. The

tunnel houses a perfectly preserved city built from hundreds of stacked automobiles and train cars. The deep cold has preserved the city remarkably well, though there is some rusting and pitting. This vast ruin is a priceless treasure. The tunnel is about 500 meters long and both ends are barricaded. The earlier occupants of the underground city had only one small exit which was built into the east end of the tunnel. This is the only escape from the Marshals who are presently storming down the stairwell. There is no time to explore the scrap city. Fleeing through the tunnel to the exit is the top priority. Leibowitz and Thiessen do not know their way around, but they do know about the passageway and lead the PCs in the correct direction. If you want, you can prepare a map for the chase. The PCs may travel through tunnels of scrap, narrow alleys crisscrossed by hanging bridges, halls, workstations, latrines, and livingspaces with faded photos. Plastic curtains rustle in doorways from a gentle draft. Cans and mugs lie unused on tables, next to ancient moldy newspapers like a strange illusion of life. What were the old inhabitants about? The players will not find out since they have a bigger problem: the rift beast. As the PCs dash into the gloom of the tunnel they hear the first group of Marshals emerge from the stairwell. At first they can be heard loudly debating which direction to go, but their conversation soon turns into screams of terror and agony. A few shots ring out in the darkness before the tunnel falls silent once more. The rift beast has pounced upon them. Barely a minute passes before the rift beast has dealt with the Marshals and begins to pursue the PCs. It hides in the darkness, watching and assessing its prey. It is not silent: its claws strike the concrete stiffly and scrape across the metal husks of cars. The PCs know something is out there, that it’s dangerous, and that it’s following them. Leibowitz and Thiessen are clearly nervous, pressing the fugitives to hurry. Make the players anxious as they make their way through the underground labyrinth. Describe the noises of the creeping creature. Wait until the very end for the confrontation. When it is time, Leibowitz will place himself between the rift beast and the PCs, possibly even trying to disarm the characters. He is ready to give his life for his “son”. The monstrosity, however, makes no distinction between its “parents” and the strangers. Lusting for flesh, it pounces on Leibowitz, locking its jaws on the poor Scrapper’s neck. With a startled look frozen on his face, the old Scrapper falls to the floor. He doesn’t struggle and seems to embrace death like an old friend. The beast is distracted momentarily as it devours Leibowitz’s mutilated corpse. Up to this point Thiessen has held back her emotions—even as the beast devours her husband she barely reacts. She no longer has a capacity for emotion after all the pain and misery of her life. She understands the beast could not possibly be Zak, and sees the foolishness of her husband’s obsession. Now he’s gone as well and her life is meaningless. If the beast threatens to overpower the PCs, she will try to distract the beast from them. If Theissen sacrifices herself, it will give the PCs time that they should use to escape. They may try collapsing huts or felling bridges behind them, they

might even be able to kill the beast. Collapse Hazard! The PCs finally escape the tunnel and emerge into the light of a setting sun. Still, they are not yet safe. Shortly, more Marshals will have flooded the tunnel and discovered their escape route. There is a huge snow bank hanging over the tunnel exit. Can the characters start an avalanche to cover the passage? Or will they wait and clash with the surviving Marshals?

WHERE NEXT? This adventure can serve as a prelude for a campaign in the icy deserts of Borca or as a simple introduction to the world of Degenesis. Perhaps the characters will return to the underground city to discover the fate of the inhabitants or dig for artifacts. Maybe there are more camps and lost tunnels hidden in the mountain range. Curious cults, blood-thirsty tribes, and ravenous beasts can be found throughout the world of Degenesis. The future is now entirely in your hands.

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Degenesis

Core Rule Book

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Credits: “Under Siege” by Christian Günther and Tim Struck; translated by Maurice Kent; illustrated by Klaus Scherwinski and Marko Djurdjevic; U.S. game development by Davidson Cole and Seth Larson; rules and fiction translation by David Golitko and Gregor Mieder; cover design by Tobias Mannewitz and Jason Vargas; interior design by Jason Vargas

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