8. Encounters.

Encounters.

Following are not only a collection of things you may encounter in the Ruins, but also a collection of options you may wish to use to run your game with.

All encounters will be defined using the following layout:

Insert stat block format into the layout document, using the following values.

Name: xxxxxxxxxx [Type]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x

X: x

Notes:

Specials:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: the creature’s name.

[Type]: The origin of the creature, which may define some basic abilities that they may share. Eg: Alien, Invaders, Franks, Mutants, Cultists, Mechs, Hybrids, Plants.

W: Wounds: the number of boxes of damage the creature has normally.

A: Armour: the creatures armour value reducing all incoming damage. Most armours will not stop AOE damage Unless full body) or electrical damage, exceptions will be indicated.

Sz: Size: the physical mass of the creature, which will often adjust damage received and inflicted in the same way that Groups do. Humans are Size 1 by default.

D. Damage: The base amount of Harm/Stress the creature will inflict in normal ‘exchanges’.

Sh: Shift: the movement capacity of the creature on the tactical grid.

X: Extras: generally this will be any special TAGS the creature might have that the GM may use to enhance the things the creature does, or how it behaves.

Notes: any specific information about this creature.

Specials: custom Moves of the creature, generally there will only be one, but some particular creatures may be nasty and have more than one.

Travel in the Physical World.

The ruined city is roughly 20 km wide, roughly 10km radius from the Cauldron at the centre. The map breaks the ruins into 8 rings and a bunch of sectors. The inner circle (the City, the Hole and Markets) is 1 km (radius), the next 4 rings are each 1km thick, the next 3 rings of 2km and the last ring is to the edge of the map, but can stretch out further as required. This whole region is covered by the Fog and the effects of the Rift, although the last ring will show a thinning out of the effect.

Passage through this world is difficult, both physically and mentally. The ruins of the old city cover the whole area and areas of smooth open ground are rare, particularly within the 4 inner rings. Generally the streets will be covered with rubble and debris, along with the remains of cars and buses and trucks etc. Most of the time the only way you can tell there is a street is because it is a lower region to the remains of the buildings on the sides.

The Fog limits vision to 50m, which makes all travel mentally challenging. With less than 50m of visible ground, and a large portion of that obscured, you have to be constantly on the alert, your enemies will be very close to you very suddenly, especially if they are waiting in ambush. The Rift itself will provide disturbing sounds and strange effects that will drain you of awareness. Plus the Rift has the ability to move things (or at least distort things so that they appear moved), meaning that no two journeys may be the same. Only the permanent presence of intelligence counters this effect (observer powers), making communities very important to travelling the Rift safely.

For this reason travel in the Rift is slow, very very slow. Where-as a human can cover 20-30km at an easy walk in a day over open ground, in the ruins you are lucky if you can cover 2-3kms. The physical and mental pressures of the environment make movement extremely challenging. Journeys in the Rift tend to be from one community to another, followed by a period of rest and recovery. As a guide, 1 days travel is usually one sector of the map.

That doesn’t yet consider the denizens of the Rift, and the precautions you have to take, the tactics of avoidance, that will slow you down and make a short journey a major undertaking. Backtracking from a route that is blocked occurs often. Then there is actual combat. The duration of the actual combat may be less than 1 minute considering the weaponry being used, but the recovery period can easily be an hour of your time, especially if there are wounds to treat.

Lastly, it is simply a mechanism of the game, the size of the playing field and the nature of the stories that exaggerate the distances in play, and the usage of time. Realistically it isn’t very exciting to move 250m away from The City in real time. Realistically it takes a 10 minutes at most. For our story however, for this city and the narrative we are constructing, it is important that every time you move through the city, no matter how far, it is dangerous. The GM has to play to this very strongly, and although you might not throw an encounter at them every time they move, or a danger, you should do so sufficiently enough to make them check their ammo supplies every time. If your players are not checking their ammo supplies you need to think about what you are doing, or steal some of it.

Movement in the ruins will, most of the time, consist of moving between locations; specific, known locations. For this reason you are provided with a list of pre-defined locations, or fixed points, for you to use. As GM you are encouraged to insert your own locations and points of interest. These can be transient locations, simply put there for the current event, and that will vanish back into the Fog after it is over. Most of the time however, your Cleaners will be trying to end their journeys at known locations, if only so their Masters have some idea of where they are. Calling for an emergency airlift out of a random city location can be very tricky (ie they won’t do it, you are expendable) due to the effects of the Rift and the Fog.

For game purposes a journey will be between two locations, and most journeys will take a whole day, or more. If you want the characters to fail at this then insert some event that slows them down or blocks their way, there are plenty of options. Camping out in the ruins is a perfectly excellent encounter option. Several Moves are provided to support this. Remember that the night is extra dark, and extra spooky (although the Fog might have a slight luminescence at times, if you wish), and dark things love to linger in the darkness.

Hazards.

Hazards are threats, effects or things that are intrinsically related to the environment you are in. Some of them could be created as a ‘monster’, but generally they will be things triggered as Moves with an element of narrative power by the GM. Hazards will inflict effects on characters that generally the character will have limited interactive roleplay involvement in, other than surviving them.

For eg: a group of peasants with pitchforks and torches might be a hazard of being in an isolated village that has been attacked by vampires. The peasant group is a hazard of the location that the characters may be affected by, but have little ability to directly interact with and are to be used by the GM as a narrative Move. They will be a narrative device of the GM, allowing the GM to inflict the hazards effect. Generally the result of a hazard will be a roll, either by anyone affected, or maybe by the entire group as one. Players may attempt to modify the roll by suggesting narrative or Move options - try to placate the peasants, brandish weapons at them etc.

Peasant Mob

10+ The players calm the mob and they return to their houses.

7-9 Some scuffling and fisticuffs result before calmer heads prevail, the characters each suffer 1 Stress/Harm and the peasants disperse, ‘grumbling and unhappy’. You may expand a resource to remove the ‘grumbling and unhappy’ tag.

6- Fighting breaks out, after which the peasants are dispersed. Select 2 of the following and each character must roll for Complications (Move).

Hold.

• Character suffer 1 Harm
• Character suffer 1 Stress
• Villagers retreat but are hostile.
• Villagers retreat but are fearful and distrusting.
• A nearby building catches fire…
• An innocent is mortally injured…
• The characters are chased out of the village...

Eg: a burning building will provide several hazards to anyone entering it.

Flames burn hot…

Fire uses up all the air…

Burning debris falls…

Smoke obscures vision…

A hole in the floor welcomes you…

Smoke makes breathing difficult...

Interaction with a Hazard.

GMs may allow players to take moves to mitigate or alter the outcome of a Hazard move. Eg a charismatic player may try to calm the Angry Villagers. In such cases you should decide if the Hazard will be overcome or modified. If overcome then the players move will defeat the hazard, so it’s Move does not occur. If modified then the Hazard dice roll may be adjusted appropriately.

Example Hazards:

A Deep Hole

A Deep Hole lies before you, the Fog is slowly pouring into it as if it had freshly opened. It is dark. Ragged debris sticks out in all directions, exposing jagged edges. If you attempt to explore the hole roll.

10+ You safely make you way down to whatever is below, good luck.

7-9 You get down, but suffer 1 hold.

6+ GM Option.

Hold.

• You suffer 1 Harm/Stress
• You drop something without noticing.
• You meet something.
• Something breaks.
• You gain -1 Forward.

Peasant Mob

An angry mob is confronting you, they are hostile to you.

10+ The players calm the mob and they return to their houses.

7-9 Some scuffling and fisticuffs result before calmer heads prevail, the characters each suffer 1 Stress/Harm and the peasants disperse, ‘grumbling and unhappy’. You may expand a resource to remove the ‘grumbling and unhappy’ tag.

6- Fighting breaks out, after which the peasants are dispersed. Select 2 of the following and each character must roll for Complications (Move).

Hold.

• Character suffer 1 Harm
• Character suffer 1 Stress
• Villagers retreat but are hostile.
• Villagers retreat but are fearful and distrusting.
• A nearby building catches fire…
• An innocent is mortally injured…
• The characters are chased out of the village...

A Collapsing Building

A dilapidated building holds something you need, salvage materials maybe, a friend, a child. You need to go in and get out alive. For this type of Hazard the GM may assign a number of points you need to accumulate to succeed. The more points the harder the mission.

10+ You move amongst the ruins, you gain 1pt of success. You may gain an extra point but suffer 1 Harm/Stress.

7-9 You suffer 1 Harm/Stress and gain 1 from the list.

6- You disturb the rubble and suffer 1 Harm and 1 Stress (armour does not help). You suffer Ongoing -1 whilst you remain in these ruins.

List:

• You suffer 1 extra damage and gain 1 success.
• You advance your cause, gain 1 point of success.
• You discover something hidden, and valuable.
• You may swap the damage for -1 Forward.

The Burning Building.

There is a building on fire, for whatever reason you are trapped inside and need to get out, or you have to run into it to get something, or someone. Keep rolling till you succeed.

10+ You get in and out successfully.

7-9 You suffer 1 Harm/Stress

6- You suffer 2 Harm/Stress.

Monster Agenda.

An Agenda is the driving motivation that your encounter has at the time the characters meet it. A pack of scavenging dogs might have an agenda of “Hungry”, whilst an Alien in a building might be “Defend my home”. The Agenda defines the mind set of the encounter for the GM and can have an effect on what moves they might make. If you use the Action Deck it can define what cards might be in the Action Deck for that encounter. You can also use the Agenda to decide the starting conditions of the encounter, a Defender might have some defences set up for the players to run into. Agendas are a mind set to guide the GM in the manner in which the encounter will unfold.

Monster Agendas

1. Hungry
2. Opportunist
3. Gatherer
4. Steal
5. Kill
6. Assault
7. Intimidate
8. Negotiate
9. Coerce
10. Distract
11. Deranged
12. Protector
13. Defender

Hungry

A hungry mob is a dangerous mob, but not to the point of dying. If the mob sees that it has a superior position (numbers or status) it will move in to try to take down one of the targets so they can eat. Hungry mobs will tend to try to isolate one member of the herd and take them down before the others can respond (all on the one). They are not interested in killing all the targets unless it becomes easy. They expect the target to abandon one of the herd for the safety of the remainder. If presented with a stubborn defence, especially if wounded, they will likely abandon the attack. The more hungry they are the more they will edge toward Deranged.

Hungry mobs are generally wandering, they are out searching for food. They might set up an ambush if they have advantage on the encounter. They might follow and wait for darkness to strike. They will tend to be near points of interest, foci that attract food (clean water). They can be discouraged by a show of force.

Agenda Cards: Desperate Attack, Frother, Must feed, Gangup, Strike and retreat, Stalker, Lure.

Opportunist

This mob will attack if the moment presents itself that is very obviously to their advantage, and not before. They may follow to see if the opportunity presents itself, but will not continue the confrontation if pressed unless the enemy show obvious weakness. They are generally after something, either food or goods and will not be attacking simply for the joy of it. There should always be a reason for them to attack, without reason you should be using Deranged. They will often try to use a distraction or encounter to slip in and achieve what they want.

Agenda cards: Take advantage, Spot weakness, Spot Wanted Item, Stalker, Dissembler, Lure.

Gatherer

These mobs are interested in gaining food or materials from a target that shows itself to be better provisioned. They will fluctuate between begging and intimidation based on the perceived vulnerability of the target, or not. They will be very unlikely to get aggressive, as they are generally in a poor state themselves. They are very likely to try to steal by stealth or distraction, or to negotiate a trade of some kind.

Agenda cards: Beg, Intimidate, Liar, Trader, Stealth.

Steal

These will be small groups, often an individual, who are skilled at stealth. They are after singular gains that are easy to pick up and get away with, but will look for high value items (rifles). They will never be aggressive unless alone with a single target, and will fawn and beg for freedom if caught. They might try to join with the party to gain a favourable time to steal something, or they might act harmless and follow. They will generally be discouraged by any show of force, but often return with stealth.

Agenda cards: Steal, Grab and Run, Stealth, Tracker.

Kill

Aggressive group who think they have an advantage and are willing to suffer some deaths to gain whatever it is they are after. Most of the time they will kill for enrichment, but sometimes it will be for hate, or cause, maybe even for payment (assassins). Generally they will have some form of plan that will give them an advantage to begin with. Homicidal killers, reacting to the moment, are more likely Deranged.

Agenda cards: Determined (remove a Flee), Organised.

Assault.

An assault group are motivated and organised in their actions against the characters. They will generally be on a mission, with a purpose, equipped appropriately. They have clear intent and will act accordingly.

Agenda cards: Organised, Aggressive,

Intimidate

Confident group who feel they have an obvious advantage over the target, or feel the target is unwilling to suffer the losses involved in conflict, but may be willing to concede something for the ability to continue without violence. Generally they will have a charismatic leader, confident in their position.

Agenda cards: Aggressive, Scary, Confident, Persuasive.

Negotiate

Talkers. Not overly hostile, but certainly wary, they are after something, be it knowledge or materials. Often they will be ready to swap and can be a good source of information or materials.

Agenda cards: Haggle, Make promises, Negotiator.

Coercers

These guys are out to change things, from whatever they or you, are now, to something closer to what they want things to be. They are partly Negotiators, partly Intimidators, but with a potential for violence. They are determined and have purpose and conviction.

Agenda cards: Influence, Tell lies, Convincing,

Distract

Usually these people are working for another group with a more intent agenda. They will have been hired to provide a distraction or delay to allow others to do what they need to do. A rear guard force would be a distraction to catching the main force. Some ambushes can be a distraction, inflicting a bit of damage to drain resources then disappearing. If you use a Distractor you should consider creating something they are distracting your group from and see if your players want to follow it up.

Agenda cards: Distraction, Bluff,

Deranged

Simply mad or insane things (temporary or permanent) who act irrationally, often violently. Often unconcerned with their own safety, or the effect they will have as a result of their actions. Rational actions or thoughts are not part of their plans.

Agenda cards: Kill, Aggressive,

Protector

People who are protecting others, or things, or a place. They are generally on a mission and will have a level of dedication to their cause. They won’t get hostile till you do, or till you make it obvious you are a threat to whatever they are protecting.

Agenda cards: Guardian, Taunt, Control,

Normals

A very rare encounter where they have no agenda specifically, they are just passing this way and had nothing at all really in mind till you hailed them. Nice people generally. First impressions will have a big impact on what will happen next.

Agenda cards: any

Defenders.

Creatures that are protecting a lair, or location they consider to have personal and significant value. Defenders are more likely to stay and fight to the bitter end than most others. They will also often have prepared defences available to them with which to damage or hinder an attacker.

Agenda cards: Advantage, Prepared, Protected, Cover,

Monster Moves.

Some Monsters may have specific or special Moves that they may use. The GM will decide when to use these special Moves, although many of them will link to the GM Moves of Inflict Harm or Trade Harm. Following will be a selection of special Moves that you might consider. Remember as GM you don’t have to roll dice, your words are all you need. Think of an excellent cinematic scene from a fight and do it, but just like in the movies it doesn’t do all that much damage, it just looks awesome.

The following are Cinematic Moves, use them to make the moment amazing, but not deadly. Cinematic Moves are there to amaze, to stun or delay, to hurt but never to kill. You characters are HEROES after wall, being thrown 40 feet into a brick wall is something you train for.

The Charge

Big creatures charge things, they use their size and weight to advantage.

Raise the Rift

Is it a mutant, then it is in contact with the Rift, use it.

Late arrivals

Things are going a little easy, characters are mopping up, oh that was just the first wave, team.

March to the Guns.

Battle creates noise, even in the Fog it will travel, other things will hear it, hungry things.

The Swallow

You look tasty, I want you in my belly! The grab and toss into the air, spin and swallow is always a winner.

The Crush

My big foot on your little head!

The Bellow

Sound can be debilitating, fearful and unsettling. Sometimes it can be the small sounds, from behind.

The Blow

Hey I didn’t know your suit had jump jets, dude! Ouch that wall has gotta hurt.

The Breath Weapon.

Godzilla lives, and boy does he have bad breath. Human bad breath can be bad enough, imagine what a 40ft meat eaters breath is like. Smell is under-utilised.

The PowerUp.

The monster is angry, steam is bursting out, internal lighting is shining through, anger is clearly visible. The signs are all there that something big is coming, pity the fool who attracts attention.

The Dominator.

Big and powerful monsters are… big and powerful. They don’t need to worry about puny sorts, they can all be dominated. Domination comes in both physical and mental aspects, and represents the unstoppable power of the monster. This can be reflected by any number of movie visuals; clutched in a giant fist, squashed beneath a huge foot, paralysed by fear, knocked flying by a sweeping tail. If you decide your monster has this ability then use it cinematically, which means it rarely kills, and in fact often doesn’t even hurt the target, it mostly takes them out of the fight until they can wiggle their way free.

Implement the effect, then let the player work out how to get out of it. The Dominator is a more powerful version of several other Moves, so feel free to apply a -1 Ongoing till Escape… cinematically it can take time and effort.

Lair Benefits.

The GM may decide that an encounter monster has settled into their location and has had time to setup some defences. The GM should decide on how many HOLD points they wish to give to themselves that can be used to adjust the encounter. You could, as GM, simply make these up as you go along, but by deciding on a specific number of Hold points you commit yourself to a limited pool and are not tempted (or at least become aware of what you are doing) to exceed them.

Toughness.

How tough should your monsters be, and by that I am meaning the number of damage boxes they use. Using Characters as a base, who have 6-8 boxes and are considered excellent to peak examples of humanhood, I would suggest the following as a guide.

• 1 box, very small or very weak creatures that are to be easily slaughtered and disposed of, but the effort has to be made. Most likely come in numbers.
• 2 boxes very small, very weak, very scared (probably should be a group)(cat sized).
• 3 boxes untrained, poor quality, weak, small (normal to large dog sized)
• 4 boxes normal human, average.
• 5 boxes above average, good, some experience or training, motivated.
• 6 boxes strong, professional, well trained, experienced.
• 7 boxes elite, excellent supplies, robust or unrealistic belief in themselves.
• 8 boxes Bigger, impressive, powerful (500kg) (Size I).
• 10 boxes, Really Bigger (upto 2000kg) (Size II)
• 12 boxes, Too Bigger (Size III)
• 16 boxes, Massive (Size IV)
• 20 boxes, Gigantic (Size V)

When you form them into a group you can add 1 box to the base number a single might have, but remember that groups have inherent advantages due to their nature anyway. Eg a small group of small rats (cat sized) might have 3 boxes. Creatures with 8 or more boxes are unlikely to Group.

Remember also that the boxes reflect morale to some degree, so a poor quality group should not have as many boxes as a well trained group of the same size. Box damage does not always reflect a dead body, it can be incapacitated or ineffective or fleeing.

Size.

Very large creatures will have advantages purely because of their Size. Not only will they have more boxes of damage, but they will resist different types of damage more easily. In most circumstances you can treat a ‘Bigger’ creature as if it was a Group, inflicting more damage to smaller creatures, suffering less damage from smaller creatures etc.

Size is reflected by a value, men are a base Size 1.

Size 0… Small creatures.

Default/H… Human sized creature.

Size 1… Bigger, 250 to 500kg (Grp I)

Size 2… Really Bigger, upto 2000kg (Grp II)

Size 3… Too Bigger (Grp III)

Oversized… Massive and Gigantic.

Massive and Gigantic creatures (Size 4&5) should gain a similar benefit vs AOE attacks, reducing damage -1 and -2 respect.

Massive and Gigantic creatures should probably be given natural AOE attacks, that big foot covers a lot of area. Or you can allow them to attack more than one target and spread their damage over them.

Groups and Gangs.

People, and some creatures, like to band together as a group, or gang, to make themselves stronger. In the ruins of the lost world this is particularly true, especially as there are such horrors out there in the red mists of the Rift.

Groups and gangs are handled in a generic manner to try to make it easier for the GM to handle them. There are three sizes for Groups/Gangs,

• Crew (Size: I) (3-5),
• Squad (Size: II) (6-8),
• Troop (Size: III) (9-12).

Groups/Gangs may have 1 more wound boxes per Size than the creature they comprise, so a Crew of humans that each have 4 boxes might have 5 boxes, and a Squad might have 6 boxes. Don’t forget that groups inherently resist damage anyway vs smaller opponents.

The size of a gang will modify the amount of damage they receive and inflict in comparison to the target. For each level a gang is bigger than another gang, or an individual, it will receive 1 less damage and inflict 1 more damage. A group will always take 1 damage as long as your base damage equals their Size, so a Troop attacked by a Crew would still take 1 damage as long as you do 3 damage to start with, but none if you only start with 2.

A single figure is smaller than a Crew, so the single figure will inflict 1 less damage when it hurts a Crew, and the Crew will inflict 1 more damage against the single figure. A Troop vs a single person would do +3 damage, and would ignore 3 damage from that person unless using AOE attacks, or doing a base of 3 to start with.

The drawback to being a group is that you only get one Move for all your members. You might want to break your larger groups into small ones to give yourself more options and not overwhelm your characters.

AOE attacks generally ignore group size, and are great equalizers.

The damage output and armour class of a group is the average of its members.

When a group takes damage more than its wounds it is considered defeated, which means they are dead, unconscious or have run away.

Larger groups can be very deadly, so you might want to bring some form of morale effect into your game. If you use the Action Cards you should insert a FLEE action card into your deck for each -1 they activate on the track (See Action Deck).

Group Actions.

Group may have some specific bonus actions they may do, other than inflicting extra harm, depending on the creature.

Group AOE Attacks vs Blocks.

A group may inflict harm on everyone in a Block via an AOE style attack if suitably armed and in range.

The damage they will inflict will be at -1 Harm to each target compared to normal, but still gain their Group/Size bonus, so it often evens out.

They will be able to AOE melee attack everyone in Hand, and Close if they have the Reach weapons. Ranged attacks if they have ranged weapons.

Eg a Crew fires on a Block with 3 targets in it. The Crew would normally inflict 2+1 Harm (+1 due to Crew vs singles), but as it is an AOE they will only do 2 Harm (2+1-1), but to each target.

Actions vs Groups.

Groups are dangerous. As a single player you have to be very careful in handling a group. AOE attacks are the big equaliser, but there are some other things you can try.

Most groups will not have much training and will tend to act by instinct and fear. As an elite military type you will be able to use this against them, you will have learned tactics to counter the group’s advantages. The main way of doing this is to break up the group into smaller groups. You can do this as an optional effect of several Basic moves.

Groups generally are doubles of each other, so a Medium(Squad) Group is two Small(Crew) Groups, and a Large/Troop Group is four Small/Crew Groups etc. Because we want to keep things simple we won’t allow you to split off a Crew from a Troop, leaving a 75% Troop, and then having to track that. So for simplicity a group that is split will split into two of the next size down. Crews will break into 2 individuals or maybe flee (your preference).

[You may break a Group] - where this option appears in a Move you may elect to take that as part of your result. Optionally, where normally you cannot break a small group, you may inflict a morale test (or insert a Flee card into their Action Deck).

Groups may reform, this will be upto the GM, but generally it will take an action to reform. Some monsters may do it as a natural instinct, like swarms. Some leader types may have this as a special move.

When a group is broken up divide the damage between the two new groups (round up). Remember that smaller groups may loose boxes (-1 per downsize), so you may have to be a little creative. Groups should probably not be destroyed because they broke up, but it is an option.

When two damaged groups merge into a larger group keep the damage of the group with the most and add the smallest wound (single damage event), if any, of the other. Don’t forget to add an extra box due to becoming a larger group.

Swarms & Hives.

Apart from treating a swarm as a group there are some specific abilities that a myriad of small things can do, like bypassing armour. Swarms will come with a few attacks forms that they will all have in common, a swarm of venomous spiders is not that much different to a swarm of venomous snakes.

Common swarms will have AP, armour piercing (or bypassing). This assumes they are a bunch of very small creatures. Such swarms are also very vulnerable to some forms of attack, like fire and wind. Being individually small they toast quickly, and are easily blown away (tag =[Vulnerable-Fire, Wind])

Biting swarms will inflict a multitude of small wounds, that individually are annoying, but may often become infected. They may well also bite in places that are very sensitive, thus increasing their effectiveness. Most swarm damage will be Stress, but for one out of every 3 damage done by a swarm should be Harm.

You can also have swarms of larger things, the nature of a swarm merely being a lot of things working as one. Rats are an example of this kind of danger, in sufficient numbers rats will swarm just like any other swarm. A swarm with large rats could well still be AP, but now they are delivering actual Harm, their bites will hurt.

Finally you may have swarms (or Hives) of even bigger things, although the GM should probably be considering if they should be a group now rather than a swarm. Rift Aliens are a specific type of swarm, or Hive, that are a feature of the game. Alien Swarms/Hives are collectives of smaller aliens, individually not powerful enough to cross over, but as a group able to.

A Rift Alien Swarm is mostly mindless, and acts as a true swarm but manifesting in a smaller host form. Alien Swarms most often will use flesh hosts or metal hosts. Parts of human bodies, the bodies of rats and cats and dogs, etc will become hosts to the Alien Swarm and they will move and act as a single form. Metal hosts can be objects as simple as a swarm of tin cans, or toy robots, but with added lethal properties. Mortar Hosts are rare as the swarm likes to be able to move.

An Alien Hive however is a collective, like ants or bees, and will act with some seeming of intelligence, or purpose. They will combine their many parts to become one, so a bunch of body parts might combine to become a single Flesh Monster, very similar to a real Flesh Hosted Alien. Its advantage however is that it can break down again and parts of it will usually be able to escape, and with time reform.

Too Many to Handle.

The best time to use a group is when you have a large number of enemies. Groups allow you to merge those numbers into one threat that will make your game faster and easier to handle, as well as turning a minor inconvenience into a credible threat. Players should always be concerned when facing a group.

The other advantage of using groups is that it gets your players thinking in a broader sense about the dangers they are facing, and methods to deal with them. Groups are vulnerable to AOE attacks, so players will make sure to equip grenades and like weaponry to deal with them. A similar concept goes with Size based encounters, again where AOE attacks can help tremendously.

The danger of AOE attacks however is bad rolls. This can be offset to a degree with skillful play and by allowing those skilled in the appropriate areas to make the attacks.

The danger of using groups is they can overwhelm your party if you make them too big, or if you have too many of them.

The Aliens

The Aliens of this game are ‘other dimensional beings’ who have managed to push themselves through the barrier that exists between our two worlds. Normally that barrier is impenetrable, but because of the effects of the Anti-Gravity Engine this is now weakened. Why the aliens chose to come through, and what they are after is not known. Communications with the aliens has proven to be impossible. Capture of an alien has been impossible, they are always hostile (capture is an option, but you won't get anything out of them. they can be used for other purposes.)

When an alien breaks into our dimension they appear as a sparkling, thick cloud, thicker than the normal background fog that permeates the Rift. They appear to float but this is mostly an illusion due to their nature, they actually maintain contact with the ground most of the time, but only need a small part of their form to lift the rest. The size of the Alien in this natural form is about a 2m cubed (2x2x2).

Once an Alien breaks into our world it will seek a host form. Doing this is called ‘possession’. Aliens can possess inanimate forms only. They cannot possess a living creature, whether vegetable or animal. The Host must be larger than the Aliens natural form. A human body is considered just big enough to allow possession, but only once it is dead. Normally an Alien will accumulate a larger mass by building a composite of smaller forms, ie several bodies could be meshed together. The Alien prefers larger forms to give it the option to hide within its host.

Buildings offer a complex large form, and the Alien will act in the style of a poltergeist within the structure. Characters entering the building will be attacked by flying bricks, falling walls, collapsing floors etc. a structure must be a single form, for whatever reason the Aliens cannot span several buildings, and there is little point game-wise of having an Alien you cannot find. With time the Alien will be able to modify the building to its needs, setting traps, pitfalls and collapses. This can be reflected by giving the Alien Hold pts to work with that allow it to respond to the Cleaners activities.

Organic forms offer mobility and ease of expansion, but the form must be singular, one mass. An Alien cannot possess a swarm of zombies acting independently. It must exist within a single form, although that form may have a complex arrangement to allow it to attack over a large area, eg a pack of bodies in a writhing singular mass of flesh and organs. Organic forms also offer the benefit of automatic Regeneration.

Vehicles are a favourite Host for an alien, they seem to have a natural affinity for metal. Once possessing a vehicle the Alien will be able to make it move as if it was working perfectly. Very quickly it will modify the vehicle to improve its performance, reshaping the metal into a more versatile form. Mostly an Alien will only possess a single vehicle, but it is possible for an established Alien to meld two vehicles together to create a stronger form. Aliens may replace parts of the vehicle with what it considers to be improvements, like making legs that fold under the chassis, to allow it to cover rough terrain that wheels cannot handle.

Aliens may possess the ground, particularly in areas that were parks in the lost days. They can possess natural earth, sand or gravel but not rigid forms like rock, concrete or road surfaces. Generally they will act to kill all the plants in the area, over time making them into part of its domain. They will be able to use the ground as a trap, turning into quicksand, opening into large holes, engulfing their enemies, as well as using the dead foliage to hinder, strangle and entangle.

The only value you need for the Alien is its Size, Small (6), Medium (8), Large (10), Huge (12), Ancient (16). The size of an Alien is mostly a reflection of the amount of time it has been here.

You will also need to know the main material of the Host, the structure the Alien is possessing. There are 4 forms: Flesh, Metal, Mortar and Earth.

Flesh Hosts

Are dead organic body parts, most commonly human body parts as they are in plentiful supply. The Alien is not confined to one body, they will accumulate many bodies and body parts to created a composite being. They can mix in any organic form, such as rats, insects, dogs etc. It all gets drawn up into the Flesh monster.

Metal Hosts

Are commonly vehicles, cars and buses left over from before. The Alien seems to have a great affinity for metals and will repair, restore and modify its metal host quite significantly, and reasonably quickly. As the Alien grows in Size it will incorporate parts from several vehicles. Although cars and buses are popular they will also possess any available mostly metal structure, like a crane or a ferris wheel.

Mortar Hosts

Are buildings. It will be a single building always. When the Alien grows in Size it will move to a new, bigger building to fit its new form. It does not conglomerate like Flesh and Metal Hosts. The Alien will however undertake considerable renovations to its building to protect it from invaders. Mortar hosts are difficult to hurt, bullets don’t do a lot of damage to bricks and concrete, not to mention the Alien can be anywhere in its building. Just shooting up or blowing up the building is not a solution. The Alien must be brought to the location where the damage will be inflicted. Usually this will be via Lure Moves or luck.

Earth Hosts

Are not really a single thing, but are an area of ground. The Alien is able to possess an area of ground that is significantly dead. By this I mean the grass is dead, the trees are dead, the insects in the ground are mostly dead. Such dead grounds are fairly rare but they do exist (landfills, chemical sites, industrial areas etc). The Alien can only work with loose earth, not solid set stone, concrete or the like. It will with time take over the dead vegetation of the area and restore it to a fake imitation of what it was before. Earth Hosted Aliens can be very nasty as they may well swallow you whole and bury you under the ground. They can also make use of controlled dead vegetation to entangle and strangle you.

Base values for an Alien.

Notes

Flesh

Metal

Mortar

Earth

Armour

0

2

1

1

Direct HARM

2

3 [+AP]

2

2

Direct STRESS

2

2

3

3

Shift

4

4

3

3

Special

Suffer Harm+1

Suffer Stress+1

None

No direct Harm.

Bonus Wounds

0

+2

+2

+1

ALIEN Size effects

Direct Harm/Stress

AOE Harm/Stress

Armour

Wound

Shift

Small

Def

Def

Def

Def

Def

Med

+1

+1

0

8

+1

Large

+2

+1

+1

10

+2

Huge

+3

+1

+1

12

+2

Ancient

+3

+2

+2

16

+3

Hives

Def

+1

Def

4

+1

Swarm

Def

Def

+AP

-1

4

+1

Def = default.

Armour: Metal, Mortar and Earth hosts will have natural armour properties.

Wounds: The SIZE of an Alien, with their Host, reflects how much damage they may suffer, and inflict.

Shift: This is the movement capacity of the Alien with the Grid system (see Playing the Game).

Direct Harm/Stress: the amount of damage inflicted via a melee attack. The GM may select one or the other.

AP: Armour Piercing attacks, ignores this many points of armour when inflicting damage.

Bonus Wounds: added to the Wounds gained by Size.

Vulnerabilities.

The Aliens have two main weaknesses: Electricity and Organised Carbon.

Electricity disrupts the field they are using to enter our world, when the field is broken the creature returns to its dimension. It also disrupts their hold on their host. The advantage of electricity is that it by-passes most Armour. The disadvantage is that it may send them back, Cleaners generally want to kill them so they can ‘collect’.

Organised Carbon, in the form of carbon atoms that have been forced into organised atomic structures (such as diamonds or fullerenes/bucky balls).

Apparently this type of complex organisation does not exist in their world, and coming into contact with it will cause a catalytic breakdown of their natural form, they physically die. The damage however tends to be small in comparison to their overall form, so a lot of carbon contact has to be made.

Some aliens have specific vulnerabilities based on their Host type.

• Flesh Hosts suffer +1 Harm for every attack that does any Harm damage.
• Metal Hosts suffer +1 Stress for any attack that does Stress damage.
• Earth Hosts do not suffer any direct Harm damage at all, you need to use AOE attacks to inflict Harm. Stress AOE attacks do -1Stress per attack.
• Mortar hosts are protected by the size and hardness of their hosts and suffer -1 Stress from any Stress based damage.

The benefits.

If an Alien is KILLED in its natural form, it breaks down into ‘MIASMA’, a goo like substance (protoplasm). The ‘MIASMA’ material has been found to contain ‘anagathic’ components that humans can use to restore their health and live longer. It is MIASMA that Cleaners are sent to harvest.

Defeating the Aliens.

Defeating the Alien is to drive them from their Host, exposing their natural form and killing it.

The primary task of harvesting an Alien is to get it out of its host structure. Electricity is the most effective way of doing this, but it is risky. The other way of doing this is to destroy the Aliens means of interacting with the physical world, ie destroy it’s Eyes and it’s body.

To drive the alien from its Host requires a two pronged attack, one against the aliens senses as reflected by its Eyes, the other against the body of the Host, inflicting a lot of physical damage to its host.

The Aliens senses within its Host are reflected by its ‘Eyes’. Each will have 9 eyes in a cluster sort of like a spider's eyes. These eyes are merely a local manifestation of the presence of the aliens primary senses, but they symbolise the location at which the characters can inflict suffering onto the Alien. To do this they must be aware of the presence of the ‘Eyes’ (must roll a 10+ or doubles during any other relevant Move) and then successfully use a ‘Go for the Eyes’ Move or inflict damage move.

Each Alien has 9 Eyes that must be destroyed, after which it is unable to perceive the outside world.

At the same time as you are destroying Eyes you must also inflict general damage on the Host, the material body that the Alien has possessed. This will represent inflicting pain and suffering on the body of the Alien, around the area where the Eyes have been located, marking off damage boxes (and blowing up the entire place is not specific enough). The various Hosts will have values to represent how difficult this can be. For eg a car body will have armour, buildings will tend to have more damage boxes, earth hosts will need explosive damage and flesh hosts will regenerate quickly. The specifics of each Host will be detailed below. Each of the different hosts has its own vulnerability, representing the best way to defeat the Alien.

The aim of attacking an Alien in the game is totally about getting it out of its host body, attacking its Natural Form, and collecting the MIASMA that results. These are performed as two separate processes, the latter resulting from success at the former. Accordingly the ‘harvesting’ of the Alien will be simplified resolution wise (Delay, Kill and Gather Moves), whilst the former will be the major combat and challenge resolution part of the event.

The Markers - Eyes and Pain.

The GM will place two piles of counters out in front to represent the Alien. One pile is 9 counters representing the Alien's Eyes. The other pile will be the Alien’s Pain, or damage track and will have a number of counters equal to its number of boxes (as noted above). Characters will select to inflict damage each action to one of the piles via the appropriate actions.

Eg: a medium Mortar Alien will have 12 markers of Pain and 9 of Eyes.

When all the counters, both piles, are removed the Alien will leave the Host.

The Alien Flees. (Roll+Electric wounds*)

10+ The Alien flees immediately, you have 3 Hold (+1 Hold if you make 13+).

7-9 The Alien flees immediately, you have 2 Hold.

6- The Alien has options, you have only 1 Hold.

*The modifier to this roll is the number of Electrical Wounds inflicted as Pain. An electrical wound is each damage counter caused by electrical attacks as Pain. Electrical attacks on Eyes have no modifier effect, they just destroy an Eye. Electricity has the effect of slowing the Alien, disrupting their form.

Eg: a small alien with 6 boxes has suffered three counters of electrical damage and 3 counters from other forms of damage.. The modifier for the Alien Flees Move would be 3. Bigger aliens tend to be more slowable, as they will tend to suffer more wounds.

Counters that are removed using electricity should be flipped over (if they have a flip side) or moved to an ‘electricity’ pile to track them.

The Hold you get from this is the number of Moves your characters (in total) can make before the Alien escapes (returns to its dimension). You may enhance your options via setting up a Fence (Set Device Move), which can give you extra Hold. You may also use Rift Salt to try to generate more Hold, but doing so will use one of your existing Holds.

The Alien Goes POOF!

The use of electricity against the alien has a risk factor. Too much electricity and the Alien’s field may fail and it will return to its dimension and you get nothing. To determine if this happens you need to use the modifier worked out above for the Alien Flees Move. You then look at the two dice you rolled above and compare the individual dice scores to the level. If either of the dice has a result less than the number calculated, the Alien goes POOF!

Eg: A small alien rolls to flee. The of Stress(electrical) wounds inflicted on it was 2. The 2d6 roll shows as 3 and 2, a total of 5+2 (3+2+2). The result of 7 means the characters gain 2 Hold. You then look at the 3 and the 2 to see if they are less than the level of 2, which they aren’t in this case, so the Alien does NOT go poof! If the roll had been 1 and 5 the players would get 2 Hold, but the Alien would go poof and the encounter is over.

The GM is responsible for keeping track of electrical damage done, but can easily record it by running another stack beside the alien's Eyes and Pain stacks. Essentially you don’t want a large number of electrical wounds.

ALIEN Moves.

Alien powers are not really moves as the GM doesn’t have to roll to use them. I list some of them here just so players understand what they are facing. These are not all of them however.

Embrace

If in their Natural Form the Alien can Embrace a target and inflict a PANIC effect on them. This will generally only happen if you attempt to kill the Alien and fail.

Hinder

Inflict a penalty on a target, same as a -1 Forward. AOE Hinder options? range? Suppress?

Use the Rift

Use a Rift Power.

Use the Fog

The Fog can be your friend, you understand it better than the humans do. The Fog swirls into the area of the Host and obscures everything, inflicting -1 Forward to all player characters.

Specific Alien Powers.

The following are Moves that an Alien can use when possessing a specific type of Host.

Flesh Hosts.

Vomit: The Alien vomits a stream of noxious bodily fluids over the target (range: Contact) that inflict Stress damage and a -1 Ongoing until they make a successful Move (score a hit, 7+).

Swallow: the Alien grabs someone in the Hand block and swallows them into its body, causing crushing, smothering, stress damage as well as -1Forward until they escape. You or another may use a Make an Effort Move to try to break free from the Alien. Damage inflicted on the Host will damage anyone Swallowed, but the Alien will provide 1AC extra.

RopeTrick: the Alien sends forth a rope like stream of intestines, muscles and tendons to grab a target and drag it closer to the Target block. This will put the Entangled tag onto the victim.

Noxious Breath: the Host breaths out a cloud of noxious Rift gases that inflict stress damage and +1 Rift.

Gore: the Host reveals its inner horror, exposing organs and blood that are visually and mentally horrifying, inflicting a Stress AOE from the Target block.

Regenerate: Flesh hosts will be able to use their past ability to grow to allow them to repair damage they have taken. Every time the Alien gets a Move they may be able to repair some wounds (2,3,4,5,6 boxes respectively).

Metal Hosts.

Lance: The Host shoots out a metal lance with a chain attached. The target suffers Harm and is dragged 1 Block closer to the Target (separate from any Shift).

Overrun: The Host rolls over the top of any characters in the Hand or Close Block, doing AOE Harm to all of them and optionally throwing them one Block away (separate from any Shift).

Tortoise: The Host throws up extra plating to improve its Armour Class +2 until it takes another Move.

Catapult: The Host flings a heavy weight (or drops it from above) at any target (Ranged) and inflicts +1Harm to its normal attack.

Flechette: the host fires out an LAOE cloud of metal shards that inflicts -1Harm over the LAOE.

Mortar Hosts.

Pit: The Host opens up a section of floor below one character so they fall through, inflict Harm, and moves them one Block in any direction. Ranged(Removed).

Sliding Walls: The Host moves the walls around and creates visual barriers between two Blocks (place a temporary star there that adds to any ranged attacks passing through it). To remove the temporary extra barrier each character must move through the barrier and then they can ignore it.

Saferoom: The Host surrounds one character with walls trapping them inside. They cannot see or do much until they escape the room. An effort of strength or cunning will be required.

Debris: The Host whips up a whirlwind of debris affecting an AOE from the Target block.

BrickStorm: The Host whips up a storm of bricks and loose pieces of debris and flings them out, affecting a LAOE from the Target block.

Earth Hosts.

Entomb: The Host opens up the ground and swallows the target as if dropped into a grave. The earth will be loose and not overly difficult to dig through but the victim will suffer 1 Stress every time anyone takes a Move. until they escape.

Compactus: The Host will compact the earth over an entombed victim. The effect of this is to make the victim suffer 2 Stress each Move and any moves to get them out will be at -1.

Wild Vines: The Host uses underground vines and roots to drag people around, gain +4 Shift points this Move.

Quake: The Host shakes the ground, everyone gains the Unstable tag until they complete a successful move, and suffer Stress LAOE from the Target block.

Eruption: The Host churns the ground around it, doing an AOE attack from the Target block.

Entangle: the Earth host is able to use vegetable materials within the ground or above it to hinder or move the characters around. The Alien Move - Shift will be improved to allow two characters to be shifted at once. They will also have access to the Hinder Move.

Swarms: are a group of smaller aliens working together. They cannot combine to possess a larger Host, but they can act as many smaller hosts. Most swarms use flesh bodies as Hosts (but small metal hosts, like toys or bicycles are possible) as a single building is beyond them, and thus are often called zombies.

Hives: a Hive is a swarm that is able to act as many or as one. They generally act as many but they have the ability to merge together and form a larger Host out of their parts.

Animals of the Fog

The Fog is radioactive and animals that spend a lot of time in it can change or mutate. The six dominant life forms of the ruins are Rats, Cats, Dogs, Insects (Bugs), Spiders and Reptiles. You may run into rare examples of other creatures that have wandered into the Rift. In most of the cases here we are assuming the creature is larger than normal but not too large. Once they start getting ‘really bigger’ you should convert them into Monsters, see below.

Rats: bigger and nastier than you think. The modern rat has a much longer life span, and continues to grow as it gets older. Rats upto 4 foot at the shoulders have been reported. Most however are in the 6 inches to a foot size (large domestic cat). Very large rats tend to eat all their pack, so tend to be alone. Normal rats run in packs of a dozen or more.

Cats: are also a bit bigger, the smaller ones got eaten by the rats. Modern cats are more in the Bobcat range of size and will run in small family groups of 3-6. Their claws are now more talons. If you see a cat what you need to worry about is not the one you can see, but the ones you can’t see.

Dogs: are pretty much the same, although you will rarely find a small dog these days. Dogs tend to run in larger packs now and stay close to each other. Dog packs will run from a dozen to several dozen, and their pack instincts and tactics are as developed as that of wolves.

Reptiles: range from your normal snake or lizards upto large or giant forms. Smaller reptiles are more likely to be venomous, larger reptiles move toward constrictors and swallowers. A large snake will be from 6 to 20 feet long. Giant snakes go from 20 to 60 feet long. Remember that a snake is mostly interested in eating its victim,so it has to be able to swallow it. Most snakes will not attack if there is no point unless you intrude on their space.

Insects/Bugs:

Swarms, Hives, big or small insects, venomous, biters, stingers, pincers, parasites etc. Insects come in all forms, especially after the Rift has had some time to work on them.

Spiders:

Mostly you will only need to worry about the big ones, or the really venomous ones. You can assume that your suit will protect you from all the smaller ones.

Name: Rat [Rats]

W: 2+ A: 0 Sz: 0+ D: 2 Sh: 2 X: Swarm

Specials: Rats will tend to run in swarms and thus can be formed into small groups for combat improvement.

Name: Cats [Cats]

W: 3 A: 0 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 3 X: Graceful

Specials:

Swift allows the cats to make a sudden move. The GM may move all players one zone closer, or further away. GM can generally only use this once per encounter.

Name: Dogs [Dogs]

W: 4 A: 0 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 3 X: Pack

Specials:

Howl…

Feint...

Name: Reptiles [Reptiles]

W: 3+ A: 1+ Sz: H+ D: 2+ Sh: 3 X: Silent

Specials:

Crush:

Swallow:

Constrict:

Strike:

Name: Insects/Bugs [Bugs]

W: 1+ A: 1+ Sz: 0+ D: 2+ Sh: 3 X: Xoskele

Specials:

Swarms:

Name: Spiders [Spiders]

W: 3+ A: 1+ Sz: H+ D: 2+ Sh: 3 X: Creepy

Specials:

Web

Stab

Bite

Plants of the Fog.

The Fog is radioactive and plants that spend a lot of time in it mutate, not to mention adapt to the conditions of the Fog. Most of the dangerous plants listed below will grow amidst other exotic Rift plant life, concealing their presence to the unwary.

The obvious best tactic for dealing with plants is to move away from them, they can’t move after all… yeah!

Red Weed: grows in massive patches like land based sea kelp forests. The strands can grow to 20ft high. The are able to sense warmth and will move to envelope it, dragging it into the clump where other strands will join in. The victim will simply be held till they die of exposure.

Tanglevine/Strangler: a form of living plant, growing tentacle line vines that can lash out and envelop the unwary, strangling or crushing them.

Cactus, poisonous: very large spiny cactus, growing up to 15ft tall and around. The spines can be as long as a foot, and have very hardened tips that are covered with a nasty neurotoxin. Very exotic ones may shoot spines.

Spike Orbs: a form of cactus with explosive spines. The explosive spines grow inside bud like extensions that act to contain the explosion and direct it. When disturbed a random number of buds will explode and spray spines out around it, doing pistol type damage.

Vampire Bush: a fine, wiry form of life, looking much like unravelled steel wool. The fine strands are drawn toward warmth initially and them the smell of blood once some has been exposed. The strands are sharp edged with thin feeder tubes that are able to draw blood from victims once they find an entry point.

Lash Trees/Slashing Willows: somewhat like a willow tree but with a thinner more gnarly spiral twisting trunk. When anything of the right size disturbs enough of the hanging branches the trunk unleashes itself, sending the branches into a raging whirling mass that will slash whatever is in it area of effect.

Razor Weed: an orange coloured fern like bush that has metallic hard edged leaves that are razor sharp. Any creature walking through the bushes will find their feet and lower legs will be slashed, if they do not leave the area quickly their legs are ruined and they fall into the bushes where they will slowly cut the torso till it dies of blood loss.

Tumbleweed: these initially grow as very thick thorny bushes upto 6ft across. Once mature they dry out and form into a tighter form about 3 feet across, then finally break from their roots, rolling around as the wind may blow. The external surface of the ball is covered with very hard spines that will inflict 1 Harm to any life form they contact. They seem to unnaturally form into large swarms and roll around in a thick carpet that can be dangerous to the unprepared.

Blue Vine: is explosive if exposed to fire or high impact strikes, or strong electricity. Blue Vine grows in long cords upto 1cm thick from a central core. It relies on growing amongst other plants and then being detonated to destroy them, and propagating its seeds at the same time. It can be difficult to see amongst the other vegetation.

Tubermines: explosive turnips. They will have a flat purple leafy structure that sticks out of the ground. When stepped on they explode with the force of a grenade, with most of the force going vertical. This is also how they disperse their seed.

Golden Globes: are sparsely covered tree forms with large golden glass like globes that grow at the end of spindly branches. The globes are explosive and drop randomly if anything comes near, or hits the tree. The globes explode with grenade like damage. They can be used as a light source if carefully picked from the tree, lasting upto 48 hours.

Mutants

Zombies: assuming you want to have some form of zombie or undead in your game I would suggest a real world example. A mutated fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is an entomopathogen, or insect-pathogenising fungus) that takes over human bodies is an excellent candidate. The fungus might or might not be a risk for living humans, but recently dead ones are instant candidates for mutated fungal invasion.

Of course you can also use Alien Swarms/Hives to do a similar thing.

Name: Walkers [Mutant]

W: 3 A: 0 Sz: H D: 2 Sh: 1 X: Brains

Specials:

Name: Runners [Mutant]

W: 4 A: 0 Sz: H D: 2 Sh: 3 X: Brains

Specials:

Name: Ogres [Mutant]

W: 5 A: 1 Sz: H+ D: 3 Sh: 2 X: Brains

Specials:

Name: Abominations [Mutant]

W: 6 A: 2 Sz: 1 D: 4 Sh: 2 X: Brains

Specials:

Hybrids

The Rift & the Fog is radioactive and creatures that spend a lot of time in it mutate and evolve, fast.

Vampire&Ghouls: humans who have been altered may come to require external replenishment of some vital organic compound, and usually the easiest way to get this from a body is their blood.

Ghouls would be mutated humans who have enhanced Body and Resolve powers, where-as Vampires would have Body, Alert and Presence.

Name: Ghouls [Hybrids]

W: 5 A: 1 Sz: H D: 4 Sh: 3 X: Vicious

Specials:

Strong

Name: Vampires [Hybrids]

W: 6 A: 1 Sz: H D: 4 Sh: 3 X: Shadow

Specials:

Shadow

Mist

Mesmerising

Strong

Cyborgs, Mechanoids & Robots

Before the collapse humans had developed advanced robots to the point of near AI status, certainly advanced enough to take on the role of personal assistants and workers of many kinds. Mostly they performed work that humans found unpleasant, as this was the easiest way to avoid harassment by the anti-android radical groups that started springing up.

Many of those cyborgs/robots have been lost in the past 200 years, but some of them remain, the more advanced models cannibalising the weaker and slowly changing into something more horrific.

It also goes without saying that the military, the secret services, the police and the para-military sections of the corporate world used cyborgs/robots to various degrees, and with cutting edge programming. Those robots are much more likely to still exist.

On top of this Aliens are able to take over robots of all but the most advanced kinds, turning them into sentient metallic lifeforms, with extras. Further, due to their affinity for metals, aliens are able to ‘infest’ robots, altering their programming such that they verge toward AI status. The Alien infestation does not require the Alien to remain in the host, they can move on to another robot, then another. The insane creature they leave behind will continue to follow its new programming until it is destroyed. Cleanup of ‘infestations’ is a common task of your team.

This also extends to cyborgs, creatures that are living flesh but with robotic attachments or replacements. The Alien can infest the robotic part of them and eventually drive the victim insane. Another favoured tactic is to infest the robotic part, take control, use it to kill the living part then possess that, turning the once living being into an Alien cyborg monster.

Cyborgs, Mechanoids & Robots come in five classes:

• Toy Robots - a swarm of robots that have been turned into much more lethal real forms of what they pretended to be. Toy robots with laser beams, micro missiles and small calibre guns are dangerous. A collection of such creatures can be lethal.
• Morph Robots - these are able to bond into a larger form, then break down into smaller forms as needed.
• Hive Robots - who replicate a natural hive lifeform, such as ants or bees, but can vary in size from an inch to a foot in size. The combined power of the swarm is what makes them dangerous.
• Robots - full unit robots that are generally had a specific purpose but have now been turned by time or aliens into dangerous monsters. Many of these will be para-military, corporate security or military models.
• Cyborgs - flesh and robotic lifeforms. Usually a robot will have taken over a flesh body and will be in control. Sometimes however a flesh body will accept enhancement to the point of losing their humanity and become more the machine. Many of these are experiments from the past by the military, and are very dangerous.

Name: Service Robot [CMR]

W: 3 A: 1 Sz: H D: 2 Sh: 2 X:

Specials:

Name: Worker [CMR]

W: 4 A: 1 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 2 X:

Specials:

Name: Industrial [CMR]

W: 5 A: 2 Sz: 1 D: 3 Sh: 2 X:

Specials:

Name: Security [CMR]

W: 6 A: 2 Sz: 1 D: 3 Sh: 3 X:

Specials:

Name: Police [CMR]

W: 6 A: 2 Sz: 1 D: 4 Sh: 3 X:

Specials:

Name: Military [CMR]

W: 8 A: 3 Sz: 1 D: 4* Sh: 3 X:

Specials:

AOE attack: may make an AOE at D-1.

Frankensteins.

Frankensteins are human bodies who have been made from the parts of recently dead people, or sometimes they are the recently dead people. An Alien is then coaxed into taking that specific body as a host (generally via cattle prods). Before the Alien can fully integrate to its new host however, the Body is subjected to substantial pressure to return to life, in the form of a concoction of drugs based on MIASMA.

The body, partially integrated by the Alien, returns to life. Aliens cannot possess a living body, so the living body absorbs the Alien and becomes something horrific - a Frankenstein monster.

The people who do this are few, and in fact I suggest that there be only one. The best story for this would be a mad scientist from the City, banished or escaped into the Rift to continue their experiments. Your players should encounter Frankenstein's now and then, but the final encounter with whoever is responsible should be a major story.

You might consider the Doctor to have some followers still existing within the City, who sneak out equipment periodically. There could also be disciples who emulate their Master and have setup their own laboratories.

Name: Fresh Frank [Frank]

W: 4 A: 1 Sz: 1 D: 3 Sh: 2 X: Construct

Specials:

Regenerate from Electricity

Name: Adult [Frank]

W: 5 A: 1 Sz: 1 D: 4 Sh: 2 X: Construct

Specials:

Regenerate from Electricity

Name: Mature [Frank]

W: 6 A: 1 Sz: 1 D: 4 Sh: 2 X: Construct

Specials:

Regenerate from Electricity

Cultists of the Rift/Brothers & Sisters of the Rift.

The CotR is a bunch of fanatics who believe the Aliens are Angels of God, trying to get through to our world to enact armageddon. The AGE however is a device placed here by the Devil to prevent the Angels getting through. Accordingly the fanatic followers of the CotR attempt to help the Aliens, even to the point of killing themselves to provide new bodies for Aliens to possess. More commonly they kill others to provide the bodies.

The CotR will also locate Aliens and provide aid to them in the form of security against other terrestrial threats, like your Team. The Brothers&Sisters still cannot communicate with the Aliens, and the Alien often kills them if they are not careful, but they have developed a considerable amount of experience on what they can and can’t do with an Alien.

Name: Cultist [Cult]

W: 3 A: 0 Sz: H D: 2 Sh: 2

X: x

Specials:

Name: Priest [Cult]

W: 4 A: 1 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 2

X: x

Specials:

Name: Warrior [Cult]

W: 4 A: 1 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 2

X: x

Specials:

Name: Angel [Cult]

W: 6 A: 2 Sz: 1 D: 4 Sh: 3

X: x

Specials:

JunkDogs.

JunkDogs are created when wild dogs intake impure MIASMA (eating bodies or aliens), or are mutated by The Rift. This causes mutation and psychotic violence in the mind of the animal. Once begun the process moves quickly, the dog mutates more, adopts more alien ways and forms, generally becoming more aggressive.

JunkDogs become extremely territorial, and very aggressive in defending the location they decide is home. They will often create a den that is a strong defensive structure.

Most JunkDogs will mutate into larger forms, growing bizarre body extensions (horns, scales, spikes, tails, claws etc) and often the ability to regenerate. They will also begin merging parts into their body, sheets of metal will grow into their thickening skin etc.

JunkDogs will develop a sense of their own limitations and the approach of death. In such cases they will flee to prepared dens where they can hole up and recover. The trick will be to either kill them very quickly, track them down very quickly, or get the hell away very quickly.

JunkDogs with mutant abilities should be assigned bonus Moves from the following selection: Horns, Spikes, Spring, Charge, Poison, Talons.

JunkDog I

Name: Junkdog [Type] Mutant

W: 6 A: 1 Sz: 1 H: 2 Sh: 1

X: Fearless, Voracious, Territorial

Specials: Mutations (x1) and regeneration.

JunkDog II

Name: Junkdog [Type] Mutant

W: 8 A: 2 Sz: 1 H: 3 Sh: 2

X: Fearless, Voracious, Territorial

Specials: Mutations (x2) and regeneration.

JunkDog III

Name: Junkdog [Type] Mutant

W: 10 A: 2 Sz: 2 H: 4 Sh: 3

X: Fearless, Voracious, Territorial

Specials: Mutations (x3) and regeneration.

Invaders.

Invaders come from outer space or other dimensions, but not the same as the Aliens do, thus they are aliens to everyone.

Invaders somehow manage to penetrate the dimensional barriers, probably due to the same weakening that the Aliens use, and come to our world to conquer.

Invaders from Outer Space

Real Aliens from another world, although Mars is another world and comes with a lot of built in background that your players should readily assimilate. Venus is also handy.

Name: Invaders [Invaders]

W: 6 A: 3 Sz: H D: 4 Sh: 3

X: x

Specials: Blink Teleport, Invisibility

Grey Men Aliens (Optional)(Advanced)

As your game progresses you may wish to introduce Grey Men Aliens. These can be the power behind the Aliens so to speak. The Grey Men will only show up after a set of trigger events have occurred. These events will result in a permanent Portal opening between the two dimensions, allowing the Grey Men to enter our world. This is a major event and should be portrayed appropriately.

The entry of the Grey Men, and the appearance of a permanent portal presents a challenge to the City and your player group, and a bunch of really good sessions/mission options, like going through the portal and over to the other side.

Name: Grey Men [Invaders]

W: 4 A: 2 Sz: Hx D: 3 Sh: 2x

X: x

Specials: Camoflage, Mind Control.

The Baresque, Grotesque and the Baroque.

For those of you who really like playing right out on the fringes of your imaginations you may include ideas from just about any other game, and rationalise them conveniently away as ‘dimensional anomalies!’. They can pass through, hang around or sail off into the sunset as you choose, being a one time thing. Or they can persist but be infrequently encountered, or they may become a recurring foe. Don’t make that decision ahead of time, let your players interact with it and see how they respond. If it works well then keep it around.

The Blood Zeppelin of the Dread Pirate Rogers.

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: A giant blood red coloured zeppelin suddenly appears in the sky above you, more as a dark red shape really as it colour matches the Fog.

This can arrive quietly, or you can bring it in with its engines droning away, getting closer and closer. The pirates themselves will generally rappel down long lines to the ground and slaughter everyone and everything. Its a hard life being ‘dread’.

The Dread Pirates Rogers himself will have a peg leg, a hook hand, a large tricorn hat with a large feather, an eyepatch and a stuffed parrot on his shoulder (laser eyes optional).

The Flying Dutchman.

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: A ghost ship, with ghosts! A flying 3 mast frigate, sails aloft.

The White Whale

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: The mysterious white whale is flying through the fog like it was water.

The Whaler-ship Pequod will often be flying around nearby, its Captain crying ‘Thar she blows!’

Nazis from Space

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: The Nazi have been hiding on the dark side of the Moon, and now they are ready to return and construct the Fifth Reich.

Zombie Nazis from Space

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: The Nazi’s sent off a fleet of spaceships to land on Mars and colonise the planet, believing the Canals story at the time. Sadly there was no water and they all died, but not before turning into zombies. Some of those went back into the ships and with time one of them hit the ‘auto-pilot-return’ switch. But time and dumb zombies altered the navigation, such that they have arrived here. Now they are your problem.

Time Travelling Sauropods.

[BGB]

W: 4+ A: 1+ Sz: 1+ D: 3+ Sh: 3

X: x

Specials: A bunch of time traveling dinosaurs appear and conduct experiments in changing the timeline to allow dinosaurs to rule the world.

The Migo Invasion

[BGB]

W: 3 A: 1 Sz: H D: 3 Sh: 3

X: x

Specials: The flying cthulhu invaders have appeared. Its only a scouting force at the moment, act quickly.

The Crystal’s March

[BGB]

W: x A: x Sz: x D: x Sh: x X: x

Specials: A meteor strikes the edge of the city, causing a major explosion that needs to investigated. From the crater rise giant alien crystals, six sided and towering 30-40ft into the air, and with a growing consciousness and appetite for water. The crystals will grow and fall, smashing into many broken parts, which in turn grow into new crystals, grow and fall. They march for the

The Environment.

As GM, the environment of Fallen Cities is your best friend, and it is a good idea to make sure you remember it. The Fog, The Rift, The Ruins, The Sounds, The Smells, The Monsters, The Aliens and The Despair of the Survivors struggling to find food let alone staying alive.

It is an oppressive place. You can barely see 50m in the Fog and everything is shaded red. Stop and think about what this actually means. You can’t see the sun other than as a vague disc. The light is poor and coloured. Sound is deadened yet at the same time strange interdimensional sound effects permeate the surroundings, coming from non-specific places around you. The sound of rabid, marauding monsters can interrupt the silence unexpectedly. Things can come into view out of the Fog and flash past you and disappear before you can respond. At other times it will be deathly silent.

As GM you need to use this to make sure your players understand the situation they are in. The visibility limitations of this game change the way everything works compared to a classic adventuring game. Its like you are in a closed dungeon all the time, everywhere you look there are just corners, and you don’t know what is around the next corner.

Weather.

Effects have to be easily and quickly applied.

1. Rift Whirlwind: a sudden tornado of Fog swirls into the area (you can maybe give them some warning through sounds they may hear). It is smallish but very powerful, able to lift a heavy man and throw them upto 100m away, into walls etc. It can come with a cloud of solid debris that will cause AOE damage to those it sweeps over.
2. Clear Air: region of 100-200m of clear air, no fog. Appears suddenly, reveals a surprise.
3. Rain Storm: typical although sudden thunderstorm moves into the area, reducing visibility even more, making the ground wet and slippery, unpleasant conditions.
4. Acid Rain: natural or unnatural rain that damages those caught in it, eating away at suits and equipment if exposed for long.
5. Strong Winds: natural or unnatural strong winds. Not hurricane force but sufficient to lift small objects, dust and generally make life unpleasant.
6. Lightning Storm: natural or unnatural storm with localised lightning effects.
7. Rift Field (breaks electronics): unnatural area effect of the Rift, any attempt to use anything electrical will result in breakage on a doubles roll regardless of the result.
8. Cold Front: natural or unnatural cold front sweeps over this area of the city. Sleet is generally the effect but sometimes snow. Open water will freeze.
9. Ice Storms: unnatural strong cold front with strong winds. Ground becomes very slippery. Visibility reduced further. Hail and sleet effects.
10. Sirroco: extended period of warm to hot, dry winds, that will cause dehydration effects if precautions are not taken.
11. Heat Wave: natural or unnatural hot weather, with winds or not. Temperatures will get up into to 40’s centigrade, maybe even into the low 50’s. Travel will be extremely difficult without fatigue.
12. Dark Storm: unnatural effect resulting in extremely thick dark clouds that completely blocks the sun even in the middle of the day. May have rain and winds and lightning.
13. Rift Balls: unnatural effect where glowing red balls of fog that appear to have internal electrical fields float around the area. Contact will discharge the ball and inflict Rift Radiation on the target, along with damage.
14. Rift Tears: rain fall of large red drops that are ridden with Rift radiation.
15. Rock Winds: strong dimensional winds that pick up heavy solid matter and and move it around as if it was paper.
16. Gravity Storm: A shifting wave form that shifts gravity up and down as it moves.
17. D-Waves: Dimenisonal waves that implement some different physical laws to those that humans are used to.
18. Toxic Rift: the fog becomes poisonous green in colour and will burn the skin and the lungs with continued exposure. In the short term it will inflict 1 Stress.
19. Rift Wails: loud sonic waves lash through the area, wailing and moaning.
20. Rift Ghosts: intangible ghostly forms of the past or the future transition through the area.

Natural Weather Effects.

Light Rain - drizzle, intermittent light falls, sporadic.

Heavy Rain - constant moderate rain, heavy downpours, short torrential rains.

Storm Rains - strong rain, torrential rain, strong winds, lightning and thunder.

Winds - annoying winds, picks up light debris.

Strong Winds - slows movement, requires leaning, picks up dangerous debris, need to shield eyes.

Most natural weather effects can be avoided by seeking shelter, then you only have to worry about what’s in the shelter. Extended exposure to weather that might be harmful should cause stress, or inflict a condition that will probably need bed rest or medical treatment. Most of this can be done narratively, unless your players insist on pushing back against it and being unreasonable, or if they have some imperative to push on.

Natural Weather side effects table.

10+ No effect

7-9 Choose 1

6- Choose 2.

• Gain +1 Rift
• Gain +1 Stress or Harm
• Gain a Tag that remains with you till it can be applied/used.
• Loose 1 Resource, or 2 Ammo
• A piece of a character’s equipment becomes jammed, but this will remain unknown till you try to use it.
• Gain -1 Forward for one character.
• Gain -1 History with character of choice.

Environmentals.

The GM may roll for environmental effects that will be in play during each mission:

10+ Select 0 environmental effects

7-9 Select 1 environmental effects

6- Select 2 environmental effect.

• It’s raining.
• It’s dark
• It’s windy
• It’s cold
• It’s hot
• It’s a Dust Storm
• It’s Rifty (static)
• It’s foggy (deeper red)
• It’s loud (Rift screams)
• It’s spooky (Rift ghosts)
• It’s flashy (Rift jaggers)
• It’s blurry (Rift blur)
• It’s toxic (Rift rad)
• It’s ruined (extra rough ground)
• It’s underground
• It’s weird.

Terrain (option)

The terrain of Fallen Cities is primarily urban destroyed, and most of it is inner city. There are parks and such but even those have been messed up a lot. The rusted remains of vehicles are scattered everywhere. Because of this there is a lot of options you can bring in with regard to terrain and its effects on an encounter. For our purposes we like to know what effects a specific terrain will have on Moves and how the encounter deals with them. As such the following collection of Terrain Effects are suggested.

Insert? examples.

Cleared land or Park: -1 to Take Cover, +1 to Resist Shift.

Heavy Rubble: +1 to Take Cover.

Exotic terrains of the Rift -

Terrain can also be a Hazard (see above), and if you want you might even create some Terrain Moves, which might be available to the Players and the GM alike.

Health&Safety.

The ruined world beneath the City is not only a dangerous environment creature wise, it is also potentially unhealthy. The nature of the afflictions that might affect you in Fallen Cities is left generic in nature, other than the general form they come in. Toxins will be chemical or mineral caused afflictions (poisons), Pathogens will be living things (viruses, bacteria and parasites) and various radiations will be Radiation (not to be confused with Rift Rad).

GMs should only use this form of threat as a deliberate plot device, or when delivered by a specific agent, ie a creature that the players will be aware is a risk, or a location with some subtle warning signs (DANGER: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS). It is not heroic for characters to simply get sick due to doing their day to day operations.

Most Toxins, Pathogens and Radiation will start by inflicting a -1 Ongoing effect. If the condition is one that will progress toward death it should go to -2 Ongoing, then Incapacitated, then Comatose and finally dead. Remember that player characters are superior examples of their species and have very resilient health. Nobody wants to slowly waste away, that’s very unheroic. Generally allow a trait roll to resist any advancement of the condition. If you have a Hospitalier in the group, they can probably heal you - that’s their function.

Getting back to the City is always the best option. Their advanced medical facilities are able to handle nearly all afflictions. If time is short the team can ask for an air-evac, but this will generally cost you.

An injection of MIASMA fixes everything, but they are costly or may be dangerous.

Encounter Action Deck (Optional)

The Action Deck is a collection of cards with the GM Moves and the Monsters Moves, one of each (by default). When the GM gets a Move option they simply draw a card from the deck and use that as their Move. This makes for a random result, which may not make sense at times, but try to think laterally and find a way to get the Move to work. Remember that an Alien will do alien things, and an animal will not always be rational. Even humans will do irrational things in the heat of combat, or if in a deranged state. The option to not always just ‘attack back’ is what should be promoted by using action cards, to remind the GM that there are other options to a story.

A standard Action Deck will have the GM Moves:

1. Get someone alone.
2. Capture someone.
3. Put someone in a spot.
4. Eat their supplies.
5. Trade harm for harm
6. The Fog is your friend.
7. Use all the senses, make them blind.
8. Inflict harm or stress
9. Activate their stuff’s downside.
10. Tell them the possible consequences and ask.
11. Offer an opportunity, with or without a cost.
12. Turn their move back on them.
13. Break their Comms.
14. Use the Rift.
15. Incoming message…
16. Its a hard world out there.
17. Heal*
18. Flee*
19. Hide/Conceal*
20. Parley*

* Monsters will also have access to specific Moves (Aliens each do for eg). The following are the basic moves you would expect.

• Flee - if the encounter is not fully aggressive there is a chance they may abandon their positions and retreat. As soon as any casualties are suffered you should add 1 or 2 Flee cards to your Action Deck, depending on how skilled/determined/motivated the encounter is. Extra Flee cards should be added as further casualties are taken. When a Flee card is drawn you should consider the situation and decide if your NPC’s have the advantage or not. If they seem to be losing then you should elect to have them flee, run away! If things look good for them then simply put the Flee card aside and wait for things to turn bad, then have them run. The Flee card should be an option for you if it seems appropriate.
• Hide/Conceal - the npc’s seek cover. To engage them you must suffer a Hardway Move (not an action tho), then take your action.
• Heal - the npc’s use healing actions this round, recovery 1 (if they have 4 or less boxes) or 2 boxes (if they have 5 or more boxes) each. This is through medical skills or through natural abilities like regeneration, or maybe the Rift. Leave this card out if inappropriate.
• Parley - intelligent npc’s may offer to talk. In true cinematic style everything stops and negotiations are carried out, until someone decides to return to the fighting. Leave out if they are not talkers.

Generally the encounter will not start with Flee cards in the deck. These can be added as the situation evolves, ie when a certain amount of damage is inflicted you might add 2x Flee cards to your deck, representing the possibility that they will make a run for it. Some monsters are more likely to flee, some less, so adjust the number of cards you add to reflect this.

The use of a deck of cards gives you more freedom to modify things on the fly, adding in or taking out cards as you see fit. Use 2 of each card to get numbers upto 40+ and near a regular deck size, easier to shuffle and handle.

Monster Action Cards.

Specific monsters could be given special actions, representing special abilities they may have. GM’s can probably include these narratively under a Harm action, as most of them are special attacks, but you could include specific cards for them if you wanted to. Eg a Fire Breathing Robot special attack form might fit into this category - you would add a number of Special Move cards to your Action Deck and each time you draw one it triggers the special move as an option. The number of these cards will vary with how often you want the special power to occur.

Putting your Players to Work (option).

To reduce the GM’s workload get your players to control the Action Deck. As the GM takes an action the player with the AD draws a card and tells the GM what it is. The GM (and players) will then need to interpret the card to the current situation and act in accordance. Your players should be encouraged to offer suggestions.

Constructing the AD, and adding cards to it, is generally done by the GM, but experienced players should be able to take over the role with some consultation with the GM.

Collateral Damage Options (optional)

The ruins of the past are inhabited, even if you can’t see them, so on occasion you may hurt innocent bystanders. The following table can be used to determine a random set of bystanders when needed.

Random Bystanders.

1. Civilian adults, scavengers.
2. Civilian family or group, residents or hiding.
3. Civilian children
4. Animals, normal.
5. Local gang
6. Sector gang
7. Regional gang
8. Cultists
9. Animals, mutants.
10. Mechanoids
11. Mobile Alien Host (Metal or Flesh)
12. Rogue team of cleaners/mercenaries

The Grid covers a much larger area than it visually suggests, remember that it represents a 360 degree field around the target, and that the players may actually be coming from different directions, so a wider field of play applies, in which civilians and other creatures might be hiding and not immediately visible. The killing and saving of innocents is a part of the game and GM’s should tell the characters the truth of what automatic fire and explosives can do. Create the despair, let them make the Hope.

You can use the Collateral Damage Move (Basics-Peripheral Moves) to add this random element to your game play.

Following and Getting Lost (Optional).

Cleaners are well known to the people of the ruins. They are clean, well armed, well trained and carry a small fortune in loot. Not to mention they are often going to kill an Alien, which will result in a veritable fortune in MIASMA.

Certain parties within the ruins will keep track of the comings and goings of Cleaner Teams, and may well plot to destroy or capture them, and their valuable gear.

Every time a Team of Cleaners leaves the City and passes through the Markets area there is a chance they will be followed. Mind you it is extremely difficult to follow people when you can barely see 40m. A lot of the time the interested parties will try to predict the path of the Team and place people at various locations and hope the Team goes past them.

The characters can make an effort to lose the people trying to track them, but run the risk of getting lost themselves.

Followers:

1. Bandits
2. Cultists
3. Monster
4. Animals
5. Rebels
6. Opportunists
7. Gatherers.
8. Alien (Flesh or Metal).
9. Travellers (who probably aren’t following you)
10. Residents (who are mostly watching you, a child maybe?)

Getting Lost.

There will be times when you manage to lose the things following you, but get yourself lost in the process. Other times you may simply get lost, the Rift has a habit of moving things around a bit and making navigating difficult. Don’t forget you can’t see very far, so landmarks have to be immediate and obvious, and close together. GPS is a thing of the past. Even the City’s laser system can be unreliable as the line of sight beams will be blocked by buildings at your level. The laser system will get you back in action eventually, but in the meantime some interesting things might happen.

When you get lost in the Rift (See the Scout Playbook, your Scout is your best navigator), strange things may happen, strange interdimensional things. Everyone living in the Rift knows this. The Academy and the City scientists don’t know it because they don’t live in the Rift, they dismiss it as folklore. Veteran groups will whisper the truth to rookies, as will just about any grounder they talk to.

Getting ‘lost’, not being sure of where you are, seems to attract trouble. Just the state of mind of feeling you don’t know exactly where you are is generally sufficient to trigger unusual interdimensional anomalies. This can also happen if the characters are unsure of where they might be going, such as when they flee from one dangerous situation and suddenly find themselves in a strange new place. These transitions are more overlays of the current physical environment, ie the ruins around you remain the same (the inorganics) but the content changes (the organics). The Fog remains no matter what, the Rift can only reach where the Rift already reaches. The shift will generally fade away if the characters keep moving and looking for their way back.

A transition will mean you are moved to an alternate dimension, where things are different.

Types of Transitions:

1. Bring in the dinosaurs
2. The Red Sun, far in the future when the cockroaches rule.
3. Water world, 20m deep, transition gives them about 5 minutes to seek higher ground.
4. Zombie apocalypse.
5. Vampire apocalypse, a world of night.
6. Alien invaders
7. Mechanoid apocalypse
8. Enter the Dragon
9. Damnation Alley
10. Cthulhu rises.

Bring in the dinosaurs:

The team is transported to an alternate dimension where dinosaurs roam the ruins of man and the world is a warmer, wetter, greener place. Buildings will be in a more advanced state of decay, creating areas of more open ground that have been overgrown with lush vegetation. Giant herbivores wander the streets eating vegetation from the walls of the remaining buildings, whilst predators hide in the dark holes, waiting to pounce.

Size matters in this world and GMs should make use of the ‘size’ factors to allow their massive dinosaurs to shrug off bullets, and crush risk taking characters beneath their feet, or teeth.

The Red Sun:

Set in the far future when the cockroaches rule and the sun is beginning to turn into a red giant that will consume the planet.

It will be hot, very hot and characters will need to take steps to control their heat and water, hiding in the ruins during the daylight. Water in particular should be a major issue for softskins, forcing the players to delve into underground areas to find it. Anything so valuable will of course already be owned.

The cockroaches of this time are either big (man sized, or bigger), or swarms/hives with a ravenous appetite or a cunning intelligence, or both. You might give them an advanced technology, but it should be organically based.

Water world:

The polar caps have melted and the sea levels have risen, land is now a multitude of high ground islands sticking out of the water. The characters will start in a transition which gives them about 5 minutes to seek higher ground as the water rushes in and starts to fill the streets.

Once fully transferred there will be water as far as the eye can see. Beneath them are the remains of the city, visible through the crystal clear waters, an occasional building sticking out. One good thing, the Rift and the Fog are below you, and a clear blue scary sky is above you (wait till they see the stars!)

Zombie apocalypse:

Let them find one zombie, then start bringing in more, and more… Always suggest they go to the Shopping Mall.

Vampire apocalypse:

The sky will fill with dark clouds, a world of night. Humanity will be small groups and ragged survivors, or herds controlled by human shepherds that are feed to the Lords of the Night. This is a world controlled by the vampires, people are now cattle or rats fighting a losing battle.

Space invaders:

The aliens are in control, the green men from Mars and their giant Tripods with heat rays roam the horizons. Humans have mesh skull caps covering their heads, making them docile and compliant to the needs of the aliens. Machines hunt for any humans who remain free.

Mechanoid apocalypse:

The terminators are waging a war of extermination against the remnants of the human race.

Enter the Dragon:

The world in fiery ruin as the fire dragons burn and eat and burn everything that moves, or looks like it might move.

Damnation Alley:

A dying world where humans clings to the remnants of what they once were. Mutant life forms of all kinds hunt and eat the softskins. You have to keep moving if you want to stay alive.

Cthulhu rises:

The mythos gods of ancient times awaken and bring ruin to the world. They hunt… anything that moves.

Playing the Hard Game.

Those who like a very gritty and realistic game can take things a step further with regard to the City and its attitude to the rest of the world.

The City is an abomination, a thing of horror, a monster. It actually, really thinks that the world outside the City is of no significance, and that the creatures that inhabit it, the other humans, are nothing better than feral animals who are beginning to appear in plague proportions. In fact the people of the City feel more for the Alien than anything else, because the Alien is apparently their equal, and provides something the City cannot produce.

The only reason the City interacts with the feral humans, providing some services, is to control them, use them, experiment on them. They are a cheap form of labour, nothing more.

In a hard game the players will be exposed to more Despair. The City will play a more active role in their day to day activities, demanding they perform things no human would willingly do. The GM should remind the players of this reality constantly. Everytime the players laugh you should immediately consider the situation and decide if the City can issue an order for the players to do something horrible, inhuman, disgusting.

“Kill all the ferals...kill the children!”

Be very careful with this, don’t take it too far, check with your players if they feel comfortable with what is being asked. DO not actually run it as an encounter, just give the order, ask if they comply, say it is done, allow them to reflect, then move on. Regardless if one of your players is an idiot with the sensitivity of a rock, do not play these things out. The horror will be more impactful if you allow them a moment to reflect on what it is they have done, make sure they understand clearly, then move on.

Remember the point of the game is to generate Hope of a better future. Getting the players to do these types of things is simply a device to allow them to transcend this, to be the Heroes. “This is what they are, you can be better!” As the game progresses you should be doing this less often, allowing the players to grow into something better.