Game Terminology

 

Arms - the base ability score for shooting and knowledge of weaponry that determines a character's Mark score.

 

Evasive - the base ability score for dexterity that determines a character's Reflex score.

 

Mark - a character's Arms score bonus/penalty and effects his chances of striking his target.

 

Reflex - a character's Evasive score bonus/penalty and determines his likelihood of being hit by his attacker.

 

Hit Roll - the number (based on a 1d20 roll) that a character is required to match or exceed in order to strike his target/opponent.

 

Adjusted Hit Roll - the modified Hit Roll or Base Hit Roll plus any applicable modifiers, bonuses, or penalties.

 

Base Hit Roll - the raw Hit Roll number provided by the weapons characteristics charts and is exclusive of a character's abilities or applicable combat modifiers.

 

Brillo - a score that indicates how well a character will perform in the face of overwhelming danger and stress. The Brillo check is the most significant use of this character score.

 

Frame - an index number that describes a character's physical body size, constitution, and relative strength; this value is derived from the character's hit point body pool.

 

Body Pool - a character's base hit point value equal to the hit point value of the character's head or chest; the sum of the 5d20 roll used to generate the character (see Building Bob).

 

 

Desert Terminology

Citizen - (derogatory slang) n. 1. A desert term for anyone who is not a dustman.

DustClan - n. 1. A desert clan or tribe numbering in the thousands that inhabits and operates and Edifice.  

Dustman - n. 1. (slang) Anyone who lives entirely within the open deserts of EXODUS.  (This excludes Resource Miners, LandTrain and Barge Merchants, Hub Station Guards, or other individuals who return to the cities for protection, supplies, lodging, etc.)  2. A member of an Edifice; the final stage of Dustman evolution.  

 

Edifice - n. 1.  An immense, imposing, mobile city-superstructure (the evolutionary pinnacle of Dustman society).  The home port from which a DustClan launches and directs its attacks and warehouses its booty.   The logical end product of centuries of desert existence.  2. A mobile superstructure made up of four or more "Modules" and a CityDeck.  [synonym - Monolith or Atlas.]

Edifice Module - n. 1. a single tracked section of an Edifice; Edifice are constructed of two or more of these modules (many times consisting or 18 or more).

Nomads - n. 1. The first stage of Dustman evolution.  2. A band of foot soldiers and unarmored or lightly armored vehicles (car and bike prototypes), usually consisting of 20 or fewer individuals.  [Note:  Large bands of loosely allied Nomads are often found employed by an Edifice as additional mercenary support/cannon fodder, though never in numbers that could challenge the Edifice Clan.]  

Raiders - n. 1. The second stage of Dustman evolution.  2. Raiders are similar to Nomads; however, a Raider band usually consists of 20-50 individuals, and Hercules platforms are employed for armored assault and valuables warehousing.  

Maurauders - n. 1. The third stage of Dustman evolution.  2. A large band of Dustmen numbering 100 or more individuals, that employs an Edifice Module as a base of operations.  

Sandwalker - n. 1.  (slang) Anyone who wanders the open desert alone.  2. (Title) A high ranking member of a Edifice DustClan whose job it is to hire on as a LandTrain mercenary and alert the Clan of the train's route and vulnerabilities, and sabotage the train if possible to aid the Edifice's forces.  This is an extremely dangerous job; great respect and reward is granted this Dustman upon rejoining the Edifice. 

 

 Traveler - n. 1. (slang) A LandTrain mercenary.  

Barge - n. 1. An air-based commerce vehicle; Barges are classified by size and transport capacity (Class A being the largest and most technologically advance and Class E being the smallest and least sophisticated).  [synonym - AirShip.]  

Dome - n. 1. An old, abandoned terrestrial launch support structure with or without its extraterrestrial vehicle.  These are mined for their resources during the time of EXODUS game play.  2. A one mile diameter sphere lauch vehicle used in the great Exodus from Earth (2340-2509). [synonym - Titan.]  

Dome City - n. 1. A city at the base of a Dome; during the time of EXODUS game play this is the safest place for a stable city to be established (primarily due to the limited exposure to the desert that the Dome's superstructure affords).  

Hub Station - n. 1. A desert rescue outpost and refueling station that tracks the LandTrains and Barges as they cross the open desert (only for a price of course).  

 

LandWay - n. 1.  The routes by which transdesert travel/commerce occurs.  Hard-packed earth roads approximately 13 kilometers wide that stretch between Hub Stations and Dome Cities.  

LandTrain - n. 1. A land-based commerce vehicle consisting of a "Hercules" engine and four or more cargo trailers.  [synonym - Hercules.]